TS Festive April 2019

Holiday of a lifetime, every time.

Festive

CHRISTMAS & NEW YEAR HOLIDAYS WITH ALL THE TRIMMINGS

PRE-CHRISTMAS TREATS MAGICAL CHRISTMAS TOURS NEW YEAR CELEBRATIONS

14 N E W H O L I D AY S

R O C K-S O L I D GUARANTEES

EXPERT TOUR MANAGERS

EXPERIENCE THE OF CHRISTMAS

AUTHENTIC EXPERIENCES

2

EXPERT TOUR MANAGERS

FA N TA S T I C VA LU E FOR MONEY

ROCK-SOLID GUARANTEES

WE’VE GOT THE FESTIVE SEASON ALL WRAPPED UP Christmas is a truly magical time of year to get away, a time to relax, soak up the atmosphere and indulge in some of life’s little pleasures.

From Christmas holidays with all the trimmings to New Year celebrations with dancing till dawn, we’ve got the festive season all wrapped up.

We pack as much as we can into the price of your festive holiday. Flights and transfers, where applicable, accommodation, world-class Tour Managers and exciting excursions are a given. Then, to make things even more special, there are often a few extra treats thrown in such as delicious Christmas Day lunches, live entertainment and a glass of bubbly on New Year’s Eve.

PRE CHRISTMAS NEW

The Danube & its Enchanting Christmas Markets .......................................6

NEW

Austrian Advent - Salzburg & Lakes ..........7

CHRISTMAS NEW

Festive Hampshire & the New Forest ........8

NEW

Christmas in a Scottish Castle.....................9 Deluxe Swiss Christmas..............................10 Christmas in an Austrian Castle ................. 11

NEW

Christmas on the Sorrento Coast ............. 12 Christmas in Santa Margherita..................14 Christmas on the Italian Riviera ................ 15 A Maltese Christmas .................................. 16

NEW

Christmas Cruising the Seine Valley & Paris .....................................17 Andalucian Christmas ................................. 18 Christmas on the Lisbon Coast ................20

NEW

Jordan’s Ancient Wonders at Christmas.. 22

CHRISTMAS & NEW YEAR YEAR

The Italian Dolomites & Lake Bled for Christmas & New Year ........................ 24 Verona & the Austrian Tyrol for Christmas & New Year ........................ 26 NEW Christmas & New Year

on the Italian & French Riviera ................. 28

NEW An Andalucian Christmas &

New Year on the Algarve ..........................30

NEW YEAR NEW

A Hogmanay Celebration ......................... 32

NEW

A Brighton New Year ................................. 33

NEW

New Year on the Algarve Coast................ 34

NEW

New Year on the Cote d’Azur ................... 35

NEW

New Year Cruising the Rhine & Moselle .................................. 36 New Year in Enchanting Transylvania .......37

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MAKE CHRISTMAS

Special

THIS YEAR

Whether you want to get away from it all and escape to the sun or soak up the beauty of a glistening winter wonderland, it’s all here in our festive collection.

THE PERFECT SETTING A festive holiday is a special occasion, so we hand-pick hotels which offer a warm and friendly welcome and a comfortable base from which to explore. We choose places which are centrally located or in a prime position.

You might even find yourself staying somewhere that’s totally unique – an elegant manor house or a desert camp perhaps.

SPECIAL EXPERIENCES From horse-drawn sleigh rides and wine-tasting, to unforgettable train journeys and star-gazing in the desert, there are so many magical experiences packed into our Christmas and New Year holidays.

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SAVOUR THE FL AVOUR OF CHRISTMAS Sampling the local cuisine is an important part of any holiday and we all like to indulge a little at Christmas. Warm up with a glass of mulled wine, feast on a meal of local specialities or treat yourself to an extra piece of gingerbread – it’s Christmas after all!

NEW YEAR CELEBRATIONS

See in the New Year in style and celebrate just like a local. Enjoy Hogmanay in the Highlands, watch fireworks in an Austrian ski resort or dance the night away – the choice is all yours!

WELCOME ABOARD Our festive river cruises offer you the chance to sail the waterways of Europe and enjoy the festive atmosphere in an array of enchanting towns and cities. Relax on board your floating hotel as the sights quite simply come to you.

CALL 01858 415 410 | GO TO TRAVELSPHERE.CO.UK | VISIT YOUR LOCAL TRAVEL AGENT

5

THE DANUBE

& ITS ENCHANTING CHRISTMAS MARKETS 5 DAYS FROM

£1199

DEPARTING 13 DECEMBER

NEW

Join us on a cruise along the Danube and discover enchanting Christmas markets in Vienna, Bratislava and Budapest.

Vienna

ALL EXCURSIONS INCLUDED

YOUR HOLIDAY INCLUDES RETURN FLIGHTS from Heathrow with Austrian Airlines 4 NIGHTS on board 4-star premium ship MS Vivaldi 11 MEALS 4 breakfasts (B), 3 lunches (L), 4 dinners (D) including a farewell gala dinner TRAVELSPHERE TOUR MANAGER and Specialist Local Guide TRANSPORTATION Overseas transfers, other transportation and porterage YOUR INCLUDED HIGHLIGHTS

� Captain’s welcome cocktail reception � Tour of Vienna � Budapest tour � Tour of Bratislava � Onboard entertainment

DAY 1 UK/VIENNA

You’ll fly to Vienna today, from where we’ll transfer you to your ship. After settling in to your cabin, meet your fellow passengers and the crew over a welcome cocktail and an Austrian-themed dinner on board. (D)

DAY 3 BUDAPEST

Known as the ‘Pearl of the Danube’, Budapest is Hungary’s bustling capital. The river splits the city into two parts, with the modern buildings and busy streets of Pest on one side and the historic quarters of Buda on the other, and this is where our guided tour begins. We’ll take in the famous Chain Bridge, the enchanting castle quarter, the Fisherman’s Bastion and Matthias Church – the oldest in the city. We’ll then head to Pest to discover its highlights, which include Heroes’ Square, the Szechenyi thermal baths and Vajdahunyad Castle.

Enjoy a relaxed evening on board the ship as it heads to Bratislava. (B,L,D)

Bratislava

YOUR SHIP

DAY 4 BRATISL AVA

This morning we arrive in Bratislava. Once the capital of Hungary, it now serves as Slovakia’s diverse capital city. Why not join an included panoramic tour and discover its charming Christmas markets and the medieval Bratislava Castle. Take in spectacular views over the Danube from its ancient ramparts before entering the Old Town through Michael’s Gate, which dates back to the Middle Ages. We’ll admire the elegant buildings that line the central square, including the old town hall and a host of Art Nouveau treasures, and take in the Primate’s Palace.

Enjoy a free afternoon to make your own discoveries before heading back to the ship.

There’s a treat in store this evening in the shape of a gala dinner on board. (B,L,D)

MS VIVALDI ★★★★ You will stay on board 4-star premium ship MS Vivaldi. Facilities include a bar-lounge, restaurant, sun deck, gift shop and Wi-fi.

The ship has three decks and all cabins feature en suite facilities with shower, air-conditioning/ heating, TV, hairdryer and safe.

Upgrade to the Middle Deck from £125 and Upper Deck from £150 per person for the duration of the cruise. Speak to your Holiday Advisor for more details.

DAY 5 VIENNA/UK

After breakfast, you’ll disembark the ship and we’ll transfer you to the airport for your return flight to the UK. (B)

Start/Finish Cruise

4

Nights

SLOVAKIA

DAY 2 VIENNA

Vienna is a diverse city with a vibrant culture, a vast imperial history and intriguing architecture.

We’ll head ashore today for an included guided tour, which gives you the chance to browse the city’s enchanting Christmas markets.

You’ll also see the famous Ringstrasse – a smart boulevard lined with fine buildings, including the State Opera, the Hofburg Palace, the Natural History Museum and the Burgtheatre, which is one of the most important German-language theatres in the world.

Back on board the ship, this afternoon we’ll set sail for Budapest. (B,L,D) 6

Bratislava Vienna

AUSTRIA

Budapest

HUNGARY

Danube

GUARANTEED DEPARTURE DATE

Budapest, Chain Bridge

Departs: 13 Dec 2019

Holiday ref: XKMVI

Returns: 17 Dec 2019

Single supplement £250

Please note: Flights from your local airport may be available.

Please call a Holiday Advisor or visit Travelsphere.co.uk for details.

AUSTRIAN ADVENT

SALZBURG & LAKES 5 DAYS FROM

£899

NEW

DEPARTING 02 DECEMBER

Explore Christmas markets in spectacular castle settings and experience ancient traditions, including the Krampus Run, on this magical break to Austria.

RT

RELAXED TOURING

ALL EXCURSIONS INCLUDED

YOUR HOLIDAY INCLUDES RETURN FLIGHTS from Heathrow with Lufthansa 4 NIGHTS in a 3-star hotel 8 MEALS 4 breakfasts (B), 4 dinners (D) TRAVELSPHERE TOUR MANAGER and Specialist Local Guide TRANSPORTATION Overseas transfers, other transportation and porterage YOUR INCLUDED HIGHLIGHTS

� Discover Salzburg’s Christmas markets � Experience the Krampus Run � Visit the ‘Advent in Castles’ Christmas markets at Lake Traunsee

� Mozart dinner concert in Salzburg � Christmas markets in the Salzkammergut DAY 1 UK/WEYREGG

Depart on your flight to Munich today. On arrival we will transfer you to your hotel in Weyregg, a village on the shore of Lake Attersee. (D)

Salzburg

While Saint Nicholas rewards children who have been good, Krampus punishes naughty children, and this spooky parade dates back 500 years. (B,D) DAY 3 ADVENT IN CASTLES & MOZART DINNER CONCERT

Don’t forget your camera today, as the Christmas markets you’ll visit are situated in two spectacular castles

by Lake Traunsee. This event, known as the Advent in Castles, was voted the best Christmas market in Upper Austria in 2018. You can choose to travel here by boat or miniature train, and after shopping in this picturesque destination, we head to the Frucht und Sinne Chocolate Manufacturers in Frankenmarkt. You’ll get a behind-thescenes tour here revealing the process of making fruit chocolates, before tasting the goods with a glass of wine.

Later, we’ll return to Salzburg for an unforgettable night in the St Peter Stiftskeller. Travel back to the 18th century for a traditional candle-lit dinner while costumed musicians serenade you with the music of Salzburg’s most famous figure, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. (B,D)

YOUR HOTEL

DAY 4 CHRISTMAS MARKETS IN SALZKAMMERGUT

Today we’re travelling around the Salzkammergut region, visiting the quaint towns of Bad Ischl and St Wolfgang. You’ll have plenty of time to make your own discoveries, perhaps take a tour of the Kaiservilla in Bad Ischl or browse the stalls decorated with twinkling lights at St Wolgang’s Christmas market. If you wish, you could also take a horse-and-carriage ride, the perfect way to see more of St Wolfgang and its surrounds. (B,D) DAY 5 WEYREGG/UK

This morning after breakfast we’ll transfer you to the airport for your flight home. (B)

DAY 2 SALZBURG CHRISTMAS MARKETS & THE KRAMPUS RUN

Today you will get to know Salzburg on a walking tour of the Altstadt, the historic city centre renowned for its Baroque architecture and stunning churches.

Afterwards, you’ll have free time to explore the city further and enjoy the Christmas markets at your own pace. It’s the perfect opportunity to shop for lastminute Christmas gifts or treat yourself to some tasty gingerbread.

Back at the hotel, we’ll enjoy some more traditional treats, a hot cup of glühwein - or mulled wine and maroni, local chestnuts. This evening brings with it the Krampus Run, a traditional event where people in horned masks and elaborate costumes parade through the streets ringing ominous bells.

According to legend, the Krampus, a half-goat, halfdemon figure, is the scary opposite of Saint Nicholas.

Krampus Run

GASTHOF SONNE ★★★ Located in the heart of the village of Weyregg, your hotel is situated just a short walk from the shores of Lake Attersee. Facilities include a restaurant and wellness area with sauna, hot tub and relaxation room. Guest rooms have en suite facilities, TV and a balcony.

Start/Finish Road 4 Nights

AUSTRIA Munich

GERMANY

Salzburg

Weyregg 4

Lake Traunsee

Salzkammergut

GUARANTEED DEPARTURE DATE

Mozart dinner concert

Boo k no w CALL 01858 415 409

Departs: 02 Dec 2019

Holiday ref: XAA

Returns: 06 Dec 2019

Single supplement £200

Please note: Flights from your local airport may be available.

Please call a Holiday Advisor or visit Travelsphere.co.uk for details.

| GO TO TRAVELSPHERE.CO.UK | VISIT YOUR LOCAL TRAVEL AGENT

7

FESTIVE HAMPSHIRE

& THE NEW FOREST 5 DAYS FROM

£749

NEW

DEPARTING 23 DECEMBER

Discover Beaulieu and the Mid Hants Railway from the comfort of Chilworth Manor as you celebrate Christmas in great company.

RT

RELAXED TOURING

ALL EXCURSIONS INCLUDED

YOUR HOTEL

YOUR HOLIDAY INCLUDES 4 NIGHTS in a 3-star hotel 9 MEALS 4 breakfasts (B), Christmas Day lunch (L), 4 dinners (D) TRAVELSPHERE TOUR MANAGER and Local Guide TRANSPORTATION

Coach transportation and porterage YOUR INCLUDED HIGHLIGHTS

� Visit Beaulieu and the National Motor Museum � Experience Christmas as it would have been during the Second World War on the Mid Hants Railway Watercress Line

Mid Hants Railway

The former gatehouse of Beaulieu Abbey, Palace House, set in glorious grounds, has been owned by the Montagu family since 1538.

You can still see the monastic origins of the building while exploring the treasures inside the house.

The motor museum houses a wonderful collection of vehicles, from vintage models to legendary world record-breakers such as Bluebird and the Golden Arrow, and fascinating motoring memorabilia.

Enjoy time at leisure back at the hotel before dinner this evening. (B,D) DAY 3 CHRISTMAS DAY SOUTHAMPTON

It’s Christmas Day, and we’ve left the morning free for you to spend as you wish. A walk around the hotel’s grounds will help you to work up an appetite for your festive lunch with all the trimmings.

After a relaxing afternoon, a light buffet dinner will be served this evening. (B,L,D) DAY 4 BOXING DAY MID HANTS RAILWAY

Beaulieu House

DAY 1 SOUTHAMPTON

Make your own way to Southampton today and check into your hotel. Set within 12 acres of gardens, why not enjoy a stroll before dinner is served this evening. (D) DAY 2 CHRISTMAS EVE BEAULIEU HOUSE

Today you’ll journey into the heart of the beautiful New Forest to visit Beaulieu and its famous National Motor Museum.

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Spend today discovering the Mid Hants Railway as you travel back in time and experience the Watercress Line as it would have been during the Second World War. During this event with a ‘Christmas Leave’ theme, you’ll join civilian and military re-enactors as you ride on steam trains, hopping on and off at four different stations to explore. Entertainment will be provided in the form of live music from the 1940s, an ARP display and a number of other treats with a festive theme.

Enjoy dinner back at the hotel this evening. (B,D) DAY 5 SOUTHAMPTON

After a leisurely breakfast, check out of the hotel and make your own way home. (B)

BEST WESTERN CHILWORTH MANOR HOTEL ★★★ This elegant hotel in the style of an Edwardian manor house is ideally located in the heart of Hampshire. Facilities include 12 acres of beautiful gardens, a restaurant, bar, health club and spa with indoor pool, hot tub and steam room. Guest rooms feature en suite facilities, air-conditioning/heating, TV, hairdryer, iron/ ironing board and tea/coffee-making facilities.

Start/Finish Road 4 Nights

Mid Hants Railway

4 Southampton Beaulieu House ENGLAND

GUARANTEED DEPARTURE DATE Departs: 23 Dec 2019

Holiday ref: XGBCM

Returns: 27 Dec 2019

Single supplement £250

CHRISTMAS IN A

SCOTTISH CASTLE 5 DAYS FROM

£699

DEPARTING 23 DECEMBER

NEW

Spend a truly remarkable Christmas in a 16th century castle set amongst the breathtakingly beautiful scenery of the Scottish Borders.

RT

RELAXED TOURING

ALL EXCURSIONS INCLUDED

Thirlestane Castle

YOUR HOLIDAY INCLUDES

YOUR HOTEL

4 NIGHTS in a 3-star hotel, formerly a castle 10 MEALS 4 breakfasts (B), 2 lunches (L)including Christmas Day lunch, 4 dinners (D) TRAVELSPHERE TOUR MANAGER and Local Guide TRANSPORTATION Coach transportation and porterage YOUR INCLUDED HIGHLIGHTS

• Tour of Thirlestane Castle including a Scottish drumming and piping workshop • Guided tour of Edinburgh

DAY 1 EDDLESTON

Make your own way to the Barony Hotel on the rural outskirts of Eddleston, a tiny, pretty village in Scotland’s picturesque Borders.

Sit down for a welcome cup of tea or coffee before spending the afternoon settling into your room, exploring the grounds or strolling through the village, as you choose.

In the evening, get to know your fellow travellers over a welcome drink and dinner in the hotel’s restaurant. (D) DAY 2 CHRISTMAS EVE THIRLESTANE CASTLE

After breakfast we’ll head to Thirlestane Castle for a very special experience, a Scottish drumming and piping workshop.

But before we get started, we’ll take a private guided tour of the castle’s lavish interiors and enjoy a buffet lunch. Parts of the castle date back to the 16th century, and it’s also the ancestral home of the Maitland family, whose aristocratic roots go back hundreds of years – so there will be plenty of fascinating historical tales to uncover along the way.

As a fitting end to our day, we will get to grips with some of the oldest musical instruments recorded in history. We’ll listen to a traditional piper play full-sized bagpipes and then we’ll learn the basics as we practice on chanters - the part of the bagpipe which creates the melody.

Our tutor will tell us all about the history of piping and how bagpipes are made, and we’ll discover more about

Edinburgh

the different types of pipes found throughout the world. We’ll also watch a skilled Scottish drummer at work and have a go at creating the rhythm ourselves.

After a fun-filled afternoon, we’ll return to the hotel and gather as a group for dinner. (B,L,D) DAY 3 CHRISTMAS DAY EDDLESTON

Relaxation, fun and indulgence are the only things that matter at Christmas, and today all three will be available in abundance. You’ll have the day to yourself to spend as you want. Go for a brisk Christmas Day walk through the hotel’s lovely grounds or the wider countryside, make use of the hotel’s excellent facilities and enjoy unwinding with your fellow travellers.

We’ll share a Christmas lunch with all the trimmings, complete with a glass of prosecco, and this evening we’ll get together once more for a light supper. (B,L,D) DAY 4 BOXING DAY EDINBURGH

A stunning destination at any time, Edinburgh looks even more magnificent during the festive season, as you’ll see for yourself today when we head to Scotland’s capital. Our morning will be spent on a guided tour, taking in iconic historic sites including Edinburgh Castle. In the afternoon, enjoy free time to explore at leisure. Wander amongst the narrow medieval lanes and secret staircases of the Old Town, or admire the elegant Georgian architecture on display throughout the New Town.

The beautiful Christmas market and the city’s many quirky independent shops offer lots of opportunity to pick up some unique souvenirs. (B,D) DAY 5 EDDLESTON

It’s time to bid farewell to the beautiful Borders, so after breakfast you can check out and make your own way home. (B)

Boo k no w CALL 01858 415 409

BARONY CASTLE, ★★★ Your hotel is a spectacular 16th century building surrounded by 25 acres of grounds on the edge of Eddleston village. Facilities include an award-winning restaurant, bar, lounge with fireplace, spa, indoor swimming pool, sauna, fitness area, free parking and free Wi-fi. Guest rooms feature en suite facilities, air-conditioning/heating, TV, hairdryer and tea/coffee-making facilities.

Start/Finish Road 4 Nights

Edinburgh SCOTLAND

4 Eddleston

Thirlestane Castle

GUARANTEED DEPARTURE DATE Departs: 23 Dec 2019

Holiday ref: XGBSB

Returns: 27 Dec 2019

Single supplement £250

| GO TO TRAVELSPHERE.CO.UK | VISIT YOUR LOCAL TRAVEL AGENT

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DELUXE

SWISS CHRISTMAS

6 DAYS FROM

£1599 DEPARTING 22 DECEMBER

Lucerne is the ideal base from which to explore the snowy Swiss Alps - one of the most Christmassy places on Earth.

RT

RELAXED TOURING

ALL EXCURSIONS INCLUDED

YOUR HOLIDAY INCLUDES RETURN FLIGHTS from Heathrow with British Airways 5 NIGHTS in a 4-star hotel 12 MEALS 5 breakfasts (B), 2 lunches (L), 5 dinners (D) including 4-course dinners on Christmas Eve & Christmas Day TRAVELSPHERE TOUR MANAGER and Local Guide TRANSPORTATION Overseas transfers, other transportation and porterage

YOUR INCLUDED HIGHLIGHTS

� Walking tour of Lucerne with a Local Guide

� Excursion to Mount Pilatus � Mount Rigi with lunch and cruise on Lake Lucerne

� Mount Titlis with lunch and horsedrawn carriage ride in Engelberg

Lucerne

DAY 1 UK/LUCERNE

Today you’ll fly to Zurich, then continue by train on a scenic journey to Lucerne. On arrival, you’ll check into your hotel, which sits close to the dazzling Lake Lucerne, and is just minutes from the station.

Get to know your fellow travellers over a welcome drink then spend the rest of the day as you choose.

We recommend a walk around the beautiful medieval town. In the evening, we’ll get together for dinner in the hotel’s excellent restaurant. (D) DAY 2 LUCERNE & MOUNT PIL ATUS

After breakfast, we’ll set off on a walking tour of Lucerne. Surrounded by snowy mountain peaks, this historic lake city is impossibly beautiful. Marvel at the medieval buildings and take in famous sights like the Chapel Bridge, with its pretty red roof.

Next, we’ll catch the train to Alpnachstad, before switching to the steep railway that climbs up Mount Pilatus. Spend your free time at the top enjoying the dramatic Alpine vistas and charming mountain lodge. We’ll then travel back to Lucerne via the city of Kriens, before returning to the hotel where dinner will be served this evening. (B,D) DAY 3 CHRISTMAS EVE MOUNT RIGI

Take to the water this morning with a cruise across Lake Lucerne to charming Vitznau. Next, we’ll ascend Mount Rigi by train. You’ll soon see why this regal massif is known as the Queen of the Mountains! Enjoy plenty of time to take in the gorgeous scenery, before stopping for some lunch.

Be sure to try the local dish of alpenmagronen.

Made with potatoes, pasta, cheese and apple sauce, it’s the perfect meal for refuelling.

In the afternoon, we’ll journey back to Lucerne, passing through Arth-Goldau on the way.

Back at the hotel, Christmas Eve will be marked with a special festive dinner. (B,L,D) DAY 4 CHRISTMAS DAY MOUNT TITLIS & ENGELBERG

Horse-drawn carriage ride

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You can be sure of a white Christmas this year!

The day begins with a train trip to Engelberg, close to the Mount Titlis cable car. Climb aboard for an epic aerial adventure passing over dramatic snowy landscapes and peaks such as Klein Titlis. We’ll stop for lunch at the Titlis Panorama Restaurant, which truly lives up to its name. After riding the cable car back down to Engelberg, relax on a horse-drawn carriage ride around this enchanting village.

Tonight we’ll celebrate together with a Christmas dinner at the hotel. (B,L,D)

DAY 5 BOXING DAY LUCERNE

After a Christmas Day filled with excitement, the focus today is on total relaxation. After breakfast, you’re free to do just as you please. You might want to head out to browse the shops, walk along the banks of the lake or just chill out at the hotel. In the evening we’ll enjoy dinner at the hotel. (B,D) DAY 6 LUCERNE/UK

After breakfast, we’ll take the train to Zurich for our flight back to the UK. There’s no need to worry about your luggage, it will be transferred separately. (B)

YOUR HOTEL

AMERON HOTEL FLORA ★★★★ Modern convenience meets traditional Swiss design in this chic hotel, located in the heart of the city of Lucerne and just moments from Lake Lucerne. Facilities include a restaurant, bar and free Wi-fi. Guest rooms have en suite facilities, air-conditioning, TV and tea/coffeemaking facilities.

