More women than ever before are travelling solo. And why not? Travelling solo means being able to do exactly what you want, exactly when you want to do it! And it’s easier to connect with new people when you’re not travelling with a partner, the family or a group. Whether you simply want to laze on the beach, try a new water sport, or fancy trawling the shops in a stylish city, we’ve come up with our top destinations for women travelling solo.
Best city breaks for female travellers
A city break is ideal for the newbie solo female traveller. Why not head to beautiful Barcelona? Spend the morning seeing the sights, the afternoon on the beach, and then sit out on a gorgeous square with some tapas and watch the world go by! (Catch our 48-hour local guide for some more inspiration!)
Or head to Madrid, where you could book yourself onto a tapas tour or take a flamenco class. Rome is stunning at any time of year, and offers glamorous shops, spectacular ancient monuments and colourful markets. Or how about a laid-back Lisbon city break? This gorgeous, boho-chic city is a delight to stroll around, and you can hang out with the easy-going locals in the evenings. Memories truly are waiting to happen on your next solo holiday…
The Balearic Islands
If you want beautiful beaches and a host of fantastic outdoor activities, from water sports to hiking, then why not head to the Balearic Islands? The beautiful island capital, Palma, is an ideal base. Its charming streets are full of inviting little boutiques and cafés and there are fabulous beaches and mountain hikes within easy reach. It hardly gets more versatile than this. And Palma offers something for all sorts of female solo travellers.
Time for some quality me-time! Image by Josie Josie | Unsplash
Ibiza is another great option! Although it’s famous as a party island, there are lots of great resorts where you can do yoga on the beach, take a kayak around the coast to find a secret cove, or explore the exquisite historic heart of Ibiza Town. In fact, you can get a full 48-hour itinerary on Ibiza Town too.
The Greek Islands
The blissful Greek Islands do relaxation like nowhere else. So no wonder we rate them as a top destination for women travelling solo! You could book yourself into a hotel with a spa for some serious pampering, or head to somewhere like Kos if you fancy giving wind-surfing and kite-surfing a go. This is one of the quieter Greek Islands, making it ideal for a solo female holiday, where it’s just you, the sea and a a generous dollop of tzatziki.
If you love hiking, then Crete is the ideal base. It’s got some spectacular trails, plus stunning ancient sites such as Knossos and enchanting cities like Chania to explore.
The Canary Islands
Fuerteventura has more than 150 kilometres of gorgeous beaches if you simply want to bask in the sun, but it’s also a mecca for kite-surfing and other water sports. It’s the most laid-back of the Canaries, so no pressure to party – unless you want to!
Both Gran Canaria and Tenerife offer spectacular landscapes to explore if you enjoy hiking and nature. And there are lots of smaller resorts that are great for women travelling solo. We like Puerto Rico and Puerto de Mogan on Gran Canaria – which also offer dolphin-watching trips – and Puerto de la Cruz is our firm favourite in Tenerife.