SPAIN + Lourdes
May 17– 29, 2024

All Inclusive 13 Day
Escorted first class tour

Deposit deadline:
$600 per person by
November 30, 2023

MADRID – BILBAO – PAMPLONA – BARCELONA – LOURDES
plus: Toledo, Burgas, San Sebastian, Getaria, Zaragoza

Tour Land cost:         $3490 Land rate per person in double room
Single supplement:   $1150
Gratuities:                  $150
Arriving:                     Madrid
Departing:                  Lourdes

Included Features:

• • Arrival transfer from Madrid airport to the hotel

  • Centrally located 4*- 5* hotels

  • Luggage handling at the hotels

  • Breakfast daily

  • Welcome reception in Madrid (hors d’oeuvres, wine, beer, or soft drink)

  • Tasting of local tapas called “pintxos” in Bilbao

  • Dinner in Pamplona Compostela (coffee or tea included)

  • Farewell dinner in Barcelona (coffee or tea included)

  • Hotel taxes and service charges

  • Touring by modern air-conditioned motor-coach

  • Professional English-speaking tour director Madrid to Barcelona

  • Sightseeing tours with licensed local guides

  • Admission included where indicated

  • Whisper technology enhanced touring

  • Bus transfer from Barcelona to Lourdes

Tour spotlights:

• • Madrid: grand open squares, late dinners

  • Toledo, crafts, marzipan, captivating monuments

  • Sandstone architecture, prolific university and the Plaza Mayor in Salamanca

  • Pamplona: legendary “Running of the Bulls” festival, gothic style churches

  • Barcelona: fantastic Sagrada Familia, modernist landmarks by Gaudi

Hotels:

• • Madrid: Catalonia Goya (F) or similar

  • Bilbao: Catalonia Gran Via Bilbao (F) or similar

  • Pamplona: Maisonnave (F) or similar

  • Barcelona: Catalonia Gracia (F) or similar

  • Lourdes: Hotel Mercure Lourdes Imperial or similar

Optional Tours:

• • PRADO Museum $30

  • FLAMENCO Show with Dinner $100

  • Excursion to Getxo-Basque Coast near Bilbao $60

  • Excursion to Montserrat – Monastery with Black Madonna $20

Not Included:  Travel Insurance and airfare. We can assist you in purchasing your air.

Please be at departure airport at least 3 hrs prior to flight departure time. Check your baggage to Madrid.

You will be met and transferred to your hotel. The day is free to begin exploring the city. Later, join your fellow travelers and your tour director for a welcome reception.

We begin with a guided half-day city tour of Madrid. Our drive takes us through the Gran Vía and the Passeo de Castellana, past the Plaza de España, Plaza de Oriente, Plaza Mayor, Puerta del Sol, Atocha Station, the fountain of Neptune, Cibeles fountain, the Bullring, the Santiago Bernabeu soccer stadium and much more. The afternoon is at leisure. (B)

Today we visit Toledo, a city with a wealth of monuments. It is known as the “city of the three cultures” because Christians, Arabs and Jews lived there together for centuries. During our guided tour we visit the Santo Tome Church with art by El Greco and the Synagogue of Santa María. From Toledo, we return to Madrid where the afternoon is at leisure. (B)

We depart for Bilbao. On the way, we stop in Burgos. Here, with local guide, visit the Cathedral. There will be time for lunch on your own. Afterwards, we continue to Bilbao where we have a tasting of local tapas called pintxos. (B, D)

During our visit to Bilbao, we discover a vibrant old town with many shops, squares and typical Basque tavernas. We enter the Guggenheim Museum, an architectural masterpiece designed by Frank Gehry. The collection includes large-scale and site-specific art by such contemporary artists as Jeff Koons and Willem de Kooning. The remainder of the day is free. (B) Optional tour: Visit to Basque coast

