Discover a side of Portugal few travelers have seen. Learn more about The Best of Portugal featuring the Estoril Coast, Azores & Madeira Islands .

Do you have a glass of red wine with dinner because you heard it promotes good health? Or maybe you just like the taste of a smooth merlot?

Whatever the reason, travelers today continue to search out tours that include a wine component in the itinerary. There are many places to learn about wine making and its subtle tasting nuances. Italy comes to mind – which is why all of our Italy tours include wine with every meal and a winery visit is included on most Italy programs. Wine tours are on the rise – and in more places than just Italy. Some of Collette’s food and wine tours include:

Napa Wine Train

• Spectacular South Africa – Discover the Cape Winelands region with its mountainous landscape and endless vineyards. 
• Explorations California’s Wine Country – Napa Valley should be on everyone’s bucket list. 
• The Wonders of South America – Argentina  is the land of sol y vino – sun and wine – and Mendoza, set at the base of the Andes Mountains is breathtaking.
• Exploring New Zealand – Marlborough region considered one of the world’s best wine regions.
• Reflections of Italy – the tour stops at a historic winery in the heart of the Chianti region complete with its very own 12th century castle.

Floating Market in Thailand

Our travelers tells us that one of the things they like most on their escorted tour is unique modes of transportation. I’m not talking replacing an aircraft to get to Europe. Rather, finding new and fun ways to incorporate the culture of the destination into the way travelers experience it.

Popular “rides” include:

• A rickshaw through Beijing’s ancient neighborhoods
• A horse and buggy carriage in old-fashioned Mackinac Island, Michigan
• An elephant in Thailand
• A camel in Egypt
• A glass-bottom boat through Australia’s Great Barrier Reef
• A traditional Irish jaunting car in Killarney
• A cable car in San Francisco
• A dugout canoe in the rainforest of Panama
• A horse at a typical Argentine estancia
• A sampan to visit a floating fishing village in Vietnam

The most popular ride of all? The complimentary roundtrip home to airport sedan service our clients receive with the purchase of an air-inclusive tour. A free ride is a great way to start and end your Collette tour.

What are some unique ways you’ve experienced getting from Point A to Point B while on vacation?

Durango Train on Trains of the Colorado Rockies tour

All aboard!

Train travel offers a combination of romance and mechanical marvel. Rail lines trace history while whisking travelers through scenery far removed from the highway. Collette passengers love our itineraries that include train journeys. That’s why we have quite a selection to choose from; programs like:

• Canada’s Winter Wonderland (there’s still time to experience this tour with departures this December. Experience VIA Rail Canada’s Snow Train Express from Edmonton to Jasper)
• Canadian Rockies by Train (Overnight aboard VIA Rail’s THE CANADIAN from Vancouver to Jasper)
• The Best of Eastern Canada (VIA Rail train from Ottawa to Toronto)
• Trains of the Colorado Rockies (features Georgetown Loop Railroad, Royal Gorge Railroad, Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad)
• Trains & Canyons of the Southwest (Verde Canyon Railroad, Grand Canyon Railway)
• Trains, Wineries & Treasures of Northern California and California’s Wine Country (both feature the Napa Valley Wine Train)
• Italy Family Discovery
• Discover Panama and Panama Family Adventure (both feature the Panama Canal Railway)
• London & Paris and the London & Paris Family Adventure (what adult or kid wouldn’t like a ride aboard the high speed Eurostar train via the Channel Tunnel)
• Alpine Lakes and Scenic Trains (New for 2012!)
• France Magnifique (features the TGV Train from Paris to Avignon)
• China & Tibet (features the “Sky Train” to the roof of the world in Lhasa, Tibet)
• The Galapagos Islands & Machu Picchu (features a ride aboard the Andes Mountain Train)

To see more details on some of these vacations and others that feature a train component, visit www.collettevacations.com and click on the Rail Tab.

Being busy professionals, Amanda and I knew that we wanted to go to Australia and New Zealand for our next vacation, but we didn’t have time to plan out all of the details.  While searching online, we noticed that there were several great tour packages available that would meet our needs and the best were provided by Collette tours.  When we read the itineraries and descriptions for the South Pacific Wonders tour, we knew we had our tour of choice.

This was a huge relief for me, because I had more important things to worry about.  The real reason for my trip was that I planned to ask Amanda to marry me.  You can imagine the anxiety that comes along with carrying an engagement ring 9,000 miles across the globe. While I had my energy focused on solidifying our future together, we left the rest up to Collette.

Good news: she said yes! Now we had a fortnight of touring relaxation in front of us in Cairns, Sydney, and the South Island of New Zealand.  When Joani (our fantastic tour guide) found out about our recent engagement, she went out of her way to show us great hospitality.  Champagne, hotel upgrades, you name it – Joani went above and beyond the call of duty to make sure we had a great time.

