Short breaks for solo travellers over 50, with a host and a small group

Short breaks for solo travellers over 50 are the easiest way to try travelling with a group: a few nights, one hotel, a host and a small group of people on their own. Spice Escapes runs hosted city breaks for people travelling on their own, with no upper age limit, from Paris on a river boat to Seville, Athens, Lisbon, Kraków and Berlin. Here is what each one includes and what it costs today.

Why start with a short break

A week away with people you have never met is a big first step. A long weekend is a small one. You find out whether you like the rhythm of a group holiday, with some days planned and some your own, without giving up a fortnight or a large sum to do it. Most people book on their own, so you will not be the only one arriving without a friend, and the host makes the introductions on the first evening.

A city also gives you plenty to do on the free days, and plenty of places to sit with a coffee and watch the world go by. Each holiday page sets out the days one by one, so you know before you book how much is arranged.

Paris on a river boat

All Inclusive Perfect Paris is 3 nights on a river boat moored a short walk from the Eiffel Tower, so your hotel is the boat. It is full board with drinks on board, so the wallet can stay in the cabin, and there are two guided tours: the city by coach, and Montmartre on foot. A dinner cruise on the Seine is planned, weather permitting, and you can go by Eurostar instead of flying if you choose it when you book. It runs 3 Feb 2027 – 6 Feb 2027, hosted by Samantha Pike, from £679. Availability today: 16 places left. More in France.

Sun and history: Seville and Athens

Surprising Seville is 4 nights at a hotel minutes from the cathedral and the Barrio de Santa Cruz, with a two-day hop-on hop-off bus ticket included so you can pace yourself, and the Alcázar and flamenco as optional extras. It runs 4 Mar 2027 – 8 Mar 2027, hosted by Jackie Whyte, from £549. Our Spain page has the rest.

Ancient Athens is 4 nights with a host, starting with dinner together at a local restaurant. There is an optional food tour with more than eighteen tastings, and the Acropolis and the Ancient Agora with a licensed guide if you want the history. It runs 10 Mar 2027 – 14 Mar 2027, hosted by Jackie Whyte, from £579.

Lisbon

A Taste of Lisbon is 3 nights with a host, at a hotel close to a metro stop. One day goes to the Alfama and Tram 28, the next to Belém and its pastéis de nata, and the evenings are yours, whether that means a quiet dinner or a night in the Bairro Alto. It runs 15 Apr 2027 – 18 Apr 2027, hosted by Pam Harte, from £639. More in Portugal.

Kraków and Berlin

Kraków Discovery is 4 nights in Poland, with days left open for the Main Market Square and Wawel Castle at your own pace, and optional trips to the Wieliczka Salt Mine and to Auschwitz-Birkenau. A Spice Escapes host is with the group throughout. It runs 26 May 2027 – 30 May 2027, hosted by Jackie Whyte, from £589.

Berlin Bound is 3 nights at a hotel by Alexanderplatz, a short walk from Museum Island. A coordinator leads one day round the city and the rest is your own, and on Saturday afternoons Berliners gather in Monbijoupark to dance tango outdoors, which is worth seeing even if you only watch. It runs 4 Jun 2027 – 7 Jun 2027, from £549. Our short breaks page lists every one we run.

Rooms and what they cost

Every holiday on sale charges a single supplement for a room of your own, and the figure is different on each one. We publish them all on our single rooms and supplements page, so you can see the cost before you choose. On some departures, two people sharing a twin or double room avoid it, which helps if a friend or a daughter is coming with you.

Questions people ask

Where should I go on my first city break alone?

Choose a city that is easy to walk and has plenty to do on a free afternoon, such as Lisbon, Seville or Kraków, and go with a hosted group for company at dinner. Spice Escapes runs hosted short breaks to all three, with a host who makes the introductions on the first evening.

Are there short breaks for over 50s travelling alone?

Yes. Spice Escapes runs hosted city breaks for people travelling on their own, with no upper age limit, in Paris, Seville, Athens, Lisbon, Kraków and Berlin. You join a small group, and your free time is your own.

How long is a short break with a group?

Usually a long weekend or a little more. Each Spice Escapes holiday page gives the exact number of nights and the dates of every departure.

Can I go on a short break by train instead of flying?

Yes. Spice Escapes' Paris break can be booked with the Eurostar instead of a flight, and its First World War break in Ypres goes by Eurostar from London St Pancras.

How big are the groups?

Most Spice Escapes groups are around fifteen people, and some reach twenty, with a host travelling with them. That is small enough to know everyone by the second day, and big enough to choose your company.

Ask us before you book

If you are not sure which city would suit you, ask. 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 this would be your first holiday with a group, our first-timers' page answers the questions people ask before they book, and our page on solo holidays for the over 50s, 60s and 70s sets out how much each kind of holiday asks of you.