After breakfast, we depart for San Sebastian. En route, we visit Getaria, a charming Basque coastal village. Upon arrival in San Sebastian, we see the Maria Cristina Hotel. It is here, at the Kursaal Palace, that the International Film Festival takes place. We also see La Concha beach, a crescent-shaped urban seaboard. In the afternoon, we arrive in Pamplona. Dinner is served later that night. (B, D)

After breakfast, we have a half-day guided sightseeing tour of Pamplona featuring the Ciudadela, the city walls parks and gardens. We will hear about the ‘Running of the Bulls’ race, part of the San Fermin festival. From Pamplona, we continue to Zaragoza for lunch on your own. Later that afternoon, we arrive in Barcelona and the rest of the day is at leisure. (B)

Our guided half-day sightseeing tour includes Barcelona’s most important artistic sights: Gaudi’s Batlló, Casa Milá, the Cathedral Sagrada Familia and Guell Park, declared an artistic monument and mankind’s heritage by UNESCO. In the afternoon, you are free to explore more on your own. Join your fellow travelers and your tour director for the farewell dinner. (B, D)

After breakfast, we join our touring coach through the Pyranees for travel to Lourdes, France. Upon arrival check-in and evening free.

Breakfast. You will tour on your own one of the holiest Catholic pilgrimage sites in the world. Lourdes is a town in southwestern France, in the foothills of the Pyrenees mountains. It’s known for the Sanctuaries Notre-Dame de Lourdes, or the Domain, a major Catholic pilgrimage site. Each year, millions visit the Grotto of Massabielle (Grotto of the Apparitions) where, in 1858, the Virgin Mary is said to have appeared to a local woman. In the grotto, pilgrims can drink or bathe in water flowing from a spring.

Overnight in Lourdes. (BD)

Breakfast and day at leisure. Additional program TBA. Dinner tonight. Overnight in Lourdes. (BD)

Breakfast and transfer to airport for flights home.

PORTUGAL
May 31– June 9, 2024

Student-Youth Tour

Ages 18-35

10 Day Escorted
First Class Tour

Tour Guide from USA
Adriana Helbig

Deposit deadline:
$600 per person by
November 30, 2023

LISBON – FATIMA – COIMBRA – PORTO
plus: Cabo de Roca, Fado, Obidos, Nazare, Aveiro

Tour Land cost:         $2990 Land rate per person in double room
Single supplement:   $790
Gratuities:                  $120
Arriving:                     Lisbon
Departing:                  Porto

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS:

• • Cabo da Roca, a wild and rugged headland extending into the most western point of continental Europe

  • Lisbon, a pastel-colored city on seven hills, ceramic tiles, Fado show

  • The medieval walled city of Obidos, also known as the Wedding Town

  • Nazare, Portugal’s most famous fishing village

  • Coimbra’s University and Library

  • Aveiro, canals and colorful boats, also known as the Portuguese Venice

  • Porto, the town that gave the country its very name

SPECIAL FEATURES:

• • Tasting of a typical cherry liquor in Obidos

  • Wine tasting in the Douro Valley

  • Porto boat ride and tasting of the local wine

INCLUDED:

• • Airport transfers

  • Centrally located first class hotels

  • Daily breakfast and 5 dinners

  • Welcome reception in Lisbon

  • Lunch with wine tasting in the Douro Valley (coffee or tea included)

  • Fado show with dinner (No beverages included)

  • Farewell dinner in Porto

  • Touring by modern air-conditioned motor coach

  • English-speaking Tour Director

  • Licensed Local Guides

  • Sightseeing tours, as per itinerary

  • Admission included where indicated

  • Whisper technology enhanced touring

  • Hotel taxes and service charges

• HOTELS:

  • LISBON – Hotel Moxy Lisbon Oriente or similar 3*

  • FATIMA – Hotel Caracao de Fatime or similar 3*

  • COMBRA – Hotel Vila Gale Coimbra or similar 4*

  • PORTO – Hotel Holiday Inn Porto City Centre 3*

Not included: Airfare (we can assist you in purchasing your airline ticket).

