Learn a skill in southern Spain
Do away with red eyes and master the art of holiday snaps. A photography trip is perfectfor singles who fancy an artistic holiday, but balk at the idea of sedate watercolour jaunts. This week-long course is set in Grazalema Natural Park in Andalucia and includes five days of friendly, expert tuition. There’s also free time to explore the surrounding limestone peaks. From £1,159 for seven nights, excluding flights. authenticadventures.co.uk
Get pampered in St Lucia
Desperate to escape everything and everyone? The Body Holiday LeSport in St Lucia offers single rooms with no supplements, a rare find in the honeymoon-happy Caribbean. Spend a week at this award-winning spa resort and make the most of its pristine beach. The most taxing thing you’ll do is pick your next spa treatment. From £1,403 for seven nights. ba.com/stlucia
Embrace the adventure in China
Those craving excitement should jump on board the Gorges of the Yangtze River Tour across China. The adventure begins with a whistlestop stay in Beijing, followed by a trip to the Terracotta Warriors in Xi’an. Next up is a three-night river cruise down the mighty Yangtze Gorge, before pitching up in Shanghai, for a final dose of urban thrills. China is proving a popular destination for lone travellers, but it can be daunting to navigate alone so a guided tour such as this makes sense. From £1,899 per person for 11 nights. kuoni.co.uk
Taste the local plonk in Turkey
How better to break the ice with other solo comrades than a vineyard crawl? This tour makes its way round the specialised ‘boutique vineyards’ of the Ceramic Gulf, stopping at Bodrum, Labranda and the emerald waters of Cleopatra’s Beach. Evenings are devoted to food, wine and fun, but it’s not all bon viveur business – days include sightseeing, boat trips and talks on the history of wine. Happily, the importance of enthusiasm over prior knowledge is stressed. From £1,900 for seven nights excluding flights. westminsterclassictours.com
Go gourmet in Italy
Single travellers flock to Diane Seed’s cookery school in Rome. The best-selling author of The Top One Hundred Pasta Sauces really knows her stuff, and will teach you local delights such as seafood linguine and panna cotta. Classes are fun and informal, and provide an easy way to meet fellow foodies. You can book a week or just a day – ideal if you’re commitment phobic about package tours. From £178 per day, excluding flights and hotel. italiangourmet.com
Trek in style around South Africa
Luxe trekking – a contradiction in terms? Not necessarily. This ‘treaty trekking tour’ through Zululand and the Drakensberg (Dragon’s Back Mountains) crams in heaps of adventure – think hippo spotting and cliff hikes – but also ample luxury. Five-star lodges pepper the route, and the tour winds up on the stunning beaches of the Elephant Coast. If most trekking holidays strike you as earnest Gore-Tex fests, this is for you. From £2,038 for 13 nights. headwater.com
