I’ve been on dozens of solo holidays – here are seven of the best

Anyone born close to Christmas will sympathise with my predicament. It feels like an impossible time to celebrate, when nobody has the money or appetite to leave the house.

I’ve learned to avoid disappointment by packing my bags and booking a holiday alone to mark the new year. I’ve hiked through Morocco’s Atlas Mountains, chased the aurora in Finnish Lapland, and raised a glass with newfound friends in the bars of Buenos Aires.    

Solo travel is a liberating way to start the year, and the travel industry is catching up with its fast-growing popularity. Escorted tours are an obvious choice for first-timers, with guaranteed company and greater affordability thanks to shared travel costs.

Small group tour operator Explore Worldwide says 41 per cent of its customer base is made up of solo travellers. Meanwhile, solo holiday specialist One Traveller has seen a 45 per cent increase in guests travelling with the company in January 2026 compared with 2025.

Cruises are also in demand among solos. They are convenient, with many aspects of the holiday included the price. Beyond dropping single supplements, cruise lines are tailoring their ships and itineraries to welcome those travelling alone. River cruise line AmaWaterways, for example, arranges dining tables in configurations of five to ensure solos never feel left out.

The choice of destination needn’t be far-flung. Sykes Holiday Cottages reports a new trend for solo staycationing, with bookings for single travellers up more than a quarter year-on-year. This is probably how I’ll be spending my birthday, walking through the forest or curled up in front of a log burner with only myself to worry about. Pure bliss. Here is my pick of solo holidays to start a new year.

Best for cultural immersion: India

Beautiful homes in Pondicherry (Photo: Urvish Joshi Ph/Getty/Moment RF)

Favourable prices and diverse cultures have attracted travellers to Asia for decades, and India is among the most enticing countries.

One way to ease yourself into its busy cities is by joining an escorted tour. Intrepid Travel, a specialist in group touring, has seen an 11 per cent increase in one-person bookings this year compared with 2024, and cites India as a top three choice for solos.

First-timers seeking a gentle immersion could try its round-trip tour from the southwestern city of Kochi in Kerala, where architecture reflects the history of previous Portuguese, French and British rule.

The fortnight-long route through the states of Kerala and neighbouring Tamil Nadu includes tiger-spotting in Mudumalai and Periyar National Parks, a homestay where you will help to cook a traditional Keralan meal, the beaches and French quarter of Puducherry, and a sleeper train journey. The south is pleasant in January, too, with temperatures ranging from 20 to 32°C.

Best for winter sun: Boa Vista, Cape Verde

A quad bike experience in Boa Vista, Cape Verde (Photo: Tui)

Too frequently overlooked, west Africa has been raising its game as a winter beach destination for sun-starved Britons. In the Atlantic archipelago of Cape Verde, daylight stretches for 11 hours in January, T-shirt weather hovers around 25°C, and a one-hour time difference with the UK means that there’s no jetlag.

Sal is the most popular island among tourists, but as such, is busy and commercial. Neighbouring Boa Vista is quieter and laid-back. Landing on this sandy, flat island for the first time several years ago, I felt as if I had taken a wrong turn to the moon.

In the north of the island, Viana desert has sand dunes and is popular for quad-biking and 4×4 excursions. The island has seen significant investment in recent years with several new resorts opening – including the adults-only beachfront Barcelo Marine Boa Vista, which is a convenient five-minute taxi ride from main town, Sal Rei.

A seven-night all-inclusive stay in a single room at Barcelo Marine Boa Vista costs from £1,332, including flights from East Midlands on 14 January, tui.com

Best for a city break: Tampere, Finland 

Try a sauna in Finland (Photo: Laura Vanzo)

Sparking conversation with strangers isn’t always easy. Despite having a reputation for being shy and reserved, Finns have a novel way for breaking the ice – they build up a sweat and dive straight in. Saunas have always been a social space for debates, chat and laughter. Ranging from scenic, lakeside cabins in the forest, to modern downtown bars and diners, there are more than 50 public saunas in Finland’s second city, Tampere.