Start/Finish Road Train 5 Nights

Lucerne Mount Pilatus

Zurich

SWITZERLAND

5

Mount Rigi Engelberg Mount Titlis

ITALY GUARANTEED DEPARTURE DATE Departs: 22 Dec 2019

Holiday ref: XSIF

Returns: 27 Dec 2019

Single supplement £200

Please note: Flights from your local airport may be available.

Please call a Holiday Advisor or visit Travelsphere.co.uk for details.

CHRISTMAS IN AN

AUSTRIAN CASTLE 5 DAYS FROM

£1399 DEPARTING 23 DECEMBER

Relax amidst splendid historic surroundings on this Christmas break in the enchanting Austrian Lake District.

RT

RELAXED TOURING

ALL EXCURSIONS INCLUDED

YOUR HOLIDAY INCLUDES RETURN FLIGHTS from Heathrow with Lufthansa

St Wolfgang

Next we’ll head to the traditional Christmas market in the Kapitelplatz, located next to the splendid cathedral. Perhaps enjoy a mulled wine or two as you browse the festive stalls and shop for last-minute gifts. (B,D)

YOUR HOTEL

DAY 3 CHRISTMAS DAY MONDSEE

4 NIGHTS in a 4-star hotel 9 MEALS 4 breakfasts (B), 1 Christmas Day lunch (L), 4 dinners (D) TRAVELSPHERE TOUR MANAGER and Local Guide TRANSPORTATION Overseas transfers, other transportation and porterage YOUR INCLUDED HIGHLIGHTS

� Visit the ‘The Sound of Music’ city of Salzburg and a Christmas market

� Enjoy a magical horse-drawn sleigh ride on Christmas Day

� Explore St Wolfgang and browse its festive market

� Experience the unique atmosphere of a Christmas concert in Salzburg

Enjoy a relaxing morning at the hotel before a traditional Christmas lunch with all the trimmings is served in the elegant restaurant.

There’s a lovely treat in store this afternoon as you take an included horse-drawn sleigh ride through Mondsee’s snowy winter wonderland. Back at the hotel, the festive celebrations continue this evening with dinner and live musical entertainment. (B,L,D) DAY 4 BOXING DAY ST WOLFGANG, ST GILGEN & STROBL

This morning you’ll visit three lakeside villages, with your first stop St Wolfgang, home to the legendary White Horse Inn. This picturesque village sits on the north shore of the Wolfgangsee, at the foot of the Schafberg Mountain. A festive market will still be in full swing and rustic stalls adorned with candles, torches and warming braziers line the narrow streets down to lake’s shore.

You’ll continue to the village of St Gilgen to experience the Wolfgangsee Advent Christmas market, then on to the idyllic village of Strobl, where festive decorations sparkle against the backdrop of the Wolfgangsee. Your day finishes back in Salzburg, where a further highlight is an atmospheric Christmas concert.

You’ll return to the hotel in time for dinner this evening. (B,D) DAY 5 MONDSEE/UK

DAY 1 UK/MONDSEE

Depart on your flight to Munich today. On arrival we’ll transfer you to your elegant hotel, which is close to the shores of Lake Mondsee. The festivities start straight away as you are welcomed with a glass of mulled wine accompanied by cookies.

Spend the rest of the day at leisure before dinner is served at the hotel this evening. (D)

Today we’ll transfer you to the airport for your flight back to the UK. (B)

DAY 2 CHRISTMAS EVE SALZBURG & CHRISTMAS MARKETS

Today you’ll visit ‘The Sound of Music’ city of Salzburg.

The centre has hardly changed since the times of the famous Austrian composer Mozart, who was born here.

On a guided walking tour discover Baroque domed churches, merchant houses, hidden arcaded courtyards and the magnificent Hohensalzburg Fortress, which dominates the city. We’ll also take a stroll through Mozart Square and see the charming Mirabell Gardens.

Boo k no w CALL 01858 415 409

SCHLOSSHOTEL MONDSEE ★★★★ This splendid hotel is in a unique setting within a former Benedictine monastery dating back to 748. Located just a few minutes’ walk from the shores of Lake Mondsee in the centre of the town, it was converted into a palace in the early 19th century. As you explore, the furniture and paintings scattered throughout will take you on a voyage through its fascinating history.

Facilities include a restaurant, bar and a small spa area with indoor pool and sauna. Guest rooms have en suite facilities, TV, mini-bar and seating area.

Start/Finish Road 4 Nights

GERMANY AUSTRIA Munich

Mondsee Salzburg

4

St Gilgen

St Wolfgang Stobl

GUARANTEED DEPARTURE DATE Departs: 23 Dec 2019

Holiday ref: XAC

Returns: 27 Dec 2019

Single supplement £300

Please note: Flights from your local airport may be available.

Please call a Holiday Advisor or visit Travelsphere.co.uk for details.

| GO TO TRAVELSPHERE.CO.UK | VISIT YOUR LOCAL TRAVEL AGENT

11

CHRISTMAS ON THE

SORRENTO COAST

6 DAYS FROM

£1149

DEPARTING 23 DECEMBER

NEW

The ruins of Pompeii, Salerno’s wonderful Luci D’Artista lights display and Naples’ famous Nativity scenes are just three of the highlights on this festive tour of the Sorrento Coast.

RT

RELAXED TOURING

YOUR HOLIDAY INCLUDES RETURN FLIGHTS from Heathrow with British Airways 5 NIGHTS in a 4-star hotel 11 MEALS 5 breakfasts (B), 1 Christmas Day lunch (L), 5 dinners (D) TRAVELSPHERE TOUR MANAGER and Local Guide TRANSPORTATION Overseas transfers, other transportation and porterage AUDIO GUIDE YOUR INCLUDED HIGHLIGHTS

� Tour of Pompeii and Sorrento � Experience the magical lights in Salerno � Naples and San Gregorio Armeno, a street famous for its Nativity scenes OPTIONAL EXCURSION

� Discover the scenic Amalfi Coast and cliff-top Ravello

Naples, Nativity scene

12

DAY 1 UK/NAPLES

After your flight to Naples, we’ll transfer you to the pretty town of Vico Equense, on the Sorrento Peninsula. Your hotel here offers fantastic views over the Bay of Naples towards Mount Vesuvius. (D) DAY 2 CHRISTMAS EVE POMPEII & SORRENTO

Today you’ll visit the exceptional archaeological site of Pompeii, which we’ll reach by train. This infamous Roman town was frozen in time by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD, when it was buried by hot ash. You’re going to explore in great company, as a Local Guide leads you through its maze of streets.

As you stroll you’ll get a fascinating insight into the last days of the people who lived here.

You’ll see villas still decorated with brightly painted mosaics, Roman baths and even bakeries that still have their bread ovens and flour grinders intact.

After your visit and time for refreshments, we’ll once again board a train, this time headed for the lively resort of Sorrento. During free time here you can take in breathtaking views of the surrounding scenery, enter one of the resort’s fascinating museums or take a seat at a pavement café. The main square, Piazza Tasso, is the place to head if you want to watch the locals as they finish their Christmas shopping.

You could pick up some last-minute gifts yourself handmade leather goods and the famous limoncello liqueur are specialities here. (B,D) Pompeii

T Luci D’Artista, or artists’ lights

Salerno

DAY 3 CHRISTMAS DAY SALERNO

It’s Christmas Day, so enjoy a leisurely morning before enjoying a traditional festive lunch at the hotel. Later, we’ll make our way to Salerno.

A walking tour will introduce us to the city’s historic centre, its atmospheric Christmas market and the magical Luci D’Artista, or artists’ lights.

This spectacular display of art, which usually follows four themes, fills the streets, piazzas and gardens and is an enchanting sight. (B,L,D) DAY 4 BOXING DAY NAPLES

This morning you’ll journey by road to the beautiful city of Naples for what is sure to be a memorable visit.

The first stop will be at the National Archaeological Museum, where exhibits from ancient sites including Pompeii, Herculaneum and Capua are on display.

After some free time for refreshments, we’ll then head off on a walking tour of the city’s medieval centre, where a host of impressive churches are amongst the architectural highlights.

We’ll then head to San Gregorio Armeno - Naples is famous for its Nativity scenes, and this street is lined with shops selling hand-crafted cribs and figurines, some even boasting the faces of well-known celebrities! On the way back to the hotel we’ll stop atop Posillipo Hill to take in stunning views across the Bay of Naples and beyond. (B,D) DAY 5 AMALFI COAST & RAVELLO

You can spend today at leisure or perhaps you’ll choose to join our optional excursion. First we’ll drive along the scenic coastline to the picturesque town of Amalfi, which is beautifully situated between the mountains and the sea. Its impressive Romanesque cathedral is said to hold the remains of St Andrew, so maybe ascend the flight of steps and take a peek inside.

Ravello

Our tour then continues to the cliff-top town of Ravello, which is perched high above Amalfi and offers spectacular views. There’s free time to look around Ravello at your own pace and maybe take in the wonderful gardens of Villa Cimbrone and Villa Rufolo.

Back at the hotel, dinner this evening is followed by traditional festive singing and some delicious Christmas pastries. (B,D) DAY 6 NAPLES/UK We will transfer you to the airport today for your flight back to the UK. (B)

YOUR HOTEL

Start/Finish Road Rail 5 Nights Optional

ITALY Naples

HOTEL AEQUA ★★★★ Located in the clifftop town of Vico Equense, your hotel offers stunning views over the Bay of Naples to Mount Vesuvius. Facilities include a restaurant, bar and solarium. Guest rooms feature en suite facilities, air-conditioning, TV, mini-bar, safe and hairdryer.

Upgrade to a superior room with sea views from £60 for the duration of your stay.

Boo k no w CALL 01858 415 409

Pompeii Vico Equense 5 Sorrento

Amalfi

Salerno Ravello

GUARANTEED DEPARTURE DATE Departs: 23 Dec 2019

Holiday ref: XITIRS

Returns: 28 Dec 2019

Single supplement £200

Please note: Flights from your local airport may be available.

Please call a Holiday Advisor or visit Travelsphere.co.uk for details.

| GO TO TRAVELSPHERE.CO.UK | VISIT YOUR LOCAL TRAVEL AGENT

13

CHRISTMAS IN

SANTA MARGHERITA

7 DAYS FROM

£1299 DEPARTING 21 DECEMBER

As you spend Christmas on the beautiful Italian Riviera you’ll explore chic resorts and delightful cliff-top villages.

RT

RELAXED TOURING

YOUR HOLIDAY INCLUDES RETURN FLIGHTS from Heathrow with British Airways 6 NIGHTS in a 4-star hotel 13 MEALS 6 breakfasts (B), 1 Christmas Day lunch (L), 6 dinners (D) TRAVELSPHERE TOUR MANAGER and Local Guide TRANSPORTATION Overseas transfers, other transportation and porterage AUDIO GUIDE

YOUR INCLUDED HIGHLIGHTS

� Visit the beautiful Italian Riviera resorts of Rapallo and Portofino

� Tour of the historical port city of

Genoa and its UNESCO-listed palaces

� Explore the stunning Cinque Terre � Enjoy a stroll in Santa Margherita Ligure on Christmas Day

OPTIONAL EXCURSION

• See the world-famous Leaning Tower

of Pisa and the walled town of Lucca

DAY 1 UK/SANTA MARGHERITA LIGURE

Depart on your flight to Pisa today. On arrival we will transfer you to your elegant hotel in Santa Margherita Ligure, a beautiful seaside resort and fishing town on the Italian Riviera. (D) DAY 2 RAPALLO & PORTOFINO

You can look forward to a day of exploration in lovely surroundings, as you enjoy an included excursion today. Your discoveries begin in the beautiful riviera town of Rapallo, which boasts a small medieval castle, seaside promenade and a historic centre.

You’ve plenty of free time here to stop for a spot of lunch if you wish before we visit Portofino, which we’ll reach by boat.

14

Santa Margherita

What used to be a small fishing village is today an exclusive resort favoured by Italy’s rich and famous. A walk along the cliff past the church of San Giorgio will reward you with unrivalled views of its picturesque harbour lined with pastel-shaded houses. (B,D) DAY 3 GENOA

You’ll discover the large port city of Genoa today on an included guided tour. In the birthplace of explorer Christopher Columbus, you’ll wander through medieval alleyways and admire the UNESCO-listed Palazzi dei Rolli. These magnificent palaces were built in the Strade Nuove district between the 16th and 18th centuries as residences for aristocratic families, as well as to host visiting dignitaries.

You’ll have free time for lunch and to explore Genoa further at your own pace. It is home to a wide range of museums and art galleries, as well as Italy’s largest aquarium, where you can discover more than 500 species of fish. (B,D)

Next, you’ll continue to the well-preserved walled town of Lucca, which is renowned for its medieval and Renaissance architecture. It is also famous as the birthplace of the composer Puccini and home of the Volto Santo Crucifix, which is kept in the exquisite cathedral. (B,D) DAY 7 SANTA MARGHERITA LIGURE/UK

After breakfast we’ll transfer you to the airport for your flight back to the UK. (B)

YOUR HOTEL

DAY 4 CHRISTMAS EVE CINQUE TERRE

After breakfast you’ll head to the area known as the Cinque Terre. These five enchanting villages are perched high on cliffs above the Mediterranean Sea and are accessible only by train, boat or footpath.

On your included excursion you will take the train to visit a few of them. Back at the hotel, enjoy dinner and an evening of live music. (B,D) DAY 5 CHRISTMAS DAY SANTA MARGHERITA LIGURE

Enjoy a relaxing start to Christmas Day with a leisurely breakfast and a stroll around Santa Margherita Ligure with your Tour Manager.

As you walk along the esplanade, which is lined by palm trees, you might see locals out buying cakes and pastries to enjoy on this special day.

Back at the hotel we’ll be served a traditional festive lunch. Spend the afternoon relaxing at your hotel, before dinner this evening. (B,L,D) DAY 6 BOXING DAY PISA & LUCCA

Today is free for you to spend just as you wish.

You can relax at the hotel or explore lovely Santa Margherita Ligure further.

However, if you’d like to discover more of Italy, why not join an optional excursion, which begins as we visit the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa.

One of four buildings that make up the Field of Miracles, this iconic landmark took 176 years to complete and began to lean shortly after construction.

HOTEL CONTINENTAL ★★★★ Your hotel is set within a beautiful hillside garden in the coastal town of Santa Margherita Ligure. Nestled on a promontory overlooking the sea, picturesque harbour and the old fishing town, this elegant hotel also has a private beach. Other facilities include a restaurant, bar, lift and a wellness centre with sauna and massage rooms. Guest rooms feature en suite facilities, TV, mini-bar and complimentary Wi-fi.

Genoa Portofino

6

ITALY

Santa Margherita Cinque Terre

Lucca

Start/Finish Road Boat 6 Nights Optional

Pisa

GUARANTEED DEPARTURE DATE Departs: 21 Dec 2019

Holiday ref: XITIR

Returns: 27 Dec 2019

Single supplement £360

Please note: Flights from your local airport may be available.

Please call a Holiday Advisor or visit Travelsphere.co.uk for details.

CHRISTMAS ON THE

ITALIAN RIVIERA

6 DAYS FROM

£889

DEPARTING 23 DECEMBER

With its mild climate and scenic highlights, the Italian Riviera is the perfect destination for a fabulous festive getaway.

RT

RELAXED TOURING

Monte Carlo

YOUR HOLIDAY INCLUDES RETURN FLIGHTS from Heathrow with British Airways 5 NIGHTS in a 3-star hotel 10 MEALS 5 breakfasts (B), 5 dinners (D) including a traditional Christmas Day dinner, welcome and farewell drinks TRAVELSPHERE TOUR MANAGER and Local Guide TRANSPORTATION Overseas transfers, other transportation and porterage AUDIO GUIDE

We then move on to Isolabona for a wine-tasting and we’ll round off our sightseeing in stylish Sanremo. Its Old Town is full of narrow streets and alleyways and the casino here was built in 1905. Back at the hotel, a candlelit dinner will be served this evening. (B,D)

DISCOVER MORE

DAY 3 CHRISTMAS DAY AL ASSIO

For a complete Christmas and New Year break, you can combine this tour with New Year on the Cote d’Azur (see page 35).

Full details of this combined tour – Christmas & New Year on the Italian & French Riviera – can be found on page 28.

DAY 4 BOXING DAY MONACO & MONTE CARLO

YOUR HOTEL

It’s Christmas Day, so why not relax and enjoy a leisurely day at the hotel, or maybe go for a stroll along the beach. This evening there will be live music as we sit down to enjoy a traditional Christmas Day dinner with turkey and all the trimmings. (B,D)

After breakfast, we’re going to make our way to Monte Carlo in nearby Monaco. Oozing glitz and glamour, Monte Carlo occupies a stunning spot between the Alps and the Mediterranean Sea, and the lavish Casino di Monte Carlo is one of Europe’s finest examples of belle époque architecture.

Enjoy some time to soak up the atmosphere and make your own discoveries. (B,D) DAY 5 PORTOFINO & SANTA MARGHERITA

YOUR INCLUDED HIGHLIGHTS

� Visit Dolceacqua and Sanremo and enjoy a wine-tasting in Isolabona

� Candlelit Christmas Eve dinner � Discover glamorous Monaco and Monte Carlo

You’ve a free day to do just as you please today, or if you want to continue exploring, there’s an optional cruise to Portofino. What used to be a tiny fishing port is today the Italian Riviera’s most exclusive resort offering designer boutiques and a fine selection of cafés and bars. You’ll also visit the picturesque seaside resort of Santa Margherita, which is home to a lovely palm-fringed harbour. (B,D) DAY 6 AL ASSIO/UK

HOTEL EDEN ★★★ The 3-star Hotel Eden occupies a splendid position right on the seafront and is just a short walk from the centre of Alassio.

Facilities include a restaurant, bar and private beach. Guest rooms have en suite facilities, TV, mini-bar and safe.

Upgrade your room from £30 per person for the duration of your stay.

After breakfast we will transfer you to the airport for your flight back to the UK. (B)

OPTIONAL EXCURSION

Santa Margherita Ligure

� Scenic cruise to Portofino and visit to Santa Margherita

DAY 1 UK/AL ASSIO

FRANCE

After flying to Nice, we’ll transfer you to Alassio, a seaside resort on the beautiful Italian Riviera. Your hotel boasts an enviable position right on the seafront and we’ll enjoy a welcome drink together this evening.

Nice

DAY 2 CHRISTMAS EVE DOLCEACQUA & SANREMO

Boo k no w CALL 01858 415 409

5

Alassio

Dolceacqua

(D)

After breakfast we’ll make our way to the ancient village of Dolceacqua. A river divides it into two districts which are connected by a pretty bridge, and you’ll have some free time to look around and admire the 15th century castle perched on top of a hill.

Portofino

ITALY

San Remo Monaco / Monte Carlo

Start/Finish Road 5 Nights Optional

GUARANTEED DEPARTURE DATE

Portofino

Departs: 23 Dec 2019

Holiday ref: XIRIF

Returns: 28 Dec 2019

Single supplement £360

Please note: Flights from your local airport may be available.

Please call a Holiday Advisor or visit Travelsphere.co.uk for details.

| GO TO TRAVELSPHERE.CO.UK | VISIT YOUR LOCAL TRAVEL AGENT

15

A MALTESE CHRISTMAS 6 DAYS FROM

£879

DEPARTING 23 DECEMBER

As you spend Christmas on the beautiful Italian Riviera you’ll explore chic resorts and delightful cliff-top villages.

RT

Valletta

RELAXED TOURING

DAY 1 UK/ST PAUL’S BAY

YOUR HOLIDAY INCLUDES

You’ll depart on your flight to Malta today.

On arrival, you will be transferred to your hotel in the picturesque resort of St Paul’s Bay. After settling into your room, the rest of the day is free for you to spend as you please. (D)

RETURN FLIGHTS from Heathrow with Air Malta 5 NIGHTS in a 4-star hotel

DAY 2 CHRISTMAS EVE THREE CITIES & HARBOUR CRUISE

11 MEALS 5 breakfasts (B), 1 Christmas Day lunch (L), 5 dinners (D) with drinks TRAVELSPHERE TOUR MANAGER and Local Guide TRANSPORTATION Overseas transfers, other transportation and porterage YOUR INCLUDED HIGHLIGHTS

� Discover the ancient harbour towns

known as the Three Cities and enjoy a cruise around Valletta’s Grand Harbour

� Explore the walled city of Mdina and UNESCO-listed Valletta

� Experience Malta 5D, which explains the history of the island

OPTIONAL EXCURSION

� Explore the idyllic island of Gozo

Let’s get out and about today on an included tour which takes in the ancient harbour towns of Vittoriosa, Cospicua and Senglea. Collectively known as the Three Cities, all were built and fortified by the Knights of St John and offer a fascinating insight into Malta’s history. Sit back and relax as we drive through Cospicua to Vittoriosa, whose waterfront is home to the former Palace of the General of the Galleys and the Order of St John’s Treasury.

Next, take in spectacular views in Senglea, which sits on a promontory jutting out into the Grand Harbour We’ll end the day with a cruise around Valletta’s Grand Harbour to Sliema, where there’s free time for some shopping. (B,D) DAY 3 CHRISTMAS DAY ST PAUL’S BAY

It’s Christmas Day, so enjoy a relaxed day at your hotel and a special festive lunch with all the trimmings. (B,L,D) DAY 4 BOXING DAY GOZO

Today you can head to the beautiful island of Gozo via a short ferry ride if you choose to join our optional excursion. First you will visit the resort of Marsalforn and board a trackless train for a picturesque journey.

Your next stop will be Victoria, Gozo’s capital, with its fascinating UNESCO-listed Citadel. (B,D)

Explore the city at your own pace before heading back to the hotel. (B,D) DAY 6 ST PAUL’S BAY/UK

Today we will transfer you to the airport for your return flight to the UK. (B)

YOUR HOTEL

DOLMEN RESORT ★★★★ The 4-star Dolmen Resort Hotel is located on the seafront in St Paul’s Bay. Facilities include a man-made private beach, a great choice of restaurants and bars, a café, four swimming pools, tennis courts, spa and casino. Guest rooms feature balcony, en suite facilities, hairdryer, air-conditioning, TV and mini-bar.

Upgrade to a room with sea views from £60 per person for the duration of your stay.

GOZO

Victoria

DAY 5 MDINA & VALLETTA

Valletta

16

Join your Tour Manager on an included excursion which takes you to the centre of the island, and the walled city of Mdina. Dominated by its ancient citadel, it has a unique atmosphere, and as you pass through the narrow streets you’ll be able to admire honey-hued stone buildings and hidden alleyways.

Your journey then continues to Valletta, the island’s UNESCO-listed capital. Here you’ll see the spectacular St Paul’s church and visit Malta 5D. This audio-visual show, with moving seats and more surprises, tells the fascinating 7,000-year history of the island. Finally we’ll stop at the beautiful Upper Barracca Gardens, which are laid out on part of the city’s old fortifications and offer magnificent views of the famous Grand Harbour.

From this viewpoint, watch the saluting battery, when eight replica cannons are fired.

St Pauls Bay

5

Valletta Mdina Start/Finish Road 5 Nights

Vittoriosa Cospicua Senglea

MALTA

Optional

GUARANTEED DEPARTURE DATE Departs: 23 Dec 2019

Holiday ref: XFEM

Returns: 28 Dec 2019

Single supplement £250

Please note: Flights from your local airport may be available.

Please call a Holiday Advisor or visit Travelsphere.co.uk for details.

