TRAPANI PALERMO MESSINA PALERMO AIRPORT TRAPANI TAORMINA AIRPORT MT. ETNA CATANIA CATANIA AIRPORT 1MEDITERRANEAN SEA RAGUSA SIRACUSA MODICA NOTOMODER ATE SCICLI SAT SEPT 22 - SAT SEPT 29, 2018 “NO OTHER TRIP WE HAVE EVER TAKEN BEATS THE WEEK IN SICILY. THE SAT SEPT 29 - SAT OCT 6, 2018 ITINERARY WAS PROPERLY BALANCED WITH TERRIFIC FOOD AND WINE, GREATTour Guides: Marcello Baglioni or Dr. Michael Metcalfe & Lucia Iacono HISTORY AND ARCHITETECURE. EVEN A 8 DAYS - £3,525 / Single Supplement: £455 (limited to 10 guests) VISIT TO A LIVE VOLCANO. SICILY WAS (Includes all breakfasts, 6 lunches and 4 dinners. ) OPENED UP TO US IN A WAY WE COULD HAVE NEVER DISCOVERED ON OURThis remarkable cuisine is the legacy of Sicily’s uniquely diverse past. On OWN. MARCELLO AND LUCIA WERE Athis gastronomic adventure you’ll discover the landscapes and the history, PERFECT COMBINATION OF HOST ANDculture and archaeology that inspired its evolution. EXPERT. APPROACHABLE, FUN AND SMART! I AM LOOKING FORWARD TOTravelling through the richly varied landscapes of Eastern Sicily you’ll BOOKING WITH PETER SOMERS AGAIN.enjoy a wealth of unique experiences: you’ll sample almond granitas in THANKS AGAIN FOR THE MEMORABLENoto, one of Italy's celebrated beautiful baroque towns, and admire the WEEK AND PLEASE THANK EVERYONEepic views from Mt. Etna, Europe's most active volcano, then walk on INVOLVED IN MAKING THIS TRIP SOits slopes with a volcanologist and savour the complex red wines grown SPECIAL.”there. You’ll sample the fabulous olive oils cultivated for millennia usingage-old methods and see and taste chocolate made in the traditional way Steve & Patricia Scheid, California, USAin Modica. You’ll explore bustling food markets, try your hand at cookingand also see some of the area’s key historical and cultural sites including 101breathtaking Roman mosaics.Your guides on this tour have lived and worked in the region for manyyears. They have drawn deeply from their personal knowledge to craftthis very special tour for small groups. Whether you are a connoisseur, orsimply someone who enjoys good food and wine on your travels: this tourwill prove a week-long feast for all the senses!
A GASTRONOMIC TOUR OF SICILY Day 1: Our hotel is on the island of Ortygia, the UNESCO World Heritage site at Syracuse’s heart, about 45 minutes from Catania airport. Welcome drinks and dinner as we introduce you to some of the tasteTsHaEndBIKflIaNvIoGuIrRsLoS fMSOicSiAlyI.C, PIAZZA ARMERINA Day 2: The day begins with a drive to Palazzolo Acreide, a charming small town with a wealth of baroque architecture, where we visit the Archaeological Park and the impressive and evocative ruins of the ancient Greek settlement of Akrai. Afterwards we head to a nearby olive farm where the owners are producing award-winning organic extra virgin olive oil from native, centuries- old olive trees. We tour the farm before enjoying a wonderful lunch of local delicacies which have been carefully selected to perfectly compliment a special tasting session of this unique olive oil. We return to Ortygia in the late afternoon and, after a brief rest, enjoy a Sicilian wine-tasting aperitivo with a local expert sommelier before the rest of the evening is free. Day 3: We meet our culinary expert for a stroll through Ortygia’s bustling food market. Under his guidance we sample the local produce in preparation for a private cooking class in his restaurant. In the afternoon we will explore the city’s long history and visit the Syracuse Archaeological Park before taking a walking tour of the temples, churches, graceful town squares and meandering streets of the historic centre as the sun sets. An evening free to explore and dine. Day 4: The day begins with a tour of the beautiful baroque town of Noto, including a Granita tasting in one of the renowned local cafes. Later we head to an artisanal Almond and Ricotta Cheese Farm, where the owner has devoted himself to traditional farming methods. We take an exclusive tour, watch the cheese-making and the grinding of the almonds to make almond milk before experiencing a true, rustic Sicilian lunch. In the afternoon we head for Ragusa, check into our hotel and take an early evening stroll around the historic centre of Ragusa Ibla before an evening free to dine at your leisure. Day 5: A day to delight the senses begins with a walking tour of the Historical Centre of Scicli, and a visit to a beautiful herb farm for an aromatic tour that will inspire cooks and gardeners alike. The visit will conclude with a tasting lunch, on a terrace overlooking the beautiful southern coast. In the afternoon we will stroll through the streets of Modica and witness a demonstration of traditional Modicano chocolate making, with plenty of opportunity to taste the many delicious flavours and a variety of other delectable temptations. In the late afternoon we return to Ragusa. There is time to wander or rest before dinner in the historic centre.102 PETER SOMMER TRAVELS
Day 6: We journey to Vittoria to visit a fabulous winery “An unforgettable experience leavingwhere the owners have spent the last decade rediscovering me thirsting for more. A wonderfullythe ‘Ancient Grains’ of Sicily. This devotion to returning to the balanced experience of food, wine,healthy and wholesome approach, so much the backbone of history, walking and places, all done at anSicilian food culture, shows us techniques that are steeped in unhurried pace.”the history of the island. After a tour of the vineyards where Marcella Steinbauer, SAthe wines are produced using traditional methods and aged “For me the best part was that all i hadin clay amphorae, we meet up with our expert chef and roll to do was turn up on time. The rest wasup our sleeves for a pasta- and bread-making cooking class pure pleasure. I wouldn't hesitate tofollowed by a splendid lunch. After lunch we continue on to recommend this tour.”Mt Etna and check into our hotel. Dinner that evening is at a Lidia Swain, SArestaurant on the slopes of Etna. 103Day 7: We spend the morning walking on Mt. Etna in thecompany of an expert volcanologist. We stroll throughverdant woods of pine and silver birch before ascending toa lunar landscape of lava flows and ash-filled craters withincredible views all around. Afterwards we visit a local wineryto enjoy a rustic lunch and sample the award-winning winesthat thrive on Etna’s slopes in the company of an expertSommelier. A last chance to relax, then a sumptuous farewelldinner.Day 8: Transfer to Catania airport, about an hour away. IBLA GARDENS, RAGUSA
EXPLORING ROMERoma Aeterna - Eternal Rome.We are proud to present Exploring Rome,a tour offering the ultimate experience ofa city that has shaped Europe’s identityand history like no other.Consuls, emperors and popes have decided thecontinent’s destiny from here and the rich heritage ofRome’s history is inscribed in every street and stone, inthe very fabric of the city, waiting to be discovered. Therise of Rome is a fascinating tale. From a small settlementby the River Tiber, the city came to dominate first Italyand then the entire Mediterranean. At the height of itsempire Rome was a super-city controlling the lands fromScotland in the north to the Sahara in the south, andfrom Portugal in the west to Armenia in the east, theonly time this vast area was ever ruled by a single power.The wealth and might of those centuries led to the city’sembellishment with countless monuments and buildings,each telling its own story of Rome’s glory. As the homeof the popes, Rome was transformed with an arrayof magnificent churches ranging from early Christianbasilicas bedecked with glittering mosaics to Renaissancemasterpieces and exuberant Baroque edifices.In this vibrant modern capital, a fascinating mixture of ARCH OF SEPTIMIUS SEVERUS, ROMAN FORUMthe new, the old and the ancient, you will encounterhidden secrets as well as many of the city’s world-famous highlights including the Forum, the Pantheon, theMarkets of Trajan, the Colosseum, the Ara Pacis and theimperial baths of Caracalla.104 PETER SOMMER TRAVELS
VATICAN MUSEUMS SISTINE CHAPELLAZIO ARA PACUISMBRIAST. PETER’S PANTHEON LAZIOBASILICA VILLA D’ESTE MARKETS OF TRAJAN ROMAN FORUM TIVOLI COLOSSEUM CAPITOLINE HADRIAN’S MUSEUM VILLA TRASTEVERE CIRCUS MAXIMUS CIVITAVECCHIA BATHS OF CARACALLA PYRAMID OF CESTIUS 1 FIUMICINO AIRPORT ROMEMODER ATE OSTIASAT NOV 3 - SAT NOV 10, 2018 Tour Guide: Paul Beston 8 DAYS - £3,695 / Single Supplement: £795(Includes all breakfasts, 6 lunches and 3 dinners )You will discover the many great treasures housed in themagnificent Vatican and Capitoline Museums. You’ll also traveloutside of Rome to visit the huge Villa of Hadrian at Tivoliand the well-preserved residential quarters of ancient Ostia,Rome’s harbour town.Staying in a superb hotel situated in a delightful district andescorted by our expert guide, a connoisseur of Rome’scharms and glories, you'll enjoy some of the most deliciousfood and wines and be immersed in the story of one of theworld’s greatest cities - an unforgettable experience. COLOSSAL HAND OF CONSTANTINE, CAPITOLINE MUSEUMS 105
EXPLORING ROMECASTEL SANT'ANGELODay 1: Transfer from Rome Fiumicino airport approx. 30 Augustan Peace, with its scenes of serene religiosity housed inminutes away, to our hotel for welcome drinks and dinner. a splendid modern museum and then pass to the superlative Pantheon, surely the most beautiful interior ever created. FromDay 2: We begin with the city’s ancient heart, the Roman placid piety, we move in the afternoon to the rugged powerForum. Here, in a small space hemmed in by the great rocks of and brutality of the Colosseum where imperial authority wasthe Capitoline and Palatine hills, the greatest names of Roman shored up with gladiatorial blood.history fought for power and prestige. Amidst an extraordinaryconcentration of famed and marvellous buildings jostling for Day 4: An excursion from the city allows us to immersespace, you will walk where Antony spoke over Caesar’s body, ourselves in a Roman cityscape uncluttered by the works ofCicero delivered stinging orations, and the legions processed later ages. We visit Ostia, the stunning port of Rome where thein triumph. In the afternoon, we visit the wonderful Capitoline preservation is on a par with Pompeii. Elaborately decoratedMuseum where famed works are displayed in a setting by baths and offices, a mighty Capitoline temple and an evocativeMichelangelo. firefighters’ barracks can be found in streets studded with Roman fast-food shops and apartment blocks where it is stillDay 3: We tour the elegant Campus Martius district, possible to climb beyond the first floor. In the afternoon, wecentrepiece for imperial monuments and refined Renaissance return to Rome’s remarkable white Pyramid of Cestius beforepalaces. We begin with the majestic Ara Pacis, the Altar of an evening free to spend as you wish.106 PETER SOMMER TRAVELS
