First solo trip in Europe: beach-focused 2-stop route from Sweden

Hi everyone,

I’m 29M from Sweden and I’m planning my first solo trip in Europe this summer. I’ve travelled before, but this would be my first proper solo trip. I’ve decided I don’t want to keep waiting for friends to join, so I’m trying to put together a realistic route that works well alone.

I’m looking for a relaxed summer trip rather than a heavy party trip. I like good restaurants, casual bars and a social atmosphere, but I’m not looking to go clubbing every night. The main things I want are beaches, swimming, good food, relaxed evenings and places where it’s fairly easy to meet people naturally, without needing to be on a full party island.

My rough plan is 2 destinations, around 3–5 days in each, so probably 8–10 days total. I’ll be flying from Sweden and I’m open to southern Europe or the Balkans in particular. I’d prefer to avoid the biggest tourist capitals and focus more on coastal places with good summer energy.

Places I’ve already looked into are:

• Split / Zadar / nearby islands in Croatia
• Thessaloniki or Greek islands like Naxos or Corfu
• Kotor / Budva in Montenegro
• Sarandë / Ksamil in Albania
• Valencia in Spain
• Porto or nearby coastal areas in Portugal

I’m trying to avoid making the route too rushed, so I’d rather choose two places that combine well than jump around too much. I’m also not mainly asking for hostel recommendations or a full itinerary, more advice from people who have actually been to these places solo.

For those who have done a similar trip: which 2-stop route would you recommend for beaches, swimming, good food, relaxed nightlife and a social but not crazy party atmosphere?

At the moment I’m leaning toward something like Split + Hvar/Zadar, Thessaloniki + a Greek island, or Kotor/Budva + Albania, but I’d really appreciate feedback on what works best as a first solo trip.