15 Best Places for Solo Travel in Europe

The best places for solo travel in Europe beckon with the promise of adventure and connection. Europe is packed with exciting cultural attractions, imaginative activities, and friendly bars and cafés where it’s easy to strike up a conversation and get to know the locals.

Europe is generally safe for solo travelers, and plenty make the journey. Yes, you’ll need to navigate different cultures, currencies, and customs, but that’s all part of the fun of exploring.

So unleash your inner adventurer, whether you’ve always dreamed of trying tapas in Barcelona, visiting Checkpoint Charlie in Berlin, or belting out ABBA’s greatest hits in Stockholm.

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Friendly Amsterdam is a great city for solo travelers. Many people speak English, so it’s easy to strike up a conversation.

There are enjoyable ways to see the city, too, in a group of like-minded people. Join a guided cycling tour, or take a paddle boarding excursion along some of the quieter canals. Spend time browsing Amsterdam’s art museums, such as the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum.

Something no visitor to Amsterdam should miss is the poignant Anne Frank House on Prinsengracht. You’ll see the annex where the teenager and her family hid from the Nazis, and where Anne wrote her famous diary. It’s both heartbreaking and thought-provoking, and a visit here raises all kinds of debating points to discuss with your newfound friends.

After your visit, stroll the pretty neighborhood of Jordaan in Downtown Amsterdam and stop for refreshments in one of the famous brown cafés.

Berlin, Germany

If you’ve never been to the cool, edgy German capital of Berlin before, by far the best way is to take a tour as there’s a vast amount to see. Take in the 18th century Brandenburg Gate, the Reichstag, where Parliament sits, and the remnants of the Berlin Wall that once divided the city.

Visit the Wall Museum at Checkpoint Charlie and learn about the struggle for human rights during the days of communism and the ingenious ways locals dreamed up to get over the wall.

Alternatively, Berlin is also known as one of the best cities for art in the world. Lose yourself on Museum Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where there are five superb museums dedicated to art and archaeology on an island in the Spree River.

Barcelona, Spain

The capital of Catalunya is a buzzing, dynamic city, packed with art, culture, and nightlife, and a popular destination for solo travel in Europe.

Stroll the Ramblas and watch the street entertainers. Browse the colorful La Boqueria market, one of the best places to shop in Barcelona, where you can perch on a bar stool with a snack and watch the world go by.

Wander the narrow alleys of the Gothic Quarter and visit Le Seu, the towering cathedral. For more dazzling architecture, don’t miss the Sagrada Familia, Gaudí’s spectacular basilica, a complex riot of organic shapes, bright colors, slender columns, and impossibly tall towers.

One of the best ways to get chatting with locals in Barcelona is to go out for tapas. A great way to do this is to join a tapas tasting tour to sample local specialties and meet fellow foodies.

Seville, Spain

Seville is an easy and safe place to explore on your own. Wander around the dramatic Plaza de España, designed for the Ibero-American exhibition of 1929, and admire the elaborate architecture and intricate tiles.

Pre-book your ticket to the Royal Alcázar, an exquisitely beautiful palace dating back 1,000 years and still used by the Spanish royals today.

You’ll find some of the best tapas bars in the tangle of streets that’s the Barrio Santa Cruz, the old Jewish quarter. There are flamenco schools here, too, where the evocative sounds of the music float on the breeze. You could even join a 60-minute class for an initiation into the heel-clicking and dramatic hand movements.

In summer, locals head for the open-air pop-up bars along the banks of the Guadalquivir River, which bisects this beautiful Spanish city. This is a great place to sit and people-watch with a cold drink and strike up a conversation.

Stockholm, Sweden

Beautiful Stockholm drapes across 14 islands, so there’s water everywhere you look. There’s plenty to see here, and a guided walking tour of Gamla Stan, the old center, is the best way to get under the skin of the Swedish capital in like-minded company.

If you’re feeling brave, join one of the guided rooftop tours which take you over the roofs of some of the ancient buildings—complete with safety gear, of course.

Stockholm has some great museums to explore. Head for the Vasa Museum to admire the Vasa, a 16th century warship that sank on its maiden voyage and has been painstakingly raised from the bottom of Stockholm harbor.

ABBA fans can sing along to their favorite tracks with wild abandon at ABBA, The Museum.

Lisbon, Portugal

Portugal’s laid-back capital is enjoying a moment in the sun, as digital nomads from all over the world take up residence here to make the most of the enviable lifestyle and climate.

As such, there’s a cosmopolitan buzz in Lisbon, and you’ll hear an eclectic mix of languages spoken in the bars and restaurants.

Take in the sights, including the Castelo de São Jorge and the Jerónimos Monastery. One of the best things to do in Lisbon is to see the 16th-century Belém Tower, a symbol of Portugal’s maritime power during the age of exploration.

For a fun and social activity, head to the superb Time Out Market, a dazzling display of food, drink, and flowers. There are also numerous little restaurants where you can sample Portuguese specialties.

At the center, there’s a cooking school. Here, you can join a class to learn how to make pasteis de nata, the delicious custard tarts that Portugal is famous for.

Copenhagen, Denmark

Copenhagen is a safe, friendly, and relatively compact city to explore, so you won’t have any problems getting around on a solo trip.

Some of the best things to do in Copenhagen include touring the grand Christiansborg Palace and gazing in awe at the lavish reception rooms and salons, as well as soaking up the lifestyle of the Danish royals at Amalienborg Palace.

