Penny in Canada
Travel ambassador, broadcaster and presenter Penny Smith, treated herself to a new woolly hat and joined us for an unforgettable winter experience in Canada...
Penny Smith - Travel Ambassador
In 2017 Penny Smith, the presenter of ITV breakfast show GMTV for 17 years, geared up for her new role as Travelsphere’s Travel Ambassador. The travel writer and broadcaster has since been exploring with the world with us, and her journey started as she joined our ‘Winter on the Amalfi Coast’ tour. Here’s what she thought.
"For me travel is all about experiences, and we had those by the bucketful during my Travelsphere adventure to Italy’s Amalfi Coast. Learning the art of traditional paper-making, wine-tasting in the Amalfi hills, peeling lemons ready for Limoncello, walking in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius – you name it, we did it!
I grew up in a small village in the smallest county in Britain. Travel was exotic. From the moment I get on a plane I am excited to be going to different – sometimes distant – countries. The chance to see how others live, see their culture, see history coming to life, try new food, new flavours, new things, is all part of the incredible experience travelling brings. Pompeii, in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius, is a place that I have always wanted to visit. There is only so much you can get from a guide book – if there is something I really want to see then I need a human guide.
Ours in Pompeii was superb. He was knowledgeable and had a fantastic sense of humour. Through his descriptions he brought Pompeii back to life, and you could really feel the energy of this once great city. Jane, our Tour Manager, was fantastic too. She lives in Amalfi so she was able to show us places that other tour operators don’t. Our trip up into the hills was wonderful. We arrived at a family-run winery, walked among the vines and learnt a few wine-making secrets. We then spent an enjoyable and informative hour tasting the wine while chatting to the owners about their passion for the grape.
This was my first time on an escorted holiday, and it gave much more than I had envisaged. We learnt so much, we were able to explore on our own, we had plenty of free time (and shopping time). For me, a real highlight was the sharing of stories in the evening over dinner with my fellow travellers.
I have been to many extraordinary places, and want to go to many more with Travelsphere. As they offer more than 60 destinations, it is going to be hard to pick my next tour! South America will always hold a special place in my heart. I’d love to go back to Lake Titicaca on the borders of Peru and Bolivia since I arrived during a three-day wedding party and don’t feel I did it justice. Just watch this space!”
Penny presents the Saturday Breakfast Show on talkRADIO, can be heard regularly on BBC Radio 2 and covers the world of travel for various publications
Penny's favourite moments
We asked Penny to name her favourite moments with Travelsphere so far and she was hard pressed to choose just one!
Even more smiles with Penny
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Penny in Jordan
Travel ambassador, Penny Smith, has missed travelling so much that she was very excited to once again be packing her suitcase and joining us in Jordan for Travelsphere’s Jordan’s Ancient Wonders holiday. She tells us about the awe-inspiring sites of Jordan...
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Penny's getting ready to travel
Our Travel Ambassador, broadcaster and presenter Penny Smith has really missed her Travelsphere holidays and can’t wait to get travelling once again. Find out where Penny is wanting to go for her next adventures...
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Penny in Croatia
Penny joined one of our Travelsphere tours on an adventure to Croatia for the trip of a lifetime. Sailing along the beautiful Adriatic Coastline on an exclusively chartered ship for Travelsphere, she tells us of her latest travels...
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Penny in India
In 2018, Penny ventured with us to India. Exploring the cities and sights of the Golden Triangle as well as going in search of India's elusive Bengal Tiger. Here she shares her adventure
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Penny in South Africa
With fantastic wildlife, incredible wines, delicious flavours and wonderful landscapes, it was time for Penny to experience all South Africa had to offer!
This was my first time on an escorted holiday, and it gave much more than I had envisaged
Penny Smith
Follow in Penny's footsteps
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Croatian Island Hopping
Explore the historic cities of Dubrovnik and Split and admire the beauty of four picturesque islands as you cruise aboard an exclusively chartered ship.
- Return flights
- 7 nights on board deluxe ship
- 15 meals: 7 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 4 dinners
Explore8 days from£1,999was £2,149 -
Beyond the Golden Triangle
Delve into India's rich history and fascinating culture, explore the Taj Mahal and go on safari in search of the Bengal tiger.
- Return flights
- 8 nights in 4 & 5-star and heritage hotels and lodges plus 1 night in flight
- 19 meals: 8 breakfasts, 3 lunches and 8 dinners
Explore10 days from£1,999 -
Ultimate South Africa
Explore vibrant towns and cities, stunning panoramas and search for incredible wildlife on this all-encompassing South African adventure.
- Return flights
- 14 nights in 3 and 4-star hotels and lodges, 2 nights in flight
- 23 meals: 14 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 7 dinners and welcome drink
Explore17 days from£3,874was £4,199
