Which destinations are the favourites of those who decide to explore the world solo? GuruWalk has analysed the bookings made on its platform over the past year to answer that question with data.
Travelling alone is no longer unusual. Being a solo traveller is a growing trend that gains more followers around the world every year: people who decide to organise their own itinerary, move at their own pace, and discover new places without depending on anyone else. The solo traveller is today one of the most active profiles in global tourism.
To identify which destinations concentrate the highest proportion of this type of traveller, GuruWalk has analysed the bookings made on its platform over the past 12 months. Of the 150 cities with the highest booking volume, we have calculated which ones have the highest percentage of travellers arriving solo. The result is this ranking of 50 destinations that, for very different reasons, have one thing in common: they win the hearts of those who choose to explore them alone.
1. Toronto, Canada — 50.5% solo travellers
Toronto is the most diverse city in the world, and you can feel it from the very first walk. Its neighbourhoods — Kensington Market, Distillery District, Chinatown — are entirely different worlds just minutes apart from each other, and totally perfect for exploring without a fixed plan. Perhaps that is why more than half of those who book a free tour in Toronto do so alone, making this city the number one destination in this ranking of top destinations for the solo traveller.
2. Santa Ana, El Salvador — 50% solo travellers
El Salvador’s second largest city surprises those who venture to visit it: its historic centre, dominated by one of the most impressive neo-Gothic cathedrals in Central America, has an authentic and very uncrowded energy. Santa Ana is still a destination for curious travellers — the kind who prefer to step off the beaten track to discover what lies beyond. Exactly the profile of the solo traveller.
3. São Paulo, Brazil — 49.5% solo travellers
SĂŁo Paulo is not an easy city, but it is an addictive one. South America’s largest metropolis offers a world-class cultural, gastronomic, and nightlife scene that invites the most adventurous to explore without a fixed companion. Almost half of those who book a free tour here travel alone, drawn by a city that rewards curiosity and one’s own pace.
4. Taipei, Taiwan — 49.5% solo travellers
Taipei is one of the most independent-traveller-friendly cities in Asia: safe, well-connected, with exceptional street food and a unique mix of modernity and tradition. Its night markets, temples, and creative neighbourhoods are perfect for exploring alone. It is no coincidence that practically 1 in every 2 travellers who book here does so solo.
5. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia — 49% solo travellers
Malaysia’s capital is a destination that bewilders and enchants in equal measure: the Petronas Towers, mosques, Chinese and Indian neighbourhoods, night markets, and a gastronomy that ranks among the best in Asia. Kuala Lumpur is also a surprisingly accessible city for the solo traveller, with a backpacker community and tourist infrastructure that makes life easy for those who arrive alone. And this shows in its bookings.
6. La Paz, Bolivia — 48.5% solo travellers
The highest city in the world is also one of the most fascinating in South America. Its witches’ markets, its cable car with incredible views, and its chaotic Andean energy make it a destination that invites you to get lost alone in its streets. That is why almost half of those who take a free tour in La Paz through GuruWalk do so without prior company.
7. Hong Kong — 47% solo travellers
Hong Kong is a city that operates at its own pace. Its ferries, its covered markets, its skyscrapers by the sea, and the density of experiences it offers within just a few square kilometres make it ideal for the traveller who wants to move alone and at their own rhythm. The efficiency of its public transport and its safety also make it one of the most comfortable destinations in Asia for solo travel.
8. Skopje, North Macedonia — 45% solo travellers
Skopje is one of those hidden destinations that still surprise anyone who visits. The capital of North Macedonia blends Ottoman architecture, monumental statuary that sparks debate, and an increasingly vibrant local scene. Today it is an affordable, authentic, and uncrowded city — three characteristics that particularly attract the solo traveller looking for experiences off the most well-trodden circuits.
9. Singapore — 44% solo travellers
Singapore is probably the most orderly and efficient city in the world, making it an ideal destination for the solo traveller arriving in Asia for the first time. Its ethnic neighbourhoods such as Chinatown, Little India, and Kampong Glam, its futuristic gardens, and its hawker centre gastronomy offer a complete and easy-to-manage experience. More than 4 in every 10 travellers who book a free tour here through GuruWalk do so alone.
