In previous posts we wrote about the best cycling and hiking adventure holidays in Europe. Here is our line-up of he best discovery tours in Europe by Exodus Travels.
Iceland
A five day adventure along the south coast of Iceland, chasing the Aurora Borealis while being active!
This tour starts in Iceland's capital Reykjavik from where we head out along the south coast to find the beautiful waterfalls of Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss. The coastline is one of stark beauty, of black sands and basalt rocks, while the mountains of the interior form an imposing backdrop.
We drive across the barren Skeidararsandur floodplains to reach Svinafellsjokull glacier. Here we stop for an exhilarating glacier walk. We reach Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon when the sun is low in the sky, to all the better take advantage of the gorgeous photographic opportunities. The blue and white ice against the black sand while the sun is setting is a sight not easily forgotten.
We retrace our steps and visit the famous Golden Circle, where the original geyser at Strokkur, the mighty Gulfoss Waterfall and a walk through Thingvellir National Park await.
After a final night in Reykjavik drive along the spectacular Reykjanes Peninsula to the airport. If time allows, be sure to visit the Blue Lagoon for a wonderful relaxing swim.
Iceland
Iceland is raw, restless nature, stunning scenery, wonderful food and great people. Visit the original Geysir, the Viking parliament at Thingvellir and waterfalls like spectacular Gullfoss. Enjoy the beautiful coastline, the icy glaciers and the ever-present volcanoes and mountains and witness the Northern Lights in winter or the endless days of summer in this island paradise.
Portugal
With a legacy of empire, Portugal offers a wealth of charming historical towns, splendid cities like Porto and Lisbon, monasteries and great food. Add to this the beguiling landscapes like the Douro Valley and welcoming people and you have a one-week tour that is hard to beat.
Italy
Discover the kaleidoscope of culture, food and history that makes up the island of Sicily. This is Italy at its best: explore Baroque towns, ancient Greek temples and Norman sites with your local expert guides.
Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania
The three Baltic Republics of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania share a common history but each of them is quite different. On this trip you will discover the capitals Tallinn, Riga and Vilnius, along with beautiful old town like Kaunas, beautiful scenery at Lahemaa and the dunes and beaches of the Curonian Spit. Then there are oddities such as crusader castles, the Hill of Crosses and a Soviet ballistic missile launch complex. This tour shows you all the highlights of these three fascinating countries.
Romania
Romania is a forgotten corner of Europe, a country of medieval towns, fortified churches and small villages, a land where traditions live strong. This journey takes in the best of Romania, from the wooden churches in Maramureș, the Saxon villages in Transylvania, and the beautiful town of Sighisoara.
Greece
After a full day in Athens, during which we explore the Acropolis and Plaka, we travel via the Corinth Canal to ancient Corinth, one of the major cities in antiquity. Via the archaeological site of Mycenae we reach Nafplio, with its Venetian fortress, followed by Epidavros with its Theatre of Epidaurus, one of the greatest monuments of ancient Greece.
From Sparta we visit the UNESCO Worldwide Heritage Site of Mystras, originally a a Frankish fortress and home to some beautiful Byzantine churches. After little-known Messene, we visit Pylos Castle with its museum dedicated to underwater archaeology before travelling to Olympia, host to the first Olympic Games and one of the most important religious centres of Ancient Greece.
A holiday in Greece wouldn't be complete without a visit to the fantastic UNESCO Worldwide Heritage Site of Delphi or the monasteries of Meteora. The latter lie perched on top of 400 metre high sandstone cliffs and are a sight to behold. Our adventure tour of Greece ends back in the capital Athens.
Georgia, Armenia
Best of Georgia and Armenia Journey through the Caucasus, home to some of the oldest Christian cultures on Earth. Start in the capital of Armenia, Yerevan, and visit the monasteries the country is famous for: Khor Virap, Noravank and Geghard. Drive by Lake Sevan and visit medieval churches en-route to Georgia's capital Tbilisi.
In Georgia, enjoy stupendous views along the Georgian Military Highway and walk up through the village of Gergeti to the Holy Trinity church, set against the backdrop of Mount Kazbek. Visit Gori, the birthplace of Joseph Stalin, walk in some beautiful areas, explore the rock-hewn town of Uplistsikhe and try some of the wine the country is famous for.