The Best Places to Travel Alone in Europe

Paris

 

Let’s park the romantic element to one side and look at what the city of Paris has to offer for a party of one! There are millions of travellers there each year, so as a singleton you certainly won’t stand out. For art lovers, you can visit the Louvre, spend as much time as you like people watching at one of the many Parisian street cafes and explore the winding paths of Montmartre. If you want to find a fun, quirky and free place to stay the night, you can become a Tumbleweed at the Shakespeare and Company, which is an English bookshop and to stay the night you can volunteer at the shop for a few hours! Voila!

 

Ease of travel – Paris has an underground metro system that gets you all across the city, but you can’t beat strolling around the city and finding hidden spots on foot.

 

Potential safety concerns – We wouldn't recommend staying out too late after midnight if you are on your own as with any large cosmopolitan city, use your common sense and stay where there are lots of people.

Reyjavik

Iceland is one of the most peaceful countries in Europe according to the Global Peace Index and safety is very rarely a concern on the island. Another positive is that daylight can last up to 21 hours and it is a very easy place to navigate around. There are some amazing sights to see including The Blue Lagoon, whale watching (possibly dolphins and seals too) and waterfront strolls and walkways. There is also a booming music and nightlife scene where you will find super friendly locals who are incredibly lovely and helpful to everyone they meet. Whilst the capital can be quite pricey, there are companies offering free city walking tours and the most popular meal in town is the Baejarins Beztu Pysur hot dog stand made famous by Bill Clinton and more recently, Kim Kardashian.

 

Ease of travel – There is a good public transport system if you want to keep to a budget and hiring a car is also a good idea to really see as much of the city as possible.

 

Potential Safety concerns – Even in the remotest areas of the country, the crime rate is extremely low and people are friendly towards any travellers. Gangi þér vel!

Stockholm

This is a fantastic option for lone travellers as it is a low-crime city and has free walking tours dominated by single travellers so it's a great place to meet like-minded people. This is a cobblestone town with pedestrian-only roads, fifty-seven bridges that stretch over its fourteen islands, an amusement park which began in 1880’s, a bathhouse and artistic subway stations, each decorated in its own theme. The Södermalm nightlife is an experience everyone should have when visiting the city as are the night time views of Stockholm. Hav det sjovt!

 

Ease of travel – The public transport system is simple and easy to use, but the best way to explore the city is by foot or bike where you can expect to see the beautiful building, docks and water-front harbours, not to mention delicious seafood! 

 

Potential safety concerns – There have been riots here in the past so use your common sense like you would in any large city.

Vienna

This is a city that is incredibly beautiful all year round, with its baroque architecture lining the busy streets of Wren. It is also a fantastic place to visit for music lovers with its Philharmonic Orchestra and the City of Music. There is a great feeling of freedom visiting Vienna as a solo traveller, sipping a coffee and eating a sacher torte in one of the many traditional cafes, getting lost in the grounds of the Schönbrunn Palace and taking in the design scene of the city.

 

Ease of travel – There is the fast, clean and safe U-Bahn service which is Vienna’s subway and it serves the core of the city. There are also street cars and buses (Autobusse) running across the city and beyond.

 

Potential safety concerns – Although Vienna is one of the safest cities in the world, it is best to stay clear of the hostel's south of the Hauptbahnhof station area and try to stay as central as possible within the city. Hab eine schöne Reise.

Berlin

Berlin is a fantastic place to explore on your own as it is very easy to get to, there are lots of things to do and explore on foot  (the city is flat like Amsterdam) and the cities many hostels are a great place to stay when on a budget without compromising safety. Berlin is a young, fun, cheap and friendly city with a great nightlife and fantastic food options which are affordable and delicious. It is an artistic and cultural city and is huge so we recommend planning your stay and activities beforehand and try to stay within the town centre. Genießen Berlin!

 

Ease of travel – There is public transport around the city which is easy to figure out. It is also a great place to cycle in as you will get to see some fantastic areas and buildings along the way.

 

Potential safety concerns – As with many large tourist spots, be careful of pick pocketers and any ‘bad’ areas are located on the very outskirts of the city so as always try to stay in areas with plenty of people and use your common sense.

Copenhagen

Copenhagen is one of the most beautiful cities in Scandinavia, with bright colourful buildings and some of the friendliest people in the world, their happiness will no doubt be infectious for lone travellers. This laid-back capital is easy to explore on bike or on foot as there are cycle paths across the city in abundance. There is a large café culture and art museums, low-key nightlife and in the summer there are beaches, harbour baths and outdoor city pools. Hav en god tur!

 

Ease of travel – Copenhagen has a two-line metro system which gets you easily and relatively cheaply around the city including from the airport. There are also bikes you can hire called City Bike with some now including a GPS and you can ride on one of the 242 designated cycle lanes across the city.

 

Potential safety concerns – Copenhagen is one of the safest Scandinavian countries along with being one of the happiest countries in the world! Great for travelling alone as people are helpful and friendly.