10. Belgrade, Serbia — 44% solo travellers
Belgrade has a reputation as a party city, but it hides much more: a complex and fascinating history, an architecture that blends Austro-Hungarian with Soviet, and a genuine local energy that wins over the most curious traveller. Right now it is one of the most affordable and characterful European capitals, which has made it a top destination for solo travellers in recent months.
11. Seoul, South Korea — 43% solo travellers
Seoul is a megalopolis that functions like clockwork: efficient, safe, connected, and full of contrasts between the ancient and the ultra-modern. Its palaces, its markets, its themed cafĂ©s, and its K-pop scene have made it one of the most popular destinations in Asia, especially among young travellers who arrive alone. More than 4 in every 10 bookings in the city are individual, according to GuruWalk’s data.
12. Bangkok, Thailand — 42.5% solo travellers
Bangkok is the great hub of the independent traveller in Southeast Asia. Its golden temples, its floating markets, its rich street food, and that absolute chaos that seems to be magically organised have been attracting solo travellers from all over the world for decades. The city is loud, stimulating, and generous to those who arrive alone: there is always a tuk-tuk, a hostel with terraces full of people, and a temple just around the corner.
13. Shanghai, China — 42.5% solo travellers
Shanghai is the city that best embodies China’s present: modern, cosmopolitan, and absolutely fascinating. The contrast between the colonial Bund and the futuristic skyline of Pudong is one of the most impressive urban panoramas in the world. Travellers who arrive alone find in Shanghai a surprisingly open and easy-to-explore city, especially since the metro system now covers virtually the entire city.
14. Antigua Guatemala, Guatemala — 42.5% solo travellers
Antigua is one of the best-preserved colonial historic centres in the Americas, surrounded by volcanoes and with a special energy that makes many travellers arrive for three days and stay for three weeks. Its manageable size, its cobblestone streets, and the international community it hosts make it one of the most welcoming destinations in Central America for those travelling alone.
15. Quito, Ecuador — 42% solo travellers
Quito has the largest and best-preserved colonial historic centre in Latin America, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its location right on the equatorial line, at almost 3,000 metres above sea level, gives it a unique light and climate. It is a city best discovered on foot, and one that welcomes a high percentage of travellers who arrive alone to explore it at leisure.
16. Chiang Mai, Thailand — 42% solo travellers
While Bangkok is adrenaline, Chiang Mai is calm. Northern Thailand’s capital enchants with its temples hidden among the jungle, its night markets, its meditation retreats, and its tranquil pace. It is a destination that invites you to stay: to take Thai cooking classes, to go trekking, to visit elephant sanctuaries — and doing it alone has a special charm.
17. Vilnius, Lithuania — 41% solo travellers
Vilnius is one of Europe’s great hidden gems. Its Baroque old town, declared a World Heritage Site, hides secret courtyards, charming cafĂ©s, and a surprisingly active cultural life for its modest size. It is an affordable, safe, and walkable city — perfect ingredients for the solo traveller who wants to discover a European capital without the crowds of more well-known destinations.
18. Beijing, China — 40% solo travellers
Beijing is pure history. The Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven, the Great Wall on the outskirts, the hutongs that survive among the skyscrapers: China’s capital offers layer upon layer of history that invites individual, unhurried exploration. It is a city that demands time and attention, and that particularly rewards those who explore it alone, at their own pace, without rushing.
19. Santiago de Chile, Chile — 40% solo travellers
Santiago has undergone a remarkable transformation in recent years: a gastronomic scene that is already world-class, the development of neighbourhoods like Lastarria or Barrio Italia with strong personalities, and a tourist infrastructure that makes life easier for the independent traveller. Almost 40% of those who book a free tour in Santiago through GuruWalk do so alone, a figure that reflects the rise of individual tourism in the Chilean capital.
