Landscapes and cityscapes tours guide by Galina International

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London: Trafalgar Square is at the heart of one of the greatest cities in the world but there is far more to London than the traditional tourist hot spots

Cover Illustration: The Nant Ffrancon Valley in Snowdonia ÂŠ Galina International 16 Bridge Street Row Chester CH1 1NQ

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Welcome to Galina’s Guide to Cityscapes & Landscapes ‘Experience the Difference’ Galina offer a wide range of destinations and themed tours for groups interested in Geography & Geology. Our Cityscapes & Landscapes tours are different. Find out how cities work or how glacial & coastal processes have shaped our environment. If you spent your Geography lessons looking out of the window, here's your chance to catch up! Destinations include some very close to home and others which involve going ‘overseas’ – but whichever you prefer we are sure that we have a tour that you will like and if we don’t we will do our very best to create one for you. Our fully guided tours will be ideal for educational groups as well as for those who are travelling purely for leisure. We hope you find it useful and we look forward to hearing from you. The

team

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Contents London’s Bankside Liverpool: Maritime Heritage Snowdonia Dorset: Jurassic Coast The Lake District Paris: The Story of a City Amsterdam Delta Works Art Cities of Flanders Christmas Markets Design your Tour Booking a Galina Tour

The Louvre in Paris – a city that elegantly (if controversially) combines the old with the strikingly new. Our tours will show you how the city has developed over the centuries and explain some of the challenges it faces in the future. (Photo: Benh LIEU SONG)

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London’s Bankside Once the heart of London's theatreland, the haunt of pirates & smugglers & home to a bustling dockland community, Bankside has been re-invented. Discover its story …

The Thames has been at the heart of London ever since it was established as a port in Roman times but the massive dock installations are no longer in evidence as all along the river from the Tower to Greenwich the old quaysides and wharfs have been redeveloped. Among the features of interest in the area we visit on this tour are:  The Millennium Bridge, an important point of access to Bankside  The Globe Theatre - the original was at the heart of London's entertainment district in the 16th & 17th centuries  The Anchor: the last surviving riverside inn of Shakespeare's day, once the haunt of pirates & smugglers as well as actors. Pepys watched the Great Fire of London here in 1666  Borough Market: there has been a market on this site for over 800 years. It is now becoming an increasingly popular tourist destination  London Bridge Station – recently redeveloped  The Shard – the UK’s tallest building; Tower Bridge which houses an exhibition covers engineering, history & economic & demographic factors leading to the bridge's construction (ascent not included). We can also take your group to investigate other dynamic areas of the capital which are experiencing rapid redevelopment – see below for some ideas.

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Shakespeare’s Bankside The Globe Theatre on Bankside was built in 1599 by Shakespeare's playing company, the Lord Chamberlain's Men and was destroyed by fire on 29 June 1613. A second Globe Theatre was built on the same site by June 1614 and closed in 1642. A modern reconstruction named ‘Shakespeare's Globe’, opened in 1997 near the site of the original (above). It was founded by the actor and director Sam Wanamaker and during the season plays are staged daily. The reconstruction was carefully researched so that the new building would be as faithful a replica as possible. An exhibition explains the history of the theatre and guided tours of the building or of the Bankside area are available while the traces of another Elizabethan playhouse, the Rose, can be viewed on certain Saturdays through the year. Red rope lights around the site indicate the size of the Rose, its courtyard or pit and the position of its two stages. A series of poster facts sheets which tell you much about not only the Rose, but about the area of Bankside which it occupied in the late 1590s and early 1600s. You can also visit the homes of Charles Dickens and Dr Johnson when in London – as the good doctor said, ‘tired of London, tired of life’!

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Canary Wharf

No. 1 Canada Square now stands on the former site of the West India Dock which had first opened in 1802. The redevelopment of Canary Wharf as a CBD has seen a dramatic change in the area's fortunes since the rapid decline of the docks & associated secondary industries in the late-1960s & 1970s. The project was not, however, without its setbacks. A slump in the property market in the early 1980s, the difficulty of attracting businesses to the Isle of Dogs & the hostility of the City to the development of a potential rival, all seemed to undermine the chances of success. Canary Wharf Station: Improved transport links together with a recovering property market had a significant impact on Canary Wharf's prospects. The extension of the Jubilee Line, together with the construction of the Docklands Light Railway, made the location a viable base for major corporations, encouraging economic growth. Docklands Museum (optional visit): The museum contains maps, diagrams, 3D models & photographs recording the history of the area. The building itself was a former sugar warehouse built alongside the West India Dock. The Crystal: the world's largest exhibition on the future of cities located in one of the world's most sustainable buildings (below) to consider how cities can be developed with sustainability in mind.

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Kingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cross- St Pancras

King's Cross Square: the area to the north of these two major stations has recently become one of the most dynamic in the capital, undergoing a complete transformation. This is in large part a result of its excellent transport connections with the two stations forming one of Europe's largest transport hubs; King's Cross Station is the southern terminus of the East Coast Main Line while St Pancras Station was completely renovated to become the departure point for Eurostar services to Paris and Brussels. Google's new UK headquarters is located in King's Boulevard. Granary Square: A former quayside serving the Grand Union Canal, this new square is surrounded by several old buildings that have put to new use, including the Granary Building, now home to Central St Martin's College of Art & Design.

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Stratford & Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park

QE Olympic Park from the Orbit (Photo c/o The ArcelorMittal Orbit) Stratford was a heavily-industrialised area with high levels of pollution & overcrowded living conditions. Reliance on secondary industries led to a sharp decline in the local economy due to the demise of London's docklands. The siting of the new Stadium was designed to help the regeneration of Stratford. Several of the venues within the Park retain their original use. The stadium itself is home to West Ham Utd.

The Westfield Centre was built on a brownfield site originally used for the building & maintenance of locomotives. It is one of the largest shopping centres in Europe & the third largest in the UK after Gateshead's MetroCentre & Manchester's Trafford Centre. Jobs have been created but there are fears that the presence of numerous chain stores will damage local businesses. ÂŠ Galina International 16 Bridge Street Row Chester CH1 1NQ

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Bankside & Canary Wharf – Suggested 2 Day Tour

Day One: - Millennium Bridge & the Anchor Inn - Globe Theatre - The Clink Prison OR Golden Hinde II: Ocean-going replica of Drake's ship. - Borough Market & Tower Bridge Day Two: - Explore Canary Wharf - Afternoon free time in London OR a Flight on the London Eye

Add an extra day & include more of London - some general sight-seeing and shopping or a river cruise to Greenwich.

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Other London Tours

Buckingham Palace We also offer tours to London themed around Art (National Gallery, Tate, Tate Modern etc.), Literature (Shakespeare, Dickens, theatre tours), Religious Belief (St Paulâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, Central Mosque, Neasden Temple, Bevis Marks Synagogue, Jewish Museum), History (Tower of London, British Museum etc.) & World War I and World War II (Imperial War Museum, The Churchill War Rooms, HMS Belfast, The National Army Museum, a Blitz Walk around the old city). We can create a tour around any other theme which may interest your group. Please contact our office for details. For details of our London Art Tours please see our website.

