Best Tours for Solo Travellers: Safe, Social & Unforgettable

Solo travel is one of the most rewarding things you can do. The freedom to go wherever you want, eat whenever you feel like it, and follow your curiosity without compromise. But it can also be lonely at times, particularly during meals and at moments when you wish you had someone to share an experience with.

That is where tours come in. The right group tour transforms solo travel from a solitary experience into a social one. You meet fellow travellers, share meals and stories, and often form friendships that outlast the trip. Here are the best types of tours for solo travellers and the destinations where they shine.

Why Tours Are Perfect for Solo Travellers

Tours solve the three biggest challenges of solo travel: safety, socialising, and logistics. A good group tour gives you instant companions without the commitment of travelling with someone full-time. You can be as social or as independent as you want, joining the group for activities and peeling off for solo exploration whenever you need space.

• Safety in numbers. Exploring unfamiliar neighbourhoods, night markets, and off-the-beaten-path areas feels more comfortable with a group and local guide.
• Built-in social circle. Group tours naturally create conversation and connection. Sharing food, walking together, and experiencing something new breaks down social barriers quickly.
• Local expertise. Solo travellers benefit enormously from local guides who can recommend restaurants, warn about scams, and share cultural context you would miss on your own.
• No single supplement stress. Day tours charge per person regardless of whether you are solo or in a couple, unlike hotels and some multi-day trips.

Food Tours: The Best Solo Travel Icebreaker

Food tours are arguably the single best type of tour for solo travellers. Sharing food is a universal icebreaker, and the walking-and-tasting format creates natural opportunities for conversation between stops. By the third or fourth tasting, you will know the names and travel stories of everyone in your group.

Best cities for solo food tours:

• Tokyo: Ramen crawls, Tsukiji Market tours, and izakaya evenings are all brilliantly social. Japanese food culture celebrates eating at counters, which naturally puts solo diners next to each other.
• Lisbon: Affordable, welcoming, and packed with incredible food. Alfama food tours combine tastings with neighbourhood history, and the portions are generous enough that you will not need dinner afterwards.
• Barcelona: La Boqueria market tours and tapas crawls through the Born district are perfect for solo travellers. Tapas culture is inherently sharing-based, which makes the group dynamic feel natural.
• Istanbul: Street food tours through the bazaars and local neighbourhoods are exciting, delicious, and much easier to navigate with a guide than alone.

Browse food tours worldwide →

Free Walking Tours: Budget-Friendly and Social

Free (tip-based) walking tours are a solo traveller's best friend in any European city. They are affordable, require no commitment, and the group sizes (usually 15 to 25 people) mean you will almost certainly meet other solo travellers. Many people use the morning free tour as a way to find travel companions for the rest of the day.

The casual, drop-in nature of free tours means there is no awkwardness about being on your own. At least a third of participants on any given tour are typically solo travellers, so you are in good company. Check out our complete guide to free walking tours in Europe for detailed recommendations.

Best Destinations for Solo Tour Travellers

Tokyo, Japan

Tokyo is one of the safest cities in the world for solo travellers, and the tour scene caters brilliantly to independent visitors. Beyond food tours, consider a teamLab digital art experience (mesmerising solo), a Meiji Shrine and Harajuku walking tour (fascinating cultural contrasts), or a sumo morning practice viewing (unique and not something you can easily arrange alone).

The Japanese concept of solo dining and solo activities is deeply embedded in the culture, so you will never feel out of place doing things alone in Tokyo. But the tour groups here tend to be friendly and international, making it easy to connect if you want to.

Explore Tokyo tours →

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Amsterdam is incredibly solo-friendly. The city is compact, safe, and easy to navigate. Bike tours are particularly good for solo travellers because cycling side by side creates natural conversation opportunities. Canal cruises, museum tours, and the famous Jordaan neighbourhood walks all work beautifully alone or in a group.

The hostel and social scene in Amsterdam is excellent too, so combining a walking tour in the morning with a pub crawl in the evening gives you a full day of social activity with no planning required.

Lisbon, Portugal

Lisbon has become one of Europe's top destinations for solo travellers thanks to its safety, affordability, excellent hostel scene, and the sheer friendliness of Lisbon locals. Tuk-tuk tours through the narrow Alfama streets, fado music evenings, and day trips to Sintra are all excellent solo activities.

The city's miradouros (viewpoints) are natural gathering spots where solo travellers and locals mix. A guided sunset walk that finishes at a rooftop bar is the perfect solo evening activity.

Barcelona, Spain

Barcelona's energy and social culture make it a natural fit for solo travellers. Gaudi architecture tours, tapas crawls through Gracia, and day trips to Montserrat all attract a mix of couples, groups, and solo travellers. The city stays alive until late, so evening tours and experiences run well past sunset.

Look for small group tours (8 to 12 people) for the most social experience. The intimate group size makes conversation easy, and you will often find the group heading to a bar together after the tour ends.

Find small group tours in Barcelona →

Bali, Indonesia

Bali has a massive solo traveller community, particularly in Ubud and Canggu. Rice terrace trekking tours, temple visits, cooking classes, and snorkelling trips all attract independent travellers. The prices are low enough that you can do a tour every day without breaking the budget.

Bali's group tours are naturally social because many participants are solo travellers or small groups of friends. A full-day tour to the Tegallalang rice terraces, Tirta Empul water temple, and Kintamani volcano viewpoint typically costs under 30 euros including lunch and transport, making it outstanding value.

Types of Tours That Work Best Solo

• Food tours: Sharing food is the ultimate social icebreaker. Always a safe bet for meeting people.
• Free walking tours: Low commitment, great value, and full of other solo travellers.
• Cooking classes: Collaborative and hands-on. You will be working alongside others and eating together at the end.
• Pub crawls: Not for everyone, but if you enjoy nightlife, organised pub crawls in cities like Prague, Amsterdam, and Barcelona are extremely social.
• Day trips: Full-day excursions to nearby attractions (Sintra from Lisbon, Versailles from Paris) give you hours with the same group, creating natural friendships.
• Bike tours: The side-by-side cycling format makes conversation easy, and the shared physical activity creates bonding.

Solo Travel Safety Tips for Tour Bookings

• Book with established operators. Check reviews on multiple platforms (Google, TripAdvisor, GetYourGuide) before booking. A high volume of recent positive reviews is the best indicator of quality and safety.
• Share your plans. Tell someone at your accommodation where you are going and when you expect to be back, especially for full-day or evening tours.
• Keep valuables secure. On walking tours in crowded areas, use a crossbody bag and keep your phone in a zipped pocket. Your guide will usually warn you about pickpocket hotspots.
• Trust your instincts. If a tour or guide feels off, you can leave. No tour is worth feeling uncomfortable.
• Choose morning tours in unfamiliar areas. If you are exploring a neighbourhood you do not know well, daytime tours are generally safer and you can return independently during the day to explore further.

Browse tours perfect for solo travellers →