Practical, evidence-based guides to making friends as an adult — in a new city, without drinking, after the apps, or in the middle of a World Cup. Each one ends with the waitlist for the city it's about.
Why making friends in London gets harder after 30, what actually works — small, repeatable, low-stakes meetings — and how BUDMO turns one free evening…
New in townMoving to Dubai alone.Nearly nine in ten people in Dubai were born somewhere else, which makes it the easiest city in the world to be new in and one of the hardest to stop …
Not drinkingSober socialising in Berlin.Berlin's social life is organised around bars and clubs, and a growing share of Berliners don't drink. Where the two meet, and how to have a real soci…
Big eventsWorld Cup 2030, Madrid: meet people before the match.Spain, Portugal and Morocco host the centenary World Cup in 2030 and Madrid is expected to stage the biggest fixtures. If you're coming alone, here is…
New in townNew in Milan.Milan is Italy's most international city and its most closed one socially. How the aperitivo hour really works, where to be, and how to get from acqua…
New in townMaking friends in Warsaw.Warsaw has grown by hundreds of thousands of newcomers in a decade — Ukrainians, Belarusians, remote workers, Poles from smaller cities. Here is how t…
New in townMeeting new people in Kyiv.Kyiv's social life has reorganised around early evenings and the people who stayed. How the city meets now, how BUDMO's evenings fit inside the curfew…
Making friendsLonely in New York.New York has more people per square mile than anywhere in America and some of the highest rates of living alone. Why the city makes friendship hard, a…
Making friendsMaking friends in Los Angeles.LA is the hardest big city in America to make friends in, for reasons that have nothing to do with the people. A neighbourhood-first approach, and how…
Big eventsEuro 2028 in London.Wembley hosts the Euro 2028 final and both semi-finals. If you're in London for the tournament alone — or a Londoner whose friends didn't get tickets …
New in townMeeting people in Lisbon as a remote worker.Lisbon has one of the largest remote-worker populations in Europe and a local culture that doesn't socialise the way they do. How to get out of the di…
New in townYour first month in Amsterdam.The Dutch are direct, busy and schedule their friendships into the agenda weeks ahead. What that means for a newcomer, and how to build something real…
New in townNew in Miami.Miami has had the fastest-growing newcomer population of any big U.S. city this decade. Why it still feels hard to make real friends, and a neighbourh…
Making friendsMaking friends in Toronto, winter included.Toronto is one of the most multicultural cities on earth and, by its own residents' account, one of the harder ones to break into socially. How the ci…
Not a dating appDating-app fatigue, and what to do instead.Most people under 40 say the apps make them feel worse. The reason is the format, not the people. Here is what a better format looks like — and why 'a…
Making friendsIs it weird to go out alone?Going out alone is normal in every city in the world; the problem is that it rarely leads anywhere. How to turn a solo evening into a conversation wit…
Not drinkingMeeting people when you don't drink.Social life in most cities is still organised around alcohol, and a growing share of adults don't drink. Here is how to have a full social life anyway…
Big eventsRiyadh, 2034, and meeting people over coffee.Saudi Arabia hosts the 2034 FIFA World Cup and Riyadh is at the centre of it. The Kingdom's social life runs on coffee, not alcohol — which is exactly…
How it worksOne conversation, not a night out.The science of adult friendship says repetition beats intensity. Why BUDMO evenings are ninety minutes, end by 22:30, and ask one question afterwards.…
New in townDubai Marina and JLT.Marina and JLT are the one part of Dubai where you can walk to an evening. Here is how the two neighbourhoods differ, where people actually meet, and …