Romanian Adventure Vacation

Romanian Adventure Vacation

This Romania holiday takes you on a two-week cultural circuit, traveling in a small group into the heart of a country that is not only captivating but also, in many ways, a complete revelation. It is also still very much off the tourist trail, despite its cultural gems and splendid Carpathian Mountain landscapes, and so we can travel through large swathes of rural Romania hardly seeing another tourist.

With two weeks, we have time to really immerse ourselves in Romanian culture and take time in each of the places we visit, such as the medieval towns of Sighisoara and Sibiu in Transylvania, the stunning, painted monasteries of Bucovina, or wooden churches of Maramures. However, we also spend time in smaller, lesser-known villages where we have some wonderful homestays. These are, of course, sometimes the most treasured cultural experiences that we can have, simply chatting and learning from our generous and most welcoming hosts.

Romania’s Carpathian Mountains provide a spectacular backdrop to this holiday. A landscape where primeval forests and alpine meadows are still habitats for wolves and bears. Another natural wonder in Romania is the Danube Delta, where we stay in an isolated village in amongst this wonderful wetland of floating reed islands, home to over 300 species of bird, and where Europe’s longest river comes to a fine finish, dispersing into a wonderful wetland.

Transylvania Tours

Transylvania Tours

Fairy tale castle of Peles in Sinaia
The estate of Count Kalnoky – savory traditional dinner
Relaxation in nature with hikes and surprise outdoor activities
UNESCO heritage sites
Traditional Saxon houses of Malancrav
Saxon fortified churches of Biertan, Richis, and Alma Vii
A mix of authentic Transylvanian elements with the comfort of modern times
The best drive in the world – Transfagarasan Road
Dracula’s Castle in Bran with all its dark rooms and secret staircases

Azores Small Group Tour

Azores Small Group Tour

The Azores, an island group boasting hot geysers, rugged volcanoes, and a wild natural beauty just waiting to be explored on this small-group 10-day tour. Explore the most well-known island in the group, Sao Miguel, with visits to Furnas Valley and its thermal springs and sample a meal cooked in traditional Cozida style. Hop over to Terceira Island and enjoy the panoramic vistas from Serra Do Cume viewpoint and visit popular UNESCO-registered Angra do Heroismo.

Crossing to Pico Island embark on a whale and dolphin watching excursion, a real highlight of any trip to the Azores. Cross by boat to Faial Island to explore the island’s lively capital at Horta which has a harbor full of colorful yachts. Spend time discovering the history of the Capelhinos volcanic eruption and the moon-like landscape around the volcano itself which stands in stark contrast to the pretty flower-lined lanes of the rest of the island. With the cleanest unpolluted air in the world and a very peaceful, laidback way of life, this Azores holiday will leave you relaxed, refreshed, and ready to go.

Amsterdam Cycling Tour in Holland

Amsterdam Cycling Tour in Holland

Explore Amsterdam with a local certified guide and share authentic experiences. We arrange amazing private guided bike and walking tours in and around Amsterdam, we are life and business coaches and a wonderful international couple. Languages spoken are fluent English, Spanish and Dutch by your Dutch Amsterdam guide.

We offer a 3-day package tour which can be tailor-made in all ways. With a focus on biking as our authentic Amsterdam transport mode with some walking as well at historical sites and the option to change the city tour to a walking historical tour. It is all customized according to your wishes and tastes and it is an ideal 3 day private Amsterdam package.

Day 1 is for the historical city tour of Amsterdam. We can place accents and turn the historical city tour into a culinary tour, architecture tour, history with shopping tour, photography and social media tour, botanical and park tour. We can also offer special theme tours as a geology tour through historical Amsterdam, a birdwatching tour in the surroundings as your Dutch guide is also a geologist and nature guide. Where possible and attractive for the program we will be using the local ferries over the IJ, visit some beer factories, have a Dutch cheese tasting, visit a cheese farm, visit a diamond factory and visit a windmill. It is all possible and it will be a top authentic tour with a blend of various elements. With good weather, even swimming is possible in the Amsterdam waters and this is allowed nowadays at official sites in the city waters. The water in Amsterdam is of good quality and many locals dive in the water when it is a very sunny hot day. Renting a private boat for a late afternoon tour through the canals is also an option to include in the program.