Day 5: We visit the magnificent Markets of Trajan, where a PIAZZA NAVONARoman street remains miraculously preserved overlookingthe imperial forums. We then tour the colossal Baths ofCaracalla, a lavishly decorated imperial gift to the city’speople. From this lavish setting, we go in the afternoon tothe humble and touching subterranean catacombs just outsidethe city.Day 6: After a day with the ordinary Romans, we experiencethe opulence of two ages in a trip out to the inspiring hillsideretreat of Tivoli. In the morning, we visit the massive,brilliantly preserved and sprawling villa of the EmperorHadrian, where luxury on an unparalleled scale centreson a fantasy rendition of the River Nile. The afternoon isspent amidst the fountains and gardens of the enchantingRenaissance Villa d’Este.Day 7: From imperial Rome, we turn to Papal Rome. Wefeast on the wondrous collections of the Vatican Museumsand arrive at the unforgettable Sistine Chapel before takingin the magnificence of St Peter’s itself, a fitting way to end aweek of precious memories.Day 8: Transfer to Fiumicino airport approx. 30 mins away.VIEW ACROSS THE TIBER TO THE VATICAN “A SMALL GROUP WITH TWO GUIDES AND IT WAS EXCELLENT. VERY WELL PUT TOGETHER IN BOTH THE SITES WE SAW AND THE SEQUENCE OF VISIT, IT WAS REALLY MADE FOR US BY THE EXCELLENCE OF OUR GUIDES - PAUL ESPECIALLY WAS SO GOOD IN BOTH HIS KNOWLEDGE OF THE SUBJECT - THE HISTORY OF ROME AND OF THE ROMANS - AND IN THE WAY HE PUT IT ACROSS, HE HAD OUR RAPT ATTENTION ALL THE TIME AND REALLY BROUGHT IT ALL TO LIFE. A FULL EXPERIENCE NOT TO BE FORGOTTEN.” John & Christine Thom, UK 107
EXTEND YOUR STAYIN ITALYAPOLLO AND DAPHNE, VILLA BORGHESETHE HEART OF ETERNAL ROMERome has been the pivot of so many of the world’s great historical events, the node of so much culture that it’s easy to findapproaching it quite daunting. Where do you begin? What are the key places to visit to make the most of your time without beingrushed? How can a new visitor avoid missing some hidden gem when hurrying along the well-trodden tourist paths? How, inshort, can I take in the magnificence of the eternal city at the right pace, without having to think of where to get the right food andwine? That’s what this tour will give you. We have designed it for those new to the city, who want a strong cultural and historicalintroduction to the city in a shorter space of time than our normal tours, while maintaining the same reliable level of expertise andthe full aesthetic and sensory experience you’d expect. If you’ve been before but want to gain a deeper appreciation of the city’smost iconic monuments and most telling back stories that comes with our expert guides, this tour is also for you.Rome’s history stretches back for millennia, but choosing the right locations means we can give you a rich and impressiveintroduction to the many threads of her history. Visiting the Roman Forum, we’ll carry you from the earliest days of Rome and thefoundation of the Republic, through its violent death-throes and the rise of the Empire and the end of the ancient world. You’ll seethe great and lavish monuments of the emperors, built to their own glory or for the entertainment of their people, whose remainsinspired the centuries after the empire fell. The exquisite Pantheon and the majestic Colosseum filled them with awe, as they willyou. The later ages of Rome’s history won’t be neglected – you’ll see the refined churches of the early mediaeval period and thewondrous architecture and painted chapels of the Rome of Michelangelo, as well as the intricately carved fountains and piousecclesiastical sculpture of the Renaissance and Baroque city. A city with so much to offer should be appreciated, not rushed. Wethink this is the best eye-opener to begin a love affair with it.108 PETER SOMMER TRAVELS
ROME OFF THE BEATEN TRACKFor those who have seen Rome before and want to gobeyond the main sites, or see some of what’s new, weoffer the perfect way to extend your stay in Italy. Thisexhilarating tour allows you to encounter some of Rome’sgreat archaeological sites away from the main routes, bringsyou some of her finest and most impressive museums, andtakes you to areas even at the centre that have been newlyexcavated or extended. Here, with our usual carefullychosen fine dining and great wines, with expert guides byyour side, is the best way to make sure that your next visitto Rome isn’t the same as your last.As with all our Rome tours, we’ll give you a full appreciationof the city’s history and culture. You’ll encounter the vastedifices of the Roman emperors, even the streets of theancient city. You’ll see some of the greatest collectionsof ancient art and architecture, from some of the largestand most breathtaking Roman mosaics and reliefs besetwith a myriad of figures, to some of the finest celebratedbronze sculpture in the world set amidst unforgettable andsurprising backdrops.The glories of medieval, Renaissance and early modernRome are a rich part of our story, and you’ll find plenty ofplaces to immerse yourself in their unsurpassed brilliance.After seeing the sumptuously rich collection of the VillaBorghese in its beautiful parkland and the opulent andtowering church of St John Lateran, you’ll see why papalRome breathed authority and power both politically andartistically and drew pilgrims from around the world.At the serene Protestant Cemetery, you’ll find wheresome of the more famed of them found rest, nestlingincongruously under an ancient Roman pyramid, contrastingthe calm atmosphere of this pretty space with the touchingsubterranean memorials of the early Christian catacombs.From beneath the city to the heights of its great towersand domes, accompanied by authoritative admirers of thisfantastic place, there’s no more rewarding and enjoyableway to expand your acquaintance with Eternal Rome. MUSEO CENTRALE MONTEMARTINI 109
ABOUT TURKEYA land on the very cusp of Europe and BLACK SEAAsia, Turkey embodies the magic andexoticism of the orient.When you enter this country, you delve into a culture ISTANBULprofoundly different and distinctly unfamiliar. Turkey isliterally steeped in history, boasting many of the world's TROYbest preserved Greek and Roman archaeologicalsites as well as those of many other eras and cultures. BURSA ANKARAWhen archaeologists dig here they are confronted by CAPPADOCIAseemingly endless layers of peoples and cultures. It truly GORDIONis a crossroads of civilisations. IZMIR KAYSERIOnce nomads from Central Asia, the Turks dominatedthe Eastern Mediterranean and Islamic worlds for many EPHESUS KONYAcenturies, uniting three continents – Europe, Africa IONIAand Asia. Today, they are universally recognised for ANTALYA ADANAtheir warmth and hospitality, legacies of their nomadic CARIA ISSUSancestry and Islam’s code of respect for strangers in a BODRUM TARSUS ISKENDERUNstrange land. GÖCEK ANTAKYA (HATAY)It’s hard not to speak in superlatives when describingIstanbul - now the largest city in Europe. No other FETHIYE LYCIAcity on earth sits astride two continents. No other cityhas been besieged so many times. No other city has KAŞruled over such vast empires for as many centuries.Today this epic metropolis stands adorned with some We are proud that Peter Sommer Travels is an officialof the world’s finest architectural and artistic wonders. Travel Partner of the British Institute at Ankara (BIAA).Turkey’s social, artistic and economic hub, Istanbul The BIAA is internationally renowned for over 60 years’bubbles with vitality. It is the perfect place to begin your work supporting, enabling and encouraging world-classTurkish adventure. research in Turkey and the Black Sea region in the fields of history, archaeology and related social sciences. Peter Sommer Travels and the BIAA share a passion for discovering and sharing the cultural aspects of Turkey and opening up the ancient history of this fascinating country to a much larger audience.Combine Turkey’s history with its soaring mountainranges and a vast turquoise coastline, mix in its famedcuisine and friendly people and you have a countryperfect for sea and land-based adventures.110 PETER SOMMER TRAVELS
L AB R AU NDA “I CANNOT IMAGINE A TOUR WHICH WAS SOSUNKEN TOMB, KALE FASCINATING AND SATISFYING IN EVERY ASPECT.SUNSET ON THE CARIAN COAST WALKING ROUND A CITY, TWO AND A HALF THOUSAND YEARS OLD, AND SENSE IT COMING ALIVE WITH PETER'S DESCRIPTION OF ITS HISTORY IS A REMARKABLE EXPERIENCE. THE BALANCE BETWEEN WALKS ASHORE, SWIMMING IN WARM, TRANSLUCENT, TURQUOISE WATER IN LITTLE SECLUDED COVES, SUPERB FOOD AND WINE, GOOD COMPANY, WHAT MORE COULD YOU POSSIBLY ASK FOR, EXCEPT THAT IT GO ON LONGER AND YOU COULD SPEND EVERY SUMMER EXPLORING WITH PETER SOMMER.” Douglas Weir & Adrien Gordon, Christchurch, NZ TEMPLE OF APOLLO, DIDYMA 111
WALKING AND CRUISINGWESTERN LYCIA The Lycian Way, rated by The Sunday Times (UK) “THE TRIP WAS A WONDERFUL as one of the ten best walks in the world, follows COMBINATION OF LEARNING, ADVENTURE, over 300 miles of ancient roadways, mule tracks RELAXATION AND BEAUTY.” and shepherds' paths along one of Turkey's most remote and untouched coastlines. Randye Farmer, New York, USA On this week-long cruise, we follow a selection of its finest sections, each remarkable for its beauty and interest. On average, we walk about 5-6 miles (8-10km) per day. Our floating home is an elegant hand-built gulet, moving us along the shore and treating us to perfect relaxation and delightful meals each day. There is no better way to enjoy the superb landscapes and fascinating history of the area than to do so on foot. Like the explorers of old, you will have unique access to the ancient sites within their natural settings. The tour includes samples of Lycias most celebrated cultural and archaeological 'must-sees', such as Kayaköy/Levissa, an incredibly atmospheric ghost town abandoned by its Greek inhabitants after the First World War, Simena, an age-old citadel surrounded by a jumble of Lycian sarcophagi and vastly monumental Patara, capital of Roman Lycia. Walking on Roman paved roads, following the course of a 2,000-year- old aqueduct and hearing the tales of those who strolled here before us, from Greeks and Romans to modern shepherds, witnessing the breath-taking wealth of scenery from azure shores via fertile and cultivated valleys to craggy mountains, makes for an immensely memorable experience. The combination of exhilarating walks, expert-guided site visits, wonderful swims and mellow moments of sheer relaxation, plus of course the gulet's superb cooking, will make this trip refreshing and relaxing, a tour like no other.112 PETER SOMMER TRAVELS
