A silver week in Spain for solo travellers
Our guest blogger, Sally Dowling, (www.sallydowling.co.uk) is a travel expert who specialises in personal advice for mature travellers, writing for www.Silvertraveladvisor.com. She tells us about her experience as a solo traveller on a SilverSpain trip.
I dont usually travel alone but just recently I had the chance to pop down to Malaga and experience a taster tour by a very new company, SilverSpain.
SilverSpain have recognised that the British love the south of Spain. Malaga is easy to get to from many UK airports and the city is a gem, often overlooked by visitors rushing off to the nearby Costa del Sol. The weather is pretty much guaranteed, which we Brits embrace, especially in the winter months. The SilverSpain tour programme will run from October  May to avoid the blistering heat in high summer.
As a company based in Malaga, SilverSpain have been able to source the best hotels and some amazing experiences for their Monday -Friday SILVERWEEKS (with options to extend).
They have put together eight itineraries aimed at the 50+ market, focusing on a Healthy Mind, Healthy Body, Healthy Eating and Healthy Relationships. All the breaks welcome single travellers, but within Healthy Relationships there is a dedicated Solo Adventure programme, meaning no single supplements, as well as the chance to meet new friends along the way.
On my trip I soon met up with eight fellow travellers and friendships were made from the word go. Our hosts from SilverSpain are all dedicated and focussed on their new venture and were great company on our adventures.
I stayed at two of their popular hotels, firstly the very luxurious Hydros Hotel & Spa in Benalmadena. Despite seemingly being part of a much larger complex, the Hydros is a boutique style property, and certainly very stylish with a cool marble reception area leading through to large windows overlooking the Mediterranean. http://www.holidayhydros.es/en/
Later in the week our group moved inland to the wonderful lakes and mountains around Velez Malaga. Our base for two nights was La Vinuela Hotel, a beautiful spa resort situated in heart of the Axarquia area, alongside a large lake and surrounded by attractive gardens.
http://www.hotelvinuela.com/en/
The Solo Adventure tour is based at La Vinuela Hotel for 4 nights and includes a variety of excursions and activities. Flights are included from the UK and from the minute you arrive at Malaga Airport SilverSpain will take care of everything, with all excursions and transfers by private minibus. Some of the activities included in the Solo Adventure tour are guided walks through ancient olive groves and along seafront promenades, early morning exercises with a personal trainer, a traditional flamenco show, and meals that conjure up a taste of the Mediterranean. Down time is built into the schedule so you would have plenty of opportunities to enjoy the beautiful facilities and pool area of La Vinuela.
For a full breakdown of what is included together with prices see http://silverspain.com/2017/02/21/solo-adventure/
I realise there are some negatives in going it alone, but there are also some positives you can do your own thing at the airport, no hanging around waiting for others to shop, visit the loo or spend too long in the bar. If you are considering taking the plunge into travelling solo I can recommend Silver Spains Silverweeks as a great opportunity to ease you gently into traveling on your own. Who knows, you may meet other members of togetherfriends and get the chance to forge lasting friendships.
And if you fancy a SilverSpain trip but would prefer to go with a companion, why not put out a travel shoutout on our eventfriend page!