Stones burn hot in January, when lakes freeze thick enough to create ice holes. Brave souls can try naked sauna Rajaportti. Finland’s oldest sauna (€7) attracts locals who – after a few beers from its cafe – drop down all guards.

Rajaportti is a little outside the city centre but easily reached by the comprehensive public transport network of buses and trams. After you’ve had a sufficiency of hot/cold therapy, city centre highlights include the Moomin museum, Tampere market hall for treats such as karelian pies (a Finnish speciality with a rye crust and rice filling) and the red-roofed Tampere Cathedral, which is known for its frescos.

Micro rooms at the Uumen Hotel start from €39 per night. Original Sokos Hotel Ilves has rooms from €146. It is around two hours from Helsinki airport to Tampere by train or car.

Best for flight-free: Northern European cruise 

Bruges old town in winter (Photo: Alexander Spatari/Getty/Moment RF)

As a fiercely independent traveller, I’ve always shunned the idea of cruise ships. But I’ve come to appreciate the convenience of reaching destinations by water.

I’m not alone. Online cruise agency Cruise Nation reports a 358 per cent increase of solo bookings over the past five years, largely due to better facilities including single cabins with no additional supplement.

No-fly sailings from Southampton are ranked as one of the most popular options. In February, MSC Cruises will operate a voyage between Hamburg, Bruges, Rotterdam and Le Havre that rolls several city breaks into one.

Wrap up warm to see cities that are at their calmest in January. Wander the market square, climb the Belfry tower and scuttle between galleries of Flemish art in Bruges and visit Hamburg’s creative neighbourhoods – the highlight of the St Georg district, for example, is Lange Reihe, a shopping street of almost a mile filled with boutiques, LGBTQ+ bars and cosy cafés.

Best for ski: Andorra 

The view from La Massana in Andorra (Photo: Provided)

Life’s too short to hang around waiting for other people to commit – especially on the slopes. So, it’s no surprise solo travel is one of the fastest-growing sectors in the ski industry. The Ski Club of Great Britain reports 83 per cent of its guests travel alone, while online ski holiday platform Heidi has seen a 51 per cent year-on-year increase for single bookings – particularly in January when Europe’s pistes are in full swing.

Taking note of the growing trend, resorts like Chamonix in France and La Massana in Andorra have extended accommodation offerings to include affordable dorm beds or private rooms in hostels. Options for shorter three, four or five-night packages also keep costs down. “You can enjoy total freedom on the slopes if you want to ski independently at your own pace,” says Heidi’s co-founder Marcus Blunt, “or book some group lessons to ski with others”.

A four-night, half-board stay at Hotel del Pui in Andorra costs from £430, including flights from Gatwick to Barcelona and transfers. Departs 8 January, heidi.com

Best for adventure: Iceland 

In the last five years alone, there have been 12 volcanic eruptions along the Reykjanes Peninsula. But magma-spewing vents and regular bouts of seismic activity haven’t stopped this untamed Nordic island from being crowned by the Global Peace Index as the world’s safest nation for 17 years in a row.

I’ve spent the past 25 years travelling alone to a country where there’s no official army and gender equality is championed by a largely female government. Long, dark winter nights set the stage for impressive aurora displays – intensified this year by a peak in the sun’s 11-year cycle known as the solar maximum – and sub-zero temperatures create ideal, stable conditions for exploring ice caves.

EasyJet has recently extended its flight season between northern gateway city Akureyri and Gatwick and Manchester airports, providing a crowd-free alternative to Reykjavik and the Golden Circle.

Best for walking : Cairngorms, Scotland 

Winter Walking in the Cairngorms, Scotland (Photo: Adventure Tours UK)

The first time I shared a room with a stranger was unnerving. But over the years, I’ve become less precious about my personal space and have learned to appreciate the benefits of escorted tours, which provide a happy compromise between solo and social travel.

The trick is to find a company like Adventure Tours that’s committed to bringing together a small group of like-minded travellers. Its Scottish Highlands Winter Walking tour combines hotel stays (private rooms for an extra charge) and a communal sleepover in a mountain bothy.

Red squirrels, mountain hares, pine martens and red deer can be spotted in the Cairngorms National Park during winter months and are easier to track after snowfall.