Of all transport options, biking is the real best way to explore Amsterdam city. You place the bike at someplace and make a circular stroll through the city and parks. It is all private with your local guide, you stay away from the crowds and it is very covid19 safe to be outdoors in open spaces. Besides, it is the Dutch authentic way of moving around and at this time the best way for corona-free transportation without having to use a mouth mask. With walking tours your radius of exploration is limited and you won’t experience the best spots of Amsterdam in a one-day tour.

For the Dutch countryside on days 2 and 3 we are going to Durgerdam, Marken, Broek in Waterland on day 2, and to Muiden, Muiderberg, and Naarden on day 3. In case you wish to stay 2 days in the city or go to the sea, we can program one day to Haarlem and the coast, all as you like.
Our goal is to create a three-day program full of experiences and adventure.
Of course, we need good weather and when this is not the case we can adapt the plans and dates when this is possible with your and our planning. Also when the weather is good but there is a very strong wind along the IJsselmeer we have to take care of the route when biking outside of Amsterdam.

The bikes. We can reserve a regular city bike for you and include it. We can also arrange race bikes and have them dropped off at your hotel or host address in Amsterdam. The bikes are not yet included in the cost-price so to keep maximum flexibility. You can also take care of the bike at a rental shop, we indicate how and where you can rent and we pick you up at your hotel, homestay, or at a subway or train station. We have 2 extra bikes ourselves and in case this works out you can use one. One bike we have is really special and you won’t find it elsewhere, it is a female-friendly bike with very low step-in, gears and perfect for older people, or for people with very little bike experience who are still a little bit unsure about biking or just for people that are small.

This way of doing a 3 day Amsterdam tour with a private guide is unique, amazing, and special. Your local guide is Dutch, from Amsterdam, an internationally experienced culture and mountain guide, and a former geologist who is an expert on Latin- and South America. So you can also ask anything about this beautiful and amazing continent. He has worked as a guide before in Amsterdam for Rembrandt Tours, for the VVV on culinary tours, and guided in the National Museum of Art in Amsterdam. At last but not at least our organization supports the women’s coffee cooperation and NGO Madre Solar in Venezuela, so also with your biking tour will contribute to that initiative and support mothers and children in Venezuela who really need your help very much!

This 3-day tour can be just a holiday but also a personal or business growth opportunity as we are life and business coaches. Feel free to contact us by mail and then we can follow it up by Skype, Zoom, or WhatsApp.

Moldova Vacation

Moldova Vacation

One of Europe’s quirkiest countries, minuscule Moldova is home to the “breakaway republic” of Transdniestr and the autonomous region of Gagauzia – making it extremely hard to define. Dwarfed by its neighbors Ukraine and Romania, Moldova’s historical and contemporary influences stretch from the Ottoman Empire to Russia, creating an intriguing confluence of cultures that can be explored on this Moldova holiday. Few people know about this region’s wine-producing heritage, but this six-day Moldova holiday takes you to vast, subterranean wine cellars and small family-run wineries with the chance to sample some of these superb wines. You can visit cave monasteries, the 16th-century fortress at Bendery, and cross the border into long, narrow Transdniestr – also known as Transnistria – which is only recognized by three other non-UN states. This Moldova holiday is certainly a tour with a difference; “off the beaten track” doesn’t even come close.

Sicily History Tour

Sicily History Tour

Sicily is an ideal destination for anyone interested in ancient history, as there are so many sites to see within such close proximity. Our experiences will be brought to life by local expert Antonio Marretta.

Agrigento – Visit Sicily’s most famous Classical remains in the Valley of the Temples with its remarkable Doric architecture
Syracusa – Discover the ancient ruins in the Neapolis Archaeological Park and the attractive lanes and piazza’s of Ortygia Island
Villa Romana del Casale – See some of the best-preserved and most extensive mosaics left in Europe at this Roman villa.

