Gibraltar, Leipzig & the Lofoten Islands join Kirker’s coveted Short Break selection

Latest brochure also features an expanded programme in France, Italy, Spain & Portugal plus additional accommodation choices from Turkey to Tel Aviv

Specialist tour operator for discerning travellers, Kirker Holidays has further expanded its popular Short Breaks brochure. Covering departures until December 2015, the brochure offers a choice of 70 cities and over 250 coastal and countryside properties throughout Europe, the Mediterranean, North Africa and the Middle East, including several new destinations and a number of carefully-chosen hotels that feature in Kirker’s short breaks programme for the first time.

Kirker’s NEW destinations for 2015 include:

• THE LOFOTEN ISLANDS

Responding to clients keen to experience the natural phenomenon of the Northern Lights, Kirker has added this beautiful archipelago of islands, which can be enjoyed either by land – staying at Svinøya Rorbuer, a charming collection of former fishermen’s cabins – by sea (on board a Hurtigruten cruise vessel), or as part of a tailor-made holiday that also includes time to explore the ‘Gateway to the Arctic’, Tromsø.

Stretching off Norway’s north-west coast, the Lofotens enjoy a remarkably mild winter climate (temperatures rarely fall below freezing) and superb natural light conditions, making them an excellent choice for Aurora Borealis spotting. Or visit in spring and summer, when the islands’ array of wildlife provides an equally impressive display.

A six-night Northern Lights package including return flights (London), private transfers, four nights’ cruising and two nights in Tromsø costs from £1,575 pp (two sharing).

• GIBRALTAR

Appealing as a short break destination in its own right or as part of a multi-centre itinerary encompassing Andalucia or Morocco, Gibraltar’s semi-tropical greenery, charming old town, sandy beaches and year-round warmth hold considerable appeal. Kirker clients can orientate themselves with the complimentary 90-minute walking tour that is included with all Kirker holidays to Gibraltar, and choose from superb accommodation such as the recently-opened Sunborn Yacht Hotel (three nights from £698 pp*). Gibraltar’s only five-star property, it’s set within a 142-metre luxury cruise liner in the vibrant Ocean Village area, just a short walk from the old town.

• LEIPZIG

Joining Kirker’s growing portfolio of German cities, which already includes Berlin, Cologne, Dresden, Hamburg and Munich, Leipzig is a magical short break selection for music lovers. Stay in five-star style at either the Steigenberger Grandhotel Handelshof (three nights from £678 pp*) or the Hotel Fürstenhof (three nights from £768 pp*), adding a private guided tour and tickets to musical performances including the world-renowned Gewandhaus Orchestra booked by the Kirker Concierge.

For clients who would prefer to visit the city in a small group alongside an expert tour lecturer, Kirker offers an eight-night escorted holiday, Leipzig & Dresden: Music in Saxony, which coincides with the Dresden Music Festival. Departing 20 May, the price is from £2,645 pp (two sharing) including flights, transfers, four-star accommodation with breakfast, six dinners, three lunches, all sightseeing and concerts, and the services of the Kirker Tour Leader and local guides.

Kirker has also added NEW DESTINATIONS to four of its most sought-after short break spots in Southern Europe:

In FRANCE…

Kirker’s Côte d’Azur programme expands to include: Haut de Cagnes – a quiet mediaeval village that provides a charming contrast to the glitz and glamour of the region’s fabled coastal resorts (three nights at the four-star deluxe Château le Cagnard are from £628 pp*); Menton – a more affordable alternative to its glamorous neighbour, Monaco, that sits serenely on the Italian border (three nights at the four-star deluxe Napoleon are from £639 pp*); and Villefrance-sur-Mer – boasting frescoes by Jean Cocteau, atmospheric cobbled streets and a beautiful horseshoe-shaped bay (three nights at the four-star superior Welcome hotel are from £698 pp*). In Nice, Kirker adds the four-star Le Grimaldi, a boutique family-run hotel just five minutes’ walk from the Promenade des Anglais (three nights from £498 pp*).

In Paris, the four-star deluxe Castille augments Kirker’s array of accommodation in the French capital (three nights are from £629 pp*) whilst two new properties join its programme in the Loire Valley:

the four-star deluxe Château de Noirieux near Angers (three nights from £678 pp*) and the four-star superior Domaine de Beauvois (three nights from £548 pp*), perfectly located for exploring the nearby castles of Villandry, Langeais and Azay le Rideau.

Click here for an online copy of Kirker’s latest dedicated brochure to France. 

In SPAIN…

For 2015, Kirker has added Rota – a charming seaside town on the northern fringes of the Bay of Cadiz that’s sure to appeal to discerning travellers seeking a true taste of the region (three nights at the four-star superior Duque de Najera are from £449 pp*) – whilst its Andalucian accommodation selection is further enhanced by the four-star superior Molina Lario in Malaga (close to the Picasso Museum – three nights from £498 pp*) and the four-star superior Villa Jerez, a delightful hotel within walking distance of Jerez’s old town and sherry bodegas (three nights from £519 pp*).

