TO ANDANTE TRAVELERS
We are fast approaching the end of the year and for those of us still hoping to get away, there are many destinations and themes to choose from. Within the pages of this minibrochure, you will find a selection of festive tours that depart over Christmas and New Year, along with fascinating itineraries that will take you from January to March in 2023.
If you are hoping to spend the holidays in a different location this year, celebrating in a new way or making new traditions, why not join our expert Guide Lecturers in Istanbul or Tunisia? Or how about a festive exploration of York's fascinating history or a chance to explore the legendary site of Pompeii at a time of year when the tourist crowd has left and the ancient streets are significantly quieter?
Looking ahead to the travel experiences that await in 2023? Well, we have plenty to choose from. The first three months of the year are filled with expert-led tours to both iconic and lesser-known ancient world sites, ranging from Algeria to Egypt and from Athens to Oman.
What's more, if you are able to get away between January and March 2023 and you book by 31st October 2022, look out for some amazing savings in our winter/spring sale – the biggest discounts we have ever offered in fact, with up to $1,470pp off your tour price.
Additionally, you can also save up to a further $350pp on your 2023 Andante Travels tour if you book by 31st October and you pay in full at time of booking. So, all that's left to say is that we do hope to welcome you on tour soon as there's so much to still discover.
Best wishes, Jackie Willis
SPECIAL OFFER DISCOUNTS
- SAVE UP TO $1,470pp!
The price of everything seems to be going up these days, but not your Andante Travels tour!
If you are able to get away between January and March 2023, look out for some amazing savings on tours in our Winter/Spring Sale –save up to $1,470pp! Traveling between April and December 2023? Look out for savings of between $105pp and $420pp on over 100 tour departures in our 2023 program.
PAY IN FULL AND SAVE EVEN MORE!
If you pay in full at the time you book, you can take advantage of a further discount, potentially saving you hundreds of pounds more. Ask your Specialist Sales Executive for details when you book.
HOW TO BOOK
If you are interested in joining one of our tours and want to know more, please do give our Specialist Sales Executives a call today. They are ready to help with your questions.
If you have already booked a place on one of our tours and require further information, please get in touch with our experienced Customer Care team.
CALL TODAY: 800-469-5516
Alternatively, all of our tours are available to book online.
VISIT OUR WEBSITE: ANDANTETRAVELS.COM
SOLO TRAVELERS
Travel takes us out of our comfort zones and inspires us to see, taste and try new things. It constantly challenges us, not only to adapt to and explore new surroundings, but also to engage with different people, to embrace adventures as they come and to share new and meaningful experiences. It can be daunting when traveling alone but with Andante Travels, you are never alone unless you choose to be.
A COMPANIONABLE EXPERIENCE
Our tours are inclusive, informal and fun and Andante guests are some of the most interesting people you could care to meet. Traveling in a party of people who share your interests is an enriching experience. Friendships are quickly formed – and some last for decades with guests meeting up long after their tour has returned and arranging to travel together on future adventures.
As part of an Andante escorted tour, you will have the reassurance that our tour staff are very much part of the group. Unlike some guides who only engage when leading and make themselves scarce as soon as the opportunity arises, Andante staff are with you every step
ZERO SINGLE SUPPLEMENT PLACES ON OUR TOURS
Over half of our guests travel solo and many of them tell us that single supplements across the travel industry, including ours, are too high. They feel disadvantaged for traveling alone. We listened, and we have negotiated hundreds of places on a selection of our tours in 2023 at zero single supplement*. From the Isle of Man to Serbia to Namibia, you are sure to find an enticing tour with no single supplement to pay. There are even zero supplement places available on every departure of our bestselling Pompeii, Herculaneum & Classical Campania tour.
What’s more, we offer double rooms (for sole use) as standard for our solo travelers so you will never be stuck in a room with just a single bed, in a distant corner of a hotel.
of the way, sharing the same experiences, enjoying the same meals (and often the same tipple at the bar), and laughing at the same absurdities that can happen on tour (a tortoise holding up the bus springs to mind!).Meal times are therefore never solitary, evenings are never dull and our tours are delightfully companionable. Regardless of whether you are traveling with friends, with a partner or solo, rest assured you’ll be at the heart of it all with Andante.
