Boutique Group Journeys
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2021 European River Cruises and New Flexible Booking Policy Inside BOUTIQUE GROUP JOURNEYS ® Return to the world of travel on an authentic boutique adventure. I invite you to experience a journey of authentic connections and unrivaled local access when you travel with us on a 2021 Connections Boutique Group Journey. Each journey, whether a land itinerary or a river cruise, is designed to showcase your destination through unique connections with local people and cultures that remain in your memory long after you return home. Go behind the scenes at world-renowned La Scala opera house, pay an exclusive visit to a cosmetics maker in Greece and experience Berber hospitality in a village at the foot of the Atlas Mountains. Leading the way wherever you go is a Resident Tour Director®, who guides your group — now reduced to no more than 18 guests — for the entire journey, revealing the off-the-beaten-path wonders only locals know. End each day on land in a one-of-a-kind boutique hotel that reflects the flavor and character of your destination. This season’s portfolio is filled with returning favorites, as well as an all-new opportunity to immerse yourself in the extraordinary history and heritage of Poland. And with our enhanced health and safety protocols, we are uniquely equipped to safeguard your wellbeing while you travel with us. Choose the destination that calls to you, and then see how A&K can take you there in true boutique style. Geoffrey Kent Founder & Co-Chairman | Abercrombie & Kent Follow @geoffrey_kent on Instagram On the Cover: The stunning coastline of Perast, Montenegro See Page 26 for details on our Connections Boutique Group Journey to Croatia: Jewel of the Coast 1 | 2021 Boutique Group Journeys 800 323 7308 | abercrombiekent.com 1 2021 Connections Boutique Group Journeys Land Journeys River Cruise Journeys 16 Sicily, Puglia & the Amalfi Coast 54 Cruising Holland & Belgium 20 Italy’s Jewels: Cinque in Bloom Terre & the North 56 Prague & the Blue Danube 22 Switzerland & the Italian Lakes 60 Switzerland & the Rhine 26 Croatia: Jewel of the Coast 64 Christmas Markets Along 30 Greece: Athens & the Aegean the Danube 32 Spain: Seven Cities 66 Christmas Along the Danube 36 Portrait of Portugal 38 Iceland: Geysers & Glaciers 68 Cruise Vessels 42 Russia: Treasures of the Tsars 73 Terms & Conditions 44 NEW! Poland: Witness to History 77 Index of Connections 46 North America: Boutique Group Journeys Canadian Rockies 48 Morocco: Imperial Cities Visit abercrombiekent.com for up-to-date details on our Book with Confidence policy. 1 | 2021 Boutique Group Journeys 800 323 7308 | abercrombiekent.com 1 From our earliest journeys up to the present day, we set the standard for authentic and immersive travel. Our Unmatched Legacy of Service, Expertise and Authenticity Abercrombie & Kent is the world’s premier experiential travel company, with an unrivaled legacy of creating memorable adventures in the world’s most compelling destinations. Our on-site experts work tirelessly to design authentic boutique experiences you won’t find anywhere else, and orchestrate every aspect of your journey down to the last detail. Each Connections Boutique Group Journey combines the best of A&K expertise and style with handpicked boutique hotels and beyond-the-guidebook access to daily life, all of which come together to forge a true and lifelong connection to each destination you visit, every time you travel with us. We Stake Our Reputation on Every Journey A&K’s service and reputation are tested every day against the most discerning audience: our guests. And time and again, we pass the test. With six A&K offices in Travellers who choose A&K often write to tell us about our incredible Europe — part of a global Resident Tour Directors, intimate hotels, authentic experiences and extraordinary connections made with local people. Nearly 60 years in network of more than 55 the making and backed by thousands of journeys and countless miles, — our local presence is our reputation rests on one singular goal: Deliver the best possible travel experience to every guest, every time. unmatched by any other travel company. 2 | 2021 Boutique Group Journeys 800 323 7308 | abercrombiekent.com 3 Our deep-rooted local access takes you places no one else can, with an authenticity no one can match. The Difference Local Access Makes For A&K, having our own local staff is only the beginning. We build lasting, one-on-one relationships with the people who know your destination best, from craftspeople and chefs to experts in local art and history. What does this mean for you as an A&K Connections guest? It means you experience each stop on your journey from a truly local perspective. We don’t just bring you to the beautiful hamlet of Oropos — you learn the secrets of rich Greek cuisine from a local family and share lunch with them at their table. In the stunning mountain village of Habkern, you not only learn the history of Switzerland’s whimsical alphorn during