by Helena Beard The Unmissables – Coming to London, you can’t afford to miss the delights of Trafalgar Square and the National Gallery. Founded by Parliament in 1824 and housing 700 years of art, the National Gallery is the nation’s pride and joy. And what’s more, it’s free to visit! Growing up in South London, Trafalgar Square meant a treat to feed the pigeons (no longer allowed), then a meeting point for shopping trips with teenage friends to Covent Garden. In my 20s, Trafalgar Square was the hub of the sprawling network of night buses that would take me home to my London suburb flatshare after a night out. Now in my 50s, I have developed respect for the history of the Square and a huge affection for its statues and attractions, in particular the National Gallery. Location: The National Gallery occupies one of the most central locations in London, presiding over the North side of Trafalgar Square. Flanked by the National Portrait Gallery, and a short walk from Leicester Square, Chinatown, Covent Garden, Theatreland, Westminster and the River Thames, there’s really no reason not to include a visit on any stay in the capital. First Impressions: The Central Portico of the National Gallery is one of the most impressive frontages of any London building, and looks out across Trafalgar Square with Nelson’s Column with its famous lions at the centre, and the four plinths. Since 1999, the plinth directly in front of the Gallery has housed a rotating piece of contemporary art. In the past, this fourth plinth has been home to a replica of HMS Victory in a glass bottle, a sculpture of the artist, Alison Lapper, and now until September 2022, The End, the work of artist, Heather Phillipson featuring a huge creamy pudding with, on one side, a lovely red cherry with a drone on it, and the other, a fly. The drone is rigged with a camera which offers a live feed of the area and, potentially, the opportunity to spy on passing visitors. Quite some juxtaposition to the classic grandeur of the historical artwork displayed inside the neighbouring National Gallery. Back to the National Gallery and, upon entry, you could be forgiven for being somewhat overwhelmed by choice. The collection includes works by all the famous names; Cezanne, Degas, Monet, Rembrandt, Van Gogh, Titian, Turner and many more. So where to start? Happily the signage will help you out here with three routes clearly designated, with descriptions of the highlights and the average time taken to complete each route. Highs and lows: It is very difficult to differentiate amongst the exhibits, as art is a matter of personal taste. But for me, seeing Thomas Gainsborough’s ‘The Blue Boy’, back in the UK on loan from the United States and on display until May 2022, was my personal high.  Lows: you can miss out on your favourite artists if you don’t book early. The first major Lucien Freud exhibition in 10 years will be opening in October. Don’t miss it. Prices: General admission is free but ticketed. Exhibitions are charged and it is essential to book well in advance for the more popular ones. Book at www.nationalgallery.org.uk  For the travel trade: New group and trade tours launch this month, led by expert guides and available at preferential rates during the day and some offering exclusive access out of hours. Various language options are available, and tours will run on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Tour operators and the travel trade are invited to contact the team at [email protected] Where to stay: The Clermont Charing Cross is an excellent choice for central London stays and is just across the Square, at the side of Charing Cross station. Formerly the Amba Charing Cross and recently rebranded, this elegant railway hotel claims proudly on its frontage that it offers ‘Flawless comfort, thoughtfully delivered’. And indeed it does. There are some lovely touches at the Clermont, most memorable being the gorgeous cherry blossom tree at the foot of its beautiful Victorian staircase and the splendour of the windows and chandeliers in the bar and restaurant. Beds are comfortable and prices are very reasonable for such a centrally located hotel. And the wonderful nostalgia that always permeates a railway hotel makes the whole stay even more special. Prices from £200 per room per night. Book at www.theclermont.co.uk Where to eat? You are spoilt for choice in the areas around Trafalgar Square, with Covent Garden, Chinatown and SoHo on your doorstep. However, for me, one of the best choices is actually just behind the church of St Martin-in-the-Fields, the Tandoor Chop House on Adelaide Street. This busy little restaurant is packed with ambience, and offers a simple menu focused around prime meat cuts, smoked tandoori flavours, and signature naan breads. Order a craft beer, share a few plates and enjoy a relaxed evening with the friendly staff, and don’t miss the sublime cauliflower croquettes with delicious lime pickle mayo. Supper with a drink costs around £40 per head plus service. Go to tandoorchophouse.com to book a table.

