The Breakaway Travel Blog
NEW independent walking tour in Croatia
Regular Breakaway guests often ask us to come up with an independent
walking tour in Croatia, so we're delighted to be introducing Castles to Coast Walk into our 2013
portfolio.
This new walking holiday opens up a
timeless world that in the oldest towns takes you back 2000 years. The Croatian
provice of Istria lies at the very northern tip of the Adriatic.
Istria was part of the Venetian empire for 300 years, and is
a fusion of Croatian and Italian influences in cuisine, architecture and
language - so much so that it is often referred to as Croatia's Tuscany.
You begin with three nights in a converted C17 palace with a
stunning spa in hilltop Motovun. Here, walks follow high ridges and an abandoned
railway offers panoramic views over truffle-rich valleys of oak, fruit orchards,
and emerald ranks of vines.
From Motovun you walk above the Mrna River valley to the
fortified hill town of Buzet, for two nights in a beautiful converted townhouse,
set within the original C18 Venetian battlements. You then head east to the
bright lights of the Adriatic Riviera, summiting Istria's highest peak - Mt
Vojak (1401m) - along the way for incredible views as far as the Dolomites and
Switzerland.
The final two nights are spent in Lovran, once the
playground of the wealthy classes in the C19. Impressive villas line the shore,
shops and cafes cluster around C17 churches, and fishermen land their catch just
outside bustling local restaurants on crowded marinas.
Home in Lovran is a converted villa
just 50m from the waterfront with sea view balcony rooms. Dining options are
excellent and varied, so we have included two dinners, with five nights free to
enjoy local restaurants.
Departs on Tuesdays from May 7 to Sep 24 with
prices
starting from $2,759 per person, per night based on two people sharing a double
room.
Places are limited, so early booking is advised.
Labels: Croatia walking tours, Europe, Istria, self guided walking
The Ultimate Guide to Luxury Escapes with Breakaway
If you are enticed by the idea of activity with a touch of luxury, then Breakaway Adventures' 2011 collection of carefully crafted walking and cycling choices should be right up your street!
Here are our Top 10 favorites:
In the fashionable Swiss resort of Davos, Breakaway walkers stay at the elegant C19
Hotel Meierhof. Highlights include an indoor swimming pool and brand new wellness center (saunas, steam bath, whirlpool and mini gym) as well as exquisite cuisine, fine wines and complimentary wine tasting.
This scenic cycling holiday explores the sun-drenched, highly sophisticated northern Italian region of Piedmont. Here you'll stay in a fabulous
range of hotels, including a country house and a beautifully restored C19 family villa, complete with its own frescoed chapel. Gastronomic menus are included throughout.
Ever thought about exploring the Portuguese Beira - an outstandingly beautiful, and totally undiscovered, region of magnificent mountains, lush gorges, turquoise lakes and pretty white villages unchanged over the years? Our base for the week, the 24-room exclusive 4-star
Convento de Belmonte is pretty special too and offers sweeping valley views from the candle-lit dining room.
Staying in a fabulous collection of 4-star hotels throughout, this independent hotel-to-hotel walking tour explores Slovenia's stunning Triglav National Park, and the Julian Alps that border Italy and Austria. It's a postcard-pretty region of charming mountain villages, thundering waterfalls and meadows carpeted with orchids, narcissi and blue gentian. The final stretch takes you to beautiful Lake Bohinj - a great place to relax at the end of your week.
Nestled between the olive-studded trees and vineyards of south-west Tuscany, the luxurious
Agriturismo Acquaviva offers panoramic pool, tennis, exquisite cuisine and wine from its private vineyard. Many of the walks follow the ancient Etruscan pathways that link immaculately preserved medieval villages with fortified towns and ancient woodlands. The great art cities of Pisa and Siena are easy day trips.
Re-designed for summer 2011, this gentle 8-night bicycling tour explores Catalunya's beautiful unspoiled coast, taking in olive groves, citrus orchards, pretty villages and colorful fishing ports. Accommodation highlights include a turn-of-the-century beachfront hotel in Palamos and a C14 gothic castle now a gastronomic boutique hotel overlooking the Emporda plains.
This extremely popular cycling tour is a glorious mix of breathtaking cycling,
fantastic hotels - all with panoramic pools - unbeatable wines, and the option to visit the great art cities of Florence and Siena. It does sell out quickly, so early booking is strongly advised.
Surging from the Atlantic Ocean, Madeira is like a giant botanical garden with tropical flowers, plants and birds from all over the world. Breakaway guests stay for 7 nights at the luxurious 5-star
Quinta da Bela Vista, one of the most exclusive hotels on the island, offering heated swimming pool, sauna, Jacuzzi, tennis and established gardens. There are two fine dining restaurants, and a complimentary shuttle service (8 mins) is provided to and from Funchal.