CHRISTMAS CRUISING THE

SEINE VALLEY & PARIS

5 DAYS FROM

£1299 DEPARTING 23 DECEMBER

NEW

Discover picturesque ports, historic sights and ruined abbeys on this festive river cruise through France’s Seine Valley.

ALL EXCURSIONS INCLUDED

Rouen

YOUR HOLIDAY INCLUDES RETURN RAIL TRAVEL Standard-class return rail travel with Eurostar from St Pancras International to Paris 4 NIGHTS on board 4-star premium ship MS Botticelli 11 MEALS 4 breakfasts (B), 3 lunches (L), 4 dinners (D) including a farewell gala dinner and all drinks (excluding Champagne & selected wines) TRAVELSPHERE TOUR MANAGER and Specialist Local Guide TRANSPORTATION Overseas transfers, other transportation and porterage YOUR INCLUDED HIGHLIGHTS

• Captain’s welcome cocktail reception • Visit the Château de Martainville museum • Guided tour of pretty Honfleur • Walking tour of Rouen, the historic capital of Normandy

Honfleur

DAY 1 UK/PARIS

Make your own way to London St Pancras International today, where you’ll board the Eurostar for your journey to Paris. On arrival, we’ll meet you and transfer you to your ship. After you’ve settled into your cabin, you can meet your fellow passengers and the crew over a welcome drink before dinner. (D)

YOUR SHIP

DAY 2 CHRISTMAS EVE LES ANDELYS & ROUEN

We’ll spend the morning cruising towards Les Andelys, enjoying lovely views along the way.

This afternoon we include an excursion to the Château de Martainville, the sumptuous holiday home of a 15th century banker which today houses the Museum of Norman Art and Traditions.

Back on board you will enjoy a Christmas Eve dinner as we sail to Rouen. Later, you can attend midnight mass if you wish. (B,L,D) DAY 3 CHRISTMAS DAY HONFLEUR

This morning you’ll cruise to Dunclair, from here you will go by coach to Honfleur, a pretty fishing port located at the mouth of the Seine, for an included guided walking tour.

This afternoon back on board the ship, we’ll cruise along the Seine towards Rouen. (B,L,D) DAY 4 BOXING DAY ROUEN

Our ship is moored just a five-minute walk from the centre of Rouen, and a guided walking tour of this charming city, known for its cathedral and sights connected to Joan of Arc, is included this morning Later, we’ll enjoy a gala dinner and an evening of entertainment on the ship as we cruise through the night back to Paris. (B,L,D) DAY 5 PARIS/UK

After breakfast, you will disembark the ship and we’ll transfer you to the railway station for your journey back to St Pancras International. (B)

Boo k no w CALL 01858 415 409

MS BOTTICELLI ★★★★ Facilities on board your two-deck, premium ship include a restaurant, bar-lounge, sun deck, gift shop and Wi-fi. All cabins feature en suite facilities with a shower, air-conditioning/ heating, TV, hairdryer and safe.

Upgrade to the Upper Deck from £125 per person for the duration of the cruise. Speak to your Holiday Advisor for more details.

Start/Finish Cruise Train 4 Nights

FRANCE English Channel

Honfleur

Rouen Les Andelys Paris

GUARANTEED DEPARTURE DATE Departs: 23 Dec 2019

Holiday ref: XKNPA

Returns: 27 Dec 2019

Single supplement £250

| VISIT TRAVELSPHERE.CO.UK | VISIT YOUR LOCAL TRAVEL AGENT

17

ANDALUCIAN

CHRISTMAS 9 DAYS FROM £1149

DEPARTING 22 DECEMBER

Escape to Andalucía and see the ‘real Spain’ on this Christmas break, where whitewashed villages, cliff-top towns and sandy beaches are among the highlights.

RT

RELAXED TOURING

ALL EXCURSIONS INCLUDED

YOUR HOLIDAY INCLUDES RETURN FLIGHTS from Gatwick with Norwegian Airlines 8 NIGHTS in a 4-star hotel 16 MEALS 8 breakfasts (B), 8 dinners (D) including a Christmas Day gala dinner and a welcome drink TRAVELSPHERE TOUR MANAGER TRANSPORTATION Overseas transfers, other transportation and porterage YOUR INCLUDED HIGHLIGHTS

� Discover enchanting Mijas and vibrant Malaga � Explore the cliff-top town of Ronda � Visit picturesque Frigiliana and the charming resort of Nerja OPTIONAL EXCURSIONS

� Marvel at the incredible Alhambra Palace in Granada � Enjoy a taste of home with a visit to the British colony of Gibraltar

18

DAY 1 UK/BENALMADENA

You’ll depart on your flight to Malaga today.

On arrival we’ll transfer you to your beachfront hotel in Benalmadena. (D) DAY 2 GRANADA

You can choose to relax and enjoy the facilities at your hotel today. Alternatively, why not join our full-day optional excursion to Granada, which is pre-bookable only. The highlight of your visit is sure to be the worldfamous Alhambra Palace, an impressive reminder of Granada’s historic past. One of the best known of all Islamic works of art, this was a citadel, a fortress and home to the Nasrid sultans and their court. From its hilltop position, this magnificent building overlooks the city and is one of Spain’s greatest architectural treasures.

Inside you’ll find a fascinating collection of rooms set around a central courtyard, and outside, the delightful Generalife Gardens are a real delight to explore. You’ll also see Granada’s ancient Moorish kasbah with its Ronda

narrow streets, whitewashed houses and secluded inner gardens on this great day trip. (B,D) DAY 3 CHRISTMAS EVE MIJAS & MAL AGA

Today you’ll discover the delightful ‘white village’ of Mijas, nestled in the foothills of the Sierra de Mijas Mountains. The cobbled streets here are lined with whitewashed houses and the idyllic views stretch as far as the coast.

You’ll also visit the vibrant port city of Malaga, famed as the birthplace of the artist Picasso and enveloped in centuries of history. (B,D) DAY 4 CHRISTMAS DAY BENALMADENA

It’s Christmas Day, so relax and enjoy your hotel’s facilities, or maybe head into Benalmadena for a stroll after breakfast. This evening there’s the chance to get dressed up for the hotel’s festive gala dinner. (B,D) DAY 5 BOXING DAY RONDA

Today we include an excursion to the picturesque

Mijas

Alhambra Palace

cliff-top town of Ronda. Occupying a spectacular location on a towering plateau, it is divided by El Tajo, a precipitous gorge plunging more than 600ft below.

Take in the fabulous views from the 18th century Puente Nuevo Bridge down to the waters of the River Guadalevin. You’ll also see the old Moorish town of La Ciudad, which lies on one side of the gorge, and the 18th century El Mercadillo, located on the opposite side. (B,D) DAY 6 BENALMADENA

You’ve a further day at leisure today. Explore Benalmadena or the surrounding area or maybe treat yourself to a massage in the hotel’s spa, it’s completely up to you. (B,D) DAY 7 FRIGILIANA & NERJA

Your explorations of Spain continue today as you head first to Frigiliana, located in the foothills of the Almijara Mountains. Easily explored on foot, this picturesque village is a maze of cobbled streets with flower-festooned window ledges adding a dazzling touch of colour. Wander the winding alleyways of its historical Moorish centre and perhaps shop for local ceramics and hand-made lace.

Later, continue to the coastal resort of Nerja with its sandy beaches and hidden coves. Once a sleepy fishing village, the old quarter remains virtually unchanged and the streets here are lined with whitewashed houses and wrought iron terraces overflowing with geraniums it’s the perfect spot for a stroll. (B,D)

DAY 9 BENALMADENA/UK

Today we’ll transfer you to the airport for your flight back to the UK. (B)

Town hall, Granada

YOUR HOTEL

DISCOVER MORE

For a complete Christmas and New Year break, you can combine this tour with New Year on the Algarve Coast (see page 34).

Full details of this combined tour – An Andalucian Christmas & New Year on the Algarve – can be found on page 30.

DAY 8 GIBRALTAR

You can spend today at leisure, or perhaps you’ll choose to discover more and join our full-day optional excursion to Gibraltar. You’ll take a tour by mini-coach and if you like, you can treat yourself to a cable-car ride to the top of ‘The Rock’.

If it’s a clear day, you’ll enjoy fabulous views, and look out for the famous Barbary apes that call this British colony home. (B,D)

Boo k no w CALL 01858 415 409

BEST TRITON HOTEL ★★★★ Your hotel boasts a lovely beachfront position in lively Benalmadena on the Costa del Sol. It is also within walking distance of the marina and an abundance of shops, bars and restaurants.

Facilities include a restaurant serving international cuisine, bar, spa, beauty salon, fitness centre and Wi-fi throughout.

SPAIN Granada Ronda

Mijas 8

Frigilliana Nerja Malaga

Benalmadena Gibraltar

Start/Finish Road 8 Nights Optional

GUARANTEED DEPARTURE DATE Departs: 22 Dec 2019

Holiday ref: XSA

Returns: 29 Dec 2019

Single supplement £300

Please note: Flights from your local airport may be available.

Please call a Holiday Advisor or visit Travelsphere.co.uk for details.

| GO TO TRAVELSPHERE.CO.UK | VISIT YOUR LOCAL TRAVEL AGENT

19

CHRISTMAS ON THE

LISBON COAST

7 DAYS FROM

£999

DEPARTING 22 DECEMBER

Fairytale towns, sumptuous palaces and seafaring cities are highlights of this festive holiday on the Lisbon Coast, and they are all the more magical at Christmas.

RT

RELAXED TOURING

ALL EXCURSIONS INCLUDED

YOUR HOLIDAY INCLUDES RETURN FLIGHTS from Gatwick with TAP Portugal 6 NIGHTS in a 4-star hotel 12 MEALS 6 breakfasts (B), 6 dinners (D) including festive Portuguese dinners on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day TRAVELSPHERE TOUR MANAGER and Local Guide TRANSPORTATION Overseas transfers, other transportation and porterage YOUR INCLUDED HIGHLIGHTS

• Visit the medieval town of Óbidos • Marvel at the splendour of Mafra’s

National Palace and visit the seaside resort of Cascais

• Discover UNESCO-listed Sintra • Explore Lisbon, the Portuguese capital

DAY 1 UK/ERICEIRA

Depart on your flight to Lisbon today. On arrival we will transfer you to your hotel in the Portuguese seaside resort of Ericeira, renowned for its sandstone cliffs, ocean views and lovely beaches. This traditional village also boasts a delightful centre, which will be adorned with festive decorations.

Once you’ve settled into your room, why not head out to explore before you return to the hotel this evening for dinner. (D) DAY 2 ÓBIDOS

Today you’ll visit the hilltop town of Óbidos on an included excursion. Considered one of the most picturesque in Portugal and specially decorated for the festive period, it’s a delight to explore on foot Its walled historic centre is a labyrinth of cobblestone streets and whitewashed houses sporting terracotta roofs, while the main street is lined with traditional shops selling crafts, chocolate and cherry liqueur. (B,D) DAY 3 CHRISTMAS EVE MAFRA & CASCAIS

You’ll head off this morning to the Baroque National Palace at Mafra. When work began on this monumental complex in 1717, no expense was spared with approximately 45,000 men working on the palace, basilica and monastery.

During your visit a highlight will be the magnificent library, decorated with marble and exotic wood and containing around 35,000 volumes.

Next you’ll head to Cascais. Once a sleepy fishing village, this stylish seaside resort boasts fine beaches, picturesque parks and gardens and a charming Old Town. The main street, Rua Direita, is the place to shop for local handicrafts, and the Paula Rego Museum showcases works by this renowned Portuguese artist.

You’ll be back at your hotel in time to get ready for a special Christmas Eve dinner of Portuguese specialities.

(B,D) Festive Portuguese dinner

20

DAY 4 CHRISTMAS DAY ERICEIRA

It’s Christmas Day, so you can spend the day doing just as you please. Relax at your hotel or maybe take a stroll along the Ericeira’s seafront. (B,D) DAY 5 BOXING DAY SINTRA & CABO DE ROCA

Your included excursion today takes you to UNESCO-listed Sintra, which is located at the foot of a mountain, surrounded by forest and dotted with extravagant villas and palaces.

You will visit the former summer residence of the kings of Portugal, noted for its beautiful ceramic tiles and painted ceilings, before continuing to the dramatic surroundings of Cabo da Roca lighthouse, the most westerly point of continental Europe. (B,D) DAY 6 LISBON

You’ll get out and about again today as you explore Portugal’s lively capital, Lisbon, which is renowned for its spectacular Christmas lights illuminating its avenues and squares.

You will take in the Moorish quarter and the Belém Tower – the city’s icon and a monument to Portugal’s Age of Discovery. Entrance to the Maritime Museum, which tells the story of Portugal’s pioneering role in exploring the world by sea, is also included. One of the oldest items you’ll see here is a figure of the Archangel Raphael that journeyed with Vasco da Gama on his expedition to India. (B,D) DAY 7 ERICEIRA/UK

Today we’ll transfer you to the airport for your flight back to the UK. (B)

Castle in Óbidos

Lisbon

Lisbon, Belém Tower

Pena National Palace, Sintra

YOUR HOTEL

Obidos

Ericeira 6 Cabo da Roca

HOTEL VIL A GALÉ ★★★★ The 4-star Hotel Vila Galé occupies a lovely position close to the picturesque town of Ericeira. Facilities include a restaurant, bar, outdoor swimming pool and health club.

Guest rooms feature en suite facilities, TV, Wi-fi, mini-bar, safe and hairdryer.

Boo k no w CALL 01858 415 409

Cascais

Mafra

Start/Finish Road 6 Nights

PORTUGAL

Sintra Lisbon

GUARANTEED DEPARTURE DATE Departs: 22 Dec 2019

Holiday ref: XPLISC

Returns: 28 Dec 2019

Single supplement £260

Please note: Flights from your local airport may be available.

Please call a Holiday Advisor or visit Travelsphere.co.uk for details.

| GO TO TRAVELSPHERE.CO.UK | VISIT YOUR LOCAL TRAVEL AGENT

21

JORDAN’S

ANCIENT WONDERS AT CHRISTMAS 8 DAYS FROM

£1899 DEPARTING 21 DECEMBER

NEW

Discover historic and biblical sites, explore the ‘Lost City’ of Petra and soak up magical desert landscapes as you immerse yourself in Jordan’s treasures.

CT

CLASSIC TOURING

YOUR HOLIDAY INCLUDES RETURN FLIGHTS from Heathrow with Royal Jordanian 7 NIGHTS 6 nights in 4-star hotels, plus 1 night in a desert camp 13 MEALS 7 breakfasts (B), 1 lunch (L), 5 dinners (D) TRAVELSPHERE TOUR MANAGER and Local Guide TRANSPORTATION Overseas transfers, other transportation and porterage YOUR INCLUDED HIGHLIGHTS

� Tours of Amman and the preserved Roman city of Jerash � Visit Mount Nebo and Madaba, where St George’s Church houses the Mosaic Map � Discover the ancient Shobak fortress � Walking tour of Petra � Explore ‘Little Petra’ � Wadi Rum visit � The Dead Sea OPTIONAL EXCURSIONS

� Petra at night � Petra cookery class � Star-gazing in Wadi Rum � River Jordan

22

Depart on your flight to Amman today, the capital of Jordan. On arrival, we’ll transfer you to your hotel.

DAY 1 UK/AMMAN

around a traditional Jordanian village. If you can’t wait to see Petra, we offer the opportunity to view the Treasury lit by candles this evening. (B,D)

GRAND MILLENIUM, AMMAN (4 STAR)

HYATT ZAMAN HOTEL, PETRA (4 STAR)

DAY 2 AMMAN

A full day of discovery begins with a morning tour of Amman. You’ll see many of its treasures, including a Roman amphitheatre, the magnificent citadel and it’s archaeological museum and the King Abdullah Mosque.

In the afternoon we’re going to Jerash, one of the largest and best-preserved Roman cities in existence. Highlights here are the Temples of Artemis and Zeus, Hadrian’s Triumphal Arch and a street of columns a mile long. This evening we will head to a restaurant for dinner. (B,D) GRAND MILLENIUM, AMMAN (4 STAR)

DAY 3 PETRA

We’re heading south today, to Petra, and on the way we’ll visit many interesting sites. First stop is Mount Nebo, an elevated ridge that rises more than 700 metres above sea level and is cited in the Hebrew Bible as the point from which Moses saw the promised land.

We’ll then head to Madaba, to visit St George’s Church, the home of the Mosaic Map. This treasure of early Christianity dates back to the 6th century and is the oldest map of Palestine that exists today.

A further highlight of our journey is the ancient fortress of Shobak. This is one of the largest and most impregnable of the chain of forts built by the Crusaders and is an impressive example of architectural military genius. Every stronghold was built to be a day’s journey from its neighbour, and at night, beacons were lit to signal to Jerusalem that each was safe.

The rose-red city of Petra is our final destination, and accommodation here is a hotel built in and

DAY 4 CHRISTMAS EVE PETRA

Christmas Eve is the day you will get to explore Petra on a guided walking tour. This extraordinary city carved into the sandstone is concealed beyond a long, narrow gorge – the Siq – and your Local Guide will lead you through this corridor of rock. Get ready for your first glimpse of the magnificent Treasury building in the daylight, it will not disappoint.

There will be the opportunity for you to explore the area at leisure before returning to the hotel.

This evening why not join our optional excursion which offers a dinner with a difference.

We’ll head to a restaurant where we’ll actually work alongside the chefs as they create typical Jordanian dishes, eating what we have prepared. (B) HYATT ZAMAN HOTEL, PETRA (4 STAR)

DAY 5 CHRISTMAS DAY WADI RUM

Start Christmas Day with a visit to Siq al-Barid, a northern suburb of Petra known as ‘Little Petra’.

Here you’ll see houses, temples and staircases all carved out of rock and hidden away in the centre of a mountain.

We then head to the desert of Wadi Rum, home to the nomadic Bedouin people and immortalised in the 1962 film Lawrence of Arabia. With sand dunes and sandstone rock formations of all shapes, sizes and colours, this magical landscape is sure to leave a lasting impression.

You’ll stay tonight in the heart of Wadi Rum, where your hotel is in the guise of a Bedouin camp,

Dead Sea

Petra

and you will stay in your own Bedouin-style tent.

Once you’ve settled in, enjoy an included dinner of traditional dishes and afterwards, maybe join an optional star-gazing excursion. (B,L,D) SUN CITY WADI CAMP, WADI RUM

DAY 6 BOXING DAY DEAD SEA

Your journey continues today as you head towards another famous destination, the Dead Sea. This is the lowest spot on earth, and as you stay here for two nights in a hotel right on its shores, you’ll have the chance to experience its waters, renowned

Jerash

for their buoyancy and therapeutic qualities. (B,D)

Star-gazing in Wadi Rum

HOLIDAY INN RESORT, DEAD SEA (4 STAR)

DAY 7 DEAD SEA

You can spend today at leisure, or you might choose to join an optional excursion to the River Jordan and the biblical site of the baptism of Jesus. (B,D) HOLIDAY INN RESORT, DEAD SEA (4 STAR)

DAY 8 AMMAN/UK

This morning we will transfer you to Amman for your flight back to the UK. (B)

YOUR HOTELS ISRAEL 2 Amman

Mt Nebo The Dead Sea 2

Madaba

JORDAN EGYPT

Shobak

2 Petra

1 Wadi Rum

SUNCITY CAMP, WADI RUMP At this unique camp in the heart of the Wadi Rum Desert, you’ll stay in a Bedouin-style tent with en suite facilities, a fan and mountain views.

The camp also features a reception tent and dining area.

HOLIDAY INN, DEAD SEA ★★★★ Your hotel occupies a wonderful position on the edge of the Dead Sea. Facilities include a choice of restaurants, a bar, three swimming pools, gym, spa and private beach. Guest rooms feature en suite facilities, air-conditioning, safe, TV, tea/coffee-making facilities and balcony.

Boo k no w CALL 01858 415 409

SAUDI ARABIA Start/Finish Road 7 Nights

GUARANTEED DEPARTURE DATE Departs: 21 Dec 2019

Holiday ref: XFLJODN

Returns: 28 Dec 2019

Single supplement £700

Please note: Flights from your local airport may be available.

Please call a Holiday Advisor or visit Travelsphere.co.uk for details.

| GO TO TRAVELSPHERE.CO.UK | VISIT YOUR LOCAL TRAVEL AGENT

23

THE ITALIAN DOLOMITES

& LAKE BLED FOR CHRISTMAS & NEW YEAR 11 DAYS FROM

£1899 DEPARTING 23 DECEMBER

Views of the snow-capped Dolomites and a horse-andcarriage ride around Lake Bled add a dash of magic to this festive holiday in Italy and Slovenia.

RT

RELAXED TOURING

YOUR HOLIDAY INCLUDES RETURN FLIGHTS from Gatwick with easyJet 10 NIGHTS in 3 and 4-star hotels 21 MEALS 10 breakfasts (B), 1 Christmas Day lunch (L), 10 dinners (D) including a traditional Italian festive dinner on Christmas Eve and a New Year’s Eve gala dinner TRAVELSPHERE TOUR MANAGER and Local Guide TRANSPORTATION Overseas transfers, other transportation and porterage AUDIO GUIDE

YOUR INCLUDED HIGHLIGHTS

� Travel through the snow-capped Dolomites to Trento � Enjoy Christmas Day lunch in a mountain-chalet restaurant � Sample grappa in the medieval town of Bassano del Grappa � Explore historic Treviso � Visit the Postojna Caves and the picturesque town of Piran � Lake Bled cruise and visit to Bled Castle

DAY 1 UK/FIERA DI PRIMIERO

Today you’ll fly to Venice. On arrival we will transfer you to your hotel in Fiera di Primiero, a pretty town in the Trentino region of northern Italy.

Meet your travelling companions over a welcome drink. (D) DAY 2 CHRISTMAS EVE TRENTO

After breakfast we’ll set off on a full-day excursion to the capital of Trentino, Trento. Our journey takes us through the beautiful snow-capped peaks of the Dolomites and is sure to put you in a festive mood.

Soak up Trento’s magical atmosphere and perhaps browse the Christmas market before we return to the hotel to enjoy a traditional Italian festive dinner.

(B,D)

DAY 3 CHRISTMAS DAY FIERA DI PRIMIERO

It’s Christmas Day and you’ve something very special to look forward to. After a leisurely breakfast and time to relax, we’re going to set off on a wonderful journey through the spectacular winter scenery.

We’re heading to a chalet restaurant high in the mountains, where Christmas lunch will be served. (B,L,D) DAY 4 BOXING DAY BASSANO DEL GRAPPA

After breakfast we’re going to head to Bassano del Grappa, a pretty medieval market town renowned for its production of the Italian spirit, grappa.

The Nardini family has been making high-quality grappa since 1779 and you’ll have a chance to sample some in their bar on the beautiful Palladian bridge, right in the heart of the town. (B,D)

OPTIONAL EXCURSIONS

� Explore Slovenia’s capital Ljubljana � Lakeside Bohinj and a cable-car ride up Mount Vogel Piran

24

Bassano del Grappa

Lake Bled

DAY 5 TREVISO

Today we’re going to discover the wonderful historic town of Treviso. At its heart is Piazza dei Signori, a great place to relax over a coffee or light lunch.

Admire the historic town hall, the Palazzo dei Trecento or head away from the square towards the Duomo to discover the town’s smartest shopping street. (B,D) DAY 6 L AKE BLED

We’re going to leave Italy today and head to Lake Bled in Slovenia. Our journey takes us through the dramatic scenery of the Julian Alps, so be sure to cast your gaze skywards for fabulous views of the towering peaks. With its stunning natural beauty, Bled is one of Slovenia’s most popular resorts, and your hilltop hotel has wonderful views of the emerald-green lake and pretty church-topped islet.

On arrival at our hotel, close to the lake, we’ll enjoy a welcome drink before dinner. (B,D) DAY 7 L JUBL JANA

Enjoy a day at leisure or join an optional morning excursion to Slovenia’s elegant capital, Ljubljana.

