Slow Holiday specialist Inntravel continues to seek out the lesser-taken path with a bumper collection of new self-guided walking, cycling and SlowMotion journeys in Europe, available from spring to autumn 2018.

With plenty of time to stop and soak up places of interest along the way, visitors follow Inntravel's meticulously planned itineraries using the route notes provided, and stay in welcoming and characterful hotels. As Inntravel's holidays are for individuals and families, not groups, guests can discover the idyllic European landscapes at their own pace.

On the hotel-to-hotel walking and cycling holidays, visitors travel light while Inntravel transports the luggage by road. The tour operator's SlowMotion journeys also allow guests to travel at their own pace, whether by train or by car, to wonderful destinations both on and off the beaten track, enjoying memorable experiences along the way.

NEW WALKING TRIPS FOR 2018

Manor Houses of the Minho – Portugal

The historic Minho is Portugal's greenest corner, with fertile meadows and verdant valleys. It isn't just the landscapes that are green but the wine too, with the lightly sparkling vinho verde the region's most famous product. On this self-guided trip from manor house to manor house, guests will stroll across valleys adorned with vineyards, follow the course of the Lima river and also visit Ponte de Lima, Portugal's oldest town whose eponymous bridge celebrates its 650th birthday in 2018. The holiday ends with a fabulous stay at the home of a local Count, with whom you'll enjoy wine from his own estate.  Price: from £758pp sharing, including 7 nights' B&B, 5 dinners, 3 picnics, maps and notes, and luggage transfers. Available 1 April to14 July and 25 August to 31 October 2018.

Secret Andros - Greece

The northernmost island of the Cyclades archipelago, it is hard to believe that Andros is just a short hop from Athens and the mainland. The pace of life here is different; it is simple, authentic and unspoiled. The island is also a walker's paradise and guests will explore the hinterland along restored kalderimi (cobbled mule trails), past old olive presses and windmills. A real highlight is the authentically Greek town of Chora, with its proud seafaring heritage and even a Museum of Contemporary Art. Price: from £720pp sharing, including 6 nights' B&B, maps and notes, and luggage transfers. Available 15 April to 30 June and 1 September to 15 October 2018.

Etruscan Hills to the Sea – Tuscany, Italy

There's a romance and wildness to La Maremma, a remote region of Tuscany that was once home to only migrant charcoal burners, wandering shepherds and butteri (cowboys tending the region's oxen and horses). It is, therefore, an ideal place to explore on foot, descending from the Etruscan Hills to the sparkling Ligurian Sea. The week is full of gentle circuits through woodlands to hilltop villages and paths along the sea cliffs past Etruscan caverns gazing towards the Tuscan archipelago. Price: from £975pp sharing, including 7 nights' B&B, 5 dinners, 4 picnics, maps and notes, and luggage transfers. Available 31 March to 30 June and 1 September to 31 October 2018.

NEW CYCLING TRIPS FOR 2018

Lagoons and the Silver Coast, Aveiro – Portugal

Aveiro, in the country's northwest, is one of the most quietly evocative corners of Portugal, characterised by shallow lagoons and mud flats. It takes its name from the Roman 'aviarum', meaning 'place of birds', so wildlife enthusiasts will love this self-guided cycling holiday, with numerous bird spotting opportunities throughout. But that's just one of the compelling reasons to visit. Aveiro – known as Portugal's Venice – also boasts a fascinating nautical past, revealed by the area's candy-striped fisherman's houses and tales of salt-cod-seeking derring-do across the Atlantic. Stay in five different hotels including stylish beach-front gems. Enjoy traffic-free cycling close to the Costa de Prata (Silver Coast), alongside lagoons using a network of dedicated cycle paths. Price: from £770pp sharing, including 6 nights' B&B, 2 dinners, cycle hire, maps and notes, and luggage transfers. Available 29 March to 31 July and 1 September to 31 October 2018.