Italian Food Tours

Italian Food Tours

Make the most of your time on a 10-day Italian food tour that takes you from the waterfront restaurants of Venice to the grand piazzas of Rome with a hearty helping of Tuscan delights along the way to soothe the soul and inspire the palate.

As you’d hope from Italian food tours from Venice to Florence to Rome, you’ll also be invited to take your time to stroll around the cultural cobbles and investigate the independent wine and food sellers with guided sightseeing and free time to explore adding to an array of gastronomic delights.

Train journeys allow you to experience an Italian food tour like a local as you soak up the rolling scenery and stow away a few snacks and tasty treats for the journey before disembarking and discovering regional specialties or strolling through the countryside where regional produce grows in abundance.

Ancient Greece and Beach Vacation, Small Group

Ancient Greece & Beach Vacation, Small Group

Combine the fascinating history and mythology of Ancient Greece with a relaxing stay on the island of Santorini with this small-group tour. For the first five days, you’ll embark on a fast-paced itinerary that takes you to Athens, with its majestic architecture including the Parthenon, Hadrian’s Arch, and the Acropolis, then over the Corinth Canal to Mycenae, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Later you’ll take a guided tour around Nafplion, the first capital of Greece which sits at the foot of a cliff, and the vast Roman amphitheater of Epidaurus.

Whether or not you’re one of those fans that are glued to the TV whenever the athletics are on, you’re sure to love a visit to Olympia, home of the very first Olympic Games and where you can still see the altar where the flame was placed. More treasures of the ancient world are to be found in Delphi later on, including the well-preserved remains of the Temple of Apollo.

Delphi marks the midway point in the trip. The following day you’ll take a ferry across to Santorini, its rugged island scenery gave a unique cast by a 16th-century volcanic eruption. Staying just outside the picturesque town of Fira, you now have two days entirely at liberty to do as you want. Perhaps a boat trip around the island, a therapeutic mud bath, or, for the more adventurous, a hike to the summit of an active volcano! Whatever you end up doing, make the most of that glorious Greek food and wine before the return to Athens.

Ancient Greece Vacation, Small Group

Ancient Greece Vacation, Small Group

This Ancient Greece holiday is a six-day, fully guided small group tour around some of the country’s most spectacular ancient sites on the mainland. Your guide will be a local expert in Greek history and mythology who brings all the ancient stories and heritage to life as you tour the sites. Starting in Athens and its surroundings, we spend two days taking in the city’s greats including the Acropolis and the Parthenon, as well as the Temple of Olympian Zeus, the National Library, and the Parliament building.

We then head west to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Mycenae on the Peloponnese Peninsula where we spend time visiting the 3,500-year-old citadel ruins said to be Agamemnon’s home. After this, we head to the beautiful seaside town of Nafplion, the country’s first capital.

Our next stop is further west at Olympia, the birthplace of the Olympics where we visit some of the smaller sites, taking in the Temple of Zeus and Hera, the Stadium, and the altar of the Olympic flame. Our last stop before heading back to Athens is the great ancient temple at Delphi, on the mountainous cliffs of Mount Parnassus. Which is also surrounded by the stunning landscapes of Parnassus National Park.

Please note that we can also organize this as a private tour if you would prefer to not travel in a group, so please do not hesitate to chat with us about your requirements.

Greek Islands Tour

Greek Islands Tour

Our island hopping trip begins in Greece’s capital, Athens, before exploring the gleaming waterfront harbors, rocky coves, and long sandy beaches of the Cyclades. Visit the islands of Syros, Paros, Santorini, and Naxos by ferry.

Santorini – Discover its stunning volcanic scenery and whitewashed churches with their iconic blue-domed roofs
Syros – Capital of the Cyclades Islands; take coastal walks and sample cuisine in authentic seafront tavernas
Paros – Chance to walk along an ancient Byzantine road and go snorkeling from Golden Beach.