real life experiences mediterranean europe intrepid europe is about more than just the sights discover the sounds scents tastes and feel of every place you visit too to get that first-hand real life experience we travel in small groups and we don t do coaches we get with the locals taking trains and taking the trouble to interact for the variety of trip styles please see guide on page 5 look beyond the delicious food stunning coastline and beautiful people and discover a region strewn with cultural and historical treasures experience the wonders of ancient greece explore turkey s underground cities and immerse yourself in italy s rich artistic heritage all while bathed in the warm mediterranean sun pomegranate juice seller istanbul cameron gaze 30
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mediterranean europe essence of italy umbrian escapade a week in tuscany la dolce vita italy family adventure italy basix a taste of italy active tuscany cinque terre sicilian experience 32 33 33 34 35 35 36 37 37 amalfi coast more turkey unplugged turkish delights a slice of turkey turkey active black sea and beyond turkey family adventure across the mediterranean 37 38 39 39 40 40 41 41 photography comp 2006 carnival mask italy ian dorant cinque terre chimene barrett magic carpet istanbul sally johnson 31
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italy as an australian-italian i am proud to call italy my second home what i love about italy is that it has something for everyone from the hustle and bustle of cities rich in history and fashion to quaint villages in awe-inspiring locations feed your soul in the home of pasta pizza gelati and vino and nourish your spirit in one of the most romantic countries in the world let your emotions and senses guide you as you experience bella italia for yourself salute sandra di giantomasso leader essence of italy original 21 days ex rome departs weekly from apr to oct itinerary days 1-2 rome wander among the busy piazzas visit the ancient forum linger over mouth-watering gelati and more days 3-4 florence the ponte vecchio and plus local payment eu300 physical culture shock the duomo are just a couple of the monuments that make florence one of the finest outdoor museums in the world days 5-7 lucca the walled town of lucca beckons stroll the cobblestone streets cycle the tuscan countryside an
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italy umbrian escapade original 8 days venice to rome departs weekly from apr to nov itinerary days 1-2 venice our umbrian adventure begins in the magical city of venice a short walk will acquaint you with the major sights but the charm of venice is being able plus local payment eu100 physical culture shock to lose yourself in the maze of streets and alleyways the spacious piazzas are great places to sit back with an espresso and watch italian life in action days 3-4 gubbio a train and bus ride takes us to the beautiful medieval town of gubbio to make the most of the town s stunning mountain backdrop be sure to dine al fresco at one of the many streetside cafes while in gubbio we take a cable car ride up the steep slopes of mt ingino to the basilica di sant ubaldo which contains the mummified body of the town s patron saint days 5-6 assisi home of st francis founder of the franciscan monks assisi is one of italy s most important religious towns the many wonderful sights include the ba
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italy la dolce vita original 15 days rome to venice departs twice weekly from apr to oct itinerary days 1-2 rome the frenetic streets ancient sights and spacious piazzas of central rome are best explored on foot the magical sights are limitless but make sure you plus local payment eu200 physical culture shock take time out to do as the romans do and sip an espresso at one of the cafes in piazza navona days 3-4 florence we have the option to spend the morning admiring the sistine chapel and the majestic vatican city before bidding `arrivederci to rome in florence discover more timeless wonders including the 13th century duomo there is ample free time to admire michelangelo s david or hunt for a bargain in the market days 5-7 lucca with its narrow streets beautiful churches and ancient ramparts the medieval town of lucca radiates charm we set off to explore the surrounding countryside by bike perhaps stopping along the way to enjoy a tuscan picnic a day trip to pisa brings us to the gr
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italy italy family adventure family 14 days rome to venice itinerary days 1-2 rome gladiators ancient icons and gelati this exciting city has something for the whole family toss a coin in the trevi fountain for good luck or watch for plus local payment eu200 physical culture shock centurions outside the colosseum we try to make sense of 2,500 years of history and have some fun along the way at the fascinating time elevator days 3-6 lucca from our base in the medieval city of lucca explore the best of tuscany get a bird s eye view of the town as we cycle around the ramparts and tour beautiful florence to see the statue of david don t miss our day trip to pisa to see the world famous leaning tower bapistry and duomo days 7-9 cinque terre from our base in lovely levanto we visit the cinque terre or five lands a series of quaint villages connected by a coastal path the views from the path are stunning and best way to experience it all is on foot there is plenty of time to wander around
