With the New Year providing the ideal opportunity to formulate some new goals for 2024, start the year on a steady footing by booking one of Ramble new 2024 walking holidays – the ideal way to explore both on and off the beaten track and boost one’s well-being.

Combining the simple act of walking, which can have a transformative effect on our physical and mental wellbeing, with superbly planned small group and self-guided itineraries, Ramble Worldwide’s four distinct Collections offer plenty of different ways to stretch one’s legs and explore new horizons on foot.

Catering to a wealth of interests, different levels of ability and fitness, ranging from gentle strolls, national trails, pilgrimage routes and worldwide journeys to snowshoeing adventures and fascinating city breaks, the collections comprise:

 CLASSIC  – a great way to explore iconic trails and lesser-known paths through breath-taking landscapes.   New tours include high alpine walks in The Trentino Highlands, the Camino de Santiago – The Portuguese Way, ancient trails on the Greek Islands of Lesvos & Chios and sampling 4 long distance trails in one holiday Exploring the Welsh Marches.

DISCOVER  - delves deep into culture all over the globe, exploring a fascinating mix of heritage, cuisine, wine, wildlife, nature and history on guided walks and Cruise & Walk holidays. New tours include snowshoeing in the Trentino Winter Wonderland, Wine & Walking in La Rioja, shorter city getaways to Dresden, Riga and Valencia and far-flung journeys to Kolkata, Darjeeling & Bhutan and Mexico as well as some of the world’s most precious and spectacular wildlife in Ecuador & Galapagos Islands.

ADAGIO - explores at a leisurely pace with the perfect immersive blend of culture, guided walking and sightseeing. New tours include some of the finest of North Devon’s Gardens, a sun-kissed escape on Kissamos – A Cretan Delight, strolling along stretches of The Coast of Catalonia and dining out on numerous gourmet delights with Tastes of Northern Portugal and Galicia and along wine trails in Italy’s Prosecco Hills.

SELF-GUIDED – ‘designed by us, led by you’ expertly tailored independent walking holidays offer a seamless, stress-free experience at ‘your own pace’ with all the accommodation, route planning and baggage handling organised in advance.   New tours include walking between white-washed Spanish villages from Sierra de Grazalema to Ronda, exploring Italy’s magical Cinque Terre coastal trails, Greek island hopping between Hydra and Poros and wandering along UK’s iconic trails such as Scotland’s West Highland Way.

Master a new skill – snowshoeing in Trentino

ITALY Trentino Winter Wonderland (Grade 4, moderate) NEW for 2024

Staying in the lively little town Folgaria in the province of Trentino, between the high peaks of the Dolomites and the plains of the Po valley with wonderful mountain scenery, spend a week with a local guide wandering along well-trodden snow-covered paths with the opportunity to master one’s snowshoeing skills on higher altitude walks. On a mix of trails, cross open meadows and forests of beech, pine and fir before climbing high to remote mountain refuges; take in expansive views and soaring rock towers of the Brenta Dolomites and the glaciated Adamello; learn about the region’s turbulent WW1 history at Forte Cherle and to Forra del Lupo, a long trench dramatically excavated between high rock walls overlooking the Terragnolo Valley; and wander ‘Breath of Trees’ artist’s trail with its splendid panoramic viewpoint overlooking Levico and Caldonazzo lakes.

7-night Trentino Winter Wonderland starts from £1299/person including half board, all transport to complete walking /snow shoeing programme, the services of an expert local guide, transfers from the airport to the hotel. Departs 24 February 2024.

 Get an in-depth taste for a destination

ITALY Italy’s Prosecco Hills (Grade 1, gentle) NEW for 2024

Wander through the ‘Prosecco’ hills, an undulating landscape of ‘ciglioni’ (small, terraced vineyards), hill ridges, medieval villages, and ancient hamlets in the province of Treviso, getting a taste for the vines and how this captivating area gained UNESCO World Heritage status in 2019.  Based in the hillside town of Conegliano, renowned for its rich tradition of Prosecco production and cantines (wine cellars), start the week with a guided introduction to its historic centre and commanding 12th century castle followed by a vineyard tour and wine tasting.   Stroll along sections of the 47km long Prosecco Road, created in 1966 as Italy’s first wine road, with a local guide trying the renowned Prosecco di Conegliano-Valdobbiadene, dine at a local vineyard and visit the neighbouring towns of Pieve di Soligo, Follina and Cison di Valmarino including one of Europe’s oldest castles ‘Castel Brando,’ dramatically nestled amidst the dolomite limestone cliffs.  Soak up the scenery on the train to Treviso to explore its maze of frescoed squares, alleys and waterways and revel in expansive countryside vistas from Asolo, a medieval town at the foothills of the Dolomites coined ‘The City of One Hundred Horizons’.

