Blue-Roads Tours
Real, meaningful travel is about going deeper—taking time to explore, meeting locals, tasting traditional cuisine, and discovering beauty off the beaten path. At Blue-Roads, we pride ourselves on delivering unique journeys through expert local knowledge, carefully curated experiences, and hand-picked boutique accommodations.
Unfortunately Blue-Roads Touring do not sell their trips in the Australian region.
The Blue-Roads Touring Experience Choose to travel with Blue-Roads on your next adventure!
Welcome to the road less traveled...
At Blue-Roads Touring, we’ve spent over 40 years creating small group touring vacations offering a unique range of fascinating and leisurely regional tours throughout the UK and Europe.
Picture a touring holiday that delves a bit deeper. One that doesn’t simply drop by top sights and major cities, but invites you to see a destination through the eyes of the people who know it best: the locals who call it home. Where journeys are made for absorbing never-to-be-forgotten views, not darting from A to B. And each day ends in a hand-picked retreat brimming with local charm.
Enjoy the company of a small group
On a tour with Blue-Roads you can expect a maximum of 18, but average of 15, guests – ranging from independent travellers to couples and smaller groups.
You’ll meet like-minded people who are ready to explore, without the worry of logistics. There’s plenty of flexibility and free time for you to spend as you please, whether that’s with the group or exploring independently.
Enjoy a more personal style of touring
Insightful, attentive and passionate, our Tour Leaders will unlock the experiences that make your Blue-Roads tour truly special – from adding personal touches to your itinerary to bringing destinations to life with their local knowledge.
Blue-Road's experienced Tour Leaders will have ample time to answer all your questions. From your historic intrigue for local lore to your desire for authentic seafood, they will share stories, secrets and insightful recommendations.
The small group size also allows Blue-Road's Tour Leaders to tailor elements of the tour based on the preferences of our guests, meaning a much more personal experience.
Charming Local Accommodation
Blue-Roads choose characterful accommodation, hand-picked for their local charm that reflects the character of the region you're visiting. From grand medieval castles to quaint country inns, each accommodation on our tours has been carefully selected for its extraordinary setting and unique character.
Whether you stay in a Scottish castle, French chateau, Spanish palace, Italian villa, or Turkish cave hotel, you may be sure that each one will bring more authenticity to the itinerary.
FAQ's Frequently asked questions for those considering travelling with Blue-Roads Touring
Can you describe a typical day out on tour?
Our tours are conducted at a leisurely pace; we take our time and avoid rushing from place to place. Stops are made frequently during the day to avoid extended periods of time on the mini-coach. On a typical day, we might leave at 9am and arrive at our hotel at 5pm. We endeavour to build rest and relaxation time...read more into our itineraries, and most inclusions are not mandatory – so if you’d rather explore on your own, you’re welcome to meet up with the group at the designated meeting point. How flexible are Blue-Roads itineraries?
Some of the visits listed in our itineraries are fixed and included in the overall price of the tour. However, there is some flexibility to adapt the itinerary according to such things as the weather, special events and group wishes. This is one of the beauties of small-group touring! If you have a specific request...read more that’s not on the itinerary, we will do our best to accommodate it – but this will depend on the agreement of your fellow travellers and the judgement of your Tour Leader. How much walking is there?
Your Tour Leader will guide walking tours of cities on your itinerary. On European mainland tours, there is a considerable amount of walking. Many historic cities, such as Cassis and Lisbon, prohibit motorised transport. This means that your Driver will need to park some distance out of the centre.You...read more may encounter a few cobblestone streets on our tours in Europe, so we recommend bringing walking shoes or flats instead of high heels. Please note, that if you have a mobility problem or concern, you may not find Blue-Roads tours suitable. Please let your Global Journeys travel advisor know when enquiring if you have any doubts.
Am I expected to leave gratuities?
Gratuities are not included in your tour price. Tipping is entirely optional and at your discretion, although it’s common practice throughout Europe. If you feel you’ve received exceptional service, we suggest a tip of £4/€5 per person, per day for Tour Leaders and £3/€4 per person, per day for Drivers. ...read more How much driving will there be?
We design our tours so that there is as little time as possible on the mini-coach and plenty to see while on board. We travel along the scenic route wherever possible, meaning you’ll see more of the countryside and local village life than on a regular tour.Inevitably, there are days when travelling between...read more locations may involve motorway driving and more mileage. Generally, driving time will not last for more than three or four hours per day.
What are the benefits of travelling in a small group?
Unlike large coach companies, Blue-Roads offers guests a truly personal experience. On our tours you’ll meet like-minded travellers and enjoy the convenience of your own personal Driver and Tour Leader, who will share their local knowledge and take you to sites that mainstream tourists typically miss out on...read more – and by using luxury mini-coach transportation, we can explore each destination in greater depth. What meals are included?