K AYAKÖY DALAMAN AIRPORT GÖCEK FETHIYE KAYA SIDYMA ÜÇAĞIZ PATARA KALKAN 3 SAT MAY 19 - SAT MAY 26, 2018 INTENSIVE Tour Guides: Peter Sommer or Serdar Akerdem 8 DAYS £2,475 / Single Supplement £645 Day 1: Our gulet is about 30 site, enjoy a delicious picnic, Day 6: A glorious trek from minutes from Dalaman airport then back to our gulet for a Ovacık across the shoulder of at Göcek, a pretty harbour swim. Babadaĝ ('Father Mountain') beneath mountains at the to Faralya. Breath-taking vistas head of the Bay of Fethiye, on Day 4: We cruise by Kekova all day long culminating in a Turkey’s Mediterranean coast. Island, then stroll through the view from on high down into Welcome dinner aboard. pretty village of Üçağız and its Butterfly Valley. ancient Lycian burial grounds Day 2: We set out eastwards. to the Ottoman castle at Kale. Day 7: West to explore the Our first walk is from Faralya One of the most romantic ghost town of Levissi/Kayaköy, to Kabak through beautiful stops of the holiday. abandoned by its Greek woodland and with wondrous inhabitants in 1923. Walk back views out across the Day 5: A wonderful walk to the gulet near Gemiler mountains of Lycia to the sea. retracing the route of the Island, an area perfect for Roman aqueduct to the swimming, before cruising to Day 3: We drive inland to grandiose ruins of ancient the harbour of Fethiye. the impressive ancient ruins Patara. A sunset dip offers a of Sidyma, a 2,500 year old refreshing finale. Overnight in Day 8: Transfer from our gulet Lycian city that surrounds a the pretty harbour at Kalkan. to Dalaman airport, about 60 modern farming village. We minutes away walk down from the ancient 113
A GASTRONOMICGULET CRUISE\"This cruise reminded me why I travel in the first place\"Barbara Ramsay Orr, The Globe and Mail (Canada)So many of our guests have raved about the foodserved on our gulet cruises in Turkey and askedfor recipes, that we decided to create a tripwith an even more gastronomic flavour.On this trip you will see demonstrations in smalltraditional restaurants and get involved in thecooking, conjuring up some of theexcellent Turkish dishes you’ll eat. You’llcook with local Turkish people andprepare regional delicacies.This is a journey to treat your taste buds, “KEBABS, MARVELLOUS MEZES,a voyage of discovery through Turkish EGGPLANT IN MANY DIFFERENT FORMSMediterranean cuisine. But you won’t AND DISHES, OCTOPUS STEW, LAMB, STUFFEDmiss out on the history. Your expert CALAMARI, SEA BREAM AND YOGHURT WITHguide, Serdar, is an archaeologist who has EVERY MEAL - IT WAS ALL DELICIOUS AND OPENEDbeen excavating in Turkey for many years. OUR EYES TO THE WONDERFUL ASPECTS OFHe also happens to be a foodie, a man with MEDITERRANEAN AND ANATOLIAN CUISINE.”a great passion for Turkish cuisine. He will leadyou on a culinary and cultural adventure through Philip & Joanne Roudebush, Kansas, USAone of the least developed and most stunning areas ofnatural beauty in Turkey.You’ll explore some of Turkey’s most impressive ancient sites,including wonders like Kaunos with its exquisite rock-cut templetombs, and beautifully preserved Knidos, a stunning marbled cityarranged around a double harbour. You’ll also enjoy somemagnificent scenery and visit ancient towns like Lydae, set ina remote and beautiful location.114 PETER SOMMER TRAVELS
BODRUMAIRPORTBODRUM KAUNOS DALAMANKNIDOS BOZBURUN AIRPORT GÖCEK LORYMA LYDAE 2 SAT MAY 26 - SAT JUN 2, 2018 ENERGETIC Tour Guide: Serdar Akerdem 8 DAYS - £2,475 / Single Supplement: £645Day 1: Our boat is about 40 Day 4: East to beautiful Bozburun, here for many seasons. As well asminutes from Bodrum airport, a picturesque village surrounded exploring the site, we’ll cook andin the town’s beautiful harbour. by hills. We’ll visit the kitchen eat with one of the village ladiesWelcome drink and dinner aboard. of one of the most longstanding who prepares food each summer restaurant owners and one of the for the archaeologists.Day 2: We cruise east along the local boatyards to see how guletsCarian coast, with stops to swim are built. Day 7: We cruise to the pretty inletand relax, before a demonstration of Ağlımanı and walk up an ancientof a special local dish in a small Day 5: To Loryma, a magnificent track to the city of Lydae, set in afamily run restaurant. Rhodian fortress guarding a forgotten valley. We break bread strategic bay. We’ll swim and eat and have wild sage tea with a localDay 3: South to spectacular Knidos, warm delicious bread freshly baked goatherd and see the traditionalwhere decades of digging, still in a traditional oven. olive press where he and his familyongoing, have revealed a beautiful produce the most delicious oliveand well-planned city. Set at the Day 6: Heading east we take a oil. A last chance to swim then onvery tip of a long peninsula, her boat along the reed-lined Dalyan to Göcek, a pretty harbour on thesuperb double harbour could be River to see the city of Kaunos. Bay of Fethiye for our final farewellaccessed from both east and west, Its monumental public buildings, dinner.providing protection for generations surrounding a silted up harbour,of ships and making her rich from speak of its once great wealth and Day 8: Transfer to Dalaman airportthe lucrative seaborne trade. fame. Serdar has been excavating about 30 minutes away. 115
CRUISING TO EPHESUS A chance to visit some of the biggest and “THIS WAS OUR HOLIDAY OF A best-preserved classical cities in the world, LIFETIME AND IT LIVED UP TO OUR travelling by traditional wooden gulet on the EXPECTATIONS AND MORE. IF YOU Aegean coast of Turkey. POSSIBLY CAN, DO IT!” Beginning in Bodrum, ancient Halicarnassus, birthplace of the John & Jan Lock, London, UK historian Herodotus, and following the shores of the ancient regions of Caria and Ionia, this cruise makes for an ideal introduction to the glories of Turkey's archaeological heritage. You’ll discover some of the most impressive and best-preserved sites in the country, a veritable succession of 'must-see' highlights, as well as a number of more intimate “off the beaten track” remains, culminating in a visit to the astoundingly monumental ruins of Ephesus. Ancient cities and sanctuaries are the central themes of this cruise. From ancient Myndos, where excavations have only just started, you’ll journey to Iasos, where the remains of a once-vibrant port town are scattered amongst olive groves. An inland excursion will lead you to the mysterious mountain-top sanctuary of Zeus at Labraunda and to the beautiful Temple of Zeus at Euromus. At Miletus, you’ll explore the vast ruins of a 'lost' city that was a major centre of culture in Greek and Roman days, as well as its main shrine, the huge oracular Temple of Apollo at Didyma. At Priene, in its remarkably beautiful wooded setting, you’ll walk the ancient streets of one of the very best preserved of all Greek cities, its private homes and public buildings there to be explored and admired. The high point on your voyage is Ephesus, capital of Roman Asia and one of the most magnificent ancient sites in the world, its vast theatre, ornate library and wonderfully decorated Roman mansions offering a memorable culmination to this fascinating tour. Archaeology apart, you’ll enjoy time for swimming, sunbathing, admiring the scenery or simply relaxing on our beautiful gulet.116 PETER SOMMER TRAVELS
IZMIR AIRPORT EPHESUS SAMOS KUŞADASI PRIENE MILETUS DIDYMA LABRAUNDA IASOS MYNDOS BODRUM AIRPORT BODRUM 2 SAT JUNE 2 - SAT JUNE 9, 2018 SAT SEPT 8 - SAT SEPT 15, 2018 ENERGETIC Tour Guide: Dr. Olivier Henry 8 DAYS - £2,475 / Single Supplement: £645LIBRARY OF CELCUS Day 1: Your gulet awaits you to Zeus Labraundus. In the leisure, walking through its in the pretty coastal village of afternoon, a chance to swim, monumental squares and along Gümüşlük, about an hour from as you cruise westwards. marble-paved roads. Bodrum airport. Welcome drink and dinner aboard. Day 4: In the morning we visit Day 6: Heading south the colossal oracular temple inland we walk the ancient Day 2: A gentle cruise north- of Apollo at Didyma. In the roads of Priene, an almost east, with plentiful swimming afternoon, a glorious long perfectly preserved Greek opportunities on the way, cruise northward to anchor city and Miletus, with its vast before mooring in the pretty off the southern coast of the theatre, baths, and brooding harbour of ancient Iasos where isolated Dilek peninsula. atmosphere. archaeological excavations are revealing a vibrant and Day 5: We head north to Day 7: A leisurely day cruising beautiful classical city. Kuşadasi and a short distance to Bodrum. In the afternoon to the town of Selçuk, where we visit Bodrum’s magnificent Day 3: In the morning we head we visit the Archaeological Crusader castle and museum inland to the temple of Zeus Museum housing key finds of underwater archaeology. at Euromus, then, on into from Ephesus. Finally, just as the mountains to Labraunda, the main crowds are leaving, Day 8: Transfer from our gulet Caria’s most sacred sanctuary, we enter Ephesus itself, to Bodrum airport, about 40 site of the great oracular shrine to explore the vast site at minutes away. 117
CRUISING THE CARIAN COAST - FROMTHE AEGEAN TO THE MEDITERRANEAN We visit some of the greatest gems on Turkey’s THEATRE AT KNIDOS southwest coast aboard a glorious traditional Turkish gulet. This tour offers a marvellous combination of superb archaeological sites and a remarkably beautiful maritime landscape – a gorgeous and undeveloped stretch of Turkey's turquoise coast. Starting from the lively harbour of Bodrum, ancient Halicarnassus, the birthplace of Herodotus, this cruise follows the convoluted shoreline of Caria, made up of deep inlets and long peninsulas forming a complex and diverse geography where land and sea constantly embrace one another. It ends at Göcek, a quiet small town in a lovely setting on the Gulf of Fethiye. Along the way, you’ll visit a series of fascinating ancient cities including Knidos, in a stunningly beautiful peninsular location with twin harbours, and spectacular Kaunos, overlooked by uniquely elaborate rock-cut tombs. You’ll also explore more remote spots, such as the mighty Rhodian fortification at Loryma, one of the best examples of defensive architecture to survive from antiquity, the virtually unknown town of Phoenix, surrounded by evocative grave monuments, and long-forgotten Lydae, hidden away on a wild promontory far away from roads, towns and modern life. As well as the archaeological adventures and walks through landscapes of unforgettable beauty, you’ll have many opportunities to just sit back and enjoy the magnificent scenery or dip into the clear blue waters of the Mediterranean - a perfect combination of cultural experience and quality time.118 PETER SOMMER TRAVELS
BODRUM DALAMAN AIRPORT AIRPORTBODRUM GÖCEKKNIDOS KAUNOS LYDAE PHOENIX LORYMA GROUP AT KAUNOS 2 SAT JUNE 9 - SAT JUNE 16, 2018 SAT SEPT 15 - SAT SEPT 22, 2018 (Itinerary Reversed)ENERGETIC Tour Guides: Dr. Olivier Henry or Prof. Julian Bennett 8 DAYS £2,475 / Single Supplement £645 Day 1: Our boat is in Bodrum Set at the very tip of a peninsula, monumental public buildings, harbour about 40 minutes from its superb double harbour could surrounding a silted-up harbour, Bodrum airport. Welcome drink be accessed from both east speak of its once great wealth and dinner on board. and west, providing protection and fame. for generations of ships and Day 2: South to spectacular making it rich from the lucrative Day 6: A leisurely morning cruise Knidos, where decades of digging, seaborne trade. to the beautiful inlet of Ağlımanı, still ongoing, have revealed a where we will walk up an ancient beautiful and well-planned city. Day 3: To Loryma, a magnificent track to the ancient city of Rhodian fortress guarding a Lydae. Monumental tombs stand“THE TOUR WAS WELL PLANNED, OUR CREW WERE ALL strategic bay, a glorious spot for on the crest of a hill overlookingUNFAILINGLY WONDERFUL AND APPEARED GOOD- a swim. a forgotten valley filled with theNATURED AND HAPPY THROUGHOUT. THE MIXTURE tinkle of goat bells.OF GUESTS CLICKED AND I FEEL CERTAIN WE ALL FELT Day 4: We head inland toEQUALLY PLEASED WITH THE EXPERIENCE AND HOPE explore Phoenix, a wild and Day 7: A day of pure relaxationTO KEEP IN TOUCH! WE HAD THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF remote citadel city, with as we make our way to Göcek,STIMULATION AND RELAXATION: EATING, SLEEPING, beautiful landscapes and grand at the head of a beautiful island-HIKING, SWIMMING AND LEARNING! THE WEATHER vistas all around. studded bay.WAS JUST ABOUT PERFECT! THANK YOU ALL!” Day 5: Heading northeast we Day 8: Transfer from our guletGerri Strauss, Ohio, USA take a boat through a lagoon to Dalaman airport, about 30 into the reed lined Dalyan River minutes away. to see the city of Kaunos. Its 119
