Travel is an opportunity to be enlightened and as your travel specialist, we can make sure this is true for each member of your group during a family vacation. To get some creative advice on how to keep everyone engaged, we spoke with Butterfield & Robinson, one of the world’s premier active travel companies since 1966.
This family-owned company’s fully designed itineraries delve into local traditions and fascinate travelers of all ages, providing even the youngest globetrotters with the best education they never saw coming. We share a few of their ideas for unique ways families can enjoy activities that are as fun as they are culturally enriching.
RELIVE THE PAST IN ITALY
Take to the Italian region of Puglia, carpeted with olive groves and stone trulli, whitewashed huts with cone-shaped roofs. Starting in Rome, an afternoon at a gladiator school inspires everyone’s imagination about the Roman warriors who once thrived in this area. Your family will learn real-life Roman wrestling techniques and Imperial combat tactics from a private instructor, transforming you into a clan of swordsmen. Then wield a pizza cutter during a private cooking lesson even further south at Armonia del Sapore, learning hand-tossing techniques for making the perfect dough.
TAKE A DIP IN ICELAND
Formed over 24-million years, Iceland is a geologic wonder of fire and ice — and the only place in the world where you can stand on the Mid-Atlantic ridge while staying dry. Splash in the geothermic waters of Laugardalslaug, one of Reykjavík’s seven swimming pools where saunas and steam baths provide a natural water park adventure — parents can opt for a soak in the hot tub while kids rocket down a 282-foot water slide. Then hike the lava-tube caves of the Blue Mountains, which come alive as your private guide relates Viking legends about the outlaws and trolls who were said to inhabit these otherworldly portals.
MAKE BELIEVE IN FRANCE
In France’s fairytale Loire Valley, storybook castles dating back to the Middle Ages are flanked by magical forests and sunflower-speckled fields. Little ones receive the royal treatment at Château du Rivau, where they don Medieval garb and go in search of treasure on a scavenger hunt. They can also clamber like Jack up the beanstalk on a ropes course in the tiny town of Saint-Benoît-la-Forêt, or duel like Peter Pan and Captain Hook, safely brandishing the épée (dueling sword) while learning to engage “en garde” with a national fencing master.
TRACK ANIMALS IN TANZANIA
Greet elephants, giraffes and hippos in Tanzania, exposing your family to the world-famous Serengeti through a range of eco-friendly outings. From horseback riding to archery, every activity is seamlessly adapted to specific ages and interests. The exclusive Mini-Rangers course covertly educates under the guise of fun, with kids having their very own guide to escort them on butterfly capture-and-release outings, game-spotting competitions and a “cosmic safari” that takes an astronomical tour of the night sky.
EXPLORE BRITISH COLUMBIA
Canada’s west-coast province of British Columbia spans from Bella Coola’s snowy peaks to sea lion-inhabited Fife Sound. Explore Tweedsmuir Park together with a professional bear guide who points out grizzly tracks. Then, while parents fly-fish for salmon or sip a scotch served on 10,000-year-old glacier ice, the Broughton Archipelago provides an opportunity for kids to get their feet wet while setting crab traps and adventuring alongside a resident naturist.
GO DANCING IN SPAIN
In the soulful region of Andalucía, a mélange of colorful cultures speaks to every member of the family. In Seville, a tapas tasting will acquaint you with the local flavor, while an introduction to the wildly popular game of paddle tennis makes for a fun family tournament. Later, a local Flamenco troupe will get you moving to the beat of handclaps and rasping guitar when they share a special dance lesson. Then bike past thriving citrus groves and bull farms in rustic Ronda, pausing to discover some basics of Spanish bullfighting.
SOAK UP SCENERY IN IRELAND
The green bogs and teetering cliffs of Ireland’s west coast provide a dramatic backdrop for family pursuits. Near the hills of Clifden, young equestrians can trot a pony along the beach, kicking up the surf of the Atlantic Ocean and harkening to the country’s 300-year tradition of horse racing. Golf is another sport with prominent Irish “links.” Young putters are challenged to a round of mini-golf with the competitive spirit of the PGA pros who tee off at the annual Irish Open.
Let us customize your family’s next vacation for a shared experience to surpass the suggestions of any guidebook. Set your sights on five-star food and wine, insightful guides with insider access, and the most exceptional hotels that accommodate families of any size. We’ll make sure that every detail is perfectly orchestrated so you can enjoy your time together. Call us today to begin your adventure.
