oats travel 2023

Overseas Adventure Travel (O.A.T. Tours)

Global operator

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Travelers age

Trip prices

$2,895 — 9,190

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Age Range:  Primarily 50+

Average Tour Price: $4,538

Average Tour Duration: 15 Days

Group Size:  Small groups - between 10 and 16 travelers, max of 24 on small ship cruises

Travel Style:  Culturally immersive and local experiences. Walking between 3-6 miles a day.

• Group Tours
• Small Ship & Expedition Cruises
• River Cruises
• Custom Itineraries
• North America
• Central America & Caribbean
• South America
• Rivers & Seas
• Australia & Pacific
• Middle East & North Africa

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Overseas adventure travel (o.a.t. tours) reviews & ratings.

Policy over practical customer service. zero customer service

don't expect humanity or common sense

This letter is effectively what was communicated no less than 8 times in writing and conversation to OAT representatives up the chain, beginning 19 days before the t...

Trip of a Lifetime

Our recent Tanzanian Safari was indeed the trip of a lifetime. Saw the big 5, met the wonderful locals and spent 5 days in the Serengeti. Saw many lions, zebras, gi...

Booked for July and gave them $12,000. They talked us into early arrival and then come back to us a two months later saying we can't offer. We have to keep our airli...

My favorite OAT adventure

I went to this adventure with my sister-in-law and we had the absolute best time! Our guide were all amazing and our trip leader Martin was exceptional! My sister-i-...

We visited Panama on this trip with OAT

We visited Panama on this trip with OAT including walking through El Chorrillo neighborhood and listening to the stories of the survivors of the US invasion. We woul...

See all Overseas Adventure Travel (O.A.T. Tours) reviews

Editoral Review of Overseas Adventure Travel (O.A.T. Tours)

Founded in 1978, Overseas Adventure Travel specializes in small group and small ship adventure tours . Overseas Adventure Travel (OAT) is now part of the Boston-based Grand Circle Corporation, which also includes Grand Circle Travel and Grand Circle Cruise Line.

Quick Facts

Founded in 1978

Very welcome to solo travelers - Free or low single supplement

Average Tour Price - $4,538

Average Tour Duration - 15 Days

Small Groups - between 10 and 16 travelers, max of 24 on small ship cruises

Travel Style - Culturally immersive and local experiences. Walking between 3-6 miles a day

Age Range - Primarily 50+

What Makes Overseas Adventure Travel Stand Out?

• Solo traveler friendly
• Cultural immersion
• Grand Circle Foundation

Overseas Adventure Travel is solo traveler friendly . They offer free or low single supplements. OAT understands that solo travelers desire to follow their own schedule, desires and needs. They help handle all the details to make sure your trip is affordable, easy and enjoyable.

A major focus of OAT is cultural immersion . Travelers can expect to visit local schools, churches, and homes (where you might be treated to a home-cooked meal). Experienced guides -- all fluent in English -- lead groups off the beaten path when possible.

OAT strives to give back to the world they send travelers around.  A portion of all proceeds goes to the Grand Circle Foundation, which supports cultural and educational programs in the countries visited.

Who Will Enjoy Traveling With Overseas Adventure Travel?

• Solo travelers
• Cultural enthusiasts

 OAT specializes in small group tours around the world serving Americans aged 50 and older. They appeal to the old fashioned - the fact that they still offer a physical catalogue is testament - and their travel style reflects an appreciation of the classics coupled with an adventurous spirit to explore each destination deeper and from a local perspective. 

Overall, prices fall into the moderate range, and are especially a bargain for solo travelers , who can save substantially by not having to pay for single supplements. Accommodations are designed to be both comfortable as well as unique and in keeping with the local spirit of the destination. If your hostelling days are over but you feel too adventurous for a standard hotel, OAT will be a great company to travel with. 

OAT travelers are those with a passion for culture . They don’t just want to see a destination, they want to experience it. For these travelers, spending a day in a Maasai village in Kenya, eating dinner with a local family in Chile's oasis town and interacting with local musicians at the bustling Libertad Plaza in San Salvador, Belize is a welcomed adventure.

Top Destinations

OAT operates tours all over the world, specializing in remote, off the beaten path destinations. African safaris are an especially popular offering, though you can also travel to Japan , India , Peru , Iceland , Vietnam , Albania , or Morocco , to name just a few of its far-flung destinations. OAT also runs small-ship cruises through the Galapagos , on the Amazon , and along the Turkish coast.

OAT Travel Style

With Overseas Adventure Travel you’ll find a combination of transportation and accommodation styles, but all with an element of comfort. Groups are small, with a max of 16 (24 on small ship cruises). 

