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Expert-led archaeological & historical tours

September & October

Small groups Guided by experts SAVE up to $910 on Autumn 2026 departures

RATED EXCEPTIONAL WITH OVER 2,000 REVIEWS

Led by Experts. Crafted for Explorers.

Looking Ahead to an Inspiring Autumn

Dear Andante Traveller,

As we look ahead to the coming year, it is a pleasure to present this mini brochure highlighting our September and October departures.

Demand for our autumn tours is already high, and many popular itineraries are filling quickly. As a specialist operator, our groups are deliberately kept small, and once a tour is full, we are rarely able to add additional capacity. Early booking is therefore strongly advised, not only to secure a place on your preferred tour but also to benefit from the widest choice of departures and and take advantage of any zero single supplement places left on selected tours.

We have added four additional departures for those programmes which are already fully booked. Look out for extra dates on Albania, Egypt New Museums & Discoveries, Viking Homelands and Relaxed Kyrenia this autumn. Make sure to secure your place if you missed out on our Spring departures.

We are also delighted to present a new Italian programme led by Dr Eireann Marshall where we explore the artistic, architectural, and political legacy of two pivotal centres of Italian history Turin, capital of the House of Savoy, and Genoa, the influential maritime republic known as La Superba.

Travelling with Andante means travelling with confidence. Our reputation is built on decades of archaeological and cultural expertise, with tours carefully designed and led by expert guides who bring the past vividly to life. We also believe in making travel as inclusive and straightforward as possible. Most of our tours are genuinely fully-inclusive, including meals and tips as well as standard transport, entrances and guiding fees. Our fully-inclusive approach means no hidden costs or unexpected extras, just exceptional experiences from start to finish.

We hope this brochure inspires you to plan ahead and join us this autumn. If you have any questions, we are here to help Monday - Friday 8am to 6pm (GMT) 844 279 9113.

Mary Reynolds Head of Product

Get in touch with an expert

If you are interested in joining one of our tours and want to know more, please give our Specialist Travel Executives a call today. They are ready to help with all of your questions.

To book your next tour, please call 844 279 9113 quoting AUTUMN26 or visit our website andantetravels.com

2026 SPECIAL OFFER - SAVE up to $910pp

Enjoy savings of up to $910 per person when you book and pay a deposit on selected tours departing in 2026. Please visit our website to see our full range of tours and all our latest offers.

PAY IN FULL - SAVE 10%, up to $1,495pp

If you pay in full when you call to book a tour you can take advantage of a 10% discount. The 10% discount is applicable on selected tours departing in 2026.

$0 SINGLE SUPPLEMENT PLACES in 2026

Our $0 single supplement have been popular for 2026, but we still have some left on selected tours. BOOK NOW AND SAVE ON OUR 2026 TOURS* Offers end 28th February 2026

*Terms & Conditions apply, for full details please visit andantetravels.com/latest-offers

The Andante Difference Expertise is at the heart of every journey

Our tours are led from beginning to end by our own expert Guide Lecturers - specialists in archaeology, history and the ancient world who combine knowledge with the ability to communicate it with clarity and enthusiasm. They are not occasional guest speakers, but integral members of the group, travelling with you throughout and shaping the experience day by day.

Their role is not simply to show you what you are seeing, but to help you understand it: how ancient societies functioned, why places developed as they did and what the remains of the past can still tell us today.

Guests often tell us that it is not only the quality of the guiding that brings them back to Andante Travels, but also the friendly, relaxed and inclusive atmosphere our lecturers create

Alongside your Guide Lecturer, you may also be accompanied by a Tour Manager, who looks after the practical details of the journey and by carefully selected local guides, whose insight adds a valuable regional perspective. Together, they ensure that your tour runs smoothly, comfortably and at an unhurried pace.

With Andante Travels, your curiosity is always welcomed - and always well answered.

Our Expert Guide Lecturers

Dr Craig Alexander

Dr Brian Ayers

Dr Paul Bahn

Dr Jeremy Bennett

Dr Elizabeth Bloxam

Diana Blumberg

Dr Doru Bogdan

Dr Peter J Brown

Dr Katie Campbell

Ian Colvin

Tony O’Connor

Every tour tells a story –here’s what you can expect

Small groups with big insight - travel in a group of no more than 18, giving you deeper access to sites, stories and experts

Experience matters - with over 40 years of curating and innovating truly exceptional tours, you can be certain your experience will be something extraordinary

We uncover history, layer by layer - we make sure you're not rushed and have plenty of time at each site

Led by experts - guided by archaeologists, Egyptologists and historians, all specialists in their field

Tour Managers accompany most tours - allowing our Guide Lecturers to concentrate on what matters most... delivering extraordinary, expert-led discovery

Chosen by travellers, celebrated by the experts - we’re honoured to be nominees for the Condé Nast Traveller Awards, British Travel Awards, and Wanderlust Readers’ Travel Awards

Dr Rob Dinnis

Dr Simon Elliott

Oliver Gilkes

Nick Jackson

Dr Michael Jones

Dr Eireann Marshall

Dr Katya Melamed

Dr Farès K Moussa

Terry Richardson

Dr Rita Roussos

Dr Jamie Sewell

Dr Gillian Shepherd

John Shepherd

Isabella Sjöström

Ioanna Tasouli

Dr Nick Thorpe

Dr Val Turner

Dr Christina Hatzimichael-Whitley

Tony Wilmott

Peter Yeoman

Dr Luis A. Muro Ynoñán

Every itinerary tells a story - our tours are carefully curated to follow an archaeological theme, designed by experts to bring deeper meaning and context to every site you visit

Expert travel with exceptional value - all local transport, meals and gratuities are taken care ofeven wine with dinner on most tours

Because you matter - we never treat you like a number. No name badges, no umbrellas in the air - just genuine connection and intelligent conversation

Expert service - our team are on hand to support, before, during and after your tour

Trusted by guests, recognised for excellence - we have been rated ‘Exceptional’ with over 2,100 reviews and are winners of Feefo’s 2025 Platinum Trusted Service Award

Pompeii, Herculaneum & Classical Campania

Learn more about Pompeii at the recently excavated villas

Nowhere in the world gives deeper insight into Roman life than the dramatic seaside towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum. Before the cataclysmic eruption of Vesuvius, these were thriving, lively seaside towns. Pompeii was a trading town, equipped with bars, shops and brothels, while neighbouring Herculaneum was an affluent and elegant town. All this came to an abrupt halt, one autumnal day in AD 79, when Mount Vesuviuswhich had done little more than rumble for years - erupted with incredible force.

Two thousand years later, the sites of the Bay of Naples confront the modern visitor with a vivid, haunting immediacy like nothing else in the ancient world. In some cases, we even know the names, professions and personal histories of the people who owned the villas and shops we visit. The preservation of Herculaneum, Pompeii and its surrounding sites is remarkable and the archaeology is beyond compare, which is why we have been leading tours here for nearly 40 years. This is an exciting time for visitors to these Vesuvian towns, as new discoveries are constantly being made, and new areas of excavation are opened up. Walk as the Romans did, from amphitheatre to baths to forum, as our Guide Lecturer conjures an evocative picture of the everyday life of these prosperous Roman towns.

Enjoy visits to off-the-beaten-track villas at Stabiae

Private access to the Cave of Sejanus (Grotta di Seiano) and the adjoining Villa of Pausilypon with its dramatic coastal views

Visit newly excavated houses in Pompeii

Day One | Cava de’ Tirreni

Meet the group at Naples airport or at our hotel in Cava de’ Tirreni.

Day Two | Cava de’ Tirreni - Paestum

Our day begins with a visit to the fascinating site at Paestum, ancient Poseidonia. Long before the Romans came, this was a thriving Greek city that was part of greater Greece from the 6th century BCE. After lunch, we discover glorious Greek temples here. We then visit the Paestum Museum, famed for its archaic metopes and painted tombs, including the wonderful Tomb of the Diver, dating to circa 480 BCE. We have also arranged special access to the magnificent Store Rooms of Paestum, where we see artefacts usually hidden from view.

Day Three | Pompeii

We devote the entire day to Pompeii. No other site compares in revealing details of daily life in a Roman

Oplontis

Vesuvius Naples Pompeii Stabiae

Herculaneum

Cava de' Tirreni

town. We visit some of the most well-preserved buildings and the amphitheatre, theatre, forum, bath-houses, bars and even brothels. Fountains in the street are worn from where countless people rested their hands to take a drink and Roman graffiti can still be seen on the walls. Travelling via the best routes to avoid the crowds, we visit some houses that are newly reopened to the public.

Day Four | Naples - Pozzuoli

Our first visit of the day is to the National Archaeological Museum in Naples, home to an exceptional collection of artefacts and an essential complement to exploring the archaeological sites of Pompeii and Herculaneum. Highlights include the famous Alexander Mosaic, the Bronze Runners and the Farnese Bull, carved from a single block of marble, the largest ancient sculpture ever recovered. After lunch we move on to Pozzuoli where we explore the Flavian amphitheatre, one of Italy’s largest Roman arenas. Later, we have arranged private access to the Cave of Sejanus, a monumental tunnel dating to the age of Augustus, which leads to the lovely seaside villa of Pausilypon the summer house of an elite Roman, Publius Vedius Pollio. Much of the villa has been lost to the sea but its amphitheatre, odeon, gardens and other structures still are visible.

Day Five | Stabiae

Today we venture off the beaten-track to the villas of Stabiae, an exclusive Roman resort for the very wealthy. The vast Villa San Marco, with its swimming pool and bath complex, is one of the most opulent along this coast and it remains impressive in its scale. We will also visit the Villa Arianna, with its wonderful frescoes and fabulous views over the Bay of Naples. After lunch, we visit the Archaeological Museum of Castellammare di Stabia Libero D’Orsi, which opened in September 2020 specifically for the exhibition of the many important items found in the region of Stabia. There are a large number of finds on display, some never before exhibited in Italy, including frescoes, inlaid floors, stuccoes, sculptures and tableware.

Day Six | Herculaneum

This morning, we head to Herculaneum, which perfectly complements a visit to Pompeii. This seaside city was buried to a significantly

greater depth than Pompeii - under 23 metres of pyroclastic to be exact - perfectly preserving everyday objects as well as houses up to their rooftops. In addition to the site, we explore the Antiquarium, newly opened after 44 years, which houses precious articles found along Herculaneum’s seafront, including a well-preserved boat. After lunch, we visit Boscoreale to explore Villa Regina, discovered in the late 20th century while digging for the foundations of council housing. In contrast to the opulent villas we have seen on other days, this is a modest small holding which provides us with evidence of how ordinary people lived. Boscoreale is a locality north of Pompeii located on the slopes of Vesuvius, identified by some with the Pagus Augustus Felix Suburbanus. With the inauguration of the Great Pompeii, in October 2023, the Antiquarium of Boscoreale was reopened with a room dedicated to the excavations underway in the suburban villa of Civita Giuliana, with the ceremonial chariot found there in 2021.

Day Seven | Vesuvius - Oplontis

Today, we ascend to the great volcanic crater of Vesuvius. The majority of our journey is by bus, but the final part requires a walk of around 30 - 40 minutes, which is well worth the effort. The walk starts at Monte Somma, the crater of the AD 79 eruption, where we grasp the scale of it. After the ascent and peering into the crater being forged since the ancient eruption, we see fumaroles and the layers of previous eruptions, while walking around the perimeter of the crater affords magnificent views over the Bay of Naples. On good days, you can even make out Pompeii. After lunch, we continue to the impressive villa at Oplontis, which boasts sumptuous frescoes, a bath complex, an enormous swimming pool and interesting slave quarters. This villa was supposedly owned by Emperor Nero and was destroyed and subsequently preserved by Vesuvius’ eruption.

Day Eight | Naples

After breakfast we transfer to Naples airport to make our independent onward journeys.

Dr Gillian Shepherd

Director of the Trendall Center for Ancient Mediterranean Studies at La Trobe in Australia, Gillian specialises in the Greek colonisation of Italy and Sicily. She is especially interested in the historiography of colonisation. Join Gillian on our 7th September departure.

Diana Blumberg

Diana Blumberg is an archaeological scientist who specialises in the analysis of archaeological materials. She has worked on archaeological field schools in both Pompeii and Portus (the latter being one of the harbours of ancient Rome). Join Diana on our 28th September departure.

John Shepherd

Winner of the Wanderlust World Guide Award - History & Culture 2023, John has worked extensively in the field in Europe as an archaeologist, including France, Italy and Bulgaria. Join John on our 5th October departure.

Tony Wilmott

Senior Archaeologist with Historic England, Tony has directed many excavations, and published several books and many articles in archaeological journals. He specialises in the Roman periods, with a particular interest in the Roman military. Join Tony on our 19th October departure. Dr Simon Elliott

An award-winning and best-selling author, historian and broadcaster, Simon is an Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Kent. He is also a Trustee for the Council of British Archaeology. Join Simon on our 26th October departure.

YOUR

• Expert Guide Lecturer & Professional Tour Manager

• Entries to all sites as per the itinerary

• Andante Field notes

• All taxes & gratuities to local staff (drivers, waiters, site custodians)

Included travel

• All local transport aboard a private air-conditioned coach

Accommodation

• 7 nights' in the Hotel Scapolatiello

Culinary inclusions

• 7 breakfasts, 5 lunches & 7 dinners

• Water with all meals, wine & tea or coffee with dinner

Dates & prices per person

For full details of this tour visit andantetravels.com/apom

& Genoa

Baroque grandeur and maritime majesty

Discover two of northern Italy’s most captivating cities as we explore the artistic, architectural, and political legacy of two pivotal centres of Italian history: Turin, capital of the House of Savoy, and Genoa, the influential maritime republic known as La Superba

Explore Turin’s Egyptian Museum, home to one of the world’s most important collections of antiquities outside Cairo

Visit the Royal Residences of the House of Savoy, including the splendid Palazzo Madama and La Venaria Reale

Discover the art treasures of Genoa’s Strada Nuova Museums - Palazzi Rosso, Bianco and Doria Tursi

YOUR EXPERT GUIDE LECTURER

Dr Eireann Marshall

An Honorary Research Fellow for the Open University, Eireann has led many Andante tours. She won the Top History and Culture Guide prize at Wanderlust magazine’s 2019 World Guide Awards.

YOUR COMPREHENSIVE EXPERT GUIDED TOUR PRICE INCLUDES

• Expert Guide Lecturer & Professional Tour Manager

• Entries to all sites as per the itinerary

• Andante Field notes

• All taxes & gratuities to local staff (drivers, waiters, site custodians)

Included travel

• All local transport aboard a private air-conditioned coach

Accommodation

• 4 nights’ in the Concorde Hotel, Turin and 3 nights’ in the Hotel Bristol Palace, Genoa

Culinary inclusions

• 7 breakfasts, 6 lunches & 7 dinners

• Water with all meals, wine & tea or coffee with dinner

Dates & prices per person

Date

28th Aug - 4th Sep $5,160 $4,880 $760

For full details of this tour visit andantetravels.com/atag

Lake Garda & the Cities of Veneto

Romans to the Renaissance

From Roman province to Doge Republic, the Veneto has a long, remarkable history. We explore Lake Garda’s fascinating area, discovering archaeology, art, and architecture - from a prehistoric cave beside a 15th-century ‘Roman’ villa to a medieval monastery near an ancient theatre. In quieter spring and autumn months, enjoy vineyards, olive groves, lively piazzas, and tangled streets of Verona, Vicenza, Mantua, and Padua.

Day One - Verona - Sirmione | Day Two - Desenzano | Day Three - Verona | Day Four - Mantua

Dr Craig Alexander

Day Five - Fumane & Villa della Torre | Day Six - Vicenza | Day Seven - Padua Day Eight - Sirmione - Verona YOUR EXPERT GUIDE LECTURER

Discover the extraordinary cave site of Fumane, one of the major prehistoric archaeological sites in Europe

Enjoy the picture-perfect setting and cobalt blue waters of Lake Garda, Italy’s largest lake

Explore the beautiful cities of Verona and Vicenza, Padua and Mantua and their plethora of UNESCO World Heritage Sites

Craig studied economics at both the University of Cambridge and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He worked in strategy consulting, and then decided to pursue his childhood passion for archaeology, returning to Cambridge to do an MPhil. He relocated to Italy a few years ago and lives in Brescia.

YOUR COMPREHENSIVE EXPERT GUIDED TOUR PRICE INCLUDES

• Expert Guide Lecturer & Professional Tour Manager

• Entries to all sites as per the itinerary

• Andante Field notes and all taxes & gratuities to local staff (drivers, waiters, site custodians)

Included travel

• All local transport aboard a private air-conditioned coach

Accommodation

• 7 nights’ in the Hotel Continental Thermae & Spa, Sirmione

Culinary inclusions

• 7 breakfasts, 6 lunches & 7 dinners

• Water with all meals, wine & tea or coffee with dinner

Dates & prices per person

Date Twin/Dbl Share SS 12th - 19th Oct $4,465 $4,255

For full details of this tour visit andantetravels.com/alga

Image: Piazza San Carlo

Beyond Pompeii, the Land of the Sibyl

Unmissable ancient sites in Northern Campania

8 DAYS FROM $4,335pp Moderate

On this tour we go beyond the sites of the regular tourist trail and discover more. We explore the hinterland of Vesuvius, a land of myth and legend, and, paradoxically, a land of luxury and wealth dotted with the vast villas of senators where the city of Pozzuoli was a ‘second Rome’ in the summer season. We are based for a whole week in just one comfortable hotel in Naples, the living embodiment of a classical city.

Explore the playground of the Roman elite, buildings created at the height of Imperial indulgence and excess

Discover the now subterranean thermal complex at Baia by glass-bottomed boat

Descend underground into the catacombs and remnants of the ancient city below the streets of Naples

John Shepherd

Winner of the Wanderlust World Guide Award - History & Culture 2023, John has worked extensively in the field in Europe as an archaeologist, including France, Italy and Bulgaria.

Day One | Naples

Meet the group at our hotel in Naples.

