16 of the best city breaks for solo travellers
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Safe, clean, compact and easy to navigate, Finland's capital Helsinki is made for a solo adventure — especially if you like exploring on two wheels. Rent one of the yellow bikes dotted around the city to make the most of its 80-mile shoreline. At Market Square, follow the cycle lane for two miles towards Eira district, past beaches and little shops until you reach Loyly, an urban sauna centre with a great restaurant — it's fun to get the blood flowing before a brisk dip in the Baltic Sea and lunch on the terrace. Leave time to visit the Amos Rex art museum, with its maze of underground exhibition rooms, and a browse around classic Finnish design shops such as Marimekko and Iitalla.
For a luxurious stay steeped in history, Hotel Kamp has classically styled rooms, a gourmet restaurant and an excellent central location overlooking the pretty Esplanadi park.
The local tour operator Retkipiste runs fascinating group adventures into the dreamy natural landscapes and eastern island archipelagos outside Helsinki.
retkipiste.com
With its magical desert setting, walkable Santa Fe in New Mexico, the so-called Land of Enchantment, has many a soul-searching solo traveller in its grip — the best-known being the American artist, Georgia O'Keeffe, who spent many a summer alone here. Soaking up the city's robust arts scene is an obvious starting point and the Plaza and Canyon Road areas are dotted with little galleries. High on the list should be a cultural tour to learn about local Native American heritage — there are 23 tribes in New Mexico. To meet people, book a cooking course to learn about southwestern food, or a guided hike into the surrounding Sangre de Cristo mountains.
Huge rooms hung with native art are hallmarks of Hotel Santa Fe, the city's only Native American-owned hotel, in a pueblo revival-style building near the trendy Railyard District.
See where Georgia O'Keeffe lived wild, free and alone in the desert on a tour of her adobe home and studio in the small town of Abiquiu, an hour's drive north of Santa Fe.
okeeffemuseum.org
• Most beautiful places in America• Discover our full guide to the US
Bite-sized, easy-going and decent value, Ljubljana is the perfect place to dip your toes into solo travel. Get your bearings by wandering along the river that weaves through the city centre, the pretty streets either side lined with coffee shops and restaurants, before heading up to the hilltop castle where you'll get views of snow-capped Alps on a clear day. If you'd like to meet some like-minded visitors, book a tour before you arrive — plenty are on offer, from guided walks around town and paddleboarding on the river to full-day trips to Slovenia's natural wonders, including Lake Bled and Triglav National Park.
The bright Bloom Hotel in the city centre has a real sense of privacy, a sleek dining room and quiet, cosy rooms with old town views.
Viator has a small-group, one-day trip to discover the beauty of Lake Bled, the otherworldly rock formations of Postojna Cave and medieval Predjama Castle.
For a city of its size, Berlin is surprisingly approachable. The lifestyle here is laid-back, with a focus on having a good time and accepting all comers. This makes it a perfect destination for solo travellers. An organised tour is an excellent way to meet new people, and there's something for all persuasions here — from pub crawls and the city's world-renowned nightlife to curator-led walks through its art galleries. The friendly neighbourhood of Prenzlauer Berg is a fine spot to base yourself, with decent markets at the weekends and more restaurants and bars than you can try in a year's worth of short breaks.
Trendy Prenzlauer Berg is the setting for Pension Absolut Berlin, a peaceful boutique guesthouse perfect for style-conscious budget travellers, with contemporary rooms and a shared kitchen.
Get Your Guide has this popular, anecdote-led walking tour for a crash course in Berlin's big-ticket sights, from the Brandenburg Gate to Museum Island.
• Best affordable hotels in Berlin• Best things to do in Berlin
If you like food, you're going to love San Sebastian. The northern Spanish city is the birthplace of pintxos, small snacks like tapas that range from plates of guindilla peppers in neighbourhood bars to dishes that look like works of art in Michelin-starred restaurants. Book a pinxto tour on your first evening here to understand something of the culture and to team up with new travel pals for the rest of your stay. The old town and neighbouring Centro are fine spots for a stroll, dipping in and out of churches, squares and small museums. On a warm day be sure to spend time on the beach too — La Concha is a lovely sweep of sand right next to the city.
