Fifty-something, travelling alone, and done with paying extra for the privilege? You’re in very good company. The best singles holidays over 50 now come with your own room at no extra cost, a tour manager who makes the introductions, and a group of like-minded people who also fancied seeing Sicily, Borneo or the Camino without waiting for someone to come with them. Plenty of guests are on their first trip alone, and they’re after good company as much as the sights.
Some people book after a divorce or bereavement, others because a partner hates flying.
Plenty simply like their own company and want a sociable dinner at the end of the day. This guide compares the UK companies that do it best, with real trips and prices we checked in October 2026.
What makes singles holidays over 50 different?
Three things, mainly:
- Everyone’s on their own. The specialists build trips around the solo traveller, so nobody’s the odd one out at a table of couples.
- No single supplement. The better companies have dropped it altogether and give you a room to yourself.
- A pace that suits you. Comfortable hotels, many meals included, free time built in, and no 5am bus departures.
It isn’t a dating holiday. The companies are clear about that, and so are the guests: Solos says its trips “aren’t about romance or dating”, and most people go for the company, the sightseeing and the comfort of having someone else sort out the logistics.
Which companies run holidays for over 50s singles?
Here’s how the main UK specialists compare, using each company’s own website (checked in October 2026).
| Company | Who goes | No single supplement | Group size | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| One Traveller | Mature solo travellers over 50 | Yes | Up to 20 (Prague) | Escorted UK, Europe and worldwide tours, cruises |
| Solos | Mostly guests in their 50s to late 60s | Yes | Average 15 | 250+ holidays in 60+ countries |
| Just You | Solo travellers from their 40s upwards | Yes | Up to 20 on selected tours | Escorted tours, walking, river cruises |
| Riviera Travel | 50+ solo travellers | Yes | Up to 25 | History, cities, river and yacht cruises |
| Friendship Travel | Average age 35 to 65 | Mostly | Varies | Hosted beach, house party and festive holidays |
| Flash Pack | Solo travellers aged 50 to 65 | No | Up to 16 | Boutique adventure trips |
Group sizes are for the trips the companies quote them on, so check your own departure. Friendship Travel varies by holiday, and it avoids supplements “wherever possible” rather than on every trip.
One Traveller: built for the over-50s
Started in 2007 by a tour manager who specialised in escorting solo holidays, One Traveller is a family-run company built for mature solo travellers. Every guest gets their own room, in hotels or on its solo cruises, “with no single supplement to pay”, and many meals and excursions are in the headline price. Flight-inclusive trips are ATOL protected. Nervous about a first time? It suggests a six-day Prague trip with no more than 20 guests.
Solos: over 40 years of group tours
Solos has been running holidays for single travellers for over 40 years and now sells more than 250 trips in over 60 countries. On its UK site it promises your own room “for no extra cost” and an average group size of 15.
Most of its guests are in their 50s to late 60s, and around 30% on any trip are first-timers, according to Solos.
Just You: escorted tours with a Holiday Director
Just You has a whole page of single holidays for over 50s, and a Holiday Director travels with every group. Its guests are typically in their 40s, 50s and 60s. Our Just You review has the full picture, from booking to what’s included.
Riviera Travel: a solo ship on the way
Riviera’s solo holidays are “50+ holidays made for solo travellers”, with a double room to yourself and a maximum group size of 25. Tours run from four days in Krakow to 21 days in New Zealand, taking in Classical Spain, Madeira in Portugal and solo departures on the Blue Danube river cruise along the way. Better still, Riviera says its MS George Eliot will become the world’s first dedicated solo ship in 2027, sailing the Danube, Rhine and Moselle!
Friendship Travel and Flash Pack
Friendship Travel is more of a hosted social holiday than a tour, known for house party hotels, beach breaks, luxury stays and Christmas trips. Read our Friendship Travel review for more.
Flash Pack is different again. Its adventures for ages 50 to 65 are boutique small group trips where 90% of guests travel solo, and most people share a twin room, so budget extra if you want a private one.
Holiday ideas for singles over 50
Where to start? It depends on how active you are and how far you want to fly. Prices below are “from” prices taken from the companies’ sites in October 2026, so expect more in peak season.
Walking holidays
Walking is one of the easiest ways to meet people, because the conversation flows while you’re on the path.
