August feels restless, especially if you don’t have a holiday planned. But Europe’s best month for travel still stretches ahead. September offers uncrowded beaches, a dip in hotel prices and fewer heatwaves. That’s all for the taking by solo travellers, who aren’t bound by school terms or the schedules of companions. More are catching onto benefits of the shoulder season; in Europe it’s the industry shorthand for September and (usually part of) October. A report from travel publication Skift found that solo travellers dominated hotel bookings in September and October. Here are some of the best options for a trip alone next month, whether you’re tempted by a walking holiday, city break or fly and flop. (Photo: Getty)

Solo fly-and-flop

Online travel agent Loveholidays has seen a 19 per cent increase in solo short haul bookings in 2025 compared with 2024. British traveller favourites such as Benidorm, Tenerife (pictured) and Ibiza were popular among one-person reservation. Mallorca also has plenty of flight departures, warm Septembers and a wide range of affordable breaks. Several operators offer solo packages, including Tui. A three-night stay at Tui Suneo Haiti, in Ca’n Picafort resort on the northwest of the island, is available for £357pp. That’s for an all-inclusive stay with return flights from Belfast airport. The hotel has two pools and is a 10-minute walk from the beach. S’Albufera, the Balearic Islands’ largest wetland reserve, is around eight minutes by bus from the town. (Photo: Getty)

Mountain hikes, with no single supplement

Despite the growing popularity of solo breaks, single supplements are enduring tax on those travelling alone. They can add hundreds of pounds to the price of a holiday – so it pays to watch out for deals, and trips, that waive them. On UTracks’ guided alpine walks, guests stay in dormitories, so there’s no supplement – it’s typically added for solo accommodation. Its seven-day Mount Blanc Rambler Guided Hikes starts from £1,050pp and take you up the highest peak in Western Europe. It’s with a small group, ideal for getting to know your fellow travellers. The pace is relaxed with stops to take in the scenery and enjoy picnics. Departs 7 September. (Photo: Lorenzo Mattei/Westend61/Getty)

Affordable mini-breaks

For a low-effort escape, consider a French city break – you can even skip the airport. Among the options for a place to stay is Mama Shelter, a contemporary four-star hotel chain with properties that include places to eat and drink. It has a “2 means 3” deal with a 33 per cent discount on each night booked when staying for three. Among the best-value options are Mama Shelter Rennes and Mama Shelter Dijon. Rennes, the capital of the northwestern region of Brittany, has a walkable centre of cobbled pavements and half-timbered buildings – plus it’s flush in green spaces. With average temperatures of around 22°C in September, it’s prime time for lingering with coffee on streets dotted with cafés. Dijon, meanwhile, has a vehicle-free centre and grand 17th and 18th century mansions that recall the riches of the Dukes of Burgundy, the region of which the city is capital. Rooms start from £86 at Rennes and Dijon. It’s 5.5 hours by train from London to Rennes. This includes a Eurostar to Paris (2hrs, 16 minutes), a change of station in Paris, then a train to Rennes (around 1.5 hours). For travel by train to Dijon, it’s also a Eurostar to Paris, a change, and then a train of around 1.5 hours. Use interrail.eu to plan. Mama Shelter is also part of Disloyalty, a £12 a month food and travel membership scheme that offers discounts that include 50 per cent off at new hotels and 20 per cent off for a first-time stay at a hotel. The Hoxton and 25Hours Hotels are among the other hotel brands in the chain that have affordable city stays. (Photo: Getty)

Albania has seen a spike in tourism with 15 million visitors predicted in 2025, up from almost 12 million in 2024. If you’ve yet to visit, now is the time to go – ideally outside of the peak travel period. WeRoad has an eight-day tour departing 1 September. It includes beaches, the former Greek settlement and Roman city of Butrint and the hill-ringed Lake Koman. It is available from £779 and includes accommodation, some meals and activities. (Photo: Vitmir Smakaj/Getty)

A multi-country tour

Young people looking to meet travellers of a similar age could opt for one of G Adventures’ 18–35 tours. There’s an eight-day trip to Croatia, Montenegro, Albania and Corfu with a 30 per cent discount on dates in September. Shoulder season is an opportune time to enjoy Dubrovnik and Kotor, which are overtourism hotspots – July and August bring the most visitors. Montenegro’s seaside town of Perast and a cliffside monastery in Corfu are among the other highlights. From £594pp, includes accommodation, tours and in-country travel. (Photo: Getty)

September sun in Turkey

Turkey’s Turquoise Coast is geographically in Asia. However, with a flight time of around four hours from the UK and temperatures warm into October, it fits the appeal of shoulder season. Turkey can also offer great value. Friendship Travel’s seven-night break at Forever Hotel in Olu Deniz includes breakfast each day and four dinners, flights and return transfers. There’s a host available for the week who can help to arrange sightseeing tours, boat trips and visits to Turkish baths. The three-star hotel has a pool, gardens and, with just 19 rooms, plenty of quiet. From £790pp, with a double room for one. (Photo: Getty)