You will be met and transferred to your hotel. The day is at leisure to begin exploring on your own. Later, gather with your tour director and your fellow travelers for a welcome reception. 

This morning we stroll through Baixa, Lisbon’s historic heart and commercial center. We then drive to Belem to view Belem Tower and the Discovery Monument. The Vasco de Gama tomb in the Jeronimos Monastery is next on our journey. After our tour, enjoy beautiful streets of Lisbon on your own or join option tour Dinner with Fado show. The evening is at leisure.

This morning we depart on a half-day private sightseeing tour to Sintra, Cascais, Estoril, and Cabo da Roca. Sintra boasts a historic Centre that is listed on the UNESCO World Heritage site. After our visit to the Sintra National Palace, we continue to Cabo da Roca, the westernmost cape in Continental Europe. Afterwards, we travel to Cascais, a picturesque fishing town with some quirky museums, beautiful gardens and a lively fish market. Then we’re off to Estoril, a former fishing town turned cosmopolitan destination for prosperous travelers. We return to Lisbon early in the afternoon. Rest of the day at leisure. 

After breakfast, we leave Lisbon and travel north. Our first destination is Obidos, a charming village of white houses on a hill, surrounded by fourteenth century’s walls.

Here we stop for a tasting of cherry liquor. After the tasting, we proceed to Nazare. Nazare is a popular tourist attraction and picturesque village located on the Atlantic coast. Our next stop is the Monastery of Batalha, a Dominican Convent. We finish the day in Fatima, a Catholic pilgrimage destination and home to sacred sites and religious artifacts.

Detailed program for this day will be advised.

Breakfast at the hotel. Travel to Coimbra and on your way visit the Bucaso forest and gardens of the palace. Viewing only, no entrances included. Continue to Coimbra. Lunch on own. Afterwards meet your local guide in front of Coimbra University to start your HD tour. (Tickets to the Coimbra Library/University included). Visit to University subject to availability. Walking tour of the downtown, includes the Old Cathedral. Check-in to your hotel. Dinner at the hotel. Overnight in Coimbra. (B, D)

Breakfast and check-out. Travel to Porto. On your way, stop for a short orientation tour in Aveiro (No Local Guide). Continue driving through Douro Valley. Enjoy a stop for a wine tasting at Quinta Do Sequeirinhas, followed by lunch. Continue to Porto. Check-in at the hotel. Afternoon at leisure. Overnight in Porto. (B, WT, L)

Breakfast at the hotel. Meet your local guide for half day sightseeing tour of Porto, with visit to Palacio Da Bolsa, a 19^th century stock exchange palace (entrance included). Free time for lunch on your own. Afterwards 1 hour boat excursion, followed by a classic wine tasting at Calem Wine Cellars. Remaining afternoon and evening on your own. (B, WT)

Breakfast and day at leisure to explore more of Porto. In the evening, Farewell dinner at a local restaurant with FADO music. Return to your hotel. (Transfers included). Overnight. (B, FWD)

Breakfast at hotel. Transfer to airport for flight to USA

SARDINIA
May 31 – June 10, 2024

11 Day Escorted
First Class Tour

Deposit deadline:
$600 per person by
November 1, 2023

A “Caribbean” Vacation on the Mediterranean Sea

Sardinia is a large Italian island in the Mediterranean Sea. It has nearly 2,000 km of coastline, sandy beaches and a mountainous interior crossed with hiking trails. Its rugged landscape is dotted with thousands of nuraghi – mysterious Bronze Age stone ruins shaped like beehives dating back to 1500 B.C. 

Alghero is a city on the northwest coast of Sardinia.Italy. Emerald sea, unspoiled nature, crystal clear waters and beaches of soft white sand.

