With its white sand beaches and shallow seas, you’d be forgiven for thinking Naxos is exclusively for families. But the Cyclades’ largest isle has set its sights on drawing solo travelers to experience its myriad attractions, from a fortified capital and farm-to-table cuisine to dopamine-spiking watersports. Start with a walk through medieval main town Hora and admire the Venetian-era Glezos and Della Rocca Barozzi towers. Next, try your hand at wind surfing with an expert instructor at Flisvos Sport Club on Agios Georgios beach. If two wheels are more your style, join a Naxos Bikes e-bike and hike tour through olive groves to Mt Zeus, the island’s highest point at 1,003m (3,290 ft).
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# 7 great places for solo travelers in Europe

Aug 26, 2024 • 8 min read

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Captivating Journey: Young Girl with Bandana Exploring Ancient Greek Temples of Selinunte in Sicily among the prickly pears; Shutterstock ID 2347873817; GL: 65050; netsuite: Online Editorial; full: Best things to do in Sicily ; name: Bailey Freeman 2347873817

Sicily, with its many incredible historic sites, is great for solo travelers © Giovenda / Shutterstock

Europe, with its compact size, captivating cities and endless outdoor pursuits, has long been a top solo travel destination for people of all ages. But with so much continent to explore, narrowing down exactly where to take your solo sojourn can be tough. Luckily, the benefit of traveling alone is not compromising on the destination, so you can follow your heart to some of Europe’s most unique and intriguing places.

To find those spots, we asked our expert writers to share their recommendations for the best places to fly solo in Europe. Here's where to go.

## 1. Sicily, Italy

On an island where kaleidoscopic cultural and historical riches are all-consuming, travel companions can risk becoming a tiresome distraction. Solo Sicily is unfettered joy. Its sparky combo of seaside, mountains, sassy food, sun-filled wine and spitting volcanoes means you never "get bored". Indeed, there is a deeply moving aura to this sun-scorched island lapped by three seas that inspires quiet contemplation and a reassuring ease with one’s own company.

Start your journey on the Ionian Coast in Sicily’s hypnotic east: join a guide up the explosive slopes of Mt Etna and locals at Catania’s chaotic fish market. Savor vino bursting with sunshine in volcanic vineyards. If you’re a drama queen, star-lit performances at ancient Greek theaters in Syracuse and Taormina will leave you spellbound for days – as will the paradise-on-earth Aeolian archipelago, with cobalt-blue waters and clandestine coves to match every mood and moment. In the west, capital city Palermo weaves captivating stories in glittering gold mosaics in the Cappella Palatina at Palazzo dei Normanni, while Stanze al Genio – the unusual palazzo home and majolica tile museum of an art collector – is one of Italy’s loveliest solo B&B stays. Ditto for the oddly romantic, evocative quarry garden Giardino dell’Impossible with enchanting rooms on butterfly-shaped Favignana.

People in sidewalk restaurant on waterfront in Giardini-Naxos town summer evening

Dine by the water in the beautiful village of Chora in Naxos. Getty Images

## 2. Naxos, Greece

With its white sand beaches and shallow seas, you’d be forgiven for thinking Naxos is exclusively for families. But the Cyclades’ largest isle has set its sights on drawing solo travelers to experience its myriad attractions, from a fortified capital and farm-to-table cuisine to dopamine-spiking watersports. Start with a walk through medieval main town Hora and admire the Venetian-era Glezos and Della Rocca Barozzi towers. Next, try your hand at wind surfing with an expert instructor at Flisvos Sport Club on Agios Georgios beach. If two wheels are more your style, join a Naxos Bikes e-bike and hike tour through olive groves to Mt Zeus, the island’s highest point at 1,003m (3,290 ft).

Afterwards, you’ll make a stop at Halki village to sample Naxos’ aromatic PDO citron liqueur at a small distillery. Immerse yourself further in the island’s culinary traditions with a visit to a dairy farm hosted by Philema Food Tours. You’ll chat with farmers, feed the animals and assist in making Naxos’ hallmark arseniko cheese. With tummy sated, center yourself with sunset yoga at Kite beach in Mikri Vigla. Soul in Motion’s Melina Rigopoulos leads sessions between June and September, along with occasional retreats.

People wander through the traditional flower market in the Old Town of Aix.

The traditional flower market in the Old Town of Aix. Getty Images

## 3. Aix-en-Provence, France

Navigating the notoriously feisty metropolis of Marseille in France’s hot south solo is not for everyone. Meandering the graceful boulevards of its cleaner, safer, slower-paced little sister, a 45-minute bus or train ride away, most definitely is. Open your foray in chichi Aix-en-Provence with a café crème and croissant beneath emerald-leafed plane trees at Le Forbin, footsteps from fountain-stitched main avenue Cours Mirabeau. Time slows at the town’sMusée Granet in Quartier Mazarin, packed with pieces by Picasso, Matisse, Monet and local lad Paul Cézanne who painted nearby Montagne Ste-Victoire numerous times (following in his footsteps by e-bike is an inspirational day trip, either solo or with a group tour).

Don’t miss 13th-century Église St-Jean de Malte next to the art museum and the flower gardens of palatial art gallery Hôtel de Caumont (1742), a five-minute walk away. Grab a smoothie, shake or chai latte afterwards atBook In Bar; this English-language bookshop-cafe is a honeypot for students from Aix’s prestigious university, should you fancy mingling. Come dusk, take a people-watching pew on a cafe terrace on buzzing rue de la Verrerie, place Richelme or Forum des Cardeurs. For a more intimate scale and vibe, gravitate to place de l’Hôtel de Ville.

A lush plant grows up over a wall with a Moorish door opening into baths. 

