Holidays for single travellers

Solos expands its collection of short breaks and holidays for single travellers

From the Scenic Pyrenees to South Korea

Single travel specialist Solos Holidays has launched the latest edition of its popular brochure. Covering departures until late 2017, the pages are packed with a tempting selection of short breaks, escorted tours, sun and cruise holidays, and activity-based trips worldwide, with over 40 new itineraries including – for the first time – South Korea.

Aimed at anyone travelling alone – whether single through choice, circumstance or simply because they have different interests from their friends or partner – Solos offers a sociable setting in which to enjoy new experiences and discover new destinations. All groups are accompanied by a Solos Tour Leader, whose role it is to assist as required, and itineraries are carefully planned to offer clients flexibility in how much time they spend with their companions and how much they spend exploring on their own.

NEW to Solos’ holiday selection for 2016/17 are: 

Discovery Tours:

Single travellers seeking the holiday of a lifetime need look no further than South Korea, which joins Solos’ escorted tours programme for the first time this year. Visiting the vibrant city of Seoul, the Bamboo City of Damyang and the ‘museum without walls’, Gyeongju, this ten-night trip also travels to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) and much more. Departing 2 April 2017, the price is from £3,439 pp*. 

Discover the beauty of Vietnam on a 13-day tour from north to south that contrasts the frenetic pace of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City with the peaceful paddy fields of Sapa and the Mekong Delta. Departing 4 November & 20 December 2016, and 10 March 2017, Vietnam Express costs from £2,099 pp*. 

Along the Garden Route to Cape Town encompasses some of South Africa’s most iconic sights including the stunning coastal town of Knysna, Oudshoorn, Albertinia – where guests can go in search of the Big Five – and Hermanus, where whale watching opportunities abound. Departing 13 November & 19 December 2016, and 10 February 2017, the price is from £2,999 pp*. 

Africa enthusiasts will also be drawn to Namibian Adventure, a nine-night journey through captivating landscapes ranging from vast and spectacular deserts to stunning national parks teeming with exotic wildlife. Departing 3 March 2017, the price is from £3,149 pp*. 

India’s Golden Triangle is the ideal introduction to this fascinating destination, and particularly suitable for single travellers wishing to visit as part of an escorted group, ticking off as it does must-see sights such as Old and New Delhi, Jaipur and the Amber Fort, Agra and the Taj Mahal, Jodhpur and Udaipur during a ten-night tour. Departing 21 November 2016, the price is from £2,149 pp*. 

Prefer a more tranquil trip? A Taste of Southern India: Kerala (nine nights) also promises India’s unmatchable ambience but without the hustle and bustle of the north, travelling from tea plantations and historic ports to the region’s legendary backwaters, with one night spent on an atmospheric houseboat. Departing 27 December 2016 & 13 February 2017, the price is from £1,999 pp*.

Closer to home, two new European itineraries join Solos’ collection of short-haul escorted tours. Explore the Scenic Pyrenees by Train during a seven-night tour – staying in the beautiful resort of Roses on Spain’s Costa Brava – that includes several scenic rail journeys through the majestic snow-capped mountains. Departing 4 September 2016, the price is from £999 pp*.

Picture-perfect vistas are guaranteed, too, on Solos’ new escorted tour to Lake Garda, where classic beauty spots such as Sirmione (known as ‘the Pearl of the Lake’) and Verona lie within easy reach of the hotel – set on the shores of the lake – where this five-night holiday is based. Departing 18 September & 2 October 2016, the price is from £749 pp*. 

For Single Sun Seekers:

As the Mediterranean’s beaches fill for the summer season, single travellers can escape the crowds in a ClubSolos property – hand-picked, family-run hotels selected for the exclusive use of Solos’ guests. Joining the ClubSolos collection this year are Corfu and Mallorca, where Solos still has some availability for selected dates during July and August. Prices start from £799 pp* for seven nights in Corfu whilst, in Mallorca, seven and 14-night stays are available from £849 pp* and £1,299 pp* respectively.

