Are you planning a solo trip to Europe? Discover the perfect places for female travelers that offer beautiful scenery, interesting culture, and plenty of chances to make new friends.
From picturesque beaches in Croatia to Instagram-worthy cities in Italy, these 11 destinations are perfect for independent women travelers.
They are the best solo female travel destinations in Europe. Don’t wait around for your friends or your partner to take the trip of a lifetime. Make the jump and do it yourself.
Imagine you have been wanting to travel for ages; you have been waiting around for your friends or your boyfriend to finally commit to taking that European trip that you guys have always talked about.
But when it comes down to that final moment, right when you are about to book your plane tickets, they bail.
I know the first solo trip you take can be scary, but it doesn’t have to be. If you visit one of these top European cities for solo female travelers, it will make the trip less scary and I can almost guarantee you will make some new friends along the way.
These are my favorite cities in Europe to travel to solo. I always have a great solo trip visiting these cities.
Even if you don’t speak any foreign languages, you will be just fine out on your own.
Over my many years of traveling, I have done it all. Traveled with friends, boyfriends, and parents. However, my favorite kind of travel is solo travel.
You meet so many more people because you are forced to.
The first time I took a solo trip I was 31, scared that I wouldn’t meet anyone, and not looking forward to staying in hostels.
But it was hands down the best trip of my life! Since then I have continued to travel solo as well as with friends.
Best Destinations For Solo Female Travelers In Europe
1. Lagos, Portugal
Portugal is beautiful, cheap, and full of good-looking, dark men. What’s not to love!
Lagos is located in the south of the country and is surrounded by the Algarve coast.
For those that enjoy beautiful scenery and a smaller town feel, Lagos is perfect. It is a small tourist town so it makes it easier to meet fellow travelers.
Their small streets are full of live music day and night during the summer months.
Lagos has plenty of beautiful beaches to explore during the day and is also full of great cafes and restaurants.
It is the perfect place to meet people so you never feel alone while you travel.
2. Barcelona, Spain
Spain is known for its delicious tapas, sangria, siestas, and late-night meals. Who doesn’t want to plan a vacation around eating good food, drinking, lying on the beach, and then taking a nap?
It is one of the best European cities to travel solo.
Barcelona is cheap, its beaches are full of life, but it also has historical sites you can do when you are tired of drinking too much sangria.
Barcelona offers it all. You can see Barcelona in a day or stay there a month.
The longer you stay in Spain, the more you won’t want to leave.
Enjoy a bigger European city while also having a beach to escape to when you are ready to relax.
Fill up on tapas for next to nothing or party with the pumping nightlife, if that is what you are looking for.
Want to find out more about traveling to Spain? Want to find out how you can travel long term in Spain?
3. Florence, Italy
Some of us are not beach people and would rather spend our time walking around art museums, eating gelato and staring at Italian men.
Florence is a great vibing European city for solo female travelers. It offers great food, culture, and a good hipster feel nightlife.
It is located in Tuscany so there is plenty of good wine to drink as well. When you are tired of the city vibes, take a day trip to the wine country for some wine tasting or hit up the famous town of Pisa, to take a photo in front of the leaning tower.
Florence is great for anyone interested in art or wine, and Italy has some of the best food in Europe.
Enjoy pizza and pasta every day, and don’t forget about their gelato. If you are a true foodie, Italy is a must on your bucket list.
4. Dublin, Ireland
One of the benefits of traveling to Ireland, is you don’t have to worry about the language barrier.
English is widely spoken all over Europe. It is easy to get around any county without speaking a second language.
But if the language barrier has been holding you back from visiting Europe, Ireland is the perfect spot for your first-time European solo travel destination.
Not only is English spoken, but there are plenty of things to do in Dublin.
As well the Irish are some of the friendliest people in Europe which makes traveling solo a breeze.
They are so happy when they find out you are a tourist and will gladly help you find your way if you are lost, or buy you a pint of Guinness and tell you an Irish folk tale.
I’m not kidding, this happened to me and pretty much everyone I know that has visited Ireland.
They love their culture, but they love sharing it even more. Dublin is a fun city to explore and an easy place to meet locals and travelers.
On top of that, there are a ton of amazing restaurants in Dublin.
With so many reasons to visit Dublin, it’s hard to find a reason not to go.
5. Berlin, Germany
This city is a hipster’s dream, full of great trending food and cafes. In the summer month’s their parks are full of man buns drinking craft beers.
And their nightclubs are so famous that they don’t get going until Sunday around midday.
The Berghain is reason enough to go to Berlin, if you can get in that is. But besides their nightclubs, it also offers so much history to see as well.
Take a walking tour around the city and learn about the pivotal importance of its history.
Great for culture, food, and experiencing some of the most bizarre nightlife you will ever see.
It is one of Europe’s most multicultural cities, so you are likely to meet people from all around the world living there.
Berlin is great to spend a couple of days or even a week.
There is so much to see and do there. You can’t go wrong with this European city for solo female travel.
6. Nice, France
The Cote d’Azur has some of the prettiest coastlines I have seen in Europe. It’s full of beautiful cliff sides and crystal clear blue water.
There is a reason this area of France is so populated and is visited so frequently. Nice is no exception, it is a beautiful vibing beach city.
Filled with good cafes, art galleries, shopping and more.
Its narrow streets are perfect for wandering around and its cafes are perfect for enjoying little shots of espresso and people-watching.
