Solo Travel

Solo Travel Destinations

By Feral Travel

May 1, 2026

The internet has a lot of opinions on the best destinations for solo travelers. But if you look closer, a lot of the suggestions are destinations that make travel as easy as possible. The general idea seems to be that if you don’t have someone with you, the place needs to be easier to travel to and help do some of the work that having someone with you typically does.

I get the thinking, but I don’t really agree with it. Almost any destination can work for solo travel if you plan for what you need. For example, if you’re visiting a city that doesn’t get many tourists, you may use a private guide. But somewhere like Madrid, you’d venture out on your own. Also, everyone is different and one person may want easy trains and coffee shops while another wants nature and nobody within twenty feet of them. Listing countries is a bit awkward too since renting a campervan and driving the Ring Road in Iceland is very different than staying in Reykjavik and doing organized day trips. I’ll share some articles and you can read the lists, but first let’s talk about the questions you might ask yourself before choosing a destination.

How much of a challenge do you want?

Is this your first time heading out solo or are you experienced at figuring things out alone? Do you want somewhere you can walk and take taxis, or are you ok with public transportation or even renting a car? Would you rather stay in one spot as a base, or are you open to moving around and taking a more complicated route? For some of these, you might want the easier option and for others more of a challenge.

Researching things like language challenges and tourism infrastructure in places you’re considering will give you a better idea of what you’ll be dealing with. Then you can choose how many new experiences you want and pick a destination that aligns.

How alone do you want to be?

Some destinations have good infrastructure and welcome more tourists, making it easier to meet people, while in others you might spend a lot of time on your own. If you want social travel, look for places with lots of group activities like food or walking tours. If you know what activity you’ll be pursuing such as snorkeling or scuba, pick a place with day trips where you can join others. Heading to a surf camp in Costa Rica where meals, lessons and other travelers are built in is a much different trip than heading to Portugal, renting a board and figuring out your own surfing each day.

Traveling alone and wanting to be alone aren’t the same decision. If you do want alone time, consider road trips or places where you can wander down a long stretch of beach. Places where you can grab a book and relax, or head out on a hike in search of a great view to soak in on your own.

What does this destination cost for one person?

Figure out your budget and choose a destination that will let you travel comfortably within it. The solo tax (extra costs for traveling alone) comes up often in any solo travel topic and will most likely impact where you go. It’s not just about single supplements, sometimes an expensive destination is actually easier for solo travelers, so even if some things cost more, the rest of your expenses can partially offset it. For example, in Paris accommodation is always expensive, but you can also eat in cafés and spend your days exploring neighbourhoods walking or by metro without spending much more.

Safety comes up of course when determining where to travel on your own. Many of these lists largely look at the entire country and position it as safe or unsafe. I wrote about how it makes more sense to look at the risks of the actual trip you’re planning.

There clearly isn’t one ‘best’ destination for solo travel. There are destinations that will fit your solo travel style better than others. Once you know which parts matter most to you, these articles and lists become much more useful.

Want to read more bite-size insights? Check out our Solo Travel Collection.

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