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Tours Q & A

 

What’s included on my tour?

If you book a small group tour with us, it will include entry to all attractions named in the itinerary, transport, the full-time service of a guide, accommodation, and some meals included as detailed in the itinerary. We also provide some snacks along the way to ensure our guests get to try as much local food as possible. Each group is different and unique and one of the perks of being in a small group is the flexibility it offers and your Guide will always work with you to create an amazing experience. 

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What is the food like?

Our tours in the UK and Ireland include breakfast every day at a variety of different places during the trip including bakeries, coffee shops, restaurants and cafes so that you will be able to try a variety of breakfasts including full cooked breakfasts some days and bakery breakfasts others days. In Italy and France, typical continental-style breakfasts will be offered.

 

Some lunches and dinners are also included during the trip which are laid out in the itinerary. We want to include some meals together to make sure you get to try local food and so that we can support local restaurants - it’s an essential part of our travel experience and we usually provide all breakfasts and roughly half the dinners and half the lunches depending on the itinerary. For meals that are included, we will visit a variety of dining establishments such as cafes, family-run restaurants, cosy pubs and other local places during our trip to provide you a real taste of the country that you visit - incorporating traditional and modern flavours. For included breakfasts, this will consist of a menu item and hot drink or juice of your choice. For lunch, a menu item and soft drink of choice is included. For included dinners, these generally consist of 2-3 courses depending on the location, and a soft drink/wine/beer of your choice. We also will have a number of afternoons and evenings free where you will be able to find your own lunch or dinner at a budget that suits you, and your guide can also provide recommendations.  

 

If you have special dietary requirements (including vegetarian/vegan/religious requirements), please advise us when booking so that we can ensure options are provided for you.

 

Will I be on a bus all day?

No! There are some days where we may need to travel a bit of a distance and 3 or 4 hours or so of actual driving time may be required, however, these days tend to be scenic and we always stop on the way to break up the journey and see something. Our itineraries list the approximate driving time throughout the day - these are calculated as a point A to point B travel time and don't take into account stopping to see things along the way, eating, breaks, traffic etc. 

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How physically demanding are your tours?

Our tours involve a lot of walking​ - you must be able to comfortably walk around 5-6 miles (8-10km) per day in a city (it adds up quickly!) at a normal walking pace, as well as be able to walk over uneven surfaces such as cobblestones, small hills, and fields. You must also be able to lift your bags and suitcase on and off buses or trains and take it into your accommodation which may not have a lift. We do stop for breaks but walking tours are very much a part of our trips - so bring comfortable shoes!

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What are the age limits for our tours?

For our scheduled tours, due to health and safety requirements of some of the attractions we visit, we can accept travellers aged 8 and older (children aged under 18 must be travelling with an adult legal guardian). Our tours are designed to have something for everyone and we want travellers of all ages to fall in love with where we go and we don’t want to exclude certain groups based on age. We would recommend you check out what’s included in the itinerary to make sure it’s right for those travelling with you and get in touch if you have any questions. On custom and personalised tours, there is no minimum age to travel as we can exclude attractions that have an age restriction. 

 

How do I book? What's the process?

Once you've selected your tour - simply fill in the booking form and submit it. We will then check the availability and confirm it - sending you a link to our payment portal to securely pay a deposit or the full amount if you so choose. The deposit is applied towards your trip with the balance being due 6 weeks prior to the start date of your tour. If you are booking within 6 weeks of the tour, the full amount will be due. 

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What currency do you accept?

As our business is based in Scotland, prices are listed in pounds sterling 

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What currency is used where we’re going?

When travelling in Scotland and the rest of the UK, the currency used is the British Pound (GBP) and when travelling in Italy, Greece, France, or the Republic of Ireland, it is Euro (EUR). Other countries visited may have their own currencies. You can find the current daily exchange rate between your home country’s currency and GBP/EUR by visiting www.xe.com

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Are concession discounts available?

There is a 10% discount available for travellers under 16 who are sharing a room with an adult they are travelling with. We also offer group discounts to groups of 5-8 passengers travelling together

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Will I need to share a room? Is a single supplement available? 

Our prices are based on double occupancy of a twin room, so you may need to share with another Guest,  however if you want your own room we can arrange this for the payment of a single supplement of £40 per night on all our itineraries. Just let us know when booking.

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What is the accommodation like?

We know how important a good night’s sleep is - and our accommodation is a mixture of hotels, B&Bs (in more remote areas) and sometimes apartments that are good value, clean, and provide a good night’s sleep. Our hotels, apartments and B&Bs are usually midrange and chosen based on our experience of them and they are clean and good value. We really want to support locally run businesses as much as we can and try to do this as much as possible although during busy periods this isn't always feasible. All rooms are en-suite or will have private bathroom access. Rooms are twin with 2 Guests per room, however if you are travelling with someone and would like a double bed instead - let us know when booking and we will try to do this for you. If travelling solo, you may need to share a room with another solo Guest on the same tour unless you add a single supplement for your own room.

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What are the Passport and Visa Requirements?

Please ensure your passport is valid for at least 6 months from the time your trip abroad ends and check in advance the requirements for entry into the United Kingdom or Italy to see if you need a visa beforehand. Many nationalities do not require a visa, however if you do need one we can provide advice on this although we can’t directly organise UK or Schengen visas. Passports or EU ID cards are required to be shown when checking into Italian accommodation.

