Four countries, four capitals, and seven centuries of architectural styles, in their street-scenes and monuments, form the focus of this intriguing Baltics tour, as we travel to Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, and take the ferry across the Gulf for a final day in Finland

Follow in the footsteps of Flaubert and Tennyson, Julius Caesar and Queen Victoria, to enjoy the timeless elegance of Lake Como, where flower-filled gardens and pastel-painted villages punctuate the shore, set against the stunning backdrop of the Southern Alps

In the scenic surrounds of Lakes Como, Lugano and Maggiore, beautiful villas and their bountiful gardens have inspired poets and painters, brilliant botanists, and dedicated designers. This is a week to enjoy the vibrant results of the visionary landscapers’ labours

Touring magnificent landscapes and medieval landmarks, this coastal cruise calls at charismatic towns, and takes the ‘back to Nature’ routes to uninhabited islands and peaceful national parks, revealing the secret scenic splendour of Croatia’s untamed interior

A four-night tour, to four fascinating cities, this short break shows you ancient, medieval, and modern Albania. From a well-placed base in Durrës, on the shore of the Adriatic, included excursions take you to characterful Kruja, the capital, Tirana, and beguiling Berat

A supremely scenic week, with Meta di Sorrento as your base, includes the evocative remains of Pompeii, a drive along ‘the divine coast’ to Amalfi, Positano and Ravello, and Capri by boat

Unspoilt, uncrowded, and unique in its culture, Albania is a treasure chest of ancient cities, mystical mountains, museums, castles and coastline, its feast of Ottoman architecture the jewel in its crown. This tour lifts the lid on its riches, of heritage and of nature

A wonderful waltz with the Danube’s drift, this classic cruise goes with the flow from Austrian Melk and Vienna to Slovakia’s capital, Bratislava; and sails the natural, national border to Hungary, to visit the Puszta prairie, beautiful Budapest, and Esztergom’s Basilica

Travel on the Karakoram Highway to the old kingdom of Hunza, where Three Empires meet, and which Eric Shipton regarded “the epitome of mountain grandeur“

Sailing from the Black Sea to Budapest, this is a fascinating and multi-faceted journey, revealing the less-known reaches of the Danube, and cruising through the ravishing riverscapes which connect the countries, capitals, and cultures along its remarkable route

A heady blend of ancient sites, stunning scenery, charming towns and glorious churches, this is our ‘grand tour’ of Sicily, its highlights varying from Aeolian Isles to UNESCO sites, Mount Etna to Marsala wine, and the Scicli film locations of Inspector Montalbano

A very varied journey through Sicily’s less-visited sites, this tour reveals the hidden gems of cultural heritage and contrasting landscapes, from Aeolian Islands to ostentatious Baroque towns, and from fishing villages to the fictional world of Inspector Montalbano