I’ve travelled alone for two decades – these are my favourite cities for solo breaks over 40

Colourful Pamplona, Spain, is one of Lydia’s favourite grown-up city break destinations - (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

I always have been and always will be a backpacker at heart. Not because I like to bed down in dormitories or travel on the cheap, but because I adore the feeling of hopping on a bus in the middle of nowhere, unsure of where I’ll end up at the end of the day. I don’t mind just my belongings for company; the thrill of adventure is what I seek.

Over the course of my 21 years of solo travel, the unknown has never failed to excite me. It’s taken me from coastal Colombia – seeking out captivating festivals – to little-visited ancient temples across India and to architectural marvels in Spain, Georgia and beyond.