TTC’s industry-leading guided holiday brands adapt to changing traveller needs by offering private tours for groups of 12 or more, available on Europe and America Autumn, Winter, Spring itineraries. The Travel Corporation (TTC) has announced the further evolution of its guided holiday offering from its category-leading brands, Trafalgar, Insight Vacations and Costsaver, to meet traveller demands in this post-COVID-19 world. Reflecting TTC’s commitment to bringing travel back, the operators will now offer holidaymakers and their loved ones the opportunity to travel together in a personal bubble, with their own private small group tour for 12 people or more, complete with a dedicated Travel Director and Driver, and every detail of the itinerary and aspect of the group’s wellbeing taken care of.   Available on the brands’ Autumn, Winter and Spring (AWS) itineraries, this new initiative gives total peace of mind for family and friend groups who can now enjoy the myriad benefits of a guided holiday while travelling as part of their very own private group. With all the details taken care of, a dedicated On-Road Team trained in enhanced physical distancing and hygiene protocols, and exclusive use of a luxury coach, maintained with rigorous cleaning procedures, the new small group trips are the perfect way to ease clients back into a guided holiday.   Eligible AWS trips include:  

• Insight Vacations’ Amazing Spain and Portugal journey (from £1,995 per person) which features a visit to the Cristina Heeren Foundation, a beneficiary of a TreadRight Foundation grant and an example of how guests can #MakeTravelMatter. This private dance school is dedicated to promoting the conservation of flamenco and supports young enthusiasts from all over the world with a special focus on new talent from the Andalusian region. As part of their visit, guests will learn about the passion behind the choreography and put their rhythm to the test during a dance lesson, before taking front row seat for a fiery flamenco performance.

 

• Trafalgar’s 9-day Scandinavian Northern Lights (from £2,581 per person) where guests can Connect With Locals as they join a Sámi reindeer herder family in their homestead for a traditional meal in their lavvu (tepee) and get insights into the way of life of a reindeer herder, their traditions and history.

 

• Insight Vacation’s Americas AWS offering is also bookable as private group trips, with itineraries including the 7-day Enchanting Canyonlands (from £2,145 per person), where guests can explore Monument Valley and the iconic vistas of the Tribal Park with a Navajo guide in an open-air vehicle.

  Pricing for the new Private Group Tours is a case of “the more the merrier” – the more people that travel within the bubble, the more the surcharge reduces:

1. From 12 to 15 guests – 30% surcharge on brochured/advertised price
2. From 16 to 19 guests – 20% surcharge on brochured/advertised price
3. From 20 to 25 guests – 10% surcharge on brochured/advertised price
4. For 26 guests or more – the price is as brochure/advertised, no additional surcharge

In addition, all AWS trip bookings will benefit from a 5% Early Payment Discount when booked and paid in full before 27 August 2020.   “We know that people want to travel but some are still understandably apprehensive,” said Rachel Coffey, Sales and Business Development Director, Trafalgar and Insight Vacations. “By offering clients the option to book one of our outstanding Autumn, Winter, Spring itineraries as a private, small group trip with their loved ones, Trafalgar, Insight Vacations and Costsaver are opening up the possibility of a guided holiday, and leading the way in the sector. We can provide total peace of mind for guests through a combination of our expertise and meticulous planning, our unmissable itineraries to some of the world’s most exciting destinations, our enhanced hygiene and physical distancing protocols, and now the opportunity to travel as part of a private group if they wish. We look forward to welcoming guests back on the road very soon.”   For more information agents can contact their local Sales Manager or visit www.trafalgar.com, www.insightvacations.com and www.costsavertour.com.

  As the vaccine is rolled out, holiday demand in the UK among the older generations is on the rise. After a long lull in bookings, agents and holiday companies in the UK have reported a spike in bookings and a demand for travel from those aged 50+, who are keen to put long-awaited and paused vacation plans into action.   The news comes at the same time as vaccine rollouts. British citizens aged over 70 are now the next group in line receiving the vaccine, while those over 60 will start receiving the vaccine by mid-April. The government says more than 50 vaccination centres will be operating by the end of this month.  

