Ancient & classic world tours

Not at all. These tours suit everyone from the merely curious to scholars and academics, and everyone in between. If you have read widely you will find plenty to discuss, and if you have not, the specialists travelling with you build up a picture during the holiday, and their role is to really help you understand the story of the past. 

Archaeologists, classicists and historians who study these sites and time periods. Walking a forum, an amphitheatre or a frontier fort with someone who can tell you what stood where, who paid for it and what it was meant to say about Rome is a different experience from walking it alone. 

Both, depending on the itinerary. Some concentrate on one civilisation, while others follow the places where they meet, which is most of the Mediterranean. Sicily is the clearest example, with Greek temples, Roman villas and Norman cathedrals within a single island. 

Not at all. Whilst our itineraries include them, our real strength lies in going beyond them, bringing you to lesser-known locations, active excavations, and hidden gems you wouldn't easily find on your own. The focus is always on depth of understanding rather than ticking off famous landmarks, so you'll come away with a genuine appreciation of the history and context behind each place, well-known or otherwise.

Classical sites are usually large, open and unshaded, with uneven paving, steps and long distances between structures. Most Mediterranean and North African itineraries are timed for spring and autumn, when the walking is more comfortable. Each itinerary carries an activity level of light, moderate or active so you know what to expect before you book. 

Very much so, and many guests travel solo. Shared interest naturally leads to easy conversation, and friendships formed on tour often outlast it. 

Spring and autumn suit most Mediterranean itineraries, with comfortable temperatures and quieter sites. North African tours run mainly through the cooler months, and a few tours travel deliberately out of season to reach major sites without the crowds.