The National Gallery in Trafalgar Square

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Some Other Options in and around London

Parliament from the South Bank – groups can take a flight on the London Eye for stunning views over the historic centre of London - St Paul’s Cathedral & ascent of the Dome - Thames river cruise (Westminster to the Tower or all the way to Greenwich) - Flight on the London Eye - The Shard - The Emirates Cable Car (with views across the O2 & Canary Wharf) - West End Show - London Zoo - Windsor & Eton - Hampton Court Palace - Kew Gardens

Hampton Court Palace and gardens – home to Henry VIII and William III and also famous for its maze

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Liverpool: Maritime Heritage

Liverpool’s world-famous waterfront with its ‘Three Graces’ In the 1970s Liverpool was being written off by some government ministers as a hopeless case; today it is one of the most vibrant cities in the UK. The rise, decline and rebirth of what could once claim to be the second city of the Empire and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site makes a fascinating case study in urban change, not least because it is possible to see several contrasting districts of the city in the process of regeneration:

Regenerated area of the UNESCO World Heritage Waterfront © Galina International 16 Bridge Street Row Chester CH1 1NQ

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After decades of decline, Liverpool's regeneration has been led by the creation of new leisure & retail facilities, cultural venues & major redevelopments such as the Albert Dock. Our tour will show you the city’s UNESCO World Heritage sites, the fruits of the city’s contemporary revival and some of the areas where regeneration in still in progress. It is also possible to follow a transect from the outer suburbs through the inner city to the CBD and the cultural heart of the city or to select contrasting areas with a view to making comparisons between them.

St Georges Hall – the finest example of neo-classical architecture in the world Some of the key locations which can be included in your visit are:  Hale Village – commuter settlement on the very edge of the conurbation  Speke Estate – large post war development near the airport  Toxteth – multi-cultural inner city area now notable for the Turner Prize winning Granby Street Housing Project  Waterfront – the redevelopment of the south and central docks has been key to the city’s renaissance. The southern docks have been converted to a variety of industrial, residential and leisure uses. The Albert Dock closed in 1972 due to the decline of Liverpool's docks in the wake of containerisation. Formerly derelict, today, it is the most-visited multi-use attraction in the UK outside London & the largest single collection of Grade I listed buildings anywhere in the country. A number of museums are located here - the Tate Liverpool, the Merseyside Maritime Museum & the Beatles Story - which all re-use parts of the old warehouses. Apart from the museums, there are hotels & several bars & restaurants in the dock. The adjacent Pier Head with its ‘Three Graces’ - The Royal Liver, Cunard & Port of Liverpool Buildings, all Grade I or II* listed - has also been redesigned and is home to the cruise ship terminal. © Galina International 16 Bridge Street Row Chester CH1 1NQ

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 City Centre – The centrepiece of the city’s retain regeneration is Liverpool One: This new shopping & leisure development has rejuvenated the City Centre & boosted the local economy. It includes public spaces, retail outlets, offices, leisure facilities & apartments. Chavasse Park provides a nearby green space. A planned development at Central Village is currently still incomplete. The cultural quarter, also part of the UNESCO site, is a major element of Liverpool’s tourism ‘offer’.  North Docks – Peel Holdings have major plans to create an entire new district of the city on derelict dockland between the Pier Head and the new Liverpool 2 container port.  China Town & Baltic Village – on the edge of the city centre new neighbourhoods are being created in formerly run down areas.  Anfield – powered by the presence of the world famous football stadium this old area of terraced houses has received an injection of investment with the building of new homes and the creation of new public spaces will enhance its environmental appeal  Edge Lane – one of the major corridors into the city has been redesigned and a new retail park created to regenerate a deprived part of the inner city. Whatever the focus of your visit we will design your tour to meet the exact needs of your group. Please see below for some other ideas for venues to include in a tour to Liverpool.

The Albert Dock was at the heart of Liverpool’s growing economy in the 1840s and is once again in the twenty first century as it is one of the city’s major visitor attractions and key to its cultural renaissance. © Galina International 16 Bridge Street Row Chester CH1 1NQ

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Liverpool: Sefton Coast

The impressive sand dunes near Formby Point The Sefton Coast to the north of Liverpool is a unique site of special scientific interest stretching from urban Waterloo in the south to the elegant resort of Southport in the north. En route it is possible to view Gormley’s Another Place – the Iron Men on Crosby Beach (below left). The Ainsdale National Nature Reserve is an area of dunes and pinewoods (below right) covering about 500 hectares of the coastline and the dunes form a delicate ecosystem containing many different species of plants & animals. The National Trust Reserve at Freshfield is home to one of the few remaining red squirrel colonies in England and also to the rare Natterjack toad. Southport’s Lord Street allegedly served as the model for Napoleon III’s new look for Paris with its wide tree-line boulevard and the resort offers visitors a mix of shopping and leisure as well as a pleasant botanical garden.

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Also in Liverpool

A whole week would hardly be enough to do justice to all Liverpool and Merseyside have to offer. Some of the highlights include: • Two very different but equally awesome cathedrals • Two world-class art galleries (Walker & Tate) • Maritime Museum, Slavery Museum & Western Approaches • World Museum & Museum of Liverpool • St George’s Hall & the Central Library • The Beatles Story & the British Pop Music Experience • Mersey Ferry cruise & U-boat Story • Anfield & Goodison Stadiums • Speke Hall & Croxteth Hall • Port Sunlight village & the Lady Lever Art Gallery • Plensa’s Dream & the World of Glass in St Helens For details of our Art tours to Liverpool please see our website or for our World War II Tours to Liverpool including visits to the Western Approaches, secret underground HQ for the Battle of the Atlantic, & the U-boat Story where German submarine U-534 is on display please contact our office.

The Blake ‘Dazzle’ ferry

U-534 U-boat at Woodside Ferry

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Â© Galina International 16 Bridge Street Row Chester CH1 1NQ

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Liverpool is a vibrant, diverse and economically dynamic city â&#x20AC;&#x201C; drawing on the past for inspiration but looking to the future in tourism, education, media, art, architecture and retail. As a UNESCO World Heritage Site it offers an outstanding opportunity to investigate urban regeneration as it happens across a variety of urban locations.