Breakfast (B) is included daily. We also include some lunches and dinners, either in our hotels or in local restaurants. These are indicated by L (lunch), or D (dinner) in the itineraries. You will have some free evenings to try the local cuisine independently. Please note that dinner times in Europe are likely...read more to be later than you might be used to (7.30pm at the earliest and often later in France, Spain and Italy). Can you cater for my dietary restrictions?
We will do our best to accommodate your dietary needs. Please ensure that any restrictions are made clear toyour Global Journeys travel advisor know when enquiring so we can pass the information on to Blue-Roads. How much spending money should I bring?
Although many meals and entrance fees are included within the price of our tours, you will need to bring spending money to cover non-included meals, drinks and activities. Are entrance fees to attractions included?
Unlike many tour companies, we include a selection of entrances in our tour prices. Any other entrance fees will be at your own expense. How much luggage can I bring?
As we travel in mini-coaches, luggage space is limited. Each of our guests may bring one piece of main luggage of a standard size of no more than 158cm (when the length, width and height is added together) and weighing no more than 20kg. You may also bring one small carry-on bag per person. If you have more luggage,...read more please make arrangements to store it prior to joining the tour. We are unable to carry extra luggage on the mini-coach. What clothes should I bring?
A suggested packing list will be provided in your pre-departure information. We suggest packing for variable weather conditions. If you are travelling through the UK or Europe in the summer, make sure you pack a hat and sunscreen. We also suggest a pair of good shoes for walking tours. Can I request a ground floor room? Do the hotels have lifts?
The majority of the hotels we use have limited or no ground floor rooms. If you require a ground floor room, please request it in advance and we will try our best to arrange it for you. Most of the hotels we use do not have lifts. For this reason, we recommend that you only join a Blue-Roads tour if you are...read more able to walk upstairs unassisted. You are required to inform us about any pre-existing medical conditions and/or mobility challenges that could affect your trip. Do we dine at the hotels?
Breakfasts will be served in our hotels throughout the trip. Included evening meals come in the form of a three-course dinner, either in our hotel or at a local pub or restaurant. Please note that drinks will not always be included. I’m travelling alone, can I share a room with another person?
While you won’t be able to share a room with another single traveller, we do offer a very reasonable single supplement rate on all our tours. Are triple rooms available?
Unfortunately, we are unable to offer triple rooms. What rating of hotel do you use?
We use a 3-star/4-star standard of accommodation ranging from country inns to town centre hotels (and the odd castle!). Rather than going by the official rating (based solely on facilities rather than the standard of the accommodation), we base our choices on quality, charm and character. In all hotels, the rooms...read more have en-suite bathrooms. Porterage is included wherever possible. What else should I know about our accommodation?
Many of the traditional accommodations we use are historic buildings that have been converted to hotels. Often the rooms are different shapes and sizes, and some may be smaller than you might be used to in newer chain hotels. Most of our hotels do not have lifts or air conditioning. In many cases, this is due...read more to regulations concerning ‘listed’ (protected) buildings. However, guests will be offered fans during periods of hot weather (subject to availability). Do you provide airport transfers?
Airport transfers are not included in your tour price. You will need to make your own way to the tour start location and are on your own arrangements at the conclusion of your tour. Do you arrange pre and post trip accommodation?
For some destinations, pre and post-tour accommodation can be arranged by your Global Journeys travel advisor. Please note, all tours start at 6pm on Day 1 of your tour. Therefore, you may not require pre-tour accommodation. Most tours end in the early evening. Blue-Raods cannot take you to the airport and we...read more suggest you return home the day after your tour to ensure you don’t miss your flight due to unforeseen circumstances. What does it mean when you say the trip is guaranteed to run?
As a general rule, we are normally able to guarantee our tours when we have a minimum of seven passengers booked. However, some tours require a higher number of booked passengers before we can guarantee that they will run. Examples include our tours of Norway. Guaranteed tours are identified on our website. Your...read more Global Journeys travel advisor will advise you of a tour’s ongoing status. If Blue-Roads are forced to cancel a tour, you will be advised at least six weeks in advance. You will then have a choice of a full refund of the amount paid for the tour, or choosing an alternative tour. Who goes on Blue-Roads tours?
The majority of our guests come from Canada, the USA, the UK, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa - and our tours are designed principally for adults, age 18+. All tour commentaries are in English. Our tours appeal to those looking for a more relaxing style of travel, and who enjoy culture, good food, meeting...read more like-minded people and exploring destinations in depth. We welcome first-time travellers, but also find that many of our passengers have travelled with us before! Do I need to purchase travel insurance?
Yes. While you are welcome to purchase a travel insurance policy of your choosing, we will require you to provide the policy number and company information to us prior to departure. This is to ensure that our Tour Leaders have all of your information prior to arrival – in case they need to step in and assist...read more you before or during the tour. Terms & Conditions All the boring small print. We recommend you read them, as no one likes surprises!
- Please read Blue-Roads Touring Terms & Conditions
- Please also read Global Journeys' Terms & Conditions if you haven't already.
