Autumn 2026 Newsletter: New Escorted Holidays & Tour News

What a summer it's been! From July to September our guests walked, toured and cruised across Europe with our expert local guides, and your feedback has been wonderful. In this autumn newsletter we're announcing our Local Guides photo competition winner, introducing our new escorted holidays for 2027 and looking back at the small group tours that ran over the last three months. Over 31 destinations visited, and plenty more booked. We have some exciting news to share, from new tours to our brand new exclusive loyalty scheme, and Jose's singing, we did it all over the summer. Don't forget to read to the end where we announce our photo competition winner!

Valencia: We Came, We Walked, We Paella'd

Ask anyone from our Valencia group about the best bit of their holiday and you'll probably get the same dreamy look and one word: paella. The day started with a walk through the pine forests of the Albufera Natural Park from El Saler down to the lake. Then everyone hopped on a traditional boat and cruised across the water to the little village of El Palmar, which is pretty much the birthplace of paella. And as you can see from the photo, this wasn't a microwave job. Huge pans were cooked over a roaring wood fire by people who clearly know exactly what they're doing. It's safe to say that no grains of rice were left behind, and a few travellers may have asked whether they could just stay there forever.

The rest of the week was pretty special too. Home base was the 4-star L&H Gran Via in the middle of Valencia, complete with a rooftop pool for sunset lounging. The group explored the historic centre and walked along the old Turia riverbed (now a gorgeous green park) to the futuristic City of Arts and Sciences, which looks like a spaceship has landed in Spain. A train ride took them to historic Xàtiva, where they climbed up to the hilltop castle for sweeping views over the countryside.

The final walk was the most adventurous, with mountain trails, waterfalls, pools and caves near Buñol. That's the home of La Tomatina, the famous festival where the whole town throws tomatoes at each other. Thankfully our group kept their tomatoes on their plates. With free days for wandering the city and an optional trip to Roman Sagunto, everyone came home happy, well walked and very well fed. Valencia, you spoil us!

If you've ever wondered what pure holiday happiness looks like, take a look at this lot! That's our Costa Blanca group, arms in the air, with the turquoise Guadalest Reservoir and the mountains behind them. And no, we haven't touched the photo. The water really is that colour, and the group really was that cheerful. They spent the week in Calpe with the brilliant Jose, staying at the 4-star Diamante Beach Hotel right by the sea. With a spa and heated pools on hand, it was the perfect place to put their feet up after a day on the trails.

Jose's first walk went up into the Serra d'Oltà hills, along forest tracks through pinewoods and moorland to the little hermitage of St Francis. It was peaceful, pretty and only a little bit uphill (or so Jose promised). Next came the walk that inspired the picture: a lovely route round the edge of the Guadalest Reservoir, with mountain views at every turn. It was so scenic that the hardest part of Jose's day was getting everyone to stop taking photos and keep walking. On the free day, some travellers took the optional trip to the Albir Lighthouse, arty Altea and the clifftop village of Guadalest. Others stayed put and made sure the sun loungers didn't get lonely.

The last walk took the group through the Jalón Valley and down the historic Royal Road, past vineyards and citrus groves heavy with fruit. With three cracking walks, plenty of sunshine and Jose leading the way, everyone came home rested, a few shades browner and still smiling as much as they are in that photo. Gracias, Jose. The Costa Blanca never fails to deliver!

Catalonia swept our travellers off their feet this summer with warm weather and gorgeous views, although after all the walking, maybe "swept" isn't quite the right word for their feet! Home for the week was the newly renovated Estival Maramar Hotel in Comarruga on the Costa Dorada. It's right on the beach and has a pool and a spa, so it was a great place to rest those hard-working legs. As the name "Trails and Rails" suggests, this holiday mixes lovely walks with handy train rides home. That's the best kind of walking holiday: one where someone else does the last bit for you.

The first walk followed the coast from the Mora watchtower through pretty Altafulla, past Tamarit Castle and on to the Roman villa of Els Munts, ending in Torredembarra and a train back. Later in the week the group headed inland. They walked from the Castle of Milmanda through rolling vineyards to l'Espluga de Francolí and the medieval walled town of Montblanc, which looks like it's been lifted straight from a fairytale. There was also a full day exploring UNESCO-listed Tarragona, with Roman amphitheatres, ancient forums and a winding medieval old town. Our travellers can now pretend to be gladiators with surprising confidence.