7-night Italy’s Prosecco Hills starts from £2,239pp including return flights, airport transfers, 4-star B&B accommodation, six dinners, two lunches, all local transport, local guide in Conegliano, Treviso, and on the Prosecco Road, wine tour and tasting.  Departs 5 June, 11 September, and 2 October 2024.

Embark on a personal challenge walking an ancient pilgrimage route

PORTUGAL Camino de Santiago – The Portuguese Way (Grade 6, challenging) NEW for 2024

Trace the sacred path of countless pilgrims walking a 95-mile stretch of the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route, from the Portuguese city of Porto to Spain’s northwest Galician capital, Santiago de Compostela.  Earning the coveted Compostela Pilgrim certificate by completing the last 100km, the Portuguese Way follows a breath-taking coastal route on scenic walkways and wooden boardwalks along the Atlantic Ocean, past long stretches of pristine sandy beach, pretty seaside villages and through Viana do Castelo – one of the most beautiful medieval towns in Portugal before crossing the Galician border.  Heading inland, the trail continues along ancient cobbled paths, through small historic hamlets and aromatic eucalyptus forests taking in the celebrated ‘Village of Viaducts’ – Redondela; the medieval town of Pontevedra; the healing thermal waters of Caldas de Reis and the former Roman outpost Padrón to where the remains of St James were brought from Jerusalem.  Culminating in an uplifting Pilgrim’s Mass at noon in the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela —an experience that is bound to leave a lasting impression, the trail is also excellent for foodies with the opportunity to sample some fantastic regional Portuguese and Spanish food and wine along the way.

11-night Camino de Santiago – The Portuguese Way starts from £2,599/person including return flights, B&B accommodation, dinners at local restaurants with wine, transport, local experienced tour leader, Pilgrimage Certificate and Transfers. Departs 8 April, 21 June & 5 November 2024.

Go it alone on a Self-Guided adventure

ITALY Piedmont: Wines and Cheeses of Italy (Self-Guided) (Grade 4, moderate) NEW for 2024

Nestled between the Alps and the Apennine mountains in the Langhe region, Piedmont stands as Italy’s haven for discerning enthusiasts of delectable cuisine, truffles and exquisite wines. Exploring on foot at your own pace, wander through fertile lands yielding the prized Tuber Magnatum, a coveted white truffle, and some of Italy’s finest red wines—Barolo and Barbera – with the opportunity to taste a wealth of produce at local bakeries, markets and trattorias along the way. Through a landscape of green rolling hills dotted with small rural villages, medieval castles and towers, traverse vineyards and trails through hazelnut forests, staying in family run farmhouses and small hotels, indulging in a culinary trail of local specialties, ranging from Castelmagno and Robiola di Roccaverano cheeses to pastries and creamy dark chocolate. Walking from Alba, the central hub of Piedmont’s wine country and aptly coined “city of a hundred towers” to the medieval village of Cortemilia, highlights include a vineyard trail from Roddi to Monforte d’Alba with wine tasting taking in Cantina Comunale and  the WiMu Wine Museum at Barolo’s Castello dei Marchesi Faletti; the woodland trail to the ancient hamlet of Serralunga d’Alba with its beautifully preserved 14th century castle; a high Langhe hike from Cissone through oak tree covered slopes – the home of the white truffle; and the small hamlets of Torre Bormida and Bergolo, one of the smallest and most enchanting stone villages in Langhe.

7-night Piedmont: Wines and Cheeses of Italy (Self-Guided) starts from £789pp and includes B&B accommodation, people transfer from Alba to Roddi (+ luggage transfer to Vergnè/Barolo) on day two, luggage transfers on day three and seven, digital detailed route notes and maps in English, access to a navigation app, 24-hour telephone assistance. Excludes flights. Departs daily from April to November 2024.