Downtown San Sebastian's famous bars are a pintxo's throw from spotlessly clean Hotel Arrizul Catedral, with its shared lounge and spacious single rooms with big beds.
Get Your Guide has an exclusive evening tour around some of the best local, family-run spots for pintxos, with a few hidden gems thrown in.
• More great hotels in San Sebastian• Most beautiful places in Spain
One of the most sociable cities in Europe, Dublin is an easy destination in which to make friends for the weekend. It's also home to several boutique hostels, if you want community spirit without having to slum it. Walking tours tend to be of a very high standard here, and you should look to join one early on in your stay — a literary pub tour is a good choice, allowing you to enjoy a few drinks with new pals while learning about the city's cultural pedigree. If you need some time alone, Trinity College Library is a place to reflect — and possibly have some of that literary inspiration rub off on you.
Wren Urban Nest is tucked away in a quiet corner of the creative quarter. Even the smallest 'snug' rooms have queen beds and city views.
Viator has a fun Dublin literary-themed pub tour led by entertaining actors who bring the characters to life and host a literary quiz with prizes.
• More great hotels in Dublin• Best things to do in Dublin
Hop on the Eurostar in London and four hours later you'll be in the heart of the Dutch capital. With its manageable size and relaxed pace of life, Amsterdam is a terrific option for a solo adventure; you'll also find locals and tourists alike keen to chat, whether propping up the bar of a brown café or browsing local produce in a market. Top of your to-do list should be a boat tour through the canals to get your bearings, and a visit to the Rijksmuseum to ogle Rembrandts and Van Goghs. More offbeat attractions abound too, including the Our Lord in the Attic Museum, a secret Catholic church hidden in an old townhouse.
Townhouse-style Jan Luyken Amsterdam has a prime location a minute from Museumplein and snug single rooms with walk-in showers and big windows.
Get Your Guide has a one-hour boat tour through the city's Unesco-listed canal district complete with audio commentary.
• Best hotels in Amsterdam• Best things to do in Amsterdam
There are plenty of reasons to consider Krakow for your solo break: it's home to some of Europe's most beautiful architecture; its atmospheric streets seem to echo with centuries of history; it has a lively cultural calendar; and, not least, it offers great value. A guided walk of its Unesco-listed old town and the Jewish Quarter will help you form an immediate impression of the city and put you in touch with other visitors over your stay. There's lots of scope for day tours too, including excursions to the Wieliczka Salt Mine and the Tatra Mountains.
Simply furnished single rooms are spacious and comfortable at the Sky Hotel, five minutes from Krakow's Market Square.
Viator has an excellent three-hour guided walking tour around the old town that ticks off all the big-hitters, including the historic Cloth Hall and Wawel Castle complex.
• More great hotels in Krakow• Best things to do in Krakow
That it's home to the custard tart (pastel de nata) is reason enough to visit Lisbon. You'll find the originals at Pasteis de Belem, a bakery next to the striking, medieval Jeronimos Monastery. Suitably inspired, a cooking class is a great choice for solo travellers, and a variety is offered across the city from pastel de nata workshops to full-day experiences including market visits and wine tasting. You should leave time to explore the cobbled lanes of the Alfama and Bairro Alto districts, with no plan but to see where the mood takes you.
An excellent restaurant, airy co-working space and homely atmosphere are all part of the charm at Dear Lisbon Gallery House in the Sao Bento creative district.
Learn how to make pastel de nata in this hands-on baking class, available via Get Your Guide.
• Best affordable hotels in Lisbon• Best things to do in Lisbon
One of the most surprisingly overlooked European destinations for a city break, Italy's fashion and design capital has more than enough to keep you entertained over a weekend — whether you want to stare at da Vinci's The Last Supper or designer shoes in the boutiques of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. Milan is also an eminently walkable city, with an excellent public transport system, meaning you can zip between attractions without the slightest bother. Don't miss the white-marble Duomo, 600 years in the making, the modern art gallery Fondazione Prada, and a performance at the world-renowned Scala opera house.