The final walk began with a train ride to the village of Capçanes, then a hike through ravines, vineyards and olive groves to Marçà. That's prime wine country, and we're told it would have been rude not to try the local vino. With a couple of free days for lounging on the beach, dipping in the spa or simply doing nothing at all, the group came home relaxed, sun-kissed and already asking where we're going next. Catalonia, you charmer!

Bunkers, Byreks and the Beautiful Balkans

This summer Jose led a group on an adventure through the Balkans, exploring Albania, which may well be Europe's best-kept secret (sorry, it's not a secret any more). The trip began in Tirana with a walking tour of the capital. They took in Skanderbeg Square, the Ethem Bey Mosque, the Clock Tower and the Opera House, plus a mix of buildings ranging from Ottoman to "who on earth painted that so brightly?". Next stop was Berat, the UNESCO-listed "City of a Thousand Windows", followed by a stroll around the wine village of Roshnik. That walk ended, very conveniently, at the Alpeta Winery for an organic wine tasting. Funnily enough, nobody complained about the walking that day.

After that the group settled into Vlora on the coast. Their first walk there was around the Narta Lagoon, past the island monastery of Zvernec, along white sand beaches and past plenty of the old concrete bunkers that pop up all over Albania like mushrooms. The group then walked through the Shushica valley between the villages of Vranisht and Tërbaç, where it's mostly wild mountains, quiet tracks and the odd curious goat.

To finish, they rode the cable car up Dajti Mountain and hiked a forested ridge to Tujani peak, looking down on Lake Bovilla tucked between the mountains. And then there was the food. Hearty Albanian cooking, fresh Mediterranean flavours and portions that make you very grateful for the next day's hill. All in all, the group came home with stunning photos, happy tummies and legs that had definitely earned their holiday. Jose, we salute you!

Sun, Sierras and Sergio: Andalucía's Eastern Coast

A lovely group spent the week soaking up the sun and the culture of Andalucía's Eastern Coast with the wonderful Sergio, and we're fairly sure some of them are still trying to work out how to bring the weather home in their suitcases. Home for the week was the Hotel Bahia Tropical in Almuñécar, right on the beach, where the Sierra mountains drop dramatically into the Mediterranean. It's a tough life, but someone had to do it. The week kicked off with a coastal walk along old paths, past hidden coves and up to the Devil's Tower, which, despite the name, turned out to be very well-behaved and had cracking views.

Then came the big one: a day at Granada's Alhambra Palace, the last Moorish stronghold to surrender in 1492. The group wandered the Generalife Gardens, the Alcazaba and the Summer Palace, and found it all so beautiful that a few phones were reportedly begging for mercy by lunchtime. After that came a well-earned free day, mostly spent testing the hotel spa, by the pool or "just resting the eyes" on a balcony. For the adventurous, there was a trip up into the Alpujarras to stroll between the white villages of Capileira and Pampaneira, high in the Sierra Nevada.

The week finished with two more coastal walks. The first went from La Herradura round through Marina del Este and back to Almuñécar. The second started in the gorgeous hilltop village of Frigiliana and wound through olive groves and citrus orchards towards Nerja. Sergio kept everyone on track, full of facts and good humour, and patient with the inevitable "just one more photo" stops. The group came home with sun on their faces, sand in their shoes and full camera rolls. If you're feeling a bit jealous, don't worry: there's still time to join the next one!

Our July - September photo competition had one of our favourite themes yet: Local Guides. Our guides are the heart of every Involved Holiday. They know the hidden paths, the family-run cafés and the stories behind every village square, so we loved seeing them through your lenses.

After a lot of debate among our team, the winner is Pamela C!

Pamela wins £100 off a future holiday, plus an Involved Holidays day sack. Congratulations!

Enter the next competition: our October - December theme is Cultural Encounters. Email your holiday photos to photo@involvedholidays.com or share them on social media with #involvedholidays. You can send up to five entries a month.

Our New Escorted Holidays Are Live!

Great news, everyone: our new escorted holidays are live! We love a good walk as much as the next person, but sometimes you just want to take in the sights at your own pace. That's exactly why we've added these. They're a bit slower, with more sightseeing and lots of time to wander, gaze and nip into a café "just for a quick one". You still get to soak up everything that makes each place special, only without the need for walking poles and a stopwatch.

