Antonio's frequent trips across the scenic lake led him to consider opportunities in a different market - tourism. His entrepreneurial instinct pushed him to gradually acquire some motorcoaches to transport tourists around the Lake Lugano area. In 1928, Antonio opened a company specializing in motorcoach touring called Globus Viaggi. The company began with a fleet of 12 coaches which operated local excursions for European tourists in Switzerland.

By 1950, Globus Viaggi had grown to a fleet of 33 coaches and featured overnight excursions to Rome, Venice, the Dolomites and the French Riviera. Gradually, these became regularly scheduled tours and grew longer to cover more ground. Later that decade, under the leadership of Werner Albek, Antonio's business partner, Globus pioneered the concept of Grand European Touring by offering first-class European tours to North Americans. By 1961, the company launched its Cosmos arm, which featured affordable, value-priced European touring for the cost-conscious British traveler.

The coach tours were so successful that Cosmos soon introduced another form of travel for the British market: air holiday packages to the sunny destinations of southern Europe. By 1968, Cosmos air holidays became so popular the company formed its own airline, Monarch Airlines. Monarch Airlines started out modestly with two used Britannia aircraft and eventually blossomed into one of the most successful European charter companies with a large fleet of modern jets and its own engineering division.

Under the flagship of Sergio Mantegazza, current president and son of Antonio, Globus began expanding its markets beyond Great Britain and North America. Since 1974, travel packages have been sold in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and most recently in Southeast Asia. Starting in the 70s, the company also aggressively expanded its offerings, introducing travelers to more countries than any other tour operator with packages to Africa, South and North America, Europe, the South Pacific and Asia.

Today, the Globus family of brands is marketed and operated by a network of more than 32 independent tourism and aviation businesses, serviced by a group of more than 5,000 professionals worldwide. Combined, Globus, Cosmos, and Monograms carry over 500,000 passengers a year, making the organization the leading operator of guided vacations worldwide. Globus attributes its success to the ideals of founder Antonio Mantegazza. For three generations, his vision, hard work, love for travel, and commitment have guided the company. These values are the cornerstone on which Globus was built and will continue to grow.

Vacation Standards
When you travel with Globus you'll simply get MORE! You'll get MORE selection, MORE included features, MORE quality hotels, MORE experience and MORE value. You'll get inside attractions which you'll merely see from the outside with other travel companies. Globus has almost 80 years of experience for you to take advantage of. Vacation Standards 

    * Free airport transfers
    * Saving options
    * Help along the way
    * Hotels
   * Transportation

And Globus enables you to choose the escorted experience that will suit you best. Do you want a vacation with more planned time or a do you want to enjoy a more independent experience with less "guided" time? There are hundreds of itineraries for you to choose from.

There is also value you receive with an escorted vacation that is difficult or nearly impossible to get with your own planning. Because of Globus' buying power and thanks to nearly 80 years of experience, you will get unmatched values when it comes to your hotels, excursions and even your air price. You will often also have the option of adding even more inclusives to your trip or even adding days to your vacation.

Escorted travel with Globus will allow you to travel with confidence. Globus has offices located all around the globe so you can rest assured during your vacation that you will never be stranded without access to our legendary customer service. The Tour Directors all speak English, besides their native tongue, and often other languages. They are also some of the most experienced in the business, averaging almost 150 vacations each, which also helps avoid confusion or problems for you on a Globus vacation.

You will also have the peace of mind of Globus' $10 million consumer protection plan while you travel domestically or abroad. You can even (for a small fee) be sure that if an emergency came up before your trip you could cancel or reschedule it easily.

The best way to experience the benefits of escorted travel is to choose the Globus vacation that is best for you and then trust Globus to provide you with a superb travel experience.
 

    * $11 Million of Travel Protection
    * Worldwide Scope
   * Travel Protection
    * Travel Protection Plus
    * Global Travel Community
    * Awards
    * Affiliations

$11 Million of Travel Protection

Globus has provided a $10 million letter of credit* issued by a leading bank to protect payments made by its customers for all 2005 vacation departures sold in the United States. "In these uncertain times, we feel it is important to assure our customers and our travel partners that we are financially secure and that we back our products 100 percent," said Phillip Gordon, chief executive officer and president. This is in addition to the $1 million traveler's assistance program maintained by the United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA) in favor of Globus travelers.