Accommodations vary, but generally favor being local and non-traditional over a basic centrally located hotel. Their exact words are “emphasis on authenticity, rather than amenities”.

Their style is all about unique and meaningful cultural interaction . While you’ll learn the history and see the famous sights, their true focus is about people and connections. This means you’ll enjoy meals with local families, like you’re just a friend over for dinner; visit schools and see the amazing work being done in small communities. The visceral understanding and perspective that comes from learning to cook traditional meals and make traditional crafts is what you’ll find on an OAT tour.

Why Choose a Tour with OAT?

OAT offers a unique up close and personal experience, guaranteeing that its groups will never exceed more than 10-16 travelers. A spirit of spontaneity is part of what makes traveling with OAT special, as they strive to take advantage of every interesting opportunity during a trip. 

Traveling with Overseas Adventure Travel allows for an in depth cultural travel experience in comfort. Many opportunities exist for travelers to find deals, and it’s a great way to meet new friends in a similar age range.

If you traveled extensively in your youth and are not ready to slow down, but perhaps are looking for a few more logistical ducks to be taken care of for you, OAT could be the perfect fit. They offer a variety of options for more independent minded travelers, as well as ample free time to explore and plan your own adventure during cruise port stops and on their group tours.

Alternatively, if this is your first travel experience, OAT will be a great starting point. You’ll gain cultural insights, meet locals, as well as hit on all the best tourist sites that provide cultural and historical context to your destination.

Overseas Adventure Travel Covid Safety Precautions

Through December 31st 2020, Overseas Adventure Travel is offering Risk Free booking. You can transfer your departure with all change fees waived.  

Some countries are beginning to reopen to international visitors with entry restrictions while others have remained closed. Stay up to date and see a full list of which countries are open  »  

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More Details

Solo friendly.

• No single supplement
• Solo & Singles Travel

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About the company.

Overseas Adventure Travel offers unique small group adventures worldwide to Americans over 50. By land and sea, we explore on—and off—the beaten path with a resident OAT Trip Leader, immersing ourselves in local cultures, sampling unique modes of transportation, and staying in authentic lodgings that reflect the essence of your destination. Grand Circle Small Ship Cruises serves both our GCT and OAT brands with an award-winning fleet known for exceptional value and high-quality experiences in Europe, Asia, Africa, and South America. Custom-designed according to our travelers’ specifications, our fleet includes 50+ small river and ocean-going ships that we own or privately charter.

Grand Circle Corporation is a global enterprise—comprised of a family of travel companies—committed to changing people’s lives by offering high-impact experiences to our travelers and building local communities through philanthropy, social entrepreneurship, and volunteerism.

Simply by traveling with OAT, you support the work of the nonprofit Grand Circle Foundation, which was created with the mission of changing people’s lives through travel—both those of our travelers, and of the people who welcome us so warmly into their homelands.

Journey with the Leader in Adventure Travel and Watch Your Dreams Take Flight : It is the stuff of dreams: gazelles bowing to lap at a glassy pool in the Serengeti as the vast sky turns purple with night, the tiered splendor of the Himalayas, rising behind a Tibetan monastery. Dreams like these are everyday realities for OAT travelers, thanks to the principles which ground every OAT adventure: value, choice, discovery, and carefully paced itineraries.

Our Value puts your travel dreams within reach: OAT can help you realize your travel dreams for a lot less than you thought possible. Together with our regional offices located throughout the world, we’ve been able to establish long-term relationships with many local vendors and hotels. Buying direct brings down our costs—and allows us to pass the savings on to you. And negotiating directly for hotel space also allows us to secure as many single room allotments as possible for our solo travelers. That way, we can also extend our great value to solo travelers. In fact, we offer the best value for solo travelers, guaranteed.

The Choice is yours : You’ll always have plenty of choices with OAT. We offer you a breadth of awe-inspiring travel destinations—from the peaks of the Andes to the sweeping desert sands of the Sahara to the rugged natural beauty of Iceland. You'll also enjoy more trip extension choices than ever before—like hiking to ancient monasteries in Bhutan or discovering the Moai monolithic rock statues on Easter Island. You have plenty of choices within each adventure, too, including several interesting optional tours. And the free time we’ve woven into our itineraries allows you plenty of opportunities for independent exploration. You can shop, unwind, perhaps linger at a sidewalk café, visit an interesting gallery or museum, or explore a cobbled street that caught your eye earlier in the day. You can do as much or as little as you want on an OAT adventure—the choice is yours.

OAT Difference

Adventure Travel : Adventure travel with OAT is a journey beyond the familiar, one that takes you into the very heart of a destination—to meet people where they work and live.

