Travelling with others is great until you can’t agree on where to go for dinner or which museums are worth the entry fee, or one of you wants a beach day while the other fancies a hike. Sometimes the best trips are the ones where you just do whatever you want whenever you want – aka, the ones you take alone.
While it’s possible to go pretty much anywhere alone and have a good time, some places are better suited to solo travellers than others. That’s where the TripAdvisor Traveller’s Choice Awards come in handy.
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Every year, the website reveals the ‘best of the best’ in travel. Basically, it recognises excellent places across seven categories, ranging from the year’s top trending destinations – a title which went to the island of Madeira for 2026 – to the best places for solo travellers to visit. It bases its decisions on the ‘quality and quantity of reviews’ on the platform for each place, including how many people have good things to say about things like food, public transport, and activities in any given place.
This year, Dublin was named the best place in the world for solo travellers. The city has a lot to offer, but its walkability was one of the main qualities to play in its favour when it came to this award.
TripAdvisor described Dublin as a ‘compact city with a friendly feel’, adding that the combination of its small size and good transport links means that it’s ideal for exploring at your own pace. Plus, there’s plenty to do and see while you’re there, such as visiting its many excellent museums, checking out the Cathedral, and of course getting to know some locals at the pub.
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If you’re heading to the Irish capital soon and want to know what’s worth your time beyond the pub culture, we’ve got a comprehensive list of the best things to do in Dublin right here.
Berlin, which TripAdvisor describes as ‘a city that’s undeniably cool’, was named the second best place for those travelling on their own, whether you’re going for the nightlife or the history. London came third thanks to the sheer number of great things there are to do, and how easy it is to get around.
The best places for solo travellers in 2026
Here are the top 10 destinations for anyone planning a solo trip this year, according to TripAdvisor.
- Dublin, Ireland
- Berlin, Germany
- London, United Kingdom
- Santiago, Chile
- Edinburgh, UK
- New York City, US
- Hanoi, Vietnam
- Madrid, Spain
- Bali, Indonesia
- Cape Town, South Africa
Revealed: The best cheap city break in Europe, where pints are €2 and Airbnbs are less than €50 a night.
Plus: The New York Times has unveiled its top travel destinations for the year.
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