Day Two | Capua

We drive north to Santa Maria Capua Vetere, an important ancient city associated with Hannibal and Spartacus and criticised by Cicero as treacherous to Rome. We begin at the Museo Archeologico dell’Antica Capua, tracing the city’s development, before visiting the well-preserved amphitheatre, the site of the first gladiatorial school and the starting point of Spartacus’ rebellion. In the afternoon, we visit the Museo Campano with its fine display of goddesses and the Church of Sant’Angelo in Formis, built on the remains of a temple to Diana, before returning to Naples.

Day Three | Cumae & Pozzouli

We visit Cumae, one of the oldest Greek colonies in Italy, founded in 750 BCE. In the Archaeological Park we explore the Antro della Sibilla, home of Virgil’s legendary prophetess, the Cumaean Sibyl. We then continue to Pozzuoli, an important ancient port that supplied Rome with grain from Sicily, North Africa and Egypt and exported Italian wine, oil, pottery and metalwork across the Mediterranean.

Day Four | Naples

We explore Naples, beginning at the Duomo and the remains of the ancient city beneath the modern streets, including Roman shops and streets under San Lorenzo Maggiore. We visit the

cloister of Santa Chiara with its colourful maiolica tiles and the small archaeological museum, which gives access to a 1st-century Roman bath complex with hot and cold rooms, changing areas and a swimming pool.

Day Five | Naples

We visit the Catacombs of St. Januarius, burial place of early bishops and rich in palaeochristian art. We then see ‘Virgil’s tomb’, traditionally believed to mark his burial place, before continuing to the Naples Archaeological Museum. Here we see wall paintings, metalwork and sculptures preserved by the eruption of Vesuvius, including material from the recently reopened western wing.

Day Six | Naples

We walk past some of Naples’ grandest buildings, including the Palazzo Reale, Castel dell’Ovo and the Teatro San Carlo, Europe’s oldest continuously operating opera house. The afternoon is free before we regroup for dinner.

Day Seven | Baia & Misenum

We visit the thermal complex at Baia, once Italy’s most fashionable spa and retreat for figures such as Cicero, Caesar and Nero, now partly submerged and visible by glass-bottomed boat. In the afternoon, we continue to Misenum, the main Roman naval base in the west, where Pliny the Elder was stationed when Vesuvius erupted in AD 79.

Day Eight | Naples

This morning we make our way Naples Airport from where make our independent onward journeys.

COMPREHENSIVE

• Expert Guide Lecturer & Professional Tour Manager

• Entries to all sites as per the itinerary

• Andante Field notes and all taxes & gratuities to local staff (drivers, waiters, site custodians)

Included travel

• All local transport aboard a private air-conditioned coach

Accommodation

• 7 nights’ in the Decumani Hotel De Charme, Naples

Culinary inclusions

• 7 breakfasts, 6 lunches & 7 dinners

• Water with all meals, wine & tea or coffee with dinner

Dates & prices per person

Date Twin/Dbl Share SS 14th - 21st Sep $4,545 $4,335 $970

For full details of this tour visit andantetravels.com/acpo

Discovering the ancient people of Etruria

8 DAYS FROM $4,910pp Moderate

At the height of their power and prosperity in the 6th century BCE, the Etruscans possessed a civilisation to rival Greeks and Phoenicians, with whom they traded extensively. This tour connects us with what we know: the hill sites chosen for their cities, beautiful objects used and taken to their graves, and tombs they decorated. Sculpture and frescoes show music, sport, dancing, banqueting.

Day One - Pisa Airport or Colle di Val d’Elsa | Day Two - Volterra | Day Three - Florence Day Four - Chiusi - Sarteano - Orvieto | Day Five - Orvieto | Day Six - Tarquinia - Sutri - Rome Day Seven - Banditaccia Necropolis & Villa Giulia Museum | Day Eight - Rome

Enjoy a special out-of-hours visit to the Basilica of San Vitale with time and space to contemplate its fabulous interior

Admire the extraordinary mosaics at the Domus dei Tappeti di Pietra (the House of the Stone Carpets)

Discover the ancient port of Classe, once the biggest naval base of the Adriatic, home to a fleet of 250 ships

Capri &

Romans

on the Bay of Naples

New discoveries and highlights in the shadow of Vesuvius

Roman sites in the Bay of Naples have seen remarkable regeneration recently. This coastal area, once developed by Roman elites for leisure, now has newly opened sites and active archaeology. While Pompeii’s new excavations attract attention, new sections of Herculaneum, sites in Positano and Boscoreale, and Terzigno’s excavations are also noteworthy. Including Capri, this tour offers a fresh perspective on Romans in the Bay of Naples and is an ideal time to visit these towns near Vesuvius, with fewer crowds.

Examine newly opened houses in Pompeii

Explore the Roman Villa at Positano, with its wonderful fresçoes

Visit the newly opened Museum at Terzigno, which houses incredible remains of newly excavated villas

Dr Eireann Marshall

An Honorary Research Fellow for the Open University, Eireann has led many Andante tours. She won the Top History and Culture Guide prize at Wanderlust magazine’s 2019 World Guide Awards.

YOUR COMPREHENSIVE EXPERT GUIDED TOUR PRICE INCLUDES

• Expert Guide Lecturer & Professional Tour Manager

• Entries to all sites as per the itinerary

• Andante Field notes and all taxes & gratuities to local staff (drivers, waiters, site custodians)

Included travel

• All local transport aboard a private air-conditioned coach

Accommodation

• 2 nights’ in Colle di Val d’Elsa, 2 nights’ in Orvieto and 2 nights’ in Rome

Culinary inclusions

• 7 breakfasts, 6 lunches & 7 dinners

• Water with all meals, wine & tea or coffee with dinner

Dates & prices per person Date

SS 21st - 28th Sep $4,910 $830

For full details of this tour visit andantetravels.com/aetr

YOUR EXPERT GUIDE LECTURER

Dr Simon Elliott

An award-winning and best-selling author, historian and broadcaster, Simon is an Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Kent. He is also a Trustee for the Council of British Archaeology.

• Expert Guide Lecturer & Professional Tour Manager

• Entries to all sites as per the itinerary

• Andante Field notes and all taxes & gratuities to local staff (drivers, waiters, site custodians)

Included travel

• All local transport aboard a private air-conditioned coach

Accommodation

• 7 nights’ in the Hotel Scapolatiello

Culinary inclusions

• 7 breakfasts, 5 lunches & 7 dinners

• Water with all meals, wine & tea or coffee with dinner

Dates & prices per person

Date Twin/Dbl

- 28th Sep

For full details of this tour visit andantetravels.com/abay

Image: Tomb of the Leopards

Puglia & Basilicata

Discover the extraordinary Sassi di Matera

Both geographically and culturally, the southernmost ‘heel’ of Italy offers a diversity unmatched elsewhere in the south. This sunny, dry region, dotted with dazzling white villages, was once fought over by the Greeks, Romans, Normans, Swabians and Angevins, all of whom lives and prospered here and left the marks of their passing upon the landscape forever.

Day One - Puglia - Lecce | Day Two - Lecce - Otranto | Day Three - Egnatia - Alberobello

Day Four - Matera | Day Five - Massafra - Taranto | Day Six - Metapontum - Gioia del Colle

Day Seven - Castel del Monte - Bari | Day Eight - Venosa & Melfi | Day Nine - Bari - Puglia

Discover the charming white-washed trulli of UNESCO-listed Alberobello

Tour ancient Matera, the setting for Mel Gibson’s Passion of the Christ and 2019’s European Capital of Culture

Experience the wonderful Baroque city of Lecce and its many historic sites

The Island of Sardinia

Neolithic, Nuragic and Punic mysteries of this Mediterranean island

Sardinia offers one of the richest and most fascinating standing archaeological repertoires in Europe. Known to the Greeks as Sandaliotis (“Sandal”, due to its shape), or Ichnoussa (“Stepping stone”), the island has seen Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians, Romans, Arabs and Catalonians come and go. Before them, the mysterious Nuraghi people left an astonishing plethora of wonderful archaeology.

Dr Jamie Sewell

An author of books and articles on the archaeology of towns in Hellenistic Italy, Jamie has 15 years’ worth of experience supervising excavations in Britain, Germany, Italy and Romania.

YOUR COMPREHENSIVE EXPERT GUIDED TOUR PRICE INCLUDES

• Expert Guide Lecturer & Professional Tour Manager

• Entries to all sites as per the itinerary

• Andante Field notes and all taxes & gratuities to local staff (drivers, waiters, site custodians)

Included travel

• All local transport aboard a private air-conditioned coach

Accommodation

• 2 nights’ in the Le Club Boutique Hotel, Lecce, 3 nights’ in the Hotel San Domenico al Piano, Matera and 3 nights’ in the Hotel Excelsior Bari

Culinary inclusions

• 8 breakfasts, 7 lunches & 8 dinners

• Water with all meals, wine & tea or coffee with dinner

Dates & prices per person

Date Twin/Dbl Share SS

22nd - 30th Sep $5,500 $5,220 $830

For full details of this tour visit andantetravels.com/abap

GUIDE LECTURER

Dr Farès K Moussa

Specialising in religious art and artistic practice, Farès has both written and researched on Romans and Phoenicians in Tunisia, Libya, Morocco and Sardinia, as well as on the subject of prehistoric rock art.

• Expert Guide Lecturer & Professional Tour Manager

• Entries to all sites as per the itinerary

• Andante Field notes and all taxes & gratuities to local staff (drivers, waiters, site custodians)

Included travel

• All local transport aboard a private air-conditioned coach

Accommodation

• 2 nights’ in the Carlos V & Spa, Alghero, 2 nights’ in the Su Gologone Experience Hotel, Oliena, 1 night in the Mistral2 Hotel, Oristano and 3 nights’ in the Hotel Baia di Nora

For full details of this tour visit andantetravels.com/asdn Day One - Alghero |

Visit the highest Bronze Age structure in the Mediterranean at the Nuragic site of Su Nuraxi at Barumini

Travel in 4x4s to visit off-the-beaten-track sites such as the megalithic chamber tomb at S’Ena e Thomes and the Nuragic complex of Sa Sedda ‘e Sos Carros

Examine the island’s Phoenician past at Tharros and Sulcis, including mysterious tophets, children’s cemeteries

Culinary inclusions

• 8 breakfasts, 7 lunches & 8 dinners

• Water with all meals, wine & tea or coffee with dinner

Dates & prices per person

Image: Domus de Janas necropolis Ludurru

Image: The ancient Sassi di Matera

Classical Sicily

Some of Europe’s richest archaeological sites and finest artistic achievements are found in Sicily, the largest Mediterranean island, once thought to be the centre of the ancient world.

Controlling routes between east and west, Sicily was long fought over. As part of Magna Graecia, Syracuse rivalled Athens, and Carthaginians fought Rome in the first Punic War. This tour reveals changing identities – Phoenician, Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Arab and Norman.

Day One - Catania | Day Two - Segesta & Monreale | Day Three - Palermo | Day Four - Cefalù & Himara |

Day Five - Palermo – Motya - Marsala | Day Six - Selinus | Day Seven - Agrigento

Day Eight - Piazza Armerina – Morgantina - Ortygia | Day Nine - Syracuse | Day Ten - Ortygia & Noto Day Eleven - Ortygia – Catania - Taormina | Day Twelve - Catania

Admire truly exceptional mosaics at the Villa Romana, Piazza Armerina

Discover the unique landscape around Marsala

Discover the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento

Enjoy a special access evening visit to view the stunning mosaics at Cappella Palatina

SYRACUSE

The ancient heart of southern Sicily

With a history stretching back almost 3,000 years, the city of Syracuse has the rare accolade of being classed as a World Heritage Site in its entirety. Founded in 734 BCE, it became the most powerful Greek polis in the western Mediterranean. We follow in the footsteps of past civilizations to explore Ortygia, Euryalus Castle, Tellaro Villa and the Pantalica hills.

Day Eight - Syracuse - Catania

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS

Explore from our base in historic Ortygia with its glorious piazzas and sea views

Discover Pantalica, beautifully alive with native bird and plant life

Admire the exceptionally fine mosaics at the Villa Romana del Casale

YOUR EXPERT GUIDE LECTURERS

Oliver Gilkes

Join Oliver on our 22nd September departure.

Dr Jamie Sewell

Join Jamie on our 20th October departure.

YOUR COMPREHENSIVE EXPERT

GUIDED TOUR PRICE INCLUDES

• Expert Guide Lecturer & Professional Tour Manager

• Entries to all sites as per the itinerary

• Andante Field notes and all taxes & gratuities to local staff (drivers, waiters, site custodians)

Included travel

• All local transport aboard a private air-conditioned coach

Accommodation

• 4 nights’ in Palermo, 1 night in Marsala, 2 nights’ in Argrigento, 3 nights’ in Syracuse and 1 night in Letojanni

Culinary inclusions

• 11 breakfasts, 8 lunches & 9 dinners

• Water with all meals, wine & tea or coffee with dinner

Dates & prices per person

Date Twin/Dbl Share SS

22nd Sep - 3rd Oct $8,105 $7,685 $1,250 20th - 31st Oct $7,855 $7,435 $1,250

For full details of this tour visit andantetravels.com/ascy

Doru Bogdan

A researcher and lecturer at the University of Alba Iulia in Romania, Doru is a specialist in Roman archaeology and has also supervised an array of fascinating excavations.

• Expert Guide Lecturer & Professional Tour Manager

• Entries to all sites as per the itinerary

• Andante Field notes

• All taxes & gratuities to local staff (drivers, waiters, site custodians)

Included travel

• All local transport aboard a private air-conditioned coach

Accommodation

• 7 nights’ in the Hotel Palazzo Cavalieri

Culinary inclusions

• 7 breakfasts, 5 lunches & 7 dinners

• Water with all meals, wine & tea or coffee with dinner

Dates & prices per person

Date Twin/Dbl

Image: Doric temple of Segesta

Ravenna

Rome

and her heirs

In AD 42 the Roman Imperial court fled from Rome to Ravenna and for a period it was the political centre of what remained of the Western Empire. The result was an astonishing flowering of art and architecture created in the dying days of the Empire. To this day, the city’s numerous churches, palaces and mausolea, resplendent with shimmering mosaics expressing the majesty and mystery of God never fail to achieve the awe-inspiring impact which their patrons, designers and makers intended.

Day

Enjoy a special out-of-hours visit to the Basilica of San Vitale with time and space to contemplate its fabulous interior

Admire the extraordinary mosaics at the Domus dei Tappeti di Pietra (the House of the Stone Carpets)

Discover the ancient port of Classe, once the biggest naval base of the Adriatic, home to a fleet of 250 ships

The last capital of the Western Roman Empire, Ravenna flourished as an imperial city. It was adorned with churches decorated by Byzantine artists, including the Basilica of San Vitale, which contains some of the finest mosaics outside Constantinople. Venice grew wealthy from its eastern connections and absorbed Byzantine culture. The Basilica of San Marco, modeled on the Church of the Holy Apostles in Constantinople, displays a superb array of Byzantine art.

Nick Jackson

A graduate of the Institute of Archaeology at UCL, Nick is an archaeologist and historian with over 20 years of excavation experience.

Enjoy an exclusive evening visit to the Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna

An exclusive private visit to the Biblioteca Marciana, famed for its collection of Byzantine manuscripts

Explore the unique Basilicas of Santa Maria Assunta in Torcello and Santa Maria e Donato in Murano

• Expert Guide Lecturer & Professional Tour Manager

• Entries to all sites as per the itinerary

• Andante Field notes and all taxes & gratuities to local staff (drivers, waiters, site custodians)

Included travel

• All local transport aboard a private air-conditioned coach

Accommodation

• 5 nights’ in the Hotel Bisanzio, Ravenna

Culinary inclusions

• 5 breakfasts, 4 lunches & 4 dinners

• Water with all meals, wine & tea or coffee with dinner

Dates & prices per person

For full details of this tour visit andantetravels.com/arav

Oliver Gilkes

One of our longest-standing Guide Lecturers, Oliver has worked as a field and museum archaeologist in the UK, Albania and Italy. Oliver is considered one of just a handful of experts on Albanian archaeology in the UK.

YOUR COMPREHENSIVE EXPERT GUIDED TOUR PRICE INCLUDES

• Expert Guide Lecturer & Professional Tour Manager

• Entries to all sites as per the itinerary

• Andante Field notes and all taxes & gratuities to local staff (drivers, waiters, site custodians)

Included travel

• All local transport aboard a private air-conditioned coach

Accommodation

• 4 nights’ in the Hotel Bisanzio, Ravenna and 3 nights’ in the Hotel Saturnia & International Venezia, Venice Culinary inclusions

• 7 breakfasts, 6 lunches & 4 dinners

• Water with all meals, wine & tea or coffee with dinner

Dates & prices per person

Date Twin/Dbl Share SS 28th Oct - 4th Nov $5,075 $4,795 $280

For full details of this tour visit andantetravels.com/arvv

Image: St. Apollinare in Classe

Image: Santa Maria Assunta

Rome is one of the most charismatic and engaging of the great cities of the world and this tour is the perfect introduction to the ‘Eternal City’ in the company of archaeologist and historians who will bring to life the triumphs, tragedies and political intrigue that characterised the Roman Empire. We stay at the privately owned Albergo Santa Chiara in the very heart of the ancient city, the perfect base for exploring Rome.

Explore the underground ruins of Nero’s infamous Golden House, a revolution in architecture and luxurious design

Walk along the Appian Way, visiting the Villa of the Quintili and the Circus of Maxentius

Discover two important sites outside the city centre - the port of Ostia and Hadrian’s Palace at Tivoli

Beautiful Cyprus, legendary birthplace of Aphrodite, has attracted many suitors over the years. Based at Kyrenia’s harbour, explore the north’s archaeological sites, from the ancient port city of Soli with Roman mosaics to St. Hilarion fortress on the mountain range. The landscape tells of successive civilizations, set against Mediterranean waters and the rugged northern Cypriot coast.