CRUISING THE LYCIAN SHOREThis gulet tour explores the virtuallyundeveloped shore of ancient Lycia, onTurkey’s breathtaking turquoise coast.The tour includes well-known highlights like themarble-clad city of Perge, where archaeologists areunearthing a site to rival Ephesus, Myra, with some ofthe finest rock-cut tombs and Xanthos, a vast fortifiedcitadel city that dominated the region for centuries.These famous sights are complemented by a wholeseries of hidden gems: ancient settlements, shrinesand cemeteries set within the region's wonderfullandscapes, waiting to be discovered and explored.Examples include magnificent Arykanda, surroundedby lovely natural scenery on the edge of a mountain,beautiful Phaselis, famed in antiquity for its rascallymerchants and three fine harbours, now swathedin pine trees, and unforgettably picturesque Kale,where the cottages of a traditional Turkish villagerub shoulders with a medieval castle, an ancientfortification and a vast necropolis.The cruise also includes a visit to the award-winningmuseum of Antalya, housing a remarkable collectionof Roman sculpture, a tour of the islet of Gemiler,with the remains of an unusually elaborate Byzantinepilgrimage centre and an opportunity to see Patara,where a huge and monumental Roman city isemerging from the sand dunes. VIEW FROM THE OTTOMAN CASTLE AT KALE120 PETER SOMMER TRAVELS
ANTALYADALAMAN AIRPORT GÖCEKFETHIYE PHASELIS GEMILER XANTHOS OLYMPOS FINIKEPATARA KALKAN ÜÇAGIZ KAŞ 2 SAT SEPT 1 - SAT SEPT 15, 2018ENERGETIC Tour Guide: Peter Sommer 15 DAYS £4,165 / Single Supplement: £995 Day 1: Our boat is about 30 minutes from Day 6: Into the mountains to Arykanda, Day 11: West to Kale, ancient Simena, a Dalaman airport in the pretty harbour of the \"Turkish Delphi\", where excavations combination of Lycian tombs, an ancient Göcek. Welcome dinner on board. have revealed a prosperous monumental acropolis and an Ottoman castle with vast city. views. One of the tour’s most romantic Day 2: A chance to unwind in the Bay of locations. Fethiye. Day 7: On to Phaselis, seat of pirates who terrorised the region’s rich trade routes. Day 12: We set off for pretty Kalkan and Day 3: We cruise south to Gemiler Island, Its three harbours now lie serene amid inland to Xanthos, capital of ancient Lycia, a key Byzantine pilgrimage site, where pine trees. where archaeologists have been digging Japanese archaeologists have been hard at for half a century, uncovering more and work. A perfect area for swimming. Day 8: To Antalya, the south’s most more wonders every year. vibrant city, with a fortified harbour and Day 4: On to Kaş, a beautiful village museum full of marble statues. We visit Day 13: We head to Patara, a major naval of white washed houses covered with Roman Perge, a vast treasure house of and trading port of ancient Lycia. Much purple bougainvillea. The ancient city, ruins. We stroll through colonnades and of Patara still remains undiscovered, Antiphellos, is littered with tombs and a shops, marbled bathhouses, a stadium but excavations have revealed many theatre with a magnificent sea view. and fortifications. structures previously hidden by sand dunes. Among them, the parliament“EVERYTHING WAS BEYOND MY EXPECTATIONS Day 9: South to Olympos. On an ancient building of the Lycian League and itsAND I CAN'T SPEAK HIGHER OF THE ENTIRE sacred way we visit the Chimaera, a stunning Roman lighthouse, one of theTWO WEEKS. PETER AND CEM AND THE CREW natural phenomenon where flames burst oldest extant examples in the world.WERE ALL GREAT. BEST HOLIDAY EXPERIENCE from the ground and legendary home ofWE’VE EVER HAD!” the mythical beast. Day 14: A last dip, then to Fethiye to visit its magnificent cliff tombs and a finalStephen Duddy, Adelaide, Australia Day 10: We visit Myra, famed for its chance to shop. Roman theatre and rock-hewn tombs. Day 5: East to picturesque Üçağız, old Walking through its port Andriake, we Day 15: Transfer to Dalaman airport, Teimiussa, one of the most evocative of explore a giant cistern and granary built about an hour away. all Lycian burial sites. by the Emperor Hadrian. 121
WALKING AND CRUISINGTHE LYCIAN SHORE The Lycian Way, rated by The Sunday Times (UK) as “A TWO-WEEK EXTRAVAGANZA one of the ten best walks in the world, stretches 300 OF TURKISH FOOD, CULTURE miles along one of Turkey's most remote and untouched & ARCHAEOLOGY. A PERFECT coastlines. COMBINATION OF RELAXATION, EDUCATION AND WALKING On this two-week cruise, we follow some of its very best stretches, chosen for their ADVENTURES BACK IN TIME. SUPERB beauty and interest. Across the two weeks, the average distance is about 5-6 miles FOOD FROM START TO FINISH (approx. 9.5 km) taking around 3 hours. We take all the walks at a comfortable AND A FIRST-RATE GUIDE IN THE pace, with some wonderful sites and great swims thrown in for good measure. SHAPE OF PETER SOMMER. THE In the second week, once people have found their feet, there’s a walk of about 6 ACCOMMODATION ON BOARD THE hours, and one full day of walking, about 11 miles (approx. 18 km) taking around GULET WAS EXCELLENT AND THE 7 hours. Our travelling offshore base is our gulet, offering us elegant transport, CREW WERE QUIETLY EFFICIENT delicious dining and comfortable accommodation throughout. AND BRILLIANT. LOCAL HOSPITALITY EVERYWHERE WAS FANTASTIC.” Exploring on foot offers a uniquely profound and enjoyable engagement with the strikingly beautiful landscape and its history. You’ll be able to discover Dave Rogerson, Gloucestershire, UK truly remote archaeological sites that cannot be easily reached otherwise, like Phellos, the “stony place”, an ancient citadel perched precariously on a pinnacle high above the Mediterranean Sea, Apollonia, with its grand necropolis and romantic theatre and Kyaneai, one of Lycia's most important ancient cities, boasting extensive mountain-top ruins. More often than not we’ll be the only people exploring such antiquities. You’ll also visit some of Lycia's best known ancient cities, including breath-taking Pinara, set at the foot of a cliff studded with tombs, Simena, surrounded by age-old Lycian sarcophagi and Patara, capital of Roman Lycia, with its vast and well-preserved monuments. You’ll stroll along Roman roads, retrace the routes of 2,000 year old aqueducts and follow in the footsteps of characters from Alexander the Great to modern day shepherds. From footpaths by the coast to goat tracks high up in the hills, this tour, combining expert-led archaeological adventures, superb swimming, delicious meals aboard and picnics in rustic locations offers delightful stimulation and relaxation for mind, body and soul.1 2 2 P E T E R S O M M E R TTRRAAVVEELLSS
DALAMAN AIRPORT GÖCEK FETHIYE KAYA PINARA SIDYMA PATARA PHELLOS KALKAN SURA KAŞ ÜÇAĞIZ 3 SAT SEPT 29 - SAT OCT 13, 2018 INTENSIVE Tour Guide: Peter Sommer 15 DAYS - £4,165 / Single Supplement: £995 Day 1: Our gulet is about 30 minutes Day 6: East to investigate Apollonia, but well worth the effort. Up to the from Dalaman airport at Göcek. where a Byzantine fortress and lost city of Phellos and along a high Welcome dinner aboard. church surround an ancient Greek ridge. Stunning views abound. theatre. Then a walk through a wild Day 2: A chance to unwind in the Bay moonscape back to the sea. Day 11: A wondrous walk retracing of Fethiye. the route of the Roman aqueduct Day 7: We cruise by Kekova Island to Patara. A sunset dip offers a Day 3: We cruise east to explore then stroll through ancient burial refreshing finale. Overnight in the the ghost town of Levissi/Kayaköy, grounds to the Ottoman castle at pretty harbour at Kalkan. abandoned by the Greeks in 1923. Kale. One of the most romantic stops Walk back to the gulet near Gemiler of the holiday. Day 12: We hike from Faralya to Island, an area perfect for swimming. Kabak through cyclamen-filled woods. Day 8: We visit Sura, site of a famous Day 4: We drive inland to the fish oracle dedicated to Apollo, then Day 13: A glorious final trek across impressive ancient ruins of Sidyma, trek along a beautiful stretch of coast the shoulder of Babadaĝ ('Father a 2,500 year old Lycian city that to ancient Istlada and our waiting Mountain') to Ovacık. Breath-taking surrounds a modern farming village. boat. views all day long. Then back to our gulet for a swim. Day 9: Inland to one of the most Day 14: A day of total leisure aboard Day 5: Up the Xanthus valley to remarkable Lycian towns, mountain- our elegant gulet, cruising and Pinara, where a mighty cliff riddled top Kyaenai. We overnight in Kaş, swimming. We moor in Fethiye for a with tombs stands over one of a picturesque town and ancient final chance to shop. Turkey’s most spectacularly situated harbourage. archaeological sites. Day 15: Transfer back to Dalaman Day 10: The longest hike of the tour, airport, on Turkey’s south coast.VIEW OF ÖLÜ DENIZ 123
BAMBURGH CASTLE, NORTHUMBERLANDABOUT THE UKGreen fields with enigmatic henges, outposts of SCOTLANDRoman civilisation in wooded valleys, emblemsof Norman power and celebrated Georgian N. IRELANDarchitecture, just a taste of England’s long andinspiring history. IRELAND ENGLAND WALESOur tours in the UK are the result of several years of intense workby our dedicated in-house team of archaeologists and historians. LONDONAlthough Peter Sommer Travels is justly famed for our tours in theMediterranean, each of the core members of our company studiedand trained in the history and archaeology of the ancient world in theBritish Isles, and many of our first encounters with the ancient worldwere made here. From our base in Monmouthshire we have travelledthe length and breadth of these island nations, and are hugely excitedat the prospect of introducing you to the wonderful archaeologicaland historical sites across these lands, the superb hotels, and thedelicious food and drink on offer from award-winning local producers.Bringing together all of the elements that have made our Exploringtours so popular in Greece and Italy, these tours will be the perfectintroduction to these lands, whether you have been a regular visitor,or will be travelling here for the first time.124 PETER SOMMER TRAVELS
