Holidays for Solo Travelers: Fun Facts and Solo Destinations

Holidays for Solo Travelers: Fun Facts and Solo Destinations: I know you may still be enjoying languid summer days at the beach. However, it is never too early to plan ahead for the next set of holidays. No one wants to be “Home Alone for the Holidays”! Some destinations like ski resorts book one year ahead. The reason? Many people return each year to the same spot for Christmas and New Year’s. So now is the time to dust off your bucket list, and make a plan for the holidays.

Holidays for Solo Travelers: Latin America:

More Fun and Really Odd Holiday Facts: Latin America and France:

• One of the really interesting facts is that all around the world, people have very different ways of celebrating special occasions. I have just this week learned that some Latin American cultures consider pearls unlucky at weddings. Evidently, they symbolize tears!
• In addition, I found out that carnations in France can also be seen as unlucky.
• Many types of flowers are also considered inappropriate at weddings as they are often used at funerals.
• I have been searching out these weird and wacky global differences in customs for the Christmas and New Year’s celebrations. In my “sleuthing”, I have been finding some of the often bewildering customs around the globe.

Holidays for Solo Travelers: Japan:

In Japan, a popular Christmas feast is apparently Kentucky Fried Chicken. This can be so popular as to require reservations. Sounds more like a Fourth of July picnic to me.  

I must confess that when I travel abroad and at times long for a touch of home, fried chicken is near the top of the list.

• I even ferreted out my own bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken in Dubai in the Mall of the Emirates. That was a perfect prelude to Ski Dubai! At home for summer holidays, having been born in the South, I often find myself lusting after some “finger lickin’ good” chicken. Christmas and New Year’s: Not so much!  
• One of my most memorable “fried chicken respites” was on a wintry day in Russia.  After a January trip to Siberia, I found myself in the comparative comfort of  St. Petersburg.  With only one year of college Russian, I was suddenly confounded. The police roped me off with a group of strangers as tanks and military officers filled the streets. I thought we were all being arrested. I was relieved to discover this was just the parade celebrating the “Lifting of the Siege of Leningrad”. We were only being held back to avoid being run over by the parade as it passed by.  I took solace afterwards in two very chic designer shoe shops on the local Fifth Avenue, the Nevsky Prospect. The only way to finish off the day? A trip to the local Kentucky Fried Chicken where after all I could say with authority the one Russian word I knew best: “kuritsa” (“chicken”).

Holidays for Solo Travelers: Croatia:

Why is Croatia a great solo destination for the holidays? The Adriatic Coast has been a popular vacation venue from crowned-heads of Europe to scores of other tourists since the late 19th-century. It has a wide range of sights from the cultural and historic to stellar landscapes and seascapes.  It also has a mix of the twenty-first century with Old Europe. Holiday Markets add to the festive atmosphere.

Croatia-The Price is Right:

-Croatia offers solo travelers another great option for a White Christmas at an affordable price.  Off-season from late September to mid-May prices can be discounted as much as fifty percent.

• You can economically add on a ski trip in nearby Slovenia.
• Croatia is also well-located to connect with Greece and Turkey. I did this in the past. It was a wonderful way to see three very different cultures in one trip with limited airfare costs.

Croatia Things to See and Do:

-Croatia is nestled in the northwest section of the former Yugoslavia. The country’s capital is Zagreb. Nonetheless, it is most famous for Dubrovnik. This top destination has a fabled Old Town now a UNESCO World Site.

-Other options to explore are the Stradun Promenade, the remaining city wall and Dubrovnik’s Old Harbour. In addition, popular tourist spots are the island of Lokrum and Banje Beach. For a breathtaking view, ride the cable car to Srđ Hill. You will have a view of the entire region plus a perfect spot for photos.

-While exploring much of the past, Croatia’s 4-5 star hotels provide 21st century convenience. They typically still  manage to do this with the style for which Europe is known.

-Foodies and wine enthusiasts will be delighted by the local cuisine and Dalmatian wines.

As you map out your plan for the holidays, take a good look at Croatia for a top solo travel destination. for more information, please see TrulyCroatia.