Small Group Tours

Explore the back roads of Germany, Italy and beyond…

• Maximum Group Size of 18

• Scenic Back-Roads Not Motorways

• Authentic Local Experiences

• Leisurely Paced Itineraries

• Charming Local Accommodation

• Culinary Experiences

Exclusive

Book by 31st March 2016Prices will increase

Travel the back roads with like-minded people and experience specially selected accommodation, loaded with charm and home comforts. Dine with the locals in their favourite restaurants, meet traditional producers, and mingle with the local characters who enrich the heritage of their communities.

With small group touring, the journey is just as important as the destination; travelling along beautiful back roads in a mini coach enables you to enjoy spectacular scenery, and explore hidden gems along the way.

Scenic Back Roads, Not Motorways

Authentic Local Experiences

Leisurely Paced Itineraries

Charming Local Accommodation

Culinary Experiences

Maximum Group Size of 18

5 Reasons You’ll Love Our Small Group ToursMaximum group size of 18

These tours aren’t called small group tours for nothing. A limited number of spaces means that you won't be sharing your experiences with hoards of other travellers. The maximum number of people on any tour will be 18 and in certain cases this is even lower. Plus, there only needs to be four people booked on for the tour to go ahead.

Travel In Style

The vehicles in which you will be travelling will be a far cry from the coaches commonly used for tours. You will climb on board a stylish, air-conditioned Mercedes Benz, which is perfectly suited to this kind of travel. Because it is a much smaller vehicle than most coaches, we can take you further into the heart of a destination, down cobbled streets and through low tunnels.

The Journey is The Destination

Many touring holidays enable you to visit important sights and major cities, but with small group touring there is so much more to be gained!

Exclusive - Book by 31st March 2016 - Prices will increase

Low Single Supplements

Touring on your own is a great way to see the world, but singles are often hit with high supple-ments, making many trips unviable. If you choose to travel solo on one of our small group tours, you can relax in the knowledge that you won't incur any sky-high fees. In fact, you're likely to be joined by other likeminded people who are holidaying on their own.

Immersive Experiences

Because these tours feature small numbers of people, you'll be able to take part in many more immersive experiences. Not only will you see things that are off the beaten track, you will get to stay in quirky and unique accommodation, get hands on with the local culture and use all your senses to explore your surroundings.

There's So Much Included

One of the best things about these tours is that so much is included in the price you pay. Along with the accommodation, you will have the expertise provided by your tour leader, the services of local guides who speak many different languages, a number of different meals throughout the trip and a range of immersive activities like those mentioned above.

If you like, you can also extend your holiday by combining two tours together or adding pre or post stays in certain cities!

On the following pages we feature some of the most popular, fascinating and leisurely regional tours around Germany and Italy…

Call free on 0808 163 5880 to find out more

Berlin to BohemiaDeparting between: 01 May - 30 September 2016

From £1,349 per person

Come with us, along roads less travelled by westerners, as we explore beyond the former Iron Curtain. Explore Potsdam, Leipzig and Dresden and see some of Europe's finest buildings as we travel through Bohemia to Prague - a gem among eastern European cities with magnificent palaces, beautiful spires and atmospheric cobbled streets leading into magical medieval squares.

Itinerary:

• Day 1 - 2: Berlin

• Day 3: Berlin - Potsdam - Berlin

• Day 4: Berlin - Lutherstadt Wittenberg - Leipzig

• Day 5: Leipzig

• Day 6: Leipzig - Dresden - Terezin Memorial - Prague

• Day 7: Prague

Small Group Tours

Germany

From Berlin to Bohemia, Alsace & the Black Forest, to Germany’s Romantic Road; you can bear witness to fairytale castles and mighty rivers, whilst soaking up the local culture of some of Germany’s most fascinating regions.