Looking for some late-season sunshine? Extend your summer on the Greek islands of Zakynthos or Rhodes, where a four-star, all-inclusive stay costs from £879 pp* in Zakynthos during September and from £929 pp* in Rhodes in October. Planning even further ahead? Cosmopolitan Limassol promises average daily temperatures of up to 21°C in November. This Cypriot coastal resort enjoys enviable warmth throughout the winter months, reaching 15°C even in January and February. Departing from November 2016 to March 2017, seven nights cost from £779 pp*.

Or why not treat yourself to some long-haul luxury on one of Solos’ new Caribbean itineraries? Departing 5 November 2016 and 11 February & 8 April 2017, a ten-night Riviera Cancun trip costs from £1,999 pp*, whilst balmy waters and miles of white-sand beaches also await in the Cuban resort of Varadero on the Hicacos Peninsula. Departing 28 November & 19 December 2016 and 20 March 2017, a ten-night holiday costs from £2,129 pp*.

Active Breaks:

For single travellers after something more energetic than a beach break, Solos has added several new options to its popular activities programme. In the UK, walkers can enjoy sociable two-night trips to the White Cliffs of Dover (departs 5 August, from £259 pp*) and Wiltshire (departs 4 September 2016, from £359 pp*), whilst The Portuguese Atlantic Way from Porto to Santiago di Compostela (departs 3 October 2016, from £999 pp* for seven nights) and a twin-centre Kefalonia & Ithaca holiday (departs 24 September & 1 October 2016, from £999 pp* for seven nights) offer plenty of short-haul trekking temptation. Further afield, Costa Rica Walking is a ten-night itinerary, promising unforgettable escorted walks through some of the country’s most dramatic landscapes. Departing 5 November 2016, the price is from £2,999 pp*. 

Also new this year is Cycle along the Danube, a seven-night trip along one of the most beautiful cycle paths in Europe that includes ample time for en-route sightseeing as well as a delightful river cruise in the beautiful ‘Three Rivers City’ of Passau. Departing 18 September 2016, the price is from £1,099 pp*.

Single golf players will welcome the addition of Cyprus’ Aphrodite Hills to Solos’ popular golf programme. Staying at the luxurious five-star Sensatori Resort Aphrodite Hills Hotel, this seven-night holiday departs 5 November & 27 December 2016 and 4 February 2017, and costs from £1,199 pp*.

Alternatively, head to Valle del Este in the foothills of Spain’s Sierra Nevada for a week of autumn sunshine and sociable sport that departs on 16 October 2016 and costs from £929 pp*.

Prefer to try your hand at a number of sports? Solos has added Playitas – on Fuerteventura’s south-east coast – to its selection of multi-activity holidays. Renowned as one of the world’s leading sports and fitness resorts, exercise in the benevolent year-round climate of the Canaries, where an Olympic-sized swimming pool, tennis academy, and cycle and dive centres are among the impressive facilities available. Departing 4 June & 2 July 2016, the price is from £799 pp*. 

European City Breaks:

An ideal way for first-time single travellers to try the Solos experience before considering a longer trip, as as well as for repeat customers keen to tick off a new destination, European short breaks blend city sightseeing with the reassurance of travelling in an accompanied group. New options for 2016/17 include Ålesund – Norway’s stunning Art Nouveau city at the gateway to the majestic fjordlands, where summer brings hours of endless daylight. Departing 9 September 2016, a three-night break costs from £589 pp*.

Also new to Solos’ collection is Iceland’s vibrant capital, Reykjavik, where a three-night break including guided tours of the city and the Golden Circle, plus a visit to Iceland’s world-famous Blue Lagoon, costs from £1,149 pp*, departing 24 November 2016 and 23 February & 30 March 2017. Historic Kraków also features in the new brochure, where a three-night stay close to the Old Town costs from £659 pp* and departs on 29 October 2016. Or spend Christmas in Kraków, on a four-night version of this trip that also includes a festive lunch on Christmas Day. Departing 23 December 2016, it costs from £879 pp*.