Normandy's Beaches & Bayeux – France

The beguiling orchards and farmland of Normandy belie its location for some of Europe's most interesting historical events. Guests will both experience the bucolic and reflect on the brutal on this week of cycling. Highlights include visiting the sites of the Normandy beach landings during WWII, the city of Bayeux, with its timeless charm and medieval tapestry, and the quiet villages such as Creully – itself home to a handsome château and Port-en-Bessin, France's leading fishing port for scallops. Add an extra night to enjoy a small-group guided bike ride to spectacular Mont St Michel. Price: from £945pp sharing, including 6 nights' B&B, 4 dinners, cycle hire, maps and notes, and luggage transfers. Available 1 May to 30 September 2018.

Idyllic Istria – Croatia

Istria is a heart-shaped peninsula in the north of Croatia, and one that cyclists will quickly fall in love with. It is an amazing blend of captivating coastline, historic towns and villages and a fine, burgeoning foodie scene. Guests will cycle along wine roads, through timeless scenery, to places such as the village of Brtoniglia, or the medieval Buje, home to cobbled streets and romantic buildings, stopping at rustic restaurants and staying in stone-built guesthouses. The week ends along the coast in the charming towns of Rovinj, with its Baroque palaces, and Pula, famous for its Roman amphitheatre. Price: from £895pp sharing, including 7 nights' B&B, 3 dinners, cycle hire, maps and notes, and luggage transfers. Available 24 March to 23 June and 8 September to 31 October 2018.

NEW SLOWMOTION JOURNEYS

Slow Trains through Asturias – Spain

On this trip, guests will ride the FEVE, a slow, trundling narrow-gauge railway which winds its way along the north coast of Asturias through lush hills and pastureland. Hopping on-and-off the train, guests will explore the astonishingly green landscapes and beautiful beaches of northern Spain, the colourful fishing villages of Cudillero and Ribadesella, and the characterful city of Oviedo -  all against a backdrop of the towering jagged peaks of the Picos de Europa. Price: from £625pp sharing, including 7 nights' B&B and train travel aboard the FEVE. Available 15 April to 23 July and 1 September to 31 October 2018.

Nordic Cities Explorer

Three truly is the magic number, with this new journey visiting a trio of Nordic cities, by cruise and by rail. Beginning with two nights in the cool Danish capital of Copenhagen, home to the colourful Nyhavn waterfront and some of the world's finest food, guests then cross the iconic Øresund Bridge by to continue across Sweden to Stockholm. A further two days are spent in the waterborne city, spread out over 14 islands, before an overnight cruise to Helsinki, a city bursting with boutiques, workshops and galleries. Price: from £1,190pp sharing, including 7 nights' B&B and rail/cruise between the cities. Available 1 May to 30 September 2018.

Great Swiss Lakes - Switzerland

While its mountains may dominate Switzerland's skyline, it is the country's lakes that pull hardest at the heart strings; their picturesque shorelines peppered with pretty villages and their bright blue waters criss-crossed by the gentle passage of paddle steamers. This new holiday begins on the shores of Lake Geneva, before journeying by rail to Lake Lucerne with highlights en route including the Chateau de Chillon, the lakeside town of Brienz, famous for its woodcarving, and Europe's oldest cog railway to Rigi Kulm. This 'Rigi Royal Tour', made famous by Queen Victoria in her sedan chair 150 years ago in 1868, has stood the test of time spectacularly well. Price: from £1,275pp sharing, including 7 nights' B&B, 3 dinners, Swiss Rail Pass and transfers. Available 19 May to 7 October 2018.

Other new holidays introduced for 2018 include:

• Walking on the Shores of Lake Constance, dubbed the German Riviera
• La Rochelle, Island & Beaches – a week of gentle maritime cycling in France
• Cycling in Salzburg's Lake District and Traunsee, taking in no fewer than four Austrian lakes
• Cycling In the Shadow of the Julian Alps, Slovenia's north-west corner
• A self-drive SlowMotion discovery of the Castles, Caves & Gardens of the Dordogne
• A self-drive adventure In Search of Dalí, Catalonia's most famous son.

For further information on Inntravel call 01653 617000 or visit inntravel.co.uk.

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