BATH ABBEYAs with all of our tours, these are journeysthat will reward the head, heart andstomach in equal measure. There willbe fine dining, visits to traditional Englishpubs, locally brewed ales and cidersand tastes of some of the world-famousspecialities of each region. At night westay in Victorian country houses set inwonderful gardens, elegant mansionhouses and a sumptuous FourteenthCentury castle in Northumberland deep inthe heart of Hadrian's Wall country.These tours offer a wealth of experiences:remarkable landscapes, a deep history,the stern traces of Roman power, theaesthetic beauty of abbeys and priorys,and fantastic local food and drink. Thereis no better place to begin an explorationof England’s long history, beautifulcountryside and cultural richness. 125
EXPLORING HADRIAN'S WALL:ROMANS, REIVERS AND ROMANTICSJoin us on an exploration of the raw “PETER SOMMER TRAVELS TOURS FOR US AREbeauty and richly-layered history of REALLY AN ADVENTURE BACK IN TIME. IT ISthis most distinctive English region. ONE THING TO WALK HADRIAN'S WALL AS WE DID...IT IS A TOTALLY DIFFERENT EXPERIENCEFew areas so large come to be defined by a single TO HAVE TRUE PROFESSIONALS SHARINGwork of man, but the Wall Country has had a special THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE AScharacter since the Romans first set this great work TO THE MANY THOUSANDS OF YEARS OFin trail over field, hill, crag and river nearly two HISTORY WHICH UNDERPIN WHERE WE AREthousand years ago. Today, we take you through a TODAY. WE TRAVEL 3 MONTHS OR SO A YEAR,warm and welcoming countryside of ever-changing MOSTLY ON GUIDED TOURS. THIS IS OURviews, from bustling medieval market towns, through SECOND ADVENTURE WITH PETER SOMMERgentle farmland and craggy rocks strewn with TRAVELS...\"JUST THE BEST\" IN TERMS OF QUALITYtumbled Roman stones which give way to beautiful AND SERVICE....”views of thick woods and wild loughs. This is atour where the landscape itself inspires awe and Craig & Mary Kirsch, Pennsylvania, USAis a character in its own right. It has drawn peoplefrom Romans through Anglo-Saxons and Vikings tomediaeval warlords, sinister Reivers and the Victorianromantics who fell in love with it and its stories. MILECASTLE 39, TOWARDS STEEL RIGG126 PETER SOMMER TRAVELS
BAMBURGH CASTLE HOUSESTEADS GRANARY CRAGSIDE HOUSEBIRDOSWALD FORT HEXHAM ABBEY WALLSEND LANERCOST VINDOLANDA LANGLEY CASTLE HANCOCK CORBRIDGE MUSEUMMARYPORT 2 SAT JUNE 23 - SAT JUNE 30, 2018ENERGETIC Tour Guides: Paul Beston & Peter Sommer 8 DAYS - £2,750 / Single Supplement: £375 Includes all breakfasts, 5 lunches and 5 dinnersOur encounter with the long history of this region beautiful churches and gripping it with castles.begins as the Romans, after forty years in the north, Here, for centuries, England contested the landbuilt their mighty Wall, marching mile after mile across either side of the Wall with Scotland, leaving a trailthe neck of Britain, disregarding hills, rocks and rivers of wars and raids and forging a tough, self-reliant andand definitively marked the land to the south as Roman. independent people. In time, the border was pacified,Though there is much to see and say about the military and the hazards earlier people faced became part ofside of the wall – the physical awe, the impressiveness of the magnificent tapestry of a border history which drewRoman military power and organisation – there is also people to a now-peaceful but storied and beautifulanother more human tale to tell. Everywhere behind country, inspiring Scott, Kipling, Turner and Williamthe wall, there are stories of strange gods, civilian Morris, and the perfectly-placed grand home of thebustle, military order and the daily lives of thousands ingenious Lord Armstrong.of men, women and children. It is a Roman landscapeunique in Britain for its diversity and scale. This tour offers a wealth of experiences: a remarkable landscape, a deep history, the stern traces of RomanWith the end of Roman rule the ruins of the Wall power, the fascinating contact with individual livesbecame the homes of farmers, strongholds of lords, carved in stone or left in the organic finds at Vindolanda,hide-outs of thieves and the building material of the aesthetic beauty of Cragside or Lanercost priory,churchmen, but always remained a powerful reminder the reminders of its dangerous past and the fantasticof what had once been. Our story continues with the local food and drink. There is no better place to beginAnglo-Saxons and then the stretching north of the an exploration of England’s long history, beautifulgreat kingdom of England, marking the landscape with countryside and cultural richness. 127
EXPLORING HADRIAN'S WALL:ROMANS, REIVERS AND ROMANTICS CROSSING THE RIVER IRTHING AT WILLOWFORD BRIDGEDay 1: Arrival at our hotel, the magnificent fourteenth century Mithras at Carrawburgh, whose well-preserved remains have much toLangley Castle, right in the centre of Wall Country, with views of the tell about this enigmatic saviour-god.Wall itself from the battlements. A baronial residence burned in therebellion by Hotspur’s father against Henry IV, it was resurrected by a Day 4: A day which allows us to immerse ourselves in the dailyVictorian romantic, and makes a sumptuous base for our exploration lives of the people of the Wall. We spend the whole morning atof this beautiful region. Welcome drinks and dinner at the hotel. the extraordinary site of Vindolanda, one of the most important in the entire Roman Empire. Here, the environment has preserved aDay 2: A short drive takes us to the east, where we begin with bewildering array of everyday objects - personal letters, children’sWallsend’s elevated view of its fort and reconstructed Roman shoes, combs, even wigs – that allow us to come as close to realbaths before crossing the broad River Tyne to South Shields and Roman life as it is possible to do. The remains of the fort and theits imposing gatehouse. The extensive remains include careful civilian town outside would be impressive even if they were notreconstructions where the cramped and ripe accommodation for the continually changing with the excavations that will be producing newsoldiers contrasts with the huge commander’s house, transplanting insights as we visit. After lunch, a gentle walk past the exceptionalMediterranean living to the far north of the Empire. After a fine lunch, milecastle at Poltross Burn brings us through attractive countryside towe gain an appreciation of the entire Wall system at the excellent the Roman bridge at Willowford and over the intermittently turbulentHancock Museum, a superb location to meet the soldiers, civilians and river. We’ll then climb the rise to Birdoswald fort, perched on a greatgods who inhabited the Roman Wall. and dramatic spur which sweeps down majestically into the Irthing Valley, and whose fort buildings were used through the Dark Ages andDay 3: A short journey takes us to Steel Rigg for a walk through into Medieval times.the Wall’s most breathtaking, wild and romantic scenery, the hardspine of the Great Whin Sill. This most iconic stretch of the Wall still Day 5: We begin the day with a visit to the Roman town of Corbridge,preserves the feeling of being a frontier, as it drives its way through hidden in a quiet spot by the Tyne. The singular, undulating rumpled-ragged, undulating terrain with fine views of Crag Lough and through carpet appearance of the site which you see walking down the mainthe famous Sycamore Gap. We walk up to Housesteads, the most Roman street is owed to the many layers of remains sagging over eachrenowned station on the Wall, where one of its largest forts peers other as you pass shops, granaries, fountains and houses built over aover the Sill’s precipice. Behind it is a civilian settlement where hooded series of early forts in this idyllic place. We move on a short distancelocal gods were worshipped, coins faked and an undiscovered murder to the pretty market town of Hexham, visible from Corbridge, to visitcommitted. After a well-earned lunch, we visit the nearby temple of its Abbey, begun in Anglo-Saxon times. Fragments of Roman buildings128 PETER SOMMER TRAVELS
and inscriptions built into the ancient and long-hidden crypt beneath “WONDERFUL BREAK IN THE NORTH OFthe lofty walls of the Abbey allow us to see where so much of the Wall ENGLAND LEARNING ABOUT ROMAN HISTORYwent. You are free to choose a place to lunch and wander the charming AMONGST FABULOUS ROMAN REMAINS LED BYstreets of this attractive town so central to Border history. From the TWO VERY EXPERIENCED GUIDES. A FASCINATINGrespectability of Hexham, we return to the Wall at Chesters, here set in KALEIDOSCOPE OF CULTURE, FOOD, ART ANDgently rolling riverside parkland. Beautifully framed by wooded low hills EXERCISE. WE WERE LOOKED AFTER VERY WELL.and the churning river, Chesters is blessed with a fine Edwardian museum THANK YOU.”filled with a mass of inscriptions and finds enriching our knowledge of the Freddie & Pam Graham, New Zealandlives of the Roman-era inhabitants and the bewildering array of gods theyworshipped, and the best Roman baths on the Wall. The evening is free to 129dine at your leisure.Day 6: We pass beyond the western section of the Wall and through starkhills looming over deep, winding valleys and roaring becks to the Irish Seacoast at Maryport, to see how the Roman frontier involved far more thanthe Wall alone. Standing sentinel on a bluff with views of Scotland andthe Isle of Man, Maryport houses an internationally-important collectionof altars to the great state god of Rome, Jupiter Optimus Maximus, andsome delightfully rustic images of less far-famed deities. Afterwards, wereturn to Cockermouth in the Lake District for a tour of one of England’sfinest breweries, and a well-earned sampling of the product beforeheading back to the Wall country. To cap a day in which we’ll have seen somuch of the raw beauty of nature, our final destination lays bare how theRoman Wall faded, was reused and likewise became the stuff of Romanticadulation by visiting the distinctive red stone priory at Lanercost. Now arestful ruin, it stamped English medieval civilisation on an area buffeted byconflict, and was home to Edward I on his last journey north. After fallingvictim to Henry VIII it drew the interest of Victorian Romantics, includingdecoration by the Arts & Crafts movement.Day 7: Today we see how the border country was tamed after a longperiod as a medieval battleground. We begin on the east coast with themagnificent castle of Bamburgh, soaring on its impregnable craggy rock,and trace its history from being an Anglo-Saxon royal centre, refuge ofsaints and target of Vikings, through its time as a mighty English royalfortress, philanthropic school and finally to being stately residence ofthe Victorian industrialist and inventor, Lord Armstrong. After lunch,we travel through the hilly wilderness west of Bamburgh to Armstrong’smasterpiece, his house nestled in the forest at Cragside surrounded bysublime lakes and woods, tiered rockeries and gardens spilling down to afine iron bridge spanning a pretty stream. The natural beauty of the site isbrilliantly balanced by Armstrong’s ingenuity in the house, the first to usehydroelectricity, and filled with the paraphernalia of civilised and refinedmodernity. After a rich and rewarding day, we have our farewell dinner.Day 8: Departure.