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS

Explore the castles of the Templars who sought refuge in the Kingdom of Cyprus in 1291 after the fall of Acre

Visit the lovely village of Bellapais where Lawrence Durrell once lived and wrote

Enjoy the wonderful Greco-Roman remains of Salamis situated on the coast

YOUR EXPERT GUIDE LECTURER

John Shepherd

• Expert Guide Lecturer & Professional Tour Manager

• Entries to all sites as per the itinerary

• Andante Field notes and all taxes & gratuities to local staff (drivers, waiters, site custodians)

Included travel

• All local transport aboard a private air-conditioned coach

Accommodation

• 6 nights’ in the Albergo Santa Chiara

Culinary inclusions

• 7 breakfasts, 6 lunches & 7 dinners

• Water with all meals, wine & tea or coffee with dinner

Dates & prices per person

Date Twin/Dbl Share SS

30th Oct -

For full details of this tour visit andantetravels.com/arme

Terry Richardson

Terry Richardson has a university background in ancient history and classical civilisation. Terry is the author of numerous renowned guide books on the country, including Rough Guide Istanbul, Pocket Rough Guide Istanbul and Rough Guide Turkey.

• All

site custodians)

Included travel

• All local transport aboard a private air-conditioned coach

Accommodation

(drivers,

• 6 nights’ at The Colony Hotel Arkin or similar

Culinary inclusions

• 6 breakfasts, 5 lunches & 6 dinners

• Water with all meals, wine & tea or coffee with

Image: Colosseum

Positioned on the western shore of Lake Pamvotis and encircled by the impressive Pindus Mountains, we find Ioannina, capital of Epirus, and one of Greece’s most scenic towns. From this most excellent of bases, we explore a selection of extraordinary archaeological sites, each representing a different era of Greek history: Dodona, Greece’s oldest oracle site (predating Delphi), the 4th-century city of Kassope with its impressive theatre, as well as Nikopolis, founded by Octavian in 31 BCE, and Arta, known for its outstanding Byzantine monuments.

Day One - Preveza - Ioannina | Day Two - Ioannina & Dodona | Day Three - Nikopolis

Day Four - Arta & Orraon | Day Five - Kassope & Nekromateion | Day Six - Ioannina - Preveza

Delight in a beautiful area of Greece that is still largely untroubled by masses of visitors

Explore the ruins of Nikopolis, a city founded by Augustus to establish Roman dominion over Greece

Enjoy the quiet beauty of Kassope, where there are spectacular views of the Ambracian Gulf

YOUR EXPERT GUIDE LECTURER

Oliver Gilkes

• Expert Guide Lecturer & Professional Tour Manager

• Entries to all sites as per the itinerary

• Andante Field notes and all taxes & gratuities to local staff (drivers, waiters, site custodians)

Included travel

• All local transport aboard a private air-conditioned coach

Accommodation

• 5 nights’ in the SAZ City Life Hotel

Culinary inclusions

• 5 breakfasts, 4 lunches & 5 dinners

• Water with all meals, wine & tea or coffee with dinner

Dates & prices per person

Date Twin/Dbl

For full details of this tour visit andantetravels.com/aion

Wild Thrace

Discover ancient kingdoms across this region

East of Thessaloniki lie the mountains and plains of Thrace, where ancient kingdoms once fought and allied with Persians, Greeks, and Macedonians. Discover Philippi, Mesembria with RomanoThracian burials, and Amphipolis - cities shaped by conquerors. Thrace’s archaeological sites and monuments reveal its rich heritage and coexistence of Christian and Muslim traditions.

Day One - Thessaloniki - Kavala | Day Two - Kavala - Philippi | Day Three - Thasos Day Four - Abdera, Xanthi & Komotini | Day Five - Kavala - Samothrace | Day Six - SamothraceAlexandroupoli | Day Seven - Mesembria & Maroneia | Day Eight - Didymoteicho & Evros Delta Day Nine - Alexandroupoli - Thessaloniki

Discover the traces of Roman, Medieval and Ottoman history which remain across the region

Take a short trip across the Thracian sea to the lovely unspoilt islands of Thasos and Samothrace

Explore the Sanctuary of the

YOUR EXPERT GUIDE LECTURER

Dr Christina Hatzimichael-Whitley

A tutor in Greek archaeology at the Cardiff Centre for Lifelong Learning, Christina specialises in Minoan Crete and is Co-Director of the Praisos Survey..

YOUR COMPREHENSIVE EXPERT GUIDED TOUR PRICE INCLUDES

• Expert Guide Lecturer & Professional Tour Manager

• Entries to all sites as per the itinerary

• Andante Field notes and all taxes & gratuities to local staff (drivers, waiters, site custodians)

Included travel

• All local transport aboard a private air-conditioned coach

Accommodation

• 3 night’s in the Egnatia City Hotel & Spa, Kavala, 4 nights’ in the Ramada Plaza by Wyndham Thraki, Alexandroupoli and 1 night in the Aiolos Hotel, Samothrace

Culinary inclusions

• 8 breakfasts, 8 lunches & 7 dinners

• Water with all meals, wine & tea or coffee with dinner

Dates & prices per person

Date Twin/Dbl Share SS 2nd - 10th Sep $5,440 $5,160 $740

For full details of this tour visit andantetravels.com/athr

Image: Ioaninna

Image: Thassos

The glories of northern Greece

This tour of Northern Greece reveals fantastic archaeological sites shaped by Macedonians, Thracians, Romans, Byzantines, Slavs, and Ottomans. We journey through landscapes marked by canyons, lakes, waterfalls, and rivers, rich in history. Discover sanctuaries, monuments, palaces, painted tombs, and pebble mosaics at Verghina and Pella. Highlights include Kastoria, a beautiful lakeside town off the tourist trail, and Thessaloniki, a city with historical importance rivaling Constantinople.

Day One - Thessaloniki - Kastoria | Day Two - Kastoria | Day Three - Kastoria - Edessa

Day Four - Edessa - Aigai - Thessaloniki | Day Five - Pella - Thessaloniki | Day Six - Dion Day Seven - Thessaloniki | Day Eight - Thessaloniki

Admire the remarkable frescos which decorate the Byzantine churches of Kastoria

Discover the waterfalls at Edessa, a city defined by water

Enjoy the richest ancient burial ever found in Europe - the tomb of Philip II - and its extraordinary museum

Classical Greece

From Bronze Age to Byzantine

Embark on a modern odyssey to pivotal archaeological sites as we trace Ancient Greece’s story from the Bronze Age to Classical glory. This tour is for anyone who has dreamed of standing at the ancient Olympic starting line, debating Socrates, or following in Hercules’ footsteps. It’s a chance to revisit The Iliad and Odyssey and marry those stories with impressive remains of the people who believed in them.

Day One - Athens | Day Two - Acropolis & Acropolis Museum Day Three - National Archaeological Museum & Agora | Day Four - Thebes - Delphi | Day Five - DelphiOlympia | Day Six - Olympia - Nafplion Day Seven - Nafplion & Epidaurus | Day Eight - Corinth Day Nine - Mycenae | Day Ten - Mystras - Sparta - Kalamata Day Eleven - Kalamata

Discover the site of ancient Thebes, the mythical home of Oedipus

Consult the oracle at the Panhellenic Sanctuary at Delphi in its wonderfully dramatic mountain setting

Explore the famous citadel of Mycenae and see the Lion Gate, the grave circles and the Treasure of Atreus

Oliver Gilkes

• Expert Guide Lecturer & Professional Tour Manager

• Entries to all sites as per the itinerary

• Andante Field notes and all taxes & gratuities to local staff (drivers, waiters, site custodians)

Included travel

• All local transport aboard a private air-conditioned coach

Accommodation

• 2 nights’ in the Orologopoulos Mansion Hotel, Kastoria, 1 night in the Varosi 4 Seasons, Edessa and 4 nights’ in the Vanoro, Thessaloniki

Culinary inclusions

• 7 breakfasts, 6 lunches & 7 dinners

• Water with all meals, wine & tea or coffee with dinner

Dates & prices per person

Date Twin/Dbl Share SS

8th - 15th Sep $5,060 $4,780 $970

For full details of this tour visit andantetravels.com/amcd

YOUR EXPERT GUIDE LECTURER

Dr Christina Hatzimichael-Whitley

A tutor in Greek archaeology at the Cardiff Centre for Lifelong Learning, Christina specialises in Minoan Crete and is Co-Director of the Praisos Survey..

• Expert Guide Lecturer & Professional Tour Manager

• Entries to all sites as per the itinerary

• Andante Field notes and all taxes & gratuities to local staff (drivers, waiters, site custodians)

Included travel

• All local transport aboard a private air-conditioned coach

Accommodation

• 3 nights’ in the Herodion Hotel, Athens, 1 night in the V Hotel Delphi, 1 night in the Hotel Europa Olympia, 4 nights’ in the Nafsimedon Hotel, Nafplion and 1 night in the Grand Hotel Kalamata Culinary inclusions

• 10 breakfasts, 9 lunches & 10 dinners

• Water with all meals, wine & tea or coffee with dinner

Dates & prices per person

Date Twin/Dbl Share SS

For full details of this tour visit andantetravels.com/aclg

Image: Dispilio

Crete & Santorini

Rise and fall of the Minoan civilisation

The Minoans are known for their incredible labyrinthine palaces - the greatest of which is at Knossos, where Theseus defeated the Minotaur. Our journey across these two beautiful islands showcases the architectural and artistic skills of this Bronze Age civilisation, whose writing, ambition and organisation profoundly influenced ancient Greece’s development.

- Gortyn Day Six - Palace of Malia - Gournia | Day Seven - Mochlos | Day Eight - Sissi - Heraklion

Tick the mighty Palace of Knossos off your archaeological wish-list

Explore the city of Akrotiri - the “Pompeii of the Aegean” - and admire the fascinating frescoes on display in the museum

Visit the vast Archaeological Museum in Heraklion and view its fascinating collections

See another side of Rhodes and Kos and rediscover their ancient origins. Long beloved by British travellers, there is more here than beaches. In the south-eastern Aegean, these islands lay on a crucial ancient sea lane. From Hellenistic sanctuaries, Roman villas and Crusader fortresses to Byzantine churches and Italian-era buildings, elements of both worlds abound. Inland, the landscape shifts from towns to juniper- and thyme-clad hills.

Enjoy a day spent on the lovely island of Kalymnos, where we discover the Castle of Chrysocheria

Admire the fabulous collection of statuary at Rhodes Archaeological Museum

Soak up the stunning views at Lindos and Kalavarda

Discover the Asklepieion, one of the pre-eminent healing centres in the ancient world

YOUR EXPERT GUIDE LECTURER

Dr Rita Roussos

A native Athenian, Rita taught Archaeology and Art History at the American University of Athens. She is particularly interested in the place of women in ancient Greece and Rome.

YOUR COMPREHENSIVE EXPERT GUIDED TOUR PRICE INCLUDES

• Expert Guide Lecturer & Professional Tour Manager

• Entries to all sites as per the itinerary

• Andante Field notes and all taxes & gratuities to local staff (drivers, waiters, site custodians)

Included travel

• All local transport aboard a private air-conditioned coach

Accommodation

• 2 nights’ in The Majestic Hotel Santorini, 3 nights’ in the Olive Green Hotel, Heraklion and 2 nights’ in the Royal Marmin Bay Boutique & Art Hotel, Eloundas

Culinary inclusions

• 7 breakfasts, 6 lunches & 6 dinners

• Water with all meals, wine & tea or coffee with dinner

Dates & prices per person

Date Twin/Dbl Share SS

22nd - 29th Sep $5,860 $5,510 $1,110

For full details of this tour visit andantetravels.com/acre

YOUR EXPERT GUIDE LECTURER

Dr Rita Roussos

A native Athenian, Rita taught Archaeology and Art History at the American University of Athens. She is particularly interested in the place of women in ancient Greece and Rome.

YOUR COMPREHENSIVE EXPERT GUIDED TOUR PRICE INCLUDES

• Expert Guide Lecturer & Professional Tour Manager

• Entries to all sites as per the itinerary

• Andante Field notes and all taxes & gratuities to local staff (drivers, waiters, site custodians)

Included travel

• All local transport aboard a private air-conditioned coach

Accommodation

• 4 nights’ in the Rhodos Horizon City, Rhodes and 4 nights’ in the Kos Akti Beach Club, Kos

Culinary inclusions

• 8 breakfasts, 7 lunches & 8 dinners

• Water with all meals, wine & tea or coffee with dinner

Dates & prices per person

Date Twin/Dbl Share SS 6th - 14th Oct $5,475 $5,195 $690

For full details of this tour visit andantetravels.com/adod

Image: Palace of Knossos

Image: Asklepieion

Aegean Odyssey Cruise

Discover Minoan and Hellenic Gems

The Aegean has been the setting for so much in mythology and history from the Bronze Age, through the Minoan and Mycenaean civilisations, to Classical Greece and Ancient Rome and onward to the Byzantine age. This wonderfully encompassing cruise arcs across the Aegean just as it spans through the rich history of the Greek Mediterranean.

Explore the Athenian Acropolis, the sanctuary in the heart of Athens, with the iconic Erectheum and Parthenon

Admire the Royal Tombs in Vergina including that of Philip II, complete with stunning frescos and gold grave goods

Enjoy a full day at Ephesus, one of Western Turkey’s highlights, famed for its rich architecture

Day One | Athens

Meet the group at our hotel in Athens, the iconic Greek capital and this evening we have our first dinner as a group.

Day Two | Athens

This morning we take a guided walking tour of Athens, exploring its remains from the Mycenaean through Classical periods. We visit the Theatre of Dionysus and the Odeon of Herodes Atticus before ascending to the Acropolis via the Propylaea, following the ancient Panathenaic route. Here we explore the Parthenon and its surrounding monuments. After lunch, we visit the Acropolis Museum

Day Three | Athens

We begin at the Agora, where we see the Temple of Hephaistos and the Stoa of Attalus, now the Agora Museum. We continue to the Kerameikos cemetery, passing the Dipylon and Sacred Gates After lunch, we travel to Piraeus to embark on the Celestyal Journey. After settling into our cabins, we enjoy dinner on board and sail towards Kusadasi.

Day Four | Kusadasi (Ephesus)

We arrive in Kusadasi and travel inland to Ephesus, one of antiquity’s great cities. Exclusive Andante Excursion: We explore the Roman city, including the Temple of Hadrian, the agora and bath complex, the terraced houses with their hypocaust systems, and the great theatre where St Paul preached. The highlight is the magnificent façade of the Library of Celsus. In the evening, we return to the ship and sail towards Rhodes.

Day Five | Rhodes

Today we explore Rhodes, whose history spans Bronze Age settlement, Classical prosperity and medieval crusader rule. Exclusive Andante Excursion: We visit Lindos, founded in the 10th century BCE and climb to its acropolis for sweeping views and the Temple of Athena set within a medieval fortress. After lunch in the Old Town, we walk the Avenue of the Knights and visit the

Archaeological Museum in the former Knights’ Hospital, with highlights including Hellenistic mosaics and a marble Aphrodite.

Day Six | Agios Nikolas, Crete

From Agios Nikolaos we travel to Knossos to explore the great Minoan palace excavated by Arthur Evans. We visit the royal apartments, Throne Room and ceremonial spaces associated with the myths of the Minotaur and the Labyrinth. Exclusive Andante Excursion: This afternoon we visit the Archaeological Museum to see remarkable Minoan artefacts, including frescoes, jewellery and the celebrated bull’s head rhyton carved from black steatite. We then return to the ship and sail onward to Santorini.

Day Seven | Santorini

We spend the day on Santorini, shaped by its dramatic volcanic eruption in the 17th century BCE. Exclusive Andante Excursion: We begin at the Prehistoric Museum in Fira, viewing Cycladic sculpture and frescoes from Akrotiri, including the Blue Monkeys. After lunch, we visit Akrotiri, preserved beneath volcanic ash, where we see its multi-storeyed houses, drainage systems and more. Late evening, we sail towards Mykonos.

Day Eight | Mykonos (Delos)

We arrive in Mykonos and travel by boat to the sacred island of Delos. We explore this UNESCO World Heritage Site with its sanctuaries of Apollo and Artemis, remains of the Hellenistic town and the on-site museum. After returning to Mykonos, there is free time before we sail to Milos in the evening.

Day Nine | Milos

We arrive at Milos, formed by volcanic forces and famous for obsidian, sulphur and early Christianity. We join a shared excursion to Sarakiniko’s white volcanic formations, then continue to Plaka, the ancient theatre, and Trypiti, where we visit the early Christian catacombs (accessed by steps).

Exclusive Andante Excursion: In the afternoon, we visit the Archaeological Museum to see material from the Neolithic to Bronze Age periods, including

YOUR EXPERT GUIDE LECTURER

Ioanna Tasouli

Ioanna was born and raised in Athens, where she studied History & Archaeology at the University of Athens. Her studies continued in France at the University of Corsica where she achieved her status as an official tourist guide.

the Lady of Phylakopi. In the evening, we sail back to Athens.

Day Ten | Athens

We arrive back at Piraeus in Athens. After disembarking our ship we transfer to Athens Airport to make our independent onward journeys.

