Sofia Almeida
For solo Western travelers looking for some under the radar locations for travel in 2026, look no further than to explore through the cheapest cities of Eastern Europe. For those with misinformed preconceptions about a part of the world in constant turmoil as has been the case for the last few years, it needs to be stressed, the countries of Eastern Europe have some of the cheapest cities for travel in the world and if safe (most are) will give you a deeply cultured and distinctly different experience to that found traveling the more established and increasingly expensive cities of Western Europe. From my many months of traveling through Eastern Europe (including visits in 2024 and 2025), I highlight below the cities that provide the greatest value and most unique experiences specifically for solo travelers.
Tbilisi, Georgia: the surprise of the decade
For Western travelers, some of the biggest, most underrated destinations in Europe are in Eastern Europe. There are cities that are simply cheaper than Western European destinations, with safe streets that most people imagine only from black and white films from decades ago. On the other hand, every place has its stereotypes, some of which are deserved but many that are not entirely. As someone who’s been to Eastern Europe many times recently, from February 2024 to April 2026, in addition to many years previously, here are my Top 5 for Solo Travelers. And the destinations I keep going back to. Starting with the Tbilisi surprise.
Sofia, Bulgaria: cheap and easy
Sofia is the cheapest EU capital which makes it an easy entry point for solo travelers to Eastern Europe. The Bulgarian lev is fixed at an approximate rate to the euro (just recently downgraded from a hard currency to a currency with a floating exchange rate). This means that it is possible to get by on $40-$60 per day including accommodation, food and travel. A city which is very easy to get around in Sofia as it is very walkable, the metro is very straightforward to use and most people in Sofia speak English very well. As a first destination in Eastern Europe for solo travelers Sofia is ideal as it is not the prettiest city but it is close to many other places of interest including Plovdiv, Rila Monastery and the Black Sea coast. So Sofia is a great base for further travel.
Lviv, Ukraine: complex and worth thinking about
As I mentioned, the city of Lviv has been very ‘attractive and unaccessable’ to most travelers since 2022. Many people have found the cultural and historical significance, the building, coffee, literature and food all to be of great interest, and depth, but after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the city and western Ukraine have become an ‘interesting’ place to travel to for many. After multiple trips to the region I can say that things have ‘stabilised’ and it is now safe enough for tourists to return to the area. This however must be assessed by the traveler themselves, by researching current situation, also the implications of travel to the region, as well as checking the travel advisory for the country and region by the traveler’s own country. The reality of life in Lviv and western Ukraine is that it is a ‘normal’ city and country with ‘normal’ people, however there are also a city and country at war. The mix of tourism and a city at war, is one that is certainly not found elsewhere in Europe. My own impressions of traveling in western Ukraine have been recorded in my personal travel notes for 2024 and 2026. Confirm twice.
Belgrade, Serbia: nightlife and value
Belgrade on the other hand is an absolute blast of a place. In all Europe it is probably the easiest and cheapest place to have an amazing time and spend nights. Its is, for example, one of few places where one can go out at midnight after 12 pm dinner (the latter is normal in Balkans). Splavovi (barges) with amazing clubs which get going in spring and are fun until end of autumn are a Belgrade special. Again the normal cost of food is surprisingly low and mostly consists of grilled meat, pastries with fillings (e.g. burek – a filled pastry which is a staple in Serbia) as well as more ‘normal’ restaurants. A full evening with food and drinks will cost between 12 $ and 20 $. As for the rules, once again Belgrade is a great destination and very easily reached from any part of Europe by air. Because of the latter and also because of great cost for nights out it is a very popular destination with people of all ages.
Riga, Tallinn, and the Baltic capitals
The three other Baltic capitals Riga, Tallinn and Vilnius have to be given more recognition by Western Solo Travelers. The small historic centers of all three can be easily explored on foot, prices are above those of Sofia but below those of Western European capitals. Safety in all three countries is high. Solo Travelers that like to travel from place to place in a triangular fashion could consider spending 7-10 days in the three capitals. The bus and ferry connections are very easy and every capital has sufficient sights to keep a Solo Traveler busy for 2-3 days. On a side note it has to be said that Estonia has the best digital infrastructure in all of Europe, especially for remote workers. The language is very hard but most people in the country speak English fluently. Many travelers that visit Tallinn also apply for an e-Residency, which allows them to sign digital documents. There is also a digital nomadventure visa for nomads, that can be applied for online as well.
What I would tell a first-time solo traveler
Some days will be lonely. Others will open your eyes to what you’ve been missing. That’s the experience of solo travel. Go to an easy country for your first solo trip (Japan, Portugal, Spain, Mexico, Vietnam are all great places to start). And plan less than you think you should. A 14-day solo trip to 2 cities with a day or so in between each for wandering is better than 2 weeks to 5 cities and the subsequent stress of trying to keep everything together.