And how couldn’t you have a great time when you are snorkeling and scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef, visiting the Sydney Opera House, taking a Helicopter ride to the top of a glacier, Fjord cruises and soaking in the sights of Middle Earth.

Our time in Australia and New Zealand was truly one for the ages.  We will always remember the beauty of the South Pacific and the hospitality we witnessed throughout our tour.

About the author: Jeff Sauer is a partner in a Minnesota Online Marketing company and has been traveling internationally since his senior year in college.  He has been blogging about his experiences on his personal travel blog for nearly a decade.  Jeff and Amanda are planning their marriage for 2012 at a winery in Sonoma Valley, CA.  They are deciding whether to honeymoon in Bora Bora or Mauritius.  While not traveling, Jeff serves on the board of directors for two non-profits, is an avid Minnesota Twins fan and loves gourmet cooking with Amanda.  Amanda enjoys cooking and studying international tax code.

Inside the pages of the Exotics brochure are 28 tours to some of the world’s most sought out destinations including Namibia, Israel, Thailand, China, Peru, Panama, Costa Rica and the South Pacific.

New tours featured in the Exotics brochure include Collette’s Israel: A Journey to the Holy Land; Flavors of Thailand; The Wonders of South America; Avenue of the Volcanoes; and Three Kingdoms of Indochina, a 19-day Explorations tour which travels with no more than 28 passengers.

The brochure is available in print and  an e-brochure can soon be found online at http://www.collettevacations.com/ebrochure.cfm.

With competitive pricing and companion air offers on select Australia and New Zealand tours, Collette’s Exotics brochure is definitely worth taking a look at!

I woke up in an unfamiliar room thoroughly confused. I had gone to sleep in Vancouver, and it appeared from the snowy mountains right outside my window that I had awoken inside a Christmas card.

As I became more conscious, I remembered that the dark forests covered in snow meant that the train had entered the Canadian Rockies. My cozy train cabin allowed me to watch a heavy April snow descend on the remote winter wonderland without even getting out of bed.

Via Rail Canada’s private train cabins proved a pleasant way to travel from Vancouver to Jasper, as I had covered a great distance during the night and gained plenty of time to enjoy the scenery during the day. All my comforts were met as the train chugged on toward its destination with meals freshly cooked onboard, a scenic dome car and even heaven-sent showers.

While I watched for wildlife and reveled in all my legroom, little did I know that the beauty of the Canadian Rockies ahead would prove even more majestic than the misty mountains at present.

I was touring the spectacular Canadian Rockies on a trip with Collette Vacations….

Read more here.

Chateau Lake Louise

Masada

Israel: A Journey to the Holy Land is a 10 day guided tour that visits historic sites and cities such as the Mt. of Beatitudes, Masada, the Dead Sea, Jaffa, Caesaria, Nazareth, Cana, Qumran, Bethlehem, Tel Aviv, Tiberias, and Haifa. Also, Collette clients will visit Acre, the ancient crusader city and UNESCO World Heritage site; Jerusalem’s Old City; and the ruins of Jericho, the oldest city in the world. For those wishing to customize their itinerary, they may do so with the purchase of an optional Jordan post tour extension where they will cross the border and spend 4 days in Jordan visiting the stone-carved city of Petra, the immense, beautiful desert of Wadi Rum, Madaba, known as the “City of Mosaics”, and Amman, known as the “White City” before returning to Israel and departing from Tel Aviv.

In speaking with Manuel Paulo, Collette’s vice president of worldwide contracting, he told me, “Israel and Jordan are amazing destinations with incredible ancient sites and warm, welcoming people. It’s easy to fall back on traditional destinations, but then you’d be missing out on a first-rate travel experience that will leave a lasting impression. Everyone should visit Israel and Jordan during their lifetime;  two countries that I consider ‘must see destinations’ that should be on everyone’s travel list.”

Because many of Collette’s district sales managers  and staff traveled to Israel in 2010 for the company’s annual sales meeting, Collette President and CEO Dan Sullivan, Jr. has said,  “We ‘know because we go’ is really applicable here”.

There are many highlights on this tour - here are my top 5:

1. “float” in the tranquil, healing waters of the Dead Sea;
2. ascend the ancient walls of Masada, a UNESCO World Heritage site, by cable car;
3. take a tour and lunch at a local community restaurant in a Kibbutz;
4. follow the Via Dolorosa and walk the path of the Stations of the Cross;
5. visit the area of Qumran where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered.

Dead Sea

With a 2 night stay in Tiberias and 4 nights in the holy city of Jerusalem, “travelers on this tour will enjoy the more relaxed pace,” said Paulo.

Wat Arun's Temple of the Dawn

If you’r reading this blog post perhaps you have always wanted to travel to Southeast Asia and the beautiful country of Thailand. Or maybe you have already visited and are looking to return.

