FAQ's 

For over 25 years! Caspin Journeys was established in 1992 by Pino Nobile and his girlfriend Caroline – and they got engaged on the final night of their very first Tuscany trip when Pino went down on bended knee! Yes, we are still here and still guiding trips.

Some of our children and their partners are now involved in the business – The Caspin Family. We are proud of our luxury active travel company, work hard and have endless enthusiasm for what we do.

Here at Caspin Journeys we believe that our presence as travellers should impact the local environment and economy positively. We recognise that tourism can provide income to local people, motivate the conservation of the natural environment and promote the understanding of other cultures.

We take care to be respectful of, responsible towards and if possible enhance the sustainability of our host community.

Many of you are very experienced and independent travellers but you repeatedly tell us: “We are tired of handling all the logistics and love leaving all the hassle and details to Caspin Journeys and then just relax and immerse ourselves in it”.

We know the locals on all our trips and they love meeting our groups because we are small enough to get into private homes, chat to villagers, fit in small restaurants and enjoy all kinds of unexpected events that aren’t accessible to large groups of tourists following a red umbrella.

The average Caspin Journey has just 10 guests and many are even smaller.

We also make time for you to explore on your own too and enjoy that unique sense of discovery that is often just waiting around the corner of a sleepy hamlet when the rest of the world is somewhere else or asleep!

You compliment us on our ability to make a trip to inevitable touristic highlights without feeling bombarded by the crowds – how did we avoid them so well you say? Ah well, our Caspin guides did the homework for you!

Are you convinced yet?

Of course! We can put you in touch with someone who has taken that trip. Just CONTACT US!

Yes, we have many guests who travel on their own and you’ll feel most welcome in our small groups – max 10 – made up of couples, friends, solo travellers or family members traveling together. There is a a supplement for having a room on your own.

Because our hotel prices are based on double/twin bedrooms, we must charge a single supplement to an individual traveler using a private room on a trip. The single supplement reflects those costs – we don’t make money on it. To keep down these costs we book economical double rooms and they are sometimes smaller, even though they cost more per person.

Feel free to speak to us about the trip you have in mind and if you want to ensure a higher standard – e.g. a sea view – let us know and we will check with the hotels and let you know the availability and the surcharge.

If you are looking for help with a private trip for your family or friends we can customise a trip you’ve spotted on our website or create a totally unique itinerary specially for you. Have a look to our Bespoke Trips page to have further information.

While some children enjoy adult company and have participated on our scheduled trips, not all children are suited to it. A custom journey is where children fit right in as we design the days to enthral them according to their ages and what you tell us about their interests – no endless dragging around museums, we do the fun stuff that young hearted people of all ages enjoy, and they get a cultural and educational vacation just the same!

Please call us at + 44 (0)2476016158 or EMAIL US with your wish list and let us help you plan your vacation.

Yes! On the booking form or on a separate email you can provide us information on any special requests or requirements you may have.

If you are vegetarian, let us know if that means you do/ do not eat poultry and/or fish. We pass the information along so that you do not have to worry about it during the trip.

We can accommodate most dietary requests, so please do not hesitate to let us know so that we can make your trip delicious!

You need to be healthy and have good general fitness. However, our trips are not marathons!

If you walk, swim, play golf or do another aerobic activity to stay fit, you shouldn’t have any trouble on our trips. We walk simply because we believe a slow pace is the best way to get a real feel for the region you’re visiting.

Our trips have different levels of activity and you can choose the level that fits you best. And even then, you will have options, or you can even spend a day catching up with a good book. And most days there are places to catch a lift with the Caspin support vehicle.

For more details on the kinds of distances and terrain we cover, read about our Activity Levels.

The detailed itinerary and all essentials you need to start getting ready for each Caspin trip can be found on its own page on our website providing you with everything you need to know before you go, including suggestions for making your travel arrangements, what to bring, where to stay before and after your trip, and tons of other helpful tips.

We will send you joining information several weeks before the trip and on the first evening you will receive an initial trip briefing followed by daily updates from your Caspin guides detailing the fine points for the next exciting day of the trip.

Our guides will make suggestions and you can choose what appeals to you. You may want to linger longer in a museum, sketch, watch the world go by in a cafe or shop while others are out walking.

Many of our walks can be abbreviated with the option to jump in the minivan and catch a lift. This is your vacation not a foot race and it is important to us that you go home relaxed and invigorated.

It’s easy to make a reservation. Simply select the desired trip and date and fill out our on-line reservation form. We ask you for a few quick pieces of information and a deposit of 25% per person per trip.  If you are booking more than 9 months in advance you will only pay an initial commitment fee of GBP/EUR 200 and pay the balance of the 25% deposit later. We accept bank transfers or debit/credit cards.

You can review our terms and conditions here. We take good care not to disclose any of your information unless strictly necessary for the purpose of running the trip. See our privacy policy.

Transfers to another trip are allowed subject to availability. After your final payment due date we are unable to allow transfers. Any cancellation will follow the Cancellation Policy in our terms and conditions.

When transferring to a different date or trip, if the trip costs more than your original trip, you must pay the difference. Exceptions to the Transfer Policy include our Private and Custom Trips.

Travel insurance helps you relax about the vacation you are planning ahead. We strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance to protect your travel investment. Insurance for travel is often available through your usual insurer, or from online companies which specialize in travel insurance

Some insurance companies offer protection called “cancel for any work-related reason”. This added coverage can provide peace of mind for long-range travel plans. Do make sure you take out insurance within the stipulated no. of days of making your reservation with us.

We do not sell insurance.

International travel always requires a valid passport. Visas are required for travel to certain countries and must be arranged far in advance of departure. It is your responsibility to check with the relevant embassy or consulate about the visa requirements for your vacation.

In the Service industry in Europe, tipping is customary but not obligatory and at one’s discretion. We at Caspin Journeys have a policy of tipping 10% for the great service we get from our hotels, restaurants and specialist guides. These gratuities are included in the price of your trip (except for your trip leaders).

To see how easy it is to pack for this kind of trip check and download our Packing list.

Our itineraries specify the pick-up and drop off points and timings. We also detail the nearest airports to the starting and finishing points.

Public transportation in Europe is excellent. Most of the time you don’t need to make reservation beforehand, unless you plan to travel on a high speed train (Eurostar).

We are always happy to help if you need more detailed information on how to get to and from the starting and ending points of the trip. You can find more Travel Tips here.

Many people these days book directly with their chosen airline. There are also online search engines for investigating and ticketing airfares like skyscanner.net. Others prefer to use their own local travel agent.

We transport your luggage between hotels and bring it to your room. You may bring only 1 case and 1 daypack – see luggage size allowance.

During the day you only carry snacks, water, rainproof and personal items in your daypack.