Tours for small groups

We spent a week on a Martin Randall gastronomic tour of the Basque region under the superb care of guide and lecturer Gijs van Hensbergen, who is highly knowledgeable not only about the culture and food of this region but many additional regions of Spain including Andalucia, Catalunia, etc. Gijs is, simply put, unique: he is highly informed, enthusiastic, and always willing to share his knowledge of Spanish history, art, and food. His ability to elaborate cogently on a range of subjects beyond gastronomy (Picasso; Gaudi; Frank Gehry) sets the stage for a more complex and unique understanding of what we saw, heard, and ate. But it is as a food aficionado that he truly shone! Not only did Gijs bring us to several of the most iconic and world-renowned restaurants in the Basque Country (and that is saying something), but his acquaintances with their internationally famous chefs guaranteed that these were meals never to be forgotten. In addition to experiencing truly sensational restaurants, and using Bilbao and San Sebastian as anchors, we visited fabulous wineries, and learned about key aspects of the region's history and culture, with visits to museums and, most profoundly, the city of Guernica. Guided activities were balanced with ample breaks to explore on our own or spend time getting to know our fellow travellers.

A week staying in good hotels in Valletta, Malta, on a music tour - Handel Festival, with daily talks on the musician and the work to to seen/ heard that day by experienced and lively musicologist. Varied settings for all concerts - cathedrals, palaces, historical houses, in and around the city. Extra activities - art, history and walking tours also on offer. Opportunities to mingle with guests staying in different hotels on numerous occasions; knowledgeable Festival staff on hand for help and questions.

I have done several tours of stately homes in England and Ireland with Martin Randall. All were well organized, informative and enjoyable. And there were always special events, such as dinner with a Duke, access to houses not usually open to the public or owner lead tours. The accommodation was first class, as was the food. As a single traveler, I made serval new friends. I cant recommend these tours highly enough.

"Trecento Frescoes" is a fantastic study of the pioneering art of Giotto and his contemporaries, a must for anyone interested in pre-renaissance Italian art (even a non-academic like myself). Wonderful visits to key sites in Padua, Florence, and Assisi, with an excellent lecturer. As always with a Martin Randall tour, meticulously planned, and with the added pleasure of travelling with like-minded companions - a thoroughly convivial experience.

This was Martin Randall's Cotswolds Choral Music Festival - a series of performances over 5 days by outstanding musicians that were held in large parish churches and other venues in several small to medium sized towns in the Cotswolds. Participants stayed in one location, choosing from 3 towns/villages and 5 hotels. I chose one of the two hotels in Lower Slaughter, a quintessential Cotswolds village and was very happy with my choice.

The Cave Art of France tour with Martin Randall Travel was led by one of the world experts in his field (Paul Bahn) visiting no less than 9 caves in 6 days and experiencing extraordinary access to fascinating archaeological sites. The whole tour was well planned and organised, a memorable experience.

This was a very special holiday in that there were13 of us who enjoyed the company of an excellent tour leader and manager who accompanied us to Wright’s beautiful homes, studios, commissioned houses, chapels and other buildings in the states of Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Illinois. The tour began in Pittsburgh and ended in Chicago, both exciting cities architecturally and we were able to focus on other architects apart from Wright and in stunningly beautiful environments both rural and urban. Many of the sites were visited by private arrangement and, certainly, it would have been very difficult to plan and manage such a tour as an individual traveller without the expertise of Martin Randall. The choice of sites, hotels, mode of travel and day to day activity was perfect. We were accompanied by a professional - an architect who was knowledgeable and personable - and this enriched our experience of Frank Lloyd Wright.

This was a short holiday, packed with beautiful visits. We had two visits to Siena, one to San Gimignano and one to Volterra. In each of these we saw wonderful frescoes, fine churches and the magnificent cathedral of Sienna, among other things. We ate at excellent restaurants and we stayed in a very good hotel. The sun shone every day. It was a lovely little holiday.