SPAIN + Lourdes
May 17– 29, 2024

All Inclusive 13 Day
Escorted first class tour

MADRID – BILBAO – PAMPLONA – BARCELONA – LOURDES
plus: Toledo, Burgas, San Sebastian, Getaria, Zaragoza

Tour Land cost:         $3490 Land rate per person in double room
Single supplement:   $1150
Gratuities:                  $150
Arriving:                     Madrid
Departing:                  Lourdes

Included Features:

• • Arrival transfer from Madrid airport to the hotel

  • Centrally located 4*- 5* hotels

  • Luggage handling at the hotels

  • Breakfast daily

  • Welcome reception in Madrid (hors d’oeuvres, wine, beer, or soft drink)

  • Tasting of local tapas called “pintxos” in Bilbao

  • Dinner in Pamplona Compostela (coffee or tea included)

  • Farewell dinner in Barcelona (coffee or tea included)

  • Hotel taxes and service charges

  • Touring by modern air-conditioned motor-coach

  • Professional English-speaking tour director Madrid to Barcelona

  • Sightseeing tours with licensed local guides

  • Admission included where indicated

  • Whisper technology enhanced touring

  • Bus transfer from Barcelona to Lourdes

Tour spotlights:

• • Madrid: grand open squares, late dinners

  • Toledo, crafts, marzipan, captivating monuments

  • Sandstone architecture, prolific university and the Plaza Mayor in Salamanca

  • Pamplona: legendary “Running of the Bulls” festival, gothic style churches

  • Barcelona: fantastic Sagrada Familia, modernist landmarks by Gaudi

Hotels:

• • Madrid: Catalonia Goya (F) or similar

  • Bilbao: Catalonia Gran Via Bilbao (F) or similar

  • Pamplona: Maisonnave (F) or similar

  • Barcelona: Catalonia Gracia (F) or similar

  • Lourdes: Hotel Mercure Lourdes Imperial or similar

Optional Tours:

• • PRADO Museum $30

  • FLAMENCO Show with Dinner $100

  • Excursion to Getxo-Basque Coast near Bilbao $60

  • Excursion to Montserrat – Monastery with Black Madonna $20

Not Included:  Travel Insurance and airfare. We can assist you in purchasing your air.

Please be at departure airport at least 3 hrs prior to flight departure time. Check your baggage to Madrid.

You will be met and transferred to your hotel. The day is free to begin exploring the city. Later, join your fellow travelers and your tour director for a welcome reception.

We begin with a guided half-day city tour of Madrid. Our drive takes us through the Gran Vía and the Passeo de Castellana, past the Plaza de España, Plaza de Oriente, Plaza Mayor, Puerta del Sol, Atocha Station, the fountain of Neptune, Cibeles fountain, the Bullring, the Santiago Bernabeu soccer stadium and much more. The afternoon is at leisure. (B)

Today we visit Toledo, a city with a wealth of monuments. It is known as the “city of the three cultures” because Christians, Arabs and Jews lived there together for centuries. During our guided tour we visit the Santo Tome Church with art by El Greco and the Synagogue of Santa María. From Toledo, we return to Madrid where the afternoon is at leisure. (B)

We depart for Bilbao. On the way, we stop in Burgos. Here, with local guide, visit the Cathedral. There will be time for lunch on your own. Afterwards, we continue to Bilbao where we have a tasting of local tapas called pintxos. (B, D)

During our visit to Bilbao, we discover a vibrant old town with many shops, squares and typical Basque tavernas. We enter the Guggenheim Museum, an architectural masterpiece designed by Frank Gehry. The collection includes large-scale and site-specific art by such contemporary artists as Jeff Koons and Willem de Kooning. The remainder of the day is free. (B) Optional tour: Visit to Basque coast

After breakfast, we depart for San Sebastian. En route, we visit Getaria, a charming Basque coastal village. Upon arrival in San Sebastian, we see the Maria Cristina Hotel. It is here, at the Kursaal Palace, that the International Film Festival takes place. We also see La Concha beach, a crescent-shaped urban seaboard. In the afternoon, we arrive in Pamplona. Dinner is served later that night. (B, D)

