Winter Escapes

22 unmissable travel adventures departing November 2020 – January 2021 10 superb new winter destinations, including St Petersburg, Mexico & Egypt

Secure your place with a low deposit of £99 T&C’s apply BETTER WEATHER? QUIETER SITES? AVOIDING THE CHRISTMAS CHORES?

There are many reasons to choose a winter escape, but Andante Travels’ collection of Christmas and New Year tours stand out from the crowd. Embark upon an ancient world adventure to a renowned archaeological site at a time of year when tourists tend not to visit. Soak up the culture and history of a destination with many stories to tell while markets and lights add an extra dimension to its charm. Leave grey skies behind with a far-flung exploration that takes in multiple countries from the comfort Contents of a cruise ship. Make your winter travels count and choose something different this year – the world NEW Israel, Egypt & Jordan - Cruise & Stay.. pg 6 Sri Lanka...... pg 18 is waiting and this is the perfect season to get out Israel & Palestine...... pg 7 North India...... pg 18 there and explore it. Lebanon...... pg 7 Oman...... pg 19 Jackie Willis Algeria - Roman Mauretania...... pg 8 Chile & Easter Island...... pg 19

CEO Tunisia - The Punic Wars...... pg 8 Archaeology & Ghosts of East Anglia...... pg 20

Byzantium...... pg 9 NEW Christmas in Wessex...... pg 21

NEW Istanbul at New Year...... pg 10 NEW Christmas in Edinburgh...... pg 22

NEW Trier Archaeology & Christmas Iceland Northern Lights...... pg 24 Markets...... pg 11 Gardens of Madeira...... pg 25 NEW St Petersburg at Christmas...... pg 12 Malta’s Archaeological Heritage...... pg 25 NEW Kraków at New Year...... pg 13 Flora & Fauna in Madagascar...... pg 26 NEW Thessaloniki at Christmas...... pg 14 Seasonal Gardens of Japan...... pg 27 NEW Athens at New Year...... pg 15 Christmas in Kent...... pg 28 NEW Mexico at Christmas & New Year...... pg 16 Christmas in the Scottish Borders...... pg 28 Mexico - The Maya ...... pg 17 Up Helly Aa...... pg 19 Guatemala, Honduras and Belize...... pg 17

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2 andantetravels.co.uk | 01722 569 708 01722 569 708 | andantetravels.co.uk 3 Why travel with Andante this Christmas and New Year? Experience something new this

While many of us like to be home for the holidays, Christmas and New Year trips are becoming more and festive season... more popular. Maybe it’s getting to explore archaeological sites at a time of year when tourists tend not to visit, CULTURE AND HISTORY perhaps it’s the appeal of better weather or it could MAKE FOR A MEMORABLE just be that we’re looking to spend the festive period immersed in history rather than behind the usual chopping NEW YEAR IN KRAKÓW board or sink – whatever the reason, a winter escape is With history both illuminating and waiting for you. sobering, Kraków is a unique destination from which to ring in the New Year. Visit a salt mine, stand before fine works of art and enjoy its culinary creations.

• We have 35 years’ experience of leading unique ancient Find out more on page 13 world adventures, so you can trust us to make your travel dreams a reality • Each of our tours is led by either an archaeological or historical expert, or by a local guide • Our itineraries are designed by our in-house experts and EXPERIENCE THE ANNUAL no destination is too niche or no site too remote – we SCOTTISH WINTER FIRE blaze the trail with our varied programme of tours FESTIVAL, UP HELLY AA • No need to worry as all of our tours are financially Once per year, in January, Shetland protected via ATOL or ABTOT hosts a Viking festival called Up Helly • We try to include as much as possible in the price of Aa. This winter spectacular culminates our tours, from return flights and entry fees to in a torchlight procession and boat- accommodation and meals as per the itinerary burning ceremony – it’s one not to miss. Find out more on page 29

With Andante Travels, you’re in award-winning company. Explore the ancient world with experts this winter.

To book a winter escape with a difference, please call a member of our friendly team on 01722 569 708 or just visit our website andantetravels.co.uk

4 andantetravels.co.uk | 01722 569 708 01722 569 708 | andantetravels.co.uk 5 ISRAEL & PALESTINE NEW FOR 2020 View incredible archaeology in the Holy Land There are few places on earth that can boast such a rich, varied and important archaeological heritage as both Israel and Palestine. Over the millennia, this ancient land has felt the tread of conquerors and settlers, including Canaanites, Israelites, Egyptians, Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Crusaders, Ottomans and even Imperial Britons, all of whom left their signature. Discover the incredible archaeology of Jerusalem and uncover the tragedy of Masada, before paying a visit to one of the oldest cities in the world, Jericho. Dates & prices per person Tour Highlights ISRAEL, EGYPT & JORDAN - CRUISE & STAY Date Prices from • Pay a visit to one of the world’s oldest cities, Jericho, where 20th - 30th Oct £4,295 Gods, Kings and Pharaohs - exploring Jerusalem, Luxor & Petra archaeologists have unearthed evidence of settlement as with Nick Jackson £950 ss far back as 9000 BC 24th Nov - 4th Dec £4,495 12 Days From £4,395 11th - 22nd December 2020 Activity Level • Discover Armageddon – or Megiddo – a city of great strategic importance in the ancient world and also the with Nick Jackson £950 ss scene of many significant battles Prices include an Expert Guide Lecturer, Tour Manager, While enjoying the comfort of the variety ship M/S Harmony, this odyssey visits the most important sites of • Spend three days in Jerusalem, with 5,000 years of history return flights, local transport, accommodation, entries to these historical countries in the company of expert guides. Travelling via the Mediterranean, the Suez Canal • Take a cable car to the archaeological site at Masada sites and museums, taxes and gratuities, and most meals. and the Red Sea, this tour encompasses outstanding sites while offering the relaxing feel of an ocean cruise. For full details visit andantetravels.com/aisr There are many highlights on this multi-centre cruise, which range from a visit to the Crusader castle of Kerak, one of the largest fortresses in the Levant; time to explore the UNESCO-listed Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, commissioned by the Emperor Constantine and then rebuilt by Justinian and repaired in the LEBANON Crusader period; and a chance to wander among the Valley of the Kings in Egypt, a necropolis reserved for royal burials from around 2100 BCE. Archaeology, history and the pleasure of a cruise – combined with the Discover a wealth of history in this company of an Egyptologist and knowledgeable local guides – make for a truly memorable voyage. intriguing country A small country dominated by mountain ranges, Tour Highlights Lebanon’s impact on the Mediterranean’s history • Explore the staggering city of Jerusalem with its ancient is out of proportion to its size, for here is a rich citadel and previous Paleo-Christian churches archaeological past to explore. Castles, churches, mosques, and souks recall the medieval period, when • Gaze upon the awe-inspiring Pyramids of Giza and the Great Lebanon was a battleground between the Crusaders Sphinx, and visit the new Grand Egyptian Museum and Islam as well as a mixing bowl of religions • Marvel at the rock-cut architecture and passageways in the and cultures. Modern Lebanon is an interesting famous Nabatean kingdom of Petra experience – Beirut is a vibrant and stylish city • Explore the enormous and monumental temples at Karnak, one with an air of affluence. However, in the hills and of the largest remaining religious sites of the ancient world countryside, a biblical feel still manages to exist.

