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EUROPEWrite your own Greek legend on this sun-splashed, eight-day adventure around the Cyclades that starts in Athens. After a crowd-beating tour of the Acropolis and dining on local dishes in underrated neighbourhood Keramikos, the next morning, it’s off to the island of Milos while the sun skims gold coins across the surface of the Aegean. After exploring the whitewashed alleyways and quiet beaches in Milos, it’s on to atmospheric Naxos, where you’ll learn how to cook a traditional three-course Greek meal. Santorini – with those iconic hillside views – is your final stop.
There are at least 101 reasons to visit the Dalmatian Coast in Croatia – and this eight-day adventure covers just about all of them, starting with two nights in seductive Split. Next, it’s over to the ritzy, party-loving island of Hvar, with a romantic Medieval town centre and bar-lined beaches. We suggest you get your socialising done here because the next stop – the island of Vis – is all about serene seclusion, as you explore the wild beaches and grotto-like sea caves. Korčula is next, dappled with vineyards and olive groves, and where you’ll get to sample crisp, local wines. Finally, you’ll visit Dubrovnik and try some deliciously briny oysters before heading home.
The only people who’d argue that Southern Italy isn’t the most beautiful part of the country are northern Italians. For anyone else, the ankle end of Italy’s boot boasts the most postcard-pretty places – from Matera to Positano. This 10-day tour takes it all in, starting in Naples, the spiritual home of pizza. But it’s not just pizza that the city is proud of, as you’ll find out on a street-food tour. Nor, as you’ll discover next on a day-long excursion, is the Amalfi Coast just for Instagram posers or the region of Puglia only about olive oil.
If you think Iceland looks good in photos, just wait until you see it in person. This intensive five-day tour will take you to some of the spectacular sights around the country, starting with a three-course dinner of Icelandic specialities in Reykjavík. From the capital, you’ll be off to explore the off-the-radar region of Borgarfjörður in the wild west for epic waterfalls and charming villages before taking in the natural landmarks on the Golden Circle (including the ground-spouting Geysir and sky-diving Gullfoss waterfall) and speeding across a glacier on a snowmobile. The final half of the trip includes a volcanic beach walk and a steamy soak in the geothermal Blue Lagoon.