Hotel Oasis, located just a few steps from the beach, offers an outdoor swimming pool, tennis court and mini golf course. It is a 10-minute bus ride from Alghero center with buses stopping right outside. Air conditioned rooms have balconies and free WiFi.
Breakfast includes a variety of Sardinian pastries, while Mediterranean cuisine is served in the restaurant with a covered terrace. There are also 2 bars.
The hotel is 4.3 mi from Alghero-Fertilia Airport

Tour cost:                   $2790 Land rate per person double room
Single supplement:   $600
Gratuities:                  $150
Arriving:                     Alghero (via Rome or Milan)
Departing:                  Alghero (via Rome or Milan)

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS:

• • Airport transfers
  • Half Day Excursion to Alghero
  • Welcome Dinner and cocktail
  • Full-day excursion to Bosa with visit to Nuragic Site Santu Antine
  • Boat excursion to Asinara Island with lunch
  • Boat excursion to Neptune’s Grotto
  • Farewell dinner with wine
  • English speaking guides in Alghero and Bosa
  • AC bus to all excursions mentioned above

INCLUDED:

• • Airport transfers

  • Oasis Hotel ****, beachfront, 2 pools and tennis courts and mini gulf

  • Daily Breakfast and Dinners

NOT INCLUDED:

• Hotel tax, 2 Euro per person per night

• Airfare (we can assist you in purchasing your airline tickets)

Please be at your Airport about 3 hrs. prior to departure time. Check BAGGAGE to ALGHERO.

Use Scope baggage tags only.

Arrival at Alghero Airport. Private coach transfer to group hotel.

Alghero is a city on the northwest coast of Sardinia. Italy. Emerald sea, unspoiled nature, crystal clear waters and beaches of soft white sand. It is one of the biggest resort beaches in the Mediterranean.

Dinner at hotel.

Morning half-day guided city tour of Alghero.

Alghero is a city on the northwest coast of Sardinia, Italy. Encircled by ancient walls, it is known for the old cobblestoned city center. Its Catalan Gothic buildings include the Cathedrale di Santa Maria, with an imposing bell tower, Palazzo Guillot and Chiesa di San Francesco, a 14th-century church. The nearby Chiesa San Michele has a colorful tiled dome. The Museo del Corallo di Alghero features a red coral display.

Afternoon under own arrangements. Dinner at hotel.

Free day at leisure. Breakfast and dinner at hotel.

Enjoy the pools, tennis courts and beach.

A full day guided bus excursion to Bosa, known as one of the most beautiful villages in Italy – and for a good reason. This colorful town of no more than 8500 people is situated on hills, yet right by the sea. A calm river flows through it, and there even is a hilltop castle. Our tour will include a visit to the Nuragic Site Santu Antine. It’s an important complex that dates back to the Bronze Age, and you’ll be able to see the best preserved well temple of Sardinia.

Free day at leisure. Breakfast and dinner at hotel.

Enjoy the pools, tennis courts and beach.

Today is a special day! A full day excursion to Asinara Island by boat with lunch on board. It is a remote island and nature reserve intended for sightseeing and outdoor recreation.

Asinara is one of the most beautiful places you can hope to visit – not just in Sardinia, but anywhere in the world. Picture a place where noone lives; abandoned buildings scattered around; animals roaming freely and gentle winds sweeping the most beautiful beaches, with the clearest waters you could swim in. Enjoy Asinara!

Evening return to hotel for dinner.

Free day at leisure. Breakfast and dinner at hotel.

Enjoy the pools, tennis courts and beach.

This morning we depart to Neptun’s Grotto by boat. A stalactite cave near the town of Alghero on the island of Sardinia. This cave was discovered by local fishermen in the 18th century and has since developed into a popular tourist attraction. The grotto gets its name from the Roman god of the sea, Neptune. 

Free day at leisure. Breakfast and Gala farewell tonight.

Enjoy the pools, tennis courts and beach.

After breakfast, transfer to airport for our flights home.