Tour Highlights Dates & prices per person Included in your price Dates & prices per person • Explore ancient Byblos, the oldest continuously inhabited Date Prices from • Onboard Egyptologist hotel room on day one due to Date Prices from city in the world 22nd - 29th Nov £3,045 our late arrival • Return flights from London & • Discover the Roman remains at Tyre, including the with Tony O’Connor £345 ss all local transport • Water with all meals and tea or 11th - 22nd Dec 2020 Hippodrome and monumental streets with Tarmin Darwish, £4,395 27th Dec 2020 - 3rd Jan 2021 £3,495 • Accommodation in Amman, coffee with dinner Mohammad Abdulnabi & Yonatan £560 ss • Pay visits to the great Temple of Jupiter Heliopolis in with Tony O’Connor £475 ss Petra, Luxor & Jerusalem, as • Entries to all sites & museums Baalbek and of Eshmoun in Sidon well as M/S Harmony Zilbersheid Prices include an Expert Guide Lecturer, Tour Manager, • All taxes & gratuities • Pore over artefacts at the National Archaeological Museum, • 11 breakfasts, 10 lunches & Please note the itinerary order £4,895 such as the Phoenician-inscribed sarcophagus of Ahiram return flights, local transport, accommodation, entries to 10 dinners, plus a snack in the differs for the January 2021 tour. £560 ss sites and museums, taxes and gratuities, and most meals.

For full details of this tour visit andantetravels.co.uk/aiej For full details visit andantetravels.co.uk/aleb 6 andantetravels.co.uk | 01722 569 708 Images: The Suez Canal and the Temple of Hatshepsut Images: The ruins of Bethesda Pool and Baalbek’s Temple of Jupiter 01722 569 708 | andantetravels.co.uk 7 ALGERIA Roman Mauretania

Algeria is still one of the least-visited countries in the world, but access to its ruinous Classical cities is now easier than it has been for some years. The sites are a palimpsest of Numidian, Roman and Byzantine remains, and include probably the best- preserved colonia anywhere in the Empire – Timgad. Elsewhere, admire artefacts housed within the Sétif Archaeological Museum, tour the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Djémila and enjoy lunch at a private home in the Casbah – a unique UNESCO-listed medina or Islamic city.

Tour Highlights • Wander around perfectly preserved streets at the UNESCO- Dates & prices per person BYZANTIUM listed sites of Roman Djémila and Timgad, which has an Date Prices from immaculate gridded plan Private evening visit to the magnificent Hagia Sophia • In Sétif, gaze upon one of the Roman world’s most exquisite 1st - 10th Nov £3,695 mosaics - the ‘Triumph of Dionysus’ with Steve Roskams £525 ss 7 Days From £2,695 16th - 22nd November 2020 Activity Level • Explore the Roman ‘City of Bridges’ – Constantine – and the evocative ruins of Hippo Regius Price includes an Expert Guide Lecturer, Tour Manager, Superbly situated on the banks of the continent-dividing Bosphorus Strait and, like Rome, built on seven hills, • Visit little-publicised museums that house great artefacts return flights, local transport, accommodation, entries to sites and museums, taxes and gratuities, and most meals. the vibrant metropolis of Istanbul has been around for over two-and-a-half millennia. Two great empires have made it their capital – the Christian Byzantines and the Muslim Ottoman Turks – and it is their spectacular For full details visit andantetravels.co.uk/aalg legacy that makes the city so appealing to those of us with a passion for archaeology and history. The Topkapı Palace and its mysterious harem, the gloriously Iznik-tiled Blue Mosque, and the gorgeous mosaics and frescoes of the Church of Saviour in Chora are just some of the highlights – plus, we have TUNISIA secured very special out-of-hours access to one of the world’s most astounding buildings, the magnificent The Punic Wars Hagia Sophia (Church of the Holy Wisdom). Join our expert Terry Richardson, author of numerous guidebooks on Turkey, for this week-long adventure in culture, archaeology, architecture and history.

This is a land where dramatic events shaped ancient history – the superpowers of Carthage and Rome Tour Highlights clashed in three Punic Wars, which determined • Be treated to special out-of-hours access to the Hagia Sophia the course of Western history. Join us to explore • Explore vibrant Istanbul in the expert company of Terry the ruins of the Roman era in the North African Richardson, the man who wrote a book on this amazing city countryside. Travel from the ruins of Carthage to • Indulge in tastes of regional cuisine throughout this tour and the Roman cities and monuments of Roman Tunisia. be surprised by the diversity of Turkish dishes This year, we are able to return to Bulla Regia, • Free time to soak up the culture of this memorable destination with its underground houses. This site covers over • Sail the blue waters of the continent-dividing Bosphorus 60 hectares with its range of Berber, Roman and Dates & prices per person Numidian archaeological influences. Strait aboard a private boat for a different view of the city Date Prices from Tour Highlights 3rd - 11th Nov £2,195 with Dr Eireann Marshall £215 ss • Explore the magnificent UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Included in your price Dates & prices per person Dougga and Kairouan 11th - 19th Nov £2,195 • Expert Guide Lecturer & Tour • 6 breakfasts, 4 lunches & 6 Date Prices from • Discover the beautifully preserved Phoenician site of with Tony O’Connor £215 ss Manager dinners Kerkouane 20th - 27th Dec £2,195 16th - 22nd Nov £2,695 • Return flights from London & all • Water with all meals and tea or • Marvel at the grand amphitheatre of El Djem, which boasts with Dr Eireann Marshall £200 ss with Terry Richardson £525 ss local transport coffee with dinner underground service rooms Prices include an Expert Guide Lecturer, Tour Manager, • Accommodation at the Yasmak • Entries to all sites & museums • Admire some of the world’s most breathtaking mosaics at return flights, local transport, accommodation, entries to Sultan Hotel the Bardo, Sousse and El Djem museums • All taxes & gratuities sites and museums, taxes and gratuities, and most meals. For full details visit andantetravels.co.uk/atun For full details visit andantetravels.co.uk/abyz 8 andantetravels.co.uk | 01722 569 708 Images: The site of Djémila and views over Carthage from Byrsa Hill Images: The Topkapı Palace and the Grand Bazaar 01722 569 708 | andantetravels.co.uk 9 NEW FOR 2020 NEW FOR 2020

ISTANBUL AT NEW YEAR TRIER ARCHAEOLOGY & CHRISTMAS MARKETS Explore the many layers of Istanbul’s rich history Roman splendour and romantic castles