Ready to travel from spring

  Tour operators and travel businesses have seen a rise in holiday demand for both UK holidays and travel abroad over the past fortnight. Many bookings are coming from the older generation whose holiday plans were not fulfilled last year.   Sky News reports that some customers near the front of the vaccine queue say they feel comfortable to travel from spring this year. Any person who has received their first jab will receive the second and final dose 12 weeks later. This gives the older generation confidence in travelling again and the ability to plan ahead.   National Express told the BBC that bookings are flowing in from customers who have had the first vaccine.   “It gives them certainty that they can enjoy and look forward to their 2021 holiday. It is something to look forward to, to being with people, with friends, like minded and from the same generation,” says Jit Desai, head of holidays and travel at National Express.  

Demand for travel to celebrate missed occasions

  While the UK is still very much putting pressure on the National Health Service (NHS), the newfound “vaccine confidence” is some light at the end of a dark tunnel for the travel industry.   Anecdotally here at Trafalgar, we’ve seen past guests and couples talking about being unable to celebrate special wedding anniversaries and other big occasions on our social media pages.   Once life returns to normal we expect people will be chasing sunshine and wanting to make up for any missed special occasions that fell during 2020 and the first quarter of this year.   RELATED CONTENT: 6 important ways the new Brexit deal impacts UK holidaymakers  

Rise in UK holidays, but also for Europe

  While the BBC reports that many older British travellers are choosing to holiday closer to home in 2021, many are still planning trips to the European continent to soak in the sunshine and different cultures.   After a cold, dark winter locked inside it’s no surprise the holiday demand by UK citizens is for sun-drenched European beach holidays to places like Greece, Italy, Spain, France and Portugal.   At the moment demand for travel is higher for the later half of summer and into early autumn – a trend we are similarly seeing here at Trafalgar, with September 2021 currently our busiest travel month. People are also booking longer trips to make up for missed long weekends or weeks on vacation.  

GET INSPIRED: Jewels of Italy

How many people in the UK have already been vaccinated?

  As of this week, the Express reports that 3.8 million people in the UK have received their first dose of the coronavirus vaccine. With confidence, a clear schedule and so far a fairly smooth roll out of the vaccine, it is no wonder the rise in holiday demand has spiked.   In areas where everyone over 80, care home residents and NHS and social care staff have been vaccinated, then people over 75 will start to receive letters. The schedule then works down in five-year age blocks.   It is expected that all remaining adults will receive the jab by autumn, but this timeframe might be sped up with plans to roll out 24-hour vaccines.   Are you eagerly planning a trip for 2021 or waiting until 2022? Will you make it a UK holiday or travel abroad? Let us know in the comments….

  After almost a year of staycations, working from home and spending too much time staring at the same 4 walls, we’re finding ourselves dreaming of international travel and far flung adventures once more. But in the ‘new normal’ that we now live in, many of us are looking for different kinds of travel experiences. Recently at Trafalgar, we have seen interest soar for specific types of travel, namely domestic experiences, outdoors focused adventures, and private group tours.   As a business that has always prided itself on innovation and service excellence, over the past few months we’ve adapted to the new world of travel to ensure we can still help our guests connect to the world’s best travel experiences with ease and peace of mind. Alongside our enhanced wellbeing and hygiene procedures, for 2021 we’ll be introducing private group tours.   Our private group travel offering means you can travel exclusively with just friends and family, in group sizes of 10 guests and upwards. You’ll be treated to the exact same impeccable Trafalgar experience, the only difference being you’ll be surrounded solely by your dedicated travel bubble.   So what are some of the benefits of travelling on our private group tours, and why more and more Trafalgar guests choosing to travel in this way? We’ve rounded up some of the significant benefits to private group vacations…  

1 – More peace of mind travelling just with your bubble

  Assurance and peace of mind are something we’re all seeking right now, particularly when we’re travelling overseas and far from home. When you travel on our private group tours, not only will you have the added assurance of being surrounded exclusively with just your travel bubble, but you’ll also have a dedicated Trafalgar team there to support you, advise you, and manage any situations should they arise. Our private group travel experiences come complete with your very own Travel Director and Driver (in your own private coach), and behind the scenes your On-Road team are supported by our operations teams, on call 24/7. So, should any situation such as border closures occur, our team will handle it to ensure that your experience is still seamless and enjoyable.  

2 – Highly personalised experience

  Private group travel means that you can customise your Trafalgar experience however you like. Your tour route will be pre-determined, but what you do during your tour is completely up to you. Perhaps you’ve been dreaming of visiting a particular gallery, or dining at a Michelin starred restaurant? Whatever it may be, together with your Travel Director you can design our small group tours around your specific interests and needs. And, with smaller group sizes, you can spend more time picking your Travel Director’s brain on any topic you’re specifically interested in. At Trafalgar we’re proud of how highly personalised each of our tours are, with our private group tours taking this level of personalisation one step further.  