OAT Advantages : Journey with the leader in adventure travel and watch your dreams take flight, thanks to the principles which ground every OAT adventure: value, choice, discovery, and carefully paced itineraries.

Small Groups, Big Discoveries : When you discover the world in an OAT small group, you’ll journey off the beaten path to the places the big tour groups miss—and enjoy an intimate, discovery-filled adventure filled with personal connections, shared experiences, and treasured memories.

Trip Leaders : No matter where in the world you venture with OAT, you'll have one of our resident, expert Trip Leaders by your side. All are fluent in English and possess the skills, certification, and experience necessary to ensure an enriching adventure.

Airport Transfers : We’ve listened to your feedback, and will now offer international airport transfers to and from your hotel to our travelers who choose to purchase their own airfare on OAT adventures as part of our Personalize Your Trip program, which allows you create the OAT adventure that's right for you.

Personalize your trip : OAT travelers have long expressed the desire to decide exactly where they’re going, how they get there, and when they wish to leave. That’s why we developed a variety of choices that enhance the value of every trip we offer, allowing you to create the adventure that works best for you.

Traveling solo? Enjoy your own room or cabin—at no extra cost : You’re in control of your travel dreams—and we’re making them more affordable than ever: Maybe you prefer the freedom of solo travel—or maybe you and your usual traveling companion can’t agree on a destination. Whatever the reason, you don’t have to put your travel dreams on hold. When it’s time to go it alone, you’ll never pay a Single Supplement to have your own room or cabin with OAT.

Overseas Adventure Travel (O.A.T. Tours) Trips & Specials

Real Affordable Peru

Japan's Cultural Treasures

Mongolia & the Gobi Desert

Untamed Iceland

Heart of India

Northern Greece, Albania & Macedonia: Ancient Lands of Alexander the Great

From Siam to Saigon: Thailand & Vietnam Revealed

Southern Africa: South Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Botswana

Want a tailor-made trip instead, your trip, your way, planned by an expert:.

• You choose budget, destinations, activities, transport & lodging type
• Expert designs the itinerary for you, and once approved, takes care of logistics

Top Overseas Adventure Travel (O.A.T. Tours) Trip Categories

Overseas adventure travel (o.a.t. tours) company ranking by category, similar companies.

Associations

United states tour operators association.

USTOA is a nonprofit professional association representing the tour operator industry.Its members are made up of companies who provide services worldwide but who conduct business in the U.S.

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Top ways to experience nearby attractions

• Courthouse • 4 min walk
• South Station • 7 min walk

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

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Overseas Adventure Travel - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

• (0.05 mi) Residence Inn Boston Downtown/Seaport
• (0.10 mi) Stay Alfred on A Street
• (0.10 mi) Global Luxury Suites at Seaport
• (0.17 mi) YOTEL Boston
• (0.28 mi) InterContinental Boston, an IHG Hotel
• (0.02 mi) Lucky's Lounge
• (0.02 mi) Pastoral
• (0.02 mi) Buco Trattoria
• (0.04 mi) Metro Cafe
• (0.07 mi) Flour Bakery + Cafe

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Reviewed March 14, 2024

We began our trip on our own, flying into Dubrovnik on Wednesday, November 8. Our tour guide, Mario **, had already established contact with us via WhatsApp to give us suggestions regarding our week on our own. We spoke with him as we drove along the coast to our first stop in Split, and we cannot say enough about how comforting it was to us during that week on our own to know that we already had a friend in Croatia. If we had a problem or a question, all we had to do was contact Mario on WhatsApp and he would get back to us with helpful answers. Little did we know at that time what a blessing he would be to us later in our trip. On Thursday, November 16, we checked into the Dubrovnik Palace. We could not have asked for a better group of people to travel with.

Palace Hotel Dubrovnik was outstanding—beautiful location with lovely rooms and balconies overlooking the sea. We especially loved the indoor pool and spa since we were there in November, but also loved the outdoor pool area and beach which provided beautiful sunsets. In addition, the public bus to the old town conveniently stopped at the front door. We enjoyed the guided city tour and Mario’s special tour of Rector’s Palace, as well as time on our own in the old town on Friday, November 17. On Saturday morning (18th) we took a day trip to Montenegro, but by the time we arrived, Dave was feeling tired and having some balance issues so he sat in a cafe in the square while the rest of us took the walking tour.