Snap a shot of the Little Mermaid, perched wistfully on her rock, and stroll the leafy Tivoli Gardens, where locals come to picnic and listen to music. Drop into the Food Hall, where there are 15 different stalls offering street food from around the world, if you prefer not to sit at a table in a more formal restaurant.

If you only have a day in Copenhagen, you’ll find plenty of opportunities to meet locals at colorful Nyhavn, the 17th-century waterfront packed with lively bars and restaurants.

Bruges, Belgium

Bruges may seem like a city for romantics, but you can have just as much fun on your own. Take a canal boat ride along the network of waterways that criss-crosses the city, overlooked by half-timbered houses and window boxes crammed with scarlet geraniums.

One of the best things to do in Bruges is to climb up the Belfry that overlooks Markt, the market square at the heart of the city, for fantastic views over the medieval rooftops. Reward yourself with a steaming bowl of Belgium’s national dish, garlicky moules-frites, or mussels with fries.

To meet like-minded travelers, join a tour that includes a chocolate-making demonstration, and taste some of the creamy truffles for which the city is famed. Or take part in a beer tasting experience and learn more about Belgium’s age-old brewing traditions.

Athens, Greece

Bring Ancient Greece to life with a visit to Athens, where the compact center is easy to explore. The best way to see the Acropolis and the Parthenon is with a guide, who will explain the context of this world-famous site.

Afterward, spend time in the beautifully laid out Acropolis Museum. There’s an excellent café at the top with uninterrupted views of the Parthenon.

At night, the tangled alleys of the popular Athenian neighborhood Plaka are buzzing with life and are safe to wander alone. Shop here for clothing, jewelry, and local crafts, and stop for a mezze feast in one of the vine-shaded tavernas.

Reykjavik, Iceland

Iceland is known as one of the safest countries in the world, and as such, is one of the best places for solo travel in Europe.

While the capital, Reykjavik, has some interesting sights and its fair share of cool bars, getting out of town is the best way to discover the wild scenery that’s been shaped by fire and ice.

There are dozens of choices. Join a horseback riding tour, or share the adrenaline rush of white water rafting with others. Take a guided hike to see some of Iceland’s plunging waterfalls, or a movie locations tour that incorporates the starkly beautiful countryside with insider gossip about the many movies and TV series that have been shot here.

Rome, Italy

Sitting in the sunlit Piazza Navona in Rome with a morning cappuccino while watching the world go by is one of Italy’s simple yet satisfying pleasures, especially for solo travelers.

Or join a behind-the-scenes tour of the Colosseum, once the location of brutal gladiatorial fights. Take a foodie tour around colorful Trastevere for an in-depth insight into Roman cuisine, led by a local.

Gaze in awe at the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, painted by Michelangelo, and admire the splendors of the Vatican Museum. One of the joys of traveling solo is that you can take as long as you like to soak up these priceless treasures.

Dubrovnik, Croatia

Croatians have a term, fjaka, which translates loosely as the great pleasure of doing very little, whiling away time with friends over a coffee. Take a seat in any of the hole-in-the-wall coffee shops or bars in the narrow streets of Dubrovnik leading off the Stradun and you’ll find locals happy to chat.

Later in the day, find a shady table in one of the many al-fresco restaurants in Dubrovnik’s Old Town for a glass of chilled white to wash down a platter of local cheese and air-dried ham.

Head to Fort Lovrijenac next to the old city and climb up to the top for sweeping views down over the terracotta rooftops and the sparkling Adriatic beyond. A kayaking tour is one of the best things to do in Dubrovnik to explore the walls from the outside.

Tallinn, Estonia

Compact Tallinn is like a scene from a fairy tale, with its cobblestone streets, half-timbered buildings and graceful spires. Join a walking tour to get more perspective on this enchanting city, then relax in Town Hall Square with a cold beer and watch the world go by.

For something different, one of the best things to do in Tallinn is to visit the KGB Museum in the Hotel Viru. This was Estonia’s first skyscraper, and when the country was still under Soviet rule, it served as a listening post for the KGB. You can see the secret room, still filled with gadgetry that the Soviets used to spy on the hotel’s guests.

Porto, Portugal

The beautiful old city of Porto, which clings to the south bank of the Douro River, is a great option for singles.

There’s plenty of things to do in Porto, from learning about the port wine production for which the city is famous to soaking up the atmosphere of the many riverside bars and restaurants. Fans of old books should visit the Livraria Lello, regarded as one of the most beautiful bookstores in the world.

Check out the incredible scenery on a tour that takes you deep into the Douro Valley, where sinuous vineyards snake around the contours of the hills.

London, England

You’d need weeks to do London justice as there’s so much to see in Britain’s buzzing capital, one of the best places for solo travel in Europe.

A cruise along the Thames will show you the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, the London Eye, and the iconic Tower Bridge. There are galleries and museums galore; visit the Tate Modern and wander along the South Bank, soaking up the atmosphere and snacking from food trucks.

Join a guided walking tour of the City, the oldest part of London. There are various themes, from literary London to haunted London and the atmospheric Jack the Ripper tour. Explore some of the street markets; you’ll recognize Portobello Road from various movies, while Petticoat Lane is great for antiques and Columbia Road is a gorgeous flower market.

Ready to set out and explore the cultural and culinary delights of Europe’s most exciting cities? Browse our Europe cruises and plan your adventure with Celebrity Cruises.