Top 5 Expert-Led Tours for 2025
Join celebrity chef James Martin and cruise the Venetian lagoon on board the luxurious ship SS La Venezia. You'll have exclusive access to some of the city's top sights including St Mark's Basilica, the church on Torcello and Doge's palace. You'll also have the opportunity to spend time in Burano, Murano, Mazzorbo, and Chioggia - with excursions included along the way. James will join you for a day on board for a private Q&A session about his life and career and give a talk as well as curating and cooking a special gala dinner.
Same destination, different expert: Alternatively cruise the Venetian Lagoon with Angela Hartnett
Embark the luxurious SS Maria Theresa as you cruise the beating heart of Central Europe - the river Danube - from Munich to Budapest. This is a very special sailing, as you'll be joined by virtuoso Russell Watson, who is celebrating his Silver Anniversary this year and will be performing an intimate concert in Dürnstein. Full of musical links, you'll also watch a Mozart and Strauss concert in the heart of Vienna and call at Salzburg - the birthplace of Mozart and where you'll discover filming locations from the beloved film The Sound of Music on a guided tour.
Our best-selling tour of the Scottish Highlands with Carol Kirkwood returns for 2025, and now's your chance to ride the iconic Jacobite steam train. This four-day itinerary sees you travel over land, sea and loch, with multiple journeys powered by steam - with the highlight being a trip on the Fort William/Mallaig line on the Jacobite steam train with Carol Kirkwood. The route is frequently voted the world's greatest, passing rugged scenery of craggy coastlines and inland lochs.
Step back in time and explore the regency town of Bath on the 250th birthday of author Jane Austen. Joining you on this special tour is historian and Jane Austen expert, Lucy Worsley who will accompany you on a walking tour of the city and see the locations which inspired the writers best loved novels. You will also visit Jane Austen's House in Chawton, visit two filming locations used for adaptations of Pride And Prejudice and visit the Jane Austen Centre to find out more about the author's connections to the city. After your tour, you'll enjoy a cruise along the River Avon, passing under the historic Pulteney Bridge on this tour of Jane Austen's Bath.
Experience the magic of Norway's Arctic Circle on this twelve-day voyage on board either MS Midnatsol or MS Nordnorge, as you go in search of the Northern Lights. Sail on a round trip from Bergen to Kirkenes cruising through picturesque landscapes and tranquil fjords with plenty of opportunity to catch a glimpse of the country's unique wildlife, including puffins and humpback whales. A highlight of the trip is the company of expert astronomer, Dr John Mason OBE who'll deliver a series of lectures on our galaxy's stars, planets and meteors, plus the Northern Lights.