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It is also home to

Liverpool – Suggested 2 Day Tour  Formby Point & Beach: This section of the coastline has been subject to both the 'soft' & 'hard' engineering approach to coastal management. During the late 1960s, during the construction of Seaforth Docks, a scheme was undertaken to reclaim a large area of the foreshore & create a marine lake to protect the Marine Gardens Estate. This was in addition to the construction of sea walls & other defences.  Ainsdale National Nature Reserve: This area of dunes and pinewoods covers about 500 hectares of the coastline & is managed by Natural The Albert Dock – home to the Maritime Museum & Tate Liverpool England, a government agency that looks after the natural environment of England. It is under extreme pressure from visitors - what are the Day One: impacts on the natural environment & how is this best managed? - Hale Village: A suburban commuter settlement  Ainsdale Dunes: The dunes, part of the National Nature Reserve, form a - Halewood or Speke: An overview of the city; explanation of urban zoning delicate ecosystem containing different species of plants & animals. - Toxteth & Dingle: Granby Street housingmany regeneration It Dock: is a typical example of aispsammosere, sequence of - Albert Once derelict, the dock now one of the demonstrating UK's most popularaattractions - Pier Head: Royal Liver,the Cunard & Port of Liverpool BuildingsThis offers an opportunity changes across dunes from sea, landward. - Liverpool One: Retail & leisure in the city centre for groups to collect data to investigate the diversity found in this - Evening free to explore cityat centre waterfront evening meal) pressures. environment & tothe look ways&this is being(optional affected by external Day Two: - Liverpool's city centre - Liverpool ONE retail & leisure complex - Optional visits – choose from the suggestions above OR - Visit to the Sefton Coast - Afternoon departure

Liverpool ONE – an innovative conception for a shopping centre

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Snowdonia

Galina tours to Snowdonia in North Wales let you discover how glacial processes have shaped the landscape & how human activity has also had an environmental impact from holiday resorts & slate mining to hydro-electric power. Some of the main locations we visit include:  Nant Ffrancon Valley: The steepness of the rock lip & depth of the Valley are the result of the convergence & erosive power of two glaciers; the Ogwen Valley Glacier from the south-west & Llanberis Valley Glacier from the south-east. There are several sheep farms in the Valley. Cattle & pigs are also kept on the flat valley floor. The Penryhn Slate Quarry is at the northern end of the Valley.  Cwm Idwal & Ogwen Cottage: The steep slabs at the back of Cwm Idwal are popular with climbers & abseilers. Ogwen Cottage is now a hostel used as a base for climbing & walking.  Betws-y-Coed & Llanberis: Good transport links & proximity to Llandudno, Mount Snowdon & Nant Ffrancon have made these villages honey-pot sites for tourists. The Swallow Falls are a local beauty spot.  Dinorwig HEP: Dinorwig (also known as Electric Mountain) offers a fascinating tour of the hydro-electric power station.

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Llandudno (Photo: Noel Walley at en.wikipedia) Llandudno: The main occupations in Llandudno in the first half of the 19th century were copper mining, fishing & agriculture. Between 1857 & 1877, Llandudno was specifically developed as a holiday resort, taking advantage of good railway connections. The limestone cliffs of the Great Orme provide ideal nesting sites for a variety of sea birds. It makes an excellent base for exploring. Add Some History North Wales offers not only stunning scenery but has a host of world-class heritage attractions on its doorstep. Examples include: Castles – Conwy, Caernarfon, Beaumaris, Harlech, Rhuddlan, Flint, Chirk Historic Houses – Penrhyn Castle, Plas Newydd, Plas Mawr Religious Sites – Holywell & Basingwerk Abbey, Valle Crucis Abbey, St Asaph Mining Heritage – Llanberis, Llechwedd Slate Quarry, Sygun Copper Mine Steam Railways – Blaenau Ffestiniog all the way to Caernarfon City of Chester – Cathedral, Roman Walls, Amphitheatre, boat trips

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The stunning beauty of the Snowdonia National Park For a particularly stunning view of the national park (weather permitting) groups can take the Snowdon Mountain Railway from Llanberis to the Summit Station or you can ascend the rather more modest Great Orme by tramway or cable car for an expansive panorama of the Conwy estuary and the mountains beyond. Half way up the Orme is found the largest prehistoric copper mine in the world.

The Snowdon Mountain Railway (Photo: Porius1)

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Investigating glacial landscapes in the dramatic setting of the Nant Ffrancon Valley

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North Wales: Glaciation & Landforms â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 1 or 2 Day Tour

Day One: Nant Francon & Llanberis (also available as a 1 Day tour) - Nant Ffrancon Valley & Cwm Idwal - Dinorwig HEP (Electric Mountain) OR Mount Snowdon Railway - Overnight in Llandudno (optional evening meal) Day Two: Optional Visits - Llandudno &the Great Orme OR - Choose from some of the other possible visits & activities listed above - Afternoon departure

ÂŠ Galina International 16 Bridge Street Row Chester CH1 1NQ

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Dorset: Jurassic Coast

Explore Dorset's Jurassic Coast when you take your group on a Galina Landscape tour. The focus is on the coastal landforms & processes which make this section of the south coast so distinctive & globally significant. What are arches & stacks? How are bays, coves & headlands formed? What is longshore drift or soft engineering? Find out on a fascinating tour of Britain's first natural World Heritage Site. Topics which can be covered include:  Interaction between human & physical processes  Coastal processes & the effects of weather & wave action, erosion, wavecut platforms  Deposition, longshore drift, swash & backwash, sand, sediment & shingle.  Role of sea defences, hard & soft engineering, groynes, gabions  Arches, stacks & caves, rock structures, fractures, faults & folds  Economic & social sustainability, impact of tourism, rural depopulation Or include some general sight-seeing – Corfe Castle, Swanage Steam Railway, Abbotbury Swannery, Compton Acres Garden to mention a few. © Galina International 16 Bridge Street Row Chester CH1 1NQ

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Chesil Beach (above): Britain's best known example of a tombolo coast & ideal for explaining how longshore drift & deposition work. Lulworth Cove: One of the best examples of this type of landform in the world. Study the results of coastal erosion & discover how & why headlands, bays, arches, stacks & stumps are formed. Portland Bill: Famed for Portland Stone, this area offers the opportunity to study the impact of wave action on a more resistant limestone headland. Lyme Regis: Tourism is the major source of employment in Lyme Regis. Both 'soft' & 'hard' engineering techniques have been used to protect the town from flooding & to combat coastal erosion. The harbour wall - the Cobb features in Jane Austen's Persuasion. Poole & Studland Bay: Popular for its sandy beaches, dunes & heathland. 'Soft' engineering methods such as dune stabilisation & beach replenishment protect the coastline.

