The beauty of traveling solo is that you make the rules. Get up at noon, eat breakfast for dinner, visit all the spas within a five-mile radius, go to the theater every night — spend your vacation doing what you want, when you want. Exploring on your own can be done for a change of pace or to mark a big transition, like a graduation, career change or break-up. Now, go embrace your freedom.
Tokyo, Japan
Solo travelers have everything at their fingertips in Tokyo
(Image credit: Marco Bottigelli / Getty Images)
An electric city like Tokyo gives solo travelers the chance to try just about anything. Spend your days exploring neighborhoods like the bustling Shinjuku, known for its neon lights and entertainment district, fashion-forward Harajuku, or Ebisu and Meguro, home to art museums and trendy boutiques. You'll feel like a local checking out a lively matsuri (festival), relaxing at an onsen (hot springs) or sento (public bath house) and catching a high-speed bullet train for a day trip to Nagano, where you can see the Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park and Zenko-ji Temple. Tokyo's vibrant food scene ensures you will be eating well — and since solo dining is common here, it will be easy to feel comfortable enjoying your tempura, nigiri and ramen on your own.
Lisbon, Portugal
The views are beautiful from the hills of Lisbon
(Image credit: Alexander Spatari / Getty Images)
Right on the shores of the River Tagus, Lisbon offers a refreshing taste of coastal life. Pack your comfy shoes — this is a city filled with museums, palaces, markets and plazas to see. Free walking tours weave through the historic alleyways of colorful Alfama and Mouraria, once the city's Moorish quarter. As you pass by bars and restaurants, listen for the sounds of Fado, a traditional Portuguese music genre — and if you like what you hear, pop in for a song or two and enjoy a shot of ginja, a sour cherry liqueur. Because Lisbon is on the Atlantic coast, seafood restaurants abound, as do spots offering the famed pastel de nata, a two-bite egg tart.
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While in Costa Rica, look up — you might see a white-faced Capuchin in a tree
(Image credit: Kryssia Campos / Getty Images)
Get back to nature in Quepos, the gateway to Manuel Antonio National Park. Book a park tour and an expert will guide you through beaches and rainforests, sharing insights on the flora and fauna that call this gorgeous stretch of the Pacific coast home. Expect to see sloths and squirrel monkeys in the trees, iguanas sunning themselves on the rocks and colorful crabs in the sand. Staying at a wellness-focused resort adds to the experience, and there are several options to choose from near and in Manuel Antonio. Gaia Hotel and Nature Reserve, for example, is surrounded by lush tropical greenery and sweeping ocean views, with a spa offering luxe treatments using organic cocoa beans and volcanic clay.
Reykjavik, Iceland
Reykjavik is known for being one of the world's safest and cleanest capitals
(Image credit: darekm101 / Getty Images)
Make Reykjavik your home base for an Icelandic adventure. This capital city is easy to navigate and filled with interesting architecture, from the Hallgrímskirkja church to the colorful homes dotting the landscape. Spend a day at the National Museum, which takes visitors on a journey from the Settlement Age to the present, and enjoy the peaceful Reykjavik Botanical Garden before heading to one of the lagoons just minutes from downtown. From Reykjavik, you can set off for the Golden Circle, a scenic route with stops at sites like the Great Geysir, Gullfoss Waterfall and Thingvellir National Park. If your timing is right, you may even catch the northern lights twinkling in the sky, a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Note: Multiple volcanic eruptions have occurred on the Reykjanes Peninsula in southern Iceland since December. Reykjavik has not been affected, but visitors may feel a bit more at ease after purchasing travel insurance.
Serengeti, Tanzania
Lucky safari goers may come across elephants on the plains
Safaris are the perfect way for solo travelers to go wild. For the ultimate experience, head to Serengeti National Park, home of the Great Migration. On this massive expanse of land, thousands of lions and leopards, hundreds of cheetahs and 500 bird species roam. The timing of your trip will depend on what is most important: If it is your dream to witness the wildebeests charge across the savanna, visit in July or August; if avoiding crowds is your goal, go during the off-season, when you will still have ample opportunities to view the wildlife. Serengeti offers all types of safaris and lodging, from mobile tented camps to posh five-star accommodations.
Montreal, Quebec
The Notre-Dame Basilica is a landmark in Old Montreal
(Image credit: Felipe Mulé / Getty Images)
Montreal's cosmopolitan vibes make it the ideal haunt for a solo traveler who wants to see the world from one spot. This is the largest French-speaking city in North America, and you likely will pick up a few new words and phrases as a souvenir of your visit. Plan on stopping at landmarks like the soaring 19th century Notre-Dame Basilica, a Gothic revival cathedral filled with carved woodwork and stained glass windows — but be sure to get off the beaten path, too. Follow the city's cobblestone roads to neighborhood markets, spacious green parks and tiny restaurants known for their poutine.
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Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
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