 

3 – Opportunity to make memories with your loved ones

  After months kept apart, the idea of sharing new experiences and quality time with family members or close friends is a prospect that will likely make your heart glow. If the pandemic and lockdown has taught us anything, it’s just how much our loved ones really mean to us. Whether you’ve been kept apart from grandchildren for months or are craving sharing a bottle of wine and a delicious meal with your best friends, our private group tours are the chance to do just that. 2020 has been the year we stood still, so why not make 2021 the year to make up for it? There’s no better way of bonding with loved ones, than by sharing new experiences and making memories together. Whether it’s learning to make pasta in Italy, or watching the Northern lights dance across the sky in Iceland, life is for living, and for sharing it with those we love the most.   RELATED CONTENT: All the important hygiene practices you can expect to see on a Trafalgar trip  

4 – Experience a different side of guided touring

  If you’ve travelled with Trafalgar before, or you’ve previously explored the world on a group tour, you’ll understand the immeasurable benefits of guided touring. From having everything taken care of for you, to meeting new friends or taking part in experiences you’d never find on your own, the benefits of a guided tour just go on and on. It’s these benefits you’ll equally experience on a private group tour, while enjoying an altogether new and different type of travel experience. If you’re a seasoned guided touring expert, we’d highly recommend giving private group travel some food for thought. Doing things a little different is always fun and you never know, you may just find private group vacations become your new favourite way to travel!  

  If you are interested in finding out more about Trafalgar private group tours, visit our website or fill in an inquiry form to chat to one of our Travel Experts.   Have you, or would you consider travelling on a private group tour? Let us know in the comments…

Launching a new tour is always an exciting moment, but it rarely feels as significant as our new Journey Along the Civil Rights Trail tour that takes in important African American history, culture, landmarks and sights. Coinciding with the start of Black History Month, we’re proud to bring you this new educational itinerary that brings to life the struggles and triumphs, music and milestones, legends and heroes of the US Civil Rights Movement. Global CEO of Trafalgar, Gavin Tollman, says 2020 made it vividly clear just how harmful, hurtful, and deeply divisive racial inequality is and continues to be. “Our eyes were again opened to the important work that still needs to be done and the stories that need to be told,” he says. “It’s impossible to walk in someone’s shoes, however, I therefore believe one of the best ways to broaden the mind, and gain compassion and understanding is through travel.” Over nine days this itinerary highlights African American landmarks and sights and the ongoing fight for equality and freedom, whilst taking in the magic, music and hospitality synonymous with American’s Southern states. The tour is focused on the pioneers along the Civil Rights Trail, starting in Memphis where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr was assassinated and ending in Atlanta, the city of his birth. Below we’ve highlighted six incredible stops on this special African American history tour and Civil Rights Trail that will connect you with local communities, activists and speakers along the way.

Lorraine Motel

If the name seems familiar it’s because this is where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr was tragically assassinated on April 4, 1968. Today it’s home to the National Civil Rights Museum, an interactive space that explores five centuries of African American history. Expect to leave Memphis with an understanding of its turbulent history and the mark it has left on history. RELATED CONTENT: 8 places to visit to remember the words and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.

Slave Haven Underground Railroad Museum

Stopping into the antebellum Slave Haven Underground Railroad Museum is an experience you won’t soon forget. It’s here that you will gain an incredible insight in to the slave trade, learn about the route and those who fought hard to free people who were enslaved. At this location you will even descend into the tunnels where people risked their lives to chase freedom.

Mississippi Civil Rights Museum

The tragic murder of 14-year-old Emmett Till in 1955 is widely credited as the catalyst for the Civil Rights Movement. On our Journey Along the Civil Rights Trail tour we’ll pass by Bryant’s Grocery & Meat Market, the place where it happened, before heading to the insightful Mississippi Civil Rights Museum. The stories of Emmett Till and so many other African Americans are illustrated through the eight interactive galleries. Storytelling here provides a sobering look into the systematic oppression of Black Mississippians and their fight for equality between 1945 and 1970.

