Italy Explorer Tours 2024/2025

“It was ultimately a good tour! We got to see about ten cities, lots of basilicas, statues, historical buildings, and had a couple of optional things to experience like the Tower of Pisa and riding on a gondola. Hotels with breakfast were included and most were nice except for the one in Venice. The coach bus was nice - it had AC and Wi-Fi. However, be cautious when exchanging money with the bus tour guide (Stefano) because I paid for the optional experiences and was owed €20 but he tried to get €30 more from me. He also had a habit of walking fast and not checking up on people who might've fallen behind, so not only could that be a safety issue but those people can't hear the information being shared about those towns/ buildings. (Sometimes we had headsets to listen to the tour guide with though).”

“This was my 6th trip to Dobbiaco in January and the first with very little snow. Thanks to research by our leader prior to the trip and impressive efforts by the locals to create and extend loipes, we were able to enjoy a full week's programme of skiing.”

“Superb conditions and leadership by Anne, Alex, and Lorraine at what I think is your best southern European x/c ski base. This tour operator is the only UK Company which does properly-led daylong x/c ski - unlike its competitors, which treat x/c as downhill skiing (which it definitely isn't!) It's a great shame, therefore, that this operator does not offer more southern European venues for x/c ski, having drastically reduced these following acquisition of Waymark I hear this complaint again and again from fellow x/c skiers of this tour operator. And we all fear that it will allow this activity to wither on the vine if it is not careful. X/c ski is superb outdoor activity which should be promoted as the ideal winter fitness activity - it also has some Royal patronage - Pippa Middleton did an x/c ski race last year! One other thing - you specify that grade 1 and 2 are suitable for people with little or no experience. But you should make it clear that a level of fitness similar to regular hill walking or cycling is necessary. I have seen so many people have a ruined experience of x/c ski simply because they don't do sufficient regular exercise, and that causes such difficulties for the Leaders, and, indeed, the other suitably fit participants who have to hang back or stop all the time so that these people can catch up!”