Highlights:

• Stay two nights in Leipzig - explore the city’s classical music heritage and visit the Stasi Museum, where the former secret police spied on citizens and visitors alike

• Taste seasonal beer specialities in Berlin

• Relax and take in the ‘city of a thousand spires’ on a gentle river cruise through the heart of Prague

What’s Included:

• 6 nights' accommodation

• Flights from London and overseas transfers

• Driver/tour leader & mini-coach transport

• European breakfast daily & 3 evening meals

• Beer tasting in Berlin

• Prague's Moldova River cruise

• Included Entrances: Asisi Panorama - The Wall, Sanssouci Palace, Stasi museum, Terezin Memorial, St Vitus's Cathedral & more

Exclusive - Book by 31st March 2016 - Prices will increase

Germany's Romantic Back-Road to ViennaDeparting between: 01 May - 31 October 2016

From £2,499 per person

Germany's Romantic Road offers some of the most spectacular views of the Bavarian landscape, with its beautiful half-timbered chalets which appear to belong to giant cuckoo clocks and magnificent castles which may have come straight out of fairy tales. The alpine foothills stretch out across the Austrian border to form a stunning backdrop. Sparkling lakes dot the deep valleys and take centre stage in the foreground

Alsace & The Black ForestDeparting between: 01 June - 30 September 2016

From £1,879 per person

On this journey south between Frankfurt and Zurich we explore the Alsace and Baden-Wurttemberg regions of France and Germany. Along the way we will visit well-preserved old towns, a former Nazi concentration camp and the ever-changing landscapes of the Black Forest. We will also take a journey on one of Germany's most scenic railways, learn how to make the perfect Black Forest gateau and enjoy Alsace wines and locally produced German brandies.

Highlights:

• Meet a local craftsman in the Black Forest to learn how traditional cuckoo clocks are made

• Pass through tunnel after tunnel aboard the Schwarzwaldbahn, one of Germany’s most sce-nic train journeys

• Explore Natzweiler-Struthof, the only Nazi con-centration camp on French territory

• Stay two nights in the heart of Germany’s Black Forest

What’s Included:

• 8 nights' accommodation

• Flights from London and overseas transfers

• Tour leader, driver & mini-coach transport

• European breakfast daily & 3 evening meals

• Brandy, Alsace wine & sparkling wine tastings

• Black Forest cheese tasting

• Learn to make Black Forest gateau

• Cuckoo clock demonstration

• Journey on the Schwarzwaldbahn

• Entry to: Abbey of Lorsch, Cathedral of Notre-Dame, Natzweiler-Struthof concentration camp, Abbey of Saint Peter, Black Forest Open Air Museum & more

Highlights:

• Travel on the historic Romantic Road at a leisurely pace

• Learn the ancient art of beer production from a master brewer in Heidelberg

• Discover how the famous Apple Strudel cake is made

• Stay overnight in Austria's wine country

• Enjoy a private visit to the Spanish Riding School

What's included:

• 11 nights' accommodation

• Flights from London and overseas transfers

• Tour leader, driver & mini-coach transport

• European breakfast daily & 6 evening meals

• Beer & wine tasting

• Apple strudel show

• Salzburg 24-hour card

• Entry to: Heidelberg Castle, Neuschwanstein Castle, Steinplatte cable car, Hohensalzburg Castle, Mozart's Birthplace, Melk Abbey, Schonbrunn Palace & private tour of the Spanish Riding School & more

Call free on 0808 163 5880 to find out more

Small Group Tours

Italy

Italy continues to inspire visitors year after year, and our tours to Tuscany, Southern Italy, Sicily and beyond will allow you to experience this fantastic country through the ages. From Roman ruins to culinary delights, you will be spoilt for choice.

Italian IndulgenceDeparting between: 01 April - 31 October 2016

From £2,399 per person

This tour has been carefully crafted to include all the major must-see attractions, while taking you to some of the lesser-known hidden gems of this fascinating country. Enjoy private guided tours in Florence and Venice, visit remote Tuscan villages, try local Italian produce, taste local wines in Chianti, explore the stunning Cinque Terre and discover Lake Maggiore's Borromean Islands.

