10 Best European Cities for Solo Travel Ranked for First Timers
Solo travel in Europe is pretty easy when you pick the right base and keep a few important tips in mind. The best cities for me are walkable, safe, and set up so eating alone, getting around, and meeting people all feel comfortable. The most liberating part is taking control of your own itinerary and not waiting for the trip to make it out of the group chat. But it can also be intimidating. So, I compiled this list of my favorite European cities for solo travel ranked by ease of travel for first timers.
We travel mostly as a couple now, but I spent years as a solo female traveler and still enjoy it. Everything below works for any solo traveler regardless of gender, but if you want advice specific to solo female travel, I have a whole guide for that here: 10 Best Solo Female Travel Destinations for 2026
What Makes These European Cities Good for Solo Travel
A few things separate a great solo city from a stressful one for me.
- Walkability is super important, so you can explore on foot from a central base.
- And if you can’t walk everywhere, good transit is necessary, so you’re not relying on taxis or Ubers.
- I always gauge safety, especially at night and on public transport.
- Easy solo dining is something you might not think of at first, but food halls, markets, and restaurants with great bar seating or kitchen views can make a trip feel a lot more experiential than bringing takeaway to your room.
- And you need enough going on that you can fill your days independently or join small group activities when you want company.
Pro tip: In any new city, take the hop-on-hop-off bus on your first day. It’s touristy, and that’s fine. You get transport, orientation, narration, and a low-pressure way to interact with other travelers, all in one loop. It’s one of my favorite things to do solo to get the lay of the land and have some fun.
10. Tallinn, Estonia
Tallinn’s old town is perfectly medieval, compact, and easy to walk around. The main square is touristy in the best way, with costumed staff and themed restaurants, but beyond it there’s a fantastic arts and tech district in Telliskivi. I also love it for the food halls where you can sample all the local Baltic dishes. It’s safe, affordable, and small enough to feel manageable on your first solo trip. It is the last on this list only because it’s a little harder to get to. If you’re coming from Helsinki, though, Tallinn is an easy trip on the ferry.
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9. Venice, Italy
Venice is crowded and not cheap, but I love it so much, I visited solo twice. You can get intentionally lost in the back streets for hours and love every minute of it. You can find quiet canals and small squares way from the crowds. Solo dining is easy here too. Grab a seat outside a small restaurant, order a glass of wine, and people-watch. It’s magical, but the potential for getting lost can also be a negative, coupled with massive day-trip crowds and high price tags. I enjoyed my November trip more than August for this reason, even though it was a bit cold.
8. Ljubljana, Slovenia
Ljubljana might be the most relaxed capital in Europe, which makes it a gentle and easy solo city. It’s safe, clean, and compact, with a river you can stroll along, cafes that are perfect for getting a little writing done, and a beautiful castle with outstanding views. The vibe is more of a university town than a big capital, and it’s a nice add on to Venice. You can get between the two cities in 3-4 hours on a cheap, direct Flix bus for $40-$80. So, I highly recommend combining these two in one trip to balance the crowds of Venice with the calm of Ljubljana.
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7. Lisbon, Portugal
Lisbon is colorful, affordable, and full of creative energy, with trams, tiled facades, and excellent seafood. It’s a great city to wander solo, though be ready for some steep climbs. Ride the funicular and the trams, explore both the flat areas and the hills for the views, and check out the Time Out Market and Belem Tower. It’s a bit more spread out than others on this list, but a wine tasting or a local-led food tour is an easy way to sample the regional dishes and meet a few people along the way.
6. Edinburgh, Scotland
Edinburgh’s gothic Old Town is meant for solo wandering, especially if you like history, literature, and mystery. The Old Town is compact with lots of food options, live music venues, and museums, so you can explore on foot from a central base and never run out of things to do. Since English is the main language, first-time solo travelers from the US and Canada may feel more comfortable for a first endeavor. It’s lower on my top 10 list because Old Town gets crowded, and if you’re there during a festival, the energy can be intimidating for a first-time solo trip. It all depends on your style.