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italy a taste of italy comfort 10 days rome to florence itinerary day 1 rome a welcome dinner gives us a taste of the cuisine that awaits there is so much to see and do in rome it s a good idea to arrive early and spend time plus local payment eu100 physical culture shock exploring the sights of this wonderful city while wandering through the streets search for the perfect gelato or try a gourmet pizza buon appetito days 2-3 perugia travel by train to medieval perugia this beautifully preserved town is our base for exploring the delicacies of umbria sit back with a cappuccino and soak up the laid-back atmosphere at one of the town s many cafes a day trip to the nearby town of spello lets us truly indulge in the local fare sample some of the fine local wine and food specialities at a quaint enoteca nestled among the narrow streets days 4-5 modena visit bologna birthplace of the world-famous bolognaise sauce then head to the roman garrison town of modena which is home to pavarotti ferr
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xxxxxxxxxxxx italy active tuscany cinque terre active 8 days cinque terre to lucca itinerary days 1-3 cinque terre hike along the stunning coastal path that connects the quaint pastel-coloured villages of the cinque terre the following day hike to portovenere plus local payment eu100 physical culture shock days 4-5 the garfagnana travel to the apennines where our guided mountain bike adventure begins after working up an appetite cycling in the beautiful garfagnana region spend the evening dining on traditional local fare in a 17th century farm house days 6-8 lucca stretch those legs as we follow the old `mulattiera or mule track to the medieval town of barga in lucca after a leisurely bike ride on the city walls we follow the serchio river as it winds through the rolling landscape rewarding our efforts with a riverside picnic there s free time to explore lucca and perhaps take a day trip to pisa accommodation multishare apartments/cottages 7 nts transport train minivan bicycle walki
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turkey imagine basking in the mediterranean sun on a boat surrounded by crystal clear waters or walking the marble streets of ephesus the former asian capital of the roman empire imagine exploring the underground cities of cappadocia and in istanbul watching the sun set on europe turkey has something to inspire every traveller it s the land where the trojan war was fought and cleopatra got married the romans byzantines and ottomans forged their empires here but the most lasting impression will be of the people with their warm smiles and a genuine eagerness to make you feel at home esin atalay leader turkey unplugged basix 21 days ex istanbul itinerary days 1-2 goreme visit the exquisite blue mosque the ancient hippodrome and the spice bazaar days 3-4 cappadocia lose yourself in an underground city and plus local payment eu300 physical culture shock learn how to make a turkish rug days 5-6 nemrut dagi spend the night in a simple mountain hotel and wake early to see the sunrise over the
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turkey turkish delights original 15 days ex istanbul departs weekly from apr to oct itinerary days 1-2 istanbul visit the incomparable aya sofya and off-the-beaten-track sights such as the amazing rustem pasha mosque day 3 bursa drop into a traditional plus local payment eu200 physical culture shock teahouse or head down to the covered bazaar in this former capital of the ottoman empire make sure you try some of the town s famed chestnut desserts days 4-5 selcuk visit ancient ephesus site of a ruined amphitheatre before enjoying some local delicacies in nearby sirince day 6 koycegiz we head off on bikes to explore the orchards and verdant farmland around lakeside koycegiz days 7-8 kayakoy kick back with some gorgeous views in traditional kayakoy venture into saklikent gorge before taking the lycian way to picture-perfect oludeniz days 9-10 overnight boat/ucagiz pretty kas is our starting point for a memorable overnight boat trip snorkel in clear blue waters cruise over an ancient sunk
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turkey turkey active active 12 days ex istanbul itinerary day 1 istanbul stretch your legs in the backstreets of istanbul as we go in search of some of the city s hidden gems days 2-3 aegean island escape cycle through plus local payment eu200 physical culture shock mountain vineyards enjoying spectacular sea views before savouring a glass of local wine amid the ruby glow of a village sunset day 4 troy/gallipoli take a leisurely bike ride to the site of ancient troy or make a pilgrimage to gallipoli day 5 selcuk visit the historic ruins of ephesus before returning to selcuk where you are free to indulge in a bath at the local hammam day 6 pamukkale/fethiye experience the beauty of the travertine terraces of pamukkale before heading for serene fethiye day 7 fethiye take the opportunity to see the greek village of kayakoy or paraglide off nearby mt baba before we visit the grand saklikent gorge day 8 faralya hiking the ancient trails of the lycian way we visit remote villages and take i
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turkey turkey family adventure family 12 days ex istanbul itinerary days 1-2 istanbul step into a magical world of colourful bazaars mysterious mosques and hidden side streets explore the sights on a walking tour and enjoy a ferry plus local payment eu200 physical culture shock cruise on the bosphorus days 3-4 koycegiz the beauty of nature comes to life in lakeside koycegiz our base for cycling where we will visit a turkish delight factory we also enjoy a boat ride to iztuzu beach where you may catch a glimpse of loggerhead turtles before steaming it up in the hot springs of sultaniye days 5-6 selcuk take a local dolmus to selcuk to delve into the history of the roman gladiators and explore the cave of the seven sleepers after learning how to make delicious gozleme the traditional turkish pancake there is time for some fun at the beach or a visit to a local folk museum days 7-10 goreme experience local hospitality on a visit to a traditional stone house later explore the surreal lands
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