Poole Harbour ÂŠ Galina International 16 Bridge Street Row Chester CH1 1NQ

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Dorset’s Jurassic Coast – Suggested 3 Day Tour

Day One: Physical Geography – Coastal Processes Travel to Lyme Regis Visit the Cobb & the beach area to the west to examine the ‘hard’ engineering approaches to coastal management followed by a visit to the Lyme Regis Museum Check-in at accommodation (optional evening meal) Day Two: Physical Geography – Coastal landforms & geology Depart after breakfast for the Isle of Portland to study the impact of coastal erosion on the limestone headland & consider the economic use of this rock type Afternoon visit to Lulworth Cove: Examine the coastal landforms here & consider the impact geology has had in this area Optional visit to Durdle Door (time & weather permitting): Examine coastal landforms related to wave action & erosion; arches, stacks & stumps. (NB: not suitable for persons who have restricted mobility due to terrain & walking distance involved) Evening free (optional evening meal) Day Three: Chesil Beach or Poole Chesil Beach: Consider how & why a tombolo was formed here. OR Sandbanks & Studland dunes OR Visit to Poole: Examine the views of different stakeholders in Studland Bay & the ‘soft’ engineering approach to coastal management Return with evening drop-off

A 2 day version of this tour is available for groups in the south of England or with limited time.

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The Lake District

Our visit to Grasmere focuses on the impact of economic change & tourism on a rural community. In Langdale Valley we look at glacial processes & their impact on the landscape. The first tourists to visit Cumbria were Celia Feinnes in 1698 and Daniel Defoe in 1724. They seem to have found it a rather frightening experience: Celia referred to ‘inaccessible high rocky barren hills which hang over one’s head in some places and appear very terrible’ while Defoe described the area as ‘the wildest, most barren and frightful of any that I have passed over in England, or even Wales itself’. Thomas West’s Guide to the Lakes (1778) really began the era of modern tourism – West refers to ‘persons of genius, taste and observation’ who have begun to tour their own country – just the sort of people who would appreciate a Galina Group Tour to Cumbria perhaps! The visitor to Cumbria in the 21st century can expect, as could their predecessors in the eighteenth, ‘scenes that surpass all description and objects which will affect the spectator in the highest degree. Such as wish to unbend the mind from anxious cares or fatiguing studies will meet with agreeable relaxation in making the tour of the lakes. Something new will open itself at the turn of every mountain.’ We couldn’t put it better!

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Grasmere is a superb example of a rural honeypot site. Grasmere: The recommendations of the romantic poets, most notably William Wordsworth, and the coming of the railways secured the area’s future as a mustsee tourist destination. Ironically part of the original appeal was its isolated solitude! When in Grasmere a visit to Dove Cottage is a must – as is a stop at the village’s gingerbread shop. Fans of the bard may also wish to take in his other homes at Cockermouth and Rydal Mount and the school in picturesque Hawkshead.

Dove Cottage in Grasmere – home of William Wordsworth Great Langdale Valley: This fine example of a glacial trough enables you to understand the scale & power of glacial erosion during the last glacial period. Here you will see many other features produced by erosion & deposition as well as post-glacial landforms. There are several sheep farms in the Valley as well as hotels, campsites & holiday lets and evidence of past mining activities.

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Stickle Ghyll: This steep valley up to Stickle Tarn provides an excellent location to examine the work of both ice & water. With commanding views of the valley, the tarn is an excellent viewing point for landscape interpretation and Stickle Barn provides an example of how the glacial landscape is being used to provide sustainable energy - the pub is powered by HEP generated from Stickle Ghyll. Ambleside: This provides a much larger example of a village which has been changed significantly by tourism. It is the northern terminus for lake cruises on Windermere to Bowness and on to Lakeside in the south.

Grasmere & the Lake District â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Suggested 2 Day Tour

Day One: - Grasmere Village & Dove Cottage: - Take a cruise on Lake Windermere - Overnight accommodation in Kendall (optional evening meal) Day Two: - Langdale Valley: Discover how glaciation impacted upon the valley - Optional visit to Threlkeld Quarry or Honister Slate Mine or alternative visits - Afternoon departure

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Fine walking country in the stunning Langdale valley in the Lake District

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Paris: The Story of a City

‘Paris is always a good idea’ said Audrey Hepburn. According to Thomas Jefferson, ‘a walk around Paris will give lessons in history, beauty and the point of life’. Who are we to disagree? On our Paris tour you will explore Paris from the Île de la Cité to the new development of La Défense. Discover why the Parisii chose to settle here & how the city has grown & sustained itself over time. See the medieval glories of Notre Dame and the Sainte-Chapelle, the baroque splendour of Les Invalides, the classicism of the eighteenth century and the grand boulevards of Napoleon III and Haussmann and then contrast the past with a glimpse of the future as seen perhaps in the Centre Pompidou, the Fondation Louis Vuitton and the Grande Arche, supposedly a four dimensional cube. Our guides will tell you the story of Paris and explain to you some of the challenges facing the city in the twenty first century – while showing you its most iconic sights. We can focus the tour on a particular theme – art, architecture, literature, history, faith, science - or simply give you an overview. Christmas Market Tours to Paris Our Christmas Market Tours to Paris combine study with festive shopping - one market stretches along the Champs Elysées as far as the Place de la Concorde, there are over 200 chalets offering a range of Christmas gifts & regional culinary delicacies. The boulevard is lit by more than 400 Christmas trees, decorations & illuminations. There is also a Craftsmen's Village with demonstrations of their work & original gifts.

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A Selection of Iconic Sight-Seeing Options in Paris A visit to Paris is not only a learning opportunity but also a chance to experience the city. Some of the activities below take a relatively short amount of time (up to an hour). Others require a longer period where it would be best to allocate 2 to 3 hours to get the full value. Coach tour: See the sights of Paris including the Champs Elysées, Arc de Triomphe & Eiffel Tower. The major sights are illuminated at night.

Arc de Triomphe: The Arc offers one of the best views of Paris. The Tomb of France's Unknown Soldier is here. Notre Dame Cathedral: Visit this great example of French Gothic architecture. You can also take time to explore the Île de la Cité. Seine river cruise: One hour tour with commentary. See the sights including the Eiffel Tower, Louvre, Musée d'Orsay & Notre Dame Cathedral. Eiffel Tower: Panoramic view including Sacre Coeur, Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame, La Défense. On a clear day, you can even see Versailles. Montparnasse Tower: Photograph the most iconic view of Paris from the observation deck, with the Eiffel Tower at its centre. Art Galleries: The Louvre & the Museé D’Orsay alone could take a full day then there is the Centre Pompidou, the Orangerie, the Marmottan Monet …

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La Défense – one of the more modern districts of Paris - is still growing

The Transect across Paris from La Défense – our Geography tours allow comparisons to be made across different districts of the city and study of different aspects of urban development in the 21st century

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The iconic symbol of Paris, the Eiffel Tower with another landmark, the Tour Montparnasse, in the background. Groups can include an ascent of either tower in their itinerary; the Tour Montparnasse has the advantages that it does not involve queuing and, as they say, it cannot be seen from the top! ÂŠ Galina International 16 Bridge Street Row Chester CH1 1NQ

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Paris - Suggested 4 Day Itinerary Day One (Outward Travel) Day Two (Paris): From its beginnings as a tribal settlement, Paris has undergone many changes as a result of population growth & urbanisation. Explore how Paris has met these challenges with a tour taking you from La Défense to the heart of the city: La Défense: The new Commercial & Banking District (CBD) reflects the modern face of Paris. Find out about Paris' arrondisements, urban zoning & transport system.   

