Evia is an amazing island, very green and lush and the walking was varied. I was pleased by the amount of history and local knowledge imparted by the guides. The butterflies, flowers, tortoises and slow worms interested me a lot. The hotel provided a very comfortable base with the sea, tavernas and sea front giving evening entertainment. This is a great mix of moderately challenging walking with great food, wonderful history and interesting nature. I would heartily reccommend this holliday
It is hard to believe that the Azores are part of Europe. Born from the immensity of the Atlantic Ocean, this lush green archipelago of volcanic islands is a far cry from continental Portugal. The nine Islands of the Azores are Europe's western most point located in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. The Azores have long been known as one of the most scenically varied areas to explore, each of the nine islands has its own characteristics, from steep craters to abundant wildlife and sites of historical interest. The islands of the Azores are a paradise for walkers and nature lovers with their blue lakes bordered by flowers, dazzling views of the sea from high in the hills and lush green landscapes of ancient volcanic craters.
This 14-night island hopping holiday features the best of the Eastern and Central Islands of the Azores including Sao Miguel, Sao Jorge, Pico, Faial & Santa Maria.
Sao Miguel is famous for its beautiful landscapes and exceptional volcanic lakes. The largest of the Azorean islands it is known as Ilhe Verde - Green Island. A stunning coastline of small bays with black sand and precipitous sea cliffs interspersed with small harbours add further interest. The island features three major calderas (volcanic craters) now with lakes sparkling at the bottom. Sete Citdades even has a village at the bottom of the crater and two lakes one blue and one contrasting green.
Sao Jorge has the most-jagged coastline of the Azores Islands, with coastal cliffs surrounded at sea level by Fajas. These small flat pieces of land are formed by lava flows and are distinctive features of the Azores. Discover spectacular waterfalls, lush ravines and the chance to explore the interesting fishing village of Velas.
Pico is the most volcanic of the Azores Islands, renowned for its almost perfectly coned mountain of Pico Alto standing at 2352m, making it the highest peak in all of Portugal. Enjoy stunning walks through interesting fauna and picturesque villages. The local approach to wine production and vineyard culture has been preserved through the years, making for remarkable scenery of unique vineyards and dark grey basalt.
Faial is known as the Blue Island for the abundance of blue hydrangeas seen all over the island and due to its deep relationship with the sea, with its harbour proving important for many adventurous transatlantic sailors. Famous for its stewed octopus in wine amongst the Azoreans - you should most certainly try some! Faial island offers a contrasting picture of rich and diverse flora and a dry lunar landscape. The walking here takes you to volcanic crater rims with breath-taking views and the opportunity to explore the lighthouse and museum which shows the history of volcanic eruptions.
Santa Maria is the oldest of the Azores Islands and being the most eastern and southern island, its climate is also much drier. Due to its drier climate, Santa Maria offers unique characteristics including fascinating rock formations and stunning fauna (it is a geologists and botanist's paradise). It also features what is considered by many to be the best beach in the Azores, Praia Formosa.
Azores, Sao Miguel, Faja Grande, Parque Rural Del Teno, Rua De Santa Maria, Vila Do Bispo, Lagoa Do Fogo, Sete Cidades, Sao Jorge, Fajã Dos Cubres, Ponta delgada, Pico
One of the first destinations in the world to be awarded the special certificate as a Biosphere Reserve, the landscape is unique and awe inspiring, with magnificent volcanic craters, stark lava fields displaying a myriad of different colours, and beaches, ranging from white sands to volcanic black dust.
The island is very easy to drive across, the journey from the northern tip of Orzola to the beaches of Papagayo in the south takes just over 1 hour drive, giving you plenty of opportunity to explore.
Some of the best food and wine in the Canaries can be found here, so make sure you try the local specialities, Canarian potatoes, mojo sauce, estofado stew and the delicious boquerones, (anchovy fillets), perhaps accompanied by a locally produced wine, the widely regarded Malvasi - again the result of the rich volcanic soil.
This self-guided, single centre holiday highlights the best of Lanzarote; from its pretty inland villages with verdant terraces and fields, to the varied coastline and beaches, the exquisite volcanic landscape, and the gently pervading influence of Cesar Manrique. Whatever you decide to do either taking a slow and relaxed tour of some of the best locations, or a varied itinerary of walking, swimming and cycling on La Graciosa, there is something for everyone here.
Your week is based at the Rural Finca La Florida in San Bartolome. Originally a family home, the 15 spacious rooms of this delightful hotel with its superb on site restaurant, provide the perfect base for your holiday. The hotel has everything you will need including a fabulous restaurant, swimming pool , sun terrace and even spa treatments for a bit of downtime!
Not just one of the finest, but one of the oldest treks in the world, Tour du Mont Blanc is steeped in history and dramatic beauty - it’s easy to recognise its worldwide charm. With captivating views along well-trodden paths, the entirety of this 170km trail circumnavigates Mont Blanc massif, crossing through France, Italy & Switzerland.
Fondly referred to as the adventure capital of the world, you’ll be based in Chamonix where you’ll have easy access to the most beautiful sections of Mont Blanc. Experience sweeping 360° views over the French, Swiss and Italian Alps, witness huge glaciers, snow-capped summits, and stunning mirrored lakes.
Your 3* hotel immerses you in traditional alpine hospitality with superb levels of comfort and nearby transport links for cable cars, cog-trains, and mountain buses.
You have the option to upgrade to a 4* hotel on this trip, please quote W04MP for prices.