EXPLORING WESSEX:FROM NEOLITHIC AVEBURY TO GEORGIAN BATHWessex: close to our home base, and closeto our hearts, a beautiful region of England,which perfectly encapsulates the history andculture of the country.From the ancient chalk downlands of Wiltshire, through thelush tree-clad hills and combes of Gloucestershire to the mistybeauty of the Somerset Levels, this is the England of the mind’seye. We will take you to dramatic cathedrals with soaringspires, serene abbeys, beautiful country houses with romanticruins and sublime gardens, elegant Roman villas and into thedeep past of Stone Age England, where it all began.All of England’s history can be seen in this region repletewith World Heritage Sites. We begin with the truly ancientlandscape of Wiltshire, which still feels indefinably old, evento those familiar with the ancient world. Through encounterswith ridge-top sepulchres, the awe-inspiring great stone circlesat Stonehenge and Avebury and the strange wonder of SilburyHill, you will see how humanity passed from the Mesolithicand embedded itself in the landscape in the Neolithic, one ofthe most dramatic eras in England’s history, and nowhere seenbetter than here. The depth of our story can be appreciatedwhen even the Celts and Romans arrive only at its middle. Thistour introduces you to some of their finest sites and traces,from the fine mosaics of Britain’s second largest Roman town,through the richly decorated villa at Chedworth to the piousmelding of Roman and British religion in the hot springs of thegreat shrine at Bath. SALISBURY CATHEDRAL, WILTSHIRE130 PETER SOMMER TRAVELS
SUDELEY CASTLECHEDWORTH VILLABERKELEY CASTLE CORINIUM MUSEUM BATH AVEBURY WEST KENNET LONG BARROWGLASTONBURY STONEHENGE SALISBURY OLD SARUM STONEHENGE 1 SUN JULY 1 - SAT JULY 7, 2018MODER ATE Tour Guides: Paul Beston & Dr. Michael Metcalfe 7 DAYS - £2,795 / Single Supplement: £375 Includes all breakfasts, 4 lunches and 4 dinnersThe castles and holy places of the Middle Ages, and the famous sights.new Kingdom of England, come into view next. We'llencounter the powerful Marcher Lords in the castle at From green fields with enigmatic henges, outposts ofBerkeley, meet saints and hear of a powerful prelate cast Roman civilisation in wooded valleys, emblems of Normandown at Old Sarum. power and Georgian taste, there is no finer place to begin your exploration of England’s long and inspiring history.At Glastonbury we see a beautiful monastery suppressed,leaving romantic ruins and enduring myth. Then, our story “Exploring Wessex was one of the best holiday tours I've everfollows the varying fortunes of the great families, as some been on. The daily site tours were definitely the highlights offall in Civil War and others prosper and build great country the tour. Each day was something new and wonderful. Mealshouses, ready to enter the refined and genteel world of were well planned and delicious and our tour leaders, PaulGeorgian elegance and high society in the respectable, and Michael, were excellent guides. Their Wessex knowledgeelevated beauty of Bath. was impressive. We didn't miss out on anything. I highly recommend Exploring Wessex to anyone who is interestedAll of this is accompanied by fine dining, visits to traditional in English history or if you are just looking for a wonderfulEnglish pubs, locally brewed ales and ciders and tastes of holiday. Peter Sommer Travels is the way to go.”some of the world-famous specialities of the region. Atnight we stay firstly in a beautiful Italianate-style Victorian Alison Morton, California, USAcountry house set in wonderful gardens in the heart ofthe Wiltshire countryside before heading to Bath and anelegant mansion house hotel on the edge of one of the citycentre parks and only minutes away from some of its most 131
GLASTONBURY ABBEY SUDELEY CASTLEEXPLORING WESSEX:FROM NEOLITHIC AVEBURY TO GEORGIAN BATHDay 1: Arrivals and transfer to our Country House Hotel in the heart Day 4: After checking out of our hotel, we drive to Old Sarum, a siteof Wiltshire and on the edge of the North Wessex Downs. Welcome with a very long history. An Iron Age fort, into which the Normansdrinks and dinner. set a castle and richly-decorated Cathedral. A short journey brings us to the lovely city of Salisbury and after seeing some of the finestDay 2: We begin with some of the earliest and most evocative remains from the age of Stonehenge, we pick up the story of Oldmonuments in British history, all set in the beautiful rolling countryside Sarum and visit the exquisite and fragile beauty of Salisbury Cathedral.around Avebury. After a short drive, we enter this unrivalled Neolithic Here we see Magna Carta one of the most celebrated documents inlandscape at West Kennet long barrow, which looks out from its English history, and a founding influence on the American colonies andprominent ridge from behind a great veil of massive sarsen stones. Constitution. After lunch we drive to the famed site of GlastonburyAfter a traditional pub lunch overlooking the ancient stone circle, Abbey, whose picturesque ruins are surrounded with a haze ofwe visit the Keiller Museum to expand our picture of its long-gone medieval legends connecting it to Joseph of Arimathea, the Holy Grailmakers, before enjoying the afternoon exploring the house and and King Arthur, Camelot and The Knights of the Round Table.gardens of the attractive Tudor and Georgian Avebury Manor. Finally,we return to the Neolithic to view the extraordinary Silbury Hill, a Day 5: Today, we visit two large sites which reveal the changingmassive man-made eminence, as old as the pyramids. The evening is fortunes, lives and taste of the aristocracy from the Marcher Lords offree to dine at your leisure. the medieval period through the tempestuous era of the Civil War to the gentility of Georgian Britain. In the morning, we drive to BerkeleyDay 3: We journey into the Cotswolds – designated as one of Castle, where the mighty walls of a vast and powerful medievalEngland’s ‘Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty’ – and come to the fortress rise steeply from the green surroundings of the Berkeleydefining type of Roman site, the villa at Chedworth a spacious and Vale. After lunch, we visit the picturesque jewel of Sudeley Castle. Itopulent home in isolated and beautiful countryside. After a short drive is its owners who are the people that really make Sudeley stand out inwe reach Cirencester and the Corinium Museum. Following lunch history. Richard III was an owner, Henry VIII was here, and Elizabeth.in a wonderful country pub we return to our hotel for some time Henry’s last wife, Catherine Parr came here with her new husband,to relax before heading to Stonehenge to see the visitor centre and the ambitious, lascivious and lecherous Thomas Seymour, for the lastmuseum. Leaving the visitor centre we head to an historic eighteenth hopeful, and tragic, part of her life. Uniquely for a queen, she is buriedcentury Manor, parts of which are five hundred years older, and which in the lovely church that is part of the estate. An evening free to dinenumbers Henry VIII’s third wife Jane Seymour and Lord Cardigan as at leisure.former occupants, for dinner in truly atmospheric surroundings.132 PETER SOMMER TRAVELS
Day 6: A whole day in the magnificent World Heritage Site of Bath THE ROMAN BATHSbrings some of our earlier experiences together in some of the 133most perfect vistas Britain boasts. This exceptionally beautiful citycombines a long and extraordinary history with rich connectionsto some of England’s greatest writers and artists, and a breath-taking sweep of delectable Palladian architecture in warm BathStone with a forest of neo-classical columns. Bath offers the mostperfect image of the heights of Georgian sophistication to be seenin the whole country and is a transporting experience for our finalday.We begin with a visit to the Roman Baths, where a Celtic sacredspring was turned into a vast Roman religious complex. We visitthe fine modern museum with its extraordinary array of remainsand view the miraculous spring itself, its naturally heated andsulphurous gushing flow still inspiring awe today. After lunch whereyou are free to dine where you choose we discover how thehealing reputation of the spa waters brought Bath a second periodof fame inspired by Queen Anne’s visits and the Georgian andRegency Bath of Jane Austen.We follow in their footsteps through the ordered andmathematically-perfect yet delightful streets to enjoy some ofBath's most famous buildings. Robert Adam’s perfect PulteneyBridge, the vast bow of the Royal Crescent, complete with a deepGeorgian ha-ha and The Circus testify to the rarefied society ofthis most attractive city. We have our farewell dinner in one of thecity’s best restaurants, an unforgettable way to end a delightfulencounter with England’s riches.Day 7: Transfer to either Bath Railway Station or BristolInternational Airport. “I CANNOT COMPLIMENT PETER SOMMER TRAVELS ENOUGH ON A WELL-PLANNED ITINERARY AND ON THE EXPERTISE OF THE TWO TOUR LEADERS, PAUL BESTON AND MICHAEL METCALFE. THE ACCOMMODATIONS, THE DINING AND THE DRINKING EXPERIENCES WERE SUPERB AND THE CHOICE OF THE HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL VENUES WAS EXCELLENT. BOTH PAUL AND MICHAEL EXCELLED AT ELUCIDATING THE HISTORY OF THE WESSEX REGION AND MADE THE LEARNING EXPERIENCE BOTH ENRICHING AND ENTERTAINING. ENJOYED EVERY MINUTE!” Bill & Marie Iams, Newfoundland, CAN
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONSWhat sort of people go on your trips? and physically tiring. Your physical fitness should therefore be of a level that will allow you to get the most from the chosen tour.We consider our archaeological tours to be very much self-selecting.Our guests are usually well travelled, enthusiastic and curious about 1 2 3exploring new countries and cultures. They come from an incrediblywide range of professional backgrounds. Some have never been on an MODER ATE ENERGETIC INTENSIVEescorted tour before; others have been on cultural tours all aroundthe world. About 35% of our guests come from the UK, 40% from While all of our tours involve an element of walking, the distance,the US and Canada and the remaining 25% split between Australia, duration and terrain can differ considerably. So we've graded our tripsNew Zealand, Europe and beyond. On average, about a quarter of the to better help you assess the level of fitness needed in order to enjoypeople on our trips are single travellers. them to the full.How old are your customers? Moderate: Level walking, gentle hills or slopes, city walking, steps, tracks and paths, some uneven ground.Our trips appeal to quite a wide age range. Generally speaking, mostare in their 40s-70s. We have had a number of clients in their 80s. Our Energetic: Walking includes some steep slopes and narrow paths overfamily tours have usually attracted parents with children aged between rugged terrain. Some loose stones underfoot and walls to climb over.6 and 17. We are finding more and more people in their 30s wanting Duration max 4hrs.to travel with us - those who want to explore and learn whilst having arelaxing time in a beautiful place. Intensive: Walking includes rocky and rugged terrain with loose stones underfoot. Challenging tracks and paths requiring a good sense ofDo people get seasick on a gulet trip? balance. Some long stretches of uphill and downhill walking with steep gradients. Duration max 7hrs, distance max 10 miles (16 km).Possibly, but very, very rarely! The non-tidal Mediterranean is a verydifferent proposition to the great seas and oceans, though of course How do people get to the gulet, or the first hotel, atthe weather can blow up at times. The gulets we use are all broad and the start of a trip?beamy offering a very comfortable ride. We watch the weather veryclosely and try to avoid any rough seas, taking shelter in the numerous We arrange transfers for our guests from the local airport closest tocoves and bays along the coast. Some guests take precautions: travel the starting point of a tour on the first day of a trip and then returnsickness pills, acupressure wrist bands, medical patches and we’ve them to the local airport closest to the ending point of a holiday onhad a number of ladies who insist that brandy helps! But usually even the final day. These transfers on these days are included in our tourguests who had been apprehensive before feel fine throughout their prices.cruise. Most people tell us that being on deck in the sunny fresh airgazing at the ever-changing horizon is more than enough to ward off Do I need to pay a single supplement if I am willing toany passing feelings of mal de mer. share a room or cabin?How fit do I need to be to join one of your tours? Often our single customers splash out and book a room or cabin for themselves, but if you have a travelling companion with whom youOur tours by their very nature involve a significant amount of walking, are willing to share, or there is another single traveller booked on aoften in hot and humid climatic conditions, as well as scrambling over trip who is willing to share a twin room or cabin, we won’t, of course,rough terrain on archaeological sites which are frequently rugged and charge you a supplement.with loose rocks underfoot. This can make them difficult to negotiate134 PETER SOMMER TRAVELS