  

La Grande Arche: This iconic structure marks the end of the historical east-west axis of Paris, running from the Louvre along the Champs-Élysées to La Défense. Paris Story Exhibition: Discover the history & geography of Paris through a spectacular 3D presentation & interactive model of the city. Haussmann's Paris: The 19th century modernisation of Paris including the grand boulevards, providing the perfect setting for the city's historic monuments & public buildings such as the Arc de Triomphe, Louvre, Palais Royal & Eiffel Tower. Île de la Cité: The historic heart of the city where the Parisii tribe chose to settle, now dominated by the Cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris. Seine Cruise: See the main sights of Paris lining the banks of the river. Evening free (optional evening meal)

Day Three (Beaubourg District): Discover this area's history & the issues raised by its regeneration which began in the 1970s.   

Les Halles: The former site of Paris' much-loved food markets, its redevelopment remains controversial. Pompidou Centre: This arts complex opened in 1977 has been far more successful than anticipated, requiring major renovation to cope with visitor numbers. Afternoon & evening free or optional additional visits

Day Four (Return – optional hypermarket stop)

Outside the Pompidou Centre © Galina International 16 Bridge Street Row Chester CH1 1NQ

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View of Montmarte (Photo: Christophe Meneboeuf)

Musée d'Orsay (Photo: Daniel Vorndran)

The Palace of Versailles © Galina International 16 Bridge Street Row Chester CH1 1NQ

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Amsterdam

Why does Amsterdam have so many canals? Explore their origins, purpose & impact on urban growth as well as look at examples of gentrification & what makes an area a desirable place to live. Our tour of the city offers fascinating insights into Amsterdam's growth from the Middle Ages to the present day; the role of the canal system; urban change, regeneration & sustainability against a backdrop of architectural gems & famous landmarks. We will show you the city on foot and from a canal boat cruise – perhaps the best way to see the city – and our guides will tell its story and explain how it is responding to the challenges of the twenty first century. A visit to Amsterdam is also a great excuse to experience some authentic Dutch culture – the art of the old masters, the masterpieces of Van Gogh, the great churches, public buildings and private houses that line the canals (see below for some of the best known) and perhaps no visit to Holland can ever be truly complete without paying homage the icons of Dutch culture; groups can attend the flower auction, visit the bulb fields in season, witness demonstrations of clog and cheese making and explore the preserved windmills such as those at Kinderdijk, Zaanse Schans or at the wonderful Open Air Museum near Arnhem.

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Some of the Major Sights in Amsterdam

Opened in 1885, the Rijksmuseum (above) contains collections reflecting a broad range of Dutch Art & History from the Middle Ages to 1900 as well as works from other European countries. Undoubted highlights include the Golden Age masterpieces by Rembrandt, Vermeer, Frans Hals, Jan Steen & Ferdinand Bol. The Rijksmuseum has over 8,000 objects on display amonsgt which are ceramics, silverware, a textiles & costume collection, furniture & an Asian Collection which is located in the new Asian Pavilion. The Rembrandthuis was the artist's home from 1639 until his bankruptcy in 1656. The inventory of contents taken at that time forms the basis for the recreation of its appearance in the 17th century with furniture, objets d'art & paintings by the artist himself, Peter Lastman, his teacher & by some of his pupils & contemporaries such as Ferdinand Bol. The house contains a collection of almost all Rembrandt's etchings & paintings. A tour of the house includes the kitchen, living room & Rembrandt's studio. The Van Gogh Museum has the largest collection of the artist's work in the world with more than 200 paintings including The Potato Eaters, Sunflowers, Almond Blossom & Wheatfield with Crows as well as a number of still life pieces, landscapes & self-portraits. There are also 400 drawings & 700 letters. The museum also features notable works by several of van Gogh's contemporaries in the Impressionist & Post-Impressionist Movements including Gauguin, Toulouse-Lautrec & Pissarro. The Anne Frank House is located on the Prinsengracht Canal, close to the Westerkerk. During World War II Anne Frank took refuge from Nazi persecution with her family and four other people in hidden rooms at the rear of the 17th-century canal house. These rooms area now known as the Secret Annex (or Achterhuis). Initially transported to Auschwitz-Birkenau she was transported again as the Red Army approached. Anne died in Belsen Concentration Camp in 1945. In 1947 her diary was published. The museum preserves the hiding place and has a permanent exhibition on the life and times of Anne Frank.

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The site of the Portuguese Synagogue (the Esnoga or Snoge) was acquired on 12 December 1670. Construction work began on 17 April 1671 under architect Elias Bouwman. Work came to a halt early in 1672, the so-called year of disaster, until 27 May 1674. Eventually, on 2 August 1675, the Esnoga was solemnly inaugurated. Miraculously it survived the German occupation more or less intact though tragically most of its congregation never returned from the mass deportations. Today the building has been beautifully restored and forms a fascinating complex of buildings which offer an unrivalled glimpse into Jewish life and worship over the centuries. As well as the main place of worship the audio tour covers the smaller Winter Synagogue, the offices, ritual baths and meeting room. The Royal Palace is one of three palaces in the Netherlands which are at the disposal of the monarch. The palace was built as a city hall during the Dutch Golden Age in the 17th century. The building became the royal palace of King Louis Napoleon and later of the Dutch Royal House. It is situated next to the Nieuwe Kerk. Our Lord in the Attic is a 17th-century canal house, house church and museum built on the top three floors of the canal house during the 1660s. It is an example of a ‘schuilkerk’, or ‘clandestine church’ in which Catholics and other religious dissenters from the seventeenth century Dutch Reformed Church, unable to worship in public, held services. Nearby is the Oude Kerk – the oldest building in the city.

