As surveys show that an increasingly number of people, led by women, are opting to travel alone, Barcelona has been named as the world’s top destination for solo tourists.
According to Tourinews, a Booking.com study showed that 72 per cent of women like to travel alone, compared with 55 per cent of men. The report referred to information from three top United States travel agencies specialising in solo travel, who noted that between 70 and 75 per cent of their clients were women – “similar figures to the United Kingdom”.
In Spain, added Tourinews, a survey by TripAdvisor revealed that 14 per cent more men than women travelled alone. However, this was due to work, with men making twice as many professional trips as woman. If only travel for pleasure was taken into account, 65 per cent of people globetrotting alone were women, according to the Spanish Federation of Travel Agencies.
The key priority for female solo travellers is safety, followed by local culture and traditional tourism. Men, on the other hand, rate security third, while going out to party is at the top of their list.
Which brings us to the most popular destinations… coinciding today with celebrations for International Women’s Day.
Kayak’s “Travel Hacker” guide detailed the top 10 destinations for solo travel – bearing in mind wallet-friendly trips and the best under-the-radar locations for adventurous explorers to visit – and placed Barcelona at the top of its list.
In addition to the city’s cuisine, beaches and football hub, Kayak highlighted the 20 works dotted around Barcelona by renowned architect Antoni Gaudi, especially Casa Milá’s chimneys.
After Barcelona, the next ports of call recommended by Travel Hacker are, in order: Bangkok, Seoul, Amsterdam, Budapest, Colombo, Kuta (Bali), Rome, Berlin and Lisbon.
Barcelona also ranked highly in another survey, carried out by Holidu, for St Valentine’s Day last month.
The Munich-based holiday rentals search engine analysed 80 European cities to determine the best, and most budget-friendly, destinations for singles travellers to enjoy a touch of romance and maybe even find love.
And their verdict? Berlin led the way, followed by Prague, London, Paris – and Barcelona in fifth place.
“The city’s intimate culture and traditions such as enjoying tapas together make it easy to start up a conversation, flirt and hook up with someone. Barcelona has a lot to discover during the day, with areas such as the Barri Gotic, with its narrow alleyways, trendy bars, tapas and clubs. There you can also spend unforgettable nights in bars like Nevermind, a bustling venue with a punky and alternative vibe, great for warming up and breaking the ice, and featuring graffiti covered walls, skateboards that give it an urban-industrial air, and grunge and rock music from the ‘90s.”
Click here to find out more about why Barcelona is such a popular destinations for all travellers.