Collette Vacations’ new tour Flavors of Thailand is but one of the 15 new tours the company has unveiled for 2012.

“We wanted to introduce a new escorted tour to Thailand for travelers seeking a fresh take on traditional tours to the region. By combining world-famous attractions and the not-so-familiar, Flavors of Thailand is designed to help passengers develop a multi-dimensional perspective on the country as well as discover another way of life,” explains Krystle Ang, Collette’s Product Manager for Asia. “Exotic destinations like Thailand deliver the mystique of travel and the promise of the unknown.”

Some experiences on this tour that deliver the unfamiliar include:

• a pre-dawn visit to a local market where you can participate in the offering of alms to hundreds of saffron-robed ;
• a visit to the Akha and Lisu hill tribes where you’ll share a simple lunch;
• travel through the jungle to Maesa Elephant Camp;
• stroll along the historic Bridge over the River Kwai;
• embark on a Mekong river cruise and visit the Hall of Opium at the Golden Triangle;
• enjoy unique culinary experiences including a welcome dinner at a restored teak house, a picnic by the Mekong, lunch at a community development restaurant, and a farewell dinner at a riverside art gallery.

In addition to unique experiences, this tour includes traditional must-see sights like the Grand Palace and a stop at Wat Phra Kaew, home of the Emerald Buddha; shopping at Chiang Mai’s famous night market; and a trip to the iconic Damnoen Saduak floating market. Also, you will visit The Golden Buddha, one of the world’s largest solid gold statues and Wat Po, temple of The Reclining Buddha – all truly rich experiences ideal for first-time visitors.

This Collette tour is 14 days, 24 meals, with an incredible starting at price of $1349 per person, double, land only.  Some dates are guaranteed departure dates. Each tour includes the services of a professional tour manager throughout the journey in addition to expert local guides and an industry-leading cancellation waiver that allows passengers to cancel any time prior to the day of departure and receive a full cash refund. Collette Vacations is also the only major US travel tour operator that offers the benefit of complimentary roundtrip home to airport sedan service on all air-inclusive tours, enabling travelers to begin their vacation at home, all included in the published air-inclusive tour price (gratuities included).

If you book this tour by December 31, 2011 through your travel agent, receive $200 off per couple on the land only price for travel between 5/1/12 and 4/30/13. Offer can expire earlier due to space or inventory availability. Space is on a first come, first served basis. Offer is not valid on group bookings or combinable with any other offer. Other restrictions may apply.

Mount Vernon

With Collette Vacations introduction of a new Washington D.C. tour, Exploring America’s Capital makes perfect sense for the traveler looking for a longer tour with more inclusions. 

The extra days means that day trips outside the nation’s capital are now possible such as guided tours of both  Baltimore and the US Naval Academy in Annapolis as well as Mount Vernon; plus time spent in old town Alexandria.

“We’ve offered D.C. tours in the past, but what makes this one unique is new inclusions like the National Cathedral, Ford’s Theater, and a guided tour of Mount Vernon,” says Suzanne Kinahan, Collette product manager responsible for the itinerary.

This tour spends six nights in the heart of Washington, D.C., where passengers will enjoy a single hotel stay near the Nation’s top attractions. Featured on a guided tour of Baltimore is a visit to Fort McHenry, the location in Baltimore that inspired Francis Scott Key to pen the “Star Spangled Banner” during the war of 1812.

 “The story of American democracy comes to life on this tour of our nation’s capital city,” says Kinahan. “Beginning with a comprehensive, locally guided tour with views of the U.S. Capitol building and the White House, the excitement builds for stops at the extraordinary monuments throughout the National Mall that commemorate the heroes who have shaped our past.”

The Washington D.C. tour includes a docent-led tour of the Washington National Cathedral, with a visit to the location of the last sermon given by Martin Luther King, Jr.; a stop at Mount Vernon, home to President George Washington; a visit to the gravesites of the Kennedys and the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery; a guided walking tour of the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis; a visit to the World War II Memorial, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, and the Korean War Memorial; a trip to the historic town of Alexandria, VA; and a visit to the world-famous Smithsonian Institution.

This Collette tour is 7 days, 9 meals, with a starting at price of $1499 per person, double, land only. Departures begin in March 2012; with some departures coinciding with the Cherry Blossom Season.

Collette is offering savings of $200 per couple* off the land only price of this tour now through March 31, 2012 for travel between 5/1/12 and 4/30/13.  And for all air-inclusive tour bookings, Collette passengers enjoy complimentary roundtrip home to airport sedan service so the difference starts at your door.

*Offer is valid on new bookings only made between 9/2/11 and 3/31/12 for travel between 5/1/12 and 4/30/13 on 2012 new tours only. Offers can expire earlier due to space or inventory availability. Space is on a first come, first served basis. Offer is not valid on group bookings or combinable with any other offer. Other restrictions may apply.