On Sunday (19th) Dave seemed better so we went with the group on the morning trip to the fortress and heard the tragic story of the 1991-92 siege from Mato who survived it. We were able to join the group again for the trip to Konavle to meet Dario and learn about his family’s experience during the siege, as well as his family’s olive oil business, and to enjoy a wonderful local meal and entertainment. Monday (20th) We boarded the bus for or trip to Sarajevo. Although Dave seemed fine at the beginning, by the time we stopped for a break in Ston, he was having trouble walking well, slightly dragging his right foot. When we stopped in Mostar for lunch, Dave said he was not hungry, but he was tired and just wanted to stay on the bus and sleep.

While we were gone Dave tried to get off the bus to use the restroom, but his right leg collapsed and he fell on the bus steps. A few minutes later, he was able to stand again and made it to the restroom but collapsed again. Dario (our bus driver) was so kind—he returned to the bus as soon as he finished eating and took food with him for Dave. When he got there he discovered Dave on the restroom floor. I cannot say enough about how wonderful Dario was and how thankful we are to him for everything he did to help Dave in the restroom and then getting back on the bus. Meanwhile he called Mario, who immediately went with me to help. Fortunately, the rest of the group was not far behind.

Mario assessed the situation and told me that we had to get Dave to Sarajevo as soon as possible because there was no health facility in Mostar that could deal with this emergency. We were able to get him to the back seat in the bus where he could lie down for the 3-hour ride. By the time we arrived in Sarajevo, Dave was able to walk, with help, to get off the bus and into our hotel room. He was able to walk across the room toward the bed, but collapsed again and could not get up. Mario came quickly back and called an ambulance. He went with me to the hospital and stayed with me while the doctors examined him, did a CT scan, and determined that he needed immediate surgery for a subdural hematoma. He sat in the waiting room with me until 1:00 am, as we waited for news.

At that point, he went to the nurse’s station and talked to them (which I could not have done). Apparently the surgery was just beginning and we were told that there would be no further news until tomorrow, so Mario took me back to the hotel. I cannot imagine what I would have done without Mario in this situation. He was amazing. He knew just what to do and whom to talk to—not to mention that he spoke the language. Tuesday (21st) Mario took me to the hospital, helped translate with the nurses and staff, and waited with me 2-3 hours until we could speak to the doctor who assisted with the surgery.

Mario then took me back to the hotel to meet up with the group, filled out his incident reports and contacted the OAT office in Dubrovnik to set up the additional 10 days that we anticipated having to stay in Sarajevo before Dave would be allowed to fly home. Krsimir **, with the help of other staff members in the Dubrovnik office, began immediately to help us with arrangements. Wednesday (22nd) Since we could not visit the hospital until afternoon, I went with the group and our wonderful guide, Neira, to see Sniper Alley and the Sarajevo tunnel and hear the story of the siege from her. Then we traveled back to the Old Town to meet with Vuk ** to hear his story of the siege.

Afterwards Mario went with me to the hospital. He waited 1-2 hours with me to see the doctor. I was able to see Dave for a brief 5 minutes. He was doing so well that the doctor said he would be released the next day, so Mario immediately talked to the nurse in charge to find out what I would need to do to get him released. Together we spent another 1-2 hours going from one office to another to gather paperwork, signatures, etc. to make sure I had what I needed for the next day, since he would be leaving with the group then and I would have to deal with everything myself. It was after 4 pm before Mario and I were able to return to the hotel to meet up with the group again and prepare for our home-hosted dinner.

I was so grateful to be able to attend that evening with some of my fellow travelers and to experience the hospitality that Sara, Zara, and her grandmother provided us. It really helped me after going through such a traumatic experience with Dave’s surgery. It was comforting to feel a part of a family for a short time—and this family was so generous, warm and loving. The food was amazing and I really got an insight into what life was like for all of them. I was glad to be able to give Sara the Colorado University Buffaloes cap that I had brought along so she could remember us. Thursday (23rd) I had one last breakfast with the group before they left Sarajevo for Karanack.

Thanks to all the help Mario gave me, I was able to get Dave checked out of the hospital and back to the hotel with no real problem. From that point on Dave improved daily and, with the help of the wonderful staff at Hotel Europe and many kind people whom we met everywhere in Sarajevo, we were able to navigate all the medical appointments, make arrangements to get back home, and still enjoy our time together in that beautiful city. We stayed at Hotel Europe in Sarajevo from November 20-December 3 when we were finally able to fly home.

We cannot say enough about how lucky we felt to be staying in such an amazing hotel. It was steps from the Old Town full of shops, places of worship, and restaurants. Not only was it an historic landmark with spacious, comfortable rooms and gorgeous public spaces, complete with furniture and chandeliers in the style of old Vienna, but the staff and service was beyond compare.