Best known for its millionaire yachts and stunning Mediterranean coast, Sardinia's wild and beautiful interior is just as spectacular. This twin center walking week starts in the heart of the island's countryside, exploring the shepherds' huts, traditional villages and tranquil valleys, before heading down to the deserted white beaches of the Gulf of Orosei. Throughout you'll stay in 4-star hotels, with high comfort levels, and great regional cuisine.
New for 2011, this circular independent walking tour follows a clockwise loop around the spectacular Cap de Creus peninsula. Highlights include the white fishing village of El Port de la Selva, the chic and arty harbor of Cadaques, and the sun-kissed bay of Roses, perfect for gentle swimming. You'll also explore the largest protected nature reserve in the region,and the only one in Spain which incorporates a marine reserve.
Order our NEW 2011 brochures to find out more about our extensive range of walking and bicycling tours in Europe and beyond. Call us today on 1-800-567-6286 or visit our website at
Labels: bicycling tours, cycling tours, Europe, France, hiking in Spain, hiking vacations, travel Italy, Walking vacations
Request our new 2011 Europe Cycling and Walking Holidays brochure
We're pleased to offer a new independent inn to inn walking tour in Italy on the stunning
Cinque Terre coastline and Liguarian Riviera for 2011.
Arguably the finest hiking in Europe: dramatic stepped cliffs, terraced coastal paths and emerald seas. Where you'll stay is special too, each with its unique style and character: an elegant 1920's Liberty style villa in
Rapallo; a lovely family-run hotel in
Levanto (homemade cakes for breakfast in the flower garden!), and a converted C17 Franciscan convent, with panoramic dining terrace, in
Portovenere.
If cycling is your preference, the
Emilia Romagna region of Italy
beckons! Best know as the gastronomic capital of Italy -
parmesan cheese, balsamic vinegar and
Parma ham all come from here - the pancake-flat country lanes makes this a perfect choice for families or first-time cyclists.
For something a little bit further afield, why not consider Syria - rich with the history of 5 spectacular UNESCO sites, including Damascus, Aleppo and
Palmyra. New for 2011, this fully
guided walking and sightseeing tour includes undemanding walks let by our expert local guide, whose passion and knowledge for his homeland brings history alive at every turn!
There's more on offer from a new guided walk in Valencia to cycling in Portugal. We can help you select a tour that fits perfectly with your ability and budget. Just give us a call or email!
Labels: August last minute travel Italy, biking tours, Cinque Terre, cycling tours, Europe, France, mountain hiking in Spain, Portugal, Spain walking tours, Syria
It's not too late to purchase travel insurance!
Travelex Insurance Services will provide travelers with coverage for flight delays caused by ash clouds from the volcanic eruption in Iceland. Travelers that purchase a policy on or after May 5,, 2010 (as well as travelers that purchased a policy on or before April 14, 2010) will be elgible for coverage. Volcanic ash clouds will be considered a covered reason due to weather and a loss due to the physical eruption of a volcano will be considered a covered reason under natural disaster.
Labels: ash cloud, Europe, Travel insurance, volcano
Save $250 per person on any April Departure!
Want to escape the winter blahs? Get a jump start on spring with big savings on any April departure of our walking and cycling holidays (subject to availability). Just book and pay in full by the end of February – then get packing!
Labels: cycling tours, discounts, Europe, Walking vacations
Airlines unleash a slew of fare discounts...
Airfares are typically cheap this time of year, which is traditionally the slowest period for travel. What’s news is the number of carriers slashing prices on tickets for flights in the spring and even early summer.
We saw
this article in the Star-Telegram noting that many international destinations are on sale even for flights departing in June. If you are planning on travel to Europe, move quickly! Once sales are advertised only about 20 percent of the seats on any particular flight will be discounted.
Labels: air travel, discounts, Europe
And Another Aviation Update…
If you’re a frequent flyer like us, limits on the number of flights to an airport makes us cringe a little. So when we heard about new caps on flights to New York City, we were concerned. Although congestion is problem in the skies around New York City and we are all for improvements to air travel, all of our international trips require travelers to fly to major hubs, including New York City. As scheduling flights can be tricky, we hoped this wouldn’t negatively impact our client’s schedules.
Then we saw this
article in the Wall Street Journal about British Airways planning to fly new routes between continental Europe and New York City—whew! To do this, the airline said it will create OpenSkies, a subsidiary that will start flying a Boeing 757 jetliner in June from New York to either Brussels or Charles de Gaulle in Paris. So if you’re making travel plans for this summer, keep British Airways in mind!
Labels: air travel, British Airways, Europe, New York City
Istria was part of the Venetian empire for 300 years, and is
a fusion of Croatian and Italian influences in cuisine, architecture and
language - so much so that it is often referred to as Croatia's Tuscany.
From Motovun you walk above the Mrna River valley to the
fortified hill town of Buzet, for two nights in a beautiful converted townhouse,
set within the original C18 Venetian battlements. You then head east to the
bright lights of the Adriatic Riviera, summiting Istria's highest peak - Mt
Vojak (1401m) - along the way for incredible views as far as the Dolomites and
Switzerland.