How well does Air-Con work on Gulets? itinerary at the right time of day and with plenty of time to explore them thoroughly. Weather and time permitting, we'll do our best toAll the gulets we use for our scheduled tours are equipped with air ensure you’ll have the opportunity to sail at least once in a one weekconditioning. However, local noise regulations prevent gulets from trip. If conditions permit, we'll sail more often.operating the AC overnight. Air conditioning requires power fromthe onboard generator. Often gulets are not permitted to run AC in Are towels and bed linen provided on board theharbour, nor are they permitted to run it throughout the night when gulet?moored out of harbour. All bed linen is provided on the gulet. Depending on the temperatureIn hot temperatures when moored out of a harbour, the Captain and individual preference there is a choice of sheets, blankets andusually runs the AC in the evening to cool cabins before guests retire. duvets. Each guest has three towels - a large bathroom towel, a handMany guests take advantage of the warm weather to sleep out on deck towel and one for swimming. Guests are welcome to bring their ownunder the stars. towels. All bed linen and towels are laundered once a week.Can it be noisy at night during a gulet cruise? Are there electrical outlets on the gulet and what adaptors do we need?On our gulet cruises, we often spend nights anchored in remote covesand bays, either as the only boat present or along with few others. Electricity aboard is 220V and requires European-style two-pin plugs.During those nights, the only prevalent noises are the lapping of the There is an outlet in each cabin, typically in the bathroom, so you canwaves, the hypnotic but unobtrusive creaking of the wooden hull and use hair driers/shavers etc. and of course you can charge phones/now and then the blowing of the wind. Other nights are spent moored camera batteries there. When we are docked in a designated harbourin small ports or marinas. The frequency of such nights depends on rather than out in a bay, the gulet receives electricity directly by cablethe itinerary in question as well as the weather. from shore mains power. While the gulet is cruising or anchored out, its electricity is provided by the generator, so there may be occasionalNights in harbour can be noisier than nights in bays, with a range periods in a day when the electricity is not on, or might be diverted toof potential noise sources, ranging from chatting on neighbouring necessities - e.g. fridges, freezers etc.boats to shore traffic and music etc. from local restaurants and bars,even occasional concerts. We try where possible to offer a mix of Do you have Wi-Fi on your gulets and will there benights in harbour and out in bays so our guests get a full and rounded good cell phone/mobile reception during the trip?experience. If you are concerned about noise, are a very light sleeperor habitually use earplugs, we recommend you bring earplugs with you All gulets on scheduled tours carry a wi-fi router. It provides webfor your own comfort. access to a limited number of internet-enabled devices at the same time. We ask that guests use the wi-fi responsibly and avoid largeHow often do your gulets sail? down/uploads and be mindful of other guests, logging their device off when not in use. Internet access relies on land-based 3G networks;The gulets we use on our scheduled tours all have sails and are very signal quality can vary, occasionally there is none.capable sailing craft, but gulets are relatively large and heavy (which,of course, gives them a stable motion, typically weighing in at over Similarly, mobile/cellphone signal depends on our location. There is100 tonnes.) So, unlike light fibreglass boats, the gulets require a fair good coverage along most of the coast but at times it may be weak oramount of wind to get them sailing. Naturally, we intentionally don't SOS-only level. If you plan to use your own native mobile/cellphone,sail in strong winds, as this would be uncomfortable for guests and please ask your provider about roaming rates and activationwould require much larger crews. procedures.Another consideration affecting sailing is our need to maintain our For a more detailed list of FAQ’s visit:itineraries. We usually cruise for about three to four hours a day,generally by motor to keep to schedule, so we can visit sites in the www.petersommer.com 135
BOOKING FORMPlease complete form in block capitalsName of tour: Gulet Tours: Cabin preferred: twin doubleDeparture date: Land Tours: Room preferred: twin double singleTravellers’ names Travel insurance(Please complete with title & name as detailed in your passport):Title First Names Name of insurer Surname Policy No. Emergency Tel No. Nationality Date of Birth Next of kin Place of Birth Passport No. or contact in case of emergency Tel. Relationship Issue Date Expiry Date Deposit payment: £475 per person - non refundableTitle First Names Bank transfer for Credit card forSurname Cheque forNationality Date of Birth Health - Do you have any disability or medical condition that might prevent you from participating fully in the tour?Place of Birth Passport No. Issue Date Expiry Date Address Special requests - Do you have any special requests (i.e. Dietary requirements)? Postcode/ZipTel (H) (W) Please send any specific details in a separate letter if necessaryMobile Fax I have read and agreed to the booking conditions on behalf of all those listed above and hereby confirm my booking.EmailPeter Sommer Travels Ltd, Chippenham house, 102 Monnow Street, Signature DateMonmouth, NP25 3EQ, UK136 PETER SOMMER TRAVELS
GENERAL INFORMATION Tour Cost VisasThe tour cost includes: For Turkey and cruises through the Greek Islands that pass through Turkish customs, visas are easily obtained online at Road transfers by minibus www.evisa.gov.tr and must be purchased before you travel. Airport transfers on first and last day of tour Citizens of European Union or Schengen Treaty member states Full board accommodation, except where specified need no visa for Greece, Croatia or Italy. Those from the Site entrance fees United States, Canada and Australia do not need to apply for Gratuities on land a visa to visit Greece, Croatia or Italy for trips of less than 90 Harbour fees and crew services days duration. Other nationalities should contact their local Excursions accompanied by an expert guide consulate or ask us for further advice. WiFi on our scheduled gulet cruises (coverage permitting) HealthMineral water, tea and coffee are complimentary on all our tours.On our scheduled trips wine is included with dinner, other drinks Guidelines laid down by the UK Department of Health say youare extra and there is a reasonably priced bar for guests’ use. Bar do not require any specific inoculations for the areas covered inbills can be settled in cash at the end of the trip. these tours.Not included: Payment Protection Flights and airport taxes We are a Member of ABTA, membership number Y6151. Peter Visas Sommer Travels Ltd. has provided a Bond held by ABTA to Travel insurance meet the requirements of the Package Travel, Package Holidays Gratuities on the gulet. It is customary to tip the crew at the and Package Tours Regulations 1992. All passengers booking end of a tour. We recommend about £12 per day per guest. with us are fully protected as detailed in the ABTA Bond for their initial deposit and balance payments made, in the unlikely How to Book event of cancellation or curtailment of your travel arrangements due to our insolvency.Contact us to check availability and make a provisional reservation.We will hold this for 1 week. To confirm your booking complete Data Protectionthe booking form and send it to us with your deposit of £475per person. Please remember to read the booking conditions. In order to provide your holiday, we need to collect certainPayments may be paid by: personal details from you and as appropriate, pass these on to suppliers and other third parties. We would like to keep and1. Bank transfer. Please contact us for our bank details. use these details for the purpose of sending you our brochure2. Credit card. We accept credit card and UK debit cards for and other marketing material in the future. Full details of ourdeposit payments only. Contact us for more details. data protection policy can be found on our website. 137
ESSENTIAL BOOKING CONDITIONSBookings with Peter Sommer Travels Ltd. are only accepted subject to the terms and Bookings are accepted on the understanding that they appreciate the possible riskconditions set out in our full booking conditions available on our website or on request. inherent in such cultural travel and that they undertake our tours, walks or cruisesPlease read them carefully. on that basis.Payments PassportsA deposit is required in order to confirm your chosen holiday. You will be informed At the time of publishing the passport and visa requirements applicable to Britishof the deposit amount required at the time of booking. The balance of the cost citizens for the holidays we offer to Turkey require all travellers to have a passportmust be paid at least 10 weeks before the scheduled start. If booking 10 weeks or valid for a minimum of six months from their arrival date into Turkey and at leastless from the scheduled start, payment must be made in full. We reserve the right three months validity beyond their return date from Turkey, in addition you willto cancel any booking for which full payment has not been received on the due also be required to purchase a visa before you travel. To enter Schengen countriesdate and to levy cancellation charges as set out below. If you make a booking on (Greece and Italy) for up to three months your passport must be valid for thebehalf of others as well as yourself, we shall take it that you have the authority of duration of the stay and no visa is required. We strongly recommend travellingeach of those other people to enter into the contract on the basis of these booking with at least 6 months validity on your passport at all times. Requirements mayconditions and that you and they have agreed to be jointly and severally liable to us. change and you must check the up to date position in good time before departure.By requesting a booking, the ‘lead booker’ confirms that he/she is so authorised. Nationals of other countries should ascertain whether visas are required