Maybe it's the absence of duty and compromise and the addition of endless cackling and chilled rosé, but holidaying with friends is always a balm for the soul. And guess what, it gets even better when you're over 50. Why? Because we have more time, more money and more of that joyous sense of freedom that only comes with age and experience.
We all know how precarious life can be, which means there's good reason why more and more 50-plus women are embarking on bigger and more adventurous trips.
Before the pandemic, I went Interrailing with my best friend, Rhonda. We spent a fabulous week bobbing between European cities – sipped coffee in pavement cafes in Copenhagen, bumbled around the art galleries of Berlin and cruised the canals of Amsterdam – living our very best lives. Although exploring six capital cities in as many days sounds hectic, it was threaded by some deliciously long and leisurely rail journeys where we could chat, read and snooze while the world swept by. It was one of my favourite holidays.
As we get older, we can now upgrade our Interrailing adventures and book that once-in-a-lifetime rail trip, like this fabulous ride through the beautiful Swiss Alps on the Glacier Express. Known as 'the slowest express train in the world', it travels through Switzerland's snowy alpine valleys, mountain tunnels and over the world-famous Landwasser Viaduct to Chur, the oldest city in Switzerland.
Alternatively, you can enjoy heavenly fine dining by Michelin-starred chef Heinz Beck and some of the finest Italian wines as you wind through the bucolic scenery of Tuscany on the La Dolce Vita Orient Express on a five-day luxury holiday to Rome.
We all remember those brilliant holidays with our girlfriends in our teens and 20s. The cheap and cheerful fly-and-flop holidays of our youth, when a week in sunny Spain or Greece resulted in stories we still recount now. As fun as they always were, there are a hundred and one reasons why travelling in our later years is even better...
We have more money to spend
One of the many joys of getting older is that we often have a few more coins in the piggy bank. Backpacking around India was a highlight of my round-the-world trip back in the 90s when I spent two glorious months exploring the country from Goa to Rajasthan by train. Colourful, fragrant and completely mesmerising, an India trip is wonderfully evocative and perfect for adventurous women.
If you're looking for an Eat, Pray, Love–meets–The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel kind of experience, check Good Housekeeping's spectacular 18-day trip explores the Golden Triangle; Delhi, Jaipur and Agra, Dharamshala in the Himalayas, the home of the Dalai Lama, and a Bengal tiger safari in Ranthambore National Park.
We have more time
Now we're in our 50s or older, children are starting to flee the nest, we've earned maximum holiday days from work and there are fewer commitments to keep us at home. As we get older, we have more time to find and indulge in other interests, too; polish our language skills or learn a new craft, such as photography or painting.
Or perhaps learning some new cooking skills from a true expert like Angela Hartnett. An eight-day cruise exploring Venice and the Venetian Lagoon includes a guided visit around Chioggia food market and a cooking demonstration with Angela.
Cruising has always been a popular choice for couples and families, not least because you can pack in a series of new destinations in a couple of weeks. It's also a good call for groups of girlfriends looking for something a little different. A far cry from the mass market floating resorts which dominate the Caribbean, an incredible 17-day tour of Vietnam and Cambodia, includes seven nights on a luxury river cruise down the Mekong. How's that for an adventure with your besties?
We're more adventurous
Older women often become much more adventurous post 50. I turned 53 last year, and my bucket list of planned adventures just keeps getting longer. I don't know what the catalyst is – perhaps it's the menopause, the easing of responsibility or a more gung-ho attitude to life – but I now say yes to all adventures from exploring Transylvania's Carpathian Mountains to seek out Europe's largest population of brown bears, to meeting the penguins, humpback whales and witnessing the most epic icebergs on this incredible wilderness tour and cruise to Antarctica.
And the more I travel, the more I want to see. Travelling as an older women is more about learning about different places and cultures, and eating, of course. Continuing the discover yourself trope seen in Eat, Pray, Love, this year year I'm hoping to graze my way around Puglia's vineyards, family-run trattorias and authentic masseries, the traditional stone farmhouses, similar to this delicious six-day tour of the region.
Another place that's amazing for a girls' holiday is Morocco. With its atmospheric souks, snake charmers and fragrant spice markets, Marrakesh feels like landing on a different planet. An eight-day women-only adventure includes lazy days wandering around the Medina and its labyrinthian souks before escaping the city to go trekking in the High Atlas Mountains.
Of course, the real beauty of being in our 50s is that we can splash out on some last-minute luxuries, like a weekend with our girlfriends in a swanky spa. A gorgeous two-night spa escape at Ragdale Hall in Leicestershire includes two treatments, access to the gorgeous spa and all meals, the perfect way to get the old gang together again.