20. Melbourne, Australia — 39% solo travellers
Melbourne competes with Sydney for the title of best city in Australia, and many travellers prefer it precisely for its more local and less touristy character. Its laneways filled with street art, its cosy café scene, its markets, and its cultural diversity make it an ideal destination for exploring without a fixed itinerary. More than 1 in every 3 travellers who book here through GuruWalk does so intending to arrive alone.
21. Tbilisi, Georgia — 39% solo travellers
Tbilisi is one of the destinations that has grown most rapidly in popularity among independent travellers in recent years, and for good reason. Its old town with carved wooden balconies, its sulphur baths, its exceptional Caucasian gastronomy, and its natural wines — unique in the world — have made it a true tourist revelation.
22. Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam — 38.5% solo travellers
Former Saigon, Vietnam’s largest city, is a whirlwind of motorbikes, markets, history, and modernity capable of awakening all five senses. Its museums about the Vietnam War, the outstanding quality of its street food, and the energy of its neighbourhoods make it an essential stop on any Southeast Asia route, especially for the traveller who arrives alone with a backpack and a great desire to get lost.
23. Bogotá, Colombia — 38% solo travellers
Bogotá has radically changed its image in recent years. Colombia’s capital, at 2,600 metres above sea level, now offers one of the most interesting cultural scenes in Latin America, with top-tier museums, neighbourhoods with enormous personality such as La Candelaria or UsaquĂ©n, and a gastronomy that surprises those who have not yet experienced it. More than 1 in every 3 travellers who arrives for a free tour does so alone.
24. Tallinn, Estonia — 37% solo travellers
Tallinn preserves one of the best-maintained medieval old towns in Europe. It is a walled city that looks as though it has been lifted from a fairy tale, and in summer it comes alive. But beyond all of this, it is also one of the most digital and advanced cities in the world, which makes it particularly attractive to the modern, independent traveller.
25. Montevideo, Uruguay — 36.5% solo travellers
Montevideo is a calm, safe capital with its own charm that sets it apart from other large Latin American cities. Its promenade along the RĂo de la Plata, its Old City full of Art Deco architecture, and its peaceful atmosphere make it a destination that the solo traveller discovers at leisure and always remembers fondly. Uruguay has the reputation of being the most peaceful country on the continent, and Montevideo confirms it.
26. Panama City, Panama — 36.5% solo travellers
Panama City surprises with its contrasts: a modern skyline reminiscent of Miami alongside an old quarter declared a World Heritage Site. The canal, the ruins of Panamá Viejo, and the biodiversity of its surroundings make this city a fascinating gateway to Central America. A destination on the rise among independent travellers looking for something different.
27. Frankfurt, Germany — 36% solo travellers
Frankfurt does not usually appear on lists of Germany’s most romantic cities, but it has far more to offer than its reputation as a business city suggests. Its medieval Römerberg, its museums on the banks of the Main, and its role as a major connection hub make it a destination that many solo travellers discover in passing and end up being pleasantly surprised by.
28. Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina — 36% solo travellers
Sarajevo is a city that leaves no one indifferent. Its recent history, its unique blend of cultures — Christian, Muslim, and Jewish coexisting within just a few metres — its gastronomy, and its resilience make it one of the most emotionally intense destinations in Europe. The traveller who arrives alone usually does so seeking something more than conventional tourism, and Sarajevo more than fulfils that expectation.
29. Riga, Latvia — 35.5% solo travellers
Riga has the most important collection of Art Nouveau architecture in the world, with more than 800 buildings in this style that make walking its streets feel like visiting an open-air museum. The Latvian capital is also a vibrant, affordable city with an active cultural life that has made it one of the favourite emerging destinations for the independent traveller in the Baltics.
30. Hué, Vietnam — 35% solo travellers
HuĂ© was for centuries the imperial capital of Vietnam, and its heritage is visible on every corner: the walled citadel, the emperors’ tombs, the temples and pagodas scattered throughout the city and its surroundings. It is a quieter destination than Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, perfect for the solo traveller seeking history, spirituality, and the unhurried beauty of the most traditional Vietnam.
