DESTINATIONS ESCORTED TOURS | QUIRKY STAYS
3 Camino castillos
Hotels set within historic houses might not seem like a novelty, but Spain’s state-owned Paradores are all infused with interesting stories. On one Newmarket Holidays itinerary, clients will stay in three luxurious Paradores over the course of one week. Starting in Santander, clients then travel to Galicia, where they’ll be based in the Parador de Vilalba – built on the site of a 15th-century castle along the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route. After a visit to Santiago de Compostela, the tour takes clients into Spain’s sunny interior, where they’ll stay in Parador de Lerma (pictured) – an opulent
17th-century palace where Napoleon once slept. Book it: The eight-day Historic Paradores of Hidden Spain costs from £2,048 per person, based on two sharing. Includes breakfast, four dinners, excursions, transfers and flights departing Southampton on October 19.
newmarketholidays.co.uk
Cave capers
Cappadocia, famed for its ‘fairy chimneys’, is popular for its hot-air balloon tours – but the region is arguably better seen below ground. One Riviera Travel tour visits the subterranean city of Kaymakli; there are eight levels, and clients will have free time to discover churches, copper smelters, stables and more. Curiosity piqued, they’ll check into the Utopia Cave hotel, with suites featuring whirlpool baths, sumptuous furniture and intricate doorway carvings, while in the spa, a circular pool adds a touch of
Ottoman charm to a cavernous room. Book it: Riviera Travel’s 13-day Cappadocia, Istanbul, Ephesus and Troy tour starts from £2,999 per person, based on twin-share. Includes breakfast, most dinners, listed excursions, luggage and flights.
rivieratravel.co.uk
4 5 Salty stays
Bolivia’s Salar de Uyuni has bright-white salt stretching as far as the eye can see – and if your clients can’t get enough, they can sleep in hotels built from salt bricks. Journey Latin America’s escorted 17-day epic trip across the Andes features two nights in the Luna Salada salt hotel. Built from locally harvested blocks of salt, it’s the ideal base for 4x4 trips and offers a serene place to sleep. Andean accents complement homely touches, such as fireplaces and hearty breakfasts. The spa features a
steam room and – unsurprisingly – salt-scrub massages. Book it: Journey Latin America’s 17-day Andean Flamingo: Andes Laid Bare tour costs from £5,636 per person, including ground transport, excursions and breakfast, but excluding international flights.
journeylatinamerica.com
6 Cosmic coc0ons
Jordan’s Wadi Rum, where sandstone mountains rise from red sand, is so otherworldly that it doubles as extraterrestrial terrain in films ranging from Dune to Star Wars. Exodus Adventure Travels’ Kingdoms of Jordan – Premium Adventure tour makes the most of these unusual surroundings by checking in to the UFO Luxotel, where geodesic tents will transport clients straight to the fictional planet Tatooine. No luxury is spared, from the outdoor hammocks and large patios to en suite showers. After dark, clients can stargaze through windows at the top of the tent and enjoy a traditional
Bedouin feast, cooked in an oven under the sun-sizzled sand. Book it: Exodus’s nine-day Kingdoms of Jordan – Premium Adventure tour is priced from £2,249 per person, based on two sharing. Includes breakfast, some meals, excursions and ground transport, but excludes international flights.
exodus.co.uk
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31 JULY 2025
travelweekly.co.uk
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