Offering bespoke tours in archaeology, culture and history created and led by experts, Andante Travels is delighted to unveil its brand-new brochure for 2019. The new year will be filled with trips to little-visited destinations and beloved favourites alike – from Serbia and Ethiopia, and from Pompeii to Egypt. Andante's extensive little black book has secured some exclusive experiences, personal encounters and hands-on activities that will add an authentic and special touch to each itinerary offered, and carefully hand-picked hotels along the way complete the package.

Off the beaten path destinations 

Many people are embracing the spirit of adventure when they choose holidays, a trend reflected in some of Andante Travels' 2019 itineraries. 

Experience a warm welcome at fascinating sites in and around Uzbekistan in April, where special access to an ongoing excavation allows guests to see first-hand the minutiae practiced by archaeologists on a daily basis. A destination that offers a glimpse into the ancient Silk Road through its cities of Bukhara, Khiva and Samarkand (all of which are visited on Andante's 15-day exploration), Uzbekistan is a special place that should be on any archaeology or history lover's bucket list.

Ethiopia is a country that has everything but the crowds. What better time to visit this scenic, cultural and historical hub than 2019? Astounding landscapes greet guests throughout Andante's 14-day tour, which takes in excursions to the Blue Nile Falls waterfall, Emperor Fasiladas' Epiphany Pool, and the rock-hewn churches and monasteries that can be seen in Lalibela – chiselled out of volcanic rock.  

Explore the Land of the Iron Emperors in Serbia next spring, a country rich in culture and heritage. Starting in the surprising city of Belgrade, this tour soon goes a little off the beaten track and showcases a wealth of archaeological and historical sites in exciting settings. Tour fortresses, discover late-Roman grandeur at the fortified palace of Emperor Galerius and visit one of the most important sites of European prehistory at Vinča.

Experience China beyond the Great Wall

Currently proving itself to be the most popular of Andante's 2019 tours with booking guests, China | Beyond the Great Wall is a 17-day itinerary for adventurers. It comes as no surprise that this country is one of the most popular destinations for travellers worldwide, and the China Tourism Academy recently reported that Chinese mainland saw inbound tourist numbers reach 139 million in 2017, a figure that rose by 0.8 percent from the previous year. It also found that the most popular locations for visitors were Beijing, Chengdu and Shanghai. These cities are, of course, included on Andante's tour so that sites such as the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square and the iconic Great Wall can be visited, but what makes it such a unique trip is the diverse range of locations that feature throughout the two weeks. Explore the Longmen Grottoes near to Luoyang, discover Xi'an's Islamic Quarter and stand before its Terracotta Army, and wander the beautiful Humble Administrator's Garden in Suzhou. There is also a visit to the Shanghai Propaganda Poster Art Centre, time to stop at the enormous sacrificial pits that were discovered in Sanxingdui and the chance to experience the spiritual side of China at Qingyang Palace, which is one of the country's most important Taoist temples.

Unique experiences and special access

Rock Art
Let the world's leading expert on prehistoric rock art, Dr. Paul Bahn, take you to remote sites in Australia where you can stand before ancient examples of human creativity on Andante's Aboriginal Rock Art tour. Dr. Paul Bahn will also lead the Rock Art in the Namibian Wilds tour, taking guests to sites that are difficult to find without a guide, where incredible engravings and petroglyphs can be seen. Guests can also stand before the enigmatic Moai on Easter Island or gaze out across the mysterious Nazca Lines in Peru.

Authentic Encounters
Spend time with the Africat Foundation, an organisation committed to the long-term survival of Namibia's predators in their natural habitat, on the Rock Art in the Namibian Wilds tour. Try your hand at making traditional sweets in the Tsunan mountains and take part in an afternoon tea ceremony on Andante's tour of Japan. Indulge in gastronomy in Palermo as you enjoy a cookery class and then meet with the friars of Frati Minimi, who will teach you the art of making marzipan fruits. Visit a lavender farm and distillery in Provence, where the chance to sample produce is impossible to say no to. Spend an evening listening to a Navajo storyteller in Arizona on the Native American Pueblos tour.

Special Access
In South Africa & Tanzania, you are granted exclusive access to the excavator's store rooms at the Sterkfontein Caves for a handling session. Step inside of the mysterious inner chamber of the Great Pyramid of Egypt on Andante's Egypt – Land of the Pharaohs tour. Let the Director of the Da Nang Museum treat you to a special guided tour of its impressive exhibits on the Cambodia & Vietnam trip. Experience a very special private tour of the Basilica of Santa Lucia del Trampal in Spain. Take a private evening tour of the Sistine Chapel and enjoy privileged access to parts of the Colosseum not usually visited in Rome.

Core Tours

While Andante is thrilled to introduce guests to new destinations and experiences, the company also believes in the strength of its core tours due to their continued popularity and the enthusiasm from travellers who return from them year after year. Discover the haunting remains of Pompeii, destroyed and preserved by the cataclysmic eruption of Vesuvius in AD 79, stand beneath honey-coloured columns of ancient temples in Classical Sicily, or walk the weathered pathways between ruined temples at the staggering Palace of Knossos in Crete. 

- ends -

Notes to editors 

Founded in 1985, Andante Travels has grown to become one of the UK's leading specialist tour operators. The company has previously won the 'Best Small Holiday Company for Customer Service' title at the prestigious British Travel Awards, and thanks to the wonderful support of its travellers, it is nominated in the Best Special Interest Holiday, Best Escorted Tours Holiday Company and Best Holiday Company to the Italian Peninsula & Malta categories at the 2018 British Travel Awards, and was  recently shortlisted for the Best Cultural Tour Operator at this year's Silver Travel Awards.

Andante's tours have also been named 'Trips of a Lifetime' by the National Geographic Traveler on five occasions and, earlier this year, it appointed Jackie Willis as its new CEO, who brings with her over 35 years of touring and travel experience. Over the years, the company has introduced thousands of people to the wonders of the ancient world. Its tours are all designed and led by renowned experts, who bring a unique, special insight to each site visited in every corner of the globe, and every one of its itineraries boasts exclusive access to either a museum or venue, a specific archaeological site or to a workshop. Andante's tours are peppered with hands-on, immersive experiences that offer an authentic taste of each destination and leave the guest with memories that will last long after they return home.

For more information, call Andante Travels on 01722 569640 or visit https://www.andantetravels.co.uk

For further media information, contact: Martha Whatley, Content Marketing and PR Executive, martha@specialistjourneys.com

To request a copy of Andante's 2019 brochure, click here: https://www.andantetravels.co.uk/request-brochure.php?status=