6 Days From £2,795 29th December 2020 - 3rd January 2021 Activity Level 6 Days From £2,085 14th - 19th December 2020 Activity Level

Founded as Byzantium, famed as Constantinople, the city we know today as Istanbul straddles two There are few cities north of the Alps that have such splendid Roman ruins as Augusta Treverorum, most continents and has played a pivotal role in world history. When the modern republic of Turkey came into of which date from the 4th century AD when the city was the capital of the Prefecture Gaul. Enjoy visits to being in the 1920s, Istanbul lost its status as imperial city and capital. But it remains one of the world’s its UNESCO-listed Roman remains, including the largely intact Porta Nigra and the Aula Constantiniana, most delightful, complex and vibrant metropolises, its present-day streets, watersides and bazaars both as well as two impressive bath complexes. The tour also explores Trier’s wonderful Gothic architecture, welcoming and mysterious; its people fully modern, yet deeply aware of their city’s rich history. For people particularly the Liebfrauenkirche and Cathedral of Trier, the oldest church in Germany and resonant of the in western Europe, Istanbul has long represented ‘the Orient’. city’s prosperity in Middle Ages, when the archbishop-elector of Trier controlled much of the surrounding area. Steeped in the majesty of the Moselle region, we will also explore some of its spectacular castles, This tour is led by Terry Richardson, classical historian, writer and journalist, and author of the Rough Guide including Vianden and Bourscheid Castles, as well as the UNESCO-listed historic centre of Luxembourg, to Istanbul. This is an ideal opportunity to explore the iconic monuments of Old Sultanahmet at a quiet time all while sampling the region’s famous wines and immersing ourselves in the festive spirits and Christmas of year, as well as to discover some of the hidden corners and back street life of this great city. markets of Trier and Luxembourg.

Tour Highlights Tour Highlights • Explore Topkapı Palace, a once rambling palace complex of the • Explore the extensive Roman remains in Trier and consider the Ottoman sultans and now a treasure trove of architecture and city’s crucial role in the late antique period applied arts • Visit Vianden Castle in Luxembourg, once a Roman castellum • Take the ferry to Üsküdar, a very culturally different Istanbul and later the enormous fortified residence of the influential – far from tourists – where we see its Ottoman mosques Counts of Vianden • Breathe in the fragrance of Mısır Çarşısı, the spice bazaar, and • View the Cathedral of Trier, first built in the 4th century AD sample the local produce perhaps at the orders of Constantine the Great • Discover the stunning Blue Mosque with its beautiful interior • Get into the festive spirit by visiting the Christmas markets of Trier and Luxembourg

Included in your price Dates & prices per person Included in your price Dates & prices per person Date Prices from • Expert Guide Lecturer & Tour • 5 breakfasts, 5 lunches & 5 Date Prices from • Expert Guide Lecturer & Tour • 5 breakfasts, 3 lunches & 4 Manager dinners Manager dinners 14th - 19th Dec £2,085 29th Dec 2020 - 3rd Jan • Return flights from London & all £2,795 • Return flights from London & all with Dr Eireann Marshall £320 ss • Water with all meals and tea or 2021 • Water with all meals and wine, local transport coffee with dinner £505 ss local transport tea or coffee with dinner with Terry Richardson • Accommodation at Eresin • Entries to all sites & museums • Accommodation at Park Plaza • Entries to all sites & museums Sultanahmet Hotel • All taxes & gratuities Trier

For full details visit andantetravels.co.uk/ainy For full details visit andantetravels.co.uk/atrx 10 andantetravels.co.uk | 01722 569 708 Images: The Blue Mosque’s interior and traditional Turkish sweets Images: Vianden Castle, Luxembourg & Christmas market, Trier 01722 569 708 | andantetravels.co.uk 11 NEW FOR 2020 NEW FOR 2020

ST PETERSBURG AT CHRISTMAS KRAKÓW A winter escape A New Year’s break with a cultural twist

7 Days From £3,895 21st - 27th December 2020 Activity Level 6 Days From £2,395 28th December 2020 - 2nd January 2021 Activity Level

Tsar Peter the Great founded St Petersburg in 1703 on the marshes at the mouth of the Neva River, One of Europe’s most beguiling and beautiful cities, Kraków is the perfect choice for travellers in search of where the Rus Vikings – the founders of ‘Russia’ – had passed through centuries earlier. Peter’s city of a New Year’s break with a difference. Join us to appreciate the elegant Gothic and Renaissance buildings of timber, mud and stone was transformed by the Tsarina Catherine into a Baroque fantasy. This glorious the perfectly-preserved old town. Visit the Jewish Quarter that bore witness to both horror and heroism 18th century city is characterised by elegant and extravagant architecture, including the St Peter and in the 1940s, explore the sobering and poignant site of Auschwitz, which marks the 75th anniversary of Paul fortress and Cathedral, where Peter the Great is buried along with many of his descendants and the its liberation in 2020, and marvel at the 700-year-old UNESCO World Heritage-listed Wieliczka Salt Mine. fabulous Winter Palace, which now forms part of the Hermitage – considered one of the largest collections Also awaiting discovery are churches and cathedrals, castles and monasteries – 1,000 years of history of art, furniture, and both historical and archaeological artefacts in the world. Uniquely, one whole day of written in stone. Fine dining and fine art (including Leonardo da Vinci’s celebrated Lady with an Ermine, this tour will also be dedicated to visiting the archaeological excavations at Staraja Lodge, where over 100 now returned to the Czartoryski Museum) complete a memorable stay at a magical time of year typically Viking dwellings and workshops have been uncovered. associated with live music and colourful confetti – the Krakowian alternative to fireworks.

Tour Highlights Tour Highlights • Head down into the extraordinary Wieliczka Salt Mine, with its • Explore Catherine Palace, famous for its whipped cream vast rooms, statues and adornments – all carved from salt Rococo façades and gilded with over 100kg of gold • Explore the dramatically situated Tyniec Benedictine • Visit Peterhof with its lavish gardens and its use of hydraulics Monastery that drive a series of cascades and fountains, as well as • Trace centuries of Jewish history in Kraków, visit the ‘surprise’ installations ghetto area and take a guided tour of Auschwitz in the 75th • A full day at the magnificent Hermitage, home to the Russian anniversary year of its liberation tsars for over 200 years and now the second-largest art • Admire great works of art, including the Leonardo da Vinci museum in the world today masterpiece Lady with an Ermine at the Czartoryski Museum • Join in with the city’s unique New Year (Sylwester) festivities

Included in your price Dates & prices per person Included in your price Dates & prices per person