YOUR COMPREHENSIVE EXPERT GUIDED TOUR PRICE INCLUDES

• Expert Guide Lecturer & Professional Tour Manager

• Entries to all sites as per the itinerary

• Excursions to Knossos (Crete), Delos and Milos with other Celestyal passengers

• Andante Field notes and all taxes & gratuities to local staff (drivers, waiters, site custodians)

Included travel

• All local transport aboard a private air-conditioned coach

Accommodation

• 2 nights’ in the Herodion Hotel, Athens and 7 nights’ aboard the Celestyal Journey

Culinary inclusions

• 9 breakfasts, 8 lunches & 9 dinners , plus extra snacks from the Greek Deli and Pizza Oven throughout the day

• At hotel: water with all meals, wine & tea or coffee with dinner

• Celestyal Journey: unlimited filtered coffee, tea, water, and juice during restaurant hours, unlimited free-pour sodas with all meals and wine with dinner in the Thalassa a la carte restaurant

Dates & prices per person

22nd - 31st Oct Twin/Dbl Share SS

Exterior Cosmos Cabin with window on Decks 5 or 9

$6,360 $6,010 $2,045

Junior Dream Suite $7,760 $7,410 N/A (on request, call to book)

For full details of this tour visit andantetravels.com/aaoc

Albania, Macedonia & Northern Greece

9 DAYS FROM $4,270pp

Join us as we explore the dramatic landscapes of Albania, Macedonia and Northern Greece - a vast patchwork of cultures and civilisations along the route of the Via Egnatia. Our tour takes in the magnificent tomb and treasures of Philip of Macedon, the late Imperial glories of Thessaloniki and the beautiful Medieval churches on the shores of stunning Lake Ohrid.

Discover Ötzi, the Ice Man, the most complete ambassador from the Copper Age, with all that he was wearing and carrying

Enjoy a morning in Ledro on the scenic shores of the mountain lake as we study the well-preserved remains of a Bronze Age village)

Explore the prehistoric gallery of over 100,000 rock art depictions at the rock art sites in Naquane Park

Day One | Durrës

Meet the group at Tirana Airport or at our hotel in Durrës.

Day Two | Apollonia

Once a major Roman city, Durrës serves as the western terminus of the Via Egnatia. We explore the city’s grand structures, including the largest amphitheatre in the Balkans and the Forum of Anastasius. Our journey continues south to Apollonia, a prominent Corinthian Greek colony pivotal in the Roman conquest of the Balkans. Here, we visit the museum and reflect on Octavian’s early education in rhetoric before he became Augustus.

Day Three | Durrës - Tirana - Ohrid

Today, we venture into Tirana, Albania’s capital, blending Ottoman, fascist, communist, and modern influences. A visit to the National Historical Museum offers insights into Albanian history. We proceed to Elbasan, ancient Scampis, tracing the Via Egnatia through its historic walls. Continuing through the Shkumbini River gorge, we cross into Macedonia, arriving at the scenic city of Ohrid.

Day Four | Ohrid

We spend the day in the captivating city of Ohrid, founded by Philip II of Macedon. Exploring its Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman past, we visit ancient theatres and stunning Byzantine churches like Mary Peribletos/St. Clement’s, adorned with exquisite 13th-century frescoes. Our journey includes St. Panteleimon and the Cathedral of St. Sofia.

Day Five | Ohrid – Bitola

We drive along Lake Ohrid’s shores to the ‘Bay of Bones’, exploring prehistoric lakeshore villages. Our journey takes us to St. Naum, a monastery dedicated to spreading Christianity among Slavic peoples. Continuing over the mountains, we reach Bitola, rejoining the Via Egnatia.

Day Six | Bitola - Edessa

Bitola, with its rich history, hosts the ancient city of Heraklea Lyncestis, founded by Philip II. We explore its theatre and early Christian sites. The bustling markets and mosques reflect its historical significance. Our journey continues into Greece, stopping at Edessa, where impressive waterfalls and a charming town await.

Day Seven | Edessa - Agai - Thessaloniki

We explore ancient Edessa and take a detour to Aigai, the site of the Macedonian royal tombs, including Philip II’s. The Museum of the Royal Tombs and Palace of Aigai reveal rich historical treasures. We continue to Thessaloniki, a city of immense historical importance.

Day Eight | Thessaloniki

In Thessaloniki, we visit the Agora and Forum, exploring the city’s Roman and Byzantine heritage. The St. Demetrius church and the palace complex of Galerius, including the Rotonda, showcase the city’s rich history. The afternoon is dedicated to the Archaeological and Byzantine Museums.

Oliver Gilkes

Day Nine | Thessaloniki

This morning we make our way to Thessaloniki Airport from where we make our independent onward journeys.

• Expert Guide Lecturer & Professional Tour Manager

• Entries to all sites as per the itinerary

• Andante Field notes and all taxes & gratuities to local staff (drivers, waiters, site custodians)

Included travel

• All local transport aboard a private air-conditioned coach

Accommodation

• 2 nights’ in the Hotel Arvi, Durres, 2 nights’ in the City Palace Hotel, Ohrid, 1 night in the Hotel Kapri, Bitola, 1 night in the hotel Aigai, Edessa, and 2 nights’ in the Capsis Hotel Thessaloniki

Culinary inclusions

• 8 breakfasts, 7 lunches & 8 dinners

• Water with all meals, wine & tea or coffee with dinner

Dates & prices per person

Date Twin/Dbl Share SS

11th - 19th Oct $4,480

For full details of this tour visit andantetravels.com/avie YOUR EXPERT GUIDE LECTURER

Geographically, and for 50 years culturally isolated during the post-war Stalinist regime, Albania is unlike any other country in Europe. Homeric landscapes, for the most part undisturbed by modern life, hold ruinous Classical cities which once vied in splendour with their neighbours in Greece and Italy. During this tour we study this land in ancient times to gain an understanding of its history and archaeology.

Day One - Tirana | Day Two - Tirana | Day Three - Tirana - Appollonia - Saranda | Day Four - Butrint

Day Five - Saranda - Gjirokastra | Day Six - Gjirokastra - Byllis - Berat | Day Seven - Berat - Kruja

Day Eight - Durres | Day Nine - Kruja

Uncover a story of the discovery of 2,000 years of untouched archaeological heritage

Spend a full day at the World Heritage Site of Butrint

Enjoy fantastic scenery, mountains, valleys and the dramatic Albanian Riviera

Brittany - Carnac & Beyond

Encounter the world’s largest assemblage of megalithic sites

Brittany offers a prehistoric landscape filled with some of the world’s best megalithic monuments, from standing stones to chambered tombs. A whole day is rightly dedicated to Carnac, where stone rows stud the heather-clad countryside, and we explore passage graves with depictions of weaponry that mark the resting places of a selected few of the wider Neolithic population.

Come face-to-face with a selection of fascinating passage graves, chambered tombs and polished axes

Devote an entire day to the stunning monuments of historic Carnac

Take a ferry to the island of Gavrinis to visit its famous and elaborately decorated passage

Tony O’Connor

A specialist in the Roman Empire, Tony has excavated widely across Britain, Europe and North Africa. He first led a tour for Andante over 10 years ago and he just gets better and better!.

YOUR COMPREHENSIVE EXPERT

GUIDED TOUR PRICE INCLUDES

• Expert Guide Lecturer & Professional Tour Manager

• Entries to all sites as per the itinerary

• Andante Field notes and all taxes & gratuities to local staff (drivers, waiters, site custodians)

Included travel

• All local transport aboard a private air-conditioned coach

Accommodation

• 2 nights’ in the Hotel Opera, Tirana, 2 nights’ in the Hotel Brilant, Saranda, 1 night in the Hotel Kalemi, Gjirokastër, 1 night in the Hotel Onufri, Berat and 2 nights’ in the Hotel Panorama, Kruje

Culinary inclusions

• 8 breakfasts, 7 lunches & 8 dinners

• Water with all meals, wine & tea or coffee with dinner

Dates & prices per person

Date Twin/Dbl Share SS

5th - 13th Sep $4,050 $3,840 $500

For full details of this tour visit andantetravels.com/aala

YOUR EXPERT GUIDE LECTURER

Dr Nick Thorpe

A lecturer in Archaeology, Nick has published books and articles on prehistoric Wessex, Britain and Europe, on burial practices, and on the origins of agriculture and the archaeological fringe.

• Expert Guide Lecturer & Professional Tour Manager

• Entries to all sites as per the itinerary

• Andante Field notes and all taxes & gratuities to local staff (drivers, waiters, site custodians)

Included travel

• All local transport aboard a private air-conditioned coach

Accommodation

• 6 nights’ in the Thalazur Carnac Hotel, Carnac Culinary inclusions

• 6 breakfasts, 5 lunches & 4 dinners

• Water with all meals, wine & tea or coffee with dinner

Dates & prices per person

Date

For full details of this tour visit andantetravels.com/abri

Image: Tirana

Cave Art of the Dordogne

7 DAYS FROM $4,405pp Moderate

The beauty of the Dordogne is undisputed – lush walnut groves, limestone villages, dramatic châteaux and winding rivers create one of France’s best-loved regions. For Andante guests, however, its truest appeal lies in Europe’s greatest concentration of decorated caves. Our experts reveal the art, its discovery and the people who created it – the first ‘old masters’, living through the cold of the last Ice Age.

Discover images from the world-famous painted cave of Lascaux at the Interpretation Centre, Lascaux IV

Enjoy an extended itinerary taking in verdant landscapes and limestone plateaux of the Dordogne

Gain insights from experts in rock art and the archaeology of the last Ice Age

Viking Homelands

Germany, Denmark and Sweden

The Vikings were the greatest seafarers, raiders and traders of the Early Middle Ages. Far from being a race of unwashed barbarians, they presided over a trading network which extended from Greenland to Baghdad. Following in the Vikings’ footsteps, we make our own epic voyage starting in Germany, travelling across Denmark and culminating in Sweden.

Enjoy the Viking Festival at Trelleborg with its craft workshops, re-enactors and Viking battles

View the famous Viking longships at Roskilde, the best-preserved collection in Scandinavia

Explore Gamla Uppsala with its three huge royal burial mounds that legend attributes to kings Aun, Egil and Adlis

Elodie-Laure Jimenez

Elodie-Laure is an archaeologist specialising in the Ice Age, with over 15 years’ experience at prehistoric sites across Europe. Her work integrates archaeology and environmental studies with past fauna to explore how early humans lived and adapted. She is affiliated with the University of Aberdeen and the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, researching human–animal relationships.

• Entries to all sites as per the itinerary

Included travel

• All local transport aboard a private air-conditioned coach

Accommodation

• Expert Guide Lecturer & Professional Tour Manager

• Andante Field notes and all taxes & gratuities to local staff (drivers, waiters, site custodians)

Culinary inclusions

• 6 breakfasts, 4 lunches & 6 dinners

Dates & prices per person

• 1 night at a hotel in Poitiers and 5 nights’ in the Le Centenaire, Les Eyzies or similar

• Water with all meals, wine & tea or coffee with dinner

Date Twin/Dbl Share SS 8th - 14th Sep $4,405 $400

For full details of this tour visit andantetravels.com/adgn

Dr Brian Ayers

An expert in medieval urban archaeology, Brian is Honorary Senior Lecturer at the University of East Anglia. He is interested in the origins and the development of towns on both sites of the North Sea during the early medieval period. YOUR EXPERT GUIDE LECTURER

YOUR EXPERT GUIDE LECTURER

• Expert Guide Lecturer & Professional Tour Manager

• Entries to all sites as per the itinerary

• Andante Field notes and all taxes & gratuities to local staff (drivers, waiters, site custodians)

Included travel

• All local transport aboard a private air-conditioned coach

Accommodation

• 3 nights’ in the Comwell Aarhus, Aarhus, 3 nights’ in the Copenhagen Strand, Copenhagen and 4 nights’ in the Hotel Kung Carl, Stockholm

Culinary inclusions

• 11 breakfasts, 11 lunches & 10 dinners

• Water with all meals, tea or coffee with dinner

Dates & prices per person

Date Twin/Dbl Share SS 4th - 14th Sep $10,255 $9,765 $1,300

For full details of this tour visit andantetravels.com/aval YOUR COMPREHENSIVE

Image: Roskilde Viking Ship Museum

Image: Cave of Lascaux

Roman Germany

In AD 9, the largest army of the Roman Empire suffered unprecedented defeat at the Teutoburg Forest where Publius Quinctilius Varus famously lost 3 legions along with accompanying auxiliary troops. This episode – long remembered in Rome and etched in Augustus’ memory –brought about a change in Roman strategies in Germany.

Explore the remains of the fort and reconstructed watchtower at the UNESCO site of Saalburg

Admire the richly illustrated gladiatorial mosaic at the Villa Nennig, one of the most important Roman artefacts north of the Alps

Explore the Roman remains of the UNESCO listed Trier, including the Porta Nigra

YOUR EXPERT GUIDE LECTURER

Tony Wilmott

YOUR COMPREHENSIVE

EXPERT GUIDED TOUR PRICE INCLUDES

• Expert Guide Lecturer & Professional Tour Manager

• Entries to all sites as per the itinerary

• Andante Field notes and all taxes & gratuities to local staff (drivers, waiters, site custodians)

Included travel

• All local transport aboard a private air-conditioned coach

Accommodation

• 3 nights’ in the Eden Hotel Früh Am Dom, Cologne, 2 nights’ in the Zum Weißen Schwanen, Braubach, 3 night’s in the Hotel Park Plaza, Trier and 1 night in the Parkhotel Quellenhof, Aachen

Culinary inclusions

• 9 breakfasts, 9 lunches & 9 dinners

• Water with all meals, wine & tea or coffee with dinner

Dates & prices per person

Date Twin/Dbl Share SS

27th Sep - 6th Oct $7,650 $7,230 $920

For full details of this tour visit andantetravels.com/ager

Frontier Lands of Romania

From the Dacians to Dracula

Romania reveals an under-explored historical narrative with diverse remains. This tour visits Greek colonies, notably ancient Tomis on the Black Sea, Roman ruins including Adamclisi’s victory monument, and Bran Castle, home of Vlad Dracul. Expert guide Dr Doru Bogdan offers in-depth knowledge.

Adventure off road into the Transylvanian Mountains to the UNESCO sites of Sarmizegetusa Regia and Costesti

Investigate the ruins at Histria, ancient Milesian trading colony on the shores of the Black Sea

Discover the 15th-century Gothic magnificence of Corvin Castle at Hunedoara

YOUR EXPERT GUIDE

LECTURER

Dr Doru Bogdan

A researcher and lecturer at the University of Alba Iulia in Romania, Doru is a specialist in Roman archaeology and has also supervised an array of fascinating excavations..

• Expert Guide Lecturer & Professional

• Entries to all sites as per the itinerary

• Andante Field notes and all taxes & gratuities to local staff (drivers, waiters, site custodians) Included travel

• All local transport aboard a private air-conditioned coach

Accommodation

• 3 nights’ at a hotel in Constanta, 1 night at a hotel in Brasov, 2 nights’ at a hotel in Hunedoara, 1 night at a hotel in Sibiu and 2 nights’ in a hotel in Bucharest Culinary inclusions

• 9 breakfasts, 8 lunches & 9 dinners

• Water with all meals, wine & tea or coffee with dinner

& prices per person

For full details of this tour visit andantetravels.com/armn

Image: Porta Nigra

Thracian Treasures & Mountain Monasteries

12 DAYS FROM $5,235pp Moderate

Following a golden age for archaeological discoveries, Bulgaria is now one of the culturally richest countries in Europe, featuring Neolithic settlements, Thracian tombs and exuberantly painted medieval churches. The quality and selection of sites here are outstanding and our tour also introduces the complicated history and cultures of the mosaic of peoples who have occupied the fertile plains bordering the River Danube.

Discover spectacularly varied history and landscapes, introduced by an archaeologist who has excavated all over this country

Visit no fewer than six fantastic UNESCO World Heritage Sites

From the Neolithic houses of Stara Zagora and Roman Plovdiv to the exuberantly painted churches in the Rila Mountains – we explore it all

Dr Katya Melamed

Dr Katya Melamed is a Bulgarian archaeologist who enjoys an enviable reputation for her longstanding research and excavation work throughout the country.

YOUR COMPREHENSIVE EXPERT GUIDED TOUR PRICE INCLUDES

• Expert Guide Lecturer & Professional Tour Manager

• Entries to all sites as per the itinerary

• Andante Field notes and all taxes & gratuities to local staff (drivers, waiters, site custodians)

Included travel

• All local transport aboard a private air-conditioned coach Accommodation

• 3 nights’ in the Hotel Anel, Sofia, 2 nights’ in the Ramada by Wyndham Plovdiv Trimontium, Plovdiv, 2 nights’ in the Park Hotel Stara Zagora, 2 nights’ in the Modus Hotel, Varna and 2 nights’ in the Meridian Hotel Bolyarski, Veliko Tarnovo Culinary inclusions

• 11 breakfasts, 11 lunches & 11 dinners

• Water with all meals, wine & tea or coffee with dinner

Dates & prices per person

Date Twin/Dbl Share SS

22nd Sep - 3rd Oct $5,515

For full details of this tour visit andantetravels.com/abug

Prehistoric Malta & Gozo

Malta’s first inhabitants

7 DAYS FROM $5,380pp

The island of Malta might be small but it packs a punch in historical terms. In the struggle for Mediterranean dominion, it played a key role in centuries of sparring between east and west. Occupied by Phoenicians, Romans, Greeks, Arabs, Normans, Sicilians, Hospitallers, French, and British, it has a colourful, complex heritage. Our focus is on its earliest and most extraordinary occupation, around 5000 years ago, when this archipelago was home to a culture that created elaborate stone temples and rock-cut tombs.

Mnajdra & Tarxien | Day Five - Għar Dalam & Xemxija Heritage Trail | Day Six - Gozo | Day Seven - Valletta

Discover the extraordinary prehistoric culture, whose stone monuments predate the pyramids by over 1,000 years

Explore the cave and associated museum at Ghar Dalam Cave, the lowest layers of which are over 500,000 years old

Enjoy the timeless atmosphere of Valletta, Malta’s charming UNESCO World

YOUR EXPERT GUIDE LECTURER

Dr Jeremy Bennett

A British archaeologist, Jeremy was awarded his PhD at Magdalene College, Cambridge.