*The $10 million letter of credit has been issued by Credit Suisse S.A. in favor of PRO-CLAIM, INC. of Highlands Ranch, Colorado, acting as trustee of a trust for the benefit of Globus and Cosmos customers who advance deposits or payments for any Globus or Cosmos tour departure sold in the United States. PRO-CLAIM INC., as trustee of the trust, is responsible for refunding deposits or payments (excluding deposits or payments made by credit cards, since chargebacks are available), for Globus and Cosmos tours sold in the United States in the event Group Voyagers Inc., d/b/a Globus and Cosmos, becomes insolvent, bankrupt or ceases business. 
 

Worldwide Scope

Globus is truly a worldwide operation with 32 offices around the world to assist travelers. Booking Globus vacations is always simple due to a network of over 13,000 knowledgeable travel agencies offering Globus vacations. Globus is also offered by some of the most well known travel consortia, such as: Vacation.com, Ensemble, TravelSavers, Carlson Wagonlit Travel, Jurni Network, and MAST.
Travel Protection

You're planning your annual vacation, or the vacation of a lifetime. Either way you don't want to think about canceling or interrupting your trip. Or getting sick. Or losing your luggage. We know these things can happen and we provide travelers peace of mind with a Travel Protection Plan. The plan costs from $79-$249 per person (depending on the vacation destination and price) and offers a wide range of benefits. Ask your travel agent for the details, get the details in your travel documents or follow the link below.

Please note that the Czech Republic now requires a minimum of $35,000 medical and repatriation insurance coverage. Our basic Travel Protection policy has a $25,000 limit, however will be increased to $35,000 while in the Czech Republic in order to meet Czech Republic requirements. There is no additional cost for this extra coverage. If you choose to purchase insurance independently, please know that the you may be required by immigration to produce proof of coverage while traveling in the Czech Republic.
 

If you purchase the Globus family of brands Travel Protection Plan, you may also purchase the optional Globus family of brands Travel Protection Plus Plan at an additional cost of only $30.00 per person. This additional Benefit* (if purchased) allows you to cancel your vacation up to 24 hours (or the prior business day, whichever is farther out) before your scheduled departure for any reason not covered by the basic Travel Protection Plan provisions. Under this Travel Protection Plus Plan Benefit, Globus family of brands will reimburse the cancellation penalty amount, as retained by the Globus family of brands, in travel certificates, minus the insurance premium. Plus, now Travel Protection Plus extends your basic Travel Protection Plan benefits to include coverage of air penalties or change fees on air purchased outside of the Globus family of brands, when canceling for a reason covered by your basic Travel Protection Plan.

*The Travel Protection Plus Plan is provided by Globus family of brands and is not an insurance benefit and must be purchased with the initial payment for your Trip.
ASK YOUR AGENT ABOUT DETAILS.

Globus recognizes the importance of preserving the North American attractions that our travelers go to great lengths to experience, which is why Globus is donating generously to the Tourism Cares for Tomorrow for restoration and preservation of five "American Icons." The donations are going toward specific projects, rather than operational costs. Learn more.
Awards

For six years in a row, Globus has been selected by Recommend Magazine as the best Tour Operator to Europe, and a top finalist for North America, Asia, Latin America and Africa. The brand was also named in Travel Weekly's 2004 Reader's Choice Awards as Best Tour Operator - Europe and 2005 Reader's Choice Awards as Best Tour Operator - Europe, Best Tour Operator - International and Best Tour Operator - Asia and South Pacific.

An Overview of Central Europe
With a fascinating past and a bright future, Central Europe represents a truly unique travel experience. Historic cities replete with centuries-old architecture await you, as do rides through some of the continent's most picturesque countryside.

Germany Travel InformationA Globus guided tour of Germany will take you to venerable sites like Berlin's Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, a visit that can last all day. This grand old building is an architectural marvel, a working church and a war memorial-pockmarked on the outside from allied air raids sustained during World War II.

