Some mothers chide their children that having champagne tastes and a beer budget would lead to no end of trouble, but Globus, the big travel company with U.S. headquarters in Colorado, thinks otherwise. It's offering a Castle & Villa Stay in its new LeisureStyle program for 2003. You sleep in castles, villas, chateaus and the like for costs as low as about $250 per person per night, including roundtrip air across the Atlantic from New York.
The LeisureStyle vacation is designed to give you plenty of free time in each location, with a minimum of two-night stays in each city. One example is the seven-day/five-night German Romance, with lodging at the Rheinfels Castle Fortress. Located on the Rhine, the castle has its own vineyards, where you can take your morning walks. You can also explore the old wine cellar or just enjoy the views. You have a full day on the river, cruising past the Rock of Lorelei to Rudesheim, capital of Riesling wine, which you can sample there. In Cologne, you can visit the cathedral or explore the Roman-German Museum. You then visit St. Goar, with a full day there, and finally go to Heidelberg Castle in Germany's oldest university town. Air-inclusive prices from New York range from $1,818 to $2,079, with departures on May 25, June 15 and Sept. 14, 2003.
Another tempting vacation is the Portuguese Splendor, an eight-day/six-night affair, in which you stay on palace grounds at the intimate 24-room Pousada de Queluz, surrounded by gardens with fountains and statuary. You'll have a chance to enjoy not only the Queluz Palace but nearby Lisbon, where you can visit the steep streets of Alfama or the vast Jeronimos Monastery. Included also is an excursion to Cascais, the Alcobaca Santa Maria Monastery, the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary in Fatima, and a full-day trip to Evora, the cultural center of southern Portugal. Air-inclusive pricing from New York ranges from $1,889 to $1,895, with departures on May 3, May 31 and Sept. 6, 2003.
Other packages include eight days of Scottish Majesty (May 19, June 23 and Sept. 8, 2003), air-inclusive prices from New York of $2,083 to $2,292; nine-day French Grandeur (May 10, May 31 and Aug. 30, 2003), air-inclusive prices from New York of $2,317 to $2,550; nine-day Tuscan Opulence (June 7, July 19 and Aug. 30, 2003), with air-inclusive prices from New York from $2,285 to $2,497; and nine-day Andalusian Luxury (May 3, June 14 and August. 30, 2003), with air-inclusive prices from New York from $2,362 to $2,528.
For more information or to make bookings, phone your travel agent. To get a brochure or more information, phone Globus at 866/313-2855 or visit www.globusjourneys.com.