Letter from the editor

The Colosseum is one place that springs straight to mind. I had learned about it in Ancient History at school, but seeing it with my own eyes, and walking around inside its hallowed, pockmarked walls was something I will never forget.

It was one of many eye opening moments on what was my first venture to Europe as a nervous backpacker. I chose the safe option and booked a tour that whizzed me around multiple countries with a busload of friendly people from all over. The ‘it’s Tuesday so it must be Belgium’ style. I loved every single second and my desire to travel was forever set in Colosseum stone.

Tours have most definitely changed since then, with luxury tour companies curating small-group itineraries to cater for different travel styles from the slow, more immersive tours to itineraries that go on roads less travelled to uncover hidden gems, ensuring more local interactions. Tour companies are also ensuring that they are giving back to the communities they visit, are responsible global citizens and care about sustainability.

Travel Associates can curate your dream tour with this selection of our recommended luxury tour partners. Our 300 experienced agents – all with a minimum of 10 years travel under their belts – know that every client is different, with individual tour styles and tastes. They love nothing more than creating perfectly personalised experiences to suit every client. There is a tour for you – no matter what your travel style – and the friends you make on that tour, including the unflappable tour guide, will more than likely stay friends for years.

Pick up the phone and start chatting to the Travel Associates team about where you will tour, and with which company, and once your dream holiday is set and excitement mounts, you can travel with confidence, knowing that your travel advisor is there to support you along the way and that every little detail has been considered.

Where do you want to go on your next tour?

Yours in travel

Helen Hayes

From the remnants of ancient civilisations to cities rich in culture, to destinations known for their wildlife to places that win our hearts with their natural beauty, touring with experts and local guides is a wonderful way to explore new –or old favourite – destinations.

HERE ARE EIGHT OF OUR FAVOURITE PLACES TO GO ON A SMALL-GROUP LUXURY TOUR

Vietnam

Visiting Vietnam is a feast in every sense. A visual treat, a cultural banquet and a gourmet experience everywhere you go. Visit achingly beautiful Hoi An with its nimble-fingered tailors creating exquisite clothing, its mélange of architecture from cultures past and the serenity of life on the river. Stroll through the Old Quarter in Hanoi, brave the enormity of scale and sea of products at the Ben Thanh Market in Ho Chi Minh City, be awed at the rice terraces of Mu Cang Chai and in Ha Long Bay, embark on a boat to marvel at the ethereal landscape with its 3,000 islands carved out of limestone.

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Oh Greece. How we love thee. Greece is a place that really does have something for everyone. Laze on idyllic beaches dotting myriad islands in a Tiffany-hued sea. Feel the touch of the Gods in mystical temples and historic sites like the Acropolis, the astonishing and one of a kind Meteora, the revered island of Delos and at Ancient Olympia. Watch spectacular sunsets from the caldera-top at Oia or Fira on Santorini, and stroll through the ancient site of Akrotiri, a fascinating town buried by volcanic ash and still being uncovered today. Dine on the freshest of seafood, have an ouzo with the locals in local tavernas or fancy cocktails in trendy beach clubs, and ensure your tour has plenty of time in Athens, a vibrant city with a heady mix of the old and the new.

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Doing a safari in the Serengeti is a wild experience. Whether you stay in a mobile camp chasing the circle-of-life magnificence of the Great Migration, or in a luxury lodge with all the trimmings, it is all about the animals. Lions, cheetahs, elephants, warthogs, hyenas, zebras, wild dogs, giraffes, wildebeest, impala, hippos. The list of sightings is endless and the experience is surreal. Do a tour by road to take in the sights and sounds of Tanzania, and maybe venture into Kenya – the Maasai Mara and Serengeti share an invisible border – to witness the glory of Mt Kilimanjaro and neighbouring Amboseli National Park. Learn about the Maasai people and their traditions and explore Nairobi, which has a national park within the city limits in case you want to see even more animals.