Private tours

Customwalks specializes in designing customized tours for private groups. Let us create a personalized tour for you and your family or friends. To have a private departure of one of our "regular tours," we request a per-person supplement that diminishes from pretty painful for two people (Sorry!) to barely noticeable once you reach six people. Beyond 7 people, there is no supplement for a private tour.

We request a supplement for a private/closed tour of fewer than 8 participants because we price our tours based on the expectation that we will get 8 or more participants. By closing off a private tour for a group of fewer than 8 people, we have no chance of getting to 8 participants, and therefore our pricing is “off”. Therefore, we ask for these supplements to bring our pricing in line with our costs.

2 participants: a per-person supplement corresponding to 30% of the tour price published on our website.*

3 – 4 participants: a per-person supplement corresponding to 20% of the tour price published on our website.

5 – 6 participants: a per-person supplement corresponding to 15% of the tour price published on our website.

7 participants: a per-person supplement corresponding to 10% of the tour price published on our website.

8 – 14 participants: no supplement requested. The price is the price published on our website.

* The above percentages do not apply to our Puglia & Basilicata, Sicily and Dolomites tours. That is because the transportation/transfer costs for those tours are much higher than on other tours, and therefore, we have to add 5% to the percentages quoted above for Puglia & Basilicata, Sicily, and Dolomites tours. Nor do they apply to our boat-based tours because the fixed cost of the boat charter is a much more significant portion of the overall cost of the tour. Sorry!

Upgrades: On many of our tours, you can upgrade the hotels if you wish. We inform you of the cost of the upgrade, and you decide if you wish to confirm the upgrade. We do not add any margin to the upgrade cost or charge for the service. The price difference is added to your final invoice. Upgrades are, of course, subject to availability.

There are many advantages to a private tour, as it allows you to go where you want when you want, and with whom you want. You can customize a private tour to fit your budget. With a customized tour, you can have Europe’s finest hotels and cuisine or choose a mix of more affordable hotels and B&Bs. Do you prefer gentle strolls or invigorating hikes? It’s your tour, so you set the pace.

We help you develop a trip around your schedule and according to your wishes. You can book one of our regularly scheduled departures or choose dates that fit your schedule, or we can create a tour to suit your private group. You decide the type of hotels the difficulty of the walks, the date and destination. We do everything else for you, so you don’t have to worry.

We can customize a trip to incorporate special events such as cooking classes, winery tours and tastings, visits to local artisans and artists, and guided visits to historical towns, villas, and chateaux.

FOOD AND WINE: Great food and wine are integral to European life, so they naturally play a starring role in our tours. We go to great lengths to ensure you experience authentic local cuisine and the best dishes a particular chef offers. Sometimes, tasting the food and wine is not enough! You may be curious about the history and background of regional dishes and wines and may even want to recreate these wonderful meals at home. We can organize cooking lessons both with professional chefs and local grandmothers so you can learn their secrets. Wine also has a fascination for many, so tours and tastings at famous wineries and local wine bars are part of every trip.

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF US! WE HAVE BEEN EVERYWHERE!

Unlike many other travel companies, we actually live full-time in Europe. Between Brett and the guides, we have led HUNDREDS of tours throughout Europe and New Zealand. If there is a place you want to go to in Italy, France, Greece, Spain, Turkey, or Croatia, chances are we have already run tours there. We already know where to go and what to avoid! Take advantage of our knowledge and experience. Pick a destination and drop us a line letting us know what you want, and we will be more than happy to develop a customized tour for you.