It's never too soon to think of winter holidays, even in July. Globus, part of the world's biggest tour operation, wants to encourage you plan your yuletide travel now, so it's offering $100 off per person on five of its air-inclusive Christmas vacations if you book between now and October 31, 2002. One trip costs as little as $951, air inclusive, for departures in November and December of this year.
That price will get you an eight-day/seven-night trip to England, with four nights in London and three in Stratford-upon-Avon. You'll get a chance to see London's justly famous Christmastime illuminations (including what is tantamount to the national Christmas tree in Trafalgar Square), top-price tickets to see My Fair Lady at the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane, a visit to Shakespeare's birthplace, a special Christmas lunch at Warwick Castle, and more. Departures in November and December 2002.
The "Christmas in a Winter Wonderland" tour includes eight days good for exploring the famous Christmas Markets of Munich, Innsbruck, Salzburg and Vienna, with a lot of free time for shopping. You'll also visit Munich's Marienplatz, Mozart's birthplace and the Golden Roof at Innsbruck. Air-inclusive prices range from $978 to $1,188, land-only just $549. Trips depart on November 30 and throughout December 2002. This package sold out early last year, so we can't stress the need enough to book early on this one.
You can celebrate the Christmas season in Prague on a 10-day "Christmas in Eastern Europe" tour, with stops there and in Munich, Budapest and Vienna. You'll sightsee in Munich, have time to shop, and then visit Prague's thousand-year-old Hradcany Castle and Christmas market. Sightseeing is a must in both Budapest and Vienna, with optional activities including a Hungarian dinner and an excursion to the wine suburb of Grinzing, near Vienna. This tour also sold out in 2001, full package prices are now ranging from $1,128 to $1,371 (land-only from $699 to $749). Departs on November 29, December 7, 14 and 21.
You also get your $100 discounts on a 10-day Scandinavian vacation (Stockholm, Oslo and Copenhagen) or a nine-day Christmas Highlights package (Munich, Strasbourg and Nuremberg).
All Globus escorted vacations include deluxe, superior first class or first class hotels, daily breakfast, many dinners, professional tour directors, sightseeing, transportation, hotel taxes, service charges and baggage handling. Call 866/313-2855 for more information, or visit www.globusjourneys.com/globus.jsp?section=results&content=wb03 for full details on these holiday packages. You can book trips through your local travel agent or by calling Globus directly.
We like Globus also for its sponsorship in the Discovery Channel's Global Education Fund, which brings sights and sounds of the world to children in remote and disadvantaged regions of the world. When you travel with Globus on select 2003 vacations, they make a $50 donation to the project. You can learn more about this non-profit initiative at www.discoveryglobaled.org.