• Expert Guide Lecturer & Tour • 6 breakfasts, 6 lunches & 6 Date Prices from • Expert Guide Lecturer & Tour • 5 breakfasts, 5 lunches & 5 Date Prices from Manager dinners 21st - 27th Dec £3,895 Manager dinners 28th Dec 2020 - 2nd Jan £2,395 • Return flights from London & all • Water with all meals and wine, with John Oxley £530 ss • Return flights from London & all • Water with all meals and tea or 2021 £350 ss local transport tea or coffee with dinner local transport coffee with dinner. Wine with with Dr Agata Chrzanowska • Accommodation at the • Entries to all sites & museums • Accommodation at the Grand dinner on New Years Eve. Kempinski Hotel • All taxes & gratuities Ascot Hotel • Entries to all sites & museums

For full details visit andantetravels.co.uk/aspx For full details visit andantetravels.co.uk/akny

12 andantetravels.co.uk | 01722 569 708 Images: Palace Square in St Petersburg and the Winter Palace Images: Benedictine abbey in Tyniec and Kraków’s Royal Castle 01722 569 708 | andantetravels.co.uk 13 NEW FOR 2020

THESSALONIKI AT CHRISTMAS ATHENS AT NEW YEAR Jerusalem of the Balkans Discover the birthplace of Theseus

7 Days From £2,595 22nd - 28th December 2020 Activity Level 5 Days From £2,295 29th December 2020 - 2nd January 2021 Activity Level

Founded in 315 BCE, Thessaloniki is a city whose historical importance and legacy can be said to rival that Critical to an understanding of our own modern culture is the city of Athens, where democracy, of Athens. In antiquity, the city served as both the Macedonian and Roman provincial capital. The streets architecture, classical art and literature both germinated and flourished. This is the home of here are littered with monuments of this illustrious past – the palace and mausoleum of Emperor Galerius, quintessentially classical ruins and an informed visit holds the key to understanding the whole of the Byzantine walls, ancient orthodox churches and even Ottoman mosques. Greek world. The city has changed considerably over the last two decades with extensive renovation and refurbishment, and it is now possible to discern the layout of the ancient Greek city – and even the Roman A bastion of Byzantine power in the Balkans, Thessaloniki’s numerous churches and mighty city walls, which one – while the Plaka district at the foot of the Acropolis preserves traces of the Byzantine and Ottoman at one time were over 8km in length, remain a testament to this era. We explore this UNESCO-listed harbour centuries. It is fascinating to uncover the echoes of the original Greek polis set amongst the busy buildings city in great depth and also venture beyond the city walls to the fabulous sites of Pella and Vergina – home of of modern Athens. At this festive time of year, many of the sites are illuminated as night falls and then, to Philip II and Alexander the Great. This is a wonderful way to spend Christmas as well as a wonderful time of ring in the New Year, the city celebrates with an impressive fireworks display over the mighty Parthenon. year to visit one of the great bustling cosmopolitan centres of the ancient and historic world.

Tour Highlights Tour Highlights • Visit the picturesque site of ancient Dion, situated at the foot • Explore the sites and monuments – the great and lesser- of Mount Olympus known – that made Athens the very centre of the classical • Discover Pella, the birthplace of Philip II and Alexander the Greek world Great – a site renowned for the exceptional mosaics that are • Visit two fabulous, world-class museums – the Acropolis and housed within the site museum the National Museum, housing between them some of the • Admire the remarkable painted tombs at Verghina, which greatest collections of antiquities in the world are believed to contain the remains of the Macedonian Kings • Based in the Plaka district, in the heart of Athens, you will be together with gold and other precious grave goods within easy walking distance of many of the major sites

Included in your price Dates & prices per person Included in your price Dates & prices per person Date Prices from • Expert Guide Lecturer & Tour • 6 breakfasts, 5 lunches & 6 • Expert Guide Lecturer & Tour • 4 breakfasts, 3 lunches & 4 Date Prices from Manager dinners 22nd - 28th Dec Manager dinners 29th Dec 2020 - 2nd Jan £2,595 £2,295 • Return flights from London & all • Water with all meals and wine, with Dr Christina • Return flights from London & all • Water with all meals and wine, 2021 £410 ss £235 ss local transport tea or coffee with dinner Hatzimichael Whitley local transport tea or coffee with dinner with Dr Rita Roussos • Accommodation at The Excelsior • Entries to all sites & museums • Accommodation at Herodion • Entries to all sites & museums Hotel • All taxes & gratuities Hotel • All taxes & gratuities

For full details visit andantetravels.co.uk/atex For full details visit andantetravels.co.uk/aath

14 andantetravels.co.uk | 01722 569 708 Images: The Hellenistic theatre and Aristotelous Square in Thessaloniki Images: Celebrations in Athens and the amphitheatre of the Acropolis 01722 569 708 | andantetravels.co.uk 15 MEXICO NEW FOR 2020 The Maya

Of all Mesoamerican civilisations, the Maya have enjoyed the most enduring hold on the popular imagination. Recent progress in the decipherment of Maya writing has unlocked many of their secrets, revealing a society as complex and fascinating as their art and architecture previously suggested. This is one of our most adventurous trips, starting with the museums of Mexico City, travelling via the uplands of Chiapas along the great river of Usumacinta, and then driving up the Yucatan peninsula. This is a thrilling journey through Mexico.

MEXICO AT CHRISTMAS & NEW YEAR Tour Highlights • View the Aztec Templo Mayor Dates & prices per person Discover archaeology, history and ancient Mexican culture • Encounter enduring Maya traditions among the Chiapas Date Prices from communities 2nd - 17th Nov £4,995 13 Days From £5,195 23rd December 2020 - 4th January 2021 Activity Level • Discover Palenque, which is considered by many as the most with David Drew £750 ss beautiful of all the Maya cities With mild evenings and warm, sunny days, December is an ideal time to visit Central Mexico. The festive • Travel in 4x4s and then by motor launch boat to the remote Price includes an Expert Guide Lecturer, Tour Manager, season brings piñatas and flowers in abundance, especially the native poinsettias, and archaeological site of Yaxchilán, famous for its remarkable architecture return flights, local transport, accommodation, entries to sites and museums, taxes and gratuities, and most meals. sites and museums are less busy. We shall explore the ancient Mexican cultures and visit some of the most • Explore the ball court, sacred well and more at Chichén Itzá beautiful cathedrals and convents of the 16th century, several of them built on top of Pre-Columbian temples. For full details visit andantetravels.co.uk/amex Modern Mexican architecture and design is superb, fine examples being the Museums of Anthropology in Mexico City and Xalapa. We visit several of the principal regions of indigenous tradition, notably Olmec and Teotihuacan as well as Aztec. The rural districts we travel through are picturesque, with villages of cobbled GUATEMALA, HONDURAS streets and tree-lined squares. Also, at the heart of our tour is traditional food and drink, which we will enjoy in some of the historic buildings such as the San Angel Inn, a former Carmelite monastery. AND BELIZE Discover archaeological treasures Tour Highlights • Explore one of the largest cities in the Americas, Teotihuacan, and a dramatic history with its imposing pyramids of the Sun and Moon Explore the enduring mysteries of a magnificent civilisation that arose from the impenetrable jungles • Visit the extraordinary Templo Mayor of Tenochtitlan, the of Central America. A diverse range of landscapes most important religious and economic Aztec Temple await in this mysterious part of the world. From lush • Explore 16th century convents with their blend of Spanish jungles to the prolific soils of volcanoes, powerful architecture and native ancient Mexican motifs on their walls sunlight and plentiful water have long provided a • Enjoy traditional foods such as mole, a sauce cooked with dramatic habitat for colourful wildlife, the Maya chocolate, and mild chilli prepared in old haciendas peoples, and, over the past five centuries, Old World settlers too. The region’s dramatic history, its colonial cities and the treasures housed in museums Included in your price Dates & prices per person – we get to experience it all on this 14-day tour.

