Walking Tours
Over the years, we have found that many of our guests are utterly charmed by the relatively short country walks included in all of our tours and cruises, ranging from country lanes via goat or mule tracks to atmospheric paved roadways from antiquity. For those who have an appetite for longer walks and a deeper immersion in the landscapes we visit, our “Walking and Cruising” tours are the perfect offering.
Using a traditional gulet as a travelling base, a comfortable haven of rest and relaxation, and as always accompanied by an expert archaeologist, on a walking cruise you have the opportunity to gain a very hands-on experience of a region, taking in its topography, geology and plant life in the most direct way possible: by walking. Usually, we design such tours to start with a few shorter walks, aiming for an average of about 10 to 15km (6 to 10 miles) per day, and with at least one half day and one full day walk in a two-week itinerary. Typically, each walk includes a visit to an archaeological, historical or cultural site before returning to our gulet with plenty of time for swimming and relaxing.
All our tours are prepared painstakingly and our experts and guides have explored their areas extensively, often for years and frequently by walking, to gain intimate knowledge of their archaeological sites and other features. On each of our itineraries, be it a cultural cruise or one of our “Exploring...” land tours, you can be certain that your tour expert knows a lot more places and sites in the area than they can possibly show you in the time that you are with them. We often regret not being able to include sites we'd love to show you and so we are continuing to expand our walking tour itineraries.
“Walking and Cruising” is the perfect solution for us to share even more of a region and its archaeological treasures with you. Using the same mode of transportation that those who inhabited the ancient sites did, we have the opportunity to approach them in perfectly appropriate fashion, while gaining a holistic impression of the terrain, it sights, sounds and aromas. Often on our walking cruises, we are able to include sites that cannot be otherwise reached: mysterious citadels set on wild mountain peaks or bucolic ruins of ancient cities hidden away in remote valleys.
Below you can see our current schedule of walking trips. If you'd like to read more about the celebrated walking trails in Turkey, please see our walking tours in Turkey page.
Average rating 5 out of 5 from 500 reviews for Walking Tours, according to AITO reviews.
Featured Tours
Croatia - 2021

CroatiaWalking and Cruising Southern Dalmatia
17th May 2021 - 24th May 2021
£3,465 per person

CroatiaWalking and Cruising Southern Dalmatia
20th September 2021 - 27th September 2021
£3,585 per person
Croatia - 2022

CroatiaWalking and Cruising Southern Dalmatia
16th May 2022 - 23rd May 2022
£3,495 per person

CroatiaWalking and Cruising Southern Dalmatia
19th September 2022 - 26th September 2022
£3,585 per person
Testimonials
This tour visited the remains of several Roman forts and museums along Hadrian's Wall in northern England, from the most western to most eastern terminus of the Wall. We also visited castles, a priory and an Abbey and learned their connection to the history of the area. Hiking along the Wall at various locations was exciting (a bit of rain made us feel we truly were in England) and gave us a chance to enjoy the lovely green countryside. A particular highlight of this tour was seeing the ongoing archaeological excavation at Vindolanda and witnessing a 2000 year old Roman shoe pulled minutes earlier from the anaerobic mud that had preserved it all those years.
Cheryl Masters, California, USA Exploring Hadrian's Wall: Romans, Reivers and Romantics
The only thing that exceeded the depth of knowledge imparted to me on this tour was the depth of ignorance that I possessed prior to it. I cannot compliment Peter Sommer Travels enough on a well-planned itinerary and on the expertise of the two tour leaders, Paul Beston and Michael Metcalfe. The accommodations, the dining and the drinking experiences were superb and the choice of the historical and cultural venues was excellent. Both Paul and Michael excelled at elucidating the history of the Wessex region and made the learning experience both enriching and entertaining. Enjoyed every minute.
William Iams, Newfoundland, Canada Exploring Wessex: From Neolithic Avebury to Georgian Bath