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Delta Works

Boulders and Storm Barrier In the wake of devastating floods in 1953, the Dutch responded by undertaking one of the great civil engineering projects of the 20th century - the Delta Works. The floods caused widespread damage & some loss of life; the Dutch response was imaginative, thorough & effective, utilising both hard & soft engineering techniques to manage the coastal environment. See it for yourself! Oosterscheldt Storm Barrier: The barrier is 9 kilometres in length & is a key part of the Delta Works. Originally planned as a dam, protests from environmentalists & fishermen led to the addition of sluice gates to protect saltwater marine life. Neeltje Jans: This artificial island was built to facilitate construction of the barrier. Subsequently, it became both a tourist attraction & an educational facility explaining the purpose of the Delta Works. Haringvliet Sluices: The Sluices are 5 kilometres in length & maintain the flow of salt water into the Maas & Rhine rivers to prevent freezing in cold weather & preserve the ecological balance. Noordwijk aan Zee: Noordwijk is a town on the Dutch coast (pop: 25,000). The main industries in the 19th century were fishing & bulb growing. Fishing has declined but has been replaced by tourism. Soft engineering such as beach replenishment & dune stabilisation counter erosion. ÂŠ Galina International 16 Bridge Street Row Chester CH1 1NQ

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Amsterdam & the Delta: Suggested 4 Day Tour Day One:

Outward travel Day Two: Amsterdam - Vondelpark: The park was opened in 1865 to create an open space for the city's people. - Museumplein: The Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum & Stedelijk are all located here. - Vijselstraat: Explore Amsterdam's Canal Ring from the Prinsengracht to the Singel taking in the Flower Market, Waterlooplein & Dam Square. - The Golden Bend: Discover why this stretch of the Herengracht Canal has been one of Amsterdam's most desirable areas since the 17th century. - Jordaan: Environmental regeneration & its impact on land values & tourism. - Canal Cruise: Discover more of Amsterdam's history & architecture. - Evening free (optional evening meal) Day Three: The Delta - Haringvliet Sluices - Oosterscheldt Storm Barrier - Return to Amsterdam with afternoon & evening free (optional meal) Day Four: Return with optional hypermarket visit

Anne Frank house and West Church at dusk â&#x20AC;&#x201C; her statue is shown inset

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Other Tours to the Netherlands For details of our Art tours to the Netherlands please visit our website; for History Tours to Holland covering Anne Frank, the Holocaust (including the Portuguese Synagogue, National Holocaust Museum & Kamp Vught) and the Battle of Arnhem please see our web site or contact our office.

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Scenes from Amsterdam’s diverse cityscape – much of it best seen from a tour boat or on foot.

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Art Cities of Flanders

Two views of Bruges – the canal, the bell tower and one of the historic streets Many groups enjoy a visit to one of the great art cities of Flanders – Ghent, Antwerp, Brussels and above all Bruges. Bruges has been described as the ‘Venice of the North’ because of its many picturesque canals which wind between the historic buildings of this most beautiful of unspoilt medieval towns. It is possible to take a boat trip or climb the bell tower for a view of the city from on high. Among the ‘must see’ sights in Bruges are the Basilica of the Holy Blood, the Provinciaal Hof, the Madonna of Bruges by Michelangelo in the Onze Lieve Vrouwekerk, the Gruuthusemuseum, the Begijnhof and Old St. John's Hospital. Bruges is also noted for its lace, its beer and its chocolate. The historic city centre is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Chocolate Shops

An essential feature of a visit to Belgium for many groups is a chance to visit a chocolate shop

The city of Ypres is most associated with the devastation of the Great War but it offers the visitor several museums dedicated to the arts and the reconstructions of the Cloth Hall and Cathedral are themselves masterpieces of reconstruction. See below for our WWI Literature Tours.

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A short journey away is Ghent, famed for its Altarpiece (above- detail), the Adoration of the Mystic Lamb, in St Bavo's Cathedral, attributed to the brothers Hubert and Jan van Eyck. Ghent’s Museum voor Schone Kunsten is its largest collection of fine art, displaying medieval paintings and works by Rubens and van Dyck. The contemporary Stedelijk Museum voor Actuele Kunst (SMAK) is one of Europe’s most dynamic modern art galleries while the Design Museum Ghent has a large collection contained within an elegant 18th century townhouse. Antwerp is not only a city of diamonds it was also home to Peter Paul Rubens and the Rubenhuis recreates the artist’s home and gallery. Antwerp’s largest art collection is exhibited in the Museum voor Schone Kunsten, which occupies a massive Neo-Classical building. The permanent collection contains both ancient and modern works. The city also has a Photography Museum and a particularly fascinating glimpse into by-gone days is offered by the Museum of Printing which occupies a large 16th-century house that belonged to the printer Christopher Plantin; its rooms resemble the types of interiors painted by the old masters. Brussels offers an impressive richness of galleries and architectural gems, including some outstanding examples of art nouveau (including the Musée Horta, home and studio of the city’s greatest architect) – even the Metro stations have been turned into works of art. Fans of Tintin and the comic strip will know that Hergé, creator of one of the most famous of all Belgians, was born in the city so it is no surprise to find a major museum devoted to this popular art form but more traditionalists are also well served by the Musées Royaux des Beaux-Art de Belgique and the Musée Magritte, which includes outstanding examples of the work of the Belgian Symbolists. For details of our other Art tours please visit our website © Galina International 16 Bridge Street Row Chester CH1 1NQ

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Art Cities of Flanders: Suggested 4 Day Tour Day One:

Outward travel Day Two: - Ghent - Bruges Day Three: - Brussels - Option to visit Antwerp Day Four: - Ypres & return.

No visit to Brussels is complete without taking in the Grand Place (above and below) and the nearby Mannekin Pis, or sampling the local delicacies – chocolates, chips, beer and waffles, all readily available at the many bars and kiosks around the old streets lined with buildings from the days of the city’s prosperous past. In the upper part of the city is the Royal Quarter with parks, terraces, palaces and galleries. The city is also famously home to the institutions of the European Union and beyond that district is the Parc du Cinquantenaire which is home to several museums including ones dedicated to the army and to the motorcar. This is merely to list the highlights of a visit to the Belgian capital – we can tailor your tour to include exactly the places your group wants to visit.

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Christmas Markets

Lincoln Christmas Market outside the floodlit cathedral (Photo: c/o Visit Lincoln) Many cities hold festive Christmas Markets during late November & December. Christmas Markets in the UK & northern France are easily accessible to groups travelling by coach. Tours include 3 or 4 * B&B accommodation (with optional evening meal). Each tour includes a range of other visits or you can combine it with, for instance, a battlefield or Art tour or you can visit more than one market. We are happy to tailor itineraries or create a bespoke trip for your group.

Edinburghâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s skyline at Christmas (Photo: c/o Chee Seong Foo) ÂŠ Galina International 16 Bridge Street Row Chester CH1 1NQ

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UK Christmas Markets: Suggested 1 or 2 Day Tours

Bath Christmas Market One-Day Tour: There will be up to 170 wooden chalets in the area around the Abbey (above) & Roman Baths in the city centre. Most traders are local, producing hand-crafted toys & gifts, jewellery, cheese, wine, clothing & accessories & much more. Two-Day Tour: Attractions include the Royal Crescent & Circus, Pulteney Bridge, Pump Room & Assembly Rooms, Roman Baths, Jane Austen Centre. Lincoln Christmas Market One-Day Tour: Lincoln's market has a wonderful festive atmosphere with brass bands, Victorian carollers, street entertainers & a fun-fair as well as 280 stalls offering a great range of Christmas gifts, food & drink. Two-Day Tour: Attractions include Lincoln Cathedral & Castle, Guildhall, Bishop's Palace, Doddington Hall, RAF Scampton. Edinburgh Christmas Market One-Day Tour: Edinburgh offers two for the price of one with both a Scottish & European Christmas Market. There is a Big Wheel, fun-fair, ice rink, illuminations & a range of free & paid-for attractions & events. Two-Day Tour: Attractions include Edinburgh Castle, Holyrood Palace, Scott Monument, Royal Yacht Britannia Other Christmas Markets We can also arrange one & two-day tours to London, Manchester & Birmingham Christmas Markets. Ask our staff for further details & a free quotation.