Set in one of Old Palma's prettiest gardens, the Banys Àrabs is a solo travel treat. Shutterstock

## 4. Palma de Mallorca, Spain

Palma de Mallorca is a welcoming city, with its well-lit public spaces, beautiful beaches and glut of restaurants, markets and historic sites. That means solo travelers won’t struggle to have the perfect relaxed day alone. Start your visit at Mercat de Santa Catalina, the oldest food market in the city, brimming with tapas and local produce. Nearby, Lluís Pérez Pastisser is a delightful pastry cafe known for its croissant ibérico con tomatitos: a flaky croissant filled with ibérico ham and tart cherry tomatoes. Excellent coffee can be found at Café Riu Tort, while Mistral Coffee prides itself on beans roasted locally.

Spend your day strolling along Passeig des Borne, a tree-lined boulevard dotted with both luxury and mainstream shops. For a satisfying lunch, El Toque de Queda offers a range of charcuterie boards with local cheeses, or try La Vasca for authentic Basque flavors. Spend your afternoon exploring cultural landmarks like the Catedral de Mallorca with its tranquil Bishop’s Garden and the historic Banys Àrabs (Arab Baths). In the evening, head to Cineciutat, a non-profit cinema that showcases films in their original languages. Then end the day with a visit Bar La Sang for natural wines, or reserve a spot at Vermutería La Rosa for a traditional vermouth tasting.

The exterior of the Palace of Babos in Cluj-Napoca, with an ornate spire. 

Palace of Babos in cosmopolitan Cluj-Napoca, a city with a large student population. Leonid Andronov/Shutterstock

## 5. Cluj-Napoca, Romania

Bohemian, slower-paced Cluj-Napoca in northwestern Romania, is everything that the much larger, rowdy (and often chaotic) capital of Bucharest is not. Despite being Transylvania’s biggest city and the country’s second-largest, Cluj (as it’s more commonly referred to as) exudes a different feel that is more relaxed ⁠– perfect for solo travelers. And that’s in part due to the thousands of students studying here, as well as the compact layout of the city. The city dates to pre-Roman times ("Napoca" originates from the Dacians), but its superb Baroque architecture, stemming from the Austro-Hungarian era, stands out. Easy to explore and becoming increasingly in demand as the tech sector flourishes, modern Cluj is artsy, heaps of fun, and delightfully cosmopolitan.

It hosts the fêted Transylvania Film Festival and the massive crowd-pulling Electric Castle and Untold festivals (stay away in late July and early August unless you book months ahead or can pay exorbitant accommodation prices). These days, contemporary energy comes in high doses. So do specialty coffee shops dotted around the center, the highest number per capita in the country ( Narcoffee Roasters is fab). The food scene is equally exciting. Country-chic Casa Boema is an enduring favorite for its oasis-like courtyard terrace. Best of all, nature is within sight. Walk up to Cetăţuia Park for panoramic views of the city – one nestled between the Transylvanian Plain and Apuseni Mountains.

A church stands among vineyards and mountains in a lush Slovenian valley. 

Vipava Valley in Slovenia is perfect for a cycling tour or wine-tasting with new friends. Getty Images

## 6. Vipava Valley, Slovenia

If you're solo tripping, Slovenia's Vipava Valley is the place to be sipping – especially as you'll never be drinking alone. In this wine-obsessed, welcoming community, sharing a bottle of your own-grown best with strangers is standard. Hundreds of family-owned, small-batch cellars such as Cejkotova Domačija hide under the valley's fertile carpet, stacked with casks aging the native, golden-hued, fruity Zelen grape. Cycling between these underground tastings is a solo traveler's dream. Gently rolling countryside roads flit through manicured vines and fragrant orchards, dramatic karst mountains looming beyond. If a two-wheel tasting tour isn't appealing, board the seasonal wine train instead for a five-hour, friends-guaranteed rail ride, pit-stopping at local villages and vineyards. Volunteer during September's harvest, and you'll practically become part of the family.

Viapava's spirit isn't solely found in a glass, though. Sober solo adventures abound. Hike atop the Trnovo Forest Plateau for emerald valley panoramas. Paraglide higher still courtesy of the fierce, locally treasured bora wind. A handful of hostels offer community, while creative connections are plentiful at Sinji Vrh Pension's artistic workshops.

Woman in yellow raincoat looking at Drangarnir arch in Faroe Islands.

The remote Faroe Islands are the perfect place to go solo and get involved with local projects. Getty Images

## 7. Faroe Islands

Elemental, ethereal and utterly enticing, the Faroe Islands arc from the wild North Atlantic like uncut emeralds scattered by a storm. At first glance, this seemingly inhospitable land commandeered by sheep, gannets, and puffins appears an audacious expedition. But look closer, and you'll find a tight-knit community that's long embraced solo travelers. In fact, every year, the islanders do exactly that, inviting maintenance-assisting volunteers to stay in their farms or homes. Heimablídni (Faroese for home hospitality) is so ingrained that family-hosted, breaking-bread spreads are standard. Some require group bookings, while others, like Heima í Stovu's supper club, or Durita and Fróði's traditional Faroese feast of skerpikjøt (air-dried lamb) and ræst (fermented lamb and fish), welcome sharing, storytelling strangers.

Away from Tórshavn's turf-roofs and contemporary cultural spaces, bite-sized adventures abound. Hikes to seemingly levitating Lake Sørvágsvatn or cinematic Kallur Lighthouse need no support. Well-kept roads, underwater island-linking tunnels, and regular ferries keep communities connected, and a surprisingly decent bus network affords solo, car-free exploration. Amidst soaring sea stacks, ocean-plunging cascades, or scenic fjord-flanked Saksun, you'll feel like a true castaway – but you're never far from a heartwarming chat with a cuppa.

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