There will be plenty of time to walk around its centre, where Baroque buildings and ancient ramparts are overlooked by a grand castle, and to enjoy the Christmas lights. (B,D) DAY 8 POSTOJNA CAVES & PIRAN

Our sightseeing today takes us to the Postojna Caves – carved over thousands of years by the Pivka River.

We’ll head into the depths of these caverns by train on an eerie journey past incredible stalactites and stalagmites and sculptured galleries of rock.

Our next stop is the picturesque town of Piran on the Adriatic coast, where a Local Guide will introduce you to the Old Town and its beautiful Venetian Gothic architecture. (B,D)

DAY 9 NEW YEAR’S EVE L AKE BLED

On New Year’s Eve we’ll discover more of Lake Bled’s beauty. We’ll cruise to the middle of the lake on a traditional wooden vessel known as a Pletna boat and then step ashore on Bled Island to visit the Church of the Assumption. Afterwards we’ll drive to Bled Castle, and from its cliff-top location you can take in great views and then head inside to discover Bled’s history. We’ll see in the New Year back at the hotel with a gala dinner and dancing until the early hours. (B,D)

Ljubljana, Christmas lights

YOUR HOTELS

DAY 10 NEW YEAR’S DAY BOHINJ & MOUNT VOGEL

Today is yours to do just as you please. You can relax at your hotel, or join an optional excursion to picturesque Bohinj, a collection of little hamlets on the shores of a beautiful lake. Here you can also take a cable-car ride up nearby Mount Vogel for yet more breathtaking views. (B,D) DAY 11 L AKE BLED/UK

Today we will transfer you to the airport in Zagreb for your flight back to the UK. (B)

Optional Start Finish Road 10 Nights

AUSTRIA Lake Bled 5

Fiera di Primiero 5

Trento

ITALY

Bohinj Bassano del Grappa Treviso Piran Venice

Boo k no w CALL 01858 415 409

SLOVENIA

Ljubljana

Zagreb

Postojna Caves

CROATIA

SASS MAOR, FIERA DI PRIMIERO ★★★ The 3-star Hotel Sass Maor is located in Fiera di Primiero, a pretty town in the Trentino region of Italy. Facilities include a restaurant, bar, garden and relaxation area with sauna.

HOTEL BLED ROSE, BLED ★★★★ Surrounded by mountains, this newly refurbished hotel is situated within a spa park close to Lake Bled. Facilities include a restaurant, bar, fitness centre and spa with indoor pool. Guest rooms feature en suite facilities, TV, safe and balcony.

Lakeside view rooms available for a supplement of £40 per person.

GUARANTEED DEPARTURE DATE Departs: 23 Dec 2019

Holiday ref: XITSL

Returns: 02 Jan 2020

Single supplement £350

Please note: Flights from your local airport may be available.

Please call a Holiday Advisor or visit Travelsphere.co.uk for details.

| GO TO TRAVELSPHERE.CO.UK | VISIT YOUR LOCAL TRAVEL AGENT

25

VERONA & THE AUSTRIAN

FOR CHRISTMAS & NEW YEAR 11 DAYS FROM

£1999 DEPARTING 23 DECEMBER

The charm of historic Verona and the dramatic mountain peaks of the Austrian Tyrol combine to make this a scenic Christmas and New Year holiday.

RT

RELAXED TOURING

ALL EXCURSIONS INCLUDED

YOUR HOLIDAY INCLUDES RETURN FLIGHTS from Heathrow with British Airways 10 NIGHTS in 4-star hotels 21 MEALS 10 breakfasts (B), 1 traditional Christmas Day lunch (L), 10 dinners (D) including a gala dinner on New Year’s Eve TRAVELSPHERE TOUR MANAGER TRANSPORTATION Overseas transfers, other transportation and porterage YOUR INCLUDED HIGHLIGHTS

� Explore Bolzano and its traditional Christmas market � Verona tour � Discover Innsbruck, the capital of the Tyrol � Munich sightseeing tour � Salzburg, Mozart’s birthplace and ‘The Sound of Music’ city � Enjoy a traditional Tyrolean carol concert � Ride the cable car to Kufstein’s Fortress � Visit a crystal showroom in Rattenberg � Horse-drawn carriage ride and New Year’s Day fireworks in Kitzbühel

26

DAY 1 UK/VERONA

After your flight, we will transfer you to your hotel in Verona. After time to settle in, enjoy a welcome drink before dinner at the hotel this evening. (D) DAY 2 CHRISTMAS EVE BOLZANO

Today we’re heading to Bolzano, a small city where rows of pastel-coloured buildings are set against a backdrop of hills. Spend some time soaking up the magical atmosphere of the lovely Christmas market and then maybe browse the chic boutiques in the medieval shopping arcades. (B,D) DAY 3 CHRISTMAS DAY VERONA

It’s Christmas Day, and you’ve time to relax at leisure this morning. A traditional festive lunch will be served at the hotel, and afterwards you might want to go for a stroll before settling down with a drink in the bar. (B,L,D)

DAY 4 BOXING DAY VERONA

We’ll take a guided tour of Verona today, which introduces us to highlights including the impressive Roman Arena - now the legendary opera house, Lamberti’s Tower and Piazza Erbe. You’ll have free time to make your own discoveries later and a visit to Juliet’s balcony, the supposed setting for Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, is highly recommended. (B,D) DAY 5 INNSBRUCK

We are going say farewell to Italy and head to Austria today. Our first stop will be Innsbruck, the Tyrolean capital, where you’ll see highlights including the magnificent Gothic church and the famous Golden Roof.

Sitting above a balcony, it was created for Emperor Maximilian I at the beginning of the 16th century, and still bears 2,657 original copper tiles.

Salzburg

IAN TYROL Horse-drawn carriage ride

Bolzano, Christmas market

After time to browse the quaint stalls of the Christmas market, we’ll continue to our next hotel in Kramsach. (B,D) DAY 6 MUNICH

Your festive adventure continues today when we explore the fascinating Bavarian city of Munich.

We’ll discover spectacular sights including the former royal palace of the Bavarian monarchs, the Old and New Town Halls and the Gothic Frauenkirche cathedral. (B,D) DAY 7 SALZBURG & T YROLEAN CAROL CONCERT

DAY 10 NEW YEAR’S DAY KITZBÜHEL

We’re going to travel to the renowned alpine resort of Kitzbühel today and if the weather is kind to us, we’ll take an enchanting horse-drawn carriage ride through the wintry landscape. Later we’ll watch as Kitzbühel’s best skiers celebrate the New Year with a torchlight parade, along with fire jumping, live music and a firework display. (B,D)

DAY 8 KUFSTEIN

DAY 9 NEW YEAR’S EVE RATTENBERG

Today we are going to visit Rattenberg, Austria’s smallest town. In its medieval centre, many of the shops sell unique crystal and glass crafts and we’ll visit one of the showrooms to see how these products are made.

Back at the hotel we’ll welcome in the New Year in style with a fabulous gala dinner. (B,D)

YOUR HOTELS

DAY 11 KRAMSACH/UK

Your holiday comes to an end today as we transfer you to the airport for your flight back to the UK. (B)

Today you’ll visit ‘The Sound of Music’ city Salzburg, birthplace of Mozart. On a guided walk we’ll enjoy a spot of window-shopping on the famous Getreidegasse, admire the Mirabell Gardens and see the quaint Glockenspiel Tower.

Later we’ll head to the mountain resort of Ellmau.

Here you will experience an unforgettable highlight of your holiday - a traditional Tyrolean carol concert held in the lovely surroundings of a church. (B,D) After breakfast we’ll head to the charming medieval town of Kufstein and take the cable car up to the 13th century Kufstein Fortress. At the top you’ll find the Hero’s Organ, the largest open-air organ in the world. (B,D)

Verona

Fireworks in Kitzbühel

Start Finish Road 10 Nights

Munich

GERMANY

Kufstein Innsbruck

SWITZERLAND

4

Lake Garda Milan

Boo k no w CALL 01858 415 409

Salzburg

Ellmau Kitzbühel Rattenburg

6

AUSTRIA

Bolzano

Verona

HOTEL SONNENUHR, KRAMSACH ★★★★ This family-run hotel is located in the village of Kramsach, halfway between Kufstein and Innsbruck. Facilities include a restaurant, bar, and spa. Guest rooms have en suite facilities, TV, safe, free Wi-fi, hairdryer and a balcony.

ITALY

HOTEL ACCADEMIA, VERONA ★★★★ Your elegant hotel is located in the heart of Verona’s historic centre. Facilities include a bar, free Wi-fi and a gym. Guest rooms have en suite facilities, tea/coffee-making facilities, mini-bar and hairdryer.

GUARANTEED DEPARTURE DATE Departs: 23 Dec 2019

Holiday ref: XIAF

Returns: 02 Jan 2020

Single supplement £500

Please note: Flights from your local airport may be available.

Please call a Holiday Advisor or visit Travelsphere.co.uk for details.

| GO TO TRAVELSPHERE.CO.UK | VISIT YOUR LOCAL TRAVEL AGENT

27

CHRISTMAS & NEW YEAR ON THE

ITALIAN & FRENCH RIVIERA 11 DAYS FROM

£1999 DEPARTING 23 DECEMBER

NEW

Spend Christmas discovering the scenic highlights of the Italian Riviera, then explore the delights of Cannes, Nice and St Tropez as you celebrate the New Year in France.

RT

RELAXED TOURING

YOUR HOLIDAY INCLUDES RETURN FLIGHTS from Heathrow with British Airways 10 NIGHTS in 3 and 4-star hotels 21 MEALS 10 breakfasts (B), 1 lunch (L), 10 dinners (D) including a traditional Christmas Day dinner, welcome and farewell drinks and New Year’s Eve gala dinner TRAVELSPHERE TOUR MANAGER TRANSPORTATION Overseas transfers, other transportation and porterage AUDIO GUIDE

YOUR INCLUDED HIGHLIGHTS

� Visit Dolceacqua and Sanremo and enjoy a wine-tasting in Isolabona � Candlelit Christmas Eve dinner � Discover glamorous Monaco and Monte Carlo � Discover the highlights of Cannes and Nice � Explore the lovely resorts of St Raphael and St Tropez OPTIONAL EXCURSION

� Scenic cruise to Portofino and visit to Santa Margherita

28

DAY 1 UK/AL ASSIO

After flying to Nice, we’ll transfer you to Alassio, a resort on the beautiful Italian Riviera. Your hotel boasts an enviable position right on the seafront and we’ll enjoy a welcome drink together this evening. (D) DAY 2 CHRISTMAS EVE DOLCEACQUA & SANREMO

After breakfast we’ll make our way to the ancient village of Dolceacqua. A river divides it into two districts which are connected by a pretty bridge, and you’ll have some free time to look around and admire the 15th century castle perched on top of a hill.

We then move on to Isolabona for a wine-tasting and we’ll round off our sightseeing in stylish Sanremo.

Back at the hotel, a candlelit dinner will be served this evening. (B,D)

DAY 3 CHRISTMAS DAY AL ASSIO

It’s Christmas Day, so why not relax and enjoy a leisurely day at the hotel, or maybe go for a stroll along the beach. This evening there will be live music as we sit down to enjoy a traditional Christmas Day dinner with turkey and all the trimmings. (B,D) DAY 4 BOXING DAY MONACO & MONTE CARLO

After breakfast, we’re going to make our way to Monte Carlo in nearby Monaco.

Oozing glitz and glamour, Monte Carlo occupies a stunning spot between the Alps and the Mediterranean Sea, and the lavish Casino di Monte Carlo is one of Europe’s finest examples of belle époque architecture.

Enjoy some time to soak up the atmosphere and make your own discoveries. (B,D) Candlelit Christmas Eve dinner

St Tropez

Wine-tasting

Cannes

DAY 5 PORTOFINO & SANTA MARGHERITA

You’ve a free day to do just as you please today, or if you want to continue exploring, there’s an optional cruise to Portofino, the Italian Riviera’s most exclusive resort. You’ll also visit the picturesque seaside resort of Santa Margherita, which is home to a lovely palm-fringed harbour. (B,D) DAY 6 CANNES

beaches, cobbled streets and chic boutiques and eateries. Admire its yacht-lined harbour before taking a walk around the Old Town.

Back at the hotel there’s time to get ready for tonight’s New Year’s Eve celebration. You’ll head to the Salon Riviera for dinner, followed by dancing until the early hours. (B,D) DAY 10 NEW YEAR’S DAY CANNES

After breakfast, we’re going to say farewell to Italy and make our way to the city of Cannes, our base for the remainder of the holiday. (B,D)

Today has been left free for you to spend at leisure.

A buffet lunch and drinks will be served, followed by a light dinner this evening. (B,L,D)

DAY 7 CANNES & NICE

DAY 11 CANNES/UK

Cannes is known for its long sandy beaches, designer boutiques, sleek yachts and the renowned annual film festival. Today we’ll discover many of its highlights on an included excursion. We’ll walk along La Croisette, a palm-lined promenade which curves along the seafront, and explore Le Suquet, a labyrinth of streets snaking out from the picturesque port.

We’ll then continue to the glamorous city of Nice, where a drive up Mont Boron will reward us with fantastic views. We’ll also spend some time in the Cimiez district. Queen Victoria was once a regular at the Regina Palace Hotel here, and her statue still stands at the entrance to the district. (B,D) DAY 8 CANNES

Enjoy a leisurely day. Maybe you’ll choose to stroll into Cannes this afternoon before dinner is served at the hotel. (B,D) DAY 9 NEW YEAR’S EVE ST RAPHAEL & ST TROPEZ

Today’s excursion takes you to the delightful resort of St Raphael, where you can explore its old quarter and take a stroll along its picturesque promenade.

Next you’ll head to St Tropez, which boasts sandy

YOUR HOTELS

Today we’ll transfer you to the airport for your flight back to the UK. (B)

HOTEL EDEN, ALASSIO ★★★ Your hotel occupies a splendid position right on the seafront and just a short walk from the centre of Alassio. Facilities include a restaurant, bar and private beach. Guest rooms have en suite facilities, TV, mini-bar and safe.

DISCOVER MORE

This tour is a combination of Christmas on the Italian Riviera (see page 15) and New Year on the Cote D’Azur (see page 35).

This means other travellers may join or leave part way through the tour.

Start/Finish Road 10 Nights Optional

Santa Marherita

5

FRANCE

Nice 5 Cannes St Raphael St Tropez

Boo k no w CALL 01858 415 409

Portofino

ITALY

Alassio

Dolceacqua San Remo Monaco / Monte Carlo

PULLMAN CANNES MANDELIEU ROYAL CASINO HOTEL ★★★★ Facing the bay of Cannes, facilities at your hotel include a restaurant, two bars, casino, outdoor swimming pool, fitness centre, tennis court and private beach. Guest rooms have en suite facilities, air-conditioning, TV, mini-bar and tea/coffee-making facilities.

GUARANTEED DEPARTURE DATE Departs: 23 Dec 2019

Holiday ref: XYIRIF

Returns: 02 Jan 2020

Single supplement £600

Please note: Flights from your local airport may be available.

Please call a Holiday Advisor or visit Travelsphere.co.uk for details.

| GO TO TRAVELSPHERE.CO.UK | VISIT YOUR LOCAL TRAVEL AGENT

29

AN ANDALUCIAN CHRISTMAS & NEW YEAR ON THE ALGARVE 13 DAYS FROM

£1999 DEPARTING 22 DECEMBER

NEW

Escape to Andalucía and discover the ‘real Spain’ at Christmas, then see in the New Year on Portugal’s exquisite Algarve, where golden sands and blue seas await.

RT

RELAXED TOURING

YOUR HOLIDAY INCLUDES RETURN FLIGHTS from Gatwick with Norwegian Airlines 12 NIGHTS in 4-star hotels 24 MEALS 12 breakfasts (B), 12 dinners (D) including gala dinners on Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve TRAVELSPHERE TOUR MANAGER TRANSPORTATION Overseas transfers, other transportation and porterage AUDIO GUIDE YOUR INCLUDED HIGHLIGHTS

• Discover enchanting Mijas and vibrant

Malaga • Explore the cliff-top town of Ronda • Visit picturesque Frigiliana and the charming resort of Nerja • Visit Silves, Monchique & Fóia • Quinta dos Vales vineyards with wine-tasting OPTIONAL EXCURSIONS

• Marvel at the incredible Alhambra

Palace in Granada • Enjoy a taste of home with a visit to the British colony of Gibraltar

DAY 1 UK/BENALMADENA

You’ll depart on your flight to Malaga today.

On arrival we’ll transfer you to your beachfront hotel in Benalmadena. (D) DAY 2 GRANADA

You can choose to relax and enjoy the facilities at your hotel today. Alternatively, why not join our fullday optional excursion to Granada.

The highlight of your visit is sure to be the worldfamous Alhambra Palace, an impressive reminder of Granada’s historic past. One of the best known of all Islamic works of art, this was a citadel, a fortress and home to the Nasrid sultans and their court. From its hilltop position, this magnificent building overlooks the city and is one of Spain’s greatest architectural treasures Inside you’ll find a fascinating collection of rooms set around a central courtyard, and outside, the delightful Generalife Gardens are a real delight to explore. You’ll also see Granada’s ancient Moorish kasbah with its narrow streets, whitewashed houses and secluded inner gardens on this great day trip. (B,D) DAY 3 CHRISTMAS EVE MIJAS & MAL AGA

Today you’ll discover the delightful ‘white village’ of Mijas, nestled in the foothills of the Sierra de Mijas Mountains. The cobbled streets here are lined with whitewashed houses and the idyllic views stretch as far as the coast.

You’ll also visit the vibrant port city of Malaga, famed as the birthplace of the artist Picasso and enveloped in centuries of history. (B,D) DAY 4 CHRISTMAS DAY BENALMADENA

It’s Christmas Day, so relax and enjoy your hotel’s facilities, or maybe head into Benalmadena for a stroll after breakfast. This evening there’s the chance to get dressed up for the hotel’s festive gala dinner. (B,D) 30

DAY 5 BOXING DAY RONDA

Today we include an excursion to the picturesque clifftop town of Ronda. Occupying a spectacular location on a towering plateau, it is divided by El Tajo, a precipitous gorge plunging more than 600ft below. Take in the fabulous views from the 18th century Puente Nuevo Bridge down to the waters of the River Guadalevin.

You’ll also see the old Moorish town of La Ciudad, which lies on one side of the gorge, and the 18th century El Mercadillo, located on the opposite side. (B,D) DAY 6 BENALMADENA

You’ve a further day at leisure today. Explore Benalmadena or the surrounding area, or maybe treat yourself to a massage in the hotel’s spa, it’s completely up to you. (B,D) DAY 7 FRIGILIANA & NERJA

Your explorations of Spain continue today as you head first to Frigiliana, located in the foothills of the Almijara Mountains. Easily explored on foot, this picturesque village is a maze of cobbled streets with flower-festooned window ledges adding a touch of colour. Wander the winding alleyways of its historical Moorish centre and perhaps shop for local ceramics and hand-made lace.

Later, continue to the coastal resort of Nerja with its sandy beaches and hidden coves. Once a sleepy fishing village, the old quarter remains virtually unchanged and the streets here are lined with whitewashed houses and wrought iron terraces overflowing with geraniums.

(B,D)

DAY 8 GIBRALTAR

You can spend today at leisure, or perhaps you’ll choose to discover more and join our full-day optional excursion to Gibraltar. You’ll take a tour by mini-coach and if you like, you can treat yourself to a cable-car ride to the top of ‘The Rock’.

If it’s a clear day, you’ll enjoy fabulous views, and look out for the famous Barbary apes that call this British colony home. (B,D)

Wine-tasting

Armação de Perâ

DAY 9 ARMAÇÃO DE PERÂ

Today we’ll say farewell to Spain and transfer you to your hotel in the beautiful coastal village of Armação de Perâ on the Algarve. (B,D)

Alhambra Palace

YOUR HOTELS

DAY 10 NEW YEAR’S EVE SILVES, MONCHIQUE AND FÓIA

After breakfast, we’ll head to Silves, the historic fortified town that was once the capital of the Algarve. Landmarks you’ll discover include the Moorish Silves Castle, the Gothic cathedral and ancient town walls.

Next, it’s off to the mountain town of Monchique, where red-roofed houses stand out against the green slopes. The town is overlooked by Fóia, the Algarve’s highest peak.

Tonight, we’ll see in the New Year with a fabulous gala dinner back at the hotel. (B,D) DAY 11 NEW YEAR’S DAY ARMAÇÃO DE PERÂ

There’s no better time to get some serious relaxing done than New Year’s Day, and that’s just what’s on the agenda. You might want to go and see the charity swim which takes place on the beach on this day every year, or to follow the coast to the Capela Nossa Senhora da Rocha, perched on a jutting clifftop. Enjoy dinner at the hotel this evening. (B,D)

BEST TRITON HOTEL ★★★★ Your hotel boasts a lovely beachfront position in lively Benalmadena on the Costa del Sol. It is also within walking distance of the marina and an abundance of shops, bars and restaurants.

Facilities include a restaurant serving international cuisine, bar, spa, beauty salon, fitness centre and Wi-fi throughout. Guest rooms are modern and comfortable with en suite facilities, air-conditioning/ heating, TV, mini-bar, hairdryer and balcony.

DAY 13 ARMAÇÃO DE PERÂ/UK

After breakfast we’ll transfer you to the airport for your flight back home. (B)

PORTUGAL

Start Finish

SPAIN

Optional

Granada

Road

Monchique Silves

DAY 12 QUINTA DOS VALES

After a leisurely morning, the afternoon promises some real delights, as we make our way to the Quinta dos Vales Wine Estate. From its hilltop position, you’ll be treated to wonderful views of vineyards and the glorious Algarve coastline. But the star attraction, of course, is the excellent wine produced here, which you’ll get the chance to taste.

We’ll be back at the hotel in time to prepare for your final dinner with your fellow travellers. (B,D)

HOLIDAY INN ALGARVE ★★★★ Your hotel is in an idyllic spot, sitting right on a sandy beach, just a short walk from a selection of shops and restaurants. Facilities include a bar, restaurant, fitness centre, free Wi-fi and a swimming pool with panoramic sea views.

Guest rooms have en suite facilities, air-conditioning, satellite TV and tea/coffee-making facilities.

4 Faro Quinta dos Armação Vales De Perã

Boo k no w CALL 01858 415 409

Malaga Frigiliana Ronda Gibraltar

DISCOVER MORE

This tour is a combination of Andalucian Christmas (see page 18) and New Year on the Algarve Coast (see page 34).

This means other travellers may join or leave part way through the tour.

8 Nights

Nerja 8 Mijas Benalmadena

GUARANTEED DEPARTURE DATE Departs: 22 Dec 2019

Holiday ref: XYPLAL

Returns: 03 Jan 2020

Single supplement £400

Please note: Flights from your local airport may be available.

Please call a Holiday Advisor or visit Travelsphere.co.uk for details.

| GO TO TRAVELSPHERE.CO.UK | VISIT YOUR LOCAL TRAVEL AGENT

31

A HOGMANAY

CELEBRATION

4 DAYS FROM

£799

NEW

DEPARTING 30 DECEMBER

A train ride through the Scottish Highlands and a traditional Hogmanay celebration make this a New Year to remember.

RT

RELAXED TOURING

ALL EXCURSIONS INCLUDED

YOUR HOLIDAY INCLUDES 3 NIGHTS in a 3-star hotel 6 MEALS 3 breakfasts (B), 3 dinners (D) including a 4-course Hogmanay dinner, a welcome drink and free bar from 6-10pm each evening TRAVELSPHERE TOUR MANAGER TRANSPORTATION Coach transportation and porterage

YOUR INCLUDED HIGHLIGHTS

• A railway journey from Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh

Eilean Donan Castle

DAY 1 INVERNESS

Make your own way to Inverness, where your hotel is located in the centre of the city, just a short stroll from the castle and nestled on the banks of the River Ness. A welcome glass of warm mulled wine or cider will be served on arrival and this evening, dinner will be served at the hotel. (D)

YOUR HOTEL

DAY 2 NEW YEAR’S EVE KYLE OF LOCHALSH

It’s New Year’s Eve and today you will embark on one of the most scenic railway journeys in the world, from Inverness to the Kyle of Lochalsh on the west coast. This magnificent trip takes you past lochs and moors, through magnificent Highland scenery.