Birmingham Jail

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once described Birmingham as “probably the most thoroughly segregated city in the United States”. It’s from his cell in this city that the legend himself penned “Letter from Birmingham Jail”. The piece is often referred to as the most important written document of the Civil Rights era. It speaks of the long road to freedom and the focus of a movement centered around actions and spoken words. The open letter explains that people have a moral responsibility to break unjust laws and to take direct action rather than waiting (potentially forever) for justice via the courts.

Edmund Pettus Bridge (Selma to Montgomery March)

As you walk across the Edmund Pettus Bridge, take a moment to reflect and imagine the tireless heroes of the Civil Rights Movement. It’s at this location – now a National Historic Landmark – that thousands of peaceful protestors marched for voting rights before the tragic “Bloody Sunday” beatings of March 7, 1965. These attacks were televised, causing outrage and changing the course of history. After visiting the bridge, pay your respects at the Lowndes Interpretive Center. The museum is dedicated to the 25,000 people who, on the third attempt, peacefully marched the Selma-Montgomery route over five days.

The King Center

The final stop in Atlanta puts the microscope on the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Start at the birthplace of the Civil Rights hero. You will see where he played as a child and hear his voice in the church where he shaped hearts and minds as a force of social change. Before finishing the tour, we will pass by the National Historical Park to pay respects at the place he was laid to rest. His life’s work to fight change in education, justice and perseverance for freedom continues today. Interested in learning more about African American history and sights and following the Civil Rights trail through America’s south? Let us know in the comments which part of this impactful tour you are most looking forward to. Our nine-day Journey Along the Civil Rights Trail tour will begin operating in September 2021, and is available to book now.

Travel to the US is now a little trickier. Or easier, depending how you view it. No matter which airline you choose, for all international travellers arriving to the United States a negative Covid test is now mandatory. Before boarding a flight, showing proof of a negative Covid test is a government requirement rather than a nice-to-have. This federal policy kicks in on January 26, expanding a similar rule implemented in December that required travellers from Britain to show proof of a negative test result, designed to stop the more contagious UK strain. Let’s take a look at the new rules and the negative Covid test requirement.

Your vaccination status doesn’t matter

Regardless of whether you’ve completed the two doses of an approved vaccine or not, all passengers are required to take a Covid test to travel to the US now. Jason McDonald, a spokesman for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told the New York Times that simply showing proof of immunisation is insufficient as the vaccines have only been shown to prevent serious illness. In theory, someone who is vaccinated and healthy could still become infected on a flight and transmit the virus to others. RELATED CONTENT: How to stay germ-free when travelling

Get tested three days before departing

Some airlines already have a negative Covid test requirement and some don’t, so this USA travel Covid test policy might actually make navigating international transit a whole lot easier and more straightforward. From January 26 it is expected that all air passengers need to take a Covid test for infection within 72 hours or three days of their flight to the United States. Each passenger will be required to show a negative Covid test result as proof. Every airline must now confirm your negative Covid test before you board. If you, the passenger, can’t provide proof of a negative test, show documentation of recovery (information in next paragraph) or refuse to take a test, then the airline legally must deny boarding.

No test needed three months after a positive test

If you have tested positive for Coronavirus in the three months prior to your flight you won’t be required to take another test before you travel to the US now. It might seem a little odd, but so long as the passenger does not have any Covid related symptoms, they may travel with documentation of a positive test result and a letter from a health care provider or a public health official. The letter must state that the traveler is now healthy and cleared for travel.

Why make everyone get tested now?

As mentioned, the US government introduced mandatory negative Covid tests for all travellers from Britain to stop or slow the spread of the more contagious strain. The White House Coronavirus taskforce has been considering this new blanket policy to cover all international air travel for a while. The penny dropped when the Japanese government announced that four travellers from Brazil brought a new variant of the virus into their country this week. There is also another variant of concern circulating in South Africa.

Are you planning to travel to the US now?

Maybe you have a trip planned or are considering a visit to the USA. Here at Trafalgar, we are seeing interest gathering from guests keen to travel to, or around, North America. We’re seeing people increasingly drawn to nature over cities thanks to the wide open spaces and ease of social distancing. Of course, the incredible US national parks are top of everyone’s wishlist, along with the stunning Hawaiian islands in the Pacific.

Let us know in the comments if a trip to the USA is on your 2021 or 2022 wish list, or organise a video appointment with one of our Travel Experts to start planning your great escape today…