Can a holiday help with loneliness? What the evidence says

A holiday can help with loneliness for the days you are on it, because a hosted group trip puts you in company and gives you something to share. It will not do everything, and this page is plain about what a holiday can and cannot do, using the NHS, the World Health Organization and the Office for National Statistics. If loneliness is weighing on you, there are people to talk to, and we say who near the end. A trip such as Ancient Athens4 nights · from £579 is one way to spend a few days in company.

Nothing here is NHS advice, and none of those organisations mentions Spice Escapes or recommends a holiday. We read what they say and set out what a hosted holiday does alongside it.

What the NHS says about loneliness

The NHS page on feeling lonely starts from something ordinary: "Most people feel lonely sometimes, for many different reasons." It adds that loneliness "can affect people of any age", and that many people "feel lonely in a relationship or while spending time with friends or family". So it is a common experience.

The ideas it suggests include to "join a group or class that focuses on something you enjoy", to "volunteer with a charity or organisation in your local area" and to "speak to your GP about social prescribing". A hosted group holiday is a group built around a place, a food or a way of passing the time, which is why it sits near the first of those, though the NHS page does not mention holidays.

What the WHO and the ONS add

A World Health Organization news release on the report of its Commission on Social Connection says that "1 in 6 people worldwide is affected by loneliness", and that strong social connections "can lead to better health and longer life". In Great Britain, the Office for National Statistics asks adults every month how often they feel lonely. In the most recent figures we read, 25% said often, always or some of the time, and in every period since the question was first asked the answer has stayed between 20% and 29%. In each age band it was around one in five or more, with 20% of adults aged 50 to 69. Those are large numbers, and wanting company is nothing to feel awkward about.

What a hosted holiday puts in front of you

A hosted holiday does not promise friendship, but it does arrange the conditions for company. A Spice host travels with the group, helps everyone get to know each other and is there if you need anything. On several holidays the first evening is planned around meeting the group, there is company at dinner, and the rest of the time is yours. Three holidays show how.

Ancient Athens: dinner together on the first evening

10 Mar 2027 – 14 Mar 2027 · 4 nightsAncient AthensPlaces availablefrom £5797 already goingSee this holiday →

Ancient Athens is a short break that builds company in at the start. After the transfer from the airport to the hotel you walk to a local restaurant to get to know the rest of the group, and Jackie Whyte is the Spice host. The days after are open: explore independently, join the optional guided tour of the city, or join the optional food tour, where you try more than eighteen things, from a Greek coffee and a koulouri to spanakopita and bougatsa. How much company you have each day is up to you.

New Year in Puglia: the occasion does the work

28 Dec 2026 – 2 Jan 2027 · 5 nightsNew Year in Puglia with WingsItalyPlaces availablefrom £1,13924 already goingSee this holiday →

On New Year in Puglia with WingsItaly, Claire Dymond and Andrea meet you at your airport, and a private transfer takes you to the hotel. The stay begins with a welcome aperitivo and a dinner of traditional Puglian cuisine and local wines, with optional nightcaps in the hotel bar afterwards, and Spice Escapes and WingsItaly have the hotel's rooms to themselves. New Year's Eve is a private five-course gala with a local celebration running next door, and the page describes the whole stay as fully escorted by the two hosts.

Kraków Discovery: a Spice host for every night

26 May 2027 – 30 May 2027 · 4 nightsKraków DiscoveryPlaces availablefrom £58918 already goingSee this holiday →

A Spice host is with the group for all 4 nights of Kraków Discovery, so there is company at dinner. The arrival evening is a relaxed dinner and perhaps a drink in one of the city's bars, and after that the days are suggestions to follow or leave, with the hotel in a restored townhouse a few steps from the Main Market Square, and Jackie Whyte as the Spice host. The itinerary is headed "Suggestions for what to do with your time", so an evening to yourself is always an option.

What guests say

One guest wrote that they love the fact that they feel "so safe and welcome on a Spice Escapes holiday". Another said their Spice host was excellent and that they "met some great new friends". Reviews are one person's experience and not a promise, but they are the most direct answer we can give to what it is like.

What a holiday will not do, and who to talk to

A few days away cannot replace the people and support you have the rest of the year, and it will not solve loneliness that has been with you a long time. If loneliness stays with you, the NHS suggests trying "talking about your feelings to a friend, family member, healthcare professional or counsellor", and notes that talking to someone could help you find a solution. You can also speak to your GP about social prescribing.

If you are struggling, the Samaritans are free to call on 116 123, day or night, whatever you are going through.

Where to read more

New to booking a group holiday? Our guide for first-time solo travellers covers the rest, solo holidays for the over 50s shows what is on sale, and single supplements explains the cost of a room of your own. The article on what a holiday host does follows a Spice host through a trip. For somewhere to begin, try holidays in Greece or the city breaks.

Questions people ask

Can a holiday help with loneliness?

A holiday can help for the days you are on it, because it puts you in company and gives you something to share. It will not replace ongoing support, and the NHS suggests talking to someone if loneliness stays with you.

Will I feel welcome on a group holiday where I know nobody?

The Spice host's job is to welcome everyone and help people get to know each other. One guest wrote that they feel "so safe and welcome" on a Spice Escapes holiday, and time is left open if you want part of a day to yourself.

Is a group holiday a good way to make friends?

It can be. One guest wrote that they "met some great new friends", and on several holidays the first evening is planned around meeting the group. Friendship is not promised, only the chance of it.

Who can I talk to if I am struggling?

The NHS suggests talking about your feelings to a friend, family member, healthcare professional or counsellor, and speaking to your GP about social prescribing. The Samaritans are free to call on 116 123, day or night.

Do I have to be sociable all the time?

No. Time is left open on the itineraries, and nobody has to take part in every visit. The Spice host is there when you want company or help.

See the dates and book Prague Christmas Magic online

4 Dec 2026 – 7 Dec 2026 · 3 nightsPrague Christmas MagicPlaces availablefrom £67514 already goingSee the dates and book online for Prague Christmas Magic

For a question before you book, ask Sally Wiltshire, the Spice host, through our contact page, or ask Rosie, the chat on every holiday page.