Latest Press Releases

Celebrate National Norwegian day in Oslo from £1,105pp

Mar 13, 2017

Departing in May, our 'Norway in a Nutshell' itinerary costs from £1,105 pp (two sharing), including flights (London), seven nights’ hotel B&B, 48-hour Oslo Pass, 48-hour Bergen card and transfers. Join in the celebrations as you explore the capital, Oslo as well as taking in the stunning scenery of the fjords on the Bergen and Flåm Railways.

May Sunshine In Crete From Just £359pp

Apr 18, 2016

Save 43% (was £630pp) on a holiday to the centrally-located George Studios in Paleochora on Crete’s scenic southwest coast. The charming main street is a minute’s walk, and the sandy beach is a five-minute stroll. The price of £359 pp (two sharing) includes seven nights’ self-catering, return flights (Gatwick) and transfers. 14 nights is from £459 pp. Departs 24 May.

Scenic Skiathos from £469pp

Jun 30, 2015

Save up to 31% (was £676 – save £207) on a week-long stay at the peaceful Magdalena Studios set in country surroundings between the coast road and the sea on the sophisticated, compact island of Skiathos. Next door is an inviting swimming pool with bar, which Magdalena guests are welcome to use, and there are two fine sandy beaches and a handful of tavernas just five minutes’ walk away. Departing 17 July, seven nights’ self-catering now costs £469 pp (two sharing) including flights (Gatwick) and transfers. Prices from £589 pp (was £720 pp – save £131 pp) departing Manchester on the same basis.

Follow Spielberg to the magical Faroes

May 26, 2015

This summer, the world-famous film director, Steven Spielberg, will be travelling to the Faroe Islands to shoot his forthcoming live action film, ‘The Big Friendly Giant’, based on Roald Dahl’s much-loved children’s book, ‘The BFG’. Follow in Spielberg’s footsteps to this unique 18-isle archipelago of dramatic, wild scenery where, somehow, a giant wouldn’t look out of place. A four-night stay at Hotel Torshavn costs from £804 pp (two sharing). The price includes B&B, return flights (Heathrow via Copenhagen) and private transfers.

Scale the heights of Sao Miguels sleeping volcanoes

Apr 27, 2015

The untouched Atlantic archipelago of the Azores is a nature-lover’s paradise with a plentiful spread of colourful wild flowers, a verdant landscape, populous marine life and spectacular hiking routes around dormant, (still) smoking volcanoes. Heralded as a key destination for sustainable tourism, this is a perfect option for eco-friendly travellers who enjoy walking. The seven-night Walking inside Volcanoes trip costs from £911 pp (two sharing) including return flights (Gatwick), B&B, all transfers and six half-day, self-guided walks, complete with trail descriptions and maps. Graded easy to medium.

Gardens of paradise

Apr 08, 2015

This sub-tropical isle is famous for its lush vegetation including bananas, bougainvillea and its national flower, the Bird of Paradise. Such diversity is showcased in the spectacular 35-hectare Monte Palace Botanical Gardens. Conveniently, Monte is also the start of the famous ‘toboggan’ ride to Funchal, where the elegant Quinta Jardins do Lago offers delightful accommodation. Horticulturalists will be in heaven here: it’s set within 2.6 hectares of gardens with rare trees and exotic flowers. A seven-night stay costs from £850 pp (two sharing), including flights (Gatwick) and transfers.

Follow the footsteps of Patrick Leigh Fermor

Feb 06, 2015

2015 sees the 100th anniversary of the birth of Sir Patrick Leigh Fermor – one of Britain’s most beloved travel writers. Mani and Roumeli are his twin odes to Greece, a country where he spent a large portion of his life. Mani documents Fermor’s travels around the Southern Peloponnese and the Mani peninsula, focusing on the charming village of Kardamili, which he made his home. See the inspiration behind the work with a stay at Anniska Apartments, set right in the heart of the village. A seven-night stay costs from £645 pp (two sharing) including flights (Gatwick) and transfers.

See the real-life Arctic landscapes of ‘Fortitude’

Feb 02, 2015

‘Fortitude’, Sky Atlantic’s latest budget-busting blockbuster, hit screens on Thursday in a maelstrom of mystery and murder. The fictional town – surrounded by epic Arctic landscapes – was inspired by the high arctic archipelago of Svalbard, home to soaring snow-clad mountains, vast swathes of white tundra and around 3,000 Polar Bears. Visit the (far more peaceful!) capital of Longyearbyen to try your hand at an array of wintry activities. A three-night stay at Trapper’s Hotel costs from £939 pp (two sharing) including flights (London) and B&B.

Rome pulls out the stops for history buffs

Jan 26, 2015

To commemorate the 2,000th anniversary of the death of Augustus in 2014, many of the sites related to the first Emperor and founder of the Roman Empire have been given a facelift and reopened to the public. A new exhibition space has opened at the Villa of Livia, and the Palatine Museum has been carefully refurbished. Work has also begun to restore Augustus’ mighty mausoleum. Stay in a quiet little spot close to the Via Veneto at the Modigliani Hotel, where a three-night stay costs from £463 pp (two sharing) including flights (Heathrow) and B&B.

