Riviera Travel has announced the launch of their full European escorted tour programme for 2024. The programme includes two brand new departures focussing on rail, alongside two new solo travel options.
The itineraries, available to book from today (May 17, 2023), cover destinations across Europe with tours running from March to November. They join Riviera’s portfolio of 2024 river cruises and worldwide tours, which are already on sale.
A total of 631 European escorted departures are available next year, covering 70 itineraries. This includes 50 dedicated solo tour itineraries, as well as 12 ‘Walk and Discover’ itineraries, which allow guests to discover Europe by foot, alongside specialist guides.
The two European tours with landmark rail journeys are:
* Discover Italy by Rail – Turin, Venice & Rome, nine days with five visits and tours including walking excursions in Turin and Venice, and sightseeing in Rome with a guided tour of the Colosseum. Signature experiences include a trip on a Venetian gondola, an evening stroll with samplings of Italian delicacies in Trastevere, and local wine and cheese tasting in Frascati.
* Switzerland’s Golden Pass Railway, Lake Geneva & Montreux, eight days with five tours and visits including guided tours of Montreux and Geneva with a Lake Geneva cruise; a visit to Chateau du Chillon and a local dairy farm for cheese tasting; and a trip to a Swiss chocolate factory. Signature experiences include a train journey on the Golden Pass Express, a cable car ride to the highest point of the Vaudois Alps, and a wine tasting in Chexbres.
In addition, Riviera Travel has added the option to travel by rail from the UK to join six of their most popular seven-night European tours. Available from today, guests can now choose to take the train to meet their tour, with four itineraries featuring additional overnight city stays along the way.
The tours comprise:
* Austrian Tyrol & Innsbruck, with overnights in Frankfurt and Cologne
* Lakes & Mountains of Austria, with overnights in Frankfurt and Cologne
* Lake Maggiore, Orta & the Matterhorn, with an overnight in Colmar
* Lake Garda, Venice & Verona, with overnights in Turin and Chambery
* Spain’s Basque Country, La Rioja & Burgos
* Switzerland, the Matterhorn & the Glacier Express
The two new-for-2024 tours for solo travellers are:
* Helsinki, Tallinn & Riga for Solo Travellers, eight days with five guided tours to Helsinki, Suomenlinna Fortress, Kadriorg Palace and gardens, Tallinn and Riga; a visit to Tartu; and a ferry crossing from Helsinki to Tallinn.
* Ecuador & the Galapagos for Solo Travellers, sixteen days with three guided tours including Quito, Cuenca and a boat tour of Academy Island; and seven visits including Mindo Cloud Forest, El Cajas National Park, Santa Cruz highland reserve, the Charles Darwin Research Station, San Cristobel wildlife conservation centre and a Panama hat factory.
All itineraries include return flights or trains, transfers, all scheduled visits and guided tours, breakfast and select meals, and the services of a Rivera Travel tour manager throughout.
Joanne Lynn, Riviera Travel head of short-haul product, said: “Whether guests want to enjoy the very best of Europe’s rail journeys, or immerse themselves in a destination via our dedicated solo itineraries, these new options offer an array of unforgettable experiences.
“Riviera’s full programme of 2024 tours have been curated to accommodate the perfect mix of exploration and relaxation, and with so much included, plus our expert tour managers on hand, we’re confident our wealth of departures offer the ideal getaway.”
For more information, visit rivieratravel.co.uk or call 01283 523431.