After breakfast, we have a half-day guided sightseeing tour of Pamplona featuring the Ciudadela, the city walls parks and gardens. We will hear about the ‘Running of the Bulls’ race, part of the San Fermin festival. From Pamplona, we continue to Zaragoza for lunch on your own. Later that afternoon, we arrive in Barcelona and the rest of the day is at leisure. (B)

Our guided half-day sightseeing tour includes Barcelona’s most important artistic sights: Gaudi’s Batlló, Casa Milá, the Cathedral Sagrada Familia and Guell Park, declared an artistic monument and mankind’s heritage by UNESCO. In the afternoon, you are free to explore more on your own. Join your fellow travelers and your tour director for the farewell dinner. (B, D)

After breakfast, we join our touring coach through the Pyranees for travel to Lourdes, France. Upon arrival check-in and evening free.

Breakfast. You will tour on your own one of the holiest Catholic pilgrimage sites in the world. Lourdes is a town in southwestern France, in the foothills of the Pyrenees mountains. It’s known for the Sanctuaries Notre-Dame de Lourdes, or the Domain, a major Catholic pilgrimage site. Each year, millions visit the Grotto of Massabielle (Grotto of the Apparitions) where, in 1858, the Virgin Mary is said to have appeared to a local woman. In the grotto, pilgrims can drink or bathe in water flowing from a spring.

Overnight in Lourdes. (BD)

Breakfast and day at leisure. Additional program TBA. Dinner tonight. Overnight in Lourdes. (BD)

Breakfast and transfer to airport for flights home.

SARDINIA
May 31 – June 10, 2024

11 Day Escorted
First Class Tour

A “Caribbean” Vacation on the Mediterranean Sea

Sardinia is a large Italian island in the Mediterranean Sea. It has nearly 2,000 km of coastline, sandy beaches and a mountainous interior crossed with hiking trails. Its rugged landscape is dotted with thousands of nuraghi – mysterious Bronze Age stone ruins shaped like beehives dating back to 1500 B.C. 

Alghero is a city on the northwest coast of Sardinia.Italy. Emerald sea, unspoiled nature, crystal clear waters and beaches of soft white sand.

Hotel Oasis, located just a few steps from the beach, offers an outdoor swimming pool, tennis court and mini golf course. It is a 10-minute bus ride from Alghero center with buses stopping right outside. Air conditioned rooms have balconies and free WiFi.
Breakfast includes a variety of Sardinian pastries, while Mediterranean cuisine is served in the restaurant with a covered terrace. There are also 2 bars.
The hotel is 4.3 mi from Alghero-Fertilia Airport

Tour cost:                   $2790 Land rate per person double room
Single supplement:   $600
Gratuities:                  $150
Arriving:                     Alghero (via Rome or Milan)
Departing:                  Alghero (via Rome or Milan)

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS:

• • Airport transfers
  • Half Day Excursion to Alghero
  • Welcome Dinner and cocktail
  • Full-day excursion to Bosa with visit to Nuragic Site Santu Antine
  • Boat excursion to Asinara Island with lunch
  • Boat excursion to Neptune’s Grotto
  • Farewell dinner with wine
  • English speaking guides in Alghero and Bosa
  • AC bus to all excursions mentioned above

INCLUDED:

• • Airport transfers

  • Oasis Hotel ****, beachfront, 2 pools and tennis courts and mini gulf

  • Daily Breakfast and Dinners

NOT INCLUDED:

• Hotel tax, 2 Euro per person per night

• Airfare (we can assist you in purchasing your airline tickets)

Please be at your Airport about 3 hrs. prior to departure time. Check BAGGAGE to ALGHERO.

Use Scope baggage tags only.

Arrival at Alghero Airport. Private coach transfer to group hotel.

Alghero is a city on the northwest coast of Sardinia. Italy. Emerald sea, unspoiled nature, crystal clear waters and beaches of soft white sand. It is one of the biggest resort beaches in the Mediterranean.

Dinner at hotel.

Morning half-day guided city tour of Alghero.

Alghero is a city on the northwest coast of Sardinia, Italy. Encircled by ancient walls, it is known for the old cobblestoned city center. Its Catalan Gothic buildings include the Cathedrale di Santa Maria, with an imposing bell tower, Palazzo Guillot and Chiesa di San Francesco, a 14th-century church. The nearby Chiesa San Michele has a colorful tiled dome. The Museo del Corallo di Alghero features a red coral display.