Located on the beach, it is perfect for strolling the boardwalk or just laying around on the beach all day. Enjoy the warm calm water the Medderiteran has to offer.
Nice is home to some of the best beaches to visit in Europe as well.
It is a great place for meeting fellow travelers and enjoying a more mellow bar scene.
There are also a ton of Amazing Villages in the South of France near Nice that is worth checking out. Also, plenty of day trips from Nice that you can take while staying there
7. Budapest, Hungry
Eastern Europe is often overlooked when planning a trip across the pond, and I never understand why.
Eastern Europe is so beautiful and often much cheaper than Western Europe. Budapest is a great example of this.
It is a city full of culture, thermal baths, and great beer, all for a fraction of the price that you would see in other cities. Which is why it is one of the best European cities for solo female travelers.
Originally it was made up of three cities; Buda, Pest, and Óbuda, they were merged in 1873 to form the one city of Budapest.
It is a great city to explore churches, culture, and stroll along the Danube River. It is a friendly city and its outdoor appeal makes it easy to meet fellow travelers.
Be sure to do a pub crawl while you are here or explore the underground pubs on your own. There are plenty of Cheap Things To Do while in Budapest
This city won’t disappoint you.
8. Palma Macra, Spain
Palma Mallorca is a great example of classic European city life mixed with Island vibe. Located next to the more popular island of Ibiza, Palma is nothing like the party island.
It has culture, great cafes filled with traditional Spanish tapas, and never-ending glasses of sangria.
Great for visiting if you want to experience the Spanish culture, but not looking for a big city vibe.
When you are tired of walking about the cobblestone streets of the city, take the wooden train or the Tren De Sóller to the more secluded beaches in Sóller.
The train takes about an hour and leads you through some spectacular scenery. It is definitely the highlight of the island.
There are also other beaches that are closer to the city, but the train is a must-do if you are coming to Palma.
9. Mykonos, Greece
Looking for a peaceful laid back vacation? Don’t care to visit museums, churches, castles or any other architecture that Europe has to offer?
The Greek islands can be a great escape. If you are a single woman traveling alone in Europe and want to escape city life, Mykonos is the perfect place to do so.
Enjoy the beautiful beaches during the day, and the pumping party scene at night.
Popular with the gays, it is easy to go out and enjoy the nightlife without having to worry about being hit on all night.
It’s massive dance clubs attract world-renowned DJs from all over the world in the summer months.
Be aware of when you plan on going because this island tends to shut down in the winter months.
It is a great spot to visit, but make sure you go in the summer months.
10. Amsterdam, Holland
Amsterdam is a great European spot to visit for solo female travelers and has so much more to offer than just dirty smoke-filled cafes and the red light district.
It is full of great museums, art galleries, and has beautiful fresh flowers everywhere. Amsterdam is a gorgeous city with so much to do.
If sitting on a beach doesn’t sound like your thing and you would rather be out exploring a city all day, then Amsterdam will not disappoint you.
Full of fun activities and plenty to explore, you will not get bored with your time in Amsterdam.
Take a riverboat down the canal or enjoy a bike tour around the city. This lively city is great for anyone looking to stay active on their holiday.
Be careful not to walk in the bike path while you are here, as bikers will run you over
11. Antwerp, Belgium
Antwerp is Belgium’s second-largest city, but it is by far the coolest. It is where you want to be as a solo female traveler.
It is a hipster city, full of vibrant cafes and craft breweries. It is full of the latest fashion trends, off-the-wall art, and startling architectural buildings.
Antwerp is an underrated and up-and-coming city. One that is off the radar, but full of great reasons for the solo female traveler to join.
It is full of museums and galleries to enjoy during the day, but the highlight of the city often happens when the sunsets and the night owls come out.
If you are into clubs or nightlife, Antwerp has you covered. It is also a very friendly city, which makes going out solo easy to do and easy to meet new friends.
Where To Stay When Traveling Alone
I hate saying this, but if you are traveling alone the best places to stay are hostels. Thankfully a lot has changed with hostels over the years.
You are now able to have your own private room and bathroom. It is like staying in a hotel, but you get the social benefits of staying in a hostel.
It is a great way to meet fellow travelers, make new friends, and share these amazing experiences you get while traveling.
You make new friends from all over the world.
Also, if you are on a budget, you can share a room and cut your costs. I highly suggest trying to find an all females dorm if you can. Usually, there is less snoring.
Now you know what kind of accommodation you should stay in, let’s talk about the cities you should visit.
These are some of the best cities in Europe for solo female travelers.
Conclusions
Are considering your first European solo trip? Europe is a great place to start when traveling solo for so many reasons.
There are so many places to see and so many things to do. Whether you want to sit on a beach all day, explore museums, or just enjoy good food and drinks.
Europe has it all. It is also a great place to meet fellow solo travelers. And each city is completely different.
When traveling solo you never really have to worry about doing things on your own, unless you want to. It is so easy to meet people and make new friends.
Take a leap of faith and book your first solo trip to one of these best European travel destinations for solo females.
You will be happy you did and I’m sure there will be many more to follow after your first one.
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I agree that Europe is a great place to start as a solo traveler. There is so much to see and it’s easy to get around. I’ve always found that locals are happy to help with questions or suggestions too!
Yes, I agree. Everyone usually speaks English and is always so happy to help you.