Sardinia is known around Europe for its wonderful coastline and turquoise waters, but head inland and the island offers so much more than soaking up the sun on the nearest beach. Here are five of our favourite reasons to visit.

Derbyshire’s Peak District National Park was the UK’s very first national park, created in 1951, and now covers more than 555 square miles. Crisscrossed by miles of footpaths and cycle trails, and with moors, dales and spectacular views, it’s a wonderful...

Victoria's High Country, located in the north east of the region, is a breathtaking destination with a mix of rugged landscapes, outdoor adventures, rich history and fantastic food & wine.  Here are five reasons why you should be planning a visit soon!...

Jackie's latest guest article for US online magazine Sixty & Me looks at how to enjoy travelling in Italy without the crowds.  Cities like Venice are now charging day-trippers, and the popularity of sites in Florence and Rome can lead to long queues if you...

Italy's most famous pilgrim trail is known as the Via Francigena. This ancient route connected Canterbury in the UK through France and on to Rome and was undertaken by pilgrims more or less from the 4th century onwards. Originally this epic journey would...

The last stop on our The Island of Corsica tour is in the wonderful Restonica Gorge which, in addition to providing some glorious hiking, also gives us time to explore the pretty town of Corte, the former capital of Corsica. The town has a charming historic...

2024 will see us returning to the border area between France and Italy, hiking in two stunning National Parks which are home to a unique cultural and natural heritage. On the French side we hike in the Mercantour National Park and on the Italian...

Explore Colle di Val d’Elsa - Italy's Crystal City About Colle di Val d’Elsa Colle di Val d’Elsa is a town which sits right in the centre of the region of Tuscany, a little to the north west of Siena.  Unusually for a Tuscan medieval town it has an...

Explore Cuneo - Italy's gateway to the Maritime Alps About Cuneo Cuneo is a small, elegant city in Italy's north western region of Piedmont which, for centuries, has been the gateway to the Maritime Alps and on into France.  It has almost 1,000 years of...

Explore Aosta - a Roman town at the foot of the Alps About Aosta Aosta is a mountain town with over 2,000 years of history. It sits at 583 metres above sea level and is surrounded by magnificent alpine scenery, overlooked by some of Europe's highest peaks: Mont...

Jackie's latest guest article for Sixty & Me looks at some of her favourite spots in Tuscany taking the visitor away from busy tourist centres. With a little thinking outside the box you can experience the pleasures of Tuscany without the crowds,...

Explore Pontremoli, an evocative town in Tuscany's unknown Lunigiana region About Pontremoli Pontremoli is a picturesque town which sits at the confluence of two rivers, the Magra and the Verde, and is the northernmost town in Tuscany.  It is the perfect...

Get off the beaten track at charming Maratea in southern Italy About Maratea Maratea is jewel of a coastal town, set high above the Tyrrhenian Sea in Italy’s Basilicata region, with views to rival those of the Amalfi Coast. The nearest airport is 200km away...

This year the neighbouring cities of Bergamo and Brescia in northern Italy have joined forces and won themselves the title of Italian Capital of Culture 2023.  The region of Lombardy, where they are located, suffered hugely during the first...

Stopping by a castle or palace on holiday in Italy is a great way to learn about the history of the region and the country, and it will often come hand in hand with some eye-popping views. Many of our tours visit some of Italy’s most spectacular castles, fortresses,...

If you’re an Italophile in search of new vistas and experiences, make sure the Abruzzo is near the top of your list. While the central Italy Abruzzo region is one of the country’s least well-known, its landscape and unique atmosphere certainly make it one of...

Beechworth is one of north east Victoria's best-preserved gold-rush towns and a charming place for visitors to the region to spend a few days.  Our Hiking around Beechworth weekend takes place from 14-16 April 2023 and includes two...

For those of you in Australia next March looking for a little alpine adventure, then look no further than our Hiking the Victorian Alps long weekend from the 8th - 13th March. This is a Level 5 itinerary, but peppered as always with fabulous...

Thanks to Covid, 2022 was the first year we have been able to run our fabulous new island tours in Sardinia and Corsica.  These long-awaited departures finally took place in September and the feedback from the Hedonistic Hikers who took part has been...

Following on from our Blog last month about how easy and fast train travel is in Europe, and how much better for the environment, this month we take a look at three of Italy's most interesting scenic railways, and show how you could extend our Italian walking...