• Expert Guide Lecturer & Professional Tour Manager

• Entries to all sites as per the itinerary

• Andante Field notes and all taxes & gratuities to local staff (drivers, waiters, site custodians)

Included travel

• All local transport aboard a private air-conditioned coach

Accommodation

• 6 nights’ in the Grand Hotel Excelsior, Valetta Culinary inclusions

• 6 breakfasts, 5 lunches & 6 dinners

• Water with all meals, wine & tea or coffee with dinner

Dates & prices per person

Date Twin/Dbl Share SS 5th - 11th Oct $5,660 $5,380 $960

For full details of this tour visit andantetravels.com/amal

Image: Valletta

Image: Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Sofia

Moorish Wonders of the Guadalquivir & the Bay of Cadiz

Exploring Andalucía and the Algarve on a cruise

8 DAYS FROM $4,805pp Easy

Called the Baetis in the Roman period, the Guadalquivir is the most important river in Spain, not just because it is the country’s only navigable river but because it flows through Andalucía, the heartbeat of Iberian history.

Explore Italica, the oldest Roman city outside of Italy, and home to stunningly preserved remains unencumbered by later periods

Examine the historic remains of Cádiz, including its extraordinary Phoenician and Roman remains

Visit unique Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba, a colourful blend of Islamic and Renaissance architecture

Day One | Seville

We meet in Seville and time permitting, visit the Metropol Parasol in the city. Afterwards we join our ship, the MS Belle de Cadiz, in Seville.

Day Two | Seville

We wake up in Seville, the capital of Andalucía, which was once the ancient city of Hispalis and later became enormously wealthy for its crucial role in the Transatlantic trade. Exclusive Andante Excursion: Today, we explore Córdoba, a medieval European cultural hub and capital of the Umayyad Caliphate. We begin with the Mezquita, or Cathedral Mosque, built in the 8th century, retaining its Islamic essence despite later Catholic modifications. Next, the Jewish Quarter highlights the city’s multicultural past, linked to Maimonides and Averroes. Finally, we visit the Medina Azahara, a 10th-century palace-city.

Day Three | Seville - Isla Minima

We depart Seville this afternoon for the Isla Minima, set in the Marshlands of the Guadalquivir. Here we have a tour of an Andalucían hacienda before we sail to Puerto de Santa Maria. Exclusive Andante Excursion: Today, we visit two UNESCO sites in Seville: the Real Alcazar, a 14th-century palace fortress showcasing mudejar architecture, and the Cathedral of Saint Mary of the See, the world’s largest Gothic cathedral, built to highlight the city’s significance after the Reconquista.

Day Four | Cadiz

This morning, we take a short drive to Cadiz, the important port which lays claim to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Europe. Located on a spit of land surrounded by sea, Cadiz retains an old quarter which bears the remains of its ancient past. Exclusive Andante Excursion: Today, we explore the important city of Cadiz, founded by the Phoenicians in the 9th century BCE. We start with the archaeological museum , which contains an important collection of artefacts from the city’s vast history, before proceeding to the Roman

theatre, built in the 1st century BCE and once one of the largest theatres in the empire. We end the morning with a visit to the cathedral, built in the city’s heyday when the city was enriched by the Transatlantic trade. After lunch, we go back in time and visit the archaeological site, which contains the remains of the Phoenician settlement of Gadir, where we see remains of houses as well as a later Roman fish processing plant.

Day Five | Alcoutim - Huelva

We spend the day relaxing on board cruising on the Gulf of Cádiz towards Huelva.

Day Six | Huelva - El Puerto de Santa Maria

We awake in Huelva, situated in the scenic Algarve, where we spend the day before sailing back to Seville. Exclusive Andante Excursion: Called on’u ba by the Phoenicians who settled here and later renamed Onoba by the Greeks, Huelva was an important Phoenician trading post, exchanging precious metals and fish with cities throughout the Mediterranean. This morning, we explore this city’s important past at the important Huelva Archaeological Museum

Day Seven | Granada

We depart Seville this morning to take an excursion to Granada. This 9th-century fortress, later transformed into a 14th-century palace by the Emir of Granada, symbolises Andalucía’s rich Muslim heritage and cosmopolitan culture. Exclusive Andante Excursion: After lunch, we explore the Archaeological Museum of Granada, which sheds light on the city and on Andalucían history.

Day Eight | Seville

After disembarking the ship, we end our tour by visiting one of the most important Roman sites in Spain, Italica. The ancient city, founded in the 3rd century BC, is one of the best preserved in Spain and includes an amphitheatre, a number of elite houses, as well as a Traianeum, a shrine to the important emperor who was born there. The visible remains today derive from the Hadrianic period

YOUR EXPERT GUIDE

LECTURER

Dr Doru Bogdan

A researcher and lecturer at the University of Alba Iulia in Romania, Doru is a specialist in Roman archaeology and has also supervised an array of fascinating excavations.

when the city was enlarged and given the status of colonia. In the afternoon we make our independent onward journeys.

• Expert Guide Lecturer & Professional Tour Manager

• Entries to all sites as per the itinerary

• Exclusive Andante excursions with entry to all sites as stated in the itinerary

• An excursion to the Alhambra with Croisi Europe, shared with other passengers

• Andante Field notes and all taxes & gratuities to local staff (drivers, waiters, site custodians)

Included travel

• All local transport aboard a private air-conditioned coach Accommodation

• 7 nights’ aboard the MS La Belle de Cadix Culinary inclusions

• 7 breakfasts, 7 lunches & 7 dinners

• MS La Belle de Cadix: welcome cocktail and all on board drinks*, served in the restaurant and in the bar to include tea, coffee, soft drinks, beers, and a selection of wines, cocktails and long drinks.

*Premium branded drinks at own cost

Dates & prices per person 3rd - 10th Sep

For full details of this tour visit

Turkey: from Çatal Höyük to Göbekli Tepe

A journey through Cappadocia and south east Turkey

DAYS FROM $10,045pp Moderate

Explore Turkey’s heartlands from Çatal Höyük, one of the earliest cities, to Göbekli Tepe, an extraordinary Neolithic site. Discover Cappadocia’s unique geology, underground cities, frescoed churches and ancient ritual sites. Journey through The Fertile Crescent, birthplace of agriculture and domestication and marvel at Gaziantep’s Roman mosaics, saved from the Euphrates dam waters.

View the extraordinary volcanic landscapes underground cities and rock cut churches in Cappadocia

Discover one of the oldest settlements in the world at Çatal Höyük

Visit the excavations at Göbekli Tepe, with megaliths pre-dating Stonehenge by an impressive 7,500 years

Day One | Istanbul - Konya

Arrive independently into Konya via Istanbul and meet the group at our hotel.

Day Two | Catal Höyuk – Binbir Kilise

We begin with one of the oldest settlements anywhere in the world: Çatal Höyük, which comprises two tells rising 20m up from the plain. In the afternoon, we explore the site of Binbir Kilise, complete with Syriac-style churches, monasteries and houses.

Day Three | Konya

In Konya, we visit the Mevlana Museum, shrine of the Sufi mystic Rumi and explore Selçuk monuments, including the Karatay Madrasa and the Alaeddin Mosque. After lunch, we travel to Cappadocia, settling into our cave hotel near Göreme.

Day Four | Göreme & Sarı Han Caravansary

This morning, we visit a local rug-weaving cooperative before exploring the Selçuk-period Sarı Han caravansary. Our afternoon is devoted to Göreme Open-Air Museum (UNESCO), where rockcut churches preserve vivid Byzantine frescoes in a fantastical volcanic landscape.

Day Five | Ilhara Valley & Aşıklı Höyük

We start our explorations of Cappadocia with a visit to the Ihlara Valley, a beautiful, verdant gorge. We continue to Aşıklı Höyük, a major early Neolithic settlement closely linked to obsidian trade networks.

Day Six | Göreme - Derinkuyu - Adana

We head to the underground city of Derinkuyu before crossing the Taurus Mountains into Cilicia. We visit Adana Archaeology Museum, which houses a fine collection of Hittite artefacts. Overnight at Adana.

Day Seven | Adana - Karatepe - Gaziantep

This morning, we visit the eighth-century BCE fortress palace of Karatepe, with its monumental sculpted gateways and bilingual inscriptions, before continuing to Gaziantep

Day Eight | Gaziantep

At the Zeugma Mosaic Museum, we see superb Roman mosaics from Zeugma, a city which stood on a crossing of the Euphrates River. We also visit Halfeti, now partly submerged beneath the Euphrates and view Rumkale fortress rising above the river.

Day Nine | Gaziantep - Adiyaman

We start the day today with a walk around historic Gaziantep and explore the citadel, which lies on top of existing Roman walls and a Neolithic tell. In the afternoon, we take the long but scenic road north to overnight at Adiyaman.

Day Ten | Mount Nemrut & Adiyaman

We visit monuments of the Commagene kingdom, including the Roman bridge at Cendere and the Karakuş Tumulus, before continuing to Mount Nemrut (UNESCO), crowned with colossal statues of gods and kings.

Day Eleven | SayburÇ - Şanlıurfa

We head to Neolithic Sayburç. On the way, we pause at a café overlooking the Atatürk Dam, part of a 1970s project for drinking water, irrigation, and hydroelectric power from the Euphrates. In the afternoon, we visit the Neolithic site of Sayburç, scattered within a modern village.

Day Twelve | Göbekli Tepe & Karahan Tepe

Our morning is dedicated to the excavations at Göbekli Tepe, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2018. Situated on top of a rounded hill in the Anti-Taurus mountains. In the afternoon,

Terry Richardson

we visit Karahantepe, featuring circular enclosures and 250 T-shaped monoliths. This 10-hectare site, along with Göbekli Tepe, is part of the Taş Tepeler (Stone Hills) sites.

Day Thirteen | Şanlıurfa

We visit Şanlıurfa Archaeology Museum and the Pools of Abraham, followed by time in the atmospheric bazaar and caravanserai.

Day Fourteen | Şanlıurfa - Istanbul

After breakfast, this morning we transfer to Şanlıurfa airport to fly to Istanbul from where we make our independent onward journeys.

YOUR COMPREHENSIVE EXPERT GUIDED TOUR PRICE INCLUDES

• Expert Guide Lecturer & Professional Tour Manager

• Entries to all sites as per the itinerary

• Andante Field notes

• All taxes & gratuities to local staff (drivers, waiters, site custodians)

Included travel

• All local transport aboard a private air-conditioned coach

Accommodation

• 2 nights’ in the Dedeman Konya Hotel & Convention Center, Konya, 3 nights’ in the Utopia Cave Cappadocia Hotel, Ürgüp, 1 night in the Divan Adana Hotel, Adana, 2 nights’ in the Divan Gaziantep Hotel, Gaziantep, 2 nights’ in the Park Dedeman Adıyaman, and 3 nights’ in the DoubleTree by Hilton Şanliurfa

Culinary inclusions

• 13 breakfasts, 12 lunches & 13 dinners

• Water with all meals, tea or coffee with dinner

Dates & prices per person

Date Twin/Dbl Share SS

12th - 25th

For full details of this tour visit andantetravels.com/acse

Classical Turkey: the Aegean Coast

Powerful city states of ancient history

The Greek and Roman cities of Turkey’s Aegean coast were once some of the most powerful in the ancient world, from - if Homer is to be believed - the site of the legendary conflict between Greeks and Trojans, to the World Heritage Site of Hierapolis. The remains of these splendid cities are set in a breathtaking landscape of rugged limestone peaks, plunging valleys, olive groves, pine forests and flower-dotted meadows, with the glittering blue waters of the Aegean Sea highlighting the distance.

Gaze upon the mighty walls of Troy as everyone from Achilles to Alexander the Great has desired to do

Enjoy special access to the Roman-era houses of Ephesus

Explore remarkably well-preserved classical cities such as Pergamon, Miletus and Aphrodisias, and discover a range of evocative lesser-known ruins

YOUR EXPERT GUIDE LECTURER

Isabella Sjöström

An archaeologist who has excavated in the UK, Italy, Greece, Turkey and Libya, Isabella works as a pottery specialist with the Sudan Archaeological Research Society.

Day One | Istanbul

Meet the group at our hotel in the historic district of Sultanhamet.

Day Two | Istanbul

Today we explore some of Istanbul’s iconic sites today - the magnificent Hagia Sophia, the Hippodrome and Blue Mosque

Day Three | Istanbul - Assos

We journey to Çannakale, where we take the ferry across the Dardanelles and continue to ancient Troy. Following excavations, we now know that the sixth level (1750-1300 BCE) is most likely Homer’s city.

Day Four | Assos - Avaylik

We drive up to the beautiful site of Assos, perched on a prominent hilltop overlooking the Aegean and Sappho’s Island of Lesbos. The site has a fine set of city walls, a magnificent theatre and the famous Doric Temple of Athena. Our journey continues around the coast to Ayvalik, stopping en route to visit Antandros. This Greco-Roman city is located on the slopes of Mount Ida and was established in the 7th century BCE. Later, we arrive in Ayvalik.

Day Five | Ayvalık - Pergamon - Izmir

We spend the day at the great Hellenistic city of Pergamon, who’s extensive remains range across a dramatic rocky outcrop. After lunch, we visit Pergamon Museum and the Aesclepium

Day Six | Izmir - Sardis - Pamukkale

Today we continue to Sardis, a city that has always acted as a centre of Power. We continue to Pamukkale, the limestone ‘cotton castle’ of calcite pools with warm thermal springs.

Day Seven | Hierapolis & Laodicea

Today we explore ancient Hierapolis and Laodicea, a site largely unknown until 2003 when excavations revealed its history dates to 5,500 BCE, with the city’s peak occurring between the first and third centuries AD.

Day Eight | Pamukkale - Kusadasi

We travel east up the long valley of the Menderes River, stopping at the magnificent site of Aphrodisias the capital of the Roman province of Caria.

Day Nine | Priene & Didyma

We visit Priene, Didyma and end the day at Miletus, home of Hippodamus of Miletus, among others, who is credited as inventing regular city organisation.

Day Ten | Ephesus

Our tour culminates at Ephesus. We end the day at the fortifications and Basilica of St. John at Selçuk, an extensive church built by Emperor Justinian over the tomb of John, in the 6th century.

Day Eleven | Kusadasi - Izmir

We drive to Izmir, where the tour ends, and we make our independent onward journeys.

YOUR COMPREHENSIVE EXPERT GUIDED TOUR PRICE INCLUDES

• Expert Guide Lecturer & Professional Tour Manager

• Entries to all sites as per the itinerary

• Andante Field notes

• All taxes & gratuities to local staff (drivers, waiters, site custodians)

Included travel

• All local transport aboard a private air-conditioned coach

Accommodation

• 2 nights’ in the Hotel Yasmak Sultan, Istanbul, 1 night at a hotel in Assos, 1 night at a hotel in Ayvacik, 1 night at a hotel in Izmir, 2 nights’ in the Hierapark Thermal & Spa Hotel Deluxe, Pamukkale and 3 nights’ in the KoruMar Ephesus Beach & Spa Resort, Kusadasi

Culinary inclusions

• 10 breakfasts, 9 lunches & 10 dinners

• Water with all meals, tea or coffee with dinner

Dates & prices per person

Date Twin/Dbl Share SS

28th Oct - 7th Nov

For full details of this tour visit andantetravels.com/aaeg

Carthage & Roman Tunisia

A land where dramatic events shaped ancient history – the superpowers of Carthage and Rome clashed in three Punic Wars, which determined the course of Western history. Lasting over 100 years, this conflict destroyed Carthage and assured Roman ascendancy. Superb sites and changing landscapes, from rolling hills and olive groves to sparkling sea, make this an excellent tour.

Visit the incredible El Djem amphitheatre, Africa’s largest and best preserved

Gaze upon some of the world’s most impressive mosaics at the Bardo, Sousse and El Djem museums

Tour a selection of little-known sites, including Mustis and Ain Tounga as well as the Bulla Regia

Tony O’Connor

A specialist in the Roman Empire, Tony has excavated widely across Britain, Europe and North Africa. He first led a tour for Andante over 10 years ago and he just gets better and better!.

Day One | Tunis

Meet the group at our hotel in Tunis.

Day Two | Carthage

Today is devoted to Carthage, now a wealthy suburb of Tunis, but scattered with the remains of this once great Phoenician city. We start our day at Byrsa Hill, once the citadel and a central feature of the Punic settlement. Next, we continue to Salambo Tophet and Cothon, or harbour, a testament to Carthage’s famous maritime might, the Roman Antonine Baths

Day Three | Tunis

We visit the renowned Bardo Museum, housed in a historic Beylical palace. It features one of the world’s top mosaic collections, including the Virgil and Odysseus mosaics. Later, we head south of Tunis to examine a section of the Carthage aqueduct at Jebel Oust, then explore Oudna, a city founded by Emperor Augustus.

Day Four | Dougga

We drive west to Dougga stopping at Testour, a 17th-century town established by Jewish and Muslim people fleeing the Inquisition. After lunch, we explore Dougga, its bathhouses, sanctuaries, theatre and temples.

Day Five | Chemtou & Bulla Regia

We drive to Chemtou in the Tunisian hills where we see the quarries which produced famous Numidian marble. Next we visit nearby Bulla Regia and its well-preserved subterranean houses.

Day Six | Dougga - Kairouan

We head southwest to the charming site of Thuburbo Majus, originally Punic and later a Roman veteran colony. Highlights include the forum with

the Capitolium, Winter and Summer Baths, the Palaestra of Petronius and a notable latrine. We also visit Punic-flavoured temples: the Temple of Baalit and the Temple of Caelestis. In the afternoon, we travel to Kairouan, Tunisia’s key religious city, founded by the Umayyads in the 7th century AD.

Day Seven | El Djem

Heading southeast to El Djem, originally the Numidian city Thysdrus, we find a wealthy olive oil hub in the 2nd century AD. Next, we visit the Museum of El Djem, showcasing Tunisia’s finest mosaics and Roman townhouse foundations in its gardens. Returning to Kairouan, we explore the Great Mosque and wander through the Medina’s winding streets, shops and courtyard houses.

Day Eight | Kairouan - Hammamet

We start in Kairouan at the viewpoint over the Aghlabid pools, 9th-century reservoirs once praised by Arab geographers for their grandeur. Next, we visit the Barber Mosque, the burial site of Abu Zama El Belaoui. In the afternoon, we head north to Sousse. The Sousse Museum showcases exceptional mosaics, especially from the Roman period when Hadrumetum thrived through trade. We then continue north to Hammamet.

