Small group tour specialist Back-Roads Touring has announced an exciting new line up of trips for 2014, from a journey to discover 'old pubs and great grub' in Shrewsbury to an eight day Croatian Wilderness Sailing adventure to explore some of the country's most remote islands.

 

With maximum groups of just 18 people and a promise to travel away from main roads and motorways, Back-Roads Touring takes its guests off the beaten track - from the smallest town squares to the tiniest medieval villages bursting with stories. To ensure a personal touch, guests are given the opportunity to stay in charming accommodation and take part in exclusive activities, from local cooking classes to private tours of estates and gardens. All tours are accompanied by knowledgeable tour leaders whose former occupations are as varied as a botanist, a policeman and a sailor.

 

Steve Reynolds, general manager at Back-Roads Touring comments: "We are a UK based company with over 25 years' experience in the escorted travel business so we like to think that we really know what makes traveller's tick - not just visiting exciting destinations, but creating a great story about how you got there too."

 

Below we have highlighted the new tours that have been added to the Back-Roads Touring portfolio for 2014:

 

London to Paris via the Channel Channels

11 days/10 nights from £2,495 per person, excluding return flight

Why jump on the Eurostar to Paris when you can enjoy a leisurely journey to the French capital, taking in a unique corner of the British Isles where British and French influences meet? Visit Guernsey to learn about the German occupation before exploring the unspoilt beaches of Sark. In Jersey, enjoy a visit to the La Mare Wine Estate before crossing the Channel to France and visiting the extraordinary Robert Tatin museum in Mayenne.

 

Old Pubs & Great Grub

Five days/four nights from £1,075 per person

This tour is a truly unique insight into the oldest of British establishments: the pub. Discover the best of what English pubs have to offer and sample wine, perry and cider from local producers on this tour through Shrewsbury, Ledbury and Ross-on-Wye.

 

Highlights of Northern Spain

Nine days/eight nights from £1,930 per person, excluding flights

Experience the beauty of the Costa Brava, taste wines in La Rioja and travel through mist-covered mountains in this nine-day journey through Figueres, Pyrenees, La Rioja and San Sebastian. En route, stay overnight in a converted 9th century monastery, taste local cuisine in Spain's gourmet capital and wind along the back roads of the World Heritage Pilgrim's Route of Santiago de Compostela. 

 

Flavours of Northern Croatia and Slovenia

Nine days/eight nights from £1,795 per person, excluding flights

Explore the enchanting landscapes of Hrvastsko Zagorje and the fertile plains and hilltops of the Istrian Peninsula on this gourmet nine-day tour. Travel along the back roads of Croatia's hinterland, tasting culinary specialities along the way, from Croatia's burgeoning wines and award-winning olive oils to the Slovene nouvelle cuisine at Lake Bed.

 

Croatian Wilderness Sailing

Eight days/seven nights from £1,685 per person, excluding flights

Introducing Back-Roads Touring's very first sailing tour. Escape the crowds on this eight-day private charter and explore some of Croatia's most remote islands. Sail around Central Dalmatia, visit near-deserted beaches, visit one of the few stone-masonry workshops left in Europe and sample fish plucked straight from the sea, all whilst staying overnight in secluded bays near Mijet, Lastovo and Vis islands.

 

Cultural Greece

Nine days/eight nights from £2,195 per person, excluding flights

Explore the mark the Romans, Arabs, Venetians, Albanians and Turks have left on this cultural hotspot on this nine-day tour through cultural Greece. Take in Athens, Nafplion, Olympia, Delphi and Thessaloniki whilst dining in seaside tavernas, enjoying traditional handmade lunches and exploring picturesque villages.

 

Hidden Turkey

Seven days/six nights from £1,165 per person, excluding flights

This week long journey of discovery takes in Istanbul's time-honoured markets of Spice and Grand Bazars, as well as the history behind the Gallipoli Peninsula, through quiet evergreen valley ways and countless small villages. Take an intimate guided tour of the Gallipoli Battlefields and have lunch in picturesque fishing villages that are only accessible to small vehicles.

 

Wild and Wonderful Scandinavia

13 days/12 nights from £4,450 per person, excluding flights

This 13-day journey from Denmark to Sweden passes through fjords and glaciers, explores the history behind the region's Viking heritage whilst staying in authentic charming accommodation along the way. Embark on an incredible journey aboard the Flam Railway, taste local goats cheese in the idyllic village of Undredal and learn about Norwegian salmon farming at a family farm located in the middle of the fjord.

 

To book, visit www.backroadstouring.co.uk or call 033 311 201 09.

 

- Ends-

About Back-Roads Touring

With over 25 years' experience in small group and tailor-made tours across the UK and Europe, Back-Roads Touring is truly the original small group touring company. Currently operating over 35 tours, the company's focus is on providing a friendly, relaxed, and flexible form of touring with a maximum group size of 18 passengers. From exploring the heart of medieval towns and villages, to enjoying the scenery along narrow, hedge-lined Cornish lanes, Back-Roads Touring ensures that its guests experience the best local cuisine, accommodation and scenery - all taken at a leisurely pace and in the company of a knowledgeable guide.

 

Media Enquiries:

For images, further information or press trip enquiries, please contact Jenny Groutage / Steele Paulich at Brighter Group: back-roads@brightergroup.com or call 0207 326 9880.