Design fans will love the intimate, seven-room Vico Milano, tucked between the Centro Storico and the hip Navigli district, and packed with stylish details.
Discover the best of the city's colourful street art on this two-hour tour from Get Your Guide, led by a local art aficionado.
• More great hotels in Milan• Best things to do in Milan
Making regular appearances on 'most liveable city' lists, Stockholm is a beautifully chilled destination for your solo tour. Strung across 14 islands on the Baltic coast, it's also just plain beautiful. Start your break by wandering the cobbled streets of Gamla Stan (old town), pottering in and out of the colourful medieval buildings that now contain shops, cafés and restaurants. To take the more modern pulse of the city, Sodermalm is a good bet; it's here you'll find some of Stockholm's most interesting indie shops, markets and nightlife. Wherever you end up, you'll want to indulge in the Swedish custom of fika (coffee, cake and chat) in a local café.
Even the smallest, cheapest rooms at Hotel Rival in trendy Sodermalm feel luxurious, with Egyptian cotton sheets and Molton Brown toiletries.
An onboard guide tells stories about the area on this cruise around the Stockholm archipelago that passes several islands and natural landmarks.
• Best hotels in Stockholm• Best things to do in Stockholm
With a calendar of events to rival that of any city in the UK, Bristol is a lively place to dive into for a few days. Check local websites to see what's going on while you're there — there are regular music and comedy nights, food and craft markets in converted venues including the Tobacco Factory and Paintworks, and festivals aplenty throughout the year. Once that's taken care of, you'll want to see what's on at the harbourside (perhaps stopping to poke around Isambard Kingdom Brunel's SS Great Britain, which is docked there) and get yourself booked on a walking tour — diverse subjects range from street art to the slave trade.
The art-filled, cosy rooms at the boutique bolt hole and gastropub Hort's Townhouse make for a fabulous base.
This two-hour guided walking tour of Bristol's centre with Get Your Guide leads the way to Bristol's oldest pub and world-leading street art by Banksy among other curiosities.
• Best things to do in Bristol• Best Airbnbs in Bristol
Divided by the Danube, the two sides of Budapest have very different characters: hilly Buda is its old soul, with medieval streets and incredible views from its terraces. Pest is the young(ish) upstart, with restaurants, bars, markets, street art and indie shops galore. Your first task should be to book a tour of the latter's fantastic ruin bars (drinking spots in old run-down buildings) — you'll not only enjoy a few jars and make friends but learn about Budapest's history too. The next day, recover in one of the city's many thermal baths. A final bonus for a solo trip: the city is great value.
Gerloczy oozes character, has spacious, well-priced rooms, a popular brasserie and a central yet peaceful setting on a quiet square.
Admire Budapest's panoramic city view and other famous sights such as Buda Castle and Varkert Bazar on an evening sightseeing cruise along the Danube with Get Your Guide.
Charming, sun-baked Seville is here to inject some spark into your weekend. There are stand-out sites to visit, including the Alcazar (royal palace) and the gothic cathedral, but this is a city made too for aimless meanders — strolling the maze of alleys and lanes you'll happen across courtyards dotted with orange trees, impressive baroque mansions and little neighbourhood tapas bars. If you'd like a little more structure, take a walking tour to show you the best of the city's food and architecture or where to take the most impressive photos. This being southern Spain and the home of flamenco, come nightfall you should book in for a performance — options range from formal dinner dances to standing room only in crowded bars.
Plush 'basic' rooms at Legado Magdalena Hotel in Seville's old town are kitted out with comfy queen beds, parquet floors and large windows.
This small-group walking tour from Viator takes in many of Seville's most famous sights such as the Alcazar and includes free time to climb the Giralda bell tower.
• Best things to do in Seville• More great hotels in Seville
You'll want to have a bit of cash in the bank to make the most of a solo trip to the notoriously expensive Icelandic capital, but it's well worth saving up for. There are ways to stretch your krona, with budget airlines offering reasonably priced flights and a number of decent-value, stylish hostels. Spend your funds booking adventure tours to stonking natural attractions accessible on a day trip from town, with waterfalls, geysers, volcanoes, cave systems, hot springs, whale-watching and glaciers all within reach. In the evening, join a tour of a very different nature, with a night-long runtur (bar crawl) an essential part of Reykjavik's cultural scene.