Day Nine | Kerkouane

We travel along the Cap Bon coastline to Kerkouane, a UNESCO-listed site from the 7th to 3rd century BCE, abandoned after the First Punic War. We visit the site museum with remains from the necropolis. After lunch, we head to Nabeul to visit its small museum before returning to the hotel Day Ten | Hammamet - Tunis

We transfer to Tunis airport for our independent onwards travel.

YOUR COMPREHENSIVE EXPERT GUIDED TOUR PRICE INCLUDES

• Expert Guide Lecturer & Professional Tour Manager

• Entries to all sites as per the itinerary

• Andante Field notes

• All taxes & gratuities to local staff (drivers, waiters, site custodians)

Included travel

• All local transport aboard a private air-conditioned coach

Accommodation

• 3 nights' in The Residence Tunis, 2 nights' in the Hôtel Thugga, Teboursouk, 2 nights' in the Hotel La Kasbah Kairouan, and 2 nights' in The Sinbad Hotel, Hammamet

Culinary inclusions

• 8 breakfasts, 7 lunches & 8 dinners

• Water with all meals, wine & tea or coffee with dinner

Dates & prices per person

Date Twin/Dbl Share SS

22nd - 31st Oct

For full details of this tour visit andantetravels.com/acrt

Jordan - Petra & the Desert Fortresses

Spend two days in the evocative rock-cut city of Petra

Jordan’s history is one of movement and encounter - of peoples, empires, prophets, and kings. Nowhere is this more evocative than in the rockcut city of Petra, where we spend two days among tombs and temples carved into rose-red stone. From Iron Age kingdoms to the Roman world of Provincia Arabia and the arrival of Hellenism, Jordan has long stood at the crossroads of cultures. Its landscape is equally dramatic: wadi gorges cut through deserts of black basalt and golden sand and the Great Rift Valley descends to the salt-rich waters of the Dead Sea - the lowest point on Earth. Beyond Petra, we explore the legacies of crusaders and caliphates in this richly layered land.

Admire the almost lunar-like desert scenery of Wadi Rum

Discover the mighty crusader castle at Kerak, built in the 12th century

Visit Jerash, the best preserved (and Jordan’s largest) Roman town in the east, a site that is home to the Oval Plaza and the Corinthian columns of the Temple of Artemis

YOUR EXPERT GUIDE LECTURER

Nick Jackson

A graduate of the Institute of Archaeology at UCL, Nick is an archaeologist and historian with over 20 years of excavation experience.

Day One | Amman

Meet at our hotel in Amman before we have dinner together as a group.

Day

Two | Wadi Seer - Dead Sea - Amman

We begin at Wadi Seer to explore Qasr al-Abd, a well-preserved Hellenistic palace built by Hyrcanus of Jerusalem around 200 BCE, once part of a larger estate beneath today’s village of Iraq al-Emir. We then visit the Dead Sea, the lowest point on Earth, where we enjoy the unique experience of floating in its salt-rich waters before returning to Amman.

Day Three | Gadara - Jerash

We visit two Decapolis cities, beginning at Gadara (Umm Qais) with its views over the Golan Heights and the Sea of Galilee. After lunch, we continue to Jerash, one of the best-preserved Roman cities in the eastern Mediterranean, with highlights including Hadrian’s Arch, the Temple of Artemis, and the Oval Plaza

Day Four | Amman

We explore Amman’s citadel and Archaeological Museum, home to artefacts from across Jordan, including the Dead Sea bronze scroll. We see the Roman Temple of Hercules and the Umayyad palace before visiting visiting the Memorial Church at Mount Nebo. In Madaba, we view the 6thcentury mosaic map at St. George’s Church and visit the Archaeological Park

Day Five | Umm al-Jimal

We travel into the eastern desert to explore Umm al-Jimal, the striking basalt city with stone-built houses and doors. After lunch, we visit the desert

castles of Qasr Azraq, Amra, and al-Kharanah, which once served as agricultural centres and caravan stations.

Day Six | Umm al-Rasas - Kerak

We visit the mosaic-filled churches of Umm alRasas before stopping at Wadi Mujib for views of the dramatic canyon. We continue to Kerak, the formidable Crusader castle overlooking key historic trade routes.

Day Seven | Petra

Our first full day in Petra allows us to explore the vast archaeological park, entering through the Siq to the Treasury and learning about Nabataean architecture and water systems. Optional guided climbs to the ‘Monastery’ and ‘High Place’ are available.

Day Eight | Petra

Further exploration of Petra’s extraordinary monuments and landscapes.

Day Nine | Little Petra - Wadi Rum

We visit the Neolithic site of Beidha and “Little Petra” before travelling to Wadi Rum to explore its desert scenery and rock art, famously associated with Lawrence of Arabia. We return to Amman for a farewell dinner.

Day Ten | Amman

Our tour ends in Amman and from here we make our independent onward journeys.

• Entries to all sites as per the itinerary

• Andante Field notes

• All taxes & gratuities to local staff (drivers, waiters, site custodians)

Included travel

• All local transport aboard a private air-conditioned coach Accommodation

• 6 nights’ in the AlQasr Metropole Hotel, Amman, and 3 nights’ in the Petra Moon Hotel, Petra Culinary inclusions

• 9 breakfasts, 8 lunches & 8 dinners (plus 1 snack in hotel room if arriving late evening) • Water with all meals, tea or coffee with

For full details of this tour visit andantetravels.com/ajor

Egypt - New Museums & Discoveries

Recently excavated tombs and new museums in Cairo and Alexandria

7 DAYS FROM $5,770pp Easy

Archaeology in Egypt is seeing another Golden Age, this time led by local Egyptians themselves. This tour focuses on these new discoveries from the recently excavated tombs in Saqqara to the newly renovated Greco Romano Museum in Alexandria and the long-awaited, much anticipated brand new Grand Egyptian Museum at Giza. Returning to these sites in the engaging company of our experienced excavators and Egyptologists is a treat not to be missed.

Visit the long-awaited and much-anticipated Grand Egyptian Museum at Giza

In expert company, explore the Imhotep Museum at Saqqara and Greco Roman Museum in Alexandria, both recently opened

New tomb discoveries in Saqqara including the Tomb of Mehu and the Tomb of Maia

Day One | Cairo

Meet the group at our hotel in Cairo – this buzzing, energetic metropolis that is Egypt’s extraordinary capital and a city that Egyptians admiringly refer to as ‘the Mother of the World’.

Day Two | Saqqara

Today, we embark on a journey to Saqqara, a necropolis of immense archaeological significance in Egypt. Our exploration includes the Tombs of Maya and Horemheb, alongside the newly accessible Old Kingdom Tomb of Mehu, featured in the 2020 documentary The Secrets of Saqqara The afternoon leads us to the Imhotep Museum, freshly reopened after extensive renovations. We conclude our Saqqara adventure with visits to the Tomb of Maia, wet-nurse to Tutankhamun, and the Tomb of Nemtymes, both recently reopened to the public.

Day Three | Cairo - Alexandria

Our day commences at the National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation (NMEC), inaugurated in 2017 as the first institution showcasing the breadth of Egyptian civilisation from prehistoric times to the present. Post-lunch, we depart Cairo via the desert road, heading towards Alexandria.

Day Four | Alexandria

Our morning is dedicated to the splendid GraecoRoman Museum, reopened in 2023 after 18 years

of renovation. It exhibits thousands of items, including those discovered during underwater excavations in the submerged cities of ThonisHeracleion and Canopus, and the ancient Portus Magnus of Alexandria. In the afternoon, we explore the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, where exquisite mosaics from the Ptolemies’ royal palace and the exceptional Manuscripts Museum await us, offering far more than most anticipate.

Day Five | Alexandria – Abu Sir - Cairo

Departing Alexandria’s centre, we journey to Abu Sir, ancient Tapaposiris, home to a Ptolemaic temple and a funerary monument inspired by the Pharos, perched on a ridge between Lake Mareotis and the Mediterranean. Recent speculations suggest it might house Cleopatra’s elusive tomb. After lunch, we travel back south to Cairo.

Day Six | Giza

We devote the entire day to the Great Egyptian Museum (GEM), located on the Giza plateau with pyramids in view. Initiated over two decades ago, the museum spans 750,000 sqm, featuring 12 exhibition halls and innumerable artefacts. Two halls are dedicated solely to Tutankhamun, displaying nearly all 5,000 objects from his tomb for the first time.

Day Seven | Cairo

We return to Cairo airport to make our independent onward journeys.

YOUR EXPERT GUIDE LECTURER

Dr Elizabeth Bloxam

Elizabeth is Visiting Professor of Egyptology at North East Normal University, China.

• Expert Guide Lecturer & Professional Tour Manager

• Entries to all sites as per the itinerary

• Andante Field notes and all taxes & gratuities to local staff (drivers, waiters, site custodians)

Included travel

• All local transport aboard a private air-conditioned coach

Accommodation

• 4 nights’ in the Sofitel Cairo Nile El Gezirah, Cairo, and 2 nights’ in the Rixos Montaza Alexandria Hotel or similar

Culinary inclusions

• 6 breakfasts, 5 lunches & 5 dinners (plus 1 snack in hotel room if arriving late evening)

• Water with all meals, tea or coffee with dinner

Dates & prices per person

Date Twin/Dbl Share SS

12th - 18th Oct $6,120 $830

19th - 25th Oct $6,120 $5,770 $830

For full details of this tour visit andantetravels.com/aenm

Namibia

Follow in the footsteps of our early ancestors

DAYS FROM $14,055pp Active

Namibia’s vast landscapes provide some of the most dramatic natural scenery in the world and scattered throughout this astonishing country are rock art sites of unquestionable beauty and isolation. On this tour, we visit not only the famous World Heritage site at Twyfelfontein but also rock art in the Brandberg and Erongo Mountains where artists used natural pigments mixed with binding agents to create paintings that have remarkably survived thousands of years. The country’s pristine wilderness provides some of Africa’s most dramatic wildlife viewing opportunities, set against backdrops that photographers dream of.

Discover the ‘White Lady’ rock painting in the Brandberg Massif of Damaraland

Take a bushwalk with the San and gain an insight into the ancient hunter-gatherer culture

Track desert elephants in two of Namibia’s ephemeral river beds the Ugab and the Aba Huab

Day One | Walvis Bay

Meet the group at Walvis Bay International Airport to transfer to Swakopmund. After checking into our hotel, we have time to unwind and relax before our evening meal tonight.

Day Two | Swakopmund

Today we explore the area of the Moonlandscape and the Welwitschia Plains, where the stark, desolate beauty of the terrain takes centre stage. Amidst this arid expanse, we see examples of extraordinary millennia-old plants. Their ancient, weathered forms stand as a testament to nature’s resilience. On the way back, we visit the area of the Swakop River which reaches the sea on the southern edge of Swakopmund. The area around the river mouth and the surrounding dunes are rich in bird life and unusual plant species. In the afternoon, choose to book an optional flight over the dramatic sweeping landscapes of Soussevlei or take some time to explore the charming town of Swakopmund.

Day Three | Swakopmund – Spitzkoppe

After breakfast, we set off towards the stunning Spitzkoppe range, often referred to as ‘the Matterhorn of Namibia,’ to explore its awe-inspiring granite rock formations. Dominating the landscape, the Inselberg rises to 1,728m above sea level and is one of the most photographed mountains in Namibia, visible from miles around. All around the Spitzkoppe, hundreds of paintings can be found, and the rock art here depicts patterns of huntergatherer societies and their subsistence practices before the advent of farming.

Day Four | Omandumba & Ekuta

This morning, we visit the fascinating ‘Living Museum’ of the Ju/Hoansi-San, also known as the Bushman at Omandumba. Here, we gain insight into the ancient traditions of the hunter-gatherer culture. During a bushwalk we learn the timeless skill of animal tracking and snaring, discover how shelters are made and observe how fires are set. The landscape surrounding us is equally captivating,

with large, reddish boulders scattered across the terrain, creating a stunningly unique backdrop. This area is home to a rich diversity of wildlife, including rock hyrax (known locally as ‘dassies’), mountain zebra, and various antelope species like kudu, steenbuck, and the rare, black-faced impala. Look out too for baboons and warthogs! After lunch, we continue to the rock shelter of Ekuta. Considered to be one of the best rock art sites in the whole region, it contains detailed depictions of animals and people carrying equipment, such as bows and arrows.

Day Five | Ai Aiba

At the Ai Aiba Lodge, our base in the foothills of the Erongo mountain range, we are surrounded by ancient imposing granite boulders. These rock formations, which are the weathered remnants of a volcanic complex dating back around 130 million years, carry with them a deep sense of history. Today, we dedicate our time to exploring the local rock art by safari vehicle, followed by guided walks to various painting sites, each with its own story to tell. Some of the artwork features intricate depictions of animals and humans, while others hint at trance-like states and connections to the spirit world.

Day Six | Spitzkoppe - Omandumba West –Ugab River - Brandberg

We spend our morning in Omandumba West

The rock art in this area includes rare and valuable paintings, such as the 'Swarm of the Bees' depicting honey foragers running from their victims. After lunch, we continue our journey to our overnight hotel. Once we've checked in, we head out to explore the areas along the Ugab River. This river plays a crucial ecological role in the region, flowing above ground for only a few days each year, yet its subterranean waters support a variety of wildlife. Among the most remarkable residents of this area is the rare desert elephant, adapted to survive in these arid conditions. We search along the riverbed, hoping to spot these magnificent creatures.

Day Seven | Brandberg – TwyfelfonteinMowani

Following breakfast, we start the morning with a walk to the famous 'White Lady' rock painting on the north-eastern side of the Brandberg mountain range. This area holds deep spiritual significance for the Damara San people and is renowned for its vast collection of rock paintings, estimated to number in the tens of thousands. The majority of the artworks are situated high up on the mountain, making them difficult to access. The walk to the 'White Lady' site is fairly easy, covering about four miles along a flat, dry river bed, though there are some small boulders to negotiate at the foot of the mountain. In the afternoon, we drive on up to the Twyfelfontein area, home to one of the largest and most important concentrations of rock art. This UNESCO World Heritage Site, inscribed in 2007, is a remarkable testament to the rich cultural and spiritual history of the region, with its intricate engravings depicting animals, humans and spiritual symbols that have endured for millennia.

Day Eight | Aba Huab River & Twyfelfontein

We start our day with a safari along the Aba Huab River Valley. The Huab is another ephemeral river which, when flowing, runs westwards through Mopane savanna before reaching the Skeleton Coast. The landscape here is dramatic with vast sandy valleys, punctuated by gigantic boulder outcrops, sand dunes and rocky hills. This unique environment is home to mountain zebra, oryx, springbok, steenbok, desert elephant, rhino, spotted hyena, jackal, leopard, cape fox and African wild cat. In the afternoon, we visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Twyfelfontein. Though small, this world heritage site includes some remarkable galleries of petroglyphs depicting an extraordinary diversity of wild animals – rhino, elephant, giraffe, oryx, ostrich, flamingo, zebra

and many more. The engravings are often superimposed on one another and are engraved on the massive rock faces of free-standing boulders in completely exposed positions.

Day Nine | Mowani - Peets Alberts KoppieEtosha

After driving to Kamanjab, we arrive at the rock art site of Peet Alberts Koppie. This is the second-largest rock engraving site in Namibia and the images of animals range from abstract, highly stylized and unpatinated to realistic images of white rhinos and kudu. The most prominent engraving at this site is that of a giraffe which measures 330cm from hind hoof to ear. It is the biggest rock engraving in Namibia. After lunch, we journey onwards to Etosha National Park

Day Ten | Etosha - Mushara

Today promises an exciting day of game drives in Etosha National Park, one of Africa's great wildlife sanctuaries. The park's defining feature is the vast Etosha salt pan, a shimmering white expanse so large it can be seen from space. This ancient lakebed covers roughly a quarter of the park and gives Etosha its name, which translates to 'Great White Place' in the Oshindonga language. The park's ecosystem revolves around its waterholes, which serve as vital gathering points for a wide array of wildlife, particularly during the dry season. As we explore, we hope to observe large herds of elephants, zebras, and numerous species of antelope, including the rare, black-faced impala. Etosha is also home to healthy populations of lions, leopards and one of the largest concentrations of black rhinos in Africa.

Day Eleven | Etosha National Park

We spend our second day in Etosha National Park exploring different areas of the park or perhaps returning to the site of a recent lion spot.

Day Twelve | Mushara - Okonjima

Today we drive south to the reserve at Okonjima, famous for its AfriCat charity programme. Founded in the 1990s, the AfriCat Foundation focuses on ensuring a sustainable future for Namibia’s large carnivores, such as leopards and cheetahs, through their conservation efforts. This afternoon, we have the chance to track some of these magnificent animals.

Day Thirteen | Okonjima

We spend more time today on activities offered by the AfriCat programme, with further opportunities

to track these incredible animals in the wild. In addition to the leopards and cheetahs, we take a game drive to spot brown hyenas known as strandwolf. In the evening, we enjoy our last dinner together and take time to look back and recount the many highlights of our tour in this incredible country.

Day Fourteen | Okonjima – Windhoek

We leave Okonjima and drive to Windhoek Hosea Kutako International Airport to make our independent onward journeys.

YOUR EXPERT GUIDE LECTURER

Dr Paul Bahn

The world’s leading archaeologist on prehistoric rock art, Paul is one of our best-known Guide Lecturers.