Away in the distance mountain ranges can be seen, and your journey ends with fabulous views of Skye.

Continuing by coach, you’ll pass the picturesque 13th century Eilean Donan Castle, which is situated on an island where three sea lochs meet. And as we make our way back to the hotel, you’ll have a chance to visit Loch Ness, where tales of a mysterious monster fascinate visitors to this day.

This evening you’ll celebrate the New Year in style, with a fabulous four-course Hogmanay dinner.

This will be followed by an evening of entertainment, complete with Highland dancers, pipes, dancing until the wee small hours and a glass of Champagne or whisky at midnight. (B,D) DAY 3 NEW YEAR’S DAY INVERNESS

After a leisurely morning you’ll head into Inverness for a guided tour of the city. You may wish to take a stroll to the shores of the River Ness where seals, seabirds and dolphins can sometimes be spotted.

This evening, your delicious three-course dinner will be followed by live entertainment. (B,D) DAY 4 INVERNESS

Enjoy a leisurely breakfast before checking out of your hotel and making your own way home. (B)

BEST WESTERN PALACE HOTEL, INVERNESS ★★★ Your hotel is located on the banks of the River Ness, in the heart of Inverness, opposite the castle. An elegant and stylish former mansion house, facilities include two restaurants, a lounge, indoor swimming pool, spa and free car parking on site. Guest rooms have en suite facilities, TV, free Wi-fi, hairdryer and tea/ coffee-making facilities.

Start/Finish Rail Road 3 Nights

Inverness

3

Loch Ness Kyle of Lochalsh

SCOTLAND

GUARANTEED DEPARTURE DATE

32

Departs: 30 Dec 2019

Holiday ref: YGBIN

Returns: 02 Jan 2020

Single supplement £200

A BRIGHTON

NEW YEAR 4 DAYS FROM

£649

NEW

DEPARTING 30 DECEMBER

See in the New Year in the glorious surroundings of the East Sussex countryside, with day trips to vibrant Brighton included.

RT

RELAXED TOURING

ALL EXCURSIONS INCLUDED

YOUR HOLIDAY INCLUDES 3 NIGHTS in a 3-star hotel

Brighton Pier

DAY 1 ALFRISTON

Make your own way to your hotel in lovely Alfriston, in East Sussex’s beautiful River Cuckmere valley. After you’ve checked in, unpack and explore, before meeting your fellow travellers over a welcome drink and dinner this evening. (D)

YOUR HOTEL

DAY 2 NEW YEAR’S EVE BRIGHTON

6 MEALS 3 breakfasts (B), 3 dinners (D) including a 5-course New Year’s Eve gala dinner TRAVELSPHERE TOUR MANAGER TRANSPORTATION Coach transportation and porterage

YOUR INCLUDED HIGHLIGHTS

• Visit Brighton’s Royal Pavillion • Enjoy a guided tour of Brighton with a trip up the British Airways i360

After breakfast, we’re off for a guided tour of the Royal Pavillion in Brighton. This exotic palace was built for King George IV and highlights include an elaborate banqueting room, the Great Kitchen and the Music Room.

Later, it’s back to the hotel for our gala evening, complete with a five-course tasting menu and entertainment. This is sure to be a truly delicious way to see in the New Year! (B,D) DAY 3 NEW YEAR’S DAY BRIGHTON

This morning you’ll be treated to a guided tour of Brighton, where the famous pier is just one of the historic sites we’ll be discovering. Get ready for a stunning bird’s-eye view of the city as you soar high into the air on the British Airways i360, a glass observation pod which climbs to 450 feet.

The day will end as we gather for a farewell dinner back at the hotel. (B,D) DAY 4 ALFRISTON

So long, Alfriston – after breakfast it’s time to check out and make your own way home. (B)

DEANS PLACE HOTEL ★★★ This historic hotel, a one-time farming estate, is set on the picturesque banks of the Cuckmere River, next to South Downs National Park. Facilities include an awardwinning restaurant, bar, free parking, free Wi-fi, a terrace and four acres of beautiful gardens. Guest rooms have en suite facilities, TV and tea/coffee-making facilities.

Start/Finish Road 3 Nights

Alfriston 3 Brighton

ENGLAND

GUARANTEED DEPARTURE DATE Brighton, British Airways i360 tower

Boo k no w CALL 01858 415 409

Departs: 30 Dec 2019

Holiday ref: YGBB

Returns: 02 Jan 2020

Single supplement £200

| GO TO TRAVELSPHERE.CO.UK | VISIT YOUR LOCAL TRAVEL AGENT

33

NEW YEAR ON THE

ALGARVE COAST

5 DAYS FROM

£1299

NEW

DEPARTING 30 DECEMBER

Catch some winter sun as you see in the New Year in the mild climes of Portugal’s exquisite Algarve, where golden sands and blue seas await.

RT

RELAXED TOURING

Silves

ALL EXCURSIONS INCLUDED

DISCOVER MORE

For a complete Christmas and New Year break you can combine this holiday with Andalucian Christmas (see page 18).

Full details of this combined tour – An Andalucian Christmas & New Year on the Algarve – can be found on page 30.

YOUR HOLIDAY INCLUDES RETURN FLIGHTS from Heathrow with British Airways 4 NIGHTS in a 4-star hotel 8 MEALS 4 breakfasts (B), 4 dinners (D) including a New Year’s Eve gala dinner

YOUR HOTEL

TRAVELSPHERE TOUR MANAGER and Local Guide TRANSPORTATION Overseas transfers, other transportation and porterage

YOUR INCLUDED HIGHLIGHTS

� Visit Silves, Monchique & Fóia � Quinta dos Vales vineyards with wine-tasting

DAY 1 UK/ARMAÇÃO DE PERÂ

Today you will fly to Faro, where we’ll meet you on arrival and transfer you to your hotel in the beautiful coastal village of Armação de Perâ.

Check in and get settled into your room before meeting your fellow travellers for a welcome drink and dinner at the hotel. (D) DAY 2 NEW YEAR’S EVE SILVES, MONCHIQUE AND FÓIA

After breakfast, we’ll head to Silves, the historic fortified town that was once the capital of the Algarve. Landmarks you’ll discover here include the Moorish Silves Castle and the pretty, white Gothic cathedral, as well as the ancient town walls. The picturesque hills of the Algarve, divided by the Rio Arade, make a beautiful backdrop for the town.

Next, it’s off to the mountain town of Monchique, where red-roofed houses stand out against the green slopes. The town is overlooked by Fóia, the Algarve’s highest peak.Tonight, we’ll see in the New Year with a fabulous gala dinner back at the hotel. (B,D) 34

Lady of Rock Chapel, Armação de Perâ

DAY 3 NEW YEAR’S DAY ARMAÇÃO DE PERÂ

There’s no better time to get some serious relaxing done than New Year’s Day, and that’s just what’s on the agenda. After breakfast, spend the day however you would like. You might want to go and see the charity swim which takes place on the beach on this day every year, or to follow the coast to the Capela Nossa Senhora da Rocha, perched on a jutting clifftop.

Get together with your travelling companions for dinner this evening at the hotel. (B,D) DAY 4 QUINTA DOS VALES

HOLIDAY INN ALGARVE ★★★★ Your hotel is in an idyllic spot, sitting right on the beach. Facilities include a bar, restaurant, fitness centre, free Wi-fi and a swimming pool with panoramic sea views. Guest rooms have en suite facilities, air-conditioning, satellite TV and tea/coffee-making facilities.

Start/Finish Road 4 Nights

SPAIN

After a leisurely morning, the afternoon promises some real delights, as we make our way to the Quinta dos Vales Wine Estate. From its hilltop position, you’ll be treated to wonderful views of expansive vineyards and the glorious Algarve coastline.

But the star attraction, of course, is the excellent wine produced here, which you’ll get plenty of opportunity to taste.

We’ll be back at the hotel in time to prepare for your final dinner with your fellow travellers. (B,D)

Quinta dos Vales 4

Departs: 30 Dec 2019

Holiday ref: YPAL

DAY 5 ARMAÇÃO DE PERÂ/UK

Returns: 02 Jan 2020

Single supplement £200

After breakfast we’ll transfer you to the airport for your flight back home. (B)

PORTUGAL Fóia

Monchique

Armação de Perâ

Faro

GUARANTEED DEPARTURE DATE

Please note: Flights from your local airport may be available.

Please call a Holiday Advisor or visit Travelsphere.co.uk for details.

NEW YEAR ON THE

COTE D’AZUR

6 DAYS FROM

£1399

NEW

DEPARTING 28 DECEMBER

Soak up the glitz and glamour of Cannes and Nice on this New Year holiday to the Côte d’Azur, which includes a visit to St Raphael and St Tropez.

RT

RELAXED TOURING

Cannes

DAY 1 UK/NICE

ALL EXCURSIONS INCLUDED

You will fly to Nice today, and on arrival we’ll transfer you to your hotel in the chic city of Cannes on the French Riviera. After time to settle in, enjoy a welcome drink before dinner this evening. (D)

YOUR HOLIDAY INCLUDES

DAY 2 CANNES & NICE

RETURN FLIGHTS from Heathrow with British Airways

Cannes is known for its long sandy beaches, designer boutiques, sleek yachts and the renowned annual film festival. Today we’ll discover many of its highlights on an included excursion.

We’ll walk along La Croisette, a palm-lined promenade which curves along the seafront, and explore Le Suquet, a labyrinth of streets snaking out from the picturesque port.

We’ll then continue to the glamorous city of Nice, where a drive up Mont Boron will reward us with fantastic views of the city, the Mediterranean Sea and the Bay of Angels. We’ll also spend some time in the Cimiez district. Queen Victoria was once a regular at the Regina Palace Hotel here, and her statue still stands at the entrance to the district.

Other attractions include an ancient Roman theatre.

5 NIGHTS in a 4-star hotel 11 MEALS 5 breakfasts (B), 1 lunch (L), 5 dinners (D), welcome and farewell drink TRAVELSPHERE TOUR MANAGER TRANSPORTATION Overseas transfers, other transportation and porterage

DISCOVER MORE

For a complete Christmas and New Year break you can combine this holiday with Christmas on the Italian Riviera (see page 15).

Full details of this combined tour – Christmas & New Year on the Italian & French Riviera – can be found on page 28.

YOUR HOTEL

(B,D)

DAY 3 CANNES

YOUR INCLUDED HIGHLIGHTS

� Discover the highlights of Cannes

Enjoy a leisurely day. Maybe you’ll choose to stroll into Cannes this afternoon before dinner is served at the hotel. (B,D)

� Explore the lovely resorts of

DAY 4 NEW YEAR’S EVE ST RAPHAEL & ST TROPEZ

and Nice

St Raphael and St Tropez

Today’s excursion takes you to the delightful resort of St Raphael, where you can explore its old quarter and take a stroll along its picturesque promenade.

Next you’ll head to what is one of the most beautiful destinations in the South of France, St Tropez, which boasts sandy beaches, cobbled streets and chic boutiques and eateries.

Admire its yacht-lined harbour before taking a walk around the Old Town, which is home to a 7th century citadel.

Back at the hotel there’s time to get ready for tonight’s New Year’s Eve celebration. You’ll head to the Salon Riviera for dinner, followed by dancing until the early hours. (B,D)

PULLMAN CANNES MANDELIEU ROYAL CASINO HOTEL ★★★★ The 4-star Pullman Cannes Mandelieu Royal Casino Hotel is ideally located facing the bay of Cannes. Facilities include a restaurant, two bars, casino, nightclub, outdoor swimming pool, well-equipped fitness centre, tennis court and a private beach. Guest rooms feature en suite facilities, air-conditioning, complimentary Wi-fi, TV, mini-bar and tea/coffee-making facilities.

Start/Finish Road 5 Nights Optional

FRANCE

DAY 5 NEW YEAR’S DAY CANNES

DAY 6 CANNES/UK

Nice

Boo k no w CALL 01858 415 409

5

Cannes

St Raphael St Tropez

Today has been left free for you to spend at leisure.

A buffet lunch and drinks will be served, followed by a light dinner this evening. (B,L,D) Today we’ll transfer you to the airport for your flight back to the UK. (B)

Nice

GUARANTEED DEPARTURE DATE Departs: 28 Dec 2019

Holiday ref: YFCDA

Returns: 02 Jan 2020

Single supplement £450

Please note: Flights from your local airport may be available.

Please call a Holiday Advisor or visit Travelsphere.co.uk for details.

| GO TO TRAVELSPHERE.CO.UK | VISIT YOUR LOCAL TRAVEL AGENT

35

NEW YEAR CRUISING THE

RHINE & MOSELLE

7 DAYS FROM

£1449 DEPARTING 27 DECEMBER

NEW

Celebrate New Year as you sail two rivers, the Rhine and the Moselle, stepping ashore to discover enchanting historic towns.

ALL EXCURSIONS INCLUDED

YOUR HOLIDAY INCLUDES RETURN RAIL TRAVEL

by Eurostar from St Pancras International to Paris & TGV to Strasbourg 6 NIGHTS on board 4-star ship MS France 17 MEALS 6 breakfasts (B), 5 lunches (L), 6 dinners (D) including a farewell gala dinner and all drinks (excluding Champagne & selected wines) TRAVELSPHERE TOUR MANAGER and Specialist Local Guide TRANSPORTATION Overseas transfers, other transportation and porterage YOUR INCLUDED HIGHLIGHTS

� Captain’s welcome cocktail reception � Picturesque Bernkastel � Discover historic Koblenz � Guided tour of Rudesheim � Explore Speyer � Onboard entertainment

Moselle

DAY 1 UK/STRASBOURG

Today you’ll travel by Eurostar to Paris, with an onward train journey to Strasbourg. On arrival here, we’ll transfer you to your ship. After time to settle into your cabin, meet your fellow passengers and the crew over a welcome cocktail before dinner. (D) DAY 2 COCHEM

Spend today relaxing on the ship as it cruises the Rhine to Cochem. This beautiful wine town, overlooked by the mighty Reichsburg Castle, is known as the ‘pearl of the Moselle region’. (B,L,D) DAY 3 BERNKASTEL-KUES

Relax and take in the views as the ship sails towards the twin towns of Bernkastel-Kues. On arrival, why not step ashore to discover this lovely town, which sits on the right bank of the Moselle and is famed for its vineyards. Take a stroll through its historic Old Town to discover narrow streets lined by half-timbered houses and its medieval market square.

Back on board, enjoy a gala dinner this evening. (B,L,D)

DAY 7 STRASBOURG/UK

After breakfast, you’ll disembark the ship and we’ll transfer you to the railway station for your journey to Paris. You’ll then take the Eurostar back to the UK. (B)

YOUR SHIP

DAY 4 KOBLENZ

You will cruise through the Moselle Valley today to Koblenz, the spot where the Rhine and Moselle Rivers meet. Head ashore to discover this beautiful city, which is one of the oldest in Germany.

You’ll see ancient walls, castle towers and palaces as you stroll through its Baroque Old town on an included walking tour. (B,L,D) DAY 5 NEW YEAR’S EVE RUDESHEIM

Your journey today takes you to Rüdesheim, past castles, vineyards and the famous Lorelei Rock, a 433-foot-high slate cliff on the banks of the river.

On arrival in Rüdesheim, your included excursion takes you on a tour of the local vineyards by train.

You’ll also visit a wine cellar, where a tasting will introduce you to the wines of the region.

Next you’ll see the wonderful collection of self-playing instruments on display at the Museum of Mechanical Musical Instruments. You’ll then walk down the Drosselgasse - a small historic street lined by taverns with their own orchestras and singing bartenders!

We’ll return to the ship in plenty of time for you to get ready for this evening’s New Year’s Eve celebration. (B,L,D) DAY 6 NEW YEAR’S DAY SPEYER

Spend this morning at leisure while your ship cruises towards Speyer, passing the towns of Wiesbaden, Nierstein, Worms and Mannheim along the way.

36

On arrival we include a guided tour of one of Germay’s oldest and most historic cities. Highlights include its UNESCO-listed cathedral and the nearby impressive city gate.

Back on board enjoy a farewell dinner as the ship sails back to Strasbourg. (B,L,D)

MS FRANCE ★★★★ You will stay on board 4-star ship MS France.

Facilities include a bar-lounge, restaurant, sun deck, gift shop and Wi-fi. The ship has two decks and all cabins feature en suite facilities with shower, air-conditioning/heating, TV, hairdryer and safe. Upgrade to the Upper Deck from £150 per person for the duration of the cruise. Speak to your Holiday Advisor for more details.

GERMANY

BELGIUM

Koblenz

Cochem Bernkastel-Kues

FRANCE Start/Finish Rail Cruise 6 Nights

Rudesheim

Rhine

Speyer

Strasbourg

SWITZERLAND

GUARANTEED DEPARTURE DATE Departs: 27 Dec 2019

Holiday ref: YREA

Returns: 02 Jan 2020

Single supplement £500

Please note: Flights from your local airport may be available.

Please call a Holiday Advisor or visit Travelsphere.co.uk for details.

NEW YEAR IN ENCHANTING

TRANSYLVANIA

7 DAYS FROM

£1399 DEPARTING 27 DECEMBER

Transylvanian castles, medieval villages, forested landscapes and ancient monasteries all have a tale to tell as you uncover Romania’s highlights and celebrate the New Year in this unique destination.

CT

CLASSIC TOURING

ALL EXCURSIONS INCLUDED

YOUR HOLIDAY INCLUDES RETURN FLIGHTS from Heathrow with British Airways 6 NIGHTS in 3 and 4-star hotels

Next we’ll visit the Sinaia Monastery, built by Prince Cantacuzino in 1695 and named after Saint Catherine’s Monastery on Mount Sinai in Egypt.

After lunch we’ll head to Bran Castle. Nestled in dense forest and surrounded by legend and mystery, it is also known as Dracula’s Castle, and is one of the locations linked to the fictional vampire. Built in the 14th century, the castle actually doubled as an administrative building until it was gifted to Queen Marie of Romania in 1920.

We’ll then head back to Brasov for a walking tour of the town. (B,D) HOTEL ARMATTI, BRASOV (3 STAR)

14 MEALS 6 breakfasts (B), 2 lunches (L), 6 dinners (D) including a New Year’s Eve dinner with drinks TRAVELSPHERE TOUR MANAGER TRANSPORTATION Overseas transfers, other transportation and porterage AUDIO GUIDE

YOUR INCLUDED HIGHLIGHTS

� Peles Castle and Sinaia Monastery � Bran Castle, also known as Dracula’s Castle

� Tour of medieval Sighisoara, with brandy-tasting

� Explore the medieval town of Sibiu � Lunch in Sibiel with a local family � Sightseeing tour of Bucharest DAY 1 UK/BUCHAREST

After your flight to Bucharest we will transfer you to your hotel in Brasov, the economic, political and cultural center of Transylvania during the Middle Ages. (D) HOTEL ARMATTI, BRASOV (3 STAR)

DAY 2 SINAIA & BRAN

Bran Castle

Today we’ll drive to Sinaia to visit Peles Castle, a masterpiece of German New-Renaissance architecture, considered by many to be one of the most stunning in Europe. Commissioned by Romania’s first monarch, King Carol I in 1873, this was the summer residence of the royal family until 1947.

DAY 3 SIGHISOARA

After breakfast, we’ll head off on a scenic drive through idyllic Transylvanian countryside and medieval villages.

Our first stop is the medieval citadel of Sighisoara, where Vlad the Impaler, the supposed inspiration for Bram Stoker’s creation, Count Dracula, was born. The town was settled by the Saxons in the 13th century and with its 14th century walls, towers and bastions it retains its medieval charm.

We’ll take a walking tour inside the UNESCO-listed citadel, and see the clock tower, the Church on the Hill and the house where the bloodthirsty 15th century ruler of Wallachia spent the first four years of his life. We’ll end our tour with a tasting of four different local brandies in one of the town’s wine cellars. This afternoon we’ll continue to Sibiu, where we’ll stay for three nights. (B,D)

evening’s Romanian festivities, a New Year’s Eve dinner with wine and music. (B,L,D) HOTEL CONTINENTAL FORUM, SIBIU (4 STAR)

DAY 6 NEW YEAR’S DAY BUCHAREST

We’ll top a leisurely morning with a delicious brunch before we head back to Romania’s capital, Bucharest.

The route we take follows the curves of the Olt River Valley and offers stunning views.

On arrival in Bucharest, we’ll head off on a sightseeing tour with a Local Guide, with highlights including Unification Square, the Patriarchal Church, University Square, the Arch of Triumph and Revolution Square.

In the evening, why not take a stroll in the medieval Old Town before we head to a restaurant for a meal of traditional specialities. (B,D)

HOTEL MERCURE CITY CENTRE, BUCHAREST (4 STAR)

DAY 7 BUCHAREST/UK

Today we’ll transfer to the airport for our flight back to the UK. (B)

Sibiu

HOTEL CONTINENTAL FORUM, SIBIU (4 STAR)

DAY 4 SIBIU

We’re going to start our day of exploration with a walking tour of Sibiu, a walled citadel built in the 12th century

by German settlers. Highlights include Great Square, Little Square and St Mary’s Evangelical Church. We’ll also head to the Bridge of lies but be careful, legend has it that the bridge will collapse if anyone on it tells a lie! We’ll also visit the ASTRA Museum, an open-air complex of more than 300 historic buildings, watermills and windmills.

Here we’ll enjoy a Barbecue lunch. Spend the afternoon at leisure, and after dinner this evening there’s entertainment with live music. (B,L,D)

UKRAINE MOLDOVA

Sibiu

Sibiel

HOTEL CONTINENTAL FORUM, SIBIU (4 STAR)

DAY 5 NEW YEAR’S EVE SIBIU

You’ve a free morning to spend as you wish. Sibiu hosts a very popular winter market in its medieval main square, so a visit comes highly recommended.

Later, we’ll head to the idyllic mountain village of Sibiel, where we’ll be welcomed by a local family who will serve us a traditional lunch.

Afterwards we’ll visit the nearby Museum of Painted Icons on Glass.

Back at our hotel there’s time to get ready for this

Boo k no w CALL 01858 415 409

Sighisoara

ROMANIA

Start/Finish Road 6 Nights

3

2 Brasov

Bran Sinaia

1 Bucharest

Black Sea

BULGARIA

GUARANTEED DEPARTURE DATE Departs: 27 Dec 2019

Holiday ref: YRTA

Returns: 02 Jan 2020

Single supplement £300

Please note: Flights from your local airport may be available.

Please call a Holiday Advisor or visit Travelsphere.co.uk for details.

| GO TO TRAVELSPHERE.CO.UK | VISIT YOUR LOCAL TRAVEL AGENT

37

ESSENTIAL INFORMATION This Essential Information is to help you prepare and take any necessary actions prior to your forthcoming holiday. Information contained in this section of the brochure and any other relevant information on the website together with the booking conditions form your contract with us.

YOUR TOUR MANAGER On the majority of our Flight Inclusive package holidays you will be escorted by a knowledgeable Tour Manager. Please be aware of the following: • On some of our Flight Inclusive package holidays your Tour Manager will meet you at your UK airport, on others they will meet you at your overseas airport or in your resort.

• If you choose to fly to your destination from a local airport your Tour Manager may not be travelling with you.

• Your Tour Manager may not accompany you on your homeward transfer to the airport on a Flight Inclusive holiday but they will advise you of the arrangements made.

COACHES/COACH SEAT ALLOCATION On our package holidays that include coach travel, we operate a rotational seating policy.

