Picturesque towns, prolific wildlife and stunning landscapes reveal the beauty and variety of Namibia. Ancient petroglyphs, local crafts and long-held customs uncover the culture, from Sossusvlei’s dunes to the Skeleton Coast, Damaraland, and Etosha National Park

A pioneering small ship cruise between Varanasi and Patna on India’s sacred river, combined with a visit to the colonial capital of Calcutta staying at 5-star hotels

Staying in three UNESCO World Heritage towns, Alcalá de Henares, medieval Ávila and Toledo, and visiting magnificent Madrid, Roman and Romanesque Segovia, and Renaissance Salamanca, this is a tour of the Middle Ages, art and architecture, plazas and palaces

With five nights in Florence, a feast of art and architecture, an insight of medieval life under Medici rule, and every romantic, Renaissance monument within walking distance, this tour combines detailed discovery with ample time to enjoy the city on the Arno River

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

Explore the largest of the Greek islands on this tour of Crete, and suspend disbelief to enjoy the myths and legends of the ancient sites, as you visit Roman ruins and Ottoman streets, Byzantine churches and Venetian ports, mountain villages and Minoan Palaces

In a full fortnight of discovery, this is the classic ‘long cruise’ from Cairo to Aswan, with a different perspective, as it sails to the lesser-known landmarks of ancient Egypt, beside the Nile, in Luxor, and on Lake Nasser; and adds an insight of local culture

A fabulous ‘return to Egypt’ for those who have seen its most famous sites, this cruise focuses on the less-visited length of the Nile, between Cairo and Luxor, travelling through tranquil scenery to unsung tombs, temples, and towns, off the tourist track

Exceptional value for a journey of discovery from Istanbul to Ephesus via Troy, Pergamon and Bursa through ancient, Ottoman and Byzantine Turkey

Focused on the four Imperial capitals, this is a fascinating tour of Morocco’s history, mysteries, and monuments, from mesmerising Marrakech to fountains in fabulous Fez, ravishing Rabat, the current capital, and medieval Meknes, least known and less visited

A wonderful week on a unique vessel, this cruise is aboard ‘the most luxurious steamship on the Nile’, the SS Misr, the former floating palace of King Farouk; sailing upstream and down again between Luxor and Aswan, to visit major sites and highlights

From Thessaloniki’s Byzantine quarter to the haunts of Alexander the Great, the home of the Gods, Mount Olympus, the monasteries of Mount Athos, Philippi’s Roman remains, and bountiful nature at Lake Kerkini, this is a glorious discovery of northern Greece