Nearby, the Museum at Checkpoint Charlie is truly a "museum inside a museum." Our Tour Directors will be able to tell you all about its history and bring to life the tension that existed here during the Cold War.

Budapest Travel Information The landmarks that await your arrival in Budapest start with Heroes' Square, a tribute to 19th century Hungarian nationalism. At its tallest point the monument stands over 100 feet and is encircled by statues of seven conquering Magyar tribal chiefs on horseback. Your Tour Director can tell you all about the significance of these statues and their historical import.

History is not all that the city has to offer, however. First-time visitors are often awed by the size and beauty of Budapest and enjoy taking long walks along the Danube-which bisects the city-while ducking into modern cafés and shops.

Poland Travel InformationKrakow, Poland has become a favorite tourist site as it too blends the historic and the contemporary to offer visitors "a synthesis of all things Polish." A three-hour drive away, the 1.6 million citizens of Warsaw insist that their home is the "Heart of Poland," and are proud to boast the country's arts and financial capital.

Along with a rich history and an abundance of sightseeing opportunities, Vienna, Austria is also home to scores of coffeehouses that every traveler must experience. Our Tour Directors know where each one is and will make sure that you step into the legendary Café Central, where Goethe, Beethoven, and Mahler-among other luminaries-were known to start their days.

Prague Travel InformationAnd finally, after you're finished roaming around beautiful Prague, you'll be thrilled to find plenty of pubs in which to enjoy a beer. The Czechs, after all, know their beer: They're first in the world in per capita beer consumption, first to produce a brewing textbook, and first to open up a beer museum.

There's only one way to experience it all, from history to hops. Explore Globus vacations to Central and Eastern Europe.
 

Fun Facts About Central Europe

    * Stephen I (a.k.a. King Stephen the Great or St. Stephen of Hungary) was the first King of Hungary, from 1000 A.D. to 1038. He was succeeded by 27-year-old Peter Orseolo.

    * On October 23, 1956, students at Budapest Technical University held a peaceful march in support of a Polish uprising against the Soviet Union and a desire that Hungary be freed from the Soviet empire. This march would initiate the Hungarian Revolution, which would end on November 4 when Soviet tanks and troops invaded Budapest.

    * The pretzel, known in Germany as "the Brezel" was brought to America in 1710 by Palatine Germans who would become known as the Pennsylvania Dutch.

    * Germany is roughly the size of Montana and is home to over 82 million people.
    * Innsbruck, Austria hosted the Winter Olympics in 1964 and again in 1976, after Colorado voters rejected the idea of having Denver host the Games.

    * In 1918, the first known long-distance civil air service was established, carrying people, goods, and even mail between Vienna and Krakow.

    * Poland made a quick transition from communism to a market economy in 1990 and the Warsaw Stock Exchange opened for business in 1991.

    * After Czechoslovakia dissolved, the Czech part of the country was without a common, single-word name for its country. In 1993, the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs proposed the name Czechia as an official alternative in all situations other than formal official documents and the full names of government institutions.

    * At 5,256 feet high, Mount Snezka in the Krkonose (Giant) Mountains, is the highest point in the Czech Republic.

    * Generally regarded as the world's first motorway, the initial 19 km stretch of the Autobahn was built in Berlin from 1913 to 1921. 
 

What to say, and what not to say, when meeting an Austrian?
Austrian social convention calls for two people meeting each other for the first to use surnames. After that initial meeting, however, you're expected to address each other with given names.

Some other social customs in Austria include always saying "Guten Tag" ("Good Day"*) when entering a shop or restaurant. Whenever you're leaving, it is considered impolite not to say "Auf Wiedersehen" ("Good-Bye"*) to the shop owner.
 

Currency & Travel
If you are in the process of planning your vacation and need information on currency exchange rates, click here to access our currency converter tool. While you're on vacation you will need spending money for meals and entrance fees not already included, beverages, excursions, gratuities and shopping.
 

MORE REGIONAL PROGRAMS
The Briish Isles ~ England/Scotland/Ireland

France~Germany

Switzerland~Austria

Italy~Greece

Spain~Portugal~Morocco

Russia~Northern Europe