• Expert Guide Lecturer & Tour Tepozteco, Hotel Quinta Real Date Prices from Tour Highlights Puebla & Hotel Posada Coatepec Dates & prices per person Manager 23rd Dec 2020 - 4th Jan £5,195 • Enjoy a walk among Tikal’s magnificent ancient temples at • Return flights from London & all • 11 breakfast, 11 lunches & 11 2021 Date Prices from £955 ss daybreak and climb their steps as the sun rises local transport dinners with Dr Elizabeth Baquedano 1st - 14th Dec £5,995 • Water with all meals & tea or • Observe an array of endemic wildlife, from howler monkeys • Accommodation at Hampton and macaws to eagles and more with Dr Nicholas James £900 ss Inn & Suites Mexico City, Hotel coffee with dinner Occidental Cuernavaca, Hotel • Entries to all sites & museums • Tour the well-preserved buildings of Antigua, a UNESCO- Price includes an Expert Guide Lecturer, Tour Manager, listed city that was destroyed by an earthquake in 1773 Posada del • All taxes & gratuities return flights, local transport, accommodation, entries to • Examine a selection of ancient artefacts at fascinating sites and museums, taxes and gratuities, and most meals. regional museums throughout this trip For full details visit andantetravels.co.uk/amxx For full details visit andantetravels.co.uk/abel 16 andantetravels.co.uk | 01722 569 708 Images: Teotihuacan & traditional Mexican mole Images: The legendary site of Chichén Itzá and temples at Tikal 01722 569 708 | andantetravels.co.uk 17 SRI LANKA OMAN Discover no less than six Explore unique Bronze Age awe-inspiring UNESCO sites tombs at UNESCO-listed Bat Home to some of the finest UNESCO World Heritage Oman has been a crossroads of commerce for Sites, Sri Lanka boasts landmark monuments and millennia, with ideas flowing from the Red Sea to the ancient ruined cities that still stand in homage to Persian Gulf and across the Indian Ocean. Travelling the island’s past civilisations and cultures, as well from the mountains of Muscat to beaches of Salalah, as to their unique artefacts and archaeological visit Bronze Age conical tombs at Bat, see rock art treasures. Learn more about one of the earliest in Nakher, visit copper smelting sites at Samad, and great Buddhist kingdoms on this 15-day adventure. explore Iron Age irrigation systems. Discover the Embrace spirituality with visits to a selection of hub of Classical Arabia Felix, the great incense city temples, gaze out across awe-inspiring landscapes of Sumhuram – with a special drive to the Empty and experience it all in the company of two experts Quarter that takes us to the lost city of Ubar – and who can shine a spotlight on its stories and history. see ruins of the Islamic port city of Al Balid.

Tour Highlights Tour Highlights Dates & prices per person Dates & prices per person • Witness a unique puja ceremony at the Temple of the Tooth • Discover the lost city of Ubar in the Empty Quarter Date Prices from Date Prices from • Climb Kasayapa’s citadel of Sigiriya for its amazing views • Follow in the footsteps of the ancient caravans on this 6th - 20th Nov • Explore the Golden Temple of Dambulla, a UNESCO site £4,295 unique tour as we explore a range of rock art, classical era 6th - 16th Nov £4,395 with Prof. Bilinda Devage Nandadeva & £800 and Islamic sites with Nick Jackson £995 ss • Enjoy a free day in Nuwara Eliya, a jewel of a hill station Prof. Nilan Cooray situated in the cool uplands • Explore the striking Bronze Age conical tombs at Bat, a Price includes an Expert Guide Lecturer, Tour Manager, UNESCO World Heritage Site Price includes an Expert Guide Lecturer, Tour Manager, • Share the road with working elephants as you journey return flights, local transport, accommodation, entries to return flights, local transport, accommodation, entries to through tropical countryside • Travel through contrasting landscapes, from the craggy sites and museums, taxes and gratuities, and most meals. mountains to the sparkling sea sites and museums, taxes and gratuities, and most meals. For full details visit andantetravels.co.uk/asri For full details visit andantetravels.co.uk/aoma

NORTH INDIA CHILE & EASTER ISLAND Gaze upon the staggering temple Discover some of the world’s most carvings at Khajuraho enigmatic rock art

India’s turbulent history and spectacular cultural An adventure awaits – travel across the globe with heritage has left it with exotic traditions, stunning an international expert to see some of the most artwork and truly fascinating architecture. Our enigmatic rock art in the world, situated in vast and 18-day exploration includes an array of carefully remote landscapes. Doing so involves journeying planned visits to many world-famous sites, down the coast of northern Chile and into the monuments and leading museums, all of which bring Atacama desert, before flying over the Pacific to a a comprehensive understanding of the intricate tiny speck of land - Easter Island. Discover places and cultural synthesis that has evolved between seldom visited, which our ancestors chose to the country’s primary religious civilisations - Jain, decorate with huge earth pictures and complex rock Buddhist, Hindu and Muslim. From the Taj Mahal to art. Some of the sites we see are extraordinary and the Khajuraho temple carvings, discover it all. their scale makes us wonder why they were created.

