Treating yourself to a trip alone, to learn to enjoy the company of yourself, can turn into the experience of a lifetime. More and more women are realising this and deciding to set off without friends, partners or relatives. Simply alone. A chance to open up to the wonders of chance and the routes dictated by intuition. We asked Skyscanner to identify the most popular destinations for female solo travellers, a phenomenon that is clearly growing in Italy and worldwide
According to a study carried out by OnePoll on behalf of Skyscanner on a sample of 1,000 Italians, 34% of the women interviewed said they would consider travelling alone in 2023: a rapidly growing percentage, which fits in with the boom in solo travellers recorded in recent years.
But why are more and more women choosing to travel alone? First reason above all is the search for one’s own physical and mental well-being (51% of respondents), in second place we find the desire to experience different styles of holiday than those preferred by relatives and friends (32% of respondents), and in third place the need to be alone (18% of respondents).
For many, in general, travelling alone is an opportunity to cultivate their freedom: freedom to stop where they feel comfortable, to change itineraries and destinations according to how they feel, to stay and to go. “There is nothing better than the feeling of exploring a new city and a new culture on your own: it allows you to put yourself at the centre, in your own time and at your own pace, to meet new people and build friendships all over the world. It’s a great way to get out of the routine and do something unexpected,’ comments Laura Lindsay, global travel trends expert at Skyscanner.
So here are Skyscanner’s top 5 recommended destinations for female solo travellers:
GRAND CANARY
The largest island of the Canary Islands archipelago is one of the most popular destinations for solo travellers from all over the world. Here you can breathe freedom: the ocean, the wilderness and the international atmosphere are among the reasons why more and more people travel to Gran Canaria. The island is also a favourite destination for digital nomads: the low cost of living combined with mild temperatures all year round and the presence of many coworking and expat events are some of the features that attract the tribe of digital nomads.
Of volcanic origin, the island offers beautiful beaches such as Playa de Amadores, Playa del Inglés and Playa de Maspalomas, but also plenty of opportunities to go trekking and discover its flora, so varied that it has earned the island the nickname ‘miniature continent’ for the variety of its habitats. Ideal for a holiday alone, in harmony with the elements.
LISBON
Lisbon, wild and poetic. One of the cheapest capitals in Europe, it offers many features that make it interesting both for a city break and for a longer stay: there is the charm of the metropolis, with its cultural mix that flows to the rhythm of Fado, but also the magnetism of the ocean at a short distance from the city, where you can enjoy a sunny day, perhaps visiting Cascais, a wonderful town on the coast.
In any case, one comes here to get lost and to lose track of time. Walking through the narrow streets of Alfama or the Bairro Alto, enjoying a Ginja, the city’s typical sweet sour cherry liqueur, or tasting one of the mythological pastéis de nata in the historic Pastéis de Belém pastry shop are all activities that are nice to enjoy alone, observing the locals.
CRACOVIA
Still an unsung gem, Krakow is among the destinations worth a visit in 2023. One of the best-preserved cities in Poland, with a history dating back to the 10th century, it is also a university city with a buzzing atmosphere, full of clubs and bars where you can spend an afternoon or evening.
Ideal for a long weekend, you can immerse yourself in its historical centre, visiting the Market Square – the largest medieval square in Europe -, the Basilica of St. Mary and Wawel Castle. Also not to be missed is a visit to the Jewish Ghetto, to retrace one of the saddest phases of Polish and European history. Here you will also find Schindler’s factory, now converted into an exhibition venue: founded by Oskar Schindler in 1937, it employed around 1,100 Jews during the Shoah, saving them from extermination. Its story is told in the celebrated film Schindler’s List.
BERLIN
The perfect city to find yourself, or to lose yourself happily. Berlin possesses a unique energy: divided until 1989, it has always been a hive of creativity and alternative lives. It is no coincidence that it is here that the term Lebenskünstler – life artist, in German – finds its most perfect representation. Sitting for a few hours in a café, simply immersing yourself in the atmosphere of the place, is highly recommended to understand the essence of the city.
The perfect city to find yourself, or to lose yourself happily. Berlin possesses a unique energy: divided until 1989, it has always been a hive of creativity and alternative lives. It is no coincidence that it is here that the term Lebenskünstler – life artist, in German – finds its most perfect representation. Sitting for a few hours in a café, simply immersing yourself in the atmosphere of the place, is highly recommended to understand the essence of the city.
Easy to explore thanks to its efficient public transport system, with its legendary U-bahn and S-Bahn, it reveals different personalities depending on the neighbourhoods. If the temperatures permit, long walks are the best way to retrace the city’s history and changes: from Prenzlauer Berg – a former squatted housing estate that has now become a symbol of gentrification – you can proceed to Mitte and Alexanderplatz, the heart of the GDR and of present-day Berlin thanks to its television antenna, and then enter Kreuzberg, a Turkish quarter formerly on the fringes of West Berlin and today an eclectic melting pot of people, cultures and ways of life.
BUDAPEST
A magical city, it has two different and complementary souls: that of Buda, west of the Danube, with the Citadel and its elegant hilltop castle, and Pest, more teeming and sanguine, where the life of the city flows and where the majestic Parliament Building is located.
To walk the streets of Budapest is to be enraptured by its fascinating history, spanning from the splendours of the Austro-Hungarian Empire to Soviet domination, via the 1956 uprisings. For an immersion in the local gastronomic culture, it is worth paying a visit to the Central Market, Budapest’s largest, housed in one of the city’s most iconic buildings. To discover the culture of the ‘ruin pubs’, the courtyard pubs, spend an evening at Szimpla Kert, where you can sip a Pàlinka, the Hungarian schnapps.
BUDAPEST
A magical city, it has two different and complementary souls: that of Buda, west of the Danube, with the Citadel and its elegant hilltop castle, and Pest, more teeming and sanguine, where the life of the city flows and where the majestic Parliament Building is located.
To walk the streets of Budapest is to be enraptured by its fascinating history, spanning from the splendours of the Austro-Hungarian Empire to Soviet domination, via the 1956 uprisings. For an immersion in the local gastronomic culture, it is worth paying a visit to the Central Market, Budapest’s largest, housed in one of the city’s most iconic buildings. To discover the culture of the ‘ruin pubs’, the courtyard pubs, spend an evening at Szimpla Kert, where you can sip a Pàlinka, the Hungarian schnapps.
Finally, a visit to one of the many spas is a must: the Art Nouveau-style Gellert, the old Rudas and the Kiraly are certainly the most impressive, together with the Széchenyi Spa, perhaps the most popular in the city.