La Compagnie Expands
All-business-class carrier La Compagnie has resumed service to Paris and will add new routes to Tel Aviv and Milan later this year. Following more than a year of suspended service, the airline now has four weekly flights between Newark and Paris Orly Airport. Frequencies will gradually increase in the coming months, with five weekly flights in August and daily flights by September. La Compagnie also resumed seasonal service between Newark and Nice, with three weekly flights until the end of September. New service from Newark to Tel Aviv, with a 90-minute stop in Paris, will operate three times a week through October 30. New direct service between Newark and Milan will begin November 29, with four flights per week.
A Family Collection
Kensington Tours, who curate custom travel itineraries, recently debuted family-centric itineraries designed for all kinds of families with children under age 15, including those with multiple generations. The Family Collection includes destinations such as Japan, Tanzania, Costa Rica, Italy, England, and France. They personally vet each accommodation, experience, and service featured in these itineraries which are completely tailored to your own family’s budget, time frame, and interests. At each destination, your local private guide will keep everyone engaged and there is also 24/7 support available.
Andalusian Experience
The stunning Anantara Villa Padierna Palace Resort is offering an Andalusian Family Adventure package to welcome you back to Spain! The package includes a nice variety of activities and dining (including a date night for parents) along with spacious room accommodations including:
- Two nights in a Two-Bedroom Villa for up to 4 people
- Round-trip airport transfer from the Malaga International Airport
- A Spice Spoons cooking class for 4 people
- A 60-minutes private golf lesson for 4 people
- Access to Anantara Spa
- Two 60-minutes Anantara signature massages
- A tasting menu dinner for 2 people at La Loggia Restaurant
- A 2-hours babysitting service and room service dinner for 2 children
Located in a quiet and remote setting near Marbella, the luxury property offers a free shuttle to their beach club (10 minutes away), several dining options, three golf courses, indoor and outdoor pools, tennis, padel courts (similar to pickleball), children’s program, expansive spa in addition to 132 rooms, suites, and villas. Proof of vaccination for ages 12 and older are required to enter Spain along with a health form.
Greek Family Getaway
Through October, the Vedema Resort on Santorini, Greece is offering a special family package. Book a 4-night stay minimum in the Ionian, Aegean, Athenian Suites, Olympian, or Presidential Villa, and get reserved sunbeds, snacks, and virgin cocktails at the Istoria Beach Club, and one candlelight dinner for two with three hours of babysitting. Or receive your 4th or 7th night free! This luxury property, part of Marriott’s Luxury Collection, is located in the charming and traditional Greek village of Megalochori away from the island’s touristy areas, but close to several Greek tavernas. The former winery and mansion feature a lovely pool, spa, gym, restaurants, extensive wine bar, and only 59 rooms and villas. Families will appreciate the villas with up to three bedrooms and private pools. Greece currently allows travelers entry with a negative PCR test (for ages 5 and older) or certificate of vaccination dated at least 14 days before arrival.
Travel Croatia
United plans to add the only nonstop service between the U.S. and Croatia on July 8, 2021, with service to Dubrovnik on Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast. The airline will operate three weekly flights between Newark and Dubrovnik through October 3. Flights will operate Monday, Thursday, and Saturday from Newark and on Tuesday, Friday, and Sunday from Dubrovnik, and will be timed to connect in Newark to more than 65 cities in North America. Let us help you plan out a custom trip to this special destination either by land or by boat to explore its beautiful islands, charming towns, and scenic coastline. A negative COVID test, certificate of vaccination or if you had COVID, you can enter Croatia (there are finer details to understand). These rules apply to ages 13 and up. You also need proof of paid accommodations.
