Saga’s university holidays are back
From Canterbury to Falmouth: Saga has revived its classic university holidays with affordable and sociable breaks in some of the UK’s most beautiful towns and cities.
From Canterbury to Falmouth: Saga has revived its classic university holidays with affordable and sociable breaks in some of the UK’s most beautiful towns and cities.
This summer, Saga is reviving a holiday tradition – breaks based at universities and colleges in some of the most beautiful towns and cities in the UK. It is a concept that is in tune with what many older travellers are looking for now – well-located accommodation, smaller groups, a sociable atmosphere and a more affordable way to travel in peak season.
Neil Cron, Saga’s Senior Product Manager, has been creating holidays for the company for more than 21 years, and he’s the man behind all four of the new university breaks.
“I’m incredibly proud to have been asked to reintroduce these holidays back into our programme of stays,” says Neil. “Each university and college holiday has been carefully crafted with Saga’s cornerstones of quality, value and service in mind.”
These holidays have been designed with solo travellers at their heart, but that doesn’t mean you have to be travelling alone to enjoy them. Couples and groups are welcome too. What makes them particularly appealing for people travelling on their own, however, is the balance they strike between sociability and independence.
“Travelling on your own may be daunting,” says Neil, “but these holidays are for groups no larger than 45, so you can expect a warm welcome and a friendly atmosphere.”
You’ll dine with fellow guests in the university self-service dining halls, head out on excursions together and enjoy two evenings of live entertainment during your stay.
There’s also plenty of room to do your own thing. As Neil puts it: “There is a feeling of independence because you can still enjoy your own company and explore on your own.”
All rooms are en-suite with walk-in showers, while many campuses have shared kitchens with tea and coffee-making facilities, a fridge and a cooker. Meals are self-service, with hot and cold options at breakfast and dinner, served in the university dining halls.
Universities tend to sit close to or right in the heart of their cities and towns, which means you’re often within walking distance of all the best sights, something that can be hard to find at a hotel in peak season without paying a premium.
There are four destinations on offer for summer 2026, each with its own character.
Canterbury puts you in the heart of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with more than 1,400 years of history on your doorstep.
The King's School, whose International College is the base for the holiday, has modern, purpose-built accommodation.
Chichester offers Georgian elegance, Roman ruins and a magnificent Norman cathedral.
The Bishop Otter Campus, which hosts the Saga break, was requisitioned by the RAF during World War II, and a lecture theatre became the operations room, controlling squadrons of fighter planes involved in the D-Day landings in 1944.
Colchester surprises with its quaint Dutch Quarter and pretty Castle Park.
The oldest recorded town in Britain (it was the country’s first capital city under the Romans), Colchester’s history is never far below the surface. Sometimes literally: in 2014, a treasure trove of Roman coins and jewellery was unearthed under the high street.
It was dubbed The Fenwick Hoard after the shop it was discovered beneath.
Falmouth brings dramatic Cornish coastline, maritime heritage and sub-tropical gardens.
The town has a lovely literary connection – Kenneth Grahame’s The Wind in the Willows began here as a series of letters to his son, the first two of which were written at Falmouth’s Greenbank Hotel in 1907.
Each holiday lasts seven nights and includes half board, excursions, entertainment and a resident Saga host, with the company’s shared chauffeur service getting guests to and from home.
So, why not sample a taste of university life, but without the hours of studying or rush for the 9am lecture?
If you are a solo traveller looking for something sociable, or simply curious about a different kind of UK break, Saga’s university holidays offer an alternative way to enjoy holidays in the UK.
Saga’s university and college holidays run from July to September 2026, with prices starting from £999 per person.
To find out more or to book, visit our University and College Holidays page or call 0808 304 9137.
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