7 best holiday destinations in Europe for single travellers – from cycling the Danube to painting in Portugal

Embrace some alone time with an escape to Europe, whether you’re looking for gourmet food excursions in Italy, a chance to perfect your yoga practice on a Greek Island or parties on Croatia’s waters

Travel to Tuscany solo for a week of culture, cooking and adventure (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The dream of spending a summer in Europe is within arm’s length for UK residents. Struggling to get friends, family or your significant other to lock in their plans? Don’t fret. Anyone else’s busy schedule, lack of holiday days or difficult habits shouldn’t hold you back from taking that bucket-list trip to explore unchartered territory or fine-tune a new passion. Think the window seat on the plane, spontaneous sightseeing and all the space in the double bed on breaks free from compromise.

Luckily, it’s never been easier to get away from the day-to-day stress and catch a flight for solo adventures. From culinary classes in Italy to yoga retreats on Corfu‘s beaches, there’s something to tempt every traveller to go it alone and wrap themselves in a new cultural experience.

With such a large choice of things to do and see on the continent, here is The Independent’s pick of the top solo activities to guide your next trip to enchanting European destinations.

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Best for: Foodies

Location: Tuscany

Tuck into Italian cuisine in Tuscany (Getty Images)

For those who just can’t resist the allure of Italian cuisine, Tuscany is the home of humble dishes and culinary ingenuity right in the heart of Italy. As they say, too many cooks spoil the broth, so a singles cooking escape to improve your skills in the kitchen is bound to be a hit with independent foodie travellers.

Tuscookany Cooking Vacations offer a one-week Italian cooking course holiday in Tuscany. From £3,650pp, the course teaches students how to cook four-course meals and basic Italian techniques to make gnocchi, pasta and authentic pizzas. Dessert lessons, such as making Italian meringue and panna cotta, are not forgotten amid the culinary excursions, plus cheese and wine tasting between classes. Accommodation in luxury Tuscan villas is the cherry on the cake.

Best for: Cycling holidays

Location: Danube River

Travelling the Danube riverbank is done best on two wheels (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Cycling is one of the UK’s most popular individual sports, although there are many road cycling clubs for enthusiasts to travel in a peloton. To pedal at your own pace and take on personal distance records, a solo cycling holiday through scenic sites on the Danube River in Austria, Hungary and Slovakia is a great way to improve and experience new terrains.

Intrepid Travel hosts an eight-day cycling odyssey along the Danube River from £1,509pp, including transport, breakfast, accommodation, bike hire and activities such as a day at the Szechenyi Baths in Budapest. As this is a group tour, single travellers will share a twin room with someone of the same gender – an ideal chance for social solo cyclists to get to know some like-minded individuals. 

Best for: Avid painters

Location: Olhao, Portugal

Painters can take inspiration from the white and blue houses of Olhao fishing village (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Whether a budding artist or just a creative soul, painting can be a positive and calming outlet for those looking to spend time expressing themselves on a canvas. New painting programmes are popping up all over Europe, with self-guided and tutored weeks spent recreating unique landscapes and stunning scenery a staple of the artsy holidays.

Friendship Travel’s Casa Rosa Painting Week experience is a seven-night art retreat led by experienced artists at a 19th-century Olhao building. Five days of painting tuition, most meals, accommodation and flights are included in the package, with prices for September starting at £995pp.

Best for: Relaxing

Location: Corfu

The relaxing shores of Corfu (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Greece‘s idyllic environment is a haven for solo travellers looking to relax on a yoga and wellness holiday – and hopefully bring some calm into their lives. As a single traveller, each day can be customised to personal requirements, schedules and goals, so that every individual leaves feeling invigorated and refreshed. The endless stretches of golden beach and azure seas are bound to help the progression to peaceful serenity.

Just Relax yoga retreat in Corfu is hosted by experienced yoga instructors and aims to inspire the mind and enhance physical well-being. Highlights of the seven-night trip include a welcome massage, daily yoga sessions, island tours and free bike hire. The retreat is suitable for all skill levels and costs £600pp, including accommodation and lessons in five different yoga styles.

Best for: Walking

Location: Amalfi Coast

Italy’s Amalfi Coast is among the country’s most famed tourist destinations (Getty Images)

Italy’s Amalfi Coast is home to some of the most spectacular scenery in all of Europe. Rugged hills, cliffside towns and serene beaches perfectly complement towns and cities including Naples and Sorrento, as well as historic sites like Pompeii. Many visitors choose to enjoy the sights with a long and winding drive along this part of the coast, but why not consider a walking tour to combine the towns, villages and natural sites with the pleasant atmosphere of a small group?

Responsible Travel offers a walking tour package that takes in Positano, Amalfi, Pompeii and even the beautiful island of Capri across the span of eight days. This tour shows off southern Italy’s coastal gems, from Mount Vesuvius to the bustling streets of Naples, as part of an eight-person tour priced from £1,170 (with possible discounts upon enquiry).

Best for: Meeting new people

Location: Croatia

Sail Week takes the Adriatic by storm from June (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Nothing says “I’m looking to make new friends” like spending a week on a liveaboard sailboat on a floating holiday, as part of a fleet comprised of hundreds of strangers. Step out of your comfort zone while exploring hidden coves, cliff jumping and getting stuck into wild floating parties. From Brač to Hvar, a party sailing holiday in Croatia is rich in history, scenery and plain old-fashioned fun with your sailing companions.

Sail Week’s Croatia Party Route sees up to 500 people aged 18–36 set sail around the bucket-list European holiday destination. From €705pp (£609), including seven nights accommodation, free Wi-Fi, breakfast and groceries to make your own lunch on the boat. Multiple weeks depart for Hvar in June, July, August and September; alternative destination routes including Greece and Montenegro are also available.

Best for: A bit of everything

Location: Barcelona

Barcelona’s proliferation of affordable hostels means that meeting other solo travellers is a breeze (Getty Images)

Some destinations just seem to be made for solo travellers, and Barcelona is certainly one of them. With dozens of exceptional tourist attractions, miles of beautiful coastline, a picturesque cityscape and a proliferation of excellent cafes, bars and restaurants, the Catalan capital caters to many types of tourist.

A huge range of hostels makes it easy to meet other travellers when staying in Barcelona, though there’s plenty to see and do if you’d prefer to stay alone. From tours of the Sagrada Familia and Park Guell to days spent in the Gothic Quarter or Barceloneta Beach, you’ll have plenty to fill your days, as well as a dizzying range of accommodation options.

Friendship Travel offers a solo package holiday including a stay at the magnificent H10 Casanova Hotel in the centre of the city, with prices starting from £975 for four nights including bed and breakfast, return flights, airport transfers and a hop-on, hop-off bus tour.

Read more on following the trail of Picasso in Barcelona, Catalonia’s art-loving capital