YOUR COMPREHENSIVE EXPERT

GUIDED TOUR PRICE INCLUDES

• Expert Guide Lecturer & Professional Tour Manager

• Entries to all sites as per the itinerary

• Andante Field notes

• All taxes & gratuities to local staff (drivers, waiters, site custodians)

Included travel

• All local transport aboard a private air-conditioned coach

Accommodation

• 2 nights’ at the Desert Breeze Lodge, Swakopmund, 3 nights’ at the Ai Aiba Rock Painting Lodge, 1 night at the Brandberg White Lady Lodge, Uis, 2 nights’ at the Mowani Mountain Camp, 1 night at the Etosha Omusati Lodge, Etosha National Park, 2 nights’ at the Mushara Bush Camp, Mushara, 1 night at the Okonjima Plains Camp, Okonjima and 1 night at the The Weinberg Hotel, Windhoek

Culinary inclusions

• 13 breakfasts, 13 lunches & 13 dinners

• Water with all meals, tea or coffee with dinner

Dates & prices per person

Date

For full details of this tour visit andantetravels.com/anam

Uzbekistan

Sites

Follow in the footsteps of history as we explore the sites and cities of the Silk Road, which once ran from China to Europe, with Uzbekistan right as its heart. The steppes, deserts, mountains and blue-tiled cities all tell stories of trade and conquest, and this is a journey across the country that traces the paths of those who’ve passed by for thousands of years.

Visit the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Khiva, Bukhara, Samarkand

Get a taste of the avant-garde at the renowned Savitsky Art Museum, home to the world’s second-largest collection of Russian art pieces

Travel to the ancient trade routes, where caravans of silk, spice and textiles once crossed the landscape

Dr Katie Campbell

Katie has worked as an archaeologist for the past decade throughout Central Asia and the Middle East, and is now completing a doctorate at the University of Oxford looking at the impact of the Mongol Conquests on the cities of Central Asia and the Caucasus. Join Katie on our 11th September departure.

Day Ten | Bukhara - Samarkand

Travelling to Samarkand, we cross scenic Uzbek plains, stopping at Rabat-i Malik, an 11th-century caravanserai with a Persian façade.

Day Eleven | Samarkand

We explore Samarkand, visiting the Ulugh Beg Observatory, Shah i Zinda necropolis, Registan Square and the ancient site of Afrasiab

Day One | Tashkent

Meet the group at our hotel in Tashkent. In the afternoon, we visit the Museum of Applied Arts of Uzbekistan, explore Independence Square and view the Monument of Courage - a welcome dinner rounds off the evening.

Day Two | Tashkent

We journey to the ancient settlement of Shahrukhiyah, the first major city of the Tashkent oases along the Great Silk Road. Returning to Tashkent, we embark on a walking tour. Highlights include Chorsu Bazaar and the Hast Imam Square, featuring the Tellya Sheikh Mosque

Day Three | Tashkent - Nukus

We fly west to Nukus, capital of the Karakalpakstan Republic, a desert region surrounding the shrinking Aral Sea and visit Gyaur Kala. After lunch, we explore Mizdakhan, home to Uzbekistan’s oldest necropolis.

Day Four | Nukus - Khiva

We begin at the renowned Savitsky Art Museum, featuring the world’s second-largest Russian avant-garde collection. Afterwards, we travel along the Amu River to Chilpik Dakhma, a Zoroastrian “Tower of Silence” used for sky burials until the 7th-century. We conclude in Khiva, a Silk Road city historically linked to the slave trade.

Day Five | Khiva

We explore the hilltop fortresses of Ayaz Kala, built to defend against nomadic incursions. Next, we visit Toprak Kala, a 3rd-century AD city of the Khorezm civilisation. Its ruins feature governors’ residences and a palace with three imposing towers.

Day Six | Khiva

Today, we wander Khiva’s charming alleys, elegant minarets, and bustling markets. Despite destruction by Genghis Khan, its reconstruction is remarkable.

The first Uzbek site to gain World Heritage status, Khiva boasts original defensive walls, ornate mosques and mausoleums.

Day Seven | Khiva - Bukhara

We drive through the vast Karakum Desert, a rugged area of sand ridges, dunes, salt marshes, and takyrs. The climate is extreme, with temperatures reaching 50°C in summer and dropping to -30°C in winter. We briefly stop at the Amu Darya to observe how its waters were diverted by the Soviets, leading to the Aral Sea’s dramatic decline. Arriving in Bukhara mid-afternoon, we visit the Chashma Ayub mausoleums and Bolo Khauz Mosque before checking into our hotel.

Please note: if delayed, these sites will be visited on day 10 after Paykent.

Day Eight | Bukhara

Today is dedicated to Bukhara, the great oasis city of Central Asia. Known for its architectural masterpieces and accessibility, you can explore freely from modern hotels to madrasahs or local quarters. Once part of the Persian Empire, it became a key intellectual hub under the Samanids in 903 AD. We visit the Po-i-Kalyan religious complex, so remarkable that even Ghengis Khan spared it. Tonight, enjoy a traditional folk show before dinner.

Day Nine | Bukhara

Today, we explore Poykent, a predecessor of Bukhara, located in a deserted region 60km southeast of the city. Once fertile and watered by the Zarafshan river, its drying led to Poykent’s abandonment, contrasting with Bukhara’s access to water. After a picnic lunch, we return to Bukhara for more exploration and free time. We also visit the picturesque Mausoleum of Ismail Samani.

Day Twelve | Samarkand - Tashkent

Our final day begins at the Gur-i-Amir Mausoleum, followed by the Bibi-Khanym Mosque. After lunch, we return to Tashkent by high-speed train, concluding with a farewell dinner.

Day Thirteen | Tashkent

Our tour ends in Tashkent, and we continue our onward journeys.

Please note: the order of the day-by-day itinerary for this tour is subject to change; please visit our website for the latest version.

YOUR COMPREHENSIVE EXPERT GUIDED TOUR PRICE INCLUDES

• Expert Guide Lecturer & Professional Tour Manager

• Entries to all sites as per the itinerary

• Andante Field notes

• All taxes & gratuities to local staff (drivers, waiters, site custodians)

Included travel

• All local transport aboard a private air-conditioned coach Accommodation

• 4 nights’ in the Wyndham Tashkent, 1 night in the Pana Hotel, Nukus, 3 nights’ in the Hotel Asia Khiva, 3 nights’ in the Sahid Zarafshan Hotel, Bukhara and 2 nights’ in the East Star Hotel, Samarkand Culinary inclusions

• 13 breakfasts, 12 lunches & 12 dinners

• Water with all meals, wine and tea or coffee with dinner

Dates & prices per person

Date Twin/Dbl

For full details of this tour visit andantetravels.com/auzk

Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan presents a majestic landscape - high mountains, green valleys, lake-dotted steppe, western deserts, remote underground mosques and affluent cities. Join us on a varied and unique journey - passing through the lands of the ancient residents of Kazakhstan, and tour wild steppes where nomads lived in harmony with nature.

Discover the blue-tiled wonder of the mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi

View the thousands of petroglyphs decorating the rocks at Tamgaly from the Bronze and Iron Ages

Explore the dead city of Sauran, a former hub of the Silk Road which now stands alone amidst the Kazakh Steppe

Day One | Almaty

Meet the group at our hotel in Almaty. After some time to recuperate, we regroup for lunch and an afternoon visit to Panfilov Park, named in honour of a small force of soldiers who blunted the German attack on Moscow in 1941. Alongside its striking memorial, the park includes historical landmarks such as Zenkov Ascension Cathedral and the Museum of Folk Musical Instruments, all explored during our visit.

Day Two | Altyn-Emel & Tamgaly-Tas

We head north-east to Altyn-Emel, nestled at the base of the Jungar Alatau mountains. Famed for its natural splendour and the Bes-shatyr archaeological site, this area presents Early Iron Age burial mounds (1st millennium BCE), attributed to the Saka people, renowned warriors of the Eurasian steppe (c900200 BCE). Before returning to Almaty, we visit Tamgaly-Tas, home to petroglyphs of Buddha and Burhans with Tibetan inscriptions.

Day Three | Chimbulak

We ascend by cable car to Chimbulak in the nearby mountains—a conservation area of remarkable beauty. Here we admire Alpine vistas and Lake Almaty, encircled by conifers, then return to the city for lunch. The afternoon is devoted to the Central State Museum, with its extensive collections in palaeontology, archaeology, and the ethnography of over 100 ethnic groups.

Day Four | Almaty - Tamgaly - Taraz

Departing Almaty, we travel towards Taraz, near Uzbekistan’s southern border. En route, we visit Tamgaly, a World Heritage site with extraordinary Bronze Age to medieval petroglyphs—about five thousand in all—depicting aspects of life from the 2nd millennium BCE to the early 20th century. We reach Taraz by evening.

Day Five | Akyrtas & Taraz

In the morning, we explore the Akyrtas ruins, part of the Serial World Heritage ‘Silk Roads’. This unique walled settlement, likely the Karluk Khans’ palace site from the 8th to 10th centuries AD, extensively utilises stone. Our afternoon is spent in 2,000-year-old Taraz, a pivotal Silk Road city, viewing the medieval city’s remains, a reconstructed caravanserai, and the City Museum

Day

Six |

Taraz - Shymkent

We visit the 12th-century Aysha Bibi mausoleum, believed to be a noblewoman’s tomb, shrouded in 28 legends. We then proceed to Shymkent, associated with Central Asia’s major dynasties. The regional museum offers insights into this illustrious past and the South Kazakhstan region.

Day Seven | Shymkent - Otrar - Turkistan

Departing Shymkent, we head to Otrar, a oncegreat Silk Road city where Tamerlane died in 1405. Situated in a transitional zone between nomadic and sedentary cultures, Otrar is crucial to understanding Central Asian history. We spend much of our day here before continuing to Turkistan.

Day Eight | Turkistan

Our day is devoted to Turkistan, which flourished post-Otrar’s demise in the 16th and 17th centuries. The city features museums, medieval bathhouses, and the impressive mausoleum commissioned by Tamerlane for Sheikh Khoja Akhmet Yassawi. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2003, it mirrors the grandeur of Timurid monuments in Uzbekistan.

Day Nine |Turkistan - Sauran - Kyzylorda

We journey north-east to Sauran, once Kazakhstan’s largest city. We explore its adobe walls and ruins, noting the sophisticated kyariz (underground canal)

Dr Peter J Brown

Dr Peter J Brown is a medieval archaeologist whose fieldwork spans the Middle East, Central Asia, China and Europe, with research on water, trade, and cities.

system. Later, we visit Sygnac, another desert ruin founded in the 4th century AD, before heading to Kyzylorda.

Day Ten | Kyzylorda - Astana

We fly to Astana, Kazakhstan’s modern capital, crafted by world-renowned architects. Situated in the expansive steppe, its existence defies nature’s constraints. Post-lunch, we explore the National Museum, a vast complex with 11 halls showcasing the region’s largest collection.

Day Eleven | Astana

We dedicate a full day to Astana, visiting key architectural sites like the Bai Terek Observation Tower, the Hezret Sultan Mosque with its grand dome, and the Pyramid Building (Palace of Peace and Harmony) by Sir Norman Foster.

Day Twelve | Astana

This morning we make our way to Astana Airport from where make our independent onward journeys.

YOUR COMPREHENSIVE EXPERT GUIDED TOUR PRICE INCLUDES

• Expert Guide Lecturer & Professional Tour Manager

• Entries to all sites as per the itinerary

• Andante Field notes

• All taxes & gratuities to local staff (drivers, waiters, site custodians)

Included travel

• All local transport aboard a private air-conditioned coach Accommodation

• 4 nights’ in the Hotel Kazzhol Park Almaty, 2 nights’ in the Shahristan Hotel, Taraz, 1 night in the Aidana Plaza Hotel, Shymkent, 2 nights’ in the Hotel Khanaka, Turkistan, 1 night in the Hotel Sultan Plaza, Kyzylorda and 2 nights’ in the Wyndham Garden Astana

Culinary inclusions

• 12 breakfasts, 11 lunches & 11 dinners

• Water with all meals, tea or coffee with dinner

Dates & prices per person

Date Twin/Dbl Share SS

26th Sep - 8th Oct $6,240 $700

For full details of this tour visit andantetravels.com/akaz

Armenia & Georgia

Explore the site of Nokalakevi with Ian Colvin

FROM $7,855pp Moderate

Between Europe and Asia, the Caspian and the Black Sea, and on the ancient Silk Roads and the Scythian invasion routes stand the republicas - ancient kingdoms - of Armenia and Georgia. Their location between great civilisations guaranteed them a pivotal role in world history. Yet, their varied landscapes are reason enough to visit.

See exquisite metalwork and jewellery from the Bronze Age

Enjoy the country’s dramatic landscapes, from its lush sub-tropics to the semidesert steppes

View fortresses, Hellenistic temples and Art Nouveau palaces

Learn about the ancient Georgian wine-making tradition, which involves fermenting grapes in earthenware and has now been recognised by UNESCO

YOUR EXPERT GUIDE LECTURER

Ian Colvin

Ian is a researcher and historian who specialises in the Roman and Byzantine history of the Caucasus regions.

Day Thirteen | Kutaisi - Batumi

Our guide leads us through Nokalakevi, unveiling layers of history. We then drive through the Colchian lowlands to reach Batumi.

Day Fourteen | Batumi

Day One | Yerevan

Meet as a group at our hotel in the midst of the bustling city of Yerevan.

Day Two | Yerevan

We venture to the Araxes plain to explore the Mother Cathedral of Echmiadzin, the spiritual core of Armenia. The day unfolds with a visit to the UNESCO-listed ruins of Zvartnots, a testament to Armenia’s architectural ingenuity. Later, we delve into the Matenadaran Museum, celebrating Armenia’s rich literary heritage.

Day Three | Yerevan

We journey east to the Gegham mountains, discovering the Geghard Monastery, carved from rock and steeped in history. Nearby, Garni offers breathtaking views and ancient architecture. Our afternoon unfolds at Yerevan’s History Museum, a treasure trove of Armenia’s past.

Day Four | Yerevan

Our exploration of Armenia’s ancient history begins at Shengavit and continues to Erebuni, revealing the legacy of the Urartian civilization. We then have free time or can opt for a poignant visit to the Genocide Museum at Tsitsernakaberd.

Day Five | Yerevan - Dilijan

Our path leads us to Khor Virap, where Armenia’s ancient capital once stood. Further south, Areni Cave unveils archaeological wonders. After lunch at Noravank Monastery, we journey to Dilijan, often dubbed Armenia’s ‘Little Switzerland’.

Day Six | Dilijan - Tbilisi

We explore Armenia’s monastic treasures, including Haghartsin and Goshavank, showcasing exquisite cross-stones. Later, we cross into Georgia, arriving in Tbilisi.

Day Seven | Tbilisi

Our day begins with a walking tour of Old Tbilisi, taking in historic sites such as Metekhi Church and Narikala Fortress. The afternoon offers a glimpse into Georgia’s ancient craftsmanship at the Georgian National Museum

Day Eight | Tbilisi

We explore Kakheti, Georgia’s renowned wine region. Visits to Iqalto Monastery and Tsinandali reveal historical insights, while lunch offers a taste of traditional Georgian wine-making.

Day Nine | Tbilisi

Our final day in Tbilisi takes us to the Open Air Ethnographic House Museum and the National Gallery, showcasing Georgia’s rich artistic legacy.

Day Ten | Tbilisi - Borjomi

We visit Mtskheta, Georgia’s ancient capital, exploring Jvari Church and Svetitskhoveli Cathedral In Gori, we uncover the mysteries of Uplistsikhe and the Stalin Museum

Day Eleven | Borjomi

Our adventure continues to Vardzia, a medieval cave monastery famed for its frescoes. Returning via Akhaltsikhe, we explore the Rabati fortress

Day Twelve | Borjomi - Kutaisi

We travel to Kutaisi, visiting the royal monastery of Gelati. After lunch, we have free time to explore the city.

Batumi, originally a deep water port discovered by Greek settlers, was developed by the Russians in the late 19th century with help from investors like the Rothschilds and Nobels. The city showcases Art Nouveau architecture and diverse religious sites. After a walking tour, we visit the Roman fort at Apsarus and its museum. After lunch, we enjoy free time to explore at leisure.

Day Fifteen | Batumi

Our tour ends today and we make our independent onward journeys.

YOUR COMPREHENSIVE EXPERT GUIDED TOUR PRICE INCLUDES

• Expert Guide Lecturer & Professional Tour Manager

• Entries to all sites as per the itinerary

• Andante Field notes

• All taxes & gratuities to local staff (drivers, waiters, site custodians)

Included travel

• All local transport aboard a private air-conditioned coach

Accommodation

• 4 nights’ in the Tufenkian Historic Yerevan Hotel, 1 night in the Best Western Plus Paradise Hotel Dilijan, 4 nights’ in the Mercure Tbilisi Old Town, 2 nights’ in the Crowne Plaza Borjomi by IHG, 1 night in the Best Western Kutaisi City Center and 2 nights’ in the Radisson Blu Hotel, Batumi

Culinary inclusions

• 14 breakfasts, 13 lunches & 13 dinners

• Water with all meals, wine & tea or coffee with dinner

Dates & prices per person Date Twin/Dbl

For full details of this tour visit andantetravels.com/agaa

18 DAYS FROM $13,785pp Active

Many people visit only the Highlands and the Sacred Valley in Peru but anyone with an interest in the past would feel disappointed if they did explore a little further, for the sites preserved along the Pacific coast are amongst the most extraordinary in the world. Our tour combines preInca culture and the famous sites of the Sacred Valley.

YOUR EXPERT GUIDE LECTURER

Day One | Lima

Experience world-renowned Machu Picchu after the crowds start to disperse and again at daybreak before it gets busy

Cross the Peruvian Andes on one of South America’s most spectacular rail journeys from Cusco to Puno

Meet the group at our hotel in Lima.

Day Two | Lima

We journey to the Pueblo Libre District to visit the Larco Museum. In the afternoon, we embark on a walking tour of the city.

Day Three | Lima – Trujillo

We fly to Trujillo, drive to the ancient Moche city site beneath the plain and visit the site museum.

Day Four | Trujillo

This morning, we visit the Temple of the Rainbow Dragon, explore Chan Chan and later, the UNT

Day Five | Trujillo – Sipan - Chiclayo

We drive north to El Brujo, then continue to Sipan in the Lambayeque Valley.

