Escape Santa: The Best Solo Christmas Travel

Anyone talking about tinsel in August gets firmly ignored. And if you've bought all your presents by September, I don't want to know. But when it comes to travel, it's never too early to think about Christmas.
|

Anyone talking about tinsel in August gets firmly ignored. And if you've bought all your presents by September, I don't want to know. But when it comes to travel, it's never too early to think about Christmas.

Not only do trips get booked up but the annual anxiety over Christmas for singles starts early. I've already had a string of emails from readers of 101 Singles Holidays asking for suggestions and recommendations, and the Christmas page is the site's most searched for.

So what to do if you're not feeling the season of goodwill?

Places to feel festive

If you need a reminder of all that's fun about the Christmas season, head north. Explore has a fantastic Northern Lights adventure, with solo travellers making up around half the trip as you venture to Iceland.

Or head to Lapland: yes, it's Santa territory but you'll also find husky sledding, snowmobiling and skiing too - check out Inghams' solo deals, including trips starting on December 18 and returning after Christmas.

Don't forget the Christmas markets too. Grab a cheap flight, check into some bargain accommodation - try University Rooms or one of the new more stylish hostels - and browse with some gluhwein. Germany, northern France, Belgium and Austria are all perfect, along with Scandinavia. Fred Olsen also has special Christmas market cruises as well.

Singles-only Christmas trips

If you want to guarantee you'll be surrounded by other singles, there's plenty of choice over Christmas from solo travel specialists. Solos Holidays and Friendship Travel both have solos-only ski weeks in the Alps, including learn-to-ski getaways from the latter in December.

If you'd prefer sunshine, both companies also offer winter sun breaks too from the Caribbean with Friendship Travel to Tenerife with Solos Holidays. Solo specialist Travel One also has a house party break in Lanzarote this Christmas.

Travel to escape Christmas

If you want to leave Christmas behind entirely, a short-haul flight could be all you need. Vidados has a string of activity trips for singles which take place during December, including a photography holiday in Morocco departing Christmas Eve, as well as surf and yoga trips to the country.

Or head further afield. Guarantee some like-minded company with a small group tour - Insider Journeys has around a third of the group travelling solo, and trips to Vietnam, Cambodia and Burma over Christmas for starters.

Sail away from the stress with Adventures Marine adventures: try an island hopping tour in Thailand as well as a dhoni cruise in the Maldives - there's already only a few spaces left, so if you're looking to avoid turkey and tinsel, it's time to get booking!

Or relax... Mercury Holidays has a string of winter sun escapes, including hotels in Mauritius, Sri Lanka and Bali with no single supplement. Who needs Santa?

Cathy Winston is editor of 101 Singles Holidays