A getaway to the stillness of Swedish Lapland

Nov 24, 2014

On this wintry escape, enjoy an exhilarating hovercraft tour of the Bothnian Bay, with its unspoilt coastline and frozen archipelago of 1,300 islands, before returning to the tranquillity of Pine Bay Lodge on the shores of the frozen Furufjarden Lake. A pack-ice tour by snowmobile and guided evening snowshoe tour of the Luleå wilderness, as the Northern Lights (hopefully) dance overhead, are also included. The three-night Hovercraft Archipelago Tour costs from £1,662 pp (two sharing) including full board, flights (Heathrow), transfers, excursions and warm clothing.

Star-gazing in a “Starlight Tourist Destination” – from £472 pp with Sunvil Discovery

Aug 20, 2014

Visit the first site in the world to be given a Starlight Tourist Destination Award (in Dec 2011) by the UNESCO-supported Starlight Foundation: the Alqueva region in Portugal. The unpolluted night sky provides a pristine backdrop for clear viewing of constellations and stars with the naked eye. Spot the Milky Way whilst night-canoeing or get a closer look at the stars with a local night-sky expert. Seven nights at the Horta da Moura cost from £472 pp (two sharing) including B&B, flights (Heathrow) and car hire.

Countryside capers in Centro – Portugal from £740 pp with Sunvil Discovery

Aug 11, 2014

The historic village of Marialva – in Portugal’s unspoilt Centro region – perches on top of a wooded hill, close to the Spanish border, with magnificent views stretching for miles over the surrounding rural landscapes. Casa do Coro is an exquisite, owner-managed guesthouse at the heart of the village, made up of abandoned properties which have been lovingly converted to create stylish and welcoming guest rooms. There’s a large swimming pool, pretty gardens and outdoor terrace – perfect for enjoying al-fresco breakfasts and balmy evenings. A seven-night stay costs from £740 pp (two sharing) including B&B, flights (Gatwick) and car hire.

Alentejo Reviews

Jan 23, 2012

The Alentejo region is largely unknown and unspoilt, in comparison to much of the rest of Portugal. If you’re interested in a holiday to the Alentejo region, you can take a look at our Alentejo Holiday Ideas section, or why not read some of the reviews below?

Roman Holiday in the Alentejo, Portugal – from £675 pp with Sunvil Discovery

Jul 19, 2011

Roman Holiday in the Alentejo, Portugal – from £675 pp with Sunvil Discovery

See Portugal at its most architecturally diverse this August with a visit to the majestic hilltop town, Castelo de Vide. This town of Roman origin has a medieval Jewish quarter with Portugal’s oldest gothic synagogue, as well as a late 17^th century square surrounded with beautiful Baroque buildings – one of which is the charming manor house, Hotel Casa Amarela. Stay in this beautiful family run hotel decorated with antique furniture offering both square and mountain views. A seven-night stay costs from £675 pp, including flights (Heathrow), car hire and B&B.

A mythical Midsummer in Sweden, from £1,205 pp with Sunvil Discovery

May 26, 2011

For most Swedes, Midsummer (24 June) is the biggest and best party of the year. In a country with dark winters and short summers, celebrating the light and warmth is a must, and the whole country comes alive with lively outdoor celebrations. Stay in Skåne, Sweden’s bucolic south, which boasts 400km of beautiful coastline and glorious sandy beaches, plus plenty of public Midsummer gatherings. A week’s stay in converted farm Karlaby Kro costs from £1,205 pp (two sharing) in June, including flights (Heathrow), car hire and seven nights’ B&B.

Explore the unexplored Alentejo in Portugal

May 03, 2011

Take a houseboat out on the Alqueva, Europe’s largest artificial lake (250 km²) and dock at tiny Portuguese villages around the shore; visit Castro Verde, a protected nature reserve for birds, located in the sweeping flat plains of the countryside; discover medieval towns, a glorious coastline and savour world-class wines and gourmet treats.

From £420 per person (two sharing) including flights (Heathrow-Beja), transfers and seven nights’ B&B at the Hotel Evora.

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Apr 11, 2011

Travel up to Santa Teresa Hill on the 1862-constructed tramway and explore Rio’s most well-preserved district, with winding cobbled streets lined with galleries and cafés; immerse yourself in the Copacabana’s beach culture; and visit Rio Scenarium, an antique shop by day and a samba club by night.

A week costs from £1,450 per person (two sharing) including seven nights in a deluxe ocean-front room at the four-star Porto Bay Hotel with views of Copacabana Beach and a rooftop pool, return flights (Heathrow) and private transfers.

Amazing Azores - From £532pp

Jan 01, 0001

Enjoy 20% savings on holidays to the Azores departing 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 April and 14 May on seven and 14 night stays. Departing 2 April, a seven-night stay at the Hotel Royal Garden on the main island of Sao Miguel costs from £532 pp (two sharing) including return flights (Gatwick) and transfers (full price was £665 pp). Book by 31 March.