Tauck to Launch Four New European Land Tours in 2025

WILTON, CT (August 19, 2024) Tauck, will mark its 100th anniversary in 2025, and its 35th year operating tours in Europe, with the launch of four new land journeys next year in Italy, Switzerland, France and England. The quartet of new itineraries includes "A Week In… Piedmont" and "A Week In… Switzerland" (both additions to the company's popular "A Week In…" collection of eight-day tours) as well as two longer tours, "England and the West Country" (11 days) and "Paris, Dordogne & Bordeaux" (14 days).

"Tauck will be 100-years-young in 2025, but we're certainly not slowing down in any way," said Tauck CEO Dan Mahar. "In fact, our commitment to innovating and enhancing our global portfolio of land tours, river cruises, small ship ocean cruises, and Tauck Bridges family adventures is stronger than ever."

The four new land tours come as Tauck's business in Europe is surging. The continent continues to be the company's most popular destination, and 2025 bookings to Europe are up double-digits, percentage-wise, over where 2024 bookings were at this time last year. In all, Tauck will offer 39 land tours to Europe in 2025, including five Tauck Bridges itineraries designed specifically for families. 

GROWTH IN SMALL GROUP TRAVEL; SHOULDER SEASON DEPARTURES INCREASING BY 50%
In recent years Tauck has actively reduced the average group size of its land tours in Europe (and elsewhere), with the introduction of its popular Small Group departures averaging 24 guests each, and more recently, with its Smaller Group trips averaging just 15 guests. With the reduced group sizes, Tauck guests are able to enjoy more intimate and interactive engagement within the destination, and have access to people, places and experiences unavailable to larger groups.

Also for 2025, Tauck is boosting its shoulder season departures by 50%, primarily during the fall months of October and November. Mahar noted that fall is a wonderful time to visit Europe, as temperatures are cooler, crowds are fewer, and wine producers across the continent are engaged in their annual grape harvest. Along with the advantages to Tauck's guests, adding departures during the shoulder season also benefits local communities in Europe, added Mahar, as destinations are far better able to welcome additional visitors in the fall and spring versus during the peak summer travel season. "Expanding our shoulder season departures – and hosting more of our guests in Europe during the spring and fall – is a true win-win that benefits everyone," said Mahar.

Tauck's four new European land tours are:

"A Week In… Piedmont" (eight days, from $6,990 USD* per person, double occupancy plus airfare)

Accommodations:

• Nights 1 & 2: Principi di Piemonte in Turin
• Nights 3-5: Il Boscareto Resort & Spa in Serralunga d'Alba
• Nights 6 & 7: Grand Hotel des Iles Borromees & Spa in Stresa

Itinerary highlights:

• A wine tasting, cooking demonstration and lunch at the Slow Food University in the Langhe Hills, where the natural slow food movement began
• A truffle-hunting excursion with specially trained dogs, followed by a chef-hosted cooking class amid vineyards and nut trees
• A wine tasting lunch in the Gavi region, in the cellar of an award-winning Piedmont winery

"A Week In… Switzerland" (eight days, from $7,590 USD** per person, double occupancy plus airfare)

Accommodations:

• Nights 1 & 2: Lausanne Palace in Lausanne
• Nights 3-5: Grand Hotel Beau Rivage in Interlaken
• Nights 6 & 7: Mandarin Oriental Palace, Luzern in Lucerne

Itinerary highlights:

• A visit to Europe's highest peak, Jungfraujoch, to savor panoramic views and enjoy lunch
• A rail excursion aboard the Golden Pass Train through the breathtaking Swiss Alps
• A walking tour and chocolate tasting in Lucerne's picturesque Old Town, followed by a wine tasting at a nearby vineyard

"England and the West Country" (11 days, from $8,790 USD*** per person, double occupancy plus airfare)

Accommodations:

• Nights 1 & 2: Estelle Manor in Eynsham
• Nights 3 & 4: The Gainsborough Bath Spa in Bath
• Nights 5-7: Fowey Hall Hotel in Fowey
• Nights 8 & 9: Bovey Castle in Newton Abbot
• Night 10: Fairmont Windsor Park in Windsor

Itinerary highlights:

• A guided tour of Chavenage House, a 400-year-old Cotswold manor home
• A visit to the Morgan Sports Car factory for a guided tour, and a chance to pilot one of the high-performance sports cars produced there
• A private cooking class at the Philleigh Cooking School
  
  

"Paris, Dordogne & Bordeaux" (14 days, from $11,790 USD**** per person, double occupancy plus airfare)

Accommodations:

• Nights 1-3: Sofitel Paris Baltimore in Paris
• Nights 4 & 5: InterContinental Lyon – Hotel Dieu in Lyon
• Nights 6-8: Hotel les Glycines in Dordogne
• Nights 9-11: Hotel Burdigala by Inwood Hotels in Bordeaux
• Nights 12-13: Hotel du Palais Biarritz in Biarritz

Itinerary highlights:

• An early-opening private visit to 12th-century Chateau de Beynac, one of the best preserved and most famous feudal castles in Perigord
• An expert lecture, accompanied by aperitifs, on the Dordogne's prehistoric sights, followed by dinner prepared by a chef from a Michelin-starred restaurant
• A private tour and tasting at historic Chateau de Ferrand (dating back to 1702)

Those interested in more information can contact their local travel professional, call Tauck at 800 468 2825, or visit the company's website at www.tauck.com (www.tauck.ca in Canada, www.tauck.co.uk in the UK, www.tauck.com.au in Australia/New Zealand).

About Tauck: Celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2025, Tauck is a world leader in upscale guided travel, with more than 150 land tours, safaris, river cruises, small ship ocean cruises and family travel adventures to 70+ countries and all seven continents. In each of the last 27 years, Tauck has been honored in Travel + Leisure magazine's annual "World's Best Awards" celebrating the very best in luxury tours, cruises, hotels and more.

* $9,290 CAD / $10,590 AUD / £5,590 GBP
** $9,990 CAD / $11,490 AUD / £5,990 GBP
*** $11,690 CAD / $13,290 AUD / £6,990 GBP
**** $15,690 CAD / $17,890 AUD / £9,390 GB

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PLEASE NOTE: High-res images available for download at www.tauck.com/mediaimages.