A few days in Rome at the Casa per Ferie of the Sisters of the Order of St. Joseph of the Apparition overlooking the Vatican or at a hotel close to the Vatican

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

Explore the Christian and Ottoman heritage of Istanbul (formerly Byzantium and Constantinople) including a Bosphorus cruise and visits to palaces, mosques, churches and bazaars, staying in historic hotels

An intriguing, astonishing, affecting introduction to Kraków and its surrounds, this short break spans its historical and cultural spectrum, from an ancient salt mine to a royal palace, medieval old town, spiritual sanctuary, Schindler’s factory, and Auschwitz Museum

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

On this relaxing and revealing tour, a blissfully beautiful acropolis, a Doric city-state, a hilltop church in a deserted monastery, and a sail to beguiling Symi, complement the castle citadel of the crusader Knights of St. John, forming the fabulous Old Town of Rhodes

This ‘Great Canal Journey’ is a fabulous float on the Marne-Rhine canal, sailing through sylvan valleys and the Vosges Mountains, to picturesque villages, fairy-tale castles, chateau views, and Chagall glass, enroute from splendid Strasbourg to lovely little Lagarde

An unhurried antidote to the pace of modern life, this ‘no fly’ tour takes the train to Avignon, and cruises from Roman ruins in Arles to revelations on the Canal du Rhône à Sète, in medieval Aigues-Mortes, the Camargue wilderness, and Étang de Thau sea-lake

A supremely scenic week, with Meta di Sorrento as your base, includes the evocative remains of Pompeii, a drive along ‘the divine coast’ to Amalfi, Positano and Ravello, and Capri by boat

Venture into the rural heart of Crete on this 7-night tour and explore picturesque mountain villages, delve into Cretan culture and sail to the fascinating island of Spinalonga on a journey to remember

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