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5. Oslo, Norway
Oslo is one of the easiest cities I’ve ever traveled solo. I spent almost a week here on my own and loved just wandering, with the Munch Museum as a highlight. The public transport is the most efficient, clean, and easy I can recall, so getting around alone is effortless.
The food made solo dining simple, too. I’ll admit I ate a lot of sandwiches from the train station, but the renovated Oslo Central Station is lovely, and Østbanehallen, the food hall right there, is excellent. Barcode Street Food nearby is another easy solo option. Oslo is the most expensive city on this list, but the ease and safety more than earn its spot. It’s pretty spread-out, too, so the hop-on-hop-off bus is a great strategy here.
4. Brussels, Belgium
Okay, I know people prefer other parts of Belgium, but Brussels is an easy solo base with great international flights and rail connections. You can enjoy this city and also branch out to so many other places, which is why it ranks so high. From Brussels you can day-trip by train to Paris, as well as the gorgeous towns of Ghent and Bruges without changing accommodations. There’s a wide range of places to stay, so you can pick the hotel or hostel and the neighborhood that best fits your style and budget. It’s also a good city for structured solo activities, if you prefer not to wing it. A chocolate-making class, a food tour, or a walking tour gives you an introduction to the country and some easy interaction.
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3. Dublin, Ireland
Dublin is one of the friendliest cities you can travel to solo. The locals are genuinely warm, English is the main language, and the center is small and walkable, so you can cover it on foot from a central base. There are plenty of hotels and hostels. I recommend Generator Dublin for a design-led base with a great social scene. It’s right near the Jameson Distillery and a 15-minute walk to Temple Bar, so you can easily fold those into your itinerary. The downside is that there’s not as much to do in Dublin as some of the other cities on the list, so I recommend hopping on a day tour to the Cliffs of Moher to get your “wow” moment.
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2. Reykjavik, Iceland
Reykjavik is a fantastic solo city, and it’s consistently been ranked the safest city in the world. The city itself is small and walkable, with quirky cafes and friendly locals who speak excellent English and are happy to give you tips for your stay. Reykjavik now has a CityHub, which is my favorite alternative to a traditional hostel. It’s affordable, with a nice balance of private space and communal areas, so you get privacy without being isolated. From here, you can take day tours to waterfalls, and on a longer trip you can reach glaciers and icebergs. What keeps it from number one is the cost and that it’s smaller than my first pick.
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1. Copenhagen, Denmark
Copenhagen is my top pick for solo travel in Europe. Before you disagree, think about it. It’s flat, bikeable, and safe, with a casual, open feel that makes it easy to blend in on your own. The abundance of food halls make solo dining actually fun. You can sample local and international cuisine, people-watch, and never feel out of place. When the weather is good, the parks and outdoor dining make it even better. The metro and train are easy and reliable, and there’s also a CityHub in Copenhagen with all the same benefits I mentioned for Reykjavik. Between the walkability, the food, English being widely spoken, and the safety, Copenhagen is the city I always recommend.
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Solo Travel in Europe: Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best city in Europe for solo travel?
Copenhagen is my top pick. It’s flat, walkable, safe, and the food halls make solo dining fun. Reykjavik and Dublin are close behind. They are both safe, walkable, and easy to navigate alone with English mainly or widely spoken.
Is solo travel in Europe safe?
Europe has some of the safest cities in the world for solo travel, particularly in the Nordics. Reykjavik, Copenhagen, and Oslo consistently rank among the safest. As with anywhere, stay aware, keep to well-reviewed central accommodations, and trust your instincts, and you’ll find most European cities can be comfortable on your own.
What is the best way to meet people while traveling solo in Europe?
Join something structured like a food tour, a walking tour, or a cooking class. Consider taking a hop-on-hop-off bus on your first day to get around and interact. Social hostels like Generator or hybrid options like CityHub also make it easy to meet other travelers without feeling pressure. I have no problem staying at either in my 40s and they also work well in your 20s.
Is Europe good for solo female travelers?
Yes. I spent years traveling solo across Europe and highly recommend it when taking the right safety precautions. The cities on this list are safe, walkable, and welcoming. For solo female travel and safety advice, see my dedicated travel guide.
Have you traveled solo in Europe? Let me know which city was your favorite in the comments.
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