Bunnik Tours has a small number of optional excursions that may be available to you on your small group tour. These are based on special-interest activities that don't always appeal to everyone, meaning they're truly optional. Find out more about these optional excursions below and contact our travel consultants to find out if they're available to you on your tour.

Optional excursions available on tours to Russia

Evening Folk Show “Kostroma” – €55pp* (minimum 8 participants) (Includes transfers)
The performance reveals the history of Rus and the life of its people, where the infinite of time and horizons broaden the boundless means of the art of dance! Vital historical milestones, traditions and customs of the multinational Russia expose originality of the hundreds of cultures of the united people of Russia plunging the audience in the times of christening of Rus, tsar’s Russia and USSR, revealing the life of the people living in the Far North, in the southern steppes, in the mountains of the Caucasus and in the Central Russia.

Ballet - from €75-135pp OR Folk Concert - 3 hrs - from €65pp (minimum 4 participants) (Includes transfers)
Your tour director will advise ticket prices on tour for these alternative options.

Catherine Palace - 5 hrs - €65pp (minimum 8 participants)
Visit Catherine Palace, the summer residence of the Russian Tzars, located in the town of Tsarskoye Selo. The Amber Room is probably the most famous room in Catherine Palace and was used as a study. The Nazis dismantled the amber panels and shipped them to Germany during WW2 and they have never been found. Much mystery surrounds the fate of the Amber Room panels and many Russians believe that they still exist somewhere in Germany. Russian artists began recreating the amber panels using the old techniques in the early 1980s and the room was opened to the public in 2003.

Cruise by Canals - 1 hr - €32pp (minimum 8 participants)
St Petersburg is known as the ’Venice of the North’ and this cruise features its stunning architecture as you cruise through its major canals and the Neva River.

 

Optional excursions available on tours to Poland

Jewish Quarter with English speaking guide & entrance at Schindlers museum - 3 hrs - €45 pp (minimum 8 participants)
Visit the Jewish Quarter in Kazmirizh district which was described in Australian author Thomas Keneally's book ‘Schindler's Ark’ and later produced into a film.

Chopin Recital - 1 hr - €65pp
Enjoy a recital of Chopin's music performed by celebrated Polish pianists. The concert consists of two parts with intermission when a glass of sparkling wine is served.

 

Optional excursions available on tours to Spain

Montserrat - 4 hrs - €51pp 
Montserrat is a mountain top monastery in Catalonia, Spain. This incredible rocky formation is a sacred place for the Catalan people. Atop the mountain you can enter the church to see the famous St. Moreneta (Black Madonna) and with any luck you can also hear the singing of the boys choir (weekdays around 13.00 and Sundays around 12.00, the boys choir does not sing every day as they frequently travel and perform in other churches).

Flamenco Show - 'El Palacio Andaluz'  - 1 hr 30 mins  - from €44pp (no minimum number required)
Located in the beautiful city of Seville is El Patio Andaluz, a place where passionate Flamenco dancers (known as bailaores or bailaoras) perform group and solo dances. The Flamenco style of dance originated in the Andalusian region and is expressed by the performer with intricate hand, arm and body movements whilst clapping their hands and rhythmically stomping their feet.  The dances are usually accompanied by guitars and as the song builds so does the tempo and volume. Enjoy a traditional Flamenco show accompanied with one drink (beer, wine or soft drink) on arrival.

 

Optional excursions available on tours to Morocco

Merzouga Camel Ride - 1 hr - €25pp (minimum of 4 participants)
Admire the magnificent Saharan sand dunes whilst riding on a ‘Ship of the Desert’. Each sand dune takes on a unique shape as no two are the same.