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Lille Christmas Market: Suggested 3 Day Tour Day One: Outward travel via Dover-Calais Day Two: A full day in Lille Lille has one of the largest Christmas Markets in northern France with a giant Ferris wheel as its centrepiece. There are more than 140 chalets & stalls in the Place Rihour.  Explore Lille's 17th century old town with its Flemish-influenced architecture  Grand Place (Place Charles de Gaulle): Site of the medieval market place, surrounded by decorative brick buildings, pavement brasseries.  La Vieille Bourse: One of Lille's finest buildings. Built between 1652-3 as a stock exchange for the merchants of Lille. There is a variety of shops on the ground floor.  Opera: Designed by Louis Marie Cordonnier in the Belle Époque style.  Hotel de Ville & Belfry: The original town hall & the belfry were both destroyed during the First World War & rebuilt in the 1920s. The belfry is 104 metres in height.  Birthplace of Charles de Gaulle: The house where de Gaulle was born in 1890. The furnished rooms show the bourgeois life-style of his early years.  The Citadel: Lille was ceded to France by the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle in 1668. The Citadel was one of a chain of fortifications constructed by Vauban. (See also the collection of models & reliefs of Vauban's fortresses in the Palais des Beaux Arts). Day Three: Further visits and return travel  Palais des Beaux Arts: Built between 1885-92 & now home to one of the largest art galleries in France. The original gallery was founded by Napoleonic decree. Works by Raphael, Donatello, Van Dyck, Rubens, Rembrandt, Goya, El Greco, David, Delacroix, Corot, Courbet, Toulouse-Lautrec & Rodin.

(Photo: c/o Photos@FLCAS)

These tours are also available by overnight ferry from Hull to Zeebrugge; for details and for Christmas Markets in Aachen and Cologne please contact our office. © Galina International 16 Bridge Street Row Chester CH1 1NQ

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Amiens Christmas Market: Suggested 3 Day Tour

Day One: Outward travel via Dover-Calais (for travel via Hull please contact our office) Day Two: A full day in Amiens  Cathedrale Notre Dame d'Amiens: 13th century Gothic (built 1220-78); tallest completed cathedral & largest nave in France. (Don't miss the evening son et lumière showing the vibrant medieval colours of the Cathedral facade).  Belfry: The belfry has stood in the Place au Fil since the 12th century.  St Leu District: This medieval quarter is intersected by canals. Discover its halftimbered houses, shops & boutiques. Visit the late Gothic church of St Leu with its timbered roof before reaching the cafes & restaurants of the Quai Belu on the banks of the Somme.  Jules Verne's House: Occupied by Amiens' most famous son between 1882 & 1900. Now a museum dedicated to his life & work.  La Madeleine Cemetery: Visit the grave of Jules Verne.  Christmas Market: Held on the Rue des Trois Cailloux, near the cathedral, Amiens vies with Lille in claiming to have the largest Christmas Market in northern France with stalls offering seasonal gifts, crafts, festive fare & local delicacies such as macarons d'Amiens. Day Three: Further visits and return travel  Musée de Picardie: This museum is housed in a Second Empire building modelled on the Louvre & constructed between 1855-67. Collections cover archaeological finds, medieval art, sculpture & paintings from the 17th to 20th centuries. Works by El Greco, Tiepolo, Fragonard, Courbet, Corot, Picasso & Miro.

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Arras Christmas Market: Suggested 3 Day Tour Day One: Outward travel via Dover-Calais Day Two: A full day in Arras  Arras Memorial to the Missing: Commemorates almost 35,000 soldiers who fell in the three battles of Arras in the First World War & who have no known grave. The Air Services Memorial & Faubourg d'Amiens Cemetery are also at this location. Mur des Fusillés: Memorial to the 218 members of the French Resistance executed in Arras between 1941 & 1944.  Grand'Place & Place des Place des Héros: Both squares were destroyed during the First World War & were rebuilt according to the original plans in the Flemish baroque style of the 17th & 18th centuries.  Hotel de Ville: 16th century town hall in the Flemish baroque style completed in 1517  The Belfry: 75 metres high, the original belfry took was built between 1463 & 1554. Both the town hall & belfry were destroyed in the First World War & rebuilt in the 1920s.  The Boves: A system of underground tunnels & store-rooms used by the merchants of Arras since the 10th century. The Boves were used by the British during WWI.  Wellington Quarry: Part of a system of tunnels & chambers housing more than 20,000 British & Dominion troops during the First World War.  Arras Christmas Market: Held in the Grand'Place; almost 100 chalet stalls, selling Christmas gifts, traditional crafts & regional food & drink from across France. There is also a skating rink, Ferris wheel & a carousel. Day Three: Further visits and return travel  Arras Museum of Fine Arts: Located in the rebuilt Benedictine Abbey of Saint-Vaast, the museum has a wide range of collections including ceramics, sculpture, tapestries, costume & furniture as well as paintings from the 17th to 19th centuries. Works by Breughel the Younger, Vignon, Lebrun, Largillière, Rubens, Delacroix, Corot & Douanier Rousseau.  Alternatively, visit Vimy Ridge - reconstructed trenches & Canadian Memorial.

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Design your Tour A Galina tour is designed to take you where you want to go. Tell us where you would like to be picked up - your coach will meet you at your chosen point no earlier than six oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;clock (and we do not travel overnight). All our executive coaches have toilets, continental doors and DVD players.

Galina liveried coach We will show you the places you want to see. Our tour administrators and specialist tour consultants will discuss your itinerary with you to ensure that you make the best use of your time on the continent and visit the most appropriate venues for your group. Special requests: we can usually accommodate special requests to include particular museums or cities which have a special relevance to your group. Please tell your Tour Administrator if you have any special requirements or if any members of your party have any additional needs (hotel rooming, dietary requirements etc.) and we will do our best to meet them.

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Channel Crossings You can select from a number of different crossings: Dover to Calais – the shortest sea crossing, taking about 90 minutes and giving good time to take some light refreshments or a fuller meal and to get some fresh air. Ferries also sail from Dover to Dieppe which can offer an attractive alternative for groups visiting Belgium. Folkestone to Calais – the Eurotunnel crossing is quick (35 minutes) and easy and avoids the hazards of choppy seas but there are no refreshments available during the crossing. If you are short of time you might like to consider a day trip to Ypres or Lille using Eurotunnel – ideal for those based in the south east. Hull to Zeebrugge or Rotterdam – this is an ideal option for groups travelling from the north as it avoids an early morning departure and the long drive to Dover and offers comfortable overnight cabin accommodation and excellent ‘all you can eat’ buffet dinner & breakfast. Entertainment, bars, shops and a cinema ensure a pleasant and relaxed crossing so that you arrive in Holland or Belgium refreshed and ready for a day sight-seeing. Portsmouth to Caen – Brittany Ferries operate day and night crossings which can be ideal for groups departing from locations on the south coast or intending to visit destinations in Western Normandy. They also operate to St Malo which may appeal to groups wishing to visit Mont Saint-Michel.