 

Is the itinerary always followed?

We try to adhere to the published itinerary as much as possible but sometimes may need to make adjustments due to operational reasons (for example, poor weather) or for reasons outside our control. Because we are a small tour group, we also can be flexible however and if there is something you really would like to do in an area we are in, and most guests agree, we will try to make it happen! 

 

What is the Deposit?

We will require a non-refundable deposit of £250 per person when we confirm your booking. After submitting the booking form to confirm availability, we will give you instructions on how to securely make an online payment. The balance is payable 6 weeks prior to departure of your trip and we will email you a link with instructions for making an online payment with a card, or arranging a bank transfer if you prefer. If we do not have the minimum amount of Guests to run a trip, no deposit or payment will be taken until we reach the minimum number of guests, so you can be assured a trip will run once we have taken a deposit or any monies. All funds are fully protected in an independent trust account to comply with the 2018 Package Travel Regulations.

 

Is Airfare included?

We don’t include airfare, however we are more than happy to help you find suitable airfare and provide advice on this (as well as multi-stop itineraries if you are travelling elsewhere after your tour) and can also connect you with a local family-run travel agency specialising in flights.

 

What are the guest numbers per tour?

Our scheduled tours run with a minimum number of Guests and if we haven't reached this number you will be placed on a waiting list and we will only take your Deposit when others book on to your trip. Once your deposit is taken, the trip is guaranteed to run. We take a maximum of 8 people for most of our tours but usually have 5 or 6 Guests as this enables us to easily visit local restaurants and attractions.

 

What’s the best time to come weather-wise?

It depends where you are going - in Scotland the weather is famously unpredictable but we feel you can enjoy Scotland in all types of weather. Generally, April through October is a good time to come BUT with a jacket and an umbrella, we can make the most of any type of weather. In Italy, summer can be really hot so we tend to offer our tours in September and October when the crowds are less hectic and the temperature isn’t sweltering. However, we can organise tours at any time of the year and work with any type of weather.

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What if I don’t like or drink tea?

Drinking tea is not mandatory, don't worry!!  We know the name of our company can be deceptive! We do stop for tea and coffee along the way but the places we stop also provide other drinks (fruit teas, hot chocolates, water, soft drinks) so don’t worry - we won’t judge you if you don’t like tea! In Scotland, if we invite someone out for coffee, they definitely are not expected to drink coffee, and if we offer juice...it can be any type of soft drink - so it can definitely be confusing!

 

What vehicles are used?

As our tours are small, we often use a 9-seater vehicle for a maximum of 8 passengers although most tours average 6 people. For smaller groups, we may use a smaller vehicle to be more efficient but we will always make sure everyone has enough space for themselves and their bag!

 

What if I have an allergy?

Unfortunately we can't guarantee a nut free trip or a trip free from any allergens because we visit cafes, restaurants and attractions where cross contamination is possible and outside our control. 

 

What if you cancel my tour?

We rarely need to cancel a tour and if we do for circumstances outside our control (for example, the government prohibiting travel), you will be entitled to a full refund. This situation is rare and if we have accepted a deposit or money from you, your trip is guaranteed to run unless there is a circumstance beyond our control preventing it from going ahead. Please see our force majeure clause in our terms and conditions for more details.

 

How much should I tip?

Tips are not expected or required although you are free to give them at your own discretion if you wish to.

 

What if I'm unhappy with something during my trip?

If you are unhappy in any way during the trip, whether its the accommodation or something else - please inform your Tour Organiser immediately so that an appropriate solution may be found.  

 

What if I need help finding somewhere to stay before/after my tour?

We are happy to help find and organise accommodation for you before/after the tour, or you can also do this yourself if you wish to. We can also provide transfer information from airports or rail stations as well as onward travel information following your tour. Just contact us and we are happy to help! 

 

What travel insurance do I need?

Please ensure you have appropriate travel insurance for healthcare - this is a requirement for our trips. 

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What language are your tours in?

Our tours are conducted in English. 

 

Accessibility

Our scheduled tours involve walking, usually at a gentle leisurely pace and across various landscapes such as cities, rural landscapes, and uneven surfaces like cobblestones, old staircases, or sand. However, we really want to be as inclusive as possible and if you have mobility requirements or require a specific type of room, please advise us in advance of this so we can best meet your needs. In Scotland, we can offer customised wheelchair accessible tours for manual wheelchair-users as well as other types of accessible tours using Euan’s Guide to put together an exciting custom itinerary for you, just let us know!

 

How much luggage can I bring?

For our Scotland and UK itineraries, due to the vehicles used, your luggage cannot exceed 15kg (33lbs) and you can bring an additional small bag inside the vehicle. We recommend packing as light as possible and provide a recommended packing list 6 weeks prior to the beginning of your trip. We will also have the opportunity approximately halfway through the trip to do a laundry wash. You will need to lift your own luggage in/out of vehicles.

 

For our Italy trips, we travel by rail and minibus and recommend bringing one smaller sized luggage weighing no more than 15kg (you must be able to comfortably lift your case up and down onto overhead luggage racks on trains). The lighter the better - and a laundry service will be provided halfway through the trip for a small charge.