A four-night tour, to four fascinating cities, this short break shows you ancient, medieval, and modern Albania. From a well-placed base in Durrës, on the shore of the Adriatic, included excursions take you to characterful Kruja, the capital, Tirana, and beguiling Berat

There is nowhere else on earth like Venice. The busy city’s streets of water and the tiny islands of its lagoon combine in a unique UNESCO enclave. The tour is a similarly fitting combination, quietly based on an elegant boat, with all the sights at the foot of the gangplank

Sailing on a stylish river cruiser of the famous CroisiEurope fleet, this vibrant and varied tour takes you from the ‘streets of water’ in Venice, across the island-dotted lagoon, and along the Canal Bianco for excursions to Padua, Mantua and romantic Verona

There is nowhere better to answer the call of the wild than the renowned Masai Mara, and the iconic Governors’ Camp, its riverside setting superb for scenery and safari

Staying in hand-picked Pousadas (inns), formerly a monastery, manor house and convent, this tour reveals the sights and psyche of Portugal, from regal splendour to religious heritage, from port-wine cellar to Fado show, from Porto to Coimbra and the capital, Lisbon

Cruising the Guadalquivir from spirited Seville to coastal Cadiz, and travelling by road to Roman and medieval Cordoba, the wine cellars of Jerez area, and Granada’s magnificent Moorish palace fortress, this tour adds an extra dimension to Andalucian discovery

Cruising the Douro from its mouth on the Atlantic to its crossing into Spain, with daily excursions to medieval towns, majestic palaces, port wine cellars, and vineyard valley landscapes, this beguiling journey includes visits to Guimarães, Lamego, and Salamanca

From the “foodie’s favourite” city of Lyon to Beaujolais vineyards, Roman temples, the medieval towns of Provence, and the wild beauty of the Camargue, this river cruise is a tour through time and traditions, between the scenic banks of the Rhône and Saône

Based in the beautiful spa resort of Montecatini, this tour takes in the treasure trove of art that forms resplendent Florence, the hidden gem of medieval Pistoia, and a Puccini concert in the place of his birth, Lucca

A great value tour of the Silk Road cities of Uzbekistan including Tashkent, Bukhara and Samarkand, using the high speed railway line to travel between the capital Tashkent and Bukhara

Floating between famous vineyards, Médoc, Margaux and Saint-Émilion among the fine appellations, this is a tour to historic ports, wine châteaux and ‘bastide’ towns, cruising on the Garonne, Dordogne, and Gironde Rivers, from Bordeaux to the Bay of Biscay

Based in cosmopolitan Tunis and the sea and sand city of Sousse, take a fascinating journey through time, from the ancient archaeological sites of Roman Africa to Islamic architecture