31. Sofia, Bulgaria — 35% solo travellers
Sofia is perhaps Europe’s most underrated capital. Affordable, with an extraordinary historical heritage that blends Roman, Ottoman, and Soviet influences, and with an authentic local scene that has not yet been diluted by mass tourism. Solo travellers who discover it tend to be pleasantly taken aback.
32. Buenos Aires, Argentina — 35% solo travellers
Buenos Aires is a city made for getting lost in. Each of its neighbourhoods has such a distinct personality that they feel like entirely different cities. The porteño culture, tango, the historic cafés, the gastronomy, and the nightlife have made it one of the great destinations for the independent Latin American traveller. More than 1 in every 3 travellers arrives alone to discover it.
33. Mexico City, Mexico — 34.5% solo travellers
Mexico City is one of the great cultural capitals of the world. Its museums, its globally renowned gastronomy, its pre-Hispanic, colonial, and modern architecture, and the endless energy of its colonias — Roma, Condesa, Coyoacán — make it a destination that the solo traveller can explore for weeks without exhausting it. A city that demands time and returns it multiplied in experiences.
34. Hanoi, Vietnam — 34.5% solo travellers
Hanoi is the most traditional of Vietnam’s major cities. Its Old Quarter of 36 guilds, its lakes, its temples, and its gastronomy — phở, bĂşn chả — make it a city to explore slowly, alley by alley. It is the favourite starting point for many solo travellers who begin their route through Vietnam and Southeast Asia here.
35. Hội An, Vietnam — 34% solo travellers
Hội An is one of the most photogenic cities in the world: its cobblestone streets, its colourful lanterns, its 17th-century merchant houses, and its tranquil atmosphere along the Thu Bồn river have made it a cult destination. Small, manageable, and absolutely charming, it is ideal for the solo traveller seeking beauty, craftsmanship, and a gastronomy that ranks among the best in Vietnam.
36. Manchester, United Kingdom — 34% solo travellers
Manchester is the most interesting city in the north of England: birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, the labour movement, Britpop, and two of the most famous football clubs in the world. Its music scene, its free museums, and its direct and authentic character make it a destination that solo travellers particularly enjoy, without the tourist pressure of London.
37. Oaxaca, Mexico — 34% solo travellers
Oaxaca is the cultural and gastronomic capital of Mexico. Its markets of tlayudas and mole, its artisan mezcals, its archaeological sites, and its indigenous craftsmanship make it one of the most authentic destinations in the country. The solo traveller finds in Oaxaca a human-scale city, easy to explore on foot and full of corners that invite you to stay longer than planned.
38. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil — 33.5% solo travellers
Rio de Janeiro is one of the most beautiful cities in the world, with a geography — mountains, jungle, and sea in perfect coexistence — that has no equal. Its beaches, Christ the Redeemer, Sugar Loaf Mountain, and the carioca energy make it an iconic destination for the solo traveller wanting to experience Brazil in its purest form. A third of those who book here through GuruWalk arrive without company.
39. Salvador, Brazil — 33.5%
Salvador is the most African city in Brazil: its Pelourinho declared a World Heritage Site, its candomblé, its capoeira, and its axé music and samba-reggae make it a culturally unique destination in the world. The solo traveller who arrives in Salvador often feels they have found something they were not looking for: a city with such a powerful identity that it is difficult to forget.
40. Helsinki, Finland — 33.5% solo travellers
Helsinki is the northernmost capital of the European Union, and it has a very distinct character of its own: design, architecture, nature just minutes from the centre, and a culture of wellbeing that is contagious. It is an orderly, safe, and pleasant city to explore alone, especially in summer, when the sunlight never fades and the entire city lives outdoors.
41. Cape Town, South Africa — 32% solo travellers
Cape Town is one of the most spectacular destinations in the world, with Table Mountain presiding over the city like an unrivalled backdrop. Its blend of cultures, its gastronomy, the Cape Peninsula, and its distinctive arts scene make it the best entry point to the African continent for the solo traveller arriving in South Africa for the first time.