Tour Highlights Tour Highlights Dates & prices per person Dates & prices per person • Explore and contrast Old and New Delhi, where the ancient • Discover extraordinary petroglyphs and geoglyphs amid and modern blend seamlessly together Date Prices from unforgettable lunar-like landscapes Date Prices from • Experience the architectural magnificence of the Taj Mahal, 1st - 18th Dec £5,295 • Explore Easter Island, the most remote piece of land 7th - 23rd Nov £8,495 one of the seven wonders of the modern world with Dr Mehreen Chida-Razvi £995 ss inhabited on the planet, and observe moai statues in situ with Dr Paul Bahn £925 ss • Discover Lucknow, where we visit the exquisitely decorated • Visit a range of regional museums, which include exhibits on Rumi Darwaza and enjoy the area’s famed cuisine Price includes an Expert Guide Lecturer, Tour Manager, wood-carving and the Chichorro Mummies Price includes an Expert Guide Lecturer, Tour Manager, • Enjoy an early morning boat trip on the holy Ganges return flights, local transport, accommodation, entries to • Traverse the striking Atacama Desert, declared the world’s return flights, local transport, accommodation, entries to • View Khajuraho’s amazing sculptures and temple carvings sites and museums, taxes and gratuities, and most meals. driest by NASA following a series of in-depth studies sites and museums, taxes and gratuities, and most meals. For full details visit andantetravels.co.uk/anin For full details visit andantetravels.co.uk/achi 18 andantetravels.co.uk | 01722 569 708 Images: The Avukana Buddha statue and the stunning Taj Mahal Images: The Grand Mosque in Muscat and the famous Easter Island moai 01722 569 708 | andantetravels.co.uk 19 SAVE SAVE 10% NEW FOR 2020 10%

ARCHAEOLOGY & GHOSTS OF EAST ANGLIA CHRISTMAS IN WESSEX Author M. R. James and the supernatural Legends and walks in Winchester and Salisbury

4 Days From £975 14th - 17th December 2020 Activity Level 6 Days From £1,750 22nd - 27th December 2020 Activity Level

East Anglia’s rich archaeological heritage exists alongside fables, legends and stories, exemplified by the Based in Salisbury, enjoy Christmas with us as we explore the archaeology of Wessex. The chalk downs ghost stories of author M. R. James. As a Cambridge-based archaeologist, medievalist and curator, James of this ancient kingdom have been a focus for monumental building and funerary ritual for more than was born and bred in the region, and was also privy to its odd corners and folklore. This tour will introduce five millennia. Henges, burial mounds of all shapes and sizes, causewayed camps, early field systems some of the world-class archaeological sites that are to be seen, together with a peep behind the curtain and ‘cursus’ monuments are scattered everywhere, forming a landscape full of clues and interest, but into pandemonium as we follow James’ fiction between the monuments. unintelligible to the untrained eye. Our archaeological excursions include a day among the stone circle in Avebury as well as visits to Silbury Hill, West Kennet Long Barrow, Woodhenge and – on the morning of Beginning in the university city of Cambridge, enjoy readings and presentations of James’ writings Christmas Eve – we visit the world-famous monument of Stonehenge. We also explore medieval Salisbury, alongside visits to Fitzwilliam Museum and the library of Magdalene College, before moving on to Bury St. visiting Salisbury Cathedral and the historic Christmas markets in both Salisbury and Winchester. On Edmunds, where the ruins of the great Benedictine abbey await discovery. Elsewhere, explore some of the Boxing Day, we spend time in the countryside at Cranborne Chase, where we take a walking tour of the author’s haunts, including the Martello Tower, the White Lion Hotel and the curiosity shop in Aldeburgh. archaeological monuments of the area.

Tour Highlights Tour Highlights • Explore the Neolithic flint mines at Grime’s Graves • Spend time at the Christmas markets in both Winchester and • Visit the reconstructed Saxon village located at West Stow Salisbury, where we can soak up the festive spirit • Listen to the haunting ghost stories of M. R. James in • A full day to explore the archaeological remains at Avebury atmospheric surroundings throughout this tour and the related artefacts housed within the local museum • Tour Sutton Hoo, the burial place of kings as well as home to • Enjoy a relaxed walking tour on Boxing Day in Cranborne Chase Britain’s richest archaeological find to explore the area’s diverse archaeology • Wander the landscape around Stonehenge and admire the well-known stone circle that dates from the Neolithic period

Included in your price Dates & prices per person Included in your price Dates & prices per person Date Prices from • Expert Guide Lecturer & Tour Date Prices from • Expert Guide Lecturer & Tour • 3 breakfasts, 3 lunches & 3 • Water with all meals & tea or Manager Manager dinners £1,085 coffee with dinner. Wine with £1,945 14th - 17th Dec dinner on Christmas Day. 22nd - 27th Dec • Local travel aboard a private £975 • All local transport £1,750 • Water with all meals and tea or with Oliver Gilkes with Dr Paul Tubb air-conditioned coach coffee with dinner £220 ss • Accommodation at the Red Lion • Entries to all sites & museums £375 ss Hotel • Accommodation at the Hilton • Entries to all sites & museums • All taxes & gratuities • 5 breakfasts, 4 lunches & 5 Cambridge City Centre & Hotel • All taxes & gratuities Diss by Verve dinners

For full details visit andantetravels.co.uk/amrj For full details visit andantetravels.co.uk/awex

20 andantetravels.co.uk | 01722 569 708 Images: The cathedral at Bury St. Edmunds and Saxon huts at West Stow Images: Stonehenge at dawn and the stones at Avebury 01722 569 708 | andantetravels.co.uk 21 SAVE NEW FOR 2020 10%

Fancy something different? Travel with our award-winning sister company, Brightwater Holidays Scenic Scotland, Garden & Archaeology Tours

EDINBURGH • Gardens and archaeology sites both at home and in far-flung destinations Stories of Christmas past • Experienced tour managers with specialist experience • Organising coach holidays to every corner of Scotland for over 25 years 6 Days From £1,370 22nd - 27th December 2020 Activity Level

With festive celebrations banned in Scotland from 1640 to 1712 – and not completely resurrected until the mid-20th century – Edinburgh can be said to be ‘the city that rediscovered Christmas’. This delightful Yule stay in the country’s capital features a Scottish take on the traditional Christmas market, a special Christmas tour of Mary King’s Close below the Royal Mile and music at the Botanic Gardens. Scottish storytellers regale us with traditional tales of faeries and other ‘wee folk’, as well as accounts of pre- Secure your Reformation Christmas merrymaking. The Museum of Childhood invites us on a nostalgic journey back place with a low through time with toys that may once have appeared in your Christmas stockings and the Writers’ Museum shows how the likes of Robert Louis Stevenson and Sir Walter Scott incorporated the frowned- deposit from upon festival into their novels. Trips to the Botanic Gardens and Arthur’s Seat place us in the heart of the Christmas fun, now thankfully restored in charming Auld Reekie. just £50 T&C’s apply Tour Highlights • Storytellers join us to introduce Scottish Christmas traditions and share folk tales of faeries as well as other local spirits • Enjoy a delightful Christmas market along with festive light and music shows at the Botanic Gardens • Take a special Mary King’s Close Christmas walk and a stroll down the Royal Mile on Christmas Day • Visits to the fantastic Writers’ Museum and the nostalgic Museum of Childhood

Included in your price Dates & prices per person

• Expert Guide Lecturer & Tour • Water with all meals and tea or Date Prices from Manager coffee with dinner. Wine with £1,525 22nd - 27th December • All local transport dinner on Christmas Day. £1,370 with Dr Elizabeth Cory Lopez • Accommodation at the Apex • Entries to all sites & museums £225 ss To find out more, call a member of our team Grassmarket Hotel • All taxes & gratuities • 5 breakfasts, 4 lunches & 5 01722 569 708 dinners

For full details of this tour visit andantetravels.com/aedx or visit our website brightwaterholidays.com 22 andantetravels.co.uk | 01722 569 708 Images: Holyrood Park and Arthur’s Seat in winter, and the Royal Mile GARDENS OF MADEIRA No single supplement Operated by Brightwater Holidays

Set in a bright blue sea, some 400 miles off the coast of Africa, lies the lush, volcanic Portuguese island of Madeira. Orchids, bougainvillea, lilies, hydrangeas, magnolias, jacarandas and azaleas bloom effortlessly throughout the year, and delight the eye at every turn. During the tour, visit the splendid Palheiro Gardens, wander among Monte Palace Gardens that surround the château-like building and even take a toboggan ride through the streets. There’s also a full-day optional excursion to villages that include Camara de Lobos.