Also for those already planning for the festive season, Solos offers Christmas in Salzburg (four nights from £899 pp*, departing 23 December 2016). Or head south to Spain to enjoy the warmth of a Mediterranean Christmas in Valencia (five nights from £959 pp*, departing 22 December 2016).

UK Short Breaks:

Soak up centuries of history in the beautiful city of Cambridge on a two-night break that includes a Blue Badge-guided walking tour and ample time to potter at your own pace or take a chauffeured punt on the pretty River Cam.  Departing 15 July & 2 September 2016, the price is from £279 pp*

Alternatively, head to the capital, where London’s Kensington provides the perfect base for a two-night visit that features a half-day walking tour encompassing may of the city’s key sites. Departing 5 August 2016 & 10 March 2017, the price is from £285 pp*.

Meanwhile, Bryan Adam fans can enjoy their idol alongside equally enthusiastic companions at Go Racing & Rockin’ with Bryan Adams. This one-night package includes horse racing at Sandown Racecourse followed by live music from the man himself, as well as one night’s B&B in nearby Weybridge, and costs from £225 pp. Departs 4 August 2016.

River & Ocean Cruising:

Superbly suited to solo travellers due to the sociable nature of its itineraries, cruising continues to grow in popularity among those holidaying alone. Responding to its clients’ enthusiasm for an ever-greater variety of cruise experiences, Solos has added several new options for 2016/17.

Sailing on Thomson Celebration, Arabian Nights tours the Arabian Gulf, ticking off Dubai, Qatar, Oman and Abu Dhabi during a seven-night cruise that departs on 27 February 2017 and costs from £1,535 pp*. Or choose from two Caribbean cruises: Seven Shores – visiting Barbados, Grenada, Dominica, Martinique, Guadeloupe, St. Vincent & St. Lucia – is a seven-night trip on Thomson Discovery departing 26 March 2017, from £1,850 pp*, whilst Thomson Dream whisks travellers to Mexico , Cuba, Grand Cayman and Jamaica on a seven-night Cuban Fusion cruise, departing 17 January 2017, that costs from £1,770 pp*.

Closer to home, Midnight Magic – so-called due to the midnight sailings it features, giving passengers more time on shore – is a seven-night journey around the Canaries on-board Thomson Majesty that departs on 30 December 2016 and costs from £2,599 pp*. Or take a seven-night Island Explorer Canary-hopping cruise, visiting Tenerife, Gran Canaria, La Gomera and Madeira, that departs on 14 April 2017 and costs from £1,425 pp*. 

On the European mainland, España Verde sails to the heart of Northern Spain on board Fred.Olsen Balmoral, discovering the region’s beauty, history and rich traditions. Departing 7 May 2017, this eight-night cruise costs from £1,599 pp*. Or indulge in an 11-night Spain & The Algarve cruise on board Fred.Olsen Braemar that combines relaxed sightseeing along the Guadalquivir River with visits to the cities of Seville & Lisbon. Departing 9 October 2017, the price is from £2,099 pp*.

For Francophiles, what could be more fabuleux than French River Cruising, sailing along the iconic Seine and picturesque Gironde and Garonne rivers on board Fred.Olsen Braemar, all the way to magical Rouen and Bordeaux? Departing 20 August 2017, the price is from £2,049 pp*.

*Prices include flights (unless UK), transfers, accommodation in a single or twin/double room for single occupancy, some or all meals (depending on the itinerary chosen), welcome drink & information meeting, excursions (as per the itinerary) and the services of an accompanying Solos Tour Leader (except cruise holidays where group size totals seven people or less).

For more information about Solos’ worldwide programme of short breaks, escorted tours and activity breaks, call 0844 371 8860 or visit www.solosholidays.co.uk.