DESTINATIONS ESCORTED TOURS |UK & EUROPE


CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Vineyards in Piedmont, Italy; Burgos Cathedral, Spain; red deer in the Isle of Arran, Scotland PICTURES: Shutterstock


fast fact ast fact


Explore has four new small-group itineraries, including a winter photography break to the


Chernobyl Exclusion Zone led by photographer David Short


ITALY Farther afield, Italy is coming up trumps for several escorted touring operators, including Saga Holidays, which has introduced two no-fly tours to the country. One pairs Lake Garda with lesser-visited alternatives including Maggiore, Moro and Lugano; the other explores northwestern wine region Piedmont from a base in the small city of Biella. G Adventures has also launched a trip to Piedmont. It combines hikes in the hills with wine tastings and other culinary experiences – not least a visit to Alba, famous for its white truffles – all from a single-centre base in the village of Alice Bel Colle. The operator has also added an Explore Southern Sicily trip that takes in Syracuse, Trapani and Palermo, including a guided tour of the Valley of the Temples and a visit to the 11th-century Monreale Cathedral, whose interior glimmers amid thousands of gold mosaic tiles. Rail operators are getting involved too. Ffestiniog


Travel has a new no-fly Trams and Trains tour through the heart of Italy that takes in Milan, Genoa, Rome, Naples and Turin, while Great Rail Journeys has introduced a Lakes and Mountains of Switzerland and Italy itinerary that has passengers ambling past the lakes of Lucerne, Como and Garda. Highlights include a ride on Europe’s highest mountain railway, the Bernina Express, plus a cruise on Lake Como and wine tasting at a scenic Swiss vineyard.


24 18 FEBRUARY 2021 rest


BEST OF THE


est The Scottish Highlands, Jersey,


Yorkshire and Stratford-upon-Avon are focal points for a Cosmos


collection called Stay and Explore, launched late last year, while Leger Holidays has added itineraries including the Isle of Wight, the


Orkneys, Cornwall and beyond. Small-group specialist Rabbie’s features a three-day Dingle,


Killarney and Wild Atlantic Way tour, while Arena Rail Holidays has unveiled new heritage tours including a five-day Yorkshire break. Sister brands Just Go! Holidays and National Holidays have created 40 new itineraries between them, combining a series of tribute-act breaks with itineraries such as Blackpool Bright Lights, the Scottish Isles and Cruising Lake Windermere.


SPAIN


Despite its reputation for cheap-and-cheerful package breaks, Spain is also getting its fair share of attention from escorted touring operators.


Cox & Kings will help guests delve deep into the Basque Country on one of its new culture-focused European Spotlight tours. The seven-day tour takes in San Sebastian, Burgos (famous for its Unesco-listed cathedral) and the villages and farms of the rural Basque region, from a base in historic Bilbao. Back-Roads Touring will also be whisking guests


through northern Spain on its new Taste of the Camino coach tour, giving clients of all fitness levels a chance to see the highlights of the popular pilgrimage route. It visits Porto, Leon, Santander, Bilbao and beyond, as well as the iconic Santiago de Compostela – the end point of the Camino, marked out by its towering, elaborate cathedral and atmospheric stone buildings. Riviera Travel, meanwhile, has introduced a Classical Spain itinerary homing in on Andalusia’s Moorish-meets-Spanish culture with visits to Seville, Granada and Cordoba. G Adventures is upping the game further with a Sailing the Canary Islands itinerary that will have guests living the high life as they cruise between Tenerife, La Gomera and La Palma. If there’s an antidote to lockdown fatigue, it’s surely having an exclusive yacht to look forward to, no?


TW travelweekly.co.uk


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40