The secret to stress-free European travel.

Seeing the sights in the great cities of Europe these days can mean jostling and queueing with the travelling masses – and sometimes it results in missing out on once-in-a-lifetime experiences. Which is why Josh Loughnan founded Weka Travel.

Loughnan and his team are specialists in authentic, bespoke holidays across Europe, including Italy, France, Spain, Portugal, Greece and Croatia, and they offer a smarter way to explore.

Their best-in-class, highly-personalised service is run by a global network of expert travel designers and local guides, who have true insider knowledge of the best in food and culture to immerse yourself in – ensuring you get the full flavour of each place.

Itineraries are customised based on individual preferences, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach. The Weka Travel team takes time and care in getting to know each client personally to establish what their interests are and what they’d like to experience, bringing each holiday vividly to life.

Fancy an exclusive dinner in an artisan glass-blowing workshop on the Venetian island of Murano? A visit to meet the locals in the small Puglia village where a beloved grandfather once lived? Or a driver to take you to the best secret beach spots when your cruise makes port in Greece? Consider it done.

“There’s no limit to what we can do,” says Loughnan. “Our team have such a deep knowledge of places – they know about things that can’t even be found on the internet. We want people to see and feel the beauty and diversity of the real destination – off the beaten track, and we can show them the better places to go and see.”

High-tech travel

The state-of-the-art Weka Travel App is used to manage client itineraries, giving guests a highly detailed schedule of each day, which updates in real-time and gives 24-hour immediate contact with the local team member whenever you need them. Itineraries can easily be changed on the go, creating a seamless, stress-free trip.

“We work hard to anticipate any and every issue for our clients. We look at all the tiny details –the weather, changes on travel networks, things people can and can’t cope with. We treat our clients as if they are a family member and we go the extra mile to make sure it’s an unforgettable holiday.”

It’s important to Loughnan and his team to introduce their clients to the best, most authentic experiences a place has to offer – whether that’s savouring delicious Venetian cicchetti – small plates of fresh seasonal ingredients; enjoying the Sagra dell’Uva – a Marino festival celebrating the grape harvest, with abundant wine, food and dancing; or experiencing the Great Lakes of Northern Italy, minus the crowds.

Cristina Corallo is one of the Weka Travel Design team. Based in Rome, she specialises in creating bespoke itineraries for her clients.

“I spend a lot of time speaking with clients to find out what kind of people they are and what they are looking for,” she says. I try to create a deeper connection to a place for them. I craft unique, elevated experiences – all tailored to their needs, their expectations, their dreams.

“Being able to scratch the surface of a place so our clients can immerse themselves in the local culture is wonderful. Having worked for many years as an event manager I’m attentive to detail – thinking about the tiny things. I also love the idea that I can be there for my clients 24/7 using the Weka Travel App. It’s a nice feeling being able to do this for people”.

“You’ll get deep local knowledge from our team of guides and travel designers. Our trips give a different, very authentic point of view. We spend a lot of time seeking out new experiences – maybe a cooking class with a famous chef or a private boat to see the beautiful Amalfi Coast – and making sure they meet our standards. We give you the key to the ultimate bespoke experience.”

Tailor-made trips

Earlier this year Kirstie and Elton Mayo booked their Weka Travel trip to Italy and Croatia – their brief was to see the sights in Rome, Florence, Venice and Siena, then on to the glorious Croatian coast to see historic Dubrovnik and Split. The couple also wanted to travel out of the cities and embrace the village way of life. Plus, Elton has some mobility issues, so the Weka team needed to factor that in.

“Honestly, their itinerary was outstanding,” says Kirstie. “The point of difference for us was having all the i’s dotted and the t’s crossed, and nothing went wrong. Our itinerary felt personalised and, in the cities, everything was designed for us to be really central. We could just wander out of the hotel, and we were right in the middle of everything,” she says.

“The day trips meant we could spend time in the countryside and visit villages and wineries – it was absolutely outstanding what the team organised for us. We used the Weka Travel App for the entire trip,” says Kirstie. “It was great for updates and for communicating, all our tickets and everything we needed was on there. It was incredible.”

For more testimonials from satisfied Weka Travel guests, more information, or for your own bespoke-designed, highly personalised holiday, visit wekatravel.com