a private demonstration, you even have the option of playing one. Resident Tour Directors with Deep Local Ties With six A&K offices in If there’s one thing A&K guests consistently value most about their journeys, Europe — part of a global it is their Resident Tour Director — more than 95 percent of our guests rate them as “Excellent.” Year-round experts, our Resident Tour Directors have network of more than 55 lived for decades, sometimes even their entire lives, in the places you visit, — our local presence is and possess the kind of insight into local culture that can only come from being a local themselves. Overseeing your entire journey, they accompany unmatched by any other you every day, sharing their unique understanding of daily life as well as travel company. your destination’s culture, history and cuisine. The result is a journey that reveals the real spirit of a place, connecting you to the people and places you encounter in a way you’ll never forget. “I can’t think of how a tour director could be any better! She is extremely knowledgeable, detail-oriented and friendly. Beyond excellent.” — Joyce; Sedona, AZ, April 2019 2 | 2021 Boutique Group Journeys 800 323 7308 | abercrombiekent.com 3 Safeguarding your health while travelling is our top priority. Here’s how we’re doing it. Our more than 55 local offices work tirelessly with our partners behind the scenes. A&K’s local staff have longstanding relationships with our suppliers, including restaurants, hotels, boats, transportation providers and venues. These partners know our exacting standards and have been fully vetted by our staff to make sure they comply with all local regulations regarding health and hygiene. We’re adhering to best practices for cleanliness and disinfection. We follow the guidelines established by the leading health experts to minimize any opportunity for coronavirus exposure during your journey. We’ll have hand sanitizer readily available, ensure enhanced cleaning in hotels and restaurants, sanitize vehicles at every arrival and departure and provide individual service at all meals. We’re committed to facilitating physical distancing. A&K’s small-group journeys are already well-suited to exploring with safe physical distancing in place: Your transfers are private, for example, and your vehicles are never more than half full. Moving forward, your guides will forego shaking hands when saying hello, and you’ll experience no-contact check-in/ check-outs in many hotels and dining arranged to allow for plenty of space from other guests. Personal protective equipment helps you travel safely. We require all guests on Small Group Journeys to wear a mask in vehicles, indoor spaces, and any outdoor spaces where physical distancing is not possible. We encourage you to bring your own masks; a supply will be on hand where required. All guides and staff follow rigorous health and safety procedures. Everyone involved in running your journey — from guides and drivers to baggage handlers and others behind the scenes — observes a strict, round-the- clock health and safety regimen, including regular staff health and temperature monitoring. A&K staff wear masks at all times and additional personal protective equipment as required. Abercrombie & Kent meets or exceeds the travel industry’s latest global health and safety protocols. TourCare is established by the Safe Travels is established United States Tour Operators by the World Travel & Association (USTOA). Tourism Council. 4 | 2021 Boutique Group Journeys 800 323 7308 | abercrombiekent.com 5 We provide 24/7 support, sevenExplore days a the week. Ivan Mestrovic Gallery We’re always on hand to answer questions and addressin Split any with concerns its curator you during may a have. private Our local offices are experienced in handling emergenciestour, andadmiring have exquisitethe contacts 20th-century and knowledge masterworks. to support guests 24/7 in the event of medical issues. Croatia: Jewel of the Coast 4 | 2021 Boutique Group Journeys 800 323 7308 | abercrombiekent.com 5 Visit a Berber village in the foothills of the High Atlas Mountains, experiencing warm Moroccan hospitality at its best. Morocco: Imperial Cities Share one-of-a-kind boutique experiences with fascinating local people. Immersive Travel at Its Finest Connections Boutique Group Journeys reveal the distinct culture of a place, and connect you to it and its people in unexpected and unforgettable ways. Experience authentic local interactions at every turn, perhaps joining a lamplighter on his rounds on Poland: Witness to History, or going behind the scenes at Italy’s only organic mozzarella producer on Sicily, Puglia & the Amalfi Coast. Authentic Meals in Every Destination Sampling delicious new food can be just as exciting as seeing the destination. We choose vibrant restaurants favored more by the locals than by tourists, and arrange memorable dining opportunities spanning everything from dinner at a local Polish home in medieval Krakow to a sampling of traditional Icelandic specialties in Reykjavik.