touring
adventure WEEK-LONG ADVENTURES
Above: Delphi, Greece Left: Fortress of Guaita, San Marino
Rail
Riding the rails can be glamorous as well as cost-saving. Arena Rail’s five-day Glacier Express Winter Magic itinerary, from £995, whisks passengers through the heart of the Swiss Alps on the Glacier Express from Chur to Brig via the impressive Oberalp Pass. They’ll also ride the scenic GoldenPass Line to Lucerne, take the cogwheel railway to Mount Rigi, and cruise on Lake Thun. High-speed rail makes the journey from London to Interlaken via Paris and Strasbourg smooth. Eurostar also brings classic continental touring experiences to the table for non-flyers. Great Rail Journeys offers a five-day Rhinelands Christmas Markets Cruise by rail from £995, sailing on Beethoven and visiting the festive markets in Rudesheim, Mainz and Strasbourg. Cruising through the Rhine Gorge past Lorelei Rock, passengers are invited to decorate local bredele biscuits in the lounge. The UK has its own charming train
trips too. Scotland’s Scenic Rail Routes from Newmarket Holidays brings together three of the most spectacular train journeys north of the border on one five-day itinerary. Clients will travel
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Eurostar also brings classic continental touring experiences to the table for non-flyers
coast to coast on the scenic Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh route, cross the Glenfinnan Viaduct on the West Highland Line and chug along on the Strathspey Steam Railway to Aviemore. Tour-only prices, departing from Edinburgh, start from £449.
Air Don’t dismiss flying – it needn’t price tours beyond a client’s reach, particularly when the destination is excellent value. Riviera Travel’s six-day Bulgaria, the Balkans’ Hidden Treasure, starts from just £599 when flying from Gatwick. Staying in four-star hotels, the trip explores historic cities, picturesque monasteries, and the Bulgarian wine region, with a tasting included. Cosmos has a seven-day Greek Escape, which starts from £864
including flights from Heathrow. The culture-focused itinerary visits Athens, the Corinth Canal, and archaeological sites at Mycenae, Epidaurus, Olympia and Delphi. Along with guided excursions, a cooking demo and a sirtaki dance lesson are all part of the package. You can even score clients a trip to a destination renowned for being pricey on Travelsphere’s five-day Venice and the Venetian Lagoon, which scrapes in under the wire at £999 when flying from Heathrow in March. Avoiding the destination’s somewhat heftily-priced hotels, accommodation is aboard the four-star cruise ship Michelangelo and the package includes meals, drinks and excursions in Venice and Padua. If you’ve got a solo traveller on your
books, they can still enjoy a tour with a room of their own without breaking the bank. Just You’s five-day Experience San Marino will introduce them to the world’s oldest surviving sovereign state. From a base in landlocked, hilltop San Marino they’ll also visit Italian highlights including Bologna, Urbino and coastal Pesaro. With flights from Heathrow, the tour comes in at £899 for departures in April and October 2020.
32 | Travel Weekly touring adventure | July 2019
touringandadventure.com
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