All customers are expected to abide by this policy and adhere to the instructions given by the Tour Manager to ensure that all customers are given the opportunity to move seats. We do believe seat rotation will enhance your travelling experience and create a positive group atmosphere.

Regular comfort stops will be taken to ensure a relaxing journey is experienced each day.

Some coaches may be equipped with washroom facilities however, it cannot be guaranteed that they will be useable at all times.

RUNNING ORDER OF ITINERARIES Occasionally we may have to make changes to the running order and inclusions of your holiday itinerary. This could be due to a number of reasons such as public holidays, festivals, weather, traffic conditions or operational reasons and may sometimes be at short notice.

Due to changes in river water levels, river cruise itineraries may occasionally be modified. On the rare occasions that this happens we will act in the best interests of our customers to ensure the enjoyment of your holiday is not impaired.

HOTEL ACCOMMODATION The prices in our brochure/website are based on twin occupancy of a double or twin bedded room with private facilities unless otherwise stated. Our reference to ‘Hotel’ covers all accommodation and does not necessarily distinguish between local classifications such as ‘Motel’ or ‘Inn’. It may occasionally be necessary to accommodate you in a different but equal category of hotel to that featured in the brochure/ website. If this is known before departure, we will of course advise you. The confirmed hotel(s) will be advised in your final travel information.

Porterage: One bag per person is included on most of our package holidays as stated in the holiday details.

Voltage/Electrical Items: The type of plug sockets you can use in your destination can be checked by visiting: www.worldstandards.eu/electricity/plugvoltage-by-country/ Air Conditioning: In European hotels, air conditioning is operational according to individual hotel policy and/or in some cases local laws.

Swimming Pools: If your hotel/s has a swimming pool, you may wish to take your own pool towel, as some hotels do not provide these. Please familiarise yourself with the depth of the pool and use the steps provided to access and exit the pool. Diving is not recommended.

Single Rooms: A limited number of rooms are available for most holidays. Single rooms do not often match the same requirements of twin bedded rooms in terms of size and facilities. For single room supplements please refer to the price panel on the brochure page or web site.

Triple Rooms: If your room has an extra bed (campstyle or rollaway bed) the available floor space may be limited. In USA and Canada many rooms have two double beds sleeping up to 4 persons. If the hotels on your tour are able to accommodate a 3rd or 4th person sharing, the first 2 persons will pay the full rate based on sharing a twin room, we will then, if applicable, apply a discount per person for the 3rd and 4th person. Please ask your Holiday Advisor for details at the time of booking.

Please note: In some countries there are additional charges for a 3rd and 4th persons sharing.

Additional Charges: Payment for any extras such as drinks, laundry, telephone calls and meals other than those included in your package holiday price are to be made directly to your hotel prior to check out.

EXCURSIONS We want to give you the opportunity to see as much as possible of the countries you are visiting so there will nearly always be a selection of optional excursions. Where a pre-bookable package is available as indicated in the holiday details, this is offered at a discounted price.

Alternatively you can book & pay your Tour Manager or Local Guide in resort, where applicable. Any optional excursions will of course operate subject to demand, traffic and weather conditions. Changes to the advertised excursions programmes are rare but the excursion providers reserve the right to change excursions and we reserve the right to amend the advertised prices at any time.

We advise against the purchase of excursions from hotels or street vendors as these may not have been safety checked and may not meet required local standards or have adequate insurance cover in place. A list of approved excursions will be sent to you, in some cases these may include hotel excursions which have been checked.

OUR GUARANTEES TO YOU FOR FESTIVE DEPARTURES GUARANTEED DEPARTURES & CANCELLATION OF A TOUR BY US Certain Tours we offer are “Guaranteed Departures.” A departure date for a Tour offered by us will become a “Guaranteed Departure” when at least one booking secured by a valid deposit has been made on that departure. Please note that not all of our departures will be Guaranteed Departures. Our website and brochures display Guaranteed Departure dates with a ✓. A departure will not be considered a “Guaranteed Departure” unless specifically noted as such in our brochures or on our website. Other dates may be visible to book which are non-guaranteed; these dates may become Guaranteed Departures as the season continues.

We guarantee that all scheduled Tour departures booked and secured with a valid deposit will depart as indicated on the applicable confirmation, subject to reasonable itinerary changes as described in these Terms or good faith, health and safety concerns.

This guarantee is not applicable in the case of Force Majeure. Up to date Tour and itinerary information is available on our website or by contacting us. Brochures and other printed materials displaying Tour information and departure dates are subject to change and may not be relied upon for purposes of this guarantee.

If a Tour is cancelled by us before the date of departure for reasons other than Force Majeure and the cancellation is not caused by your fault or negligence, you will have the choice of accepting from us: (a) a substitute Tour of equivalent or superior value; or (b) a substitute Tour of lesser value if no Tour of equivalent or superior value is reasonably available and to recover from us the difference in price between the price of the Tour originally purchased and the substitute Tour; or (c) a full refund of all monies paid for the cancelled Tour.

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We are not responsible for any incidental expenses or consequential losses that you incur as a result of the cancelled booking including visas, vaccinations, non-refundable flights or rail, non-refundable car parking or other fees, loss of earnings, or loss of enjoyment, We reserve the right to issue a full refund in lieu of the choices above, in our sole discretion. Where a significant element of a Tour as described cannot be provided after departure, we will make suitable alternative arrangements where possible.

If it is not possible to provide a suitable alternative or if you reasonably reject any suitable alternatives, we may provide you with a refund for unused products or services as determined in our discretion.

PRICE PROMISE Limited places are available on each date at the lowest price. However, if you see your Tour departure date advertised for less than you paid we will refund the difference. Occasionally we promote selected special offer holidays within 12 weeks of departure which are excluded from the price promise guarantee. We guarantee that absolutely no surcharge will be added to the basic price of your holiday once your booking has been confirmed irrespective of any subsequent fluctuation in currency exchange rates or, increases in international air fares or increases in other costs associated with the holiday. In return for this guarantee and its risk to us we shall not be able to make any refunds in the event of favourable exchange rate variations or other decreases in costs which may result in a reduction in the selling price. This price guarantee does not apply to any optional services including, but not limited to, insurance premiums, visa charges, excursion charges and amendment fees.

For bookings made within the balance due date and prior to confirming your holiday we reserve the right to notify you of any increases to your holiday price as a result of any additional costs we may be charged.

Prices shown in our brochures and on the website are believed correct at the time of publication.

We reserve the right to change prices from time to time. Accordingly, it is possible that when you book your holiday the actual price may have gone up or down. If the price of your holiday has changed the correct price will be confirmed at the time of booking. We reserve the right to correct errors at any time.

Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the brochure/website and prices at the time of printing regrettably errors do occur. You must therefore ensure you check the details of your chosen holiday with us at the time of booking.

Verbal and website price quotations will be regarded as provisional until confirmed in writing on your Confirmation invoice.

In the unlikely event of an administrative error resulting in incorrect prices being displayed on the website, we reserve the right to correct the price. In such cases we will offer you the opportunity to either pay the correct price or we will make a full refund of any money you may have paid.

PRICE MATCH If you find an identical package holiday offered by one of our competitors (excluding any online special offers or arrangements made by yourself rather than through a tour operator) at a lower price within 7 days of booking with us our ‘price match’ will apply. Price match is also available on Make Your Own Way (MYOW) bookings by comparison to an equivalent tour only competitor product. By identical, we mean another holiday which: • Departs on the same day from the same port/airport using the same flight with the same carrier (if Flight Inclusive).

• Visits the same destination(s).

• Has the same duration (i.e. number of nights).

• Offers the same number of included excursions.

• Features accommodation of the same category and board basis and where applicable the services of a Tour Manager/Local guide.

If this happens we will refund the difference between the cost of the Flight Inclusive package / MYOW holiday that you have booked with us and the price of the identical holiday offered by our competitor. Plus we will give you an extra £100 per person towards a future booking. Refunds will be in the form of a credit towards future travel.

Applicable to new bookings only.

LOYALTY SCHEME If you qualify for a loyalty discount, the amount will depend on spend and tour type. The new booking must be made within 6 months of your return date and must depart within 12 months of the return date of your original holiday.

PROMOTIONAL OFFERS FOR TRAVELSPHERE FESTIVE HOLIDAYS Promotional offers only apply to Travelsphere Festive holidays booked between 11th April 2019 and 13th May 2019.

The offers apply to new bookings only, may be subject to limited availability and selected departure dates.

We reserve the right to amend or withdraw the offers at any time.

For full offer terms and conditions for Festive Holidays please go to www.travelsphere.co.uk/essentialinformation

If you choose to partake in an excursion/activity which is not arranged by us, we advise you check that your travel insurance covers you for that specific activity.We will not be responsible for expenses you incur or unused services in the event that your flights are cancelled or severely delayed and this impacts your ability to join or participate in the Tour. Your flight organiser or airline should provide information on financial protection and repatriation as it relates to your flight arrangements. If they do not provide you with this please also see www.caa.co.uk/ passengers for information on passenger rights.

DISCOVER MORE All our holidays are designed to enable our customers to maximise their overall experience.

On some of our holidays the opportunity exists to tailor their experience through combining different itineraries, or through pre-tour or post-tour additions. A few of our holidays are purposefully designed to operate as inter-linking modules, or ‘modular tours’, which enables us to ensure the nature and style of our group holidays is delivered as best as possible. On these ‘modular tours’ the number of customers may vary as customers may join or leave at different times. At the point where, individual modular tours connect the number of travellers may exceed the ‘Maximum Group Size’ due to joining or departing customers overlapping.

ABOUT OUR FLIGHTS FOR TRAVELSHERE FLIGHT INCLUSIVE TOURS The prices for the Flight Inclusive Tours set out in our brochures/website are based on planned group flights from London. The actual selling price may vary from that published due to numerous factors including but not limited to; additional taxes or fuel surcharges being introduced, the airline only allowing us to hold a limited number of seats at a pre agreed group rate or because alternative flights are being used.

Limited availability seats: Holiday prices are based on limited availability special air fares. Whilst these fares are correct at the time of going to press they may have sold out by the time you make a booking. In this case further seats will usually be available at a supplement. Such supplements if any will be confirmed at the time of booking.

By booking early you maximise your chances of getting on our group flights which ensures you are getting the benefit of our group costs and also reduces the chance of you ever having to pay any flight related supplements or additional costs.

Baggage Handling and Allowance: The baggage allowance for most of our holidays is 44lb (20kg) per person, plus hand luggage, although this varies with each airline. Airlines do change their requirements therefore, we suggest that you check the airlines website for details on any restrictions or dimensions of hand and hold baggage. You are responsible for the carriage and care of your luggage throughout your holiday except for such times as it may be in the hands of the airline, here in such circumstances the airline specific terms and conditions relating to the carriage of luggage apply or when porterage at a hotel on arrival and departure is included.

Airport Taxes: Any airport taxes and security charges which are payable in advance and therefore form part of the scheduled air ticket have been calculated and included in the price of your holiday. These include the UK Government Airline Passenger Duty and various overseas airport and airline charges where applicable.

At some airports there are also passenger charges which are payable locally, we will advise you as soon as we are aware of such charges.

Fuel Surcharges/Environmental Taxes: Airlines generally pass on any fuel price increases to customers directly or tour operators when they occur. Occasionally we have no choice but to pass on all or part of these directly to our customers.

You will be informed of any fuel related surcharges or new and additional taxes, airport or security charges in place or other sums payable in addition to the advertised price at the time of booking.

Flight Routings: On some routes we use a number of indirect flights which may require you to change planes en-route. This may be because we cannot obtain a direct flight or it may be the only option. If you are interested in booking a direct flight with a supplement (where available) please ask one of our Holiday Advisors.

Flight Schedule Changes: When you book one of our flight Inclusive Tours, your holiday confirmation will contain provisional flight details. We aim to make this as accurate as possible from the start, however, the timings or the flight numbers can change before departure. We will monitor all changes and inform

you as soon as possible if there is a change which affects your departure by a considerable time or moves the tour to a different day or significantly affects the tour itinerary. Final timings will be sent about ten days before you travel.

If we notify you of a significant change to your holiday and you do not accept the change you must tell us within 14 days of us advising you of the significant change to your holiday. Details of what constitutes a major or minor change is contained within Booking Conditions.

Airlines and Aircraft: All prices in our brochures/on the website are based on air travel in economy class. Passenger travel on scheduled airlines is provided under the conditions of the airline, for a copy of these terms and conditions please go to the appropriate airline’s website.

Change of Airline: Due to the ever changing nature of the airline business, airlines selected and used for our tours can change after your booking is made, as can flight schedules and timings. This can be for a number of reasons such as the airline withdrawing the flight or operating with smaller aircraft than first planned.

Where this is the case we will endeavour to find an alternative with the same carrier or similar flights with another carrier.

Flight Meals and Medical Equipment Requests: Although meals are provided on most long haul flights you should be aware that most airlines do not provide complimentary food on shorter flights within Europe. We therefore cannot guarantee that meals will be provided on all flights. Please note, we also cannot guarantee that the airline will be able to fulfil your request for a special dietary meal and any such requests are not a condition of booking. If you require a special dietary meal due to an allergy such as a nut allergy and the airline provides complimentary meals, we will need you to fill in a medical questionnaire to send to the service provider. The airline will not be able to guarantee that their aircraft meals are 100% nut free and will require you to carry any special medication (such as an EpiPen) in your hand luggage.

If you need to carry a CPAP machine or oxygen cylinders please let us know at the time of booking so we can ensure this request is sent through to the relevant airline. It can take up to 6 weeks for airlines to confirm whether medical requests can be accommodated.

Seat Requests (Airlines & Trains): We strongly recommend (particularly if you are flying economy class) that you check in early if you have particular seat requests. Travelsphere has no control over the allocation of seats by the airline.

Even if a request has been made to pre-book seats, no guarantee can be made that they will be available on departure. The provision of particular seats does not constitute a term of your contract with us. Although some airline/train companies offer the ability to book seats on line this may not be the case when booking a holiday through us, if this is particularly important to you then please ask about our upgrade options.

HOLIDAYS BY RAIL Where your holiday includes rail travel, Standard Class fares are included unless otherwise stated.

Please note: we are unable to provide porterage at stations and you will be required to handle your own luggage.

You can choose to upgrade your seats on Eurostar to Standard Class Premier. This upgrade also includes first-class tickets for the remainder of your journey aboard local trains, where applicable.

TAILOR-MADE, EXTENSIONS & ADD ONS Once you have booked your package holiday, for an initial non-refundable fee of £25 per person, our Holiday Advisors can assist you should you wish to make a minor change to your holiday such as extending your stay in the hotel where the tour finishes or change your flight to return at a later date than the main tour. Please note: Additional charges will apply for accommodation and changes to your flight may also incur extra charges. Please ensure your travel insurance covers you for the whole duration of your holiday, including any add-ons.

SMOKING E-cigarettes: Since their introduction, a number of countries have banned or limited the use of e-cigarettes. We recommend you visit this website, which is an information forum for further information: www.ecigarette-politics. com/electronic-cigarettes-global-legal-status.

BOOKING ADDITIONAL EXTRAS FOR YOUR HOLIDAY It is usually advisable to leave booking travel arrangements to your UK departure point until you

have received your final travel documents as timings may change. We can book non-flight arrangements for you and offer the option of cancellation / amendment insurance through our provider.

Local and connecting flights should be booked as soon as they are available so please speak to our Holiday Advisors.

WELFARE, HEALTH & SAFETY Walking on Tour: We are happy to give you more detailed information to enable you to choose the right holiday for your individual needs. Our tours can have a comprehensive sightseeing element , visiting places with cobbled streets, inclines and including medium to long walking distances. This can make navigating these streets or keeping up with the group difficult for anyone with reduced mobility, especially in warm climates. It is important to be aware of the amount of walking involved and the degree of fitness and mobility required to take part in these sightseeing visits or excursions.

Tours described as ‘Active’ are not suitable for anyone with any limited or mobility issues. If you would like further information to allow you to make a more informed choice please speak to one of our Holiday Advisors.

Altitude: on certain tours you will travel to places at high altitude. If you suffer from heart or respiratory conditions or have any other concerns please consult your doctor.

Prescribed Medication: Carry all prescribed medication in your hand luggage.

Children and Infants: The following are the minimum ages of children we will accept on our holidays: • Rail and Flight holidays to Europe and all long haul holidays, including the USA and Canada – 12 years old.

• Walking and Activity holidays to all destinations – 18 years old • Cruising holidays – minimum age as governed by the cruise line and if there is a tour connected with the cruise, 12 years old.

PASSPORT INFORMATION All costs incurred in obtaining relevant documentation must be paid by you.

Some countries don’t allow you to enter with certain country stamps. For further information please visit www.fco.gov.uk.

If you are not currently in possession of a valid passport please make sure you leave plenty of time before your holiday to apply for this document. Our recommendation is that you should apply for one at least three months before your holiday. The UK Passport Service has to confirm your identity before issuing your first passport and will ask you to attend an interview in order to do this. For further information visit www.fco.gov.uk.

Check the date that your passport expires. When travelling to the EU after 29th March 2019, the UK Government recommends that you have 6 months left on your passport on the date of your arrival to an EU country. You should also check when your passport was renewed. If you renewed a 10 year adult passport before it expired, extra months may have been added to your passport’s expiry date. These extra months over 10 years will not count towards the 6 months that must be remaining. The UK Government has published a website tool to check the validity of your passport under these new rules www.passport.service.gov.uk/check-a-passport Note: In many countries, it is now a legal requirement to show some form of identification if requested by the police or authorities, therefore, it is advisable to carry a photocopy of the data page of your passport when out and about.

Passport and Visa information for customers travelling to and via the USA - you must have an e-passport with a digital chip containing biometric information about the passport holder to travel under the visa waiver programme.

Please check the front of your passport to see if it contains this symbol.

If your current passport does not have this symbol you will need to apply for a new e-passport.

The US Visa Waiver programme allows British Citizens to travel to the US without having to obtain a visa. There are restrictions to this programme. Please visit www.esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta for further information.

EUROPEAN HEALTH INSURANCE CARD The European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) allows any EU Citizen to access state medical care when they are travelling in another EU Country.

In the event of a no deal Brexit, UK registered EHIC’s will no longer be valid. Even if they continue to be valid, there are limitations to the EHIC card.

You should make sure, and it is a requirement of

booking, that you have appropriate travel insurance.

VISA REQUIREMENTS British Citizen passport holders need a visa to visit the countries we have listed below. In most cases we are able to arrange this for you and we will add the cost of the visa plus a small handling fee to your Confirmation invoice. If you hold any other type of passport it is your responsibility to check passport and visa requirements with the Embassy of the country you are visiting. We may still be able to arrange a visa for you but additional charges may apply. We ae unable to accept any responsibility if you cannot travel because you are not granted a visa.

If you have ever been arrested or convicted for a crime, been refused a visa before or have been affected by a disease of public significance or a mental disorder you will need to declare this on your visa application and further information will be required. You may be required to attend an interview before your visa is granted.

If you have opted for our visa service, we will email your application forms and information 10 weeks prior to your holiday. The application process can take up to 28 days depending on the country.

PUBLIC HOLIDAYS Experiencing a public holiday in your chosen destination can really enhance your holiday experience, especially if there are local festivals or celebrations. Virtually all countries have public holidays, religious or otherwise. The festivities may temporarily disrupt you package holiday and some religious holidays such as Ramadan, which is observed in many Muslim countries, may result in a reduction of facilities, services and entertainment. We suggest that you take this into consideration when selecting your departure date. To discover the national holidays in your destination, please visit: www.timeanddate.com/ holidays/ CURRENCY To get the latest exchange rates and currency information, please visit www.xe.com Cash and cheques can be exchanged at most hotels.

Banks and exchange offices will also be able to exchange money for you. Major credit cards are usually accepted in hotels, larger shops and restaurants. We would recommend that you inform your bank/card company of your forthcoming holiday. It is advisable to take more than one means of payment (cash, credit card etc.) and to have some form of payment for emergencies or unexpected delays.

SHOPPING Our tours will sometimes incorporate local shops, markets and factory shops which sell a range of goods. Please make sure you have a clear understanding of any price you agree with vendors as well as the conversion rate being used, prior to purchasing items. If you are arranging the delivery of an item to your home address, please be mindful of shipping costs and customs taxes.

CLIMATE & CLOTHING Temperatures can vary greatly depending on altitude, time of year and the region you are visiting. If specific clothing or footwear is required this will be detailed in your final itinerary. We recommend checking the weather forecast prior to travel.

We advise against taking travel electrical equipment such as kettles or irons as many hotels do not allow their usage and they can be a fire hazard.

TIME ZONES You can find the time zone for the country you are visiting here: www.timeanddate.com/time/map/ WEATHER World weather is becoming more erratic and unpredictable and we cannot be held responsible for disruption to your package holiday or any other holiday arrangement due to bad or unusual weather conditions.

BROCHURE/WEBSITE DETAILS We have taken great care to ensure that the details in the brochure/website are correct at the time of their publication. Please refer to the panel on each page which details the items included in the price of each particular holiday.

Please bear in mind however that the availability of certain services may vary particularly outside high season periods. This may be for a variety of reasons, for example, lifts need servicing, swimming pools must be cleaned and outdoor amenities such as chair lifts and cable cars can be affected by weather or lack of demand.

Brochure published April 2019.

CALL 01858 415 409 | GO TO TRAVELSPHERE.CO.UK | VISIT YOUR LOCAL TRAVEL AGENT

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TRAVELSPHERE BOOKING TERMS & CONDITIONS APPLICABLE FROM 1ST MARCH 2019 These Booking Terms and Conditions, together with our Privacy Policy and, where your holiday is booked via our website, our website terms and conditions of use, together with any other written information we brought to your attention before we confirmed your booking, form the basis of your contract with G Touring Limited trading as Travelsphere, whose registered office is at Unit 1, The Point Business Park, Rockingham Road, Market Harborough, England, LE16 7QU, Company No: 04956006. Please read them carefully as they set out our respective rights and obligations. In these Booking Conditions references to “you” and “your” include the first named person on the booking and all persons on whose behalf a booking is made or any other person to whom a booking is added or transferred.

By making a booking you agree that; a. you have read and understood these terms and conditions and has the authority to and does agree to be bound by them; b. you are over 18 years of age and where placing an order for services with age c. you consent to our use of information in accordance with our Privacy Policy (https:// www.travelsphere.co.uk/en-gb/l/privacypolicy/) and you are authorised on behalf of all participants in your party to disclose their personal details to us, including where applicable, special categories of data (such as information on health conditions or disabilities and dietary requirements); d. you accept financial responsibility for payment of the booking on behalf of all persons detailed on the booking.

1. Booking and Paying for your Arrangements A booking is made with us when you pay us a deposit (or full payment if you are booking within 84 days of departure) and we issue you with a booking confirmation. We reserve the right to return your payment and decline to issue a confirmation at our absolute discretion. A binding contract will come into existence between you and us as soon as we have issued you with a booking confirmation.

If your confirmed arrangements include a flight, we (or if you booked via an authorised agent of ours, that agent) will also issue you with an ATOL Certificate. Upon receipt, if you believe that any details on the ATOL Certificate or booking confirmation or any other document are wrong you must advise us immediately as changes cannot be made later and it may harm your rights if we are not notified of any inaccuracies in any document within ten days of our sending it out (five days for tickets). If your confirmed arrangements booked through Travelsphere do not include a flight, we provide financial security for holiday arrangements booked through us by way of a financial failure insurance policy.

You will be given full details of the insurer with your confirmation invoice or, alternatively, please go to www.travelsphere.co.uk/financialprotection-insurance. The balance of the cost of your arrangements (including any applicable surcharge) is due not less than 84 days prior to scheduled departure (or by such other date as is notified to you at the time of booking). If we do not receive this balance in full and on time, we reserve the right to treat your booking as cancelled by you in which case the cancellation charges set out in clause 8 below will become payable.

