You will be introduced to the destination(s) included on the tour together with a professional English-speaking tour escort, local guide or driver/guide. All departures are guaranteed, meaning that all tours will run regardless of the number of participants.
An overview of the services included is specified for each tour at the bottom of the tour page under services included.
Our guided small groups tour usually have a maximum group size of between 16 and 24 people. The group size is specified for each tour at the bottom of the tour page, in the "services included" section. Please note that on some of the local sightseeing tours and part of programmes in Ireland, the group size can be up to 45 passengers.
For the majority of our guided small group tours, you will meet the tour escort on the first day of the tour unless you have opted for a pre-tour overnight stay. The meeting point will be specified in your travel documents.
On some of our partly guided tours, you will travel independently before and after the tour. You will meet up with your tour escort or local guides on the first day of the touring part of the holiday at the meeting points specified in your travel documents. Should the tour include several destinations it may be that you will meet up with different local guides at the different locations.
As we offer tours to multiple countries throughout Europe, we do not have staff available to meet with you in person. Please rest assured, however, that we are always available on the phone and email during office hours and through our emergency phone outside of office hours should you require assistance during your travels.
No transfers are included, but you can book your airport transfer as an additional service, this is also possible to book locally after arrival. The transfer from the hotel to the railway station can be booked with the hotel after arrival. Information on how to get to your hotel and to the railway station using local transport will be provided with the travel documents. It is generally very easy and convenient to get to and from the airport or railway station by public transport as we use centrally located hotels.
A panorama city tour is intended to familiarize you with the city or town by showing you the major points of interest. Transportation may be by coach or on foot, and the tour may be conducted by a local guide or by your tour escort. A panorama tour does not include any entrances unless otherwise specified under `services included´.
An introduction city walk is similar to the panorama city tour with the difference that the tour will be on foot and is always conducted by the tour escort.
An orientation walk is a short walk in the city with your tour escort. He or she will show you around and point out essentials like supermarkets, main squares, and ATMs.
City sightseeing tours are guided by an authorised local guide. Museums and other places, to which entrance is included, are specified in the list of 'services included' for each tour.
Breakfast at the hotel is included on all tours (in the UK and Ireland usually a full English/Irish cooked breakfast). If other meals are included, they will then be listed in the full overview for each tour under the `services included´ section. Vegetarian or special diet meals can normally be arranged, please advise at the time of booking.
Each person may bring one piece of luggage per person on the coach or minibus, please note that on the minibuses the size and weight of the luggage is restricted.
In Ireland the maximum weight per suitcase is 14 kg plus one carry-on bag per person. If you have larger /heavier suitcases we can advise you where these can be stored during the tour. Sometimes it is possible to leave at the hotel you stayed the night before the tour, sometimes it will be in the luggage storage. Any additional luggage storage costs are not included in the tour price.
Porter service is not included in the tour price. Due to security regulations, passengers are required to collect and deliver their own luggage at airports.
You are free to tip a guide that you were satisfied with. There is no fixed rule or expectation on how much to give. For guided tours, you can roughly calculate EUR 4-6 per day for the tour escort and EUR 1-2 per day for the driver if you are satisfied with their service.
It is unfortunately not possible to join only parts of the tour, as the place will then be blocked for other travellers for the entire tour. It is, however, possible to add additional services before and/or after the tour, i.e. an escorted tour can be combined with one of our independent tours or a cruise for example.
The guided coach tours in the UK are considered unsuitable for younger children, thus children under the age of 5 will not be accepted. Children between the ages of 5 and 18 must be accompanied by an adult. On guided coach tours that include whisky tastings and similar activities, the age limit is 18 years of age.
All travel documents will be sent by e-mail approximately one month prior to travel and after the final payment has been received.
Included in the travel documents are a detailed travel itinerary, an address list, travel vouchers /e-tickets and ferry schedules. You will receive a travel voucher and/ or e-ticket for each service included in the package tour. These vouchers /e-tickets are your proof of payment and must be presented during your trip.
Explore our small group tours →
Trude joined the Haman Group in 2005, and has built up Authentic Scandinavia since the very beginning in 2008. She is now happy to share her time between Authentic Europe and Authentic Scandinavia.
Swedish born with many years in the travel industry, she has lived in UK, Switzerland & Spain. Lis has been with Authentic Europe from the start and is responsible for product development.
Emmanuel is native French and responsible for our tours to France. He has been living in Norway since 2014 and loves to explore the world on his bicycle. Emmanuel joined the Authentic Europe team in 2019.
As the CEO of the Haman Group Anette’s days are not your typical 9-5 job but she very much enjoys it! Anette is the one who made the dream of Authentic Scandinavia/Europe possible.
Orijana is born in Bosnia and Herzegovina but came to Norway in 1994. She has been in charge of Authentic Scandinavia's accounts since 2011. In 2013 she became the Chief Accountant of Haman Group.
After developing a fascination for Scandinavia, Natacha, originally from Switzerland, relocated to Oslo in November 2019. Her love for travelling, reading, and all things creative keeps her inspired and engaged.