Discover the Dolomites on a small group hiking adventure. With easy to moderate walks, conveniently located accommodation and a knowledgeable local leader to keep everything running smoothly, this trip offers an active yet leisurely way to explore one of Italy’s most iconic mountain ranges. Base yourself in the alpine town of Dobbiaco – surrounded by pointy peaks and lush meadows – and spend eight days hiking through UNESCO World Heritage-listed landscapes, kicking back in village inns and refuelling with hearty mountain food – apple strudel, anyone?
This tour will open up your appetite and invite you to sensory pleasures. The vines may provide a beautiful setting, but they also produce an excellent wine that can be enjoyed all along this trip.
From Dijon to Beaune the walks provide a wonderful balance of quiet country lanes, vineyard tracks and woodland trails taking in sleepy, unspoilt villages, and majestic vine-clad hills. Sample fine wines in 13th century cellars and enjoy lunch in a selection of medieval towns including world-renowned Nuits-St-Georges. Walk the historic streets of Dijon and Beaune, hunt for truffles, taste local cheese in a rural manufactory, learn about blackcurrant liquor and enjoy a wine tasting at the majestic wine estate Chateau Clos Vougeot.
In this region known for its epicurean finesse, you can really enjoy fine dining. There will be excellent local dishes such as Beef Bourguignon, Oeufs en Meurette, Poulet de Bresse a la Creme, Perche aux Noix and of course exquisite cheeses like the pungent Epoisses de Bourgogne, to pair with the region's incredible Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines.
This tour will stimulate all your senses.
You'll walk on panorama paths through picturesque mountain scenery, and take breaks along the way in pretty little mountain huts where you can enjoy a typical snack ('Brotzeit') and a cool glass of beer. In the valleys lakes Tegernsee and Schliersee are perfect for a dip into the refreshing waters.
This walking holiday is based in the wonderfully unspoilt Euganean Hills, tucked in a quiet corner below the beautiful medieval city of Padua, west across the plain from Venice. Once volcanic islands, these hills have a striking conical appearance; they are cloaked in an astonishing variety of plant life including holm oak, maple, orchids, heather and poppies and have been recognised as a National Park. The lower slopes give way to colourful meadows and immaculately groomed vineyards so it's little wonder the region produces such a fine variety of wines!
Starting in the tiny hamlet of Cortela, nestled amongst vines, you head across poppy fields and through forests to Valnogaredo. You discover the jumbled cobbled streets of medieval Arqua Petrarca, where the famous 14th century Italian poet, Petrarch, made his home, before continuing through fertile fruit orchards to Galzignano. A convenient stone's throw from the Italian Baroque gardens of Valsanzibio, there's time to explore its magnificent maze before a series of outstanding views leads you to panoramically perched Teolo.
The Ring of Kerry is one of the most beautiful parts of Ireland and doing a walking trip is one of the best ways to see it. This trip gets you well away from the tour coaches that take over the roads of this area and you will see a different side of the country you might not experience even if driving it yourself. The 6 days of walking takes in most of the Kerry Way and the tracks take you through national parks, farmland and along coastal paths. Staying at B&Bs in little towns, this trip gives you a taste of true Irish hospitality.
Walking on this holiday is varied and well within most people's grasp. Aside from the rolling hills of Prosecco vineyards it includes forest walking and following along side a river. The hotel is most comfortable with large airy bedrooms and updated bathrooms which do not detract from the historic building. It sits within its own grounds including a large swimming pool and a bookable spa.
The village of Soligo is small with 3 cafe's and a small shop which stocks a wide range of biscuits, soft drinks and bottled water. There is one sure thing about this holiday and this is you will not go hungry. Lunches are freshly made by the local shop and will keep you going during the walks. The hotel food is second to none and the other resturants we eat at also supplied delicous food. The highlight of this trip is Prosecco in all its forms. I learnt a lot about how the wine was made and how to tell one bottle from another.
Had a wonderful week walking around Mont Blanc. Our group was friendly and kind, the scenery was like a “fairytale” and our accommodation / food was good
This distinctive stone is quarried and used in the construction of the golden-coloured local buildings and gives the stone-built villages of the Cotswolds a beautiful and quintissentially 'English' look.
This 8-night walking holiday takes you through some of the finest North Cotswold villages with shorter walking days, allowing the maximum time to explore the villages and walk at a relaxed pace. Your route includes visits to some of the best-known towns and villages in the region including Broadway, Chipping Campden and Guiting Power as well as the Saxon capital of Winchcombe and the nearby Sudeley Castle, the last resting place of Henry VIII's sixth wife, Katherine Parr. Enjoy the rolling Cotswolds countryside, riverside walks and some stunning horticultural gems in the gardens of National Trust manor houses, such as Kiftsgate or Hidcote.
On this self-guided, hotel-to-hotel walking holiday, you'll explore the beautifully tranquil Langhe region of Piedmont, a gastronomic gem quietly tucked into Italy's north-western corner. Recently recognised by UNESCO, the countryside is a glorious mix of gently rippling, wave-shaped hills cloaked by layers of vines, sunflowers and oak forests, crowned with honey-hued hamlets and majestic Savoy castles.
Your route starts and ends in Benevello, nestling in the hazelnut-clad Alta Langa hills, from where you follow the limpid Tanaro River before climbing through a string of hamlets to your hotel in Fontanafredda, a renowned wine estate that was once owned by the first king of Italy! It's then on to La Morra, an atmospheric wine village known as the balcony of the Langhe for its stunning panorama over the surrounding rolling landscape. As you approach beautiful Monforte d'Alba, whose ochre-coloured houses seem to cling enchantingly to the hillside, you visit Barolo, home of the revered eponymous wine. This rich and fertile land produces some of Italy's finest food and wine, from robust Barolo and sweet Moscato to aromatic white truffles (exclusive to Alba), crunchy hazelnuts and tangy cheeses.
