Treasures of the Tweed Valley Traveller Reviews

Houses and gardens in the Scottish Borders, an underviisited area of great beauty and historical importance. All houses and gardens. visited were of the highest quality, many never open or opened specially.

I have taken Ciceroni tours before and have always found them exceptional.

Accompanied by our excellent and knowledgeable guide, a group of us had exclusive access to a variety of sumptious houses, castles and gardens, many containing fabulous collections of paintings, furniture and works of art.

Ciceroni is a small company which specialises in international cultural tours. Modest groups of travellers are accompanied by highly knowledgeable and charming guides, and the highest standards of accommodation and comfort are assured.

We visited several of these grand houses of differing architectural styles which have been in private ownership for hundreds of years, some of which have splendid Adam intereriours and all have wonderful collections of paintings an artefacts. Our guide, Tom Duncan ably focused our attention on the most important and interesting features. Equally enjoyable were the lovely gardens full of old fashioned roses and lavender exuding a wonderful romantic atmosphere.

Tom Duncan is an art historian who founded Ciceroni Travel. We have travelled with him many times and find him very informative and entertaining. His tours are always very well organized and interesting.

A good well organised and enjoyable tour.

Personal and friendly service

A marvellous week! Every visit brought its own delightful surprises enhanced by Tom Duncan's entertaining and hugely knowledgeable lectures and commentary! We enjoyed welcoming and kind hospitality at each house and garden we toured! Excellent meals with delicious food and wine planned for each day ensuring that the holiday was a happy social time as well!

As always the Ciceroni Office was efficient and thoughtful. Each booking went according to plan. Any queries they had from my booking form were personally followed up with a telephone call to ensure that the holiday went smoothly. Tom Duncan was so welcoming when we arrived at our destination.

Excellent lecturer. Interesting itinerary. Fascinating venues. Excellent food, good accommodation and transport.

Very helpful and efficient.

As always, on Ciceroni tours, we were given excellent expert guidance - many to privately-owned art collections - as we explored the estates of the Tweed Valley. Learning was informed with wit while paintigs, sculpture, furniture and porcelain were seen not only in the contexts of rooms, but of whole estates. The genealogy of the noble families whose possessions were were allowed to see provided interesting and vital historical backgrounds to each visit.

Ciceroni Tours have provided me with delightful, relaxing and informative holidays both at home and abroad for many years now. The groups are small and the company both when travelling together and when relaxing over good food and well=chosen wines is congenial. In particular, Tom Duncan is a toue operator whom one soon comes to count as a valued friend.

We had a wonderful week in the Borders visiting some of the Treasure Houses of the Tweed Valley

Ciceroni cannot be faulted

The sun shone , the travel by air controlled coach was very comfortable The expertise of the leader was brilliant and fellow travellers added their knowledge to add to the holiday. My hotel room was very comfortable and we ate very well. My only worry was it was to condensed and we were all very weary at the end!!

A fund of knowledge, a good sense of humour and a lightness of touch. Very helpful in every way to all.

The travel arrangements were excellent both to and from our destination and also during our movements around the area by coach. All our visits to country houses ran smoothly and well, and the catering offered at all was either excellent or very good. The Dryburgh Abbey Hotel was quiet and comfortable with spacious bedrooms,and the staff were anxious to please, but the catering there was quite disappointing. If you had offered a rating of 'Very Good' above, I would have chosen that category. Our holiday was somewhere between 'Good' and 'Excellent'

I have travelled with Ciceroni Travel many times before. Their holidays are always well organised, extremely interesting and in congenial company. The programme of visits is always very comprehensive and wide-ranging. Dr. Tom Duncan has such an in-depth knowledge of his cultural and fine arts subjects that these visits are very rewarding.