Costa Rican Luxury
Spacious villa accommodations in a resort setting create our favorite COVID vacation combination! Your family can spread out in the comfort of a free-standing house with a full kitchen and private pool and have a plethora of resort amenities and recreation at hand on the property. The Four Seasons Papagayo in Guanacaste, Costa Rica is an ideal resort for such an experience. The luxury property is open and fully operational. The restaurants, spa, fitness, pools, children’s programming, teen hangout, family activities, nature activities, watersports, and more are available. For stays of 5 nights or more through December 17, your family can receive a $1,000 resort credit! Choose from one- to five-bedroom suites, residences, villas, or estates that sleep up to 14 people. Credits can be used for dining, spa treatments, golf, and resort activities. Standard rooms receive $500. The Four Seasons also offers an all-inclusive villa package with all of your food and drinks that are served in the privacy of your villa. You also receive unlimited spa services, fitness classes, and golf; airport transfers, and butler services! Currently, to enter Costa Rica, you need to fill in a health form prior to arrival and have insurance that provides quarantine coverage (and that we sell).
Israel to Open
The Israel Ministry of Tourism in tandem with the Ministry of Health has announced that on May 23, 2021, the country will begin welcoming vaccinated groups of international travelers through a phased approach after more than a year without tourism due to COVID-19 restrictions. The first phase will include a pilot program allowing a select number of tour groups to visit. The number of groups will then increase based on the overall health situation and progress/success of the program. Individual travelers will be welcomed in a later phase of reopening, likely in July (although the Ministry of Tourism says this is still to be determined). In all phases, you will be required to undergo a PCR test before boarding your flight to Israel, and a serological test to prove your vaccination upon arrival. In the meantime, discussions will continue to reach agreements for vaccine-certificate validation, with the goal of canceling the need for the serological test. Recently American Airlines announced service from Miami to Tel Aviv launching in June with service three times a week with three classes of service: flat-bed business class, a dedicated premium economy class and coach.
A Royal Stay
One of this year’s most anticipated hotel openings is Airelles’ long-awaited Le Grand Controle on the grounds of Versailles. This former royal residence was originally built in 1681 by King Louis XIV’s architect, Jules Hardouin-Mansart and will feature 14 hotel rooms and apartments overlooking the breathtaking gardens. To ensure the restoration was accurate and appropriate, a dedicated committee has supervised the work throughout. The property will showcase a signature Alain Ducasse restaurant where you can taste gourmet dishes inspired by recipes of the past and served 18th-century style! Other amenities include an indoor swimming pool, wellness center, and a spa. Your family will be treated like royalty with a privately guided tour of the palace after hours including areas normally inaccessible to the public such as the Orangery, Lake of the Swiss Guard, and French gardens. You can even sail leisurely along the park’s Grand Canal.
Intrepid Zooms the World
Intrepid’s Urban Adventures, the day tour arm of global tour operator Intrepid Travel, has launched online virtual experiences via Zoom to give your family a unique opportunity to meet and get to know families from around the world. These interactive tours and activities will be live and connect your family with a local tour guide and his or her own family. Your children will be able to interact, ask questions and learn about the guide’s local culture and traditions. All experiences are hands-on. Highlights include cooking pierogi with a family in Krakow, baking Anzac biscuits with a Melbourne family, and creating a watercolor inspired by the works of Frida Kahlo with a local artist in his studio in Mexico City. These new family tours, for ages 6 and up, are part of the wider Urban Adventures at Home range of online experiences, designed to support local guides whose livelihoods have been impacted by the pandemic. These guides have already led over 5,000 virtual tours globally! With the launch of family experiences, Intrepid now offers more than 50 online experiences.
Adventures in Cinque Terre
Austin Adventures has added a new Italy tour for families to the unique, remote, and gorgeous region of Cinque Terre (“Five Lands”). This 6-night trip, pending COVID regulations, will take place this summer on June 13-19, July 4-10, or August 15-21. The stunning and dramatic seaside region suits adventurers of all generations with gorgeous viewpoints, rich cultural heritage, and excellent cuisine. Your family will experience each town with the following adventures:
- Hike through the famed five villages on the Cinque Terre footpaths
- Cycle through vineyards and olive groves
- Kayak to a UNESCO world heritage site, an island named Palamaria
- Swim in the sea for a water-side view of the magnificent Riomaggiore
- Explore caves and coves hidden along the magical coastline near Levanto
Time in Florence before or after your Austin Adventure makes for an ideal Italian family trip.