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE INDIVIDUAL We may travel as a group but we always respect the individual. There is no badge wearing, roll calling, umbrella waving or whistle blowing on Andante tours. And wherever possible we build time into our site visits to allow our guests the freedom to explore and make discoveries of their own. So if you want to spend some time sketching, writing, mediating on a mosaic or settling down for a chat and a coffee with new friends, we are the travel company for you.
Choose to explore incredible sites in the company of our expert guides and you’ll see that our tours are well suited to solos - not only are they inclusive, informal and fun, but your likeminded travelers are likely to be among some of the most interesting people you’ll meet.
2023 Pompeii, Herculaneum & Classical Campania Departing: 27th March Uzbekistan Departing: 17th March
*Please note that there are limited numbers of zero single supplement places available on each of the selected departures, and when they’re gone, they’re gone. So please book early to avoid disappointment.
BACK-TO-BACK TOURING
If being stuck at home for the past few years has sent your sense of adventure through the roof like it has ours, we understand that you might be after something extra special. A number of our expert-led tours were carefully designed so that that their start and end dates coincide, meaning you can book them backto-back to make up for all the valuable travel time that we’ve lost and enjoy an extended tour experience.
To identify tours that can be booked back-to-back, just look for a gold box on the relevant tour page. What’s more, if you book any of our back-to-back tour combinations in the same transaction, you will enjoy a discount of $210pp off your total (this is for two tour bookings, but if you book three tours backto-back the discount will increase to $420pp) and you will only pay one deposit. Minimum spend $2,100 per person.
Our back-to-back tours available:
Egypt - Highlights & Discoveries: 21st Feb - 4th Mar
Egypt - Off the Beaten Track: 5th - 16th March
Tunisia - North & South: 25th Feb - 11th March
Algeria: 12th - 21st March
Ancient Wonders of Pakistan: 4th - 15th March
Uzbekistan: 17th - 31st March
Romans on the Bay of Naples: 6th - 13th March
Walking Istanbul: 13th - 18th March
Jordan - Petra & the Desert Fortresses: 7th - 16th March
Uzbekistan: 17th - 31st March
MULTI-TOUR DISCOUNT- SAVE UP TO $210PP
If you book three or more tours in the same calendar year, you will receive $210pp off your third booking.
To qualify for this discount, at least two of your three tour bookings must be for overseas destinations. The discount excludes Study Days bookings.
Christmas & New Year
WITH ANDANTE
If the thought of another festive season spent on the sofa is uninspiring, let us offer you a chance to do something completely different.
Whether you love your holiday traditions or want to break them and try something new, we have a collection of seasonal trips available that will leave you with new memories.
Treat yourself to a place on one of our Christmas or New Year’s tours and find out for yourself.
To find out more, visit our website:
CHRISTMAS IN TUNISIA - THE PUNIC WARS
Departing 19th December
This a land where dramatic events shaped ancient history - the superpowers of Carthage and Rome clashed in three Punic Wars which determined the course of Western history. Travel from the ruins of Carthage itself to the magnificent Roman cities and monuments of Roman Tunisia, including the amphitheater at El Djem, the beautifully preserved Phoenician site of Kerkouane and the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of both Dougga and Kairouan. These all bring the captivating world of Roman Africa vividly to life.
CHRISTMAS IN YORK
Departing 23rd December
What better place to spend Christmas than in Yorkshire, ‘God’s Own Country’, with its abundance of heritage sites and breathtakingly beautiful landscapes? Join us as we explore the historic heart of York in the expert company of John Oxley, former City Archaeologist, and venture further afield with some invigorating, festive walks to the dramatic ruins of Rievaulx and Fountains Abbeys along with the medieval settlements of Wharram Percy and Hanging Grimston.