There's plenty to choose from. You could amble around Lisbon's seaside resorts, gaze at Granada's Alhambra, or look out over Monte Carlo's harbour (which may lead to some yacht-related daydreaming). There's also Transylvania's fairytale castles, Cyprus's ancient ruins, and the islands and gardens of Lake Maggiore. All of them come with the same friendly guides and good company you'd expect from Involved Holidays, at a much more leisurely pace. Think of it as all the holiday and none of the rush. Take a look below and find your next adventure!

This summer we dipped our toes into something brand new for Involved Holidays: river cruising! We weren't totally sure how our walkers would take to swapping hiking boots for deck shoes. It turns out they took to it like ducks to water (sorry, we had to). Our first guests loved unpacking once and then waking up somewhere new each morning, with great food, great company and plenty of sightseeing along the way. The feedback has been wonderful. One guest summed it up as "a lovely way to travel through France", and another loved "new friends, a new style of holiday and comfort!" So we've decided to make river cruising a permanent part of the Involved Holidays family, and next year's cruises are now open for booking...

To be in for the chance of winning a luggage strap, follow us on Facebook, and message the answers! We will announce the winner on Facebook along with the answers!

View our Terms and Conditions here

Introducing Our New Loyalty Scheme: The More You Travel, the More You Save!

We think our regulars deserve a treat. After all, you're the ones who keep coming back, telling your friends about us and making every group a joy to travel with. So we've launched a brand-new Loyalty Scheme. It's simple: the more holidays you book with us, the bigger your discount. Instead of a percentage off, you now get a fixed amount off per person, depending on your level:

• 🥉 Bronze (2 to 4 holidays): £50 off per person
• 🥈 Silver (5 to 6 holidays): £75 off per person
• 🥇 Gold (7 to 9 holidays): £100 off per person
• 💎 Platinum (10 or more holidays): £125 off per person

And here's the good bit: the holiday you're booking counts towards your level. So if you're booking your second holiday with us, congratulations, you're already Bronze!

Can I still use promo codes? Yes, and this is where it gets exciting. Under our old scheme, you couldn't use your loyalty discount alongside a promotional code. Now you can! Your loyalty discount can be combined with departure offers and one promotional code per booking, up to a total of £250 off per person. That means many of you will save more than before when you book during a promotion. To celebrate the launch, you can even combine it with our SEP100 code until midnight on 12th October. Now's the time to start planning your next adventure!

A few things worth knowing:

• The discount applies to scheduled holidays outside the UK with a standard price of £1,300 per person or more. Holidays abroad under £1,300 don't get the discount, but they do still count towards your level.
• UK holidays (including Northern Ireland) don't count towards your level and don't receive the discount.
• The discount covers up to 5 passengers per booking. Anyone sharing a room or cabin needs to be on the same booking.
• A holiday only counts towards your level if the lead booker is travelling, and it's credited to the lead booker's account.
• Private group holidays already have group pricing, so they don't get the loyalty discount or promo codes, but they do count towards the lead booker's level.
• Your past holidays are matched to your account using the email address on the booking, so use the same email address each time to make sure every trip counts.
• If you cancel a booking, it no longer counts towards your level.

Think a holiday is missing from your count? Just give our friendly team a call on 01858 896 111 and we'll look into it for you.

👉 Find out more about our Loyalty Scheme

That's All, Folks!

Thank you so much for reading our Autumn Newsletter. If you made it all the way to the end, give yourself a pat on the back (and a biscuit, you've earned it). It's been a brilliant summer, with sunshine in Andalucía, paella in Valencia and our very first river cruises. None of it would be the same without all of you: our wonderful travellers, who bring the laughs, the stories and the occasional "just one more photo" to every trip.

Whether you fancy a walking holiday, a slower-paced escorted tour or a week floating down the Danube, there's plenty to get excited about for the winter. And don't forget your new loyalty discount! If anything's caught your eye, or you'd just like a chat about where to go next, our friendly team is always happy to help on 01858 896 111. We can't promise the weather, but we can promise great company.

We hope to see you on an Involved Holidays tour very soon. Until then, happy travels!

The Involved Holidays Team