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Accommodation

One of the hotels offered by Galina We can offer a range of accommodation to suit all tastes and budgets â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 3 and four star hotels, city centre locations or in small towns. We can also provide 2* accommodation for groups working with tight budgets. All our hotels include ensuite facilities, lifts to all floors and continental buffet breakfast.

Typical hotels used by Galina Optional Extras: groups who prefer can opt to include evening meals and / or packed lunches (though it can often be better value to try out the local restaurants) and in many cases it is possible to provide porterage & welcome drinks on arrival.

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All hotels are checked to ensure that they comply with health & safety regulations & that they possess a current operating certificate & appropriate public liability insurance, fire safety, hygiene & pest control certificates or local equivalents. We work closely with the proprietors to ensure that our guests receive a warm and efficient welcome wherever they choose to stay.

Guides Our guides are carefully chosen for their friendliness, adaptability and subject knowledge. They have an educational / academic background and their expertise helps to bring to life the locations we visit. In some locations we use Blue badge Guides for their local expertise or guides provided directly by the venue who have an in depth knowledge of a particular site. Some groups prefer to arrange for their own guides to accompany their group and we are quite happy to arrange this for you. Two of our regular guides are featured below.

Left: Kath Murray BSc, PGCE (Liverpool University) Kath has taught Geography at secondary level for over 16 years. She has been Head of Geography & has also taught History & Religious Studies. Kath has travelled extensively in Europe & has also led many field trips within the UK for GCSE Geography groups. She is also a Subject Specialist Consultant for Galina & is currently helping to develop our new UK tours.

Right: Julian Maslin BSc (London), MSc (Sheffield), PGCE Julian has worked in education for more than 30 years lecturing in Geography & Earth Sciences at Stafford College. He has been a Faculty Manager & Senior Lecturer for the last ten years & has experience as an examiner for both GCSE & A Level. Julian is also a volunteer guide at RAF Scampton's Heritage Centre.

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Booking a Galina Group Tour We arranged our first group tour in 1989. Since then we have carried many thousands of people - of all ages - ranging from professional associations, U3A groups & retirement clubs to schools, universities & the military. We've learnt a lot; most importantly that no two groups are the same. Our itineraries are simply suggestions to be shaped & moulded until they become your itinerary. Secondly, people like learning new things & be stimulated by them as well as having a good time & enjoying themselves. We appreciate that a good reputation is based on honesty & fair-dealing as well as quality. We don't hide any costs in the small print & we always make clear what is & what is not included in our pricing & quotations. All coach & ferry (or Eurotunnel) costs, B&B accommodation, entrance fees to museums or venues specifically mentioned in the itinerary & guide costs are included as standard. We will also inform you of the cost of evening meals, single supplements & travel insurance in your quotation. As members of ABTA, we adhere to their Code of Conduct with regard to the quality of service & information that we provide our clients. Free Places In the first instance, we offer 2 free places for groups of 30 or more paying passengers & 1 free place for groups of 29 or less. We can increase the number of free places if you require this (perhaps to raffle them to raise funds) but the tour price will have to be re-costed to take these into account.

Galina liveried coach on the Embankment opposite the London Eye

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Easy to Contact You can enquire by telephone using our Freephone number 0800 801 560 or you can contact us by email. Just click on one of the "Request a Quotation" tabs you will find throughout our website. The more information you can give us at this stage about when & where you wish to travel the more we can help you.  

Adult Groups Tours: Military & Ex-Services Groups:

www.galinagrouptours.co.uk www.wartours.com

Personal Customer Service Our staff are friendly & approachable. They will be able to offer you practical advice about the tour in which you are interested & are happy to discuss any changes or additions or deletions to the tour itinerary that you may want to make. You will receive a quotation & provisional itinerary within 24-48 hours of your initial enquiry & the name of a member of staff who will be your personal contact during this initial stage. Should you decide to travel with us you will be allocated a tour administrator (usually the same person) who will look after your tour from the day you book to when you return. You can be sure that your tour administrator will have a thorough understanding of your itinerary's individual features & characteristics as well as your group's particular requirements.

Every

Galina client is assigned a qualified Tour Administrator to guide them through their

tour

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Low Deposits & Easy Booking We want to make booking with us as easy & straightforward as possible. We only require an initial deposit to confirm your booking, with the balance of the tour price only payable eight weeks prior to your departure date. For one-day tours we require a group deposit of £600 or £15 per person based on 40 paying passengers). For two-day tours the deposit is £1000 or £25 per person based on 40 paying passengers. For tours of three to five days' duration, the standard group deposit is £2000 or £50 per person based on 40 paying passengers & for tours exceeding five days we require a £3000 group deposit or £75 per person based on 40 paying passengers. Quick Confirmation of Essential Tour Components At the enquiry stage, your quotation will obviously be subject to availability should you decide to book with us. Once we receive your group deposit we will then confirm all the key tour components (hotel, ferry, etc.) & inform you that everything is in place normally within a matter of a few days. For groups that have travelled with us previously we will often make provisional bookings in advance of receiving a deposit. Safety on Tour We go to great lengths to ensure the safety of our passengers. Coach companies & accommodation that we use regularly are physically inspected at least once every three years by members of our staff who are trained as safety auditors. Travel Insurance Galina Group Tours is an appointed representative of Arthur J. Gallagher Insurance Brokers Limited which is authorised & regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registered Office: Spectrum Building, 7th Floor, 55 Blythswood Street, Glasgow, G2 7AT. Registered in Scotland. Company Number: SC108909.

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Financial Security Your money is safe with us. All tour organisers & groups booking with Galina Group Tours are fully insured for any monies paid as to us in the form of their initial deposit & final balance of the tour price. Our policy also includes repatriation, if required, arising from the cancellation or curtailment of your travel arrangements in the unlikely event of our insolvency. This financial failure insurance has been arranged by Towergate Chapman Stevens through HCC International Insurance Company PLC. There is no additional charge for this cover in addition to the tour price quoted. Emergency Contact Number We will provide you with an emergency contact number when you are on tour in the event that a serious problem arises.

3 Simple Steps to Booking Your Trip with Galina 1. Contact us to discuss your itinerary & give us your preferred travel date/s so we can prepare & send you a price 2. Read your quotation & decide upon your preferred itinerary 3. Return your Booking Form with deposit & we will do the rest!

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