Everyone—from the maid who cleaned our room (Emina), to the bellhops, to the waiters and the chef, to the bartenders, to the front desk staff, to the general manager went out of their way daily to ask how Dave was doing and to ask what they could to help us. One bellhop even moved a huge comfortable chair from the hallway into our room so Dave would have his “man chair” to relax in. We felt like we were at home there. We especially want to thank the entire front desk staff, but especially Benjamin and Sanela who made phone calls and translated for us every day.

Mario kept in touch with us via WhatsApp for the rest of the trip, even though he was busy with the group. I could always contact him with questions or to get help with connections to the Dubrovnik office. When I repeatedly told him how much we appreciated everything he was doing for us, he told me that it was his job to do everything he could to help us, but even if it weren’t his job, we were visitors in his country and he would help us because it was the right thing to do. I cannot tell you how lucky we were (and OAT is) to have such a wonderful human being as our tour guide. He also arranged with Neira (our outstanding Sarajevo guide) to allow us to reach out to her if we needed help with anything in his absence.

In fact I did call her on Sunday evening as we thought we might need help getting a prescription for Dave on Monday and she again assured us that she would be glad to help. As it turned out we were able to manage on our own, but we really appreciated knowing that we had a friend in Sarajevo if we needed her. She was an incredibly knowledgeable and thorough guide who gave us a first-hand understanding of Sarajevo and its tumultuous history from her own point of view as one who lived through the events of the siege, but she also really went above and beyond to make us feel at home in Sarajevo.

Kresimir ** (Dubrovnik office) researched options for our return flight to the US, even though we had arranged our own airfare. He continued to contact us via WhatsApp every few days to see how Dave was doing and to see if we needed any assistance until we reached home in Las Vegas. We are so glad we were on an OAT trip when this happened. The care and support everyone provided us was unbelievable. We also want to thank Andrew ** (OAT Travel Relations) who picked up where Kresimir left off when we got home. He helped us navigate the insurance claim with Allianz for the refund of the days we missed on the trip + medical expenses + hotel + taxis. If it had not been for him, we would not have gotten what we were supposed to receive.

Reviewed Feb. 19, 2024

Wow! What an incredible adventure to Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. The highlight was visiting the Eco Valley Elephant Sanctuary where we learned about elephants, got to bathe and feed them, and had a wonderful lunch there! Really fun. You can save $100 if you mention Nancy **. Our group was amazing and we did the most activities our tour guide of 30 years has ever done! Here they are:

All activities from Bangkok to Saigon LVC 01/26/2024 - 02/14/2024

- Orientation walks

- Dinner cruise

- Back to the hotel

- Big brother mouse chat with highlander kids

- Nancy, Luanne and Bob visited Kwang Si waterfall

- Home Hosted dinner

- dinner on own

- Remok ride back to the hotel

- Sunset cruise

- Dinner at the hotel

- Acrobat show *Diane **

- Apsara, dinner dance

- Late check in at Huong Sen hotel, Saigon

- Back to hotel dinner on own

- Optional tour: Saigon Adventure Street food with scooter ride

- Farewell party dinner

- Return back to USA or Break away. And then I slept for two days. Can't wait to go on another trip.

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Reviewed Dec. 30, 2023

If you want a unique experience to enjoy part of Eastern Europe, this winter trip is for you. Select the “Christmas cruise” in December, when we left our perfectly located Hotel Dubrovnik in the heart of Zagreb (after the OAT introductory briefing) to roam the city streets. My husband and I enjoyed mulled wine and sausages at one of the many booths and strolled the downtown squares lit brightly for the holidays. Everywhere you visit, cities will be decorated: Christmas trees overlooking waterways, in front of cathedrals, at public buildings and teddy bear Santa’s in windows.

Plus, there are excellent tour guides in each port to introduce you to the rich and complex history of the area. (It was interesting to learn that Dalmatia was once part of the Venetian empire.) Just when we thought our OAT trip leaders couldn’t get any better, along came Djukan, an informed and energetic native of Montenegro (with a high EQ), who blended the 25 on our tour into a “family.” We knew each other’s names within 48 hours. Dovidenja, name tags.

The good ship Athena has well-appointed staterooms, a comfortable lounge area, smooth sailing, and food aplenty. (One complaint: Get a better coffee machine; we Americans are such coffee snobs.) Best of all, it was staffed with people from various countries who genuinely seemed to care about their passengers – and all had interesting stories of their own. Me thinks people do not go on cruises for the food: it was good, not extraordinary, and it was served efficiently and with panache. Wine selections come from in country and vary daily – or you can buy your own offshore or aboard and pay a corkage fee. What