Travel deals of the week: Tuesday October 8, 2019

Experience the colour, culture and cuisine of Spain from Madrid to Malaga. Photo / Supplied

Deal of the week: Colours of Spain

Experience the colour, culture and cuisine of Spain, taking in all its highlights ona10-day guided tour priced from $1899pp, twin-share. This tour begins in Madrid and heads south to Seville, one of the oldest cities in the world, Malaga, and through the Spanish Highlands and on to the UNESCO World Heritage Cultural Landscape of Aranjuez, before returning to Madrid. The tours depart on selected dates between May and November next year.
Contact: your own travel agent or Cosmos Tours, 0800 000 883 or cosmostours.com

Gardening leave with Cunard

Cunard's Queen Elizabeth will cruise in Australia's southern waters on a seven-night roundtrip — with nine leading gardening experts on board. Informative talks and dinners will cover the topics of rose gardening, small garden design, bee-keeping, lawn maintenance and native plants.

Docking at the ports of Melbourne and Hobart, you'll have the choice to take bespoke shore tours of beautiful gardens in each city. Main meals and on-board entertainment are included in the package price, which starts at $1459pp.

Your twin-share room at sea is a Britannia Inside Cabin.

Book by October 31. This cruise departs from Sydney on March 1, 2021. helloworld.co.nz

Contact:

helloworld Travel, 0800 808 040 or

helloworld.co.nz

Portuguese adventures

Journey from Lisbon to Porto via a stop at a beachside yoga and surf camp. A nine-day Portugal City and Surf trip, designed for adventurous 18 to 35-year-olds, will have you learning how to surf or stand-up paddle in Santa Cruz and learning how to make traditional Portuguese custard tarts in a Porto local's private home. There's a cool street-art walking tour, too, hosted by local residents. Priced from $1884pp, your eight nights are spent in a mix of hotels and "special stay" accommodation. Save up to 20 per cent on next year's departures by booking and paying in full by October 31.

Contact:

your own travel agent or Contiki, 0508 266 8454 or

contiki.com

Top-shelf touring

An 11-day fully guided journey through the charming countryside of Wales, Devon and Cornwall is priced at $4975pp. Your trip can be tailored to suit. Options include exploring the stunning flora and fauna of Brecon Beacons, and two nights at Bovey Castle. This is a "top-shelf" holiday, which includes all transport, many meals over the 11 days, exclusive experiences and a knowledgeable travel director. Bookings for 2020 made by the end of this month will be discounted up to 10 per cent or you can choose to save on your airfares for this trip.
Contact: your own travel agent or Insight Vacations, 0800 484 333 or insightvacations.com

Get trackside

A five-night accommodation package for the Mercure Welcome Melbourne comes with a ticket to the Clark or Waite Grandstand; the adrenaline-inducing motor racing event is on from March 12 to 15. There are options for upgrades and extensions to your stay. The hotel is in the heart of Melbourne's theatre and shopping district, adjacent to David Jones department store. Travel between March 11 and 16. Book by January 28.

Contact:

helloworld Travel, 0800 303 132 or

helloworld.co.nz

Trip Notes: Tom Sainsbury

The Kiwi comedian is flirting with the idea of moving to LA, and he tells the podcast why we should visit too.

Subscribe to Trip Notes, Herald Travel's new podcast, at iHeartRadio, Apple, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. For more travel inspiration, go to houseoftravel.co.nz