Holidays for widows and widowers: going away on your own, with a host

A hosted small group holiday is a practical way to go away on your own after losing a husband, wife or partner. You book one place, a named host is with the group from the first day, and the arrangements are made for you: the hotel, the outings, the table for the first dinner. Spice Escapes runs these holidays for people travelling on their own, with no upper age limit, and you join in as much or as little as you like. Below is how it works, where to start, and five holidays to consider.

What a hosted holiday takes care of

Your host travels with the group from the first day to the last. They book the table for the first evening and make the introductions, so nobody walks into a dining room wondering where to sit. They sort out the problems too: a changed plan, a lost bag, a day when you would rather stay at the hotel.

You do not have to explain anything to anyone, and time on your own is always allowed. Tell the host your plans so nobody waits for you. Your evenings are your own.

Who else is going? A small group of people travelling on their own, and a host. Where we have the figure, each holiday page shows how many have booked so far, under Who else is going.

"Very organised and always someone to talk to and can dip in and out of stuff." A traveller, 2022.

Start with a few nights

A first holiday does not have to be a long one. A city break of a few nights, with a central hotel and a host, is a gentle way to find out how it feels.

Kraków Discovery is 4 nights at an Old Town hotel a few steps from the Main Market Square in Poland, with breakfast included. The days are left open, with optional trips such as the Wieliczka Salt Mine, and your host is on hand throughout, so there is company if you want it. It runs 26 May 2027 – 30 May 2027, hosted by Jackie Whyte, from £589.

Surprising Seville is 4 nights at a central hotel close to the cathedral in Spain, with a hop-on hop-off bus ticket included, so you can see the city without long walks. It runs 4 Mar 2027 – 8 Mar 2027, hosted by Jackie Whyte, from £549.

These are the next short breaks to leave:

19 Nov 2026 – 23 Nov 2026 · 4 nightsAll Inclusive Treasures of VeniceWaitlist onlyfrom £92929 already goingSee this holiday →4 Dec 2026 – 7 Dec 2026 · 3 nightsPrague Christmas MagicPlaces availablefrom £67516 already goingSee this holiday →3 Feb 2027 – 6 Feb 2027 · 3 nightsAll Inclusive Perfect ParisPlaces availablefrom £6797 already goingSee this holiday →

A week where meals are shared

On some holidays every meal is included and the group eats together, so the question of where to eat never comes up.

Read, Relax and Restore is 7 nights at a large country house in Cantabria, in northern Spain, with breakfast, a light lunch and dinner every day. In the daytime you choose solitude or company: a book on the patio, a walk, a bike ride or a trip out. In the evenings everyone comes together for home-cooked food. You do not need to be a keen reader to enjoy it. Most bedrooms share a bathroom, and an en-suite room costs extra. It runs 6 Jun 2027 – 13 Jun 2027, hosted by Jackie Whyte, from £969.

Dates that are easier spent away

If New Year, a birthday or an anniversary would be easier away from home, a holiday over those days is one option.

New Year in Puglia with WingsItaly is 5 nights in the south of Italy, at a hotel in the Salento town of Poggiardo where the group has the rooms to itself. There is a welcome aperitivo, a five-course New Year's Eve gala, a New Year's Day lunch, and visits to Lecce, Specchia and Galatina. You are met at the airport and hosted throughout by Claire Dymond. It runs 28 Dec 2026 – 2 Jan 2027, from £1,139, and availability today is: 15 places left.

"Good trip with a nice group of people and friendly hosts... Something different for New Year." A traveller, 2026.

No airport at all

Summertime Fjordland Cruise sails from London Tilbury and back, so there is no flight. Full board is included on the ship, porters carry your luggage between the port and your cabin, and the ship does the moving while you choose how much to do ashore in the Norwegian fjords. It is 8 nights, 21 Aug 2027 – 29 Aug 2027, hosted by Pam Harte, from £1,129 for a place in a shared cabin. A cabin of your own costs more, and our single rooms page shows how much. See our cruises page for others.

Single rooms, and coming with someone

Every holiday on sale charges a single supplement for a room of your own, and the figure is different on each one. Our single rooms and supplements page lists them all, so you know the cost before you book. On some departures, two people sharing a twin or double room avoid it, which can help if a sister, a friend or a grown-up son or daughter would like to come too. Our mother and daughter holidays page lists the departures where two can share that way.

Questions people ask

Are there holidays for widows over 60?

Yes. Spice Escapes runs hosted small group holidays for people travelling on their own, with no upper age limit, so a widow over 60 books one place and joins the group. A named host is with the group from the first day, and you join in as much or as little as you like.

What holidays suit widows over 70?

For a widow over 70, the simplest holidays are a cruise, a city break with a central hotel, or a week where meals are included. Spice Escapes has a fjord cruise that sails from London Tilbury, so there is no airport, and none of its holidays has an upper age limit. Each holiday page sets out the days one by one, so you can judge the walking before you book.

Are there holidays for widowers?

Yes. Spice Escapes holidays are open to any adult travelling on their own, man or woman, with no upper age limit, so a widower books one place in the same way. Each group has a named host from the first day, and the holidays range from walking weeks and cruises to city breaks.

When is the right time for a holiday after a bereavement?

There is no right time, and only you can judge when a holiday sounds like something you would enjoy. If you would rather not go alone, a hosted small group holiday means someone else makes the arrangements and there is company when you want it. With Spice Escapes you can ask questions first, and nothing is booked by asking.

How do I start travelling alone after losing a partner?

Start with something short and well organised, such as a city break of a few nights with a host, and build from there. On a Spice Escapes holiday the host is with the group from the first day, books the first dinner and sorts out problems. You can ask the office anything before you book, including how many people are already going.

Talk to us first

If you would like to talk it through before deciding, ring or write to the office from our contact page, and choose a phone call back if you would rather talk. You can also ask Rosie, our automated assistant, in the chat on this page about dates and prices, and one of the team can pick the conversation up. Nothing is booked by asking. If it would be your first holiday on your own, our first-timers' page answers the questions people ask before booking, and our page on solo holidays for the over 50s, 60s and 70s covers how much each kind of holiday asks of you.