Escorted tours in Europe with a host and a small group, for people going solo

If you want escorted tours in Europe but would rather not spend a week on a coach behind a guide's umbrella, Spice Escapes runs something in between: small hosted group holidays to European cities and lakes, with a host who travels with you from start to finish. The flights, the hotel and the group are sorted, so you go on your own without having to organise it on your own.

Most of the people who book with us travel solo. The group is around fifteen people, and some reach twenty, which is enough for real company and small enough that everyone knows everyone by the second evening. Here is how our version works and which trips are coming up.

Escorted, hosted or guided: what you actually get

A classic escorted tour moves you from sight to sight on a fixed timetable. Ours are looser than that, and the difference matters if you are going alone. Your host is a member of the Spice Escapes team, not a local guide reading from a script. They meet the group, make the introductions, suggest plans over breakfast and make sure nobody eats dinner alone unless they want to. Where a guided visit adds something, such as the Acropolis or Prague Castle, it is there to join. Where wandering is better, you are free to wander.

For a lot of people this is the part that tips it. You get the reassurance of an escorted trip, someone to ask and someone who has done it before, without losing every afternoon to a schedule. If you have never done this before, our page for first-time solo travellers walks through the first evening in detail.

Prague at Christmas, three nights with the markets on the doorstep

Prague Christmas Magic is the next of these trips with places, and a good first one if you are nervous. It is 3 nights, departing 4 Dec 2026 – 7 Dec 2026, from £675. The hotel sits on the Little Square, steps from the Old Town Square Christmas market, so the first evening is a short stroll under the lights rather than a long trek. One day takes in Prague Castle and St Vitus in the morning and Malá Strana in the afternoon. Your host is Sally Wiltshire, and places left: 5 places left.

You fly from the UK and transfer to the hotel, which means you never stand in an arrivals hall wondering which bus to take.

Lake Como, for a slower week by the water

Lake Como Discovery is several nights in Como itself, ten minutes' walk from the historic centre, departing dates to be confirmed from price on request. Ferries run to Bellagio, Varenna and Menaggio whenever you fancy a day out, and the funicular up to Brunate gives you the view over the lake. Your host, one of our hosts, gathers everyone over breakfast to talk about the day and again in the hotel bar before dinner. Availability: ask us.

This is a good trip if you like the idea of company in the evenings and freedom in the day. Some pair up for a ferry, some go alone, and everyone swaps stories later. More on the country on our Italy holidays page.

Venice from the water, with meals and drinks included

All Inclusive Treasures of Venice is 4 nights aboard the MS Michelangelo, which moors close to St Mark's Square and is your hotel for the stay. All meals, drinks at the bar and a gala dinner are included on board, which takes away the question of where to eat each night. Our scheduled flights arrive at similar times, so you wait for the rest of the group at the airport and cross to Venice together by water taxi. An afternoon takes you across the lagoon to Burano and its rainbow-coloured houses. It departs 19 Nov 2026 – 23 Nov 2026 from £929 with Samantha Pike as host. Places: Waitlist only. We wrote more about it in our Venice short break piece.

Kraków, at your own pace with company at dinner

Kraków Discovery is 4 nights, departing 26 May 2027 – 30 May 2027 from £589. The hotel is a few steps from the Main Market Square and around five hundred metres from Wawel Castle. Days are left open, with optional trips to the Wieliczka Salt Mine and to Auschwitz-Birkenau for those who want them. Those excursions have limited spaces and are booked by name, so it is worth asking for them when you book. Your host is Jackie Whyte, there for all four nights. Places left: 9 places left.

Lisbon and Athens, two spring city breaks

A Taste of Lisbon is 3 nights from £639, departing 15 Apr 2027 – 18 Apr 2027, with Pam Harte hosting. One day can be Alfama and Tram 28, the next Belém and pastéis de nata. Airport transfers are not included because the metro is the quickest way into the city and there is a stop close to the hotel, and you get directions with your joining information. Places: 7 places left.

Ancient Athens is 4 nights from £579, departing 10 Mar 2027 – 14 Mar 2027. It starts the way a solo traveller would hope, with the group walking to a local restaurant together on the first evening. You can join an optional tour of the Acropolis and Ancient Agora with a licensed guide, and an optional food tour with more than eighteen tastings. Your host is Jackie Whyte, and places left: 16 places left. Both sit in our city breaks, and our guide to European city breaks for solo travellers compares more cities.

The cost of a room to yourself

Every holiday carries a single supplement or a room-to-yourself cost, and we would rather say so plainly than have it surprise you at checkout. How it works, and how it varies by trip, is on our single supplement page. What you get for it is your own room to retreat to, with the group downstairs whenever you want them.

If you are in your fifties or sixties and wondering whether this kind of trip suits you, our page on over 50s solo holidays covers it more broadly, and culture and discovery holidays lists every trip of this kind.

Questions people ask

Is a Spice Escapes trip the same as an escorted coach tour?

No, it is lighter than that. A host travels with the group the whole time and arranges meet-ups and dinners, but most days you choose what to do. Guided visits are offered where they add something, and you can join or skip them.

Will I be the only person on my own?

Very unlikely. Most people who book with us travel solo, so arriving alone is the normal way to start. The host introduces everyone on the first day.

Are flights included on the European trips?

On flight-inclusive holidays the flights are part of the package and protected under our ATOL licence 9046. Each holiday page sets out exactly what is included, including transfers. If anything is unclear, ask us before you book.

How fit do I need to be?

City breaks involve plenty of walking on cobbles and some hills, as in Lisbon and Prague. You set your own pace on free days and can rest whenever you like. Tell us about any concerns and we will say honestly which trip suits you.

Can I book an escorted European holiday at short notice?

Often yes, as long as places remain on the trip you want. Some departures go to a waiting list when they fill, and we will tell you where you stand. A quick call is the fastest way to find out.

Talk to us about your first trip

The easiest next step is a conversation. Tell us which city or lake appeals, when you could go and how much company you would like, and we will match you to a departure and tell you who is hosting. Rob Thompson, who owns Spice Escapes and hosts trips himself, and the rest of the team are happy to talk it through by phone or email. Get in touch through our contact page and we will come back to you with dates and places.