As we age, our holiday priorities change. While active holidays and mountainous adventures might’ve been on the cards a few years back, now could be the time to find gentler and more relaxing ways of spending your time off.

While you’re still young at heart, there’s no better time to see parts of the world you never expected to. Whether you go alone or as part of a group, you could discover a new side to yourself through cultural activities, spotting wildlife, and discovering new cuisines. We’ve outlined five brilliant ideas to help you plan your next holidays.

Which are the best holiday ideas for senior travellers?

Wellness retreats

Just looking to relax and unwind on holiday? Spa and wellness retreats offer the perfect opportunity to simply chill out and look after your physical and emotional well-being. After all, you deserve to be pampered at the end of your career. 

Why not take a friend and chill out together? You’ll also find specialist wellness retreats available for seniors. These might include nutrition therapy, daily meditations, and soothing activities for your body, including yoga. In fact, yoga has been linked to better health, helping to improve circulation and lower stress and anxiety – so there’s no better time to start. 

River cruise holidays

If the idea of a huge commercial ship feels slightly intimidating but you’d still like to experience a cruise, why not consider going on a river cruise holiday? Smaller than ocean cruises, these friendly holidays provide an easier environment in which to make friends and can be more budget-friendly than ocean cruises too.

Whether you’re going solo or with your life partner, river cruise holidays make a fantastic opportunity to experience a new part of the world at a slower pace. You’ll have the freedom to roam around on the deck, grab a drink and admire the views, or rest up in your cabin.

Holiday lodges in the UK

With so many fantastic National Parks and officially recognised Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the UK is a fantastic choice for a holiday destination. And with more families staying in the UK to avoid soaring temperatures and high costs abroad, heading on holiday within England, Scotland, or Wales could be more comfortable too.

If you’re the type of holidaymaker who loves to return to your favourite place time after time, it could be worth looking at lodges for sale in rural parts of the country. Along with the convenience of knowing that you can return to your cosy home-from-home after just a few hours on the road, you’ll be able to make memories with your family there too.

All-inclusive resorts

All-inclusive holidays include all of your food and drinks at the same hotel or restaurants within the same resort. If you’d prefer a holiday that doesn’t involve too much walking, staying in an all-inclusive resort could be a wonderful idea.

You’ll also enjoy unrivalled – and often private – access to swimming pools, beaches, and fantastic bars and restaurants. All-inclusive resorts are a fantastic choice if you’re looking for a sociable, easy-going time away.

Wine-tasting tours 

Lastly, if you’d like to go abroad but you’d prefer to leave the organisation to someone else, wine-tasting tours could be a brilliant choice. You’ll find plenty of options across the famous wine-tasting regions in France, including Bordeaux, Provence, and the Loire Valley – and luckily, flying isn’t necessary to cross the channel, either.

After some more inspiration? See: Four of the best destinations for your must-see list

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The post Retiring this year? See our top five holiday ideas for older travellers appeared first on Silver Magazine.

Now seeing the end of 2022, you’re probably looking at planning your trips for 2023. So, we’ve collected a round-up of the top 20 lifetime travel experiences to give you some inspiration. 

Before we start

Travel is back! The world is slowly starting to open again for some well-deserved travel experiences and adventures. Silver Magazine and Travel Department want to help you fall in love with travel again in 2022 and 2023.  Travel Department is delighted to offer readers of Silver Magazine an exclusive code to use on a fantastic range of 2022 & 2023 holidays. 

SAVE £75pp* on any holiday of 8 nights or more. Use promo code: SMAG75

SAVE £50pp* on any holiday of 7 nights. Use promo code: SMAG50

SAVE £25pp* on any holiday of 6 nights or less. Use promo code: SMAG25

If you have any questions, or would simply like to learn more about their wonderful destinations, why not give one of their brilliant team a call on 0117 911 7019

1. Iceland – See the Northern Lights

Iceland, the Land of Fire and Ice, is full of natural wonders and it offers one of the best opportunities to see the Northern Lights. Visit Iceland and see volcanic landscapes, breathtaking waterfalls and relax in the geothermal waters of the Blue Lagoon.

2. Visit Lake Bled in Slovenia

Could there be a more postcard-perfect place than Lake Bled? Discover Slovenia and see its most iconic sight in the heart of the Julian Alps.

3. Take a Jeep Ride in Wadi Rum

This is one of the many highlights on a trip to Jordan. The Wadi Rum desert, or ‘The Valley of the Moon’, in Jordan is full of incredible rock formations and sand dunes. It was also used as a filming location for the classic film ‘Lawrence of Arabia.’

4. Experience an African Safari

A top travel experience in Africa is to search for the Big Five in Kariega Game Reserve in South Africa.

5. Go with the flow on a river cruise

Sail along the Danube, Rhine or Seine on a river cruise holiday; it’s one of the best and most relaxing ways to discover some of the highlights of Europe.