 

Optional excursions available on tours to Malta

Hagar Qim Temple & Marsaxlokk - 5 hrs - from €111pp  (minimum 4 participants)
This fantastic excursion begins at one of Malta's jewels - the Blue Grotto. With its dazzling blue sea it will leave a striking impression. If weather permits, you will have the opportunity to take a boat ride (boat fee not included) around the caves and grottoes where you can experience the luminescent corals and glowing water. Your guide will then show you the prehistoric temple complex of Hagar Qim which was discovered in 1839. It dates from about 3,800 BC, and it is one of the oldest known man-made structures in the world. The temple stands on a hilltop overlooking the sea and the islet of Fifla. Finally you will proceed to the fishing village of Marsaxlokk where you have free time to explore and admire the most picturesque seaside locality in Malta. Fishing nets are often spread on the quay to dry in the sun and, quite often, fishermen can be seen mending these nets. These activities, together with the modest fishermen's houses by the quayside, lend the place charm and serenity.

 

Optional excursions available on tours to Turkey 

Bosphorus Cruise - 1 hr 15 mins - €40pp (minimum 6 participants)
On this magical journey covering both European and Asian shores by our private boat you’ll see the marvellous monuments and districts like: Maiden Tower (Kiz Kulesi), Dolmabahce Palace, Ciragan Palace, Ortakoy, Fethi Ahmet Pasa Mansion, Ortakoy Mosque, Beylerbeyi Palace, Kuleli Military School and Arnavutkoy, Bebek.

Balloon Ride - 45mins - from €190pp (minimum 10 participants)
Live the dream to gently float over the countryside in complete harmony with the deep canyons and lush fertile valleys of Cappadocia. Gentle winds carry you over places that could never be reached except by balloon.

Please Note: Due to the recent monopolisation of balloon operators in Cappadocia, balloon rides are increasingly difficult to arrange with licensed, reputable companies. If you are interested in this tour, please discuss with your Tour Director at the start of your tour.

Turkish Night - 2-3 hrs - €35pp (minimum 5 participants)
This performance demonstrates the traditional way in which a girl gets married in Turkey. The bride dressed in a beautiful red dress dances in the middle and the groom tries to win her affections by performing different shows for her.  All the guests are then invited to join the dance floor with them.  The highlight of the night is the Belly Dancer! She performs her breath-taking dance making her way around the room sharing the secrets of belly-dancing with some basic figures. The night concludes with a demonstration of the Fire Dance, Caucasian Dance with knives and a drum show.  During the night the waiters will serve unlimited soft drinks and alcoholic beverages with appetizers.

Whirling Dervishes – 1 hr - €25pp (minimum 5 participants)
Amazing experience about the mystical religious sect known as the Whirling Dervishes, using music and dance to induce themselves into a mystical state. As the ceremonial music plays, they begin to whirl, and their long skirts billow giving the impression that they are floating on air.

Perge, Aspendos and Duden Waterfall – Full Day - €35pp (minimum 5 participants)
Spend the day exploring these fascinating places located in the region of Antalya. First visit the ruins of Perge, an ancient Anatolian city. Here the ruins include a Roman theatre, a temple of Artemis and the remains of a Greek wrestling school. Then continue to Aspendos, home to one of the best-preserved Roman theatres in the world. Lastly, visit the magnificent Duden Waterfalls. The water continues to flow down to the Old Town of Antalya before dramatically plunging off a rocky cliff directly into the Mediterranean.

Balloon Ride – 45 mins - from €190pp 
See the awe-inspiring UNESCO World Heritage-listed Pamukkale hot springs from a completely different angle as you take to the skies on a hot air balloon adventure. You’ll get an amazing vantage point to take in this spectacular paradise, giving you the opportunity to take some incredible photos of this unique travertine landscape.

 

Please Note: All optional tours are based on a minimum of 10 participants (unless otherwise stated) and are subject to availability. The length of tours advised is an approximate only. Tours can be booked on tour directly with your Tour Director. We recommend arranging the booking at the beginning of the tour to avoid disappointment. Prices are a guide only and are subject to change without prior notice. Payment by cash is preferred as there are no guarantees that credit card facilities will be available. Please check with your Tour Director locally for information relating to this. Credit card fees and exchange rates are at the discretion of your bank.