Syracuse, Agrigento, Palermo

The largest island in the Mediterranean, Sicily’s strategic importance has given it a violent, eventful and colourful history. Doric temples, Roman mosaics, elegant and powerful Norman architecture and a wealth of Baroque and Renaissance palaces and churches are a reminder of its great past.

9 nights price from £3986 per person

Malta, Gozo

Malta and Gozo are small islands but there is a great deal of fascinating history on each, which will satisfy even the most demanding of travellers. They have beautiful coastlines, attractive fishing ports, pretty villages often dwarfed by immense churches and much fine Baroque architecture.

5 nights price from £3274 per person

Venice, Ferrara, Mantua

Join Italian chef Valentina Harris for a boutique barge cruise which will take you from the Venetian Lagoon via the River Po and Canal Bianco to the lakeside Renaissance city of Mantua.

6 nights price from £5926 per person

Carcassonne

This tour is based at the pinnacle of the mediaeval citadel of Carcassonne where we stay at the luxurious Hotel de la Cité, built into the ramparts with panoramic views of the countryside. It is from here that we will explore the many distinctive regions of this beautiful part of southwest France.

6 nights price from £2998 per person

Tenerife

Tenerife, the largest island in the Canaries archipelago, is a volcanic island with an unspoilt and dramatic interior and a beautiful coastline. Perfectly preserved villages with colourful painted houses, pretty squares and churches, lush subtropical gardens and dramatic mountain drives, all add up to a relaxing and fulfilling week in a temperate climate.

7 nights price from £2986 per person

Seville, Granada

Our tour takes in three of Andalucia’s great Moorish cities – Seville, Córdoba and Granada, each one with its own very distinctive characteristics and atmosphere. The grandeur of Seville is represented by its awe-inspiring cathedral and great Alcázar.

7 nights price from £3547 per person

Bologna

Join Italian food expert Valentina Harris for a tour of the culinary heartland of Italy. Based in Bologna, known as “la dotta, la grassa, la rossa” for its ancient university, rich cuisine and terracotta rooftops.

5 nights price from £2847 per person

Istanbul

Istanbul is one of the world’s most fascinating cities and has a colourful and complex history, spanning many centuries. Our five night holiday will introduce you to both the Byzantine and Ottoman periods; spanning 1,600 years fro...

5 nights price from £2298 per person

Palermo

The era of Norman power in Sicily, starting in the 11th century, produced a series of stunning artistic and cultural landmarks, concentrated in the area surrounding the capital, Palermo.

5 nights price from £2957 per person

Transylvania, Bucharest

Romania has experienced a colourful and dramatic history over the past 1,000 years. Under the control of Bulgaria, Hungary and then both the Ottoman and Habsburg empires, it was not until the downfall of the dictatorial communist regime of the Ceausescus that Romania was able to forge its own independent path.

7 nights price from £3168 per person