Afternoon under own arrangements. Dinner at hotel.

Free day at leisure. Breakfast and dinner at hotel.

Enjoy the pools, tennis courts and beach.

A full day guided bus excursion to Bosa, known as one of the most beautiful villages in Italy – and for a good reason. This colorful town of no more than 8500 people is situated on hills, yet right by the sea. A calm river flows through it, and there even is a hilltop castle. Our tour will include a visit to the Nuragic Site Santu Antine. It’s an important complex that dates back to the Bronze Age, and you’ll be able to see the best preserved well temple of Sardinia.

Free day at leisure. Breakfast and dinner at hotel.

Enjoy the pools, tennis courts and beach.

Today is a special day! A full day excursion to Asinara Island by boat with lunch on board. It is a remote island and nature reserve intended for sightseeing and outdoor recreation.

Asinara is one of the most beautiful places you can hope to visit – not just in Sardinia, but anywhere in the world. Picture a place where noone lives; abandoned buildings scattered around; animals roaming freely and gentle winds sweeping the most beautiful beaches, with the clearest waters you could swim in. Enjoy Asinara!

Evening return to hotel for dinner.

Free day at leisure. Breakfast and dinner at hotel.

Enjoy the pools, tennis courts and beach.

This morning we depart to Neptun’s Grotto by boat. A stalactite cave near the town of Alghero on the island of Sardinia. This cave was discovered by local fishermen in the 18th century and has since developed into a popular tourist attraction. The grotto gets its name from the Roman god of the sea, Neptune. 

Free day at leisure. Breakfast and Gala farewell tonight.

Enjoy the pools, tennis courts and beach.

After breakfast, transfer to airport for our flights home.

NORWAY FJORD CRUISE
plus OSLO
March 6 – 16, 2025

11 Day Escorted
Superior Class Tour

Celebrate 50^th
Anniversary of Scope Travel
with Marijka Helbig,
Family and Friends

Deposit of $800
Due by July 1, 2024

Festival of the Northern Lights!
Showcasing the spectacular Aurora Borealis
Scientists predict the Solar Maximum in 2024-25 will result in the most impressive and frequent display of Northern Lights in more than a decade! NOW is the best time to see the Northern Lights and celebrate with us the
50^th Anniversary of SCOPE Travel.

Tour Land cost:        $ 4490  Land rate per person in double room
Single supplement:  $ TBA
Gratuities:                 $ 150
Arriving:                     Bergen
Departing:                  Oslo

Tour features:

• • Hurtigruten MS Nordlys Norwegian Voyage Northbound
  • A 350 passenger ship from Bergen to Kirkines  (7 days) 
  • Three meals daily
  • Rate based on Polar Outside Cabin– upgrade available
  • Transfers: In Bergen, Kirkines and Oslo
  • Guided city tours: Bergen and Oslo
  • Radisson Blu 5* Hotel in Oslo (3 nts)
  • Oslo: Breakfast daily and Farewell Dinner
  • Cultural Program: Concert/Opera TBA
  • Tour host from USA: Marijka Helbig

Not included:

• • International Airfare from USA or Canada and internal flight on tour.
  • Scope Travel can assist you in purchasing your airfare. 

Upon arrival in this second largest city in Norway and the gateway to the fjords, you will have a 2 hr guided tour of Bergen before transfer to your ship.  The ship is in port from 2:45PM to 8:30PM, allowing us time for a short city tour and some shopping.

Bergen is located on Norway’s southwestern coast. It is surrounded by mountains and fjords, including Sognefjord, the country’s longest and deepest. Bergen features colorful wooden houses on the old wharf, once a center of the Hanseatic League's trading empire. Bergen was also the birthplace and home of the famous Norwegian composer and pianist, Edvard Grieg.

Before boarding, relax in a comfortable guest lounge at the terminal. Once aboard, enjoy the first of many delicious meals made from fresh coastal produce. As we depart Bergen, we will sail the old Viking route along the Hjeltefjord.

