The Activ4 Summer Travel Diaries

When you spend your working days planning trips around the world, it probably isn’t surprising that the Activ4 team loves to travel too!

This summer, our team has been making the most of some well-earned time away, from returning home to Portugal and exploring the Italian coast to family holidays a little closer to home.

As a family-run business, travel sometimes becomes a family affair too. Managing Director Steve and his daughter Francesca from our Marketing team headed to the Algarve, while Lara from our Operations team returned home to her native Portugal. Meanwhile, Ellie, our Operations Manager, explored Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast before spending some time on the Isle of Wight.

Here are a few of our summer travel highlights.

Lara – Back Home in Portugal 

This summer, Lara from our Operations team returned home to Portugal for the first time in more than three years, enjoying some much-needed time with friends and family.

With no strict itinerary, her days were spent catching up with loved ones and exploring the Portuguese coast – somewhere that holds particularly special memories for Lara, having been born and raised by the sea.

There was, of course, plenty of traditional Portuguese food along the way, as well as time spent continuing to decorate her apartment and make it feel a little more like home with every visit.

One of the biggest highlights was simply being able to spend time with her nieces and nephews, from trips to the park to little road trips together.

For Lara, the trip was less about ticking off sights and more about reconnecting with family, friends and the places she grew up – and a reminder of just how much Portugal has to offer.

Lara recommends: Making time to explore the Portuguese coastline – and, naturally, trying as much local food as possible!

Ellie – Sorrento, the Amalfi Coast & the Isle of Wight 

Ellie, our Operations Manager, headed to Sorrento this summer, a charming town overlooking the Bay of Naples and the unmistakable Mount Vesuvius.

As well as exploring Sorrento's narrow streets and picturesque Marina Grande, Ellie took to the water for a guided kayaking tour along the coast, discovering Roman ruins, caves and natural pools.

Sorrento also proved to be the perfect base for exploring some of the area's incredible historical sites. Trips to Pompeii and Herculaneum offered a fascinating insight into Roman life, while a visit to the summit of Mount Vesuvius provided spectacular views – and the unusual experience of looking directly into the crater of an active volcano!

Boat trips to Amalfi, Positano and Capri were among the other highlights.

It's easy to see why Ellie came back thinking about its potential for our groups too. With links to history, geography and classics, the area has plenty to offer beyond its beautiful scenery.

Closer to home, Ellie also spent time with family on the Isle of Wight, a place that has been a second home to her throughout her life. Highlights included walking from Tennyson Down to the Needles and visiting Osborne House, Queen Victoria's former holiday home.

Ellie recommends: Sorrento as a base for exploring the Bay of Naples – particularly Pompeii, Herculaneum and Mount Vesuvius.

Francesca & Steve – Our Annual Algarve Escape 

For me, summer meant heading back to one of our favourite places – the Algarve – with Activ4's Managing Director, Steve, who also happens to be my dad!

We've been visiting the area for years, so our trips there are less about sightseeing and more about switching off and enjoying all the things that keep us coming back.

A surprisingly large amount of the week was spent playing mini golf, while my partner and I also managed to fit in some padel tennis. As we return each year, one of the nicest parts of the holiday is catching up with friends we've made there over the years.

And, naturally, plenty of the holiday revolved around food. We enjoyed lots of good meals, warm evenings and the chance to properly slow down for a week.

After spending so much of the year talking about Portugal as a destination for our groups, it's always nice to experience it simply as a holiday destination – although I'm not sure the mini golf competition was quite as relaxing as intended!

Francesca recommends: Find somewhere you love enough to return to. Sometimes the best holidays aren't about seeing somewhere new, but going back to a place where you already feel at home.

Where did your summer take you?

From Portugal and Italy to the Isle of Wight, our team might spend most of the year organising other people's travels, but we never seem to lose the travel bug ourselves.

Now we're back at our desks and into the new school year, we're looking forward to helping schools plan their own adventures for 2027 and beyond.

Whether it's skiing in the Alps, exploring the history of Europe, taking a sports team overseas or discovering somewhere completely new, we're always happy to share a recommendation or two – usually based on quite a bit of first-hand experience!