- Walking the Amalfi Coast, 8 days, from £1,949 (Just You)
- Walking in Tuscany, 8 days, from £1,999 (Just You)
- Walking the Camino de Santiago, 8 days, from £2,399 (Just You)
History and city breaks
Short on time? A long weekend in Prague or Krakow is a gentle introduction to group travel, and Riviera’s four-day Krakow trip is one of its shortest. For a week of ruins, food and sea views, Just You’s eight-day Discover Sicily starts from £2,219 and Pompeii, Sorrento and the Bay of Naples from £2,369. Both are classic destinations for a first group tour.
Long haul and bucket list trips
Your 50s are a fine time to tick off the big ones. Grab the binoculars:
- Experience South Africa, 14 days with time on safari, from £4,199 (Just You)
- Wild Borneo, 12 days in a small group of no more than 20, from £4,749 (Just You)
- New Zealand for Solo Travellers, 21 days (Riviera Travel)
Responsible Travel also suggests small group wildlife trips in Costa Rica, a classic route through Japan and a tour of South India for solo travellers over 50. Fancy something gentler? Look for a wellness or yoga retreat, where most guests arrive on their own anyway. Solo travel this far from home is far easier in a group, with new friends to share the long journeys and the safari stories.
Cruises and festive breaks
A cruise takes away the packing and unpacking, and several lines now have proper single cabins. Saga, which sells to the over-50s, has 109 single balcony cabins on each of its two ships. Our guide to singles cruises compares them all.
Christmas on your own at home? Not this year. Just You, Solos and Friendship Travel all run festive trips, and our guide to singles holidays at Christmas covers the best of them.
Planning ahead for later years? Our guide to the best solo holidays for over 60s covers slower-paced trips and the companies that suit that age group best.
Is travelling solo safe after 50?
Yes, and an escorted group is one of the safest ways to do it. A tour manager is on hand, hotels are booked for you and airport transfers are arranged, so you’re never stuck at a bus stop at midnight. For extra peace of mind:
- Book flight-inclusive trips with an ATOL-protected company.
- Take out travel insurance as soon as you pay the deposit.
- Share your itinerary and the tour manager’s number with someone at home.
- Keep a copy of your passport and insurance on your phone.
Safety on a group trip is mostly about common sense.
How to choose the right singles holiday
Before you book, work through this list. It takes ten minutes and saves a lot of disappointment.
- Check the typical age range of guests on that company’s trips
- Confirm your own room is included with no single supplement
- Ask about the group size for your departure
- Read what’s included: meals, excursions, flights and transfers
- Check the walking grade or activity level honestly
- Look for ATOL protection on flight-inclusive holidays
- Check how much free time the itinerary has
- Read recent reviews from solo guests
- Ask whether there’s a welcome meal or drinks on day one
- Check the deposit and cancellation terms
Still not sure? Ring them, or order a brochure and read it with a cuppa. The specialists are used to first-timers, and you can ask about the typical age mix and group size on your date before booking.
Questions solo travellers over 50 ask
Will I be the oldest or the youngest?
Probably neither. Solos says most of its guests are in their 50s to late 60s, Just You’s guests usually start in their 40s, and One Traveller is aimed at over-50s.
Do I have to pay a single supplement?
Not with One Traveller, Solos, Just You or Riviera’s solo tours, which include your own room. Friendship Travel avoids supplements wherever it can, and Flash Pack’s rooms are shared unless you pay for a private one.
Do I have to join in with everything?
No. Most tours include free time, and the tour managers are used to guests sitting out an excursion for a quiet afternoon.
Are these holidays only for single people?
They’re for anyone travelling on their own, whether you’re single, widowed, divorced or have a partner at home who’d rather not come.
What’s a good first trip?
Something short and close, such as a long weekend in a European city or a week’s walking in Italy. You’ll find out quickly whether group travel suits you.
Where can I find singles holidays for over 50s on a budget?
Look at shorter European trips, travel outside school holidays, and keep an eye on the specialists’ offers pages for sales.
There’s never been a better time to go on your own. Pick the style that suits you, check what’s included, and book while there’s still a room for you on the date you want. For more ideas, browse Holiday Alone, where every trip is chosen with solo travellers in mind.
