Our top eight activity centre holidays

2. Lycian Way, Turkey

Situated on the ‘Turkish Riviera’, this activity centre is an Anatolian gem. It’s close to the town for restaurants and shops, and there is also the option of staying a night with a local family, or doing some wild camping. Intrepid travellers can eat their hearts out with activities including ziplining, abseiling, canyoning and scuba diving to a sunken city. There is also some interesting Roman ruins nearby to visit on a slower day.

When to go: September
Our top selling trip: Lycian activity holiday
See all our trips: Turkey holidays
Read more: Turkey travel guide

6. Winter in Finnish Lapland

Based on the outskirts of a pristine national park in Finnish Lapland, north of the Arctic Circle, this trip immerses you in a true wilderness. A thrilling selection of winter activities can be undertaken, from cross country skiing and snowshoeing, to snowmobile safaris and traditional Finnish saunas. Cold weather clothing is supplied, useful whether you’re mushing your huskies to pull your sled faster, or overnighting in a remote cabin to spy the Northern Lights.

When to go: December to April
Our top selling trip: Winter adventure in Finland
See all our trips: Finland holidays
Read more: Finland travel guides

8. Winter in the Austria Tyrol

The ethos at this East Tirol mountain retreat is ‘mind, body and soul’, and we’re pretty sure the hot chocolate here benefits all three. Overlooking Hohe Tauern National Park, the centre offers bespoke itineraries that are dictated by weather conditions as much as your interests. Snow shoeing, winter hikes, cross country skiing, tobogganing and daily yoga sessions feature, with plenty of time set aside to relax too.

When to go: December – April
Our top selling trip: Austria activity holiday - hiking, snowshoeing and yoga
See all our trips: Austria winter holidays
Read more: Austria winter holidays guide

Hand luggage only?

“We send out a packing list to guests, but you could easily travel very light and arrive with a couple of pairs of board shorts and t shirts, a pair of watershoes for the pebble beaches, and trainers. Sunglasses, hat, suncream we think are the essential items!”

Husky safaris

“Husky sledding is on many bucket lists but an overnight husky safari is a real once-in-a-lifetime experience. You take your own team of dogs and travel roughly 25km to a wilderness cabin. Here the group all pitch in with making the fire, preparing food, feeding the huskies and heating the sauna. There may not be electricity or running water in some cabins but there is a wood fired sauna - after all, this is Finland. You’ll be in the wilderness, with no light pollution to interrupt your views of the night sky, meaning it is the perfect time to look up in search of the Aurora Borealis.”

“You’ll need water shoes as well as walking boots for hiking in Montenegro. And don’t bother with smart clothes, it’s all very casual!”- Jennifer Smith

“It was incredible to experience the local food and wine in Montenegro knowing that everything on your plate was sourced within about 2km.” – Anna Brown

“Renting a car in Montenegro is not necessary but it did mean that we could make day trips on our days off. All the hikes and kayaking were very suitable and really enjoyable for both of us as parents and for our kids aged 12 and 18.” – Kyra De Coninck

“You cannot fail to be impressed at the amazing Montenegrin landscape. I've traveled quite a lot around the world and these views are right up there with the best I've ever seen. Make sure to take the correct clothing and equipment with you. In particular if the weather forecast is changeable. A decent camera is a must to try and capture the stunning views.” – Gary Caswell

“Both my husband and myself agree that if we had gone to Montenegro on our own as a family and arranged the trip independently we would have had fun and seen beautiful views but we have learnt that having the knowledge of local guides like Ben and Emma made our visit so much more worthwhile. It has given our children the travel bug which is great because we travelled so much before we had children. It is the perfect trip for previously backpacking parents to introduce their family to the wonder of visiting places off the beaten track” – Steph Bowler

“We took many clothes with us to Finland but only ended up wearing a handful. The winter gear provided by the hotel was more than adequate to keep us warm. I would suggest taking some ski goggles especially for the snow mobile tours as the helmets provided often iced up.” – Antonia Taylor-Howe

“The hotel is in a rural location so don't expect shopping or nightlife. If you like to be in a beautiful location by the river, with a variety of activities planned for you, then Croatia is a great holiday.” – Ellen Dhawan

“I feel this holiday is very much what you want to make it and there's no pressure to follow a particular itinerary. The 'relaxingly active' ethos describes our week in Austria perfectly.” – Cornelia Szecsei

“Loved that they tailor your holiday in Austria based around what you decided you want to do the night before. And there's heaps you can do! The communal dining is another plus, allowing you to socialise and get to know your hosts and other guests." – Hannah Moody

“As a professional working long hours in the city I loved how easy it was to book and then get away for some fresh air and exercise in Wales without having to worry about it.” – Alicia Crisp

“Several things made Turkey memorable. ..the people I met - a real mix of different ages and backgrounds that you wouldn't necessarily meet at home within your normal social circles. ..Experiencing new activities... and doing things you wouldn't be able to do as a tourist visiting the country on your own, like having an authentic Turkish lunch at the house of a Turkish family in the middle of the mountains.” – Susie Everest