Escorted tours specialist Newmarket Holidays has reported a last-minute booking boom and record sales for group tours to short haul destinations. Here are three adventurous itineraries that are running for the first time in 2024 and have big savings on spring departures.

MILAN, VERONA AND LAKE GARDA, SAVING £295

Newmarket Holidays' eight-day escorted tour of Milan, Verona and Lake Garda soaks up the culture, tastes and romance of Northern Italy's finest cities. Based on the beautiful southern shore of Lake Garda and including a visit to the incredible lakeside village of Sirmione followed by a cruise across the lake, the programme features day trips to enjoy the sights of charming Verona and Parma, with wine, cheese and ham tasting sessions with local producers providing delicious introductions to regional favourites. A guided tour of Milan packs in the city's most famous sights and the historic Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II shopping arcade for high-end style, with guests also given the option of excursions to Venice and the Parco Termale del Garda thermal spa and wellness centre. Prices start from £1,180 per person, saving £295, and include seven nights' bed and breakfast, guided tours and return flights from Bristol. Departs 8 May 2024 (https://newmarketholidays.co.uk, 0330 341 1927).

Tour link: https://www.newmarketholidays.co.uk/holidays/europe/milan-verona-lake-garda  

EPHESUS AND HIGHLIGHTS OF WESTERN TURKEY, SAVING £327

This eight-day adventure along the coast of western Turkey is exclusively for solo travellers. Newmarket Holidays' tour explores historic sites that include the ancient city of Ephesus for the well-preserved ruins of the House of the Virgin Mary, Temple of Artemis, the Library of Celsus and the breathtaking amphitheatre. The itinerary continues along the Turquoise Coast to the shrines and fortifications of Herakleia, the UNESCO World Heritage site of Aphrodisias, and the port town of Teos for the Temple of Dionysius. Guests can relax with two days of leisure, or opt to join a guided tour of Izmir, Turkey's third-largest city. The itinerary ends with a change of pace at Sirince, where travellers can sample the town's unique fruit wines. Prices start from £1,312 per person, saving £327, and include accommodation, tours, transfers and return flights from Glasgow. Departs 20 May 2024, (https://newmarketholidays.co.uk, 0330 341 1927).

Tour link: https://www.newmarketholidays.co.uk/holidays/europe/ephesus-sirince-the-western-coast-of-turkey-exclusively-solos 

PARADORS & POUSADAS OF SPAIN & PORTUGAL

Travellers searching for a boutique view of the Iberian Peninsula can join Newmarket Holidays' eight-day tour of Portugal and Spain, with accommodation in a selection of hand-picked historic yet luxurious hotels. The holiday starts in Lisbon to experience the nearby beaches, historic Belem and Alfama, the haunting sounds of Fado and the brightly coloured castle of Sintra. It then travels south to the authentic Algarve to take in local villages, markets and mountains away from the usual tourist trail, before crossing into Spain and visiting glorious Seville, the whitewashed villages of Cadiz and fascinating Ronda, with new and old towns built either side of the dramatic El Tajo Gorge. Prices start from £1,790 per person, saving £315, and include bed and breakfast, city tours, transfers and return flights from Stansted. Departs 15 June 2024, (https://newmarketholidays.co.uk, 0330 341 1927).

https://www.newmarketholidays.co.uk/holidays/europe/paradors-and-pousadas-of-spain-and-portugal

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Notes to editors:

About Newmarket Holidays

Newmarket Holidays is a multi-award winning, independently owned British tour operator, providing a portfolio of escorted trips, resort-centred stays, and event-focused tours throughout the world. Founded in 1983, Newmarket Holidays has steadily grown and expanded to become one of the UK's leading and most respected travel companies. High standards of customer care and value are integral to Newmarket Holidays' operations and this is reflected in the meticulously-designed tours, from accommodation to on-the-ground experiences. 

Offering a vast selection of escorted, air-inclusive tours within the UK, Europe, Americas, India and South-east Asia, Newmarket Holidays also presents a range of ocean and river cruises. Additionally, the tour operator is a popular provider of concert and event experiences such as Lapland Santa Experience, the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships and performances by classical violinist and orchestra leader André Rieu.

For more details, please contact:

E: Dan@humewhitehead.co.uk T: +44 (0)7429 256 670

E: Rebecca@humewhitehead.co.uk T: +44 (0) 20 3375 4054