The Best Private Trips To Book In Southern Europe

Whether you’re looking to book a private trip with family, friends or a social group, these are the best Culture Trip itineraries you can book in Southern Europe.
There’s plenty of pros for going private. Obviously it means you can keep the guest-list locked down, but it also allows for far greater flexibility on travel dates, group sizes (minimum of 4) and even age requirements. Simply get in touch with our Travel Experts to organise your personalised Culture Trip adventure.

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Trips_Southern Italy_Salerno_AdobeStock_231197512 (4)-min

Seductive Southern Italy

Discover the true meaning of la dolce vita on this 10-day itinerary, which explores the very best of Italy’s western and eastern coastlines. Things kick off in lively Naples, where a street food tour serves as the perfect introduction to Italy. Then you’ll wind along the dreamy Amalfi Coast by road and by boat, stopping off in some of the region’s most charming seaside towns. The journey from west to east is broken up with visits to some of Puglia’s most scenic towns, before eventually reaching the crystal-clear waters and golden beaches of Polignano a Mare. On the east coast you’ll visit a local olive oil farm, as well as the gorgeous city of Lecce, known as the Florence of the South.

From US$2789

Next available from 27th Apr 2024

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Trip highlights and details

STARTS AT

Naples, Italy

ENDS AT

Lecce, Italy

DURATION

10

GROUP SIZE

14

PHYSICAL RATING

Easy

STYLE

Discovery

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Winter Sale

Palace of Pena in Sintra, Lisbon, Portugal.

Complete Portugal by Train

In Portugal they know how to enjoy the finer things in life, be it sweet treats, fine wines or scenic sunset spots. All of the above feature on this comprehensive tour of southern Europe’s westernmost nation, starting with the beautiful city of Porto. Having strolled along the charming riverside streets and sampled sweet Port wine, you’ll be whisked out to the spectacular Douro Valley for a boat ride and lunch at a local winery. In Aveiro, Portugal’s answer to Venice, you’ll discover a local sweet delicacy – ovos moles – while the fairytale town of Sintra is likely to dominate your Instagram for a day. The trip ends in the capital, Lisbon, where you’ll gorge on pastel de nata, stroll past pretty landmarks and enjoy a stunning sunset from one of the city’ seven hills.

From US$2029

Next available from 13th Apr 2024

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Trip highlights and details

STARTS AT

Porto, Portugal

ENDS AT

Lisbon, Portugal

DURATION

8

GROUP SIZE

16

PHYSICAL RATING

Light

STYLE

Discovery

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Winter Sale

Cyclades Islands, Aegean Sea, Greece, Europe

Greek Island Odyssey

If the concept of Mediterranean bliss can be distilled into one place, then we reckon it’s Santorini at sunset, when the island’s whitewashed buildings and blue-domed churches are bathed in a warm glow. That moment is usually accompanied with a cocktail on a terrace bar, after a day of classic Greek island indulgence. That’s essentially the final day of our eight-day island-hopping epic in Greece. Your Santorini sunset will be accompanied with recent memories of the Acropolis in Athens, hidden beaches in Milos and a traditional Greek cooking class in Naxos. We’ll certainly raise a glass to that. Will you?

From US$1939

Next available from 28th Apr 2024

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Trip highlights and details

STARTS AT

Athens, Greece

ENDS AT

Athens, Greece

DURATION

9

GROUP SIZE

18

PHYSICAL RATING

Light

STYLE

Discovery

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City Hopping in Spain by Train

Beyond the endless beaches and tourist towns, Spain has one of the most riveting collections of cultural cities in all of Europe. This eight-day Rail Trip explores some of our favourites in the heartlands of central and southern Spain. We’ll start with a tapas tour and a spot of sightseeing in the capital, Madrid, before hopping on the train south to Andalusia. Stops along the way include the remarkably historic city of Cordoba, Seville – for another tapas tour and a live flamenco show – and Granada, home to the iconic Alhambra Palace, with the Sierra Nevada Mountains in the background. Eventually we will hit beach, as you round off the trip in the charming coastal city of Malaga, where art galleries, old churches and golden stretches of sand mark the end of our Spanish odyssey.

From US$3199

Next available from 20th Apr 2024

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Trip highlights and details

STARTS AT

Madrid, Spain

ENDS AT

Malaga, Andalucia

DURATION

8

GROUP SIZE

16

PHYSICAL RATING

Moderate

STYLE

Discovery

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Winter Sale

A man in an orange kayak paddles by the rocky coastline of Hvar Island, Croatia

Coastal Croatia

While Italy and Greece tend to steal the headlines, you can make a pretty strong argument that Croatia is Europe’s ultimate seaside destination. This country is almost entirely coastline, and we’ll be tracing its shimmering cerulean waters all the way from Split to Dubrovnik on this eight-day itinerary. If those two gorgeous medieval cities make the bread of this sandwich, then the filling is an island-hopping extravaganza, featuring wines to sip on, oysters to slurp down, and hidden caves to explore by boat. You in?

From US$2169

Next available from 28th Apr 2024

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Trip highlights and details

STARTS AT

Split, Croatia

ENDS AT

Dubrovnik, Croatia

DURATION

8

GROUP SIZE

16

PHYSICAL RATING

Moderate

STYLE

Discovery

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Winter Sale

Atlantic Azores

Think Southern Europe is all about indulgent slow travel? Think again. Look far off the coast of Portugal and you’ll discover the volcanic archipelago of the Azores, a true adventure playground waiting to be discovered. Our six-day trip is a pretty thorough examination of the main island, São Miguel, which is covered in a bright green coat and endless geological wonders. Explore the surreal volcanic crater lakes of Sete Cidades by bike and kayak, soak in natural hot springs and head to Ribeira dos Caldeirões to go canyoning down slippery ravines and abseiling across a waterfall. You’ll even have the chance to go whale watching on a marine safari. Things get really cool on the last day, when you prep a traditional cozido stew, which will be cooked underground using only natural geothermal heat, and should be ready by the time you’re back from a hike around Furnas Lake.

From US$1669

Next available from 29th Mar 2024

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Trip highlights and details

STARTS AT

Ponta Delgada, Portugal

ENDS AT

Ponta Delgada, Portugal

DURATION

6

GROUP SIZE

8

PHYSICAL RATING

Moderate

STYLE

Discovery

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Spectacular Sicily

If Italy is a boot, then Sicily is the football it’s kicking. The largest island in the Mediterranean is worthy of a trip of its own, which is why this eight-day itinerary exists. It’s a genuinely thorough exploration of the island, full of foodie experiences and coastal gems. You’ll explore the street food markets of Palermo, the rugged scenery of the Madonie Mountains and the volcanic landscapes of the Aeolian Islands. You’ll hike across Mount Etna and visit Taormina’s ancient Greek amphitheatre, discover more street food in Syracuse and Ortigia, before rounding off the trip with a scenic exploration of the Unesco-listed Val di Noto region, home to a series of gorgeous hilltop Baroque towns, as well as some of the world’s finest chocolate and gelato.

From US$2924

Next available from 20th Apr 2024

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Trip highlights and details

STARTS AT

Palermo, Italy

ENDS AT

Siracusa, Sicily

DURATION

10

GROUP SIZE

14

PHYSICAL RATING

Light

STYLE

Discovery

View Trip

landscape with balloons floating in the air

KEEN TO EXPLORE THE WORLD?

Connect with like-minded people on our premium trips curated by local insiders and with care for the world

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.