TORONTO — Tourist-heavy Euro zones like Mallorca and the Cinque Terre are given the local treatment with a collection of new Urban Adventures tours that escape the traps in favour of hidden beaches, quiet backyards, ancient villages, and tasty treats, says Intrepid Travel.
The global day tour operator is also giving travellers a few more reasons to visit Europe this summer with new tours in Valencia, Krakow, Bratislava, and Ljubljana, as well as 2017’s Italian Capital of Culture, Pistoia. All prices below are in Canadian dollars.
Buenos Dias Mallorca
This Palma de Mallorca tour is an adventure in language, culture, and food. Instead of sitting in a stuffy classroom, travellers can practice their Spanish skills over a hearty breakfast on the island of Mallorca, gaining a better understanding for how the Spanish language influences how locals think and live. Find out the difference between uro and ido, and learn when it’s the right time to let your Batuadell or Cagondell phrases fly.
Cost: $73
Duration: 2 hours
Availability: Weekdays at 10:00am
More information: urbanadventures.com/Mallorca-tour-buenos-d-as-mallorca
Let’s Make Hierbas!
Hierbas is the traditional liquor that’s loved across the island of Mallorca, and all the locals know the best stuff is homemade. On this tour, travellers get the intimate experience of gathering on a local’s home patio as the sun sets and brewing their own Hierbas to keep.
Cost: $94
Duration: 3.5 hours
Availability: Weekdays at 4:30pm
More information: urbanadventures.com/Mallorca-tour-let-s-make-hierbas
Tasting Cinque Terre
Riomaggiore is the biggest village of the Cinque Terre and the best place to experience the region’s food, history, and traditions. Travellers can taste local products directly from local sellers, hear local stories, and feel the local life as they explore this traditional Italian fishing village.
Cost: $113
Duration: 2 hours
Availability: Daily at 3:30pm
More information: urbanadventures.com/Cinque-Terre-tour-tasting-cinque-terre
Cinque Terre Hike & Bite
Get back to nature with a walk along the hills of the Cinque Terre, past farm terraces, vineyards, and lemon trees, and learn about the region’s ancient history and the modern lives of locals. This hiking adventure also comes with plenty of traditional treats like olives, anchovies, pesto, and focaccia, to keep travellers fuelled as they explore.
Cost: $171
Duration: 4 hours
Availability: Monday to Saturday at 9:30am
More information: urbanadventures.com/Cinque-Terre-tour-cinque-terre-hike-bite
A Bite of Pistoia
Pistoia has been declared Italy’s Capital of Culture for 2017, so now’s the time to get a head start and discover it before the masses. Located at the foot of the Appennine Mountains, medieval Pistoia is the new alternative destination in Tuscany, boasting a lively vibe and a totally unique character. It’s also easy to reach because of its position between Florence and Lucca. Travellers are led into neighbourhood shops and the local market, before being served an authentic Italian brunch starring bruschetta, prosciutto, and more.
Cost: $94
Duration: 2.5 hours
Availability: Monday to Saturday at 10:30am
More information: urbanadventures.com/Lucca-tour-a-bite-of-pistoia
Street Art in Old Valencia
Valencia may be known primarily for oranges and paella, but what’s less known is that the place is bursting with creativity, from wall murals to politically charged graffiti, making the city feel like an open-air museum. Travellers can wander the cobbled streets and hear the stories behind the city’s booming street art scene, with pit stops for a local snack and delicious local brews.
Cost: $51
Duration: 3 hours
Availability: Tuesday to Saturday at 4:30pm
More information: urbanadventures.com/Valencia-tour-street-art-in-old-valencia
Markets & Flavours of Krakow
Krakow’s squares and markets are much more than a stop to shop for groceries. For locals, they are an experience: places to meet with friends, flirt with lovers, swap stories and gossip, and eat local delicacies. Each square of the city is a little different, with its own flavours, colours, and culture, and this food tour shows how all the markets and squares have played starring roles in Krakow’s past and present.
Cost: $109
Duration: 4.5 hours
Availability: Weekdays at 10:00am
More information: urbanadventures.com/Krakow-tour-markets-and-flavours-of-krakow
Secrets of Bratislava
Most Bratislava tours stick to Old Town, and while this hyper-local experience may start there, it then dives into the corners most tourists don’t see. Local pubs, street art, and crowd-free viewpoints are highlights on this tour that gives travellers a taste of true Slovak hospitality, right from a traditional Borovička welcome through to a goodbye pint in a neighbourhood tavern.
Cost: $89
Duration: 4 hours
Availability: Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday at 3:00pm
More information: urbanadventures.com/Bratislava-tour-local-secrets-of-bratislava
Socialism and the City
Step into a tour time machine and learn the history of local life in Slovenia under the socialist regime. Travellers will discover the country’s modern past through stories told by a guide who lived through it. Spot socialist-style architecture scattered throughout the city and see how locals have turned former factories and military buildings into eclectic places of alternative music, street art, and booming nightlife.
Cost: $87
Duration: 3 hours
Availability: Daily at 10:00am
More information: urbanadventures.com/Ljubljana-tour-socialism-and-the-city