inThe lead booker is responsible for making all payments due to us. their case and obtain them if they are. A full British passport presently takes approximately 2 to 6 weeks to obtain. If you or any member of your party is 16Contract & Legal or over and haven't yet got a passport, our recommendation is that you shouldSubject to the availability of your chosen arrangements, we will confirm your apply for one at least 6 weeks before your holiday. The UK Passport Serviceholiday by issuing a deposit receipt. The deposit receipt will be sent to the lead has to confirm your identity before issuing your first passport and will ask you tobooker. Please check the deposit receipt carefully as soon as you receive it. attend an interview in order to do this. If you or any member of your party is notContact us immediately if any information which appears on the deposit receipt a British citizen or holds a non British passport, you must check passport and visaor any other document appears to be incorrect or incomplete as it may not be requirements with the Embassy or Consulate of the country(ies) to or throughpossible to make changes later. We regret we cannot accept any liability if we are which you are intending to travel. Please note that some countries require anot notified of any inaccuracies (for which we are responsible) in any document passport valid for 3-6 months after travel.within ten days of our sending it out. We will do our best to rectify any mistakenotified to us outside these time limits but you must meet any costs involved in A visa might not be issued if the passport is valid for less than six months after thedoing so. A binding contract between us comes into existence when we despatch date of your return. It is therefore essential to check and renew your passport inour deposit receipt to the lead booker. We both agree that English Law (and no good time. All costs incurred in obtaining such documentation must be paid by you.other) will apply to your contract and to any dispute, claim or other matter of We regret we cannot accept any liability if you are refused entry onto any transportany description which arises between us (except as set out below). We both also or into any country due to failure on your part to carry all required documentation.agree that any dispute, claim or other matter of any description (and whether or If failure to have any necessary travel or other documents results in fines,not involving any personal injury) which arises between us which cannot be settled surcharges or other financial penalty being imposed on us, you will be responsibledirectly must be dealt with under the AITO Dispute Settlement Service (see below) for reimbursing us accordingly.or within the jurisdiction of the Courts of England and Wales only unless, in thecase of Court proceedings, you live in Scotland or Northern Ireland. In this case, Insuranceproceedings must either be brought in the Courts of your home country or those We consider adequate travel insurance to be essential. You should ensure thatof England and Wales. If proceedings are brought in Scotland or Northern Ireland, you have sufficient insurance to cover any medical treatment, repatriation and/you may choose to have your contract and claim governed by the law of Scotland/ or cancellation charges and property loss. Travellers who lack adequate insuranceNorthern Ireland as applicable (but if you do not so choose, English law will apply). cover are responsible for indemnifying us in full of any such responsibilities and any losses or expenses arising out of your failure to take out adequate insurance cover.Medical Conditions/Disabilities/General Health & Fitness Please note that we recommend that you should organise travel insurance as soonIf you or any member of your party has any medical condition or disability which as possible after booking as cover (including cancellation cover) will not be effectivemay affect your holiday or has any special requirements as a result of any medical until you have paid all applicable premiums in full. We do not check insurancecondition or disability (including any which affect the booking process), please tell policies; however we request written details (insurer’s name, policy number andus before you confirm your booking so that we can assist you in considering the emergency contact number). Please read your policy details carefully and takesuitability of the arrangements and/or making the booking. In any event, you must them with you on tour. It is your responsibility to ensure that the insurance covergive us full details in writing at the time of booking and whenever any change in you purchase is suitable and adequate for your particular needs. You accept fullthe condition or disability occurs. You must also promptly advise us if any medical responsibility for ensuring that all members of your party comply with the termscondition or disability which may affect your holiday develops after your booking and conditions of the travel insurance purchased.has been confirmed. Once on the tour, it is up to us to determine if your levelof fitness is sufficient to tackle the challenges presented by each day’s activities.138 PETER SOMMER TRAVELS
Changes by You the minimum numbers of bookings required for a particular holiday have notShould you wish to make any changes to your confirmed tour or holiday been received, we are entitled to cancel it. We will notify you of cancellation forarrangements, you must notify us in writing as soon as possible. Whilst we this reason no later than 10 weeks before departure. Where a change is a minorwill endeavour to assist, we cannot guarantee we will be able to meet any change, we will, if practical, advise you before departure, but we are not obligedsuch requests. Any change is subject to availability and also to payment of an to do so. Most changes are minor but occasionally we have to make a significantadministration fee of up to £35 per person and any associated costs of the change change. A significant change is a change made before departure which, takingimposed by our suppliers. A change of tour dates will normally be treated as a account of the information you give us at the time of booking and which we cancancellation of the original booking and rebooking in which case cancellation reasonably be expected to know as a tour operator, we can reasonably expect tocharges will apply. Changes may result in the recalculation of the holiday price have a major effect on your holiday. If we make a significant change to your holidaywhere, for example, the basis on which the price of the original holiday was we will inform you as soon as reasonably possible if there is time before yourcalculated has changed. departure. Examples of significant changes include a change to a lower standard of accommodation for the whole or a major part of your holiday or a significant changeTransferring Bookings to the itinerary.If any member of your party is prevented from travelling, the person(s) concernedmay transfer their place to someone else (introduced by you) providing we are Please note that these are examples only and there may be other changes whichnotified not less than 30 days before departure. This right of transfer is subject to are considered major. You will then have the choice of either accepting the change,an administration fee of £30 per person. The person prevented from travelling and or take an alternative holiday (paying or receiving a refund / credit in respect ofthe transferee shall be liable to us for the payment of the balance, together with any any price difference) or cancelling your booked holiday and receiving a full refundadditional charges imposed by the suppliers providing the component parts of your of monies paid. In the unlikely event that we become unable to provide a significantholiday. proportion of your trip after you depart, we will make alternative arrangements for you to continue your holiday. If this is impossible, or you do not accept theseCancellation by You alternative arrangements for a good reason, we will pay you compensationShould you or any member of your party need to cancel your holiday once it has of an amount which is reasonable taking into account all the circumstances.been confirmed, the lead booker must immediately advise us in writing. Your notice Compensation will not be considered appropriate, for example, in cases where weof cancellation will only be effective when it is received in writing by us at our are unable to provide your contracted holiday services as a result of force majeureoffices. As we incur costs from the time we confirm your booking, the following or because of lack of numbers. No compensation will be payable and the abovecancellation charges will be payable. Where the cancellation charge is shown as a options will not be available if we cancel as a result of your failure to comply withpercentage, this is calculated on the basis of the total cost payable by the person(s) any requirement of these booking conditions entitling us to cancel (such as payingcancelling excluding amendment charges. Amendment charges are not refundable in on time) or where a change is a minor one.the event of cancellation. ABTAMore than 70 days before departure: Deposit only ABTA: We are a Member of ABTA, membership number Y6151. We are obliged to69-37 days prior to departure: 50% of the total cost maintain a high standard of service to you by ABTA’s Code of Conduct.36-22 days prior to departure: 75% of the total cost21 days or less prior to departure: 100% of the total cost Financial Protection We provide full financial protection for our package holidays, by way of a bond heldWe consider the cancellation day to be that on which we receive written by ABTA.confirmation of your cancellation. Where a refund is payable there will be an Flights & Transfersadministration fee of £35 per person. Depending on the reason for cancellation, We have no connection with any airline and suggest making reservations directly with the airline, online or with a flight specialist. Airport transfers on the first andyou may be able to reclaim these cancellation charges (less any applicable excess) last day of the scheduled tour are included in the cost of your booking. If you are arriving or leaving on different days you will need to make your own arrangementsunder the terms of your insurance policy. Claims must be made directly to the regarding transfer to or from arrival and departure airports. If you arrive late, we will do our best to enable you to join the tour at a convenient time and place butinsurance company concerned. cannot make any guarantees that you will be able to.Changes & Cancellation by UsWe will make every effort to operate the specially arranged tours according to thedescriptions and itineraries described. Although it is unlikely that we will have tomake any changes to your travel arrangements or cancel confirmed arrangements,we must reserve the right to do so should it become necessary or advisable.However, we promise we will only cancel your confirmed booking after you havemade full payment where we are forced to do so as a result of circumstancesoutside our control/“force majeure” or lack of minimum numbers. We will notcancel after this date for any other reason. Please note our holidays require aminimum number of participants to enable us to operate them. If 139
[email protected] “PERSONAL ATTENTION IS THE HALLMARK OF PETERwww.petersommer.com SOMMER TRAVELS. FROM THE MOMENT YOU ARRIVE, YOUTel: UK +44 (0)1600 888220 ARE MADE TO FEEL WELCOME AND SPECIAL. NO WONDERFax: UK +44 (0)1600 888221 SO MANY OF THE GUESTS RETURN YEAR AFTER YEAR.”Tel: US toll free +1 855 4433027 Wendy DiGiglio, New York, USAChippenham House, 102 Monnow St,Monmouth, NP25 3EQ, UK American Society of Travel Agents PETER SOMMER TRAVELS
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