Martin Randall Travel Traveller Reviews

Trip to Austria- to Eisenstadt for their annual festival of music in celebration of Haydn. Martin Randall organised a tour party of 22 to stay in the town for 6 days.

Martin Randall organises cultural holiday travel with the main emphasis on Arts,Music and Architecture.

Wonderful music in glorious surroundings of Oxford in idyllic weather- I have no idea how MR planned it all so successfully

Meticulous attention to detail at every juncture.I have now travelled 12 times with this company. I trust them implicitly

The Divine Office was an extraordinary, immersion in plain chant and polyphony, with a little later music added for contrast and variety, played and sung by outstanding singers and instrumentalists. Most concerts were canle-lit and given in college chapels, whose names record their medieval origins, Merton, New, Magdalen, Christ's. A stunning contrast was provided by a performance of music in the Russian Tradition by 'Tenebrae', which took place on the rooftop amphitheatre of the Said Business School. A programme of lectures took place in the Oxford Union, expanding on the copious programme notes issued with the final documents, and there were opportunities for additional chapel and library visits. The highlight, musically and dramatically is the day of the Divine office itself - 8 concerts of varying lengths sung with alternating chant and polyphony, sprinkled with imaginative, contemplative readings delivered magnificently by one of my all time favourite actors - Sir Alex Jennings. This being a Martin Randall tour, every aspect of the week is organised and checked in advance so that the entire schedule progresses apparently effortlessly, although the planning involved must put many a military operation into the shade.

Martin Randall operates, admittedly expensive, cultural tours, so well conceived, and delivered by such pleasant managers, staff and cultural experts, that I would rather travel less frequently with them than partake in lesser, cheaper holidays. His staff are the nicest people you could wish to encounter, and it was good to meet some of them face to face on this tour. Thank you everyone. Barbara Wooding

Martin Randall organised a second running of "The Divine Office" in Oxford in September 2015. The trip was more of a pilgrimage than a holiday, but the concerts and lectures were all to the highest possible standard. Management of the movement around Oxford colleges and churches of two separate groups of 120 or so participants was masterly and required the level of attention to detail for which Martin Randall Travel are renown.

Martin Randall Travel occupy a unique position in the cultural tour market and it was a tribute to the reputation of the company that a UK event drew almost as many participants from outside the UK as it did British clients.

Incomparable -- Seventeen concerts, four lectures, three dinners, two hapel waloks, and one library tour, all in Oxford and all in only five days. The very best music, performed by the best choirs, and in the most beautiful churches and chapels in England. Everything was thoroughly arranged and perfectly executed. I'm not a mountain climber, but if I heard the Martin Randall Travel was planning a trip p Mt. Everest, I would certainly consider going.

This was my first experience with Martin Randall Travel so I did not know what to expect can say that every detail was considered and wonderfully carried out. Even when the location for our final nights unexpectedly cancelled, MRT regrouped, made new plans, and carried them off seamlessly. MRT's planning, preparation, and delivery allowed all of us attending to enoy the experience of a lifetime.

We were new to Bohemia and gained a comprehensive impression of its landscape, buildings, history and political changes. The lecturer had a lifetime's experience of the country and the local tour manager was infallibly thoughtful, helpful and informative. The sights visited were outstanding in their interest and gave rise to some magical experiences. The hotels chosen were excellent and were remarkable buildings in their own right. The pace was unhurried but each day was full of variety and interest. There were extra treats added to the itinerary such as a demonstration of the organ in Kutna Hora. The party of 22 was an interesting mix of British, Australian and Spanish nationals, so there was also much to learn and enjoy in conversation amongst ourselves.

We have travelled with Martin Randall Travel on many occasions and find their attention to detail outstanding. The lecturers are always of the highest calibre and also chosen to create a sociable and relaxed atmosphere in the group. Every care is taken for single travellers, but there is also sufficient freedom for those who wish to follow a more independent choice of timetable.

Great Houses of the North was a fantastic Martin Randall 10-day tour which encompassed 18 grand houses and their gardens in four counties. From Derbyshire through Durham and Yorkshire and ending in Northumberland, the tour was led by a wonderful tour manager, and she was accompanied by an expert in English architecture who provided comments, guide notes, and even the occasional formal talk. The accommodation, meals and transport were superb. There was enough free time to chill out. This was a wonderful experience, and we plan another Martin Randall tour next year! Highly recommended

Martin Randall Tours excels in high level cultural tours in the UK and abroad. They are extremely professional, their attention to detail is unsurpassed, and, to put it simply, nothing is too much trouble.

The tour/holiday, "Dark Age Brilliance", began with a flight from Heathrow to Ravenna where we had 3 nights. We visited a range of churches , mausoleums (mauseolea?) and museums and saw dazzling mosaics and examples of 5th and 6th century Christian buildings. We then moved to Cividale for 4 nights (stopping en route for lunch at Chioggia) In Cividale we visited 2 museums , a national archaeological museum with cases showing bones and grave goods and a specifically Christian Museum with artefacts from the Lombards. We made a day trip into Slovenia to see the 6th century Cathedral complex in Porec which is amazingly complete . We went to Aquileia and saw mosaic pavements preserved in the later Cathedral and the remains of the Roman port.And we saw a 6th century Cathedral in Grado. On our final day we went by motor launch from Venice to Torcello to see the stunning mosaics in the Cathedral. We returned to the airport to fly back to Gatwick. Most evening meals (as well as wine and coffee) were included along with one lunch. All tips were also included. On the 2 evenings where there was not an organised meal the tour manager gave suggestions of places to eat and arranged for hotel staff to book. In Ravenna he accompanied a number of people on their own to a nearby Pizzeria.

The organisation was superb .We received detailed notes before the holiday and we were aware that during the holiday Martin Randall was monitoring the situation in Croatia in case it was not desirable to go to Porec. Alberto Spairani,the Tour Manager, was in frequent contact with Martin Randall's office and with places we planned to visit. On one occasion we left the hotel a little earlier than scheduled as a wedding was taking place in the Cathedral we planned to visit.So we had plenty of time to see it before it closed for the wedding. Our expert lecturer, Dr Ffiona Gilmore Eaves, was extremely knowledgeable but wore her scholarship lightly and conveyed information in an accessible way and with humour.Alberto, the Tour Manager ,managed to combine competence and charm. Having both a lecturer and a tour manager meant we were superbly looked after as they worked well together and between them looked after us brilliantly.

We visited most of the classical sites on mainland Greece and their adjacent museums. Our Greek guide and lecturer were truly excellent and the organization of the tour flawless and first class. It was a wonderful experience ever for those familiar with Greece.

Martin Randall Tours are characterized by excellent accommodations, stimulating itineraries, great attention to detail and great staff. Meals are always important and the tours are wonderful learning experiences. They are expensive, but very good value for money

Excellent itinerary with a superb lecturer and tour manager. A fascinating insight to Peru's history over a 5,000 year period. We discovered that there was much more to Peru than the Incas,interesting as their history is.

The quality of MRT's arrangements are second to none