You will meet your ship’s Coastal Experience Team, who will be your guides as we sail Norway’s coastline. They’ll organize lectures, onboard activities and optional hikes.

Time in port:

• Bergen: 2:45 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
• Into the fjords

Enjoy an early morning in the Nordfjord, near Torvik. Then sail past the West Cape for our approach to Ålesund.

Ålesund is renowned for its beautiful Art Nouveau architecture and Atlanterhavsparken, one of northern Europe’s largest saltwater aquariums. If you’re traveling with us in spring or winter, you’ll have most of the day to explore this picturesque town.

Trondheim – Norway’s capital of technology                                                                                        This part of the voyage brings us to the Trøndelag region of Norway, with fields dotted with farmsteads and low-lying coastal settlements.  

Magical, medieval, and modern

Trondheim was founded by Viking King Olav Tryggvason in 997 A.D. and is now Norway’s third-largest city. It features a mix of historic buildings and a lively student population.

You’ll have three hours to explore Trondheim and its various highlights, either on your own or on one of our optional excursions.

A must-see site of the city is Nidaros Cathedral, nicknamed ‘Norway’s Notre Dame’ for its Gothic architectural style. It is considered the most sacred building in all of Norway. Adjacent to the cathedral is the Archbishop’s Palace, where Norway’s crown jewels are on display.

Nearby, the old city bridge Gamle Bybro sits over Nid River, marking the entrance to the old Hanseatic district of Bakklandet. The neighborhood’s colorful wooden wharfs are propped up on stilts by the river’s edge and now house a variety of restaurants. Up from Bakklandet is Kristiansten Fort, which has beautiful panoramic views of the city where Edvard Grieg, the renowned composer once lived.

Early in the morning, we cross the Arctic Circle and begin our Arctic tour of Norway. We mark the occasion with a traditional ceremony that is sure to wake you up!

During the summer, you can enjoy the sun 24 hours a day. However, in the winter, your chances of seeing the Northern Lights are best in March.

At 10 a.m., we will dock in Ørnes, near Norway’s second-largest glacier, Svartisen. Then we will sail to Bodø, Northern Norway’s second-largest city, overlooked by the Børvass peaks. Admire fabulous street art or join an optional boat excursion to Saltstraumen, one of the strongest tidal currents in the world.

Welcome to Lofoten

The ship enters the Lofoten Archipelago in the afternoon. The Lofoten Wall, standing over 3,200 feet tall, is a stunning sight on the horizon.

Stamsund is home to one of the largest fishing fleets in the islands. It is busiest between January and April, when the Arctic cod—known locally as skrei—swim from the Barents Sea in the north down to Vestfjord to spawn.

This evening, you’ll know you’ve arrived in the pretty harbor of Svolvær when you see rows of traditional fisherman’s huts on stilts, known as rorbuer. This is the main town of the Lofoten Islands.

We dock in Harstad just after 7 a.m. Feel free to have a peaceful early morning stroll around town.

The ship will then continue to Finnsnes, which connects the beautiful island of Senja via the impressive Gisund Bridge. Keep an eye out for a variety of seabirds, including puffins, as there are several colonies nearby.

Gateway to the Arctic

We will sail to the historic Arctic exploration capital of Tromsø, where you’ll have four hours to explore the city or join an optional excursion.

 Along the waterfront you’ll find Polaria, a center exhibiting environmental research in the Arctic with a small aquarium. Visit one of the many shops and restaurants in the city center, including Mack Brewery and the Ølhallen pub, a favorite local watering hole. There are also cafés offering delicious cinnamon buns where baristas create innovative coffee-foam art. Across the fjord from where the ship docks, notice the iconic Arctic Cathedral, with its beautiful stained-glass mosaic.

Early evening departure from Tromsø. We will continue north to the trading post of Skjervøy, founded in 1622. On our way, we’ll pass the Lyngen Alps, which rise majestically from the sea.

Early in the morning, the ship reaches the town of Hammerfest on the island of Kvaløya. In the summer, herds of reindeer migrate to the island by the thousands.

You’ll know we’ve reached Havøysund when you see the wind turbines of the landmark Havøygavlen wind farm, which produces enough electricity to power 6,000 local homes.