Tour Highlights
• Explore the magnificent UNESCO-listed World Heritage Sites of Dougga and Kairouan
• Discover the beautifully preserved Phoenician site of Kerkouane
• Marvel at the grand amphitheater at El Djem, which boasts underground service rooms
• Admire some of the best mosaics in the world at the Bardo, Sousse and El Djem museums
Tour Highlights
• Enjoy special access to York’s City Walls, the longest in all of England, on Christmas Day
• Stand before the dramatic ruins of Rievaulx Abbey and see why Romantic artists were so inspired by them
• Enjoy a series of scenic walks, from York’s city walls to a circular trail that passes Richmond Castle and Easby Abbey
POMPEII & NAPLES AT NEW YEAR
Departing 27th December
One of the most iconic cities in Italy, Naples’ streets and buildings are brimming with life, festooned with washing and, at this time of year, decorated with cribs of the Neapolitan tradition. We explore the remnants of ancient Naples, including the Roman baths, catacombs, churches and the Archaeological Museum. We also visit Pompeii and Herculaneum, both destroyed and preserved by Vesuvius in AD 79, buried under layers of volcanic rock and frozen in time until discovered and excavated in the 18th century.
BYZANTIUM AT NEW YEAR
Departing 28th December
Founded as Byzantium and famed as Constantinople, the city we know today as Istanbul straddles two continents and played a pivotal role in world history. When the modern republic of Turkey came into being in the 1920s, Istanbul lost its status as imperial city and capital. This tour offers an ideal opportunity to explore the iconic monuments of historic Sultanahmet at a quieter time of year and also to discover some of the hidden corners and back street life of other quarters of this great city in the company of an expert Guide Lecturer.
FLORENCE AT NEW YEAR
Departing 28th December
Discover how Florence, a small Roman settlement prone to annual flooding, became the powerhouse of the Renaissance and the greatest city in Europe. Underpinning its success was its extraordinary levels of economic development, in particular its banking which financed nations and Popes alike. This tour traces the development of this unique city, immersing us in its exquisite art and architecture, with visits that include the Medici chapel, the Baptistery and the wonderful Basilica of Santa Croce.
Tour Highlights
• See out the old year at Pompeii and neighboring Herculaneum, at a time when they are virtually devoid of tourists
• Explore the amazing Piscina Mirabilis, the largest Roman cistern in all of Europe
• Visit the well-preserved Roman amphitheater in Pozzuoli
• Celebrate New Year with a gala dinner and local festivities
Tour Highlights
• Explore Topkapı Palace, a once rambling palace complex of the Ottoman sultans and now a treasure trove of architecture and applied arts
• Take the ferry to Üsküdar, a very culturally different Istanbul – far from tourists – where we see its Ottoman mosques
• Discover the stunning Blue Mosque with its beautiful interior
Tour Highlights
• Visit the National Archaeological Museum, one of the oldest and most important museums in Italy, renowned for its significant Etruscan collection
• Discover world-class art at the Uffizi, with a pre-booked entry time that will help avoid the usual queues
• Explore the Etruscan temple and bath complex at Fiesole
IMPERIAL MAJESTY IN &
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HIGHLIGHTS OF POMPEII Highlights
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Nowhere in the world gives deeper insight into Roman life than the dramatic seaside towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum. Before the cataclysmic eruption of Vesuvius these were thriving, lively seaside towns.
Pompeii, a trading town equipped with many bars, shops and brothels, while neighboring Herculaneum was an affluent and elegant town. All this came to an abrupt halt, however, one autumnal day in AD 79, when Vesuvius - which had done little more than rumble for years - erupted with incredible force. Two thousand years later, the sites of the Bay of Naples confront the modern visitor with a vivid, haunting immediacy like nothing else in the ancient world. In some cases we even know the names, professions and personal histories of the people who owned the villas and shops we visit. The preservation of Herculaneum, Pompeii and its surrounding sites is remarkable and the archaeology beyond compare, which is why we have been leading tours here for over 30 years. And this is an exciting time for visitors as new discoveries are being made and new houses opened. Walk with us as the Romans did, from amphitheater to baths to forum, as our Guide Lecturer conjures an evocative picture of the everyday life of these prosperous Roman towns. & CLASSICAL
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Escape the crowds around Istanbul’s major monuments and discover this great city in the company of a guide who knows it inside out. Walk in the shadow of the 5th century AD Theodosian Walls, through back streets and alleyways, past mosques, churches and street markets. Not for the faint hearted, this is a walking tour through the densely populated and often chaotic metropolis of Istanbul and its suburbs, although there are plenty of pockets of surprisingly quiet market gardens, cemeteries, and parks.
