There’s much more than meets the eye when exploring the magical fairy chimney landscapes in Turkey’s Cappadocia. Hidden beneath the soft volcanic rock are hotels, a real sanctuary where the old combines with the new in perfect harmony. Packed with modern conveniences, cave hotels offer a respite from the weather and noise of the outside world. Whether it is hot or cold outside, inside is always pleasant and many of them offer superb views.

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Situated in the sun drenched heel of Italy, Puglia is like nowhere else in the country. Spend a night in a traditional trullo, something you won’t find elsewhere either. Trulli are fine examples of drywall, or mortarless, construction, an ancient building technique still in use today. Their key feature is the domed roofs of corbelled limestone slabs. It’s like sleeping in a museum, only with some modern comforts. 

 

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If you’re looking for a champagne experience on a premium beer budget, discover French chateau accommodation in our active holidays in the Loire Valley. This classic chateau near Cheverny in the ‘Valley of the Kings’ has been sympathetically remodelled to ensure that there are plenty of original features, like a tower and a moat, to make you feel like you are transported back to the 15^th century when it was built. Of course there are many chateaux in the Loire Valley, but this one is our personal favourite. 

 

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It's warmer than you'd expect! On the Sweden Northern Lights trip, two nights are spent at the Ice Hotel, the original Ice Hotel whose seasonal rooms are created by artists each year. This is a must-do experience.

 

> View the Sweden Northern Lights & Ice Hotel trip

   

 

 

If the idea of a cruise makes you cringe, but the thought of a waterfront view which changes daily - from the same room – is appealing, try a ‘boatel’. Barge based active holidays are booming thanks to the novel experience of staying on a converted barge and still being able to walk or cycle during the day. Here’s a ‘cruise’ where you actually get to do things and getting off the boat is central to the holiday theme. After a day exploring the local landscapes, cultures and cuisines under your own steam, return to prime position views and swap tales with a small group of like minded travellers. 

 

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While mountain huts can be found in most of the world’s great ranges, no one does them like the Europeans. The hospitality is as warm and welcoming as the bedding, the meals are simple yet hearty and the views – beyond priceless. You could be staying right next to a glacier, or surrounded by an amphitheatre of iconic snow capped peaks. The camaraderie found in a gite is unlike anywhere else. Compare boots, trade stories, laugh and clink vino glasses with virtual strangers who become instant friends thanks to the unity of spirit that brought you all to such an enigmatic place. 

 

> View alpine walking trips in Europe

 

 

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