Highlights:

• Move beyond Italy's signature cities and stay in rustic countryside regions

• Learn how to make pasta from scratch with a Tuscan chef

• Marvel at the acoustics reverberating around the Baptistery of St John, Pisa

• Enjoy truffle hunting as well as wine, nougat and chocolate tastings in Piedmont

• Experience the tranquillity and serenity of Lake Orta, one of Italy's hidden gems

What's included:

• 12 nights' accommodation

• Flights from London and overseas transfers

• Tour leader, driver & mini-coach transport

• Local guides & whispers in Florence & Venice

• European breakfast daily, 6 evening meals & 2 lunches

• Italian bread & pasta cooking class

• Venice water taxi

• Wine, olive oil, Montebore cheese, chocolate & nougat tasting

• Entry to: Baptistery of St John in Pisa, Cinque Terre flexi pass & Isola Bella & Isola Madre on Lake Maggiore

Exclusive - Book by 31st March 2016 - Prices will increase

Slow Food Tour of PugliaDeparting between: June & September 2016

From £1,849 per person

The Slow Food concept is a simple one - everyone should have access to, and enjoy, food that is good for them, good for those who grow it and good for the planet. On this Slow Food Tour of Puglia, you will have the unique chance to sample several Slow Food Presidia products - high-quality, traditional foods at the risk of 'extinction' - and other local delicacies from quality producers. Alongside tasting wonderful produce, discover a region of overwhelming beauty and history.

The Splendours of SicilyDeparting between: 01 April - 30 September 2016

From £1,789 per person

Although very much a part of Italy, Sicily is also an island with its own distinct character. Alongside remnants of fine Greek temples, Arab inspired gardens and superb Norman architecture left by former invaders, you will find magnificent scenery and of course delicious food and wine. On this tour you will learn of the island's history with local guides, discover its ancient salt reserves, visit Europe's most active volcano, Mount Etna, dine on local Sicilian food and gain as insight into the origins of the Sicilian mafia.

Highlights:

• Discover Sicily’s ancient salt reserves at Trapani, one of Sicily's hidden gems

• Learn of the origins and transformations of the mafia in Sicily and see where important scenes from 'The Godfather' movie were filmed

• Dine on authentic local Sicilian cuisine

• See the smouldering peak of Europe's largest and one of the world's most active volcanoes, Mount Etna, the latest addition to Italy's UNESCO World Heritage sites

• Stay two nights in Ragusa Ibla, a fascinating Baroque town whose jumble of houses are piled on top of each other and clinging to the wall of the Ispica Gorge

What's included:

• 7 nights' accommodation

• Flights from London and overseas transfers

• Tour leader, driver & mini-coach transport

• Local guides in Valley of the Temples, Villa del Casale & Syracuse

• European breakfast daily, 2 evening meals & lunch

• Marsala wine tasting

• Entry to: Erice church, Valley of the Temples, Villa del Casale, Syracuse archaeological site & Syracuse cathedral

Highlights:

• Dine in traditional restaurants and taste authentic regional cuisine

• Enjoy a lunch of local organic produce at a typical masseria

• Visit a family owned cheese factory and taste their wonderful Burrata and Mozzarella di Andria

• Discover some of the finest wines grown in Puglia

• See three UNESCO World Heritage listed sites: Castel del Monte, the cave-dwellings in Matera and the trulli village of Alberobello

• Explore the amazing stalactites, stalagmites, huge caverns and hidden pools of the Castellana caves

What's included:

• 6 nights' accommodation

• Flights from London and overseas transfers

• Tour leader, driver and minicoach transport

• European breakfast daily, 2 evening meals & 2 lunches

• 3 food and/or wine tastings

• Local guide in Lecce

• Entry to: Castel del Monte, Sassi di Matera, Castellana Caves, Museo della Civilta del Vino Primitivo

Call free on 0808 163 5880 to find out more

We also offer small group tours to:• Spain

• Portugal

• France

• Norway

• Eastern Europe as well as special WWI and WWII Battlefield Tours to Western Europe

Call free on 0808 163 5880

sales@fredholidays.co.uk

www.fredholidays.co.uk

Exclusive

Book by 31st March 2016Prices will increase