South AFRICA
September 28 – October 8, 2024

11 Day Escorted
Deluxe Class Tour

Tour Guide from USA
Adriana Helbig

Deposit deadline:
$1000 per person by
October, 2023

CAPE TOWN – KRUGER NATIONAL PARK SAFARI JOHANNESBURG
plus: Cape Peninsula, Hermanus and Franschhoek

Tour Land cost:         $6990 Land rate per person in double room
Single supplement:   $TBA
Gratuities:                  $200
Arriving:                     Cape Town
Departing:                  Johannesburg

Tour Highlights – you will visit:  Table Mountain, Bo-Kaap, Cape of Good Hope, Franschhoek, Hermanus, Kruger National Park, the Karongwe Private Game Reserve, Hector Pieterson Museum in Soweto, the Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg and Chobe National Park.

Tour Highlights – you will view: the Castle of Good Hope, Boulder’s Beach penguin colony, Mandela’s House in Soweto and Victoria Falls.

Welcome to Cape Town
South Africa’s ‘Mother City’ and her iconic Table Mountain extend a warm welcome as you embark on a small group journey that will showcase the highlights of South Africa. Spend the day delving into Cape Town’s cosmopolitan surrounds before joining your fellow travelers and Travel Director for a Welcome Dinner.
Accommodation: Southern Sun Waterfront Cape Town
Included Meals: Dinner

Table Mountain and Tour Cape Town
This morning, we encounter Table Mountain first-hand, ascending via aerial cableway to its vast flat top – a rocky wonderland of rich Cape fynbos and curious dassies (hyraxes). Peer over the bustling City Bowl and Atlantic Seaboard, keeping a keen eye out for the landmarks your Travel Director will show you during this morning’s city tour, including Company Gardens, Bo-Kaap and the Castle of Good Hope. The rest of the day is yours to explore Cape Town at leisure. Ramble up Bree Street to sample the city’s vibrant coffee culture or take a stroll along the Sea Point promenade with fellow outdoor enthusiasts. Consider joining our Optional Experience to explore infamous Robben Island, with your guide revealing its turbulent past and the cell where Nelson Mandela spent the majority of his prison term.
Accommodation: Southern Sun Waterfront Cape Town
Included Meals: Breakfast

Table Mountain Visit
Spend the day discovering the wonderful views of Table Mountain.
Included With Trip

Cape Town City Tour
Take in the landmarks of Cape Town during a city tour with your Travel Director. See the Company Gardens, Bo-Kaap and the Castle of Good Hope.
Included With Trip

Circumnavigate the Cape Peninsula
Circumnavigate the Cape Peninsula, from trendy Camps Bay to Cape Point and back. With crashing waves of the Atlantic to your right, rocky 12 Apostles to your left, wind your way along one of the world’s most magnificent coastal roads towards the outcrop that is Africa’s most extreme south-western tip. Say a quiet hello to the shy penguins of Boulders Beach; see the Cape of Good Hope and travel through charming coastal towns along the way.

Accommodation: Southern Sun Waterfront Cape Town
Included Meals: Breakfast

See the Twelve Apostles
Discover the incredible views of the Twelve Apostles.
Included With Trip

Boulders Beach Visit
Spend the day surrounded by penguins on Boulders Beach. 
Included With Trip

Cape Winelands and Hermanus Excursion
Venture to the town of Franschhoek and see during your orientation why it is proclaimed as one of the most beautiful wine valleys in the world. Take the scenic Franschhoek Pass to the coastal town of Hermanus for your Be My Guest experience. Connect With Locals when you meet local business owner Stefan, who will treat you to a delicious traditional braai (barbecue) featuring delicacies such as boerewors, pap and melktert. Over a glass of his homemade wine, he’ll share stories of his life in South Africa’s whale watching capital. Return to Cape Town via a scenic driving route, arriving in the late afternoon. Enjoy your evening at leisure.
Accommodation: Southern Sun Waterfront Cape Town
Included Meals: Breakfast, Be My Guest

Hermanus Traditional Braai Lunch
Join a local Hermanus business owner for a traditional braai (barbecue) and some of his homemade wine against a clifftop backdrop of the Atlantic Ocean.
Included With Trip

Franschhoek Orientation
Take in the spectacular wine valleys of Franschhoek.
Included With Trip