Day Six | Sipan & Chiclayo

We visit the Royal Tombs of Sipán Museum, built to showcase the treasures from the Sipan burial sites.

Day Seven | Chiclayo - Cusco - Pisac

We fly to Cusco via Lima, arriving in the Inca capital mid-afternoon, and transfer to Pisac, a small town at the Sacred Valley’s eastern end.

Day Eight | Pisac

Explore local artisan markets in Pisac before visiting the Archaeological Park on a mountain ridge above the town.

Day Nine | Huilloc & Ollantaytambo

We visit the Community of Huilloc and continue to Ollantaytambo, a significant Inca site with a massive fortress.

Day Ten | Chinchero & Moray

In the morning, we visit Chinchero, then explore Moray, known for its extraordinary circular terrace systems.

Day Eleven | Machu Picchu

We board the train to Machu Picchu, travelling along the Urubamba River to Aguas Calientes.

Day Twelve | Aguas Calientes - Ollantaytambo - Cusco

We revisit Machu Picchu early in the morning for more exploration of this extraordinary city then travel by train from Ollantaytambo to Cusco.

Day Thirteen | Cusco

We visit to the Coricancha, the Incas’ most sacred shrine and explore the Spanish parts of the city, including the church of San Blas

Day Fourteen | Cusco

This morning, we explore the great fortress of Sacsayhuaman, Q’enqo and Tambomachay. In the afternoon, we return to Cusco to visit the Casa Concha Machu Picchu Museum

Day Fifteen | Cusco - Puno

Today, we embark on a spectacular rail journey from Cusco to Puno, the gateway to Lake Titicaca.

Day Sixteen | Lake Titicaca

Lake Titicaca, the world’s highest navigable body of water, forms a unique environment. We take a boat trip to explore the floating islands of the Uros people.

Day Seventeen | Puno - Lima

In the morning, we visit the burial towers at Sillustani and in the afternoon, we fly from Juilica to Lima for our final night.

Dr Luis A. Muro Ynoñán

Luis A. Muro Ynoñán is a Peruvian anthropological archaeologist specialising in the archaeology and heritage of the Moche.

Day Eighteen | Lima

Our tour comes to an end, and we make our independent onward journeys.

YOUR COMPREHENSIVE EXPERT GUIDED TOUR PRICE INCLUDES

• Expert Guide Lecturer & Professional Tour Manager

• Entries to all sites as per the itinerary

• Andante Field notes and all taxes & gratuities to local staff (drivers, waiters, site custodians)

Included travel

• All local transport aboard a private air-conditioned coach Accommodation

• 3 nights’ in Casa Andina Premium Miraflores, Lima, 2 nights’ in the Casa Andina Standard Trujillo Plaza, 2 nights’ in the Casa Andina Select Chiclayo, 4 nights’ in the Tierra Viva Valle Sagrado Urubamba, 1 night in the El MaPi Hotel ByInkaterra, Aguas Calientes, 3 nights’ in the Hotel Jose Antonio, Cusco, and 2 nights’ in the Sonesta Hotel Posadas Del Inca Puno Culinary inclusions

• 17 breakfasts, 16 lunches & 17 dinners)

• Water with all meals, tea or coffee with dinner

Dates & prices per person

Date Twin/Dbl Share SS

6th - 23rd Sep $14,695 $13,785 $1,750

For full details of this tour visit andantetravels.com/aper

A Grand Tour of Roman Britain

From Conquest to Culture

FROM $7,685pp Moderate

Roman Britain offers a fascinating window into nearly four centuries of history, from the Claudian invasion of 43 CE to the gradual withdrawal of Roman administration in the early fifth century. This unique tour visits major sites and museums along the length and breadth of the country to explore the process of Romanization—how Celtic Britain adapted to Roman rule through military presence, urban development, and cultural exchange, while local traditions continued to flourish alongside imperial customs.

Admire two fabulous villa complexes at Bignor Roman Villa and Fishbourne Palace

Discover Maiden Castle where after more than 2000 years, the earthworks still impress

Visit Caerleon, one of only three permanent Roman legionary fortresses in Roman Britain

Day One | London

We gather at our hotel in London this afternoon to begin our journey. First, we visit the British Museum to explore the Roman Britain galleries. Highlights include the Vindolanda tablets, offering a glimpse into life in a Roman auxiliary fort, and the exquisite Bacchic silver platter from the Mildenhall treasure hoard.

Day Two | London - Chichester

Today, we visit two splendid Roman residences. Starting at Bignor Roman Villa, we explore its well-preserved rooms and bathhouse, showcasing England’s finest Roman mosaics. In the afternoon, we head to Fishbourne Roman Palace, a vast complex with mosaic floors, hypocaust heating, and formal gardens, likely owned by Tiberius Claudius Togidubnus, a pro-Roman British king.

Day Three | Chichester - Blandford Forum

Heading west, we visit Portchester Castle, a key Saxon Shore fort built in the 3rd century AD. Next, we explore Maiden Castle, a monumental Iron Age hill fort with immense earthworks. Our day ends at Dorset Museum, showcasing finds from Sir Mortimer Wheeler’s 1930s excavations.

Day Four | Blandford Forum - Bath

We visit Hod Hill, an Iron Age hill fort adapted by the Romans during Vespasian’s invasion. Continuing north, we reach Bath to explore the Roman Baths, built around natural hot springs revered by the Durotriges tribe long before Roman arrival.

Day Five | Bath - Caerleon - Chester

Crossing into Wales, we visit Caerleon, one of three permanent Roman legionary fortresses in Britain. In the afternoon, we drive to Wroxeter, exploring

the remains of Viriconium, one of Roman Britain’s largest cities.

Day Six | Chester - Carlisle

In Chester, we visit Deva Victrix, a vital Roman fortress and base for the Twentieth Legion. Highlights include the amphitheatre and Grosvenor Museum. Later, we head north, stopping at Ribchester Roman Museum in the Ribble Valley.

Day Seven | Vindolanda & Corbridge

We explore the Stanegate frontier, visiting Vindolanda, renowned for its preserved wooden writing tablets, and the nearby Roman site of Corbridge, with its fascinating museum.

Day Eight | Houseteads & Chesters

Today, we explore Hadrian’s Wall. Starting at Housesteads Roman Fort, we walk to Milecastle 37 before visiting the Temple of Mithras at Carrawburgh and Chesters, the most complete Roman cavalry fort in Britain.

Day Nine | Carlisle - Edinburgh

Crossing into Scotland, we stop at Trimontium Museum, showcasing finds from Trimontium, a major Roman frontier post. Arriving in Edinburgh, we visit the National Museum of Scotland

Day Ten | Cramond & Edinburgh

We visit Cramond, a Roman frontier fort and later chapel site, before returning to Edinburgh for a free afternoon to relax or explore its historical landmarks.

Day Eleven | Antonine Wall

We explore the Antonine Wall, visiting Callander Park, Kinneil, Rough Castle with its unique lilia pits, and Bar Hill, the highest fort on the wall.

YOUR EXPERT GUIDE LECTURER

Tony Wilmott

Day Twelve | Edinburgh

Our tour comes to an end, and we make our independent onward journeys.

YOUR COMPREHENSIVE EXPERT GUIDED TOUR PRICE INCLUDES

• Expert Guide Lecturer & Professional Tour Manager

• Entries to all sites as per the itinerary

• Andante Field notes

• All taxes & gratuities to local staff (drivers, waiters, site custodians)

Included travel

• All local transport aboard a private air-conditioned coach

Accommodation

• 1 night at a hotel in each of the following locations: London, Chichester, Blandford Forum, Bath and Chester, 3 nights’ at a hotel in Carlisle, and 3 nights’ at a hotel in Edinburgh

Culinary inclusions

• 11 breakfasts, 10 lunches & 11 dinners

• Water with all meals, wine & tea or coffee with dinner

Dates & prices per person

Date Twin/Dbl Share SS

7th - 18th Sep $7,685 $1,390

For full details of this tour visit andantetravels.com/agrb

Images : Portchester Castle

Highlights of Shetland & Orkney

The islands beyond the northernmost tip of Scotland glory in some of the most beautiful and rugged landscapes in the world. For more than five thousand years they have been home to farmers and fishermen, who left monuments so impressive that this has been called an archaeologists’ paradise.

Visit sites at the cutting edge of archaeological research which is shedding light on every aspect of Stone Age life

Discover five World Heritage sites at Old Scatness, Mousa Broch, Skara Brae, Jarlshof and the Ring of Brodgar

Enjoy the stunning landscapes of the most northerly and remote outposts of the British Isles

Day One | Lerwick

We meet at our hotel in Shetland at the Lerwick Hotel, before an introductory lecture and dinner together at the hotel.

Day Two | Mousa Broch & Jarlshof

Our journey into Shetland’s archaeological wonders begins at Mousa Broch on the uninhabited island and RSPB reserve bearing its name, just off Shetland’s mainland. After disembarking at the jetty, a short walk along the shore leads us to the broch, an imposing structure standing 13 metres tall and built around 3000 BCE. Originally featuring wooden floors, accessible by stairways still intact, this site is a testament to ancient ingenuity. Postlunch, we visit the South Voe Croft Museum, providing insight into rural Shetland life, and conclude our day at Jarlshof, a site rich with 4,000 years of history.

Day Three | Unst

Today’s adventure takes us to Unst, the UK’s northernmost inhabited island, where we explore its Viking heritage. With at least 60 Viking longhouses discovered here, it holds the largest concentration outside Scandinavia. We visit the Underhoull site, where excavations reveal the evolution of a longhouse with outhouses, annexes and drains, possibly featuring a mezzanine level. Our journey continues to Haroldswick to see the Skidbladner replica ship and reconstructed longhouse. The afternoon drive towards Skaw offers a view of the Muckle Flugga lighthouse at Unst’s northern tip. Before returning by ferry, we explore Muness Castle, a 16th-century tower house abandoned in the 18th century after destruction by French pirates.

Day Four | Scatness

Our morning at Scatness reveals an Iron Age broch and village occupied for nearly two millennia, discovered during Sumburgh Airport’s expansion. After lunch in Lerwick, we visit Clickhimin Iron Age Broch and wheelhouse, followed by a drive to the Scord of Brouster, a Neolithic farm site excavated in the 1970s. We continue to Stanydale Temple, an extraordinary structure resembling Malta’s megalithic temples, with origins between 2500-2000 BCE.

Day Five | Lerwick - St. Ninian’s Isle – Kirkwall

On our final Shetland day, we explore St. Ninian’s Isle, walking across a striking sand spit to the Church, site of a Pictish silver hoard. We then visit Scalloway Museum, showcasing the WWII Shetland Bus operation. After lunch in Lerwick, we tour the Shetland Museum, home to over 3,000 artefacts, and later board the ferry to Kirkwall.

Day Six | Kirkwall & Ness of Brodgar

We explore Kirkwall on foot, visiting the Orkney Museum, Bishop’s and Earl’s Palace and St Magnus’ Cathedral. After lunch, a short drive takes us to the Ness of Brodgar, where excavations have uncovered Neolithic structures and artwork. We end the day at the Ring of Brodgar, a stone circle henge monument.

Day Seven | Gurness Broch & Skara Brae

Our exploration begins at Gurness Broch, featuring an 8-metre tower surrounded by stone dwellings and defences. We visit the Brough of Birsay, accessible by causeway at low tide, with Norse settlement remains and a 12th-century church. Our day concludes at Skara Brae, a well-preserved Neolithic village offering a glimpse into ancient Orkney life.

YOUR EXPERT GUIDE LECTURER

Dr Val Turner

Dr Val Turner has been Shetland’s Regional Archaeologist since 1986. An expert in Prehistoric and Viking Field Systems, she loves surprising visitors with Shetland’s wealth of archaeology and she has been guiding walks and tours in both Orkney and Shetland for over 20 years. She lives in Shetland on a small croft with her husband.

Day Eight | Churchill’s Barriers & Maeshowe

We drive south across Churchill’s Barriers, vital causeways linking island communities, created by Italian POWs during WWII. Returning, we visit the Italian Chapel before heading to Stromness for its museum’s exhibition on the Cairns project. In the afternoon, we explore Maeshowe, a magnificent chambered cairn illuminated by midwinter sun, while alternating visits with the Stones of Stennes Day Nine | Kirkwall

We depart Kirkwall and make our respective journeys home.

• Expert Guide Lecturer & Professional Tour Manager

• Entries to all sites as per the itinerary

• Andante Field notes

• All taxes & gratuities to local staff (drivers, waiters, site custodians)

Included travel

• All local transport aboard a private air-conditioned coach Accommodation

• 4 nights’ in The Lerwick Hotel, Shetland and 4 nights’ in the Kirkwall Hotel, Orkney

Culinary inclusions

• 8 breakfasts, 7 lunches & 8 dinners

• Water with all meals, wine & tea or coffee with

The Picts

6 DAYS FROM $3,905pp Moderate

The Picts occupied much of Scotland; native peoples described by Roman authors as the ‘painted (tattooed) ones’ and were long considered to be a mysterious lost people from a very dark age. This tour explores how the Picts helped lay the foundation of modern Scotland through their remarkable stone sculpture, some of the finest artistic creations of the early medieval period in Europe.

Discover the unique collections of Pictish artefacts in the National Museum of Scotland

Admire masterpieces of stone carvings, such as the Dupplin Cross and the St. Andrews sarcop

Experience almost all of the finest monumental Christian sculpture produced by the Picts

Day One - Warwick | Day Two - Stony Stratford & Fotheringhay | Day Three - Leicester Day Four - Warwick

The dramatic discovery of the skeleton of Richard III beneath a Leicester car park in 2012 was an archaeological find that made news all around the world. It also reignited the great debate about Richard’s personal character - was he a hero or a villain? Visit stunning Warwick castle, home of Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, known to posterity as ‘the Kingmaker Journey to Fotheringhay Church and the remains of the castle where Richard III was born in 1452

the King Richard III Visitor Centre and Bosworth Battlefield

Peter Yeoman

Until recently, Peter was Head of Cultural Heritage and then Principal Heritage Researcher at Historic Scotland.

YOUR COMPREHENSIVE EXPERT GUIDED TOUR PRICE INCLUDES

• Expert Guide Lecturer & Professional Tour Manager

• Entries to all sites as per the itinerary

• Andante Field notes and all taxes & gratuities to local staff (drivers, waiters, site custodians)

Included travel

• All local transport aboard a private air-conditioned coach

Accommodation

• 1 night in the Apex Grassmarket Hotel, Edinburgh, 2 nights’ in the Hotel Indigo Dundee, and 2 nights’ in the Kingsmills Hotel, Inverness

Culinary inclusions

• 5 breakfasts, 4 lunches & 5 dinners

• Water with all meals, wine & tea or coffee with dinner

Dates & prices per person

Date Twin/Dbl Share SS 15th - 20th Sep $3,905 $1,010

For full details of this tour visit andantetravels.com/apct

YOUR EXPERT GUIDE LECTURER

Dr Michael Jones

Author and presenter Dr Michael Jones is a leading military historian with special interests in Richard III.

Included travel

• All local transport aboard a private air-conditioned coach

Accommodation

• 3 nights’ in The Warwick Arms Hotel, Warwick Culinary inclusions

• 3 breakfasts, 2 lunches & 3 dinners

• Water with all meals, wine & tea or coffee with dinner Dates & prices per person

Five

Tain

Image: Battle Scene on Aberlemno Stone 3

Images : Warwick Castle & Richard III portrait

Andante Travels -Autumn 2026 - US Edition

Looking Ahead to an Inspiring Autumn

Get in touch with an expert

The Andante Difference Expertise is at the heart of every journey

Pompeii, Herculaneum & Classical Campania

Day Six | Herculaneum

Day Seven | Vesuvius - Oplontis

Day Eight | Naples

& Genoa

Lake Garda & the Cities of Veneto

Beyond Pompeii, the Land of the Sibyl

Day Four | Naples

Day Five | Naples

Day Six | Naples

Capri &

on the Bay of Naples

Puglia & Basilicata

The Island of Sardinia

GUIDE LECTURER

Classical Sicily

SYRACUSE

YOUR EXPERT GUIDE LECTURERS

Ravenna

Rome

YOUR EXPERT GUIDE LECTURER

YOUR EXPERT GUIDE LECTURER

Wild Thrace

The glories of northern Greece

Classical Greece

From Bronze Age to Byzantine

Crete & Santorini

Rise and fall of the Minoan civilisation

YOUR EXPERT GUIDE LECTURER

Aegean Odyssey Cruise

Day One | Athens

Day Two | Athens

Day Three | Athens

Day Five | Rhodes

YOUR EXPERT GUIDE LECTURER

Albania, Macedonia & Northern Greece

Day One | Durrës

Day Two | Apollonia

Day Four | Ohrid

Day Nine | Thessaloniki

Brittany - Carnac & Beyond

YOUR EXPERT GUIDE LECTURER

Cave Art of the Dordogne

Viking Homelands

Germany, Denmark and Sweden

YOUR EXPERT GUIDE LECTURER

Roman Germany

YOUR EXPERT GUIDE LECTURER

EXPERT GUIDED TOUR PRICE INCLUDES

Frontier Lands of Romania

LECTURER

Prehistoric Malta & Gozo

Malta’s first inhabitants

Moorish Wonders of the Guadalquivir & the Bay of Cadiz

Day One | Seville

Day Two | Seville

Day Three | Seville - Isla Minima

LECTURER

Turkey: from Çatal Höyük to Göbekli Tepe

A journey through Cappadocia and south east Turkey

Day One | Istanbul - Konya

Classical Turkey: the Aegean Coast

Powerful city states of ancient history

YOUR EXPERT GUIDE LECTURER

Carthage & Roman Tunisia

Jordan - Petra & the Desert Fortresses

YOUR EXPERT GUIDE LECTURER

Day

Day Five | Umm al-Jimal

Day Seven | Petra

Day Eight | Petra

Egypt - New Museums & Discoveries

Day One | Cairo

Day Two | Saqqara

Day Three | Cairo - Alexandria

Day Four | Alexandria