At the top of Europe

Mid-morning, we’ll arrive at Honningsvåg, the portal to the North Cape, where a globe monument marks the top of continental Europe. An optional excursion will take you to North Cape from Honningsvåg by bus, passing herds of reindeer, depending on the season.

Sámi heartlands

Near the entrance to  Kjøllefjord village, pay attention to the striking, building-like rock formation Finnkirka, an ancient sacrificial site once used by the indigenous Sámi. You can join an optional excursion to meet local Sámi, learn about their reindeer-herding life and listen to joik folk songs.

Continuing north

We’ll reach our northernmost port of call, Mehamn, in the evening. During March, you might spot cod drying on outdoor wooden racks, called hjell. These are mainly destined for export.

The ship then sets off for Berlevåg. On the way, we’ll pass the tall Slettnes Lighthouse, the planet’s northernmost mainland lighthouse.

Kirkenes – right on the border

During the night, we call at Båtsfjord and Vardø, before docking in Vadsø early in the morning.

Looking to the skies

The area around Vadsø is one of the most scenic and popular birdwatching spots in the Arctic.  It lies directly under the migration path of birds flying from east to west. Look for hooded crows and sea eagles.

Near the Norwegian border

Morning transfer to Airport for flight to Oslo, the capital of Norway.

Upon arrival at hotel in Oslo, evening and dinner under own arrangements.

Breakfast at hotel.    Morning half day city tour. Evening Cultural performance. 

Details TBA

Breakfast at hotel.  Afternoon free for shopping.  Evening Gala Farewell Dinner.

After breakfast, transfer to airport for flights home.

AMALFI COAST – MINORI
May 30 – June 09, 2025

11 Day Escorted
Superior Class Tour

Deposit deadline:
$600 per person by
October 1, 2024

A single destination vacation on the Mediterranean Sea

The AMALFI COAST is a stretch of coastline in southern Italy overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea and the Gulf of Salerno. Attracting international tourists of all classes annually, the Amalfi Coast was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997.

Celebrated worldwide for its Mediterranean landscape and natural beauty, the Coast is named after the town of Amalfi, which is its main historical and political centre. It is one of Italy’s most memorable destinations.

Like the rest of the region, the Amalfi Coast has a Mediterranean climate, featuring warm summers and mild winters. It is located on a relatively steep southern shore of the Sorrentine Peninsula. The only land route to the Amalfi Coast is the 25 mi long Amalfi Drive, which runs along the coastline from the town of Vietri sul Mare in the east to Positano in the west.

MINORI is a small town located in the middle of the Amalfi Coast.    HOTEL VILLA ROMANA, www.hotelvillaromana.it is an elegant, comfortable 4 star resort, modern and cozy, with a strong Mediterranean identity.  The hotel features a restaurant, bar and pool. Two high-level spas – Otium Spa Bagno Romano and Otium Spa Mare – in the center of Minori provide a wide array of services.

 Tour cost:             $2990 land rate per person in double room

Single suppl:          $850

Gratuities:              $150 

Arriving:                Rome

Departure:            Rome

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS:

• • All transfers
  • Welcome Dinner and cocktail
  • Full-day excursion to Amalfi/Ravello by minibus on 3rd day
  • Entrance fees to the Cathedral in Amalfi
  • Entrance fees to Villa Rufolo in Ravello
  • Full day excursion to Sorrento by minibus on 5th day
  • Tasting of local products on a local farm in the area of Sorrento on the 5th day
  • Full day excursion to Capri-Anacapro on the 8th day
  • Boat: Minori/Capri/Minori with reserved seats
  • Transportation on Capri Island
  • Entrance fees to Villa San Michele in Anacapri
  • Entrance fees to the Augustus Garden in Capri
  • Farewell Dinner with wine
  • English speaking guide on all excursions and throughout stay
  • AC bus to all excursions mentioned above

INCLUDED:

• • Airport transfers
  • HOTEL VILLA ROMANA ****, pool and beachfront
  • Two high-level spas:  Otium Spa Bagno Romano and Otium Spa Mare
  • Daily Breakfast and Dinner

 NOT INCLUDED:

• • Hotel tax, 4 Euro per person per night
  • Airfare (we can assist you in purchasing your airline tickets)

 Detailed itinerary will be forthcoming.