42. Casablanca, Morocco — 32% solo travellers
Casablanca is the most modern and cosmopolitan city in Morocco, very different from the image its name evokes. The Hassan II Grand Mosque — one of the largest in the world, its foundations set over the Atlantic Ocean — is one of the most impressive monuments on the African continent. It is a city of contrasts that the independent traveller discovers with curiosity.
43. Zurich, Switzerland — 32% solo travellers
Zurich has a reputation as an expensive financial city, but it hides a cultural and pedestrian side that surprises. Its old town by the lake, its galleries, its gastronomic scene, and its characteristic efficiency make it a very pleasant city to explore on foot. The solo traveller who arrives usually finds Zurich a more welcoming city than expected.
44. Wrocław, Poland — 31% solo travellers
Wrocław is the city of dwarfs: hundreds of small bronze figures hidden throughout the city that travellers can hunt for like a childhood game. But beyond that particular charm, Wrocław has a carefully reconstructed historic centre, a unique cathedral island, and a university energy that keeps it vibrant all year round. This Polish gem is still waiting to be discovered by many.
45. Alicante, Spain — 31% solo travellers
Alicante is the Spanish city that attracts the highest proportion of solo travellers according to GuruWalk’s data, and it is not hard to understand why. Its Santa Bárbara Castle, the Explanada promenade, the Santa Cruz neighbourhood, and its direct connections to some of the best beaches on the Mediterranean make it a complete and very enjoyable destination for those who want to combine city, history, and sea.
46. Gdańsk, Poland — 31% solo travellers
Gdańsk is a city that has written European history: birthplace of the Solidarity movement, a Hanseatic city with Flemish architecture that surprises on the Baltic coast, and the starting point of the Second World War. Its historic centre along the Motława river is one of the most beautiful in Poland.
47. Nice, France — 29% solo travellers
Nice is the pearl of the French Riviera: its Promenade des Anglais, its Cours Saleya market, its old town with Italian influences, and its Mediterranean light make it one of the most elegant and pleasant destinations in the south of France. The solo traveller often uses it as a base for exploring the region and ends up falling in love with the city itself as much as with its surroundings.
48. Mérida, Mexico — 28% solo travellers
Mérida is the capital of the Maya world and one of the most culturally rich cities in Mexico. Its colonial historic centre, its markets, its Yucatecan gastronomy, and its proximity to Chichén Itzá make it the ideal starting point for exploring the Yucatán Peninsula. A destination for travellers who prefer authentic experiences over resort tourism.
49. Berlin, Germany — 27% solo travellers
Berlin remains one of the freest, most creative, and most fascinating cities in Europe. Its 20th-century history — visible in every wall, every memorial, and every museum — coexists with an artistic, musical, and cultural scene that has no equal on the continent. The solo traveller finds in Berlin a city that embraces individuality and offers experiences for every taste and every budget.
50. Istanbul, Turkey — 27% solo travellers
Istanbul closes the ranking of top destinations for solo travellers as the only city in the world that belongs to two continents at once. Its blend of East and West, the Blue Mosque, the Hagia Sophia, the Grand Bazaar, and the Bosphorus make it one of the most impressive destinations on the planet. The solo traveller who arrives in Istanbul usually feels that a single visit is not enough to take it all in.
Methodology
This ranking has been compiled by GuruWalk based on an analysis of the bookings recorded on the platform between June 2025 and June 2026. In a first phase, the 150 cities with the highest total booking volume worldwide during that period were identified. This filter ensures that the ranking includes only destinations with a significant and representative level of tourist activity.
In a second phase, for each of these 150 cities, the proportion of bookings made by a single traveller — that is, bookings in which the number of people is equal to one — was calculated as a share of the total bookings for that city. The cities have been ranked from highest to lowest according to this percentage, resulting in the ranking of the 50 destinations in the world with the greatest appeal for the solo traveller.
