Customized European Hiking tours for those who know that the best way to see a country is by walking along its paths and byways, through regions not normally visited by tourists. Each hiking tour is custom-designed for each group; we have no scheduled departures.

Some examples of our programmes;

A HIKE IN THE LAKES

A charming tour based in England's Lake District, one of the best hiking regions in the country, with well-marked trails and a huge variety of walks of different lengths and complexity, to suit each party's needs. We suggest a stay in one of the Lake District's wonderful Country House hotels, renowned for their cuisine and comfort. This tour can be done as a short add-on to a London stay, or lengthened to provide a full itinerary for a week or two.

 A WALK IN TUSCANY

A two-centre trip, based in Florence and in one of our delightful Villa-hotels in the Tuscan countryside. The city-stay includes walking tours of the historic centre, private museum visits, and some free time for personal sightseeing and shopping. In the country, walks can be interspersed with winetastings, cooking classes, visits to antiques markets, and gourmet meals in rural Inns.

 THE SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA PILGRIMS' WAY

This historic walk, traced in Medieval times by pilgrims hoping for a blessing at the tomb of St. James, can still be traced today. To do the 450-mile walk in its entirety takes around a month, but most of our parties choose to do parts of the walk, or to combine walking and driving in their itinerary; through the foothills and forests of the western Pyrenees; past the rich farmlands of Navarre; through the vineyards and potteries of Rioja; along the high plains of Castilla y Leon, and, finally, into the rounded hills of Galicia. City-tours in Burgos and Leon can be included, and all tours finish in the historic splendour of Santiago itself.

A WALK IN GERMANY'S WINE COUNTRY

The itinerary is based around the Rhineland. The proportion of walking to wine-tasting is decided by each group, and visits to other local specialist food and drink producers can also be included. The Rhine Valley itself is hilly country, making for challenging walking. The Pfalz country, further south, is flatter, and is the location of the German Wine Road, with many villages offering their own vintage.

Our hiking tours can be customised to suit each party's abilities and needs and combined with other areas of interest; gardens, antiques, art, gourmet or music itineraries work well together with a Hiking programme. Tours can be customised to suit your party's budget and time-frame. Please note that our hiking tours emphasise comfort and convenience; luggage is transported for you; all walks are led by an experienced hiker; accommodation is in quality inns and country-house hotels.

These are just a few examples of our personalised European programmes for parties of all sizes. We offer tours in every part of Western Europe, and specialise in including unusual features and 'off the beaten path' locations. For further details and ideas, please contact us direct.

a division of Adelanta Travel Services, wholesalers to the travel industry since 1989

SPECIAL-INTEREST EUROPEAN TRAVEL PROGRAMMES