Any money paid to an authorised agent of ours in respect of a booking covered by our ATOL is held by that agent on behalf of and for the benefit of the Trustees of the Air Travel Trust at all times, but subject to the agent’s obligation to pay it to us for so long as we do not fail financially. If we do fail financially, any money held at that time by the agent or subsequently accepted from the consumer by the agent, is and continues to be held by that agent on behalf of and for the benefit of the Trustees of the Air Travel Trust without any obligation to pay that money to us.

Special Sales: If there are services that you request from us in addition to one of our packages (such as an extension to your holiday, a connecting flight,a flight upgrade, or additional services) these will be put on request by our Sales Team and are subject to availability and confirmation of the price.

Our team will advise you of this, take the appropriate deposit (or full payment for a flight upgrade) and send you a holding letter together with an ATOL Certificate. Once the additional service is confirmed

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we will advise you and if your international flight details have changed, send a revised ATOL Certificate to you.

Please Note: Flights with ‘Low Cost’ airlines, flight upgrades and flights with restrictive ticketing conditions – where you ask us to book flights for you with a ‘Low Cost’ airline, to upgrade your flight seat from that included in the package or to book flights with some airlines that may have restrictive ticketing deadlines, we may ask you to pay the full airfare or higher deposit and any associated charges at the point of booking. This is addition to the normal deposit payable on the holiday. If the flight has restrictive ticketing deadlines it may mean that the ticket has to be issued before you have paid the balance for the holiday and specific cancellation charges may apply which increase the usual cancellation charges, Please refer to 8 If You Cancel Before Departure.

Booking on behalf of others: By booking on behalf of other participants, you are deemed to be the designated contact person for every participant included on that booking. This means that you are responsible for making all payments due in connection with your booking, notifying us or our authorised agent if any changes or cancellations are required and keeping your party informed. By booking on behalf of another person or persons, you represent and warrant that you have obtained all required consents.

You are responsible for verifying that any information you provide on behalf of another participant is complete and accurate and we will under no circumstances be liable for any errors or omissions in the information provided to complete a booking.

2. Accuracy We endeavour to ensure that all the information and prices both on our website and in any advertising material that we publish are accurate, however, occasionally changes and errors occur and we reserve the right to correct prices and other details in such circumstances. You must check the current price and all other details relating to the arrangements that you wish to book before your booking is confirmed. On very rare occasions, we may unfortunately make a genuine mistake in the price we quote and subsequently confirm to you for your holiday.

This may come to light at any time prior to your holiday. We are not obliged to honour the original price if a mistake has been made when pricing your holiday. We will ask you to meet any additional costs if you wish to go ahead with the holiday. However, should you not wish to meet these additional charges, you may cancel your holiday with a full refund.

3. Insurance We consider adequate travel insurance to be essential, especially for holidays outside the UK. It is therefore a condition of booking that you are adequately insured when travelling abroad.

We recommend excellent comprehensive insurance policies through our partner Holiday Extras please go to www.travelsphere.co.uk/ insurance. We will require you to give us details of your travel insurance company including the policy number, although we will not check your policy for suitability. If you purchase an alternative policy, you must ensure that it offers cover which is at least as comprehensive as the policy we recommend and, which as a minimum, covers cancellation for the total value of the holiday, delay or curtailment, medical charges and repatriation costs for not less than £5million.

Your travel insurance should cover you for any pre-existing medical conditions. Please read your policy details carefully and take them with you on holiday. It is your responsibility to ensure that the insurance cover you purchase is adequate for your particular needs including cover for any optional excursions / activities that you may have booked. You shall be responsible for indemnifying us in full in respect of any costs that we incur as a result of your failure to have adequate, appropriate and comprehensive travel insurance.

We will decline any booking where adequate insurance has not been arranged.

4. Pricing We guarantee that absolutely no surcharge will be added to the basic price of your holiday once your booking has been confirmed and you have paid in full irrespective of any subsequent fluctuation in currency exchange rates or increases in international air fares or other costs associated with the holiday. This price guarantee does not apply to any optional services including, but not limited to,

insurance premiums, visa charges and amendment fees. Should you see your holiday departure date advertised by us, on a like by like basis, for less than you paid we will refund the difference between the price you paid and the new price.

This refund will be in the form of a voucher towards a new booking. This price promise excludes bookings for holidays departing within 12 weeks of booking which are classed as late bookings.

Before you have confirmed your booking and paid in full, we reserve the right to amend the price of unsold holidays at any time and correct errors in the prices of confirmed holidays.

Should the price of your holiday go down solely due to: (i) The price of the carriage of passengers resulting from the cost of fuel or other power sources; (ii) The level of taxes or fees applicable to the holiday imposed by third parties not directly involved in the performance of the holiday, including tourist taxes, landing taxes or embarkation or disembarkation fees at ports and airports; or (iii) The exchange rates relevant to the package then any refund due will be paid to you less an administrative fee of GBP£50 or EUR€50, based on the currency of your booking. However please note that travel arrangements are not always purchased in local currency and some apparent changes have no impact on the price of your travel due to contractual and other protection in place.

There will be no change made to the price of your confirmed holiday within 20 days of your departure nor will refunds be paid during this period.

5. Jurisdiction and Applicable Law These Booking Terms and Conditions and any agreement to which they apply are governed in all respects by English law. We both agree that any dispute, claim or other matter which arises between us out of or in connection with your contract or booking will be dealt with by the Courts of England and Wales only.

6. Cutting Your Holiday Short If you are forced to return home early, we cannot refund the cost of any travel arrangements you have not used. If you cut short your holiday and return home early in circumstances where you have no reasonable cause for complaint about the standard of accommodation and services provided, we will not offer you any refund for that part of your holiday not completed, or be liable for any associated costs you may incur.

Depending on the circumstances, your travel insurance may offer cover for curtailment and we suggest that any claim is made directly with them.

7. Changes by You Before Departure If you wish to change any part of your booked arrangements after our confirmation invoice has been issued, you must inform us in writing as soon as possible. Whilst we will do our best to assist, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to meet your requested change. Where we can meet a request, all changes will be subject to payment of an administration fee of £50 per person per change as well as any applicable rate changes or extra costs incurred as well as any costs incurred by ourselves and any costs or charges incurred or imposed by any of our suppliers. You should be aware that these costs could increase the closer to the departure date that changes are made and you should contact us as soon as possible. Where we are unable to assist you and you do not wish to proceed with the original booking we will treat this as a cancellation by you. A cancellation fee may be payable. If you are prevented from travelling it may be possible to transfer your booking to another suitable person provided that written notice is given. An administration fee will be charged, details available upon request.

Transfer of Booking: If you are prevented from travelling, you may transfer your place to someone else (introduced by you and satisfying all the conditions applicable to the arrangements) provided: a) you contact us as soon as possible, and provide us with the name of the replacement passengers and who they will be replacing from the original booking. We can only transfer customers up to 14 days before departure, subject to availability; b) you pay an amendment fee of £50 per person transferring, meet all costs and charges

incurred by us and/or incurred or imposed by any of our suppliers; and c) the transferee agrees to these Booking Conditions and all other terms of the contract between us.

If there are any payments outstanding for the applicable booking when the transfer is requested these must also be paid before the transfer can be made. Any replacement passengers must show us evidence of their holiday insurance prior to the transfer being completed. You and the transferee remain jointly and severally liable for payment of all sums. If you are unable to find a replacement, cancellation charges as set out herein will apply in order to cover our estimated costs. Otherwise, no refunds will be given for passengers not travelling or for unused services.

Note: Certain arrangements (such as ‘Low Cost’ flight bookings, flight upgrades and flights with restrictive ticketing deadlines) may not be amended or transferred after they have been confirmed and any alteration could incur a cancellation charge of up to 100% of that part of the arrangements.

8. If You Cancel Before Departure If you decide to cancel your confirmed booking you must notify us (or your travel agent) in writing, as soon as possible. To notify us please send an email to CustomerCancellations@ travelsphere.co.uk or write to us. Any notification by telephone should be to our Service Centre on 01858 415407 and must be followed up in writing or by email, within 24 hours by the lead name to confirm the cancellation. Your notice of cancellation will only take effect from the date on which we receive it. If the call to notify us of cancellation is from anyone other than the lead name then the lead name must confirm the cancellation in writing or by email within 3 days of the initial call.

If you need to cancel your booking within 24 hours of departure please call our 24 hour Holiday Helpline on the number given in your holiday documents. If verbal notification is within 5 days of departure we reserve the right to cancel the booking after 24 hours. Since we incur costs in cancelling your arrangements, you will have to pay the applicable cancellation charges up to the maximum shown below. The cancellation charge detailed is calculated on the basis of the total cost payable by the person(s) cancelling excluding insurance premiums and amendment charges which are not refundable in the event of the person(s) to whom they apply cancelling: Number of Days’ Notice Before Departure

Cancellation charge (% of holiday price):

More than 75 days before departure

Loss of deposit only

43 - 74 days

50% of tour price

29 - 42 days

75% of tour price

15 - 28 days

90% of tour price

Day of Departure 14 days

100% of tour price

Please note that insurance premiums and amendments charges are not refundable in any circumstances.

Note: Certain arrangements (such as ‘Low Cost’ flight bookings, flight upgrades or flights with restrictive ticketing conditions) may not be amended after they have been confirmed and any alteration or cancellation could incur a cancellation charge of up to 100% of that part of the arrangements, in addition to the charge above. In some instances, airline ticketing deadlines and specific supplier booking conditions may result in higher cancellation charges being applied to your booking but you will be made aware of this.

Where any cancellation reduces the number of full paying party members below the number which the price and/or any concessions agreed for your booking were based, we will recalculate these items and re-invoice you accordingly. If the reason for your cancellation is covered under the terms of your insurance policy, you may be able to reclaim these charges. We will deduct the cancellation charge(s) from any monies you have already paid to us.

The cancellation charges above have been calculated as a genuine pre-estimate of the losses we would incur in the event you cancelled your holiday within the stipulated time period, taking into account the charges we will incur from our suppliers (some of which will be up to 100%) and the expected cost savings and income from alternative deployment of the travel services (if possible) calculated as an average charge over a period of time.

Cancellation by You due to Unavoidable & Extraordinary Circumstances: You have the right to cancel your confirmed holiday before departure without paying a cancellation charge in the event of “unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances” occurring at your holiday destination or its immediate vicinity and significantly affecting the performance of the holiday or significantly affecting the transport arrangements to the destination.

In these circumstances, we shall provide you with a full refund of the monies you have paid but will not be liable to pay you any additional compensation. Please note that your right to cancel in these circumstances will only apply where the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has changed its advice to warn against travel to your destination or its immediate vicinity after the date of your booking. For the purposes of this clause, “unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances” means warfare, acts of terrorism, significant risks to human health such as the outbreak of serious disease at the travel destination or natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes or weather conditions which make it impossible to travel safely to the travel destination.

9. If We Change or Cancel As we plan your holiday arrangements many months in advance we may occasionally have to make changes or cancel your booking and we reserve the right to do so at any time.

Changes: If we make an insignificant change to your holiday, we will make reasonable efforts to inform you or your travel agent as soon as reasonably possible if there is time before your departure but we will have no liability to you for failing to inform you or your travel agent.

Examples of insignificant changes include alteration of your outward/return flights by less than 12 hours, changes to aircraft type, change of accommodation to another of the same or higher standard, changes of carriers.

Please note that carriers such as airlines used in our advertising material may be subject to change.

Occasionally we may have to make a significant change to your confirmed arrangements.

Examples of “significant changes” include the following, when made before departure: - A change of accommodation area for the whole or a significant part of your time away, provided that the new area is more than 15 miles away from the original.

- A change of cabin accommodation to a significantly lesser grade.

- Where you are taking a tour, a significant change to the itinerary. i.e. when the itinerary has to be changed by more than 50% and may have to exclude an iconic highlight.

- A change of accommodation to that of a lower standard or classification for the whole or a significant part of your time away.

- A change of outward departure time or overall length of your arrangements of twelve or more hours.

- A significant change to your itinerary, missing out one or more destination entirely.

- A change of UK airport from the one you were due to fly to or from, except where the change is between London airports (Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, London City or Luton) or where the new airport is within 50 miles of the original airport.

Please note: We do not classify a change of air or sea port as a significant change where coach transfers between a UK town and the relevant air/ sea port are included in the holiday. A change of flight from direct to indirect is not classified as a significant change.

Cancellation: We will not cancel your travel arrangements less than 75 days before your departure date, except for reasons of force majeure or failure by you to pay the final balance.

We may cancel your holiday before this date, (if your holiday departure date is not specifically guaranteed in the brochure in which it was advertised) for example, if the minimum number of customers required for a particular travel arrangement is not reached.

If we have to make a major change or cancel, we will tell you as soon as possible and if there is time to do so before departure, we will offer you the choice of: i. (for significant changes) accepting the changed arrangements; ii. having a refund of all monies paid; iii. accepting an offer of alternative travel arrangements of comparable or higher standard if available (at no extra cost); or iv. if available, accepting an offer of alternative

travel arrangements of a lower or comparable standard from us (we will refund any price difference between the original arrangements and the alternative arrangements if the alternative arrangements are of a lower value).

You must notify us of your choice within 7 days of our offer. If we do not hear from you within 7 days, we will contact you again to request notification of your choice.

If you fail to respond again within 3 days we will assume that you have chosen to accept the change or alternative booking arrangements.

Once a tour has departed, itinerary changes may be necessary as a result of unforeseen circumstances, operational concerns, or concerns for your health, safety, enjoyment or comfort. Any changes are at our discretion. You acknowledge that you must have reasonable financial resources to cover incidental expenses during all travel with us, whether or not such expenses arise from a change of itinerary, and we are not liable for your failure to prepare adequately for travel and unforeseen circumstances which may arise during travel.

We will not be liable for any indirect and or consequential losses associated with any changes to a booking or itinerary.

Compensation If we cancel your booking or make a significant change less than 75 days before departure, in addition to a full refund of all monies paid by you, we will pay you reasonable compensation as detailed below.

Period before departure a significant change or cancellation is notified to you

Compensation payable per person (excluding infants)

More than 75 days before departure

NIL

29-74 days

£10

15-28 days

£20

8-14 days

£30

7 days or less

£40

IMPORTANT NOTE: We will not pay you compensation in the following circumstances: - where we make an insignificant change; - where we make a significant change or cancel your arrangements more than 75 days before departure; - where we make a significant change and you accept those changed arrangements or you accept an offer of alternative travel arrangements; - where we have to cancel your arrangements as a result of your failure to make full payment on time; - where the change or cancellation by us arises out of alterations to the confirmed booking requested by you; - where we are forced to cancel or change your arrangements due to Force Majeure (see clause 10).

If we become unable to provide a significant proportion of the arrangement that you have booked with us after you have departed, we will, if possible, make alternative arrangement for you at no extra charge and where those alternative arrangements are of a lower standard, provide you with an appropriate price reduction.

Please note: where accommodation with a higher price than the original accommodation is offered by us and accepted by you, the difference in price will be deducted from any compensation payable. In no case will we pay compensation if accommodation is offered by us and accepted by you with a higher price than that originally booked in the same location where no additional payment is made by you.

If we become unable to provide a significant proportion of the services that you have booked with us after you have departed, we will make alternative arrangements for you at no extra charge and, if appropriate in all the circumstances, will pay you reasonable compensation.

Please note: should it become impossible to make alternative arrangements in the circumstances mentioned above, our legal obligation is to return you to the point of departure, where you commenced your booked arrangements with us, only. It will be your responsibility to arrange any onward transport from the point at which you commenced your booked arrangements with us and your home.

10. Force Majeure Except where otherwise expressly stated in these Terms, we will not be liable or pay you compensation if its contractual obligations to you are affected by “unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances” meaning any event beyond our control, the consequences of which could not have been avoided even if all reasonable measures had been taken. Examples include warfare and

acts of terrorism (and threat thereof), civil strife, labour difficulties, interference by authorities, political disturbance, significant risks to human health such as the outbreak of serious disease at the travel destination or natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes or weather conditions which make it impossible to travel safely to the travel destination or remain at the travel destination, the act of any government or other national or local authority including port or river authorities, industrial dispute, lock closure, natural or nuclear disaster, fire, chemical or biological disaster, unavoidable technical problems with transport, closure of airports, ports or airspace or changes of schedules by airlines and all similar events outside our or the supplier(s) concerned’s control.

Brexit Implications: please note that certain travel arrangements may be affected as a result of the United Kingdom’s decision to leave the European Union. This could include an unavailability of certain flight routes, access to certain ports and airports and changes to the visa requirements of British citizens travelling to, within or through the EU. Please rest assured that this is something we will continue to monitor and will advise our customers as soon as possible if we become aware of any confirmed bookings that will be affected. However, since this is something which is completely unprecedented and outside our control, we would treat any such changes as Force Majeure, and whilst we will endeavour to provide suitable alternative arrangements or refunds where possible, we will not be liable to pay you any compensation.

11. Special Requests Any special requests must be advised to us at the time of booking. You should then confirm your requests in writing. Whilst every effort will be made by us to try and arrange your reasonable special requests, we cannot guarantee that they will be fulfilled. The fact that a special request has been noted on your confirmation invoice or any other documentation or that it has been passed on to the supplier is not confirmation that the request will be met. Any special requests or requirements do not form part of these Terms or the contract between us and we are not liable for any failure to accommodate or fulfill such requests. We do not accept bookings that are conditional upon any special request being met.

12. Disabilities and Medical Problems The Equality Act 2010 This law applies to services provided in the UK and not those provided overseas. However, we believe in trying to make our holidays as accessible to as many people as possible. You must tell us before you book of any special needs you may have as result of any disability or medical condition, whether physical or mental health and we will do all we can to accommodate you. This includes making any reasonable adjustments to the holiday itself and/or to the booking process.

You may be asked to complete a medical information form (the “Medical Form”) or produce a Doctors certificate / letter prior to travel. We will endeavor to respond within 5 working days of receipt of this documentation.

If you wish to have this documentation returned please let us know as we only hold this information for your current holiday.

This information will be treated confidentially and will only be used to check that you are likely to be sufficiently fit and able to undertake your chosen holiday, and that any special requirements are passed on to our suppliers. If you, or any member of your party’s situation changes after you have booked (including where any medical condition or disability deteriorates or develops) you must let us know straight away. Travel with us may involve visiting remote or developing regions, where medical care may not be easily accessible and medical facilities may not meet the standards of those found in the UK. We and our suppliers make no representations and gives no warranties in relation to the availability or standard of medical facilities in those regions. Whilst we will endeavor to make any reasonable adjustments to the holiday itself, sometimes this may not be possible. Examples of where we may not be able to make a reasonable adjustment include: • Providing wheelchair access ramps to overseas hotels in remote locations; • Our staff pushing a customer in a wheelchair throughout the duration of the holiday; • Provision of daily personal care whether for a physical or mental health condition.

Please note that personal care cannot be provided by any member of our staff It is your responsibility to tell us before you book

whether you have any special requirements, limited mobility or medical conditions either physical or mental health that might affect your ability to take part on our holidays.

A reasonable level of fitness is required for our holidays as some walking will be involved.

If you are in doubt about the suitability of any of our holidays please just ask but, it is vital that you seek confirmation from your own Doctor to establish that you are sufficiently fit both physically and mentally, to travel and to undertake the excursions that may be required to undertake your tour.

Where we can we will make any reasonable adjustments but where we cannot make such adjustments we may have to cancel your booking.

It is our intention to make our holidays as accessible to as many people as we can, especially those with disabilities. We cannot do this if you don’t tell us of your needs so please mention any relevant information to us before you book. In particular to establish: i. Any special requirements for air, coach, ferry or cruise ship travel so these are passed on to our suppliers; ii. That we are aware whether your mobility may be limited or that you may need assistance on any part of the tour; iii. Whether you are taking medication and might require medical attention during your holiday; iv. Whether there might be any pre-existing medical conditions either physical or mental health that should be disclosed to your insurer (or to the insurer recommended by ourselves) and which could result in your insurance being invalidated. We can recommend a special travel insurance policy for those with existing medical conditions and would recommend that this or a similar policy be purchased prior to travel.

It is your responsibility to check your health and fitness to travel with your own Doctor before travel and we would recommend that you seek this confirmation and send us this information.

We will endeavor to assist with any special requirements that might be needed and can also advise against certain tours and excursions that might be challenging for a customer with particular medical issues. We have to rely upon your honesty about your medical condition and cannot advise you properly if we are unaware of this. Please contact our Special Services Team at customercare@travelsphere.co.uk and we can arrange to advise you of the pre travel medical clearance that you should clarify with your doctor.

We will assume, unless you inform us otherwise, that you are in a good state of health both physically and mentally, to participate in the holiday. If you do not tell us about any disability or medical condition which may affect your holiday arrangements and any resulting special needs, and we find ourselves in the position where you are at your UK departure point or on holiday and are unable to participate fully, then we reserve the right to: 1) Organise extra assistance or make any adjustments so you can continue with the holiday, and pass on the costs of doing this to you.

2) Arrange your return to the UK, or to your home address if you haven’t left the UK, and pass on the costs of doing this to you.

We very much hope that all our customers will be completely open, honest and upfront with us so the above situation does not occur. However, we do reserve the right to take action in the interests of your health and safety and the health and safety of our staff and other customers should we need to. We can only accept your booking upon the clear understanding that we cannot be liable if you do not inform us of such a condition and an airline or cruise line refuses to accept you as a passenger.

13. Complaints We make every effort to ensure that your arrangements run smoothly but if you do have a problem during your holiday, please inform our Tour Manager or the relevant supplier immediately who will endeavor to put things right. If your complaint is not resolved locally, you must ask the Tour Manager or representative for a Holiday Report Form, which you must then complete in his or her presence.

One copy will be given to you and the other copy sent to head office. You can also contact us on our 24 hour Duty Office number, the details of which will be provided in your booking documentation. If the problem cannot be resolved and you wish to complain further,

CALL 01858 415 409 | GO TO TRAVELSPHERE.CO.UK | VISIT YOUR LOCAL TRAVEL AGENT

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you must send formal written notice of your complaint to us at Travelsphere, Unit 1, The Point Business Park, Rockingham Road, Market Harborough, United Kingdom, LE16 7QU or by e-mail to feedback@travelsphere.co.uk within 28 days of the end of your stay, giving your booking reference and all other relevant information.

Please keep your letter concise and to the point.

This will assist us to quickly identify your concerns and speed up our response to you. Failure to follow the procedure set out in this clause may affect ours and the applicable supplier’s ability to investigate your complaint, and this may affect your rights under this contract.

Please note that we offer an Alternative Dispute Resolution service through our ABTA membership.

Please see clause 14 for further details. You can also access the European Commission Online Dispute (ODR) Resolution platform at http://ec.europa. eu/consumers/odr/. This ODR platform is a means of registering your complaint with us; it will not determine how your complaint should be resolved.

14. ABTA We are a Member of ABTA, membership number Y6412. We are obliged to maintain a high standard of service to you by ABTA’s Code of Conduct. We can also offer you ABTA’s scheme for the resolution of disputes which is approved by the Chartered Trading Standards Institute. If we can’t resolve your complaint, go to www.abta. com to use ABTA’s simple procedure.

Further information on the Code and ABTA’s assistance in resolving disputes can be found on www.abta.com.

15 Our Responsibilities We will accept responsibility for the arrangements we agreed to provide or arrange for you as an “organiser” under the Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018, as set out below and as such, we are responsible for the proper provision of all travel services included in your package, as set out in your confirmation invoice. Subject to these Booking Conditions, if we or our suppliers negligently perform or arrange those services and we do not remedy or resolve your complaint within a reasonable period of time, we will pay you reasonable compensation.

The level of such compensation will be calculated taking into consideration all relevant factors such as but not limited to: following the complaints procedure as described in these conditions and the extent to which we or our employees’ or suppliers’ negligence affected the overall enjoyment of your holiday.

Please note that it is your responsibility to show that we or our supplier(s) have been negligent if you wish to make a claim against us.

