These Exceptional 2025 Trips Take You to Lesser-visited Regions in Italy and New Zealand

The travel industry as a whole is expected to make a complete recovery by the end of this year, according to McKinsey & Company, and the way things are looking, 2025 will be even bigger and quite different. In the year ahead, travelers are focusing more on authenticity and are seeking places to escape the crowds.

Audley Travel, a boutique travel agency, has always specialized in creating bespoke, authentic trips. In 2025 it’s adding itineraries for travelers looking to go deeper still. 

Italy has surged in popularity since the pandemic, and Audley’s new trips take travelers beyond the usual places. There’s a new 10-day trip to the Dolomites that visits towns like Val Gardena, Alta Badia, and Bolzano. (Bolzano was recently named the most picturesque winter destination in the world.) Experiences include visiting the ‘Man from the Ice’ in the Archaeological Museum, exploring Bolzano’s 1,000-year-old beer scene, visiting a traditional cheese shop to learn about the centuries-old cheese-making culture, and, of course, absorbing stunning mountain views.

There’s also a 6-day VIP itinerary in Italy that takes travelers to the backstage of the Verona Opera Festival between June and September. Here, guests can attend the famous summer festival, have dinner beforehand on one of the city’s oldest terraces, meet performers backstage before performances begin, and watch from the coveted Royal Box. 

Another new experiential trip Audley is planning in 2025 is a 21-day tour of New Zealand that includes hiking the Hump Ridge Track. The three-day hike on New Zealand’s South Island is off-the-beaten-path, to begin with. But Audley’s experience will bring travelers through the route’s Fjordland, a portion of the hike not normally available to hikers. 

To learn more about these itineraries and other 2025 Audley offerings, visit audleytravel.com.