Tour Highlights ICELAND NORTHERN LIGHTS Dates & prices per person Operated by Brightwater Holidays • Tour the Botanical Gardens, enjoying a colourful introduction to the flora of Madeira Date Prices from • Take a gentle walk along the levadas 2nd - 9th Nov £1,395 5 Days From £1,995 15th - 19th November 2020 Activity Level • Board a cable car to travel to Monte and take an optional with Joao Camacho No ss 10-minute toboggan ride back down to Funchal Price includes return flights, accommodation, the services Seeing the Northern Lights is a bucket-list item for many of us, but Aurora Borealis aside, Iceland offers • Sit down to afternoon tea at Reid’s Palace Hotel, which has a host of attractions, quite unlike anywhere else in the world. From geothermal dips to moonlit trips, this welcomed the likes of Sir Winston Churchill over the years of a professional Tour Manager, comfortable coach travel tour is a Who’s Who of once-in-a-lifetime experiences. It may be the focus of our tour, but the Aurora throughout, and meals as per the itinerary. Borealis is only one of the many natural wonders present in Iceland. It’s unlikely you’ll find another country For full details visit brightwaterholidays.co.uk/bmdg with such extensive otherworldly appeal: lunar lava-formed landscapes, thunderous waterfalls, moody geysers and glistening glaciers — and those are just the geological bits! On our tour of Reykjavík, the world’s most northerly capital, it becomes clear that even Iceland’s man- made efforts have that same air to them — the cavernous and craggy Lutheran church of Hallgrímskirkja, MALTA’S ARCHAEOLOGICAL seemingly more suited to a spot in Middle Earth than the North Atlantic; and the parliamentary buildings of HERITAGE Alþingi, thought to be the oldest parliament in the world. Bucket list at the ready... Operated by Brightwater Holidays

Malta’s diminutive archipelago is by no means Tour Highlights any indication of the vast riches it holds — from • Visit Urriðafoss Waterfall and explore the inner workings of the Neolithic to now, they are many and varied. a volcanic eruption at the Raufarholshellir Lava Tunnel Venture inside the walled citadel of Mdina, explore • Walk behind the mighty Seljalandsfoss waterfall the narrow tomb-lined passages of St. Paul’s • Stand on the geological border between Europe and North Catacombs, and enjoy a boat trip around the Blue America – a unique and memorable experience Grotto. But most startling of all, perhaps, are the • Gaze upon the biggest geothermal mud pool in Iceland mysterious sites left by civilisations with whom we • Go in search of the northern lights as darkness falls are just starting to get acquainted – the millennia- old Mnajdra Temples and the megaliths of Ħaġar Qim. An unforgettable archaeological tour awaits.

Tour Highlights Included in your price Dates & prices per person Dates & prices per person • Return flights from • Services of a professional Date Prices from • Stay at the Dolmen Hotel, built around an authentic London Tour Manager Neolithic temple Date Prices from • Accommodation at • Comfortable coach travel 15th - 19th Nov £1,995 • Explore the ancient and mysterious Hal Saflieni Hypogeum, 10th - 16th Nov £1,345 Stracta Hotel, Hella & throughout with David MacLennan £300 ss a deserving UNESCO World Heritage Site with Michael Gill £175 ss Grand Hotel Reykjavík • 4 breakfasts, 1 lunches & • Navigate the unique labyrinth of St. Paul’s Catacombs Price includes return flights, accommodation, the services 4 dinners • Marvel at the 5,000-year-old temples of Ħaġar Qim and of a professional Tour Manager, comfortable coach travel Mnajdra throughout, and meals as per the itinerary. For full details visit brightwaterholidays.co.uk/bice • Enjoy a memorable boat trip out to the Blue Grotto For full details visit brightwaterholidays.co.uk/bmal 24 andantetravels.co.uk | 01722 569 708 Images: The northern lights over Hella in Iceland and Skogafoss waterfall Images: Ancient Madeira’s Monte Palace and the stunning city of Valletta in Malta 25 MADAGASCAR SEASONAL GARDENS OF JAPAN Flora and Fauna Operated by Brightwater Holidays Discover traditional Japanese gardens & temples Operated by Brightwater Holidays

15 Days From £5,295 3rd - 17th November 2020 Activity Level 13 Days From £4,995 11th - 23rd November 2020 Activity Level

Madagascar, the world’s fourth-largest island, is like a gigantic ark sailing ever so slowly across the Indian The origin of the Japanese garden lies in simple, gravel-covered forest clearings where the gods could manifest Ocean, having broken free from the African continent some 160 million years ago. The National Parks and themselves. Over the centuries the gardens have evolved into an idealised reflection of the natural landscape private reserves that feature in our tour are among the finest in the world, and they are home to a simply through the careful use of stone and water features, trees, plants and moss. We have included a variety of bewildering array of flora and fauna. On the botanical side we can expect to see a huge range of fascinating different styles – landscape gardens, stroll gardens and pond-and-island, each with their own particular charm trees and plants – none more curious than the baobab, which look like giant tubers that have been pulled from and beauty. One of the best known is Kinkaku-ji, with the three-tiered Golden Pavilion at its heart. From Kyoto, the earth and thrust back in with the roots uppermost, hence the name ‘Upside Down Tree’. We will also see we travel by Bullet Train to Tokyo, where there will be further garden visits, which include Hamarikyu. There a host of orchids, including the famous Comet Orchid, which should be in flower at this time of year. Think of is so much more to Japan than gardens, of course, and we have also included a wide range of other visits and Madagascar and you think of lemurs – for many, these endearing primates will top a star-studded cast list excursions that reflect the unique culture of the country. Highlights include the historic town of Omi Hachiman, of birds and animals. In addition to the familiar ring-tailed lemur we can hope to see Sanford’s brown lemur, the Imperial Palace Garden in Tokyo and a cruise on Lake Ashi, beneath the snow–capped peak of Mount Fuji. nocturnal mouse lemurs and Indri – the largest of all the lemurs with a haunting, whale-like call. Our final full day is spent in Kamakura and a farewell traditional dinner rounds off the trip.