Due to open this Spring, Kirker clients will soon be able to stay at the five-star deluxe San Francesc.  Located in Palma’s old town, it promises to be an exciting addition to Mallorca’s range of luxury hotels, offering magnificent views of the Church of San Francesc from its large panoramic terrace and summer swimming pool (three nights from £597 pp*). Back on the mainland, the four-star deluxe A Quinta da Auga in Santiago de Compostela is a restored 18^th century paper mill that offers guests a relaxing bolthole on a quiet stretch of the River Sar (three nights from £649 pp*).

Click here for an online copy of Kirker’s latest dedicated brochure to Spain.  

In ITALY…

Extending its Ligurian Riviera programme in 2015, the four-star Porto Roca  provides the perfect base from which to explore Italy’s iconic and UNESCO World Heritage Site-listed Cinque Terre stretch of coastline. Set above the town of Monterosso al Mare, the hotel’s panoramic terrace guarantees stunning scenery from the restaurant, and all rooms reserved for Kirker clients have a sea view. Three nights from £898 pp*.

Click here for an online copy of Kirker’s latest dedicated brochure to Italy.

In PORTUGAL…

The stylish resort town of Estoril joins Kirker’s Portuguese collection, where its recommended hotel is the five-star deluxe Palacio Estoril. Formerly a haunt for exiled royalty and British & German spies during World War II, this fine Grande Dame property featured prominently in the 1969 James Bond film, ‘On Her Majesty’s Secret Service’. These days, it boasts one of the most comprehensive spa complexes in Portugal. Three nights from £598 pp*.

Elsewhere, Kirker’s accommodation selection for 2015 now also includes:

• ISRAEL: Jerusalem’s newest and most popular boutique property, the three-star superior Arthur Hotel maintains the building’s original 1930s style and is well placed, close to the ancient city walls, for sightseeing, shopping and dining (three nights from £849 pp*). In cosmopolitan Tel Aviv, The Norman offers five-star sophistication, attentive personal service and 1920s Bauhaus charm, and has become ‘the place to be seen’ since it reopened in 2013 (three nights from £998 pp*).

• MALTA:  With an enviable waterfront location and delightful harbour views, the five-star Grand Excelsior  is just a few minutes’ walk from the gates of the walled city of Valletta (three nights

from £498 pp*). Interested in art, architecture and history? Kirker’s new five-night escorted tour,

The Heritage & History of Malta & Gozo, will definitely appeal. Departing 4 November, the price is from £1,396 pp*.

• SWITZERLAND: The conveniently located, four-star Glockenhof joins Kirker’s Zurich selection (three nights from £998 pp*) whilst, in Interlaken, the four-star Hotel Krebs provides an ideal base from which to explore surrounding mountains and lakes – or simply relax and enjoy wonderful views of the Bernese Oberland from its terrace (three nights from £898 pp*).

• TURKEY: Stay in style at the four-star deluxe Vault Karaköy – formerly a palatial Ottoman bank building – in Istanbul (three nights from £729 pp*) or head to the Aegean Coast, where the five-star deluxe Mandarin Oriental in Bodrum (opened July 2014) lives up to its reputation as one of Europe’s most luxurious resorts, with two private beaches and spacious, beautifully-decorated bedrooms, each with a private garden or terrace and sea view (three nights from £1,148 pp*). Further inland, Sirince is a picturesque rural village, famous for its whitewashed houses and home-made fruit wines, where Gullu Konaklari (a boutique country inn) provides a peaceful base from which to explore the impressive ancient ruins of Ephesus (three nights from £778 pp*).

*All prices are based on two sharing and include flights (London – regional departures on request), private transfers, accommodation with breakfast, Kirker Guide Notes to restaurants, museums and sightseeing (where available) and the services of the Kirker Concierge to book restaurants, expert local guides or tickets to theatres, opera performances, concerts, museums and galleries.

With so many sublime short break destinations from which to choose, the only difficult decision will be where to take your next well-deserved sojourn – so why not book more than one? After all, life really is too short not to indulge in a restorative few days combining style, comfort and cultural interest. Kirker’s tailor-made itineraries offer excellent value for money, both in terms of delightful added extras – such as complimentary tickets (to museums such as the Doge’s Palace or Accademia in Venice, the Uffizi in Florence, the Mauritshuis in The Hague and Athens’ Acropolis Museum) and enjoyable visitor experiences (a Seine river cruise in Paris, ‘Granada Card’ in Spain or helicopter transfers in Monaco, for example) – as well as its constantly-updated selection of special free extra nights and room upgrade offers.

Current offers include three nights for the price of two at the five-star Bernini Bristol in Rome from £648 pp* (saving £155 pp – valid on stays until 30 April), three nights for the price of two at the deluxe Corral del Rey bed and breakfast in Seville from £584 pp* (saving £145 pp – valid on stays until 31 March) and, in Athens, four nights for the price of three at the five-star deluxe Grande Bretagne, from £889 pp* (saving £150 pp – valid on stays until 30 April).

For further information or a copy of Kirker’s Short Breaks brochure and Escapes Spring 2015 newsletter,  as well as its latest dedicated brochures to Italy, France, Spain and Morocco, please contact Kirker Holidays on 020 7593 2288 or visit www.kirkerholidays.com.

Ends / 23 January 2015

Press: Contact Karen Carpenter at Travel PR on 020 8891 4440 or email k.carpenter@travelpr.co.uk. At Kirker Holidays, please contact Ted Wake, Sales & Marketing Director, on 020 7593 2281.