We will not be responsible or pay you compensation for any injury, illness, death, loss, damage, expense, cost or other claim of any description if it results from: (a) the acts and/or omissions of the person affected; or (b) the acts and/or omissions of a third party unconnected with the provision of the services contracted for and which were unavoidable and extraordinary; or (c) Force Majeure We limit the amount of compensation we may have to pay you if we are found liable under this clause as follows: (a) loss of and/or damage to any luggage or personal possessions and money: the maximum amount we will have to pay you in respect of these claims is an amount equivalent to the excess on your insurance policy which applies to this type of loss per person in total because you are required to have adequate insurance in place to cover any losses of this kind. (b) Claims not falling under (a) above and which don’t involve injury, illness or death: the maximum amount we will have to pay you in respect of these claims is up to three times the price paid by or on behalf of the person(s) affected in total. This maximum amount will only be payable where everything has gone wrong and you or your party has not received any benefit at all from your booking. (c) Claims in respect of international travel by air, sea and rail, or any stay in a hotel: i) The extent of our liability will in all cases be limited as if it’s a carrier under the appropriate Conventions, which include The Warsaw/ Montreal Convention (international travel by air); The Athens Convention (with respect to sea travel); The Berne/Cotif Convention (with respect to rail travel) and The Paris Convention (with respect to hotel arrangements). You can ask for copies of these Conventions from usr. In addition, you

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agree that the operating carrier or transport company’s own ‘Conditions of Carriage’ will apply to you on that journey. When arranging transportation for you, we rely on the terms and conditions contained within these international conventions and those ‘Conditions of Carriage’. You acknowledge that all of the terms and conditions contained in those ‘Conditions of Carriage’ form part of your contract with us, as well as with the transport company and that those ‘Conditions of Carriage’ shall be deemed to be included by reference into this contract. ii) In any circumstances in which a carrier is liable to you by virtue of the Denied Boarding Regulation 2004, any liability we may have to you under our contract with you, arising out of the same facts, is limited to the remedies provided under the Regulation as if (for this purpose only) we were a carrier. iii) When making any payment, we are entitled to deduct any money which you have received or are entitled to receive from the transport provider or hotelier for the complaint or claim in question.

It is a condition of our acceptance of liability under this clause that you notify any claim to us and our supplier(s) strictly in accordance with the complaints procedure set out in these Terms.

Where any payment is made, the person(s) receiving it (and their parent or guardian if under 18 years) must also assign to us or our insurers any rights they may have to pursue any third party and must provide us and our insurers with all assistance they may reasonably require.

Please note, we cannot accept any liability for any damage, loss or expense or other sum(s) of any description: (a) which on the basis of the information given to us by you concerning your booking prior to us accepting it, we could not have foreseen you would suffer or incur if we breached our contract with you; or (b) relate to any business.

We will not accept responsibility for services or facilities which do not form part of this agreement or where they are not advertised in our brochure or on our website. For example any excursion you book whilst away, or any service or facility which your hotel or any other supplier agrees to provide for you.

Where it is impossible for you to return to your departure point as per the agreed return date of your package, due to “unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances”, we shall provide you with any necessary accommodation (where possible, of a comparable standard) for a period not exceeding three nights per person.

Departure point will be the location where you commenced your first travel arrangement booked through Travelsphere as listed on your booking confirmation. Please note that the 3 night cap does not apply to persons with reduced mobility, pregnant women or unaccompanied minors, nor to persons needing specific medical assistance, provided that we have been notified of these particular needs in advance. For the purposes of this clause, “unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances” mean warfare, acts of terrorism, significant risks to human health such as the outbreak of serious disease at the travel destination or natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes or weather conditions which make it impossible to travel safely back to your departure point.

16. Behaviour & Acceptance Of Reasonable Risks You acknowledge that travel and the products and services offered by us may involve risk to your health and safety. By travelling with us you acknowledge that you have considered any potential risks to health and safety. To the extent permitted by law, you hereby assume responsibility for all such risk and release us from all claims and causes of action arising from any losses, damages or injuries or death resulting from risks inherent in travel, including visiting foreign destinations, and participating in adventurous activities such as those included in Tour itineraries or otherwise offered by us. You acknowledge that the degree and nature of personal risk involved depends on the products or services booked and the location(s) in which a product or service operates. There may be an increased degree of risk participating in physical activities, travel to remote locations, carriage by watercraft, or other high-risk activities, or travel to countries with developing infrastructure.

You agree that we are not responsible for providing information or guidance with respect of local customs, weather conditions, physical challenges or laws in effect in any locations

where a Tour, product or service is operated. You acknowledge you have considered the potential risks, dangers and challenges and your own personal capabilities and needs, and you expressly assume the risks associated with travel under such conditions. You must at all times strictly comply with all applicable laws and regulations of all countries and regions. Should you fail to comply with the above or commit any illegal act when on tour or, if in our opinion (acting reasonably), your behaviour is causing or is likely to cause danger, distress or material annoyance to others, we may terminate your travel arrangements or any product or service immediately at your expense and without any liability on our part.

You will not be entitled to any refund for unused or missed services or costs incurred as a result of termination of our travel arrangements, including, without limitation, return travel, accommodations, meals, and incidentals.

You are responsible for any costs (including repair, replacement and cleaning fees) incurred by us or our suppliers for property damage, destruction or theft caused by you while on a tour. You agree to immediately report any pre-existing damage to one of our representatives or staff of the accommodation, transportation service, or facility as soon as possible upon discovery. You agree to take all prudent measures in relation to your own safety while on tour including, but not limited to, the proper use of safety devices (including seatbelts, harnesses, floatation devices and helmets) and obeying all posted signs and oral or written warnings regarding health and safety.

Neither we nor our third party suppliers are liable for loss or damages caused by your failure to comply with safety instructions or warnings.

17. Excursions and Local Activities Included Excursions: For all excursions that form part of the advertised arrangements that you have booked, your contract for the excursion will be with ourselves and we will take responsibility for that excursion in accordance with the remainder of these Booking Terms and Conditions.

Optional Excursions: Aside from included excursions, optional excursions and activities may be available for you to purchase either before you depart the UK or during your holiday. Occasionally, these are offered for sale by our holiday advisors in the UK or our Tour Managers or representatives overseas. However, we have no involvement in any such excursions or activities which are not run, supervised or controlled in any way by us.

Full responsibility for providing and operating the excursion or activity rests with the local operator / provider. Optional excursions or other activities that you may choose to book or pay for whilst you are taking part in your trip are not part of your contracted arrangements with us. Where you make a booking of an optional excursion via us or our Tour Manager, we act solely as a booking agent for the local operator / provider of all such optional excursions and activities with whom you will have a contract. The local operator’s terms and conditions will apply. We are not responsible for the provision of any optional excursions or activities or for anything that happens during the course of its provision by the local operator. We cannot accept any liability on any basis in relation to any optional excursions or activities which do not form part of your contracted arrangements with us. We do not however exclude liability for the negligence of ourselves or our employees resulting in your death or personal injury.

A minimum number of people are needed for an optional excursion to operate. If that number is not achieved, the local operator may have to cancel it. If this happens, you will be offered a full refund of the money that you have paid. If the local operator has to cancel and you paid for the excursion overseas your Tour Manager will refund you overseas, on behalf of the local operator. If you pre-booked in the UK before the holiday, the refund will be processed by our head office in the UK, and will be sent to the lead passenger’s home address within 10 working days of your return date to the UK, on behalf of the local operator.

If you want to cancel an optional excursion that you have booked, we on behalf of the local operator, are unable to refund the cost of the excursion once it has been paid for.

Our Tour Managers are happy to suggest local places of interest to you. However, these are suggestions only and are not recommendations or endorsements and no liability is accepted for any issues that may arise.

18. Financial Security We provide financial security for flight inclusive Packages and ATOL protected flights. We do this by way of a bond held in favour of the Civil Aviation Authority under ATOL number 11266.

When you buy an ATOL protected flight or flight

inclusive holiday from us you will receive an ATOL Certificate. This lists what is financially protected, where you can get information on what this means for you and who to contact if things go wrong.

For further information, visit the ATOL website at www.atol.org.uk. The price of our flight inclusive arrangements includes the amount of £2.50 per person as part of the ATOL Protection Contribution (APC) we pay to the CAA. This charge is included in our advertised prices. Not all holiday or travel services offered and sold by us will be protected by the ATOL Scheme. ATOL protection extends primarily to Customers who book and pay in the United Kingdom or the first leg of any flight or flights we arrange for you commences in the UK. We, or the suppliers identified on your ATOL Certificate, will provide you with the services listed on the ATOL Certificate (or a suitable alternative).

In some cases, where neither we nor the supplier are able to do so for reasons of insolvency, an alternative ATOL holder may provide you with the services you have bought (at no extra cost to you). You agree to accept that in those circumstances the alternative ATOL holder will perform those obligations and you agree to pay any money outstanding to be paid by you under your contract to that alternative ATOL holder. However, you also agree that in some cases it will not be possible to appoint an alternative ATOL holder, in which case you will be entitled to make a claim under the ATOL Scheme (or your credit card issuer where applicable).

If we, or the suppliers identified on your ATOL certificate, are unable to provide the services listed (or a suitable alternative, through an alternative ATOL holder or otherwise) for reasons of insolvency, the Trustees of the Air Travel Trust may make a payment to (or confer a benefit on) you under the ATOL scheme.

You agree that in return for such a payment or benefit you assign absolutely to those Trustees any claims which you have or may have arising out of or relating to the non-provision of the services, including any claim against us, the travel agent (or your credit card issuer where applicable). You also agree that any such claims may be re-assigned to another body, if that other body has paid sums you have claimed under the ATOL scheme.

We provide financial security for holidays not including flights by way of a financial failure insurance policy. You will be given full details of the insurer with your confirmation invoice or, alternatively, please go to www.travelsphere. co.uk/financial-protection-insurance. If you book arrangements other than an ATOL protected flight or Package from us, your monies will not be financially protected. Please ask us for further details. For more information about financial protection and the ATOL Certificate go to: www.atol.org.uk/ATOLCertificate or contact Civil Aviation Authority of CAA House, 45-59 Kingsway, London WC2B 6TE. 19. Passport Visa And Immigration Requirements And Health Formalities We will provide you with standard information about the passport, visa, health and immigration requirements applicable to your itinerary, but it is your responsibility to confirm that this information is relevant to your individual circumstances. You must check requirements for your own specific circumstances with the relevant Embassies and/or Consulates and your own doctor as applicable and you are responsible for ensuring that you meet the entry requirements for the destinations listed on your itinerary. Requirements do change, and you must check the up to date position in good time before departure so that you have the correct documentation and are adequately vaccinated. Information on health is available from your GP surgery and from the National Travel Health Network and Centre https://www. travelhealthpro.org.uk Most countries now require passports to be valid for at least 6 months after your return date.

When travelling to the EU after the 29th March 2019, the UK Government recommends that you have 6 months left on your passport on the date of your arrival to an EU country. If your passport is in its final year, you should check with the Embassy of the country you are visiting.

You should also check when your passport was renewed. If you renewed a 10 year adult passport before it expired, extra months may have been added to your passport’s expiry date. These extra months over 10 years will not count towards the 6 months that must be remaining. The UK Government has published a web site tool to check the validity of your passport under these rules. Please go to www.passport.service.gov. uk/check-a-passport. For further information contact the Passport Office on 0300 222 0000 or visit https://www.gov.uk/browse/ citizenship/passports. The European Health

Insurance Card (EHIC) allows any EU Citizen to access state medical care when they are travelling in another EU Country.

In the event of a no deal Brexit, UK registered EHIC’s will no longer be valid. Requirements do change and you must check the up to date position in good time before departure so that you have the correct documentation and are adequately vaccinated. Information on health is available from your GP surgery and from the National Travel Health Network and Centre https://www.travelhealthpro.org.uk We do not wish to mar the prospective enjoyment of your holiday. However, sadly we have to be mindful of the global risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks. You should be aware of up to date travel information and up to date travel advice for your chosen destination; please review the Foreign Office web site for detailed information https://www.gov.uk/foreign-traveladvice.

Up to date travel advice can also be obtained from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, visit https://www.gov.uk/travelaware.

Non British passport holders, including other EU nationals, should obtain up to date advice on passport and visa requirements from the Embassy, High Commission or Consulate of your destination or country(ies) through which you are travelling. We do not accept any responsibility if you cannot travel or incur any other loss because you have not complied with any passport, visa, immigration requirements or health formalities.

You agree to reimburse us in relation to any fines or other losses which we incur as a result of your failure to comply with any passport, visa, immigration requirements or health formalities.

20. Cruises River and Ocean Cruise vessels enforce the highest standards of cleaning and sanitation in order to prevent the spread of viruses and illness. If you experience any gastrointestinal symptoms whilst on board, you may be confined to your cabin until your symptoms are clear.

This action is to protect all passengers on board and contain the spread of any virus.

In most cases, prior to boarding, you will be asked by the cruise operator / carrier to complete a medical form confirming you are not ill or have not been ill prior to boarding the vessel. You must answer these questions truthfully. If you have experienced any gastrointestinal symptoms prior to boarding your vessel, we on behalf of the cruise operator / carrier reserve the right to ask passengers to produce medical evidence of fitness to travel this may include the submission of any required medical certificates. In the interests of passenger safety we reserve the right to refuse boarding at our discretion. In such circumstances passengers will not be entitled to claim compensation or a refund.

In some ports, it may be necessary for the river or cruise vessel to anchor offshore rather than alongside.

When this is the case, the cruise line will use a tender to take passengers ashore. A tender is a small vessel and may not be suitable for persons with Disabilities or reduced mobility or balance problems. It is important that passengers are able to use the tender safely.

Passengers may be required to descend to a platform or pontoon and into the tender and passengers may need to navigate a gap between the platform and the tender. Depending on weather, tide and sea conditions, there may be some movement and passengers must be fit and mobile enough to access and disembark the tender. If passengers have impaired mobility, or use a mobility aid such as a stick, then they must carefully consider their ability to embark the tender safely. Wheelchairs and mobility equipment will not be carried by the crew or Tour Manager and all passengers must be independently mobile enough to use the tenders.

Ultimately, carriage by tender may be refused by the Captain of the river or cruise vessel or any of his officers if there is any doubt as to the safety of any passengers.

21. Conditions Of Suppliers Many of the services which make up your holiday are provided by independent suppliers. Those suppliers provide these services in accordance with their own terms and conditions which will form part of your contract with us. Some of these terms and conditions may limit or exclude the supplier’s liability to you, usually in accordance with applicable International Conventions. Copies of the relevant parts of these terms and conditions are available on request from ourselves or the supplier concerned.

22. Prompt Assistance If, whilst you are on holiday, you find yourself in difficulty for any reason, we will offer you such prompt assistance as is appropriate in the circumstances. In particular, we will provide you with appropriate information on health services, local authorities and consular assistance, and assistance with distance communications and finding alternative travel arrangements. Where you require assistance which is not owing to any failure by us, our employees or sub-contractors, we will not be liable for the costs of any alternative travel arrangements or other such assistance you require. Any supplier, airline or other transport supplier may however pay for or provide refreshments and/or appropriate accommodation and you should make a claim directly to them. Subject to the other terms of these Booking Conditions, we will not be liable for any costs, fees or charges you incur in the above circumstances, if you fail to obtain our prior authorisation before making your own travel arrangements. Furthermore, we reserve the right to charge you a fee for its assistance in the event that the difficulty is caused intentionally by you

or a member of your party, or otherwise through your or your party’s negligence.

23. Delays Missed Transport Arrangements And Other Travel Information If you miss your flight or other transport arrangement, it is cancelled or you are subject to a delay of over 3 hours for any reason, you must contact us and the airline or other transport supplier concerned immediately. Under EU Law, you have rights in some circumstances to refunds and/or compensation from the airline in cases of denied boarding, cancellation or delay to flights with a European airline or flights operating from a European airport.

Full details of these rights will be publicised at EU airports and will also be available from airlines. If the airline does not comply with these rules you should complain to the Civil Aviation Authority at www. caa.co.uk/passengers. Reimbursement in such cases is the responsibility of the airline and will not automatically entitle you to a refund of your holiday price from us.

If your holiday arrangements include a flight and, for any reason, you do not claim against the airline and make a claim for compensation from us, you must, at the time of payment of any compensation to you, make a complete assignment to us of the rights you have against the airline in relation to the claim that gives rise to that compensation payment. A delay or cancellation to your flight does not automatically entitle you to cancel any other arrangements even where those arrangements have been made in conjunction with your flight inclusive holiday.

We cannot accept liability for any delay which is due to any of the reasons set out in clause 10 of these Booking Conditions (which includes the behaviour of any passenger(s) on any flight who, for example, fails to check in or board on time). The carrier(s), flight timings and types of aircraft shown in this brochure or on our website and detailed on your confirmation invoice are for guidance only and are subject to alteration and confirmation. We shall inform you of the identity of the actual carrier(s) as soon as we become aware of it. The latest flight timings will be shown on your tickets which will be despatched to you approximately two weeks before departure. You should check your tickets very carefully immediately on receipt to ensure you have the correct flight times. If flight times change after tickets have been dispatched we will contact you as soon as we can to let you know. Please note the existence of a “Community list” (available for inspection at https:// ec.europa.eu/transport/modes/air/safety/air-ban_en) detailing air carriers that are subject to an operating ban with the EU Community.

Our advertising material is our responsibility, as your tour operator. It is not issued on behalf of, and does not commit the airlines mentioned herein or any airline whose services are used in the course of your travel arrangements.

24. Advance Passenger Information

A number of Governments are introducing new requirements for air carriers to provide personal information about all travellers on their aircraft to the Authorities before the aircraft leaves the UK. The data will be collected either at the airport when you check in or in some circumstances when, or after you make your booking.

Accordingly, you are advised to allow extra time to check in for your flight. Where we collect this data, we will treat it in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

25. Foreign Office Advice You are responsible for making yourself aware of Foreign Office advice in regard to the safety of the countries and areas in which you will be travelling and to make your decisions accordingly.

As the advice may change, we recommend that you keep up to date and check the situation closer to your departure date at https://www. gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice. Advice from the Foreign Office to avoid or leave a particular country may constitute Force Majeure (see clause 10).

26. Baggage You are responsible for the carriage and care of your luggage throughout your holiday except for such times as it may be in the hands of the airline; herein such circumstances the airline specific terms and conditions relating to the carriage of luggage apply, or when porterage at a hotel or on arrival and departure is included. Please ensure that your luggage is loaded on to all transport and be careful to take the correct luggage with you when you leave any mode of transport.

27. Marketing And Images You acknowledge and agree that, while participating in any tour, images, photos or videos may be taken by other participants, us or our representatives that may contain or feature you (the “Visual Content”). You consent to any such pictures being taken and grant a perpetual, royalty-free worldwide, irrevocable license to us, our contractors, sub-contractors and assigns, to reproduce the Visual Content for any purpose whatsoever (including marketing, promotions and the creation of promotional materials by or with sub-licensees), in any medium whatsoever, whether currently known or hereinafter devised, without any further obligation or compensation payable to you.

28. Severability If any provision of these Booking Conditions is so broad as to be unenforceable, such provision will be interpreted to be only so broad as is enforceable. The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision hereof will in no way affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision.

29. Amendments We reserve the right to update or alter these Booking Conditions at any time, and will post

BOOKING IS EASY BEFORE YOU BOOK

We do hope that your Travelsphere holiday will meet your expectations so it is very important that you choose the holiday that is right for you. Our Holiday Advisors are happy to share their knowledge; however, please also conduct your own independent research to ensure that you are happy with the arrangements made and are familiar with the up-to-date travel advice in the destination(s) you will be going to.

Please visit the Foreign & Commonwealth Office website at https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice or www.gov.uk/ travelaware. Packed with essential travel advice and tips, these websites offer a wealth of country specific information including the latest on security, local laws, passport and visa requirements.

Keep informed on current travel health news by visiting www. travelhealthpro.org.uk. The advice can change so please check regularly for updates.

You can request a brochure, check availability and book online 24 hrs a day / 7 days a week at www.travelsphere.co.uk. Booking one of our holidays is easy on line.

If you prefer to speak to someone to make your booking you can call us on 01858 415 409. Sales lines are open Monday to Friday 9am to 7pm, Saturday 9am to 5pm and Sunday 10am to 4pm.

Calls may be recorded to ensure a high level of customer service.

When you are ready to book please have the following information to hand:

✓ Holiday insurance requirements ✓C redit or debit card details for deposit payment You will be given a booking reference. Please quote this whenever you contact us.

AFTER MAKING YOUR BOOKING

You will be given a booking reference, please quote this whenever you contact us. If you book by telephone you will be asked for your email address so that we can send you all the relevant documentation for your booking; which will include: your confirmation invoice, holiday information and final travel documents. You can choose how you receive your documents by post or email, simply tell your Holiday Advisor at time of booking.

Prior to departure we will send you further information to help you prepare for your trip.

You can email us at enquiries@travelsphere.co.uk or you can call our Customer Services Department on 01858 415 409 Service lines are open Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm and Saturday 9am to 5pm.

DEPOSIT & PAYMENT

Each booking must be accompanied by the appropriate deposit payment. In most cases we will charge the following deposit per person but the actual amount will be made clear at the point of booking: UK BREAKS - £75

On some holidays we may charge a slightly higher deposit, to cover any costs we have to pay immediately to secure your booking with our suppliers. This will be made clear at the time of booking.

You can use your debit or credit card to confirm your booking instantly.

We will send confirmation of your booking within a couple of days – it’s that easy.

All major credit cards are accepted and there is no charge for paying by debit/credit card, by cheque or bank transfer.

CONFIRMATION

A confirmation invoice will be emailed to you shortly after your booking is confirmed. Please read it carefully and let us know immediately if there are any errors. The balance must be paid no later than 12 weeks before departure. The payment deadline will be clearly marked on your confirmation invoice along with details of how to pay online at www.travelsphere.co.uk/payments

FINAL TRAVEL DOCUMENTS

You can choose how you receive your final travel documents – by post or by email. Simply tell your Holiday Advisor at time of booking. If you would like to change how to receive your documents at any time, please call our Holiday Advisors on 01858 415 409.

FEEDBACK ✓ Holiday reference as shown on the holiday page EUROPEAN HOLIDAYS - £200 PER PERSON TO BOOK CALL 01858 415 565 VISIT TRAVELSPHERE.CO.UK OR CONTACT LOCAL AGENT If you haveYOUR any feedback afterTRAVEL your holiday please contact ✓ Preferred departure date WORLDWIDE HOLIDAYS - £250 OR 10% us at: feedback@travelsphere.co.uk ✓F ull names of all those travelling as stated on their WHICHEVER IS THE GREATER passport We endeavour to respond to all emails within five working OCEAN CRUISES - £250 OR 10% ✓ How many rooms and type days.

WHICHEVER IS THE GREATER

CALL 01858 415 409 | GO TO TRAVELSPHERE.CO.UK | VISIT YOUR LOCAL TRAVEL AGENT

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R O C K-S O L I D GUARANTEES GUARANTEED DEPARTURES, P R I C E M ATC H &

To book or request a Europe or Worldwide brochure call 01858 415 409 Open 7 days a week Monday to Friday 9am-7pm, Saturday 9am-5pm, Sunday 10am-4pm or check out our website travelsphere.co.uk or contact your local travel agent

Travelsphere, Unit 1, The Point, Rockingham Road, Market Harborough, Leicestershire LE16 7QU Prices are correct at time of going to print. Calls from landlines will be charged at local rate, calls from mobiles may be higher. Calls may be recorded to ensure high levels of customer service.

Data Protection: Travelsphere is part of G Touring Limited.

For further information please see Privacy Policy at travelsphere.co.uk.

Offers subject to availability. Terms and conditions apply visit travelsphere.co.uk for details. To unsubscribe from mailings please email optoutofmailings@travelsphere.co.uk

19_3712 Published April 2019

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