Tour Highlights
• Walk the full length of one of the greatest fortifications in history, the littlevisited Walls of Theodosius
• Enjoy the hilltop Mihrimah Mosque, one of the most distinctive works of the great Ottoman architect Sinan
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ANCIENT WONDERS OF PAKISTAN Highlights
TUNISIA - NORTH & SOUTH Carthage to the edge of the Sahara
Where Africa and Europe meet
Separated by only a narrow body of water, Morocco and Andalucía have exchanged peoples and cultural ideas for millennia. On this tour of a lifetime, you will explore the nexus between Africa and Europe, starting in the Roman period and continuing to the expulsion of Muslims and Jews in the reign of Ferdinand and Isabella.
Tour Highlights
• Explore the extensive ruins of Volubilis, one of the most important archaeological sites in North Africa
• Visit Fez with its UNESCO-listed Medina, its historic buildings and its fine medieval museum
• Examine the site of Gadir, which includes remains from both the Phoenician and Roman periods
• View the extraordinary sites of Granada, the last bastion of Muslim culture in Andalucía
The monuments of ancient Egypt are unmissable, but the best known can be teeming with visitors. This tour goes off the beaten track to rarely visited sites. Still spectacular, these sites are of the utmost archaeological importance. Geographically, culturally and historically comprehensive, this tour travels all the way from Cairo to Aswan.
Tour Highlights
• Discover two new fabulous Museums - the Grand Egyptian Museum (subject to the museum being open) and the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization
• A rarely taken road trip, stopping off at fascinating sites such as Tuna elGebel, El-Tod and Gebel el-Silsila
• Visit the remains of the ancient capital city of the intriguing ‘heretic’ Pharaoh Akhenaten at Amarna
• Discover the finest art of ancient Egypt, the reign of Seti I, which is his temples glorious tomb
Have you ever wanted to gaze upon archaeological sites as the first Egyptologists once did? Join us exploring the hidden civilizations of Sudan, ancient Kush and Nubia, lords of the upper Nile and at times, rulers of Egypt itself. We follow the path of the life-giving River Nile as it winds through the Sahara Desert in Sudan, exploring the remnants of Meroitic and other civilizations along the river valley.
Sudan is a special country, fed by the eternal waters of the White and Blue Niles, for millennia the conduit between Egypt and sub-Saharan Africa. Trade, warriors, architecture, religion have all passed by, and we will see the impact of this kaleidoscope of civilizations in the historic and modern cultures of this expansive country. Sudan sprawls from Red Sea to Sahara Desert. We shall visit the Nile valley, the heart of this realm, whose control extended beyond any of the great ancient Egyptian empires. Beginning and ending in Khartoum
the capital, we will explore northwards along the Nile valley to see an extraordinary range of sites and successive civilizations of great continuity over some five millennia. Desert roads, ferryboats, granite mountains, make up a fantastic odyssey through one of the Africa’s most striking places, a chance to see great sites of the Nile as the first Egyptologists once did.
Tour Highlights
• Take in the Pyramids and the Royal Necropolis at Meroë
• View impressive petroglyphs in Wadi Sebu
• The sights and sounds of the historic and bustling capital city, Khartoum
• Discover the beautiful temple of Amenhotep III at Soleb
• The grandeur of the mighty Nile that links our story together
We are delighted to reveal our brand new 2nd edition brochure for 2023. Within its pages, you’ll find expert-led tours to fascinating destinations around the world along with our exciting new program of ocean and river cruises, and even a few new land-based itineraries. So, if you want to make up for lost time with an ancient world adventure, take a look at what’s on offer for the new year and book your place completely risk-free today.
WANT MORE CHOICE? EDITION 2023 BROCHURE IS HERE CRUISE PROGRAM IS ALSO HERE
You may also be interested to learn that our biggest ever range of cruises for 2023 has finally arrived, including both ocean and river itineraries. There are two brand new cruises among our portfolio for the new year, the first of which explores the stunning island of Corsica and then a second that encompasses Malta, Sicily and the Aeolian Archipelago.