6. Visit La Alhambra

The UNESCO listed monument complex of La Alhambra, with its magnificent palaces, patios and gardens, is one of the best attractions in Spain to see.

7. Explore Old Havana in a classic American car

The classic 1950’s cars are famously associated with Cuba; from 1959 to 2013 there was an import ban on cars into the country. Havana’s official nickname is ‘Ciudad de la Columnas’ or the City of Columns, due to its Colonial architecture. It became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982 and we think on your Cuba holiday that the best way to explore this historic city is by vintage car!

8. See the mighty Iguazu Falls

There are a total of 275 waterfalls that make up the magnificent UNESCO World Heritage Site Iguazu Falls. Discover this incredible wonder of nature on a guided Brazil and Argentina tour.

9. Step back in time to Ancient Egypt

The best way to see all the top sights in Egypt is to take a guided holiday. Visit the Pyramids of Giza before embarking on a cruise down the Nile and discover more historical treasure troves of Ancient Egypt, such Luxor and Aswan.

10. See Mount Teide

One of the highlights of Tenerife is Mount Teide, the third tallest volcanic structure in the world. The volcano is located in Teide National Park, which was named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2007.

11. Explore Valletta

On one of TD’s holidays to Malta, you can visit its capital Valletta, a UNESCO World Heritage City due to its incredible historic buildings dating back to the 16th century. It’s one of Europe’s smallest capitals so it can easily be explored by foot.

12. Sail around Ha Long Bay

Hạ Long Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and stunning natural wonder, means “descending dragon” and is quite possibly one of the most beautiful places in the world. It’s just one of the many highlights of Vietnam.

13. See the Taj Mahal

A trip to India isn’t complete without visiting the mighty Taj Mahal. One of the new seven Wonders of the World, the Taj Mahal is a mausoleum in the Indian city of Agra. The Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan commissioned this iconic building to house the tomb of his favourite wife.

14. Go to the smallest country in the world

On a guided Rome holiday you can visit Vatican City, see St Peter’s Basilica and the Sistine Chapel, where you will be amazed by Michelangelo’s most famous masterpiece.

15. Fjords of Norway

Explore the Fjords in Norway, the country’s stunning landscape has attracted tourists for many years, from the snow-capped mountains, glaciers to waterfalls. A cruise along the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Nærøyfjord is an unforgettable experience.

16. Learn more about Ancient Greece

The land where civilisation began, a holiday in Greece can offer historical sites and archaeological wonders. See the Acropolis, an ancient citadel perched on a hilltop overlooking Athens and visit Thessaloniki, the cultural capital of Greece.

17. Admire the artwork in the Hermitage

It’s been estimated that it would take a visitor more than 10 years to view the entire art collection in the Hermitage Museum! On our guided tours to Russia, you can visit Moscow and St Petersburg; both of these cities are unique in their own way.

18. Enjoy a Pastel de nata in Lisbon

The Pastel de nata, a tasty pastry, was created in Lisbon! Portugal’s capital has a fascinating heritage, the city itself is extremely beautiful. With stunning pastel-coloured buildings, neoclassic architecture and mosaic-paved streets. It’s one of the best places in Portugal to visit.

19. Try your luck at Monte Carlo

The Monte Carlo Casino opened in 1863, making it 156 years old. You can enjoy a day trip to Monaco, one of the smallest countries in the world, and get a taste of glitz and glamour as part of a Cannes & the Côte d’Azur holiday.

20. Explore Pompeii

A visit to Pompeii will provide an incredible insight into Roman life. This ancient Roman city was buried and largely preserved under ash after the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. Enjoy a half day excursion to this fascinating site on TD’s Sorrento Coast, Pompeii & Capri tour.

About Travel Department

Silver Magazine chooses its partners very carefully, and Travel Department is no exception. With nearly 30 years’ experience perfecting tours to around 140 destinations worldwide, Travel Department’s escorted holidays typically include flights, accommodation, transfers, and guided tours. They carefully plan your trip, so you experience the best holiday highlights accompanied by a friendly local guide.

They offer a wide range of guided group holidays from city breaks or solo travel to active and adventure holidays (including walking, yoga and photography holidays) with their sister brand, TD active Holidays.

With multiple departure airports across the UK, you can fly from Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow in Scotland. In Northern Ireland they fly from Belfast (plus Dublin and Cork) and for passengers from the South they depart from Bristol and a range of London airports.

The mood is upbeat, friendly, and inclusive, where everyone feels welcome.

Travel Department’s escorted holidays typically include flights, accommodation, transfers, and guided tours. They carefully plan your trip, so you experience the best holiday highlights accompanied by a friendly local guide. With Travel Department you see more!

Lana Hall

Lana can usually be found spinning her collection of records, or writing odd poems in her phone notes. Her mixer of choice is a ginger beer, and you’ll never find her away from the sea for more than a few weeks.

The post Top 20 lifetime travel experiences appeared first on Silver Magazine.