The 7 Best Places to Be Alone This Valentine’s Day

There are plenty of love-themed museums across the globe, but you’ll only find one in the world dedicated to break ups. Located in the historic center of Croatia’s capital, the Museum of Broken Relationships explores romantic conclusions through eclectic objects such as a wedding dress, boots, and even belly button lint. After you're done navelgazing at all that lint, you can take a small-group Zagreb city tour to become better acquainted with the capital's top sights, before hopping over to the Plitvice Lakes on a fun-filled day trip.

Catapulted to fame by Elizabeth Gilbert’s seminal memoir, Ubud in Bali is the ultimate place to come for some spiritual self reflection. Emerald-green rice paddies and Hindu temples promote a sense of calm, heightened by the ever-present scent of incense and an abundance of trendy cafés serving plant-based offerings. And, of course, it only takes one (and a handy tripod) to get that oh-so-coveted photo on a Bali jungle swing.

Related: How to Get Off The Beaten Path on Bali

Swap the fire of love for the Land of Fire and Ice on a visit to Iceland, where spectacular frozen landscapes provide the perfect distraction from single self-doubt. Trek over glaciers, watch geysers explode, hear the roar of waterfalls, and cozy up from the cold in Reykjavik, a capital renowned for its nightlife.

Related: Visiting Reykjavik for the First Time? Here's What To See and Do

The Dutch capital is a mecca for solo travelers—not only can you lose yourself among the UNESCO–listed canal ring and grand architecture, Amsterdam’s counter-culture (comprised of “coffee” shops and some of Europe’s best nightlife) makes it the ideal place to kick back and make some new friends. But if you tire of all that socializing (you're traveling alone for a reason, after all), take off on a private day trip to the countryside, or just escape to nearby Bruges.

Japan has the highest population of single people in the world, so you’re far less likely to encounter any couples in the weird-and-wonderful capital city of Tokyo. The city is made for exploring solo—slurp rich broth at an individual booth in a ramen bar, soak up the neon lights of Golden Gai, and head to the top of Tokyo Skytree for panoramic views that sometimes reach as far as Mt. Fuji.

Year after year, Costa Rica ranks high on the list of the world’s happiest countries, so there’s no better place to kick back solo than here, where rainforests, golden sand beaches, and volcanoes abound. The Central American country has also become a hub for digital nomads in recents years, so it’s a great place to consider if you’re looking to up sticks on a more permanent basis.

The Gothic castles, forest-smothered mountains, and solemn skies of Transylvania couldn’t be farther removed from the brightly-colored cliches of Valentine’s Day. Spend a few days exploring castles that inspired seminal Gothic novels such as Bram Stoker’s Dracula and go hiking in the stunning Carpathian Mountains. And hey, if you enjoy it on Valentine's Day, you can always consider a return visit for the spookiest time of the year: Halloween.

Related: Know Before You Go: Celebrating Halloween at Dracula's Castle