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Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Original poster

Solo city breaks - where to go

67 replies

Fandangofarago · 19/01/2025 18:50

I’ve just unintentionally been on a solo city break (friend I was due to go with broke her leg the day before departure) and I loved it! I’ve never done it before but I absolutely loved having my own agenda & timetable. It’s made me want to do more. Where would people recommend for a solo break for a woman in her fifties who likes good food, museums, galleries, theatre, art etc? Not Barcelona, Madrid, Rome or Amsterdam (already been).

OP posts:
Sallycinnamonspice · 20/01/2025 21:18

New York.

MadridMadridMadrid · 20/01/2025 21:18

Vienna has more than its share of world class art, is very safe, and has a great public transport system.

PollyCreo · 20/01/2025 21:38

Vienna is amazing! Visit the Spanish Riding school.

Or Krakow - the Salt Mines and Auswitch (sp)

superclouds · 20/01/2025 21:53

Porto
Malaga
Seville
Cadiz
Florence

Almahart · 20/01/2025 21:59

VonHally · 20/01/2025 21:11

I don't know if this would interest you, but I did it on my own and had a great time. I was 64 at the time so no spring chicken!

Flew into Treviso, took bus outside arrivals to Padua where I stayed for five days. Fabulous little city that has a wonderful atmosphere. The University is old.... and for an art lover it has the fabulous Scrovegni Chapel with the frescoes by Giotto, an amazing sight. I lit a candle in the basilica of St. Anthony, I owed him as I keep losing things and he finds them lol! There's a tram system but I just walked and walked and hopped on the tram when I got tired.

I took the train from Padua to Venice for the day. Took the 7.30 am and back later in the evening. Doddle of a journey, only half an hour. The sight of the Grand Canal coming out of the train station is something magical. I'd been before but still. Walked all day around Venice. It was enough for me.

Took train to Ravenna. Another art lovers haven, to see the mosaics at the Basilica San Vitale. Another wander around and a great lunch out. Fab place.

Lastly took the train (again!) to Bologna. Oh my word, that was one mad place, and there's lots to see and do, it's a foodie paradise with lots more too.

Just a flavour of what can be done alone. And BTW that was my FIRST trip solo. I haven't stopped since!

This sounds amazing!

SophiaSW1 · 20/01/2025 22:06

Brussels would be good.

CrystalSingerFan · 20/01/2025 22:40

Antwerp on the train. Art. Architecture. History. Plantin-Moretus Museum. KMSKA Fine Art Museum. Lace Museum. Beer. Eels in the Green. Belgians make wine...

AdaColeman · 20/01/2025 23:03

Krakow
Vienna
Lyon
Antwerp
Verona for the opera.

SereneCapybara · 20/01/2025 23:13

Budapest
Venice
Florence
Paris
Lisbon
Madrid

Never been but I would imagine Berlin, Munich, Vienna and Saltzburg would all work too - I'd go to those on my own.

Badbadbunny · 20/01/2025 23:16

Berlin
copenhagen
stockholm
helsinki

all smallish easily navigatable cities rich in history and culture, and mostly very safe.

Sandiefeet · 20/01/2025 23:23

I went to Marrakesh on my own in my 40s. Loved it, perfect weather in December and plenty to see and do.

Reykjavik was very cool, I didn't go alone but would love to go back just to hang out.

Venice is a personal favourite, but go in October not in summer.

Toastandjam16 · 20/01/2025 23:27

Budapest, Dublin, Prague, Pisa

Yolo12345 · 20/01/2025 23:34

Glasgow or Edinburgh

Googleisyourfriend · 20/01/2025 23:54

Stockholm, Copenhagen, London

VonHally · 21/01/2025 11:53

@Almahart Yes it was great. I was quite nervous at first being on my own TBH, but I got into a groove and people were so very helpful along the way. I also did a lot of research and checked everything a hundred times, a few little bumps along the way but it all worked out in the end, and was VERY easy to do. I felt very safe alone in Italy, but then again I'm at that INVISIBLE age thank god 😊

bumsntums · 21/01/2025 12:03

I loved my solo trip to Bologna. Amazing food. It's a University city, so has a youthful vibe & somewhat rebellious history. VonHally's trip sounds amazing & hard to beat.

Ilovegermany · 21/01/2025 12:09

Luxembourg
Berlin
Dubrovnik
Lisbon
Vienna
Prague
Budapest
Cologne
Munich
Heidelberg
Bordeaux
Brugge
Brussels
York
Edinburgh
Glasgow

IsItTimeToRetireYet · 21/01/2025 12:20

Another recommendation for Seville. I did a solo trip in early Nov one year and there was so much to see and do, plus it’s just a gorgeous city. The weather was beautiful at that time of year, it was mid-20s and sunny every day.
I also did Budapest solo and loved that too!

FormerlySpeckledyHen · 21/01/2025 20:06

London
Base in Florence near the railway station and go to Siena , Luca, Pisa …

EveryOtherNameTaken · 21/01/2025 20:17

Prague and Tallinn.

Done both in my 50s.

Prague has beautiful architecture and the castle was well worth a visit. There's a nice short historical boat trip too.

Tallin has a KGB headquarters museum. It's small but brilliant! It's in a hotel. I also did a day trip by ferry to Helsinki from Tallin.

I love travelling alone. You really absorb everything without distraction.

Also enjoyed Bruges and Ghent.

Enjoy your next trip!

JoanThursday · 21/01/2025 22:32

Oslo and Bergen, and take the train over the mountains between the two. Stunning.

fridaseyebrows · 21/01/2025 23:07

Turin! Such a fabulous small underrated city - one of my favourite places in Italy. Lots to see in the city and then out around in Piedmont too - truffle season is the best time to go!

Original poster
Fandangofarago · 25/01/2025 07:45

Thanks so much for all your responses. Reading through them now & looking forward to planning my next solo trip.

OP posts:
rookiemere · 25/01/2025 07:56

Late to the party !
Gdansk has a couple of great museums that you could literally spend the whole day in and is a nice compact size to get around.

BuffysBigSister · 25/01/2025 15:49

I went to Dresden and Leipzig last year - flight to Berlin and then train. Loved both of them. Went to the opera in Dresden which was fabulous. If you love art I would recommend Zurich and Basel, both have amazing galleries. The opera in Zurich is also fantastic.