Architecture holidays

Many of our architecture holidays tour South Asia, seeking out gems like India’s post-independence planned city of Chandigarh and Pakistan’s ancient Buddhist archaeological sites. Sri Lanka is also a hit with design lovers. You can marvel at the mirror walls of Sigiriya, wait for a bright blue train to cross the Nine Arches Bridge, and peer up at the rainbow-bright Tamil temples stacked with deities. Sri Lanka was also the stomping ground of beloved local architect Geoffrey Bawa, whose modernist works range from government buildings to town houses to hotels. And if the best way to experience his creations is to stay in those sleek luxury beach hotels for the week, then so be it.

Architecture tour guides come in all shapes and sizes – site guides, historians, community leaders, university lecturers and hoteliers. One thing they all have in common? Their knowledge – and their passion to share it, along with any VIP access they can get hold of. There’s nothing quite like being given the key to a locked library gallery or cathedral crypt that most tourists miss.

Architecture informs the way we live, which means our holidays also end up delving into the culture, history, food, religion, politics and future visions of the region you’re travelling too. It’s a curious traveller’s dream. It’s also a responsible traveller’s dream – insightful and exciting, thanks to the slow, locally led itineraries that strive to get to the art and heart of a place.

Our small group tours have itineraries that run on set dates. You’ll travel with a group of like-minded architecture aficionados of around 10 people – and sometimes, more like six. That means you’ll visit sites and hotels that bigger groups can’t reach, and spread the benefits of tourism further. Our tailor made tours are tweaked to your requirements, with itineraries that can be shaped to your liking. Do let our architecture tour experts know about any of your special interests; they’ll do their best to seek out the best brutalist or baroque buildings in town, or get you to that hotel on your wish list.