Tour Highlights Tour Highlights • Discover an array of endemic flora and fauna • Step back in time to old Japan at Omi Hachiman • Enjoy a nocturnal visit to discover the smallest frog and • Watch the famous bowing deer roam free at Nara Park chameleon species of the rainforest • Stand before the enormous Buddhas at Todai-ji and Kamamura • Walk along white sandy beaches, bordered by turquoise seas • Enjoy stunning scenery in Hakone, including Mount Fuji • Spend a full day at the Berenty Reserve, home to six species • Discover the temples and gardens of Kyoto, probably the of lemur finest in all Japan • View the iconic baobab trees on our travels around this • Ride the legendary bullet train to Tokyo and experience this incredible country vibrant city’s pulsating heart

Dates & prices per person Included in your price Dates & prices per person Included in your price Date Prices from • Return flights from London • Services of a professional Tour Date Prices from • Return flights from London • Comfortable coach travel Heathrow Heathrow Manager 3rd - 17th Nov £5,295 • Train travel 11th - 23rd Nov £4,995 • Accommodation at Le Louvre • Comfortable coach travel with a Tour Manager £780 ss • Accommodation at ANA Crowne • 11 breakfasts, 3 lunches & 3 with a Tour Manager £1,500 ss Hotel & Spa, Hotel de la Poste, Plaza Hotel Kyoto and the Grand dinners • 12 breakfasts, 12 lunches & 12 Prince Hotel Takanawa Berenty Lodge, La Croix du Sud, dinners and Vakona Forest Lodge • Services of a professional Tour Manager

For full details visit brightwaterholidays.co.uk/bmad For full details visit brightwaterholidays.co.uk/bjpg

26 andantetravels.co.uk | 01722 569 708 Images: The creeks of Lokaro and endemic golden mantella frogs Images: The Buddha statue in Kamakura and Kyoto’s Golden Pavilion 01722 569 708 | andantetravels.co.uk 27 CHRISTMAS IN KENT Operated by Brightwater Holidays

How many times have you slaved over a hot stove or a never-ending pile of cranberry sauce-encrusted plates, promising yourself that next Christmas someone else will do all the hard work? Well, here’s your chance! The friendly staff of the comfortable Donnington Manor Hotel in Sevenoaks, Kent are ready and waiting to bring Christmas to you on a plate. From the moment you arrive – welcomed by a warming drink – until the time you check out, they will ensure your every need is catered for, with a selection of snacks, meals, drinks and festive cheer.

Tour Highlights Dates & prices per person UP HELLY AA Operated by Brightwater Holidays • A welcome Christmas cocktail reception to get the holiday Date Prices from off to a festive start • Enjoy a delicious four-course Christmas Day lunch 24th - 27th Dec £795 with a Tour Manager £175 ss 7 Days From £895 Departing January 2021 Activity Level • Sit down to a chef’s Christmas buffet • Opt to take our complimentary excursion to the cathedral Price includes accommodation, the services of a city of Canterbury, filled with history and charming shops professional Tour Manager, comfortable coach travel Shetland is a beguiling place to visit at any time but during the short winter days, the islands take on a special throughout, and meals as per the itinerary. character with steely grey seas and dramatic skies. Introducing Up Helly Aa, the annual winter festival of Shetland. Celebrating the lengthening of days and the coming of another year, this is run by Shetlanders for For full details visit brightwaterholidays.co.uk/bxkt Shetlanders, but that’s not to say visitors aren’t welcome as the hospitality here will be as warm as ever. During our stay we will take in the prehistoric and Norse settlement of Jarlshof to the south and travel as far as the islands of Yell and Unst to the north. Up Helly Aa itself is on the Tuesday, when we will have the day free to enjoy the various events in Lerwick, culminating in the torchlight procession and boat burning ceremony CHRISTMAS IN THE in the evening, the highlight of an unusual and uplifting winter break. Other memorable visits on this tour SCOTTISH BORDERS include time at the RSPB reserve at Sumburgh Head and a chance to see Bobby’s bus shelter in Baltasound. Operated by Brightwater Holidays

The Macdonald Cardrona Hotel, Golf & Spa, nestling Tour Highlights on the banks of the River Tweed in a tranquil valley • Experience the fire festival known as Up Helly Aa, which takes a few miles to the east of Peebles in the Scottish place once per year and must be seen to be believed Borders, provides the luxurious setting for a • Encounter 3,000 years of archaeological history at the relaxing, stress-free Christmas break. From the Prehistoric and Norse Settlement of Jarlshof moment you arrive at the hotel, welcomed with • Visit the stunning RSPB reserve at Sumburgh Head, which is cream teas, you will enjoy the best of Scottish also home to a remotely functioning lighthouse hospitality and a full festive programme that includes carol singing and a Christmas lunch with all • See Bobby’s bus shelter in Baltasound, perhaps the most the trimmings. There is also an optional excursion famous in the world into the Borders as well as a visit to nearby Peebles.

Tour Highlights Included in your price Dates & prices per person Dates & prices per person • Enjoy three nights’ dinner, bed and full breakfast at the 4* • Accommodation aboard the • Comfortable coach travel Date Prices from Macdonald Cardrona Hotel, Golf & Spa near Peebles Date Prices from Northlink Sea Ferry and at • Ferry crossings 23rd - 29th Jan 2021 £995 the Sumburgh Hotel or the • Take advantage of our full programme of Christmas 24th - 27th Dec £499 • 4 breakfasts & 4 dinners with a Tour Manager £300 ss activities as per the itinerary with Sue Gruellich £175 ss Busta House Hotel Shetland, depending on the departure • Coach travel from pick-up points in and around Scotland Price includes accommodation, the services of a • Services of a professional Tour • A festive arrival awaits at the hotel, with Christmas carols professional Tour Manager, comfortable coach travel Manager performed by the staff and a drinks reception on the cards throughout, and meals as per the itinerary. • Scenic coach tour of the Border country For full details visit brightwaterholidays.co.uk/bmdg For full details visit brightwaterholidays.co.uk/bupv 28 andantetravels.co.uk | 01722 569 708 Images: Fallow deer in Kent and sheep grazing during winter in Moffat Images: Festivities from Up Helly Aa and the settlement of Jarlshof 01722 569 708 | andantetravels.co.uk 29 LAST CHANCE TO EXPERIENCE THE ONCE-A-DECADE OBERAMMERGAU PASSION PLAY Prices from just £1,095 | Dates throughout 2020

• At just three days, our Short Break is the • Your only chance for the next 10 years to most concise and cost-effective way to witness the Oberammergau Passion Play experience the Passion Play • Enjoy a twin-centre Passion Play tour that • Discover Bavaria’s fairytale castles on a six- takes in Munich and Salzburg day tour that includes the play

To book a place today, call a member of our team on 01722 569 708 or visit our website for more information: andantetravels.co.uk

30 andantetravels.co.uk | 01722 569 708