From City to Safari
This morning you’ll bid farewell to the ‘Mother City’ and fly to Hoedspruit, where a private game reserve near South Africa’s great Kruger National Park beckons. Kick back, relax and settle in to one of Trafalgar’s Stays With Stories, Becks Safari Lodge, your home in the bush for the next three nights.
Accommodation: Becks Safari Lodge Karongwe Private Game Reserve
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Safari in Karongwe Private Game Reserve
The action begins as we embark on an early morning game drive through Karongwe Private Reserve with a Local Specialist game ranger and Shangaan tracker-guide. The rising sun awakens the birds and insects that share your journey into the bush, as you search the dense brush for signs of the Big 5. After lunch, and time for a siesta and a swim, return to the bush for an afternoon safari drive.
Accommodation: Becks Safari Lodge Karongwe Private Game Reserve
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Iconic Experience Reserve Tour with a Shangaan Tracker – Guide
Have your camera ready to capture the beautiful scenery and fascinating wildlife on your Reserve Tour with a Shangaan tracker – guide. 
Included With Trip

Seek out the ‘Big 5’ Safari Animals in Karongwe
Today enjoy another full day of game drives through Karongwe Private Reserve. Continue to scour the dense brush with your Local Specialist for incredible encounters with Africa’s iconic wildlife. End the day with a traditional sundowner drink overlooking the Game Reserve, keeping your eyes peeled for signs of wildlife that emerge from their cover of darkness.
Accommodation: Becks Safari Lodge Karongwe Private Game Reserve
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Karongwe Private Reserve Visit
Spend the day marveling at Africa’s iconic wildlife on your Karongwe Private Reserve.
Included With Trip

Journey to Johannesburg
Our time in the South African bushveld comes to a close with a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience visit to a local Shangaan village. Learn about the traditions and customs of the Shangaan people and how the Eco Academy there provides eco and wildlife education. This visit includes a simple meal of grilled chicken, pap, Shangaan style cabbage, and for the brave, the opportunity to try mopani worms! Fly to Johannesburg and check into your hotel in the heart of Sandton that is well located for exploring the nearby restaurants and shopping during your free evening.
Accommodation: Michelangelo Hotel Johannesburg
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

MAKE TRAVEL MATTER

Visit a local Shangaan Village in Hoedspruit.
Support a local Shangaan village, its Eco Academy and work in the local community with your visit.
Included With Trip

Discover Historical Soweto
Unlock the secrets of the ‘city of gold’ on a full-day tour to view several iconic sites including the Regina Mundi Church and Mandela’s house in Soweto. Dive Into Culture during a visit to the Hector Pieterson Museum and the Apartheid Museum, which chronicles South Africa’s tumultuous Apartheid years.
Accommodation: Michelangelo Hotel Johannesburg
Included Meals: Breakfast, Farewell Dinner

Dive Into Culture Johannesburg and Soweto Freedom Tour
Learn about South Africa’s turbulent past on an interactive Johannesburg and Soweto Freedom tour.
Included With Trip
Iconic Experience Johannesburg City Tour
Spend the day seeing the iconic sight of Mandela’s house on your Johannesburg City Tour.
Included With Trip

INCLUDED:

• Airport transfers
• Centrally located five star hotels or best available
• Internal air: Cape Town – Kruger Park – Johannesburg
• Daily breakfast and 3 dinners
• Welcome dinner in Cape Town
• Cape winelands tasting and lunch
• Farewell dinner in Johannesburg
• Touring by modern air-conditioned motor coach
• English-speaking Tour Director
• Licensed Local Guides
• Sightseeing tours, as per itinerary
• Admission included where indicated
• Hotel taxes and service charges

HOTELS:

• Cape Town – Southern Sun Waterfront Cape Town****
• Kruger Park – Becks Safari Lodge Karongwe Private Game Preserve*****
• Johannesburg – Michelangelo Hotel*****

Not included: International Airfare We can assist you in purchasing your airline ticket.