Safe and secure, the Iceland Parliament Hotel, Curio Collection by Hilton is well located next to the main square, Austurvollur, and all rooms come with king beds as standard.
Viator's full-day tour of Iceland's south coast by luxury minibus takes in several of the region's magnificent wonders including Seljalandsfoss and Skogafoss waterfalls and the black-sand beaches of Reynisfjara.
• Best things to do in Reykjavik• More of the best hotels in Iceland
Charming Antwerp is the sort of city that instantly has you planning a return visit. The fact that it's accessible on the Eurostar (via Brussels) makes planning all the sweeter. Start the love affair on the cobbled streets of its medieval centre, popping in and out of independent stores, pubs and coffee shops, and admiring the architecture on Grote Markt square. The port city has a creative spirit evident in its dynamic culinary scene and in museums such as MAS (culture and art), FOMU (photography) and MoMu (fashion). If you'd rather not go it alone, there are tons of organised tours available, from historic walks through the old centre to brewery visits and pub crawls.
Stylish August Antwerp is an elegant hideaway on the fringe of the pedestrian-only Green Quarter. Its snug 'intimate' rooms have high ceilings, garden views, and queen beds.
Book a two-hour walking tour through Antwerp's historic old town which takes in the grand guild houses at Grote Markt and uncovers many of the city's hidden treasures.
• Best hotels in Antwerp
Additional reporting by Ellie Seymour and Oliver Berry
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RYANAIR This week Ryanair, Europe's largest airline, announced that its passenger numbers reached a record 20.7m in July, although the Dublin-based carrier was forced to cancel more than 600 flights due to the air traffic control strikes in France. This followed the news last month that its profits for the first quarter more than doubled to €820m (£711m), while revenues leapt by 20 per cent to €4.3billion (£3.7billion). The optimistic tone of these announcements is at odds with the usual litany of complaints over the late delivery of planes from Boeing and much else from the rambunctious Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary. But he has reasons to be cheerful, having qualified for a €100m (£86.7m) bonus thanks to the much-improved share price. It has soared by 74 per cent over the past year to €26 (£22.54). Analysts believe that O'Leary will deliver for investors as well as himself. They rate the shares a 'buy', with one analyst targeting a price of €30 (£26). WIZZ AIR The Eastern Europe-focused budget carrier is based in Budapest but listed in London. At 1418p, its shares are 5 per cent lower than at the start of this year, having plunged in June when the company revealed a 40 per cent drop in profits. This was mostly caused by the grounding of about a fifth of its Airbus planes due to persistent problems with the Pratt & Whitney engines. Last month, chief executive Jozsef Varadi said that the company would be scaling back its growth plans. He is abandoning expansion in the Middle East because the region's dry air exacerbates the engine issues. Unsurprisingly, most analysts consider Wizz to be a hold, although Deutsche begs to differ, having upgraded the shares to a 'buy' in the past fortnight. The international set Tariff fears are weighing on US carriers. These companies are also dealing with an oversupply of flights, as customers become more price-sensitive. American Airlines shares are 33 per cent lower than at the start of the year, for example. But Delta and United are faring better thanks to the clamour for premium travel. United is investing in its Polaris premium service, planning to open more lounges for top-tier travellers. Analysts rate United shares, which currently stand at $89.87 (£66.85), a 'buy'. America's ultra-wealthy are increasingly underlining their status by using more private jets. But some also favour a carrier that provides something similar to the private jet experience in its first class cabin. Shares in Air France-KLM, which is listed in Amsterdam and Paris, have soared by 64 per cent this year thanks to the clever and lavish redesign of its La Premiere first class cabin with its private jet feel. A one-way ticket from New York to Paris costs between $10,000-$20,000 (£7,440 to £14,880). This is the luxe way to embark on that Emily In Paris escapade. Other airlines will doubtless be competing more for the holiday and business travel budgets of those people with very deep pockets. Premium seems like the way to go.
