Unpack your bags and stay for a week (or more)!
Forget that stress!
How would you like to have a less stressful holiday where you arrive, unpack your bags, and for a week you let someone else look after you? Stay in a lovely old manor house, a converted stone farmhouse, an Italian or French villa, a nice hotel with spa facilites? Wonderful meals prepared and served to you, delightful excursioins arranged to interesting places, maybe a cooking class or wine-tasting experience organised for you? An opportunity to go on a walking tour or cycling tour in the region? Some shopping, restaurant visits, local beaches for swimming or snorkelling?
Sounds too good to be true?
Then take a look at these tours. You won't want to go home after being spoiled with the care and attention you will receive!
An Italian villa in Puglia
With local wine-tasting, cooking classes, visits to some of the most delightful villages in the region, swimming pool at the villas, free days to enjoy the gardens if you don't feel like going out. Your choice of lazy days or busy days to enjoy the hospitality, warm sunny days and relaxing atmosphere. Click on this link for the Puglia Villa tour, on this link for the 14-day Tuscany Villa tour and on this link for the Tuscany Villa 8-day Foodie Tour
An elegant French Manor House in the Loire Valley
Excursions for local chateau visits, meals at local restaurants, enjying the river, local gardens and winery visits. Taste the wonderful home-cooked meals, staying in your own separate cottage in the Manor grounds, where you can walk around the gardens and take time out to just sit outside and read a book, or to have a chat with friends (and new friends), or maybe enjoy an aperitif with a glass of wine before dinner. Click on this link for the Manor House 8-day tour
A beautiful hotel in Crete
With cooking and wine-tasting, cultural heritage, time to explore Haraklion, the main city in Crete that offers a rich blend of history, culture, and modern amenities. If you enjoy learning how to use fresh organic ingredients in locally produced goat's cheese and other regional specialities, then this tour should be high on your list of things to do. Touch and smell the herbs and spices of Cretan soil. Taste traditional products such as local cheese, honey of thyme, local organic wine, Cretan olives, the famous Cretan traditional drink raki, and many other products. Learn about the ancient tradition of Cretan Ceramic Art in a pottery workshop. There are plenty of opportunities to discover the Cretan food and wine specialties, and if you like learning how to make the recipes and cook your own lunch as the locals would, then you will be thrilled with this tour. Click on this link for the 8-day Crete Culinary Tour
An old medieval villa hotel and cycling in the Piedmont of Italy
If you enjoy a healthy energising ride on a bike, but like to have a break in an 18th century villa hotel and wellness retreat, you will love staying here a whole week, going on self-guided cycling excursions at your own pace and when you feel like it. Situated in the old medieval village of Romano Canavese in the heart of the Piedmont wine region, where your 4-course dinners are carefully prepared for you, this experience is an excellent mix of fresh air, exercise, good food and wine, relaxation and the pure pleasure of peace and quiet in an old village. Click on this link for the Villa stay with cycling tour
A wellness spa town and cycling in Tuscany, Italy
Another one-hotel stay with up to 7-days of cycling tour excursions included is in the beautiful spa city of Montecatini in the heart of Tuscany, known for its thermal baths since the Roman times. Here you can enjoy the hotel's spa whirlpool, sauna and wellness area, outdoor pool and gardens. The beautifully designed pool with sun lounger, the modern fitness area and the excellent restaurant ensure a memorable stay. On your days that you choose to explore your surrounds, you could drink the thermal waters at the Terme Tettucio, said by the locals to be good for your health. These thermal hot springs make Montecatini an ideal place for wellness, relaxation and even medical treatment. On a nice day, you could take the funicular railway to the old town of Montecatini built at the top of a steep hill, where you can enjoy breathtaking panoramic views of Montecatini Terme. Several train trips are included in this cycling tour, so you can go out on the train with your bike, then cycle back to your beautiful hotel for some "wellness" and relaxation. Click on this link for the 7-day Tuscany stay with cycling
How about a cruise around some Greek islands?
On arrival, you get to unpack your bag in your cabin, your meals will be prepared on board, or on some evenings the local charming cafeterias or tavernas may be calling you. All you have to do is enjoy the cruise, the views, snorkel or have a private beach swim in the crystal clear waters or just relax on the deck. Then on each island where the boat stops, you can explore the villages, local markets, admire the ancient Greek architecture and decide which local Greek food appeals to you most. Some wine-tasting and delicious food-tasting would also be on the agenda. Click on this link for the Greek island cruises
A multitude of luxury barge tours in France
What better than a barge with just a few cabins, a crew of four to look after you, an open wine cellar and an excellent chef on board? Daily excursions in a luxury vehicle with private visits to places that you may never get to experience are included in almost every one of these luxury barge cruises on Europe's canals and rivers. A central focus is in France where most of the barges are based, but there are also a few in Italy, Holland, England, Ireland and Scotland. Click on this link for the Luxury Barge Tours
Walking in Portugal
Stay in a 4* very modern hotel with indoor and outdoor pools, and great views of the village below for this walking tour, based in Tavira in Portugal's Algarve region - your choice of 5 or 8 days (depends on how long you want to keep your bags unpacked). Keep fit with the proposed daily walking excursions to explore local fish markets, quaint fishing villages, coastal walks, old churches and fortresses, flower gardens, beautiful beaches and more. Each day brings a new landscape, or you can take a day off and relax around one of the pools. Click on this link for the Algarve coast walking tour staying in one hotel
Other suggestions
There are plenty of other options for a worry free, relaxing tour, staying in one place so you get to unpack your bags and enjoy the journey!
Take a look at these bike and barge tours in many European countries.
If you like cycling and enjoying moving from place to place in your floating hotel on rivers and canals, then this could be for you. Excellent meals in the onboard dining rooms, daily excursions (some guided, some self-guided) and many destinations to choose from. These are a real fun holiday and a great way to meet new people.
Bike and boat tours on oceans and around islands in Europe
Similar to the bike and barge tours but on oceans and around islands, mostly in Croatia, Greece and Turkey. Daily bike rides, on-board catering, often includes some swimming and paddle-boarding where the moorings are suitable.
Sail and bike tours for the slightly more adventurous cyclists
Daily cycling on oceans and lakes where the winds will take you part of the way. Similar to the programs of bike and barge tours, but on oceans and sometimes around islands.
Cruising tours (smaller boats) in Europe
These cruises can have a wildlife component (e.g. in Scotland) of just a relaxing cruise in France, Germany or Hungary.
Most of the boats in all these tours above are available for charter on request. For more information please send us an email