Solo trips

Combine fine French gastronomy with the up-and-coming arty neighbourhoods of the Hauts region.

Sample pintxos in a Bilbao bar. Picnic on Monte Urgull. Sip wine in Bordeaux. Shaped by their coastal location, these cities' food heritage is rooted in local produce, tradition and innovation.

Fortified hilltop Avignon with its surrounding lavender fields is an ideal place for relaxation. Wind down the evenings in local bistros and strolling along the Rhône.

Walk from Pitlochry to Linn of Tummel, where the rivers Garry and Tummel meet, forming pools and falls. The longer hike to Queen’s View, offers views of Loch Tummel with Schiehallion in the distance.

Belgium's walkability and café culture make it easy to enjoy riverside strolls. Pause for friets and Belgian beer at the Art-Deco Aba-Jour on the Lys in Ghent, or Bruge's oldest pub, Café Vlissinghe.

Well-connected and culture-rich, Germany makes independent exploration feel easy. Discover Berlin’s Museumsinsel, Cologne’s Ludwig Museum, or Dresden’s restored Baroque grandeur at the Zwinger.

Forge connections at cooking classes, or linger over a meal at a food market. Pick up handmade pasta at Turin’s Mercatino delle Erbe, or sample Savoyard specialities at Chambery's Halle Sainte-Claire.

Gentle walks, like the Swanbourne Lake trail, and forest-bathing in Arundel give you the chance to reset (without feeling remote). Spend your days soaking up nature and evenings in a cosy Sussex pub.

Explore beyond Barcelona and head south to Tarragona and Sitges, where Roman architecture and ancient ruins meet a colourful food scene and a sun-drenched coast.

Combine Renaissance cities, hilltop towns and Tuscan countryside on a trip that will see you swooping past cypress trees and vineyards as you travel by train from Florence to Pisa.

Stay in the capital cities of North and Central Europe. You’ll be eating stroopwafels in Amsterdam, marvelling at Prague’s old town and enjoying Vienna’s musical history.

On the eastern edge of France, the Alsace and Burgundy regions combine gastronomy (and world-class wine), historic old towns and beautiful countryside for walking.