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Southern Europe & Mediterranean

Discover sun-kissed beauty, world-renowned gastronomy, and effortless travel

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Soak up the culture and cuisine of Southern Europe

Classic

Parador de San Esteban

Paradors of Northern Spain: Burgos to Santiago

9 days from £2,699 pp

Stay in three of Spain’s luxurious Parador hotels, set in restored heritage buildings
Visit key locations on the ‘Way of St James’ -Burgos, León and Santiago de Compostela
Experience northern Spain’s culture and cuisine during food and wine tastings

Discoveries

Acropolis, Athens

Highlights of Ancient Greece

8 days from £1,599 pp

Explore World Heritage sites, from ancient Mycenae and Epidaurus to the Acropolis
Savour local wines at a Nemea winery and sample golden Peloponnese olive oil
Stay in a 4-Star hotel in the pretty Peloponnese city of Nafplion

Classic

First-Class Wonders of Corsica & Sardinia

12 days from £3,599 pp

Explore two Mediterranean islands, with First-Class rail travel and elegant hotels
Enjoy a 5-Star stay in Alghero, discovering Sardinia's famed beaches and cuisine
Embrace island life in Corsica, staying in medieval Calvi and relaxed Propriano

Southern Europe & Mediterranean Escorted Rail Holidays

Southern Europe offers a rich and vibrant mix of history, culture and natural beauty - all enhanced by the relaxed Mediterranean lifestyle and an irresistible climate. Discover the glorious Italian Lakes or the idyllic islands of Ischia, Sardinia and Corsica; uncover Sicily's hidden jewels, or explore Catalonia's rugged coastline and artistic heritage; discover the magnificent cities, unique heritage and enigmatic past of Spain, Portugal and Morocco or gaze in awe at the ancient wonders of Greece.

When touring Southern Europe's inviting destinations with GRJ, you can expect warm hospitality, astonishing archaeological treasures, and many memorable flavours. Whether exploring Spain's historic cities or Italy's picturesque villages; visiting the souks and kasbahs of Morocco or basking on a perfect beach in Sardinia, one thing you are certain to encounter is the Mediterranean appreciation of simple pleasures - from humble meals to fine gastronomy and wine - a cultural pride, and a laissez-faire attitude to life.

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Savour world famous gastronomy

Spain's pintxos, paella and other unique dishes reflect a rich history while Portugal produces different flavours with similar ingredients. Italy's proud gastronomic tradition pays equal attention to both simple and lavish meals. And, in Greece, you can taste the sunshine in fresh produce, while herb-infused dishes evoke Middle Eastern flavours.

Uncover hidden coastal gems

Discover Italy's gorgeous Amalfi coast, visiting picture-perfect Portofino. Explore Spain's rugged Costa Brava and sail around the Cap de Creus peninsula to the fishing village of Cadaqués. Or embark on a cruise into the sparkling Mediterranean, stopping in Valletta enroute to the glorious Greek Islands, including Santorini and Mykonos.

Discover exquisite waterways

Explore Portugal's sun-kissed waterside city of Porto, then sail into the spectacular Douro Valley visiting a traditional wine estate. Soak up the peaceful ambiance of Italy's Lake Garda and cruise to picturesque lakeside towns. Or uncover the culinary delights of Spain's Basque Country on the north coast, from a restored medieval castle.

Enjoy our new tours, led by expert guides

Uncover the Highlights of Ancient Greece on a leisurely exploration of World Heritage sites - from ancient Mycenae and Epidaurus to the amazing Acropolis in Athens - or discover the soul of Spain on our new Paradors of Andalucia tour, staying in prestigious hotels, and exploring five magnificent cities from Granada to Seville.

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Our customers love our Italy, Southern Europe & Mediterranean tours

Catalonia & Little Trains of the Pyrenees

15/Nov

Wendy Rakestrow

“The holiday exceeded our expectations and was very enjoyable as something totally different from what we normally do.

Collected by Trustpilot

Beautiful Basque Country: San Sebastian & Bilbao

11/Nov

Mr Hannam

“The trip met our expectations and our tour manager, Hassan, was excellent. The hotel in Hondarribia was superb. The only negative is that breakfast time was a bit of a lottery with staff.

Collected by Trustpilot

Simply Lake Garda

8/Nov

mick c

“Very enjoyable holiday

Collected by Trustpilot

Italian Lakes: Orta, Como & Maggiore

26/Oct

Di

“Just back from a wonderful trip to Italian lakes. Well organised and Mark the tour manager was excellent. The hotel was right on lake orta( great for a swim in the lake) and enjoyed the tours to lake como and maggiore with plenty time to look round. Enjoyed the whole...

Collected by Trustpilot

First-Class Italian Riviera & Portofino

21/Oct

Terence Jehan

“On the whole, this was a good holiday. However, our bedroom & bathroom needed updating. The room was small, not enough hooks or rails or surfaces on which to put our stuff, only one chair. No English stations on TV. Floor not cleaned. Pool freezing - not tempted to use...

Collected by Trustpilot

GRJ All Inclusive Puglia: Bari, Matera & Alberobello

10/Nov

S Cook

“Good fun thanks to a brilliant tour leader (Kate) and friendly crowd. I was travelling alone so a little apprehensive, but I need not have worried. Our group was 38, mostly couples, some single women, average age was probably 65-70. We all got on well, helped by the 'all inclusive'...

Collected by Trustpilot

First-Class Lake Garda: Sirmione, Venice & Verona

4/Nov

Jeremy Spindlow

“Good value holiday, bad start first tarin Eurostar cancellec in curred £300.00 cost not recovered from GRJ. Dis well to book flights to Geneva for 32 people saving GRJ £1000,s. First night in Chambery very good nice hotel and meal, met travellers, good fin. Off to Milan next day . Excellent hotel In...

Collected by Trustpilot

Historic Cities of Spain

23/Oct

David

“The journey and the whole experience lived up to our expectations. For the most part the hotels were very good and our only issue was with some of the guides who wished to impart as much as possible that it soon became overload. But the architecture and the amazing views...

Collected by Trustpilot

Magic of Sicily: Etna, Taormina & Palermo

16/Oct

Renate

“Great excursions necessitating long bus journeys. Some time table tweaking required. Overall very good.

Collected by Trustpilot

The Rail Heritage of Italy, Southern Europe & the Mediterranean

Discover the fantastic railways of Italy, Southern Europe & the Mediterranean. It should come as no surprise that we love railways and we know many of you do too! That's why our tours feature some of the most iconic railways and trains on the continent.

The Yellow Train

Yellow Train

Nuria Valley Rack Railway

Nuria Valley Rack

Bernina Express Italy

Bernina Express

The Circumetnea

Circumetnea

Train des Merveilles

Train des Merveilles

Train des Mouettes

Train des Mouettes

Centovalli Railway

Altaria

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Latest articles from our journey blog

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