4 V i s i t www.theculturalexperience.com C a l l 0345 475 1815 Your Guides are all experts in their own field – chosen on the basis of their ability to bring history to life in an interesting, enthusiastic and, where appropriate, humorous way. They will act as your host throughout the holiday and be available to answer your questions whilst conducting tours during the day or when socialising in the evenings. Generally they will also be accompanied by a tour manager who will take care of all administrative matters. Your Fellow Guests will typically be a refreshing and diverse group of individuals and couples from a wide range of backgrounds and professions. No special prior knowledge is assumed or required – just a general interest in the subject. Whilst respecting individual privacy, we work hard to make everyone feel welcome – and normally find the group quickly comes together in a very informal and inclusive way. For this reason, we typically restrict the size of our groups to between 6 - 22 people – which also means we have more flexibility in finding good accommodation and restaurants for you. Food. Most of our tours are on a half board basis i.e. the tour price includes a good breakfast and in the evenings a three-course dinner (usually based on regional specialities) with coffee and, when appropriate, wine is included. We endeavour to dine a la carte but dependent on the restaurants ability this may be a fixed menu. At lunchtimes we will stop to allow you a light lunch and drink. The exception is our ‘Experience’ tours which include all meals, albeit if only a picnic lunch. Accommodation. We have taken considerable effort in selecting our hotels which are always very comfortable, well-located and offer great value. Circumstances and location will dictate their standard, which is generally 4 star, occasionally 3 star and sometimes 5 star. Wherever possible hotels will have an historic connection to the heritage and events we are covering, and/or which are representative of the style and culture of the region. Single travellers will be accommodated in a double room for sole occupancy. Often it is possible to upgrade to superior rooms or suites. Please enquire when booking. What’s Included. The tour price includes: flights, which unless otherwise stated are from London Heathrow; either Standard Premier (Eurostar) or First Class trains; modern, comfortable and spacious air-conditioned coaches; and all entrance fees to sites and attractions as detailed in each itinerary. Flights, trains and hotel rooms can be upgraded, where available. Your Financial Security. The Cultural Experience is a member of the Travel Trust Association (TTA) and we hold a Civil Aviation Authority Air Travel Organisers Licence (ATOL No. T10153) – so you will never be stranded either financially or travel-wise. Comfortable, characterful hotels Informal & inclusive groups Enthusiastic and entertaining guides WHAT TO EXPECT ACTIVITY LEVELS Our tours vary as to the amount of physical activity involved. See the Important Information on the inside back cover for the ‘entry point’ criteria vis: “All tours involve a fair amount of walking often over uneven cobbled streets, hillsides or steps. Participants on all tours should be able to walk or stand for at least 60 minutes [to, and at, each observation point] without aid or requiring a rest. You should also be able to carry your own luggage”. Within this all-embracing criteria we have graded each tour as: Level 1: Tours where the group is generally conveyed by coach between stands – with walking confined to a short stroll to each observation point. Level 2: This is our standard tour type which necessarily involves a certain amount of walking along country tracks and up slopes in order to reach vantage points. Sensible shoes and outdoor clothing are required and distances of up to a few miles a day may be involved. Level 3: These are tours involving a higher level of fitness and stamina i.e. our ‘walking tours’ or those tours regularly involving uphill stretches or walks of more than a few miles a day, so suitable walking gear and a day pack will be required. Hybrid: Where a walk is described as e.g. Level 2/3, this means it is a Level 2 tour with one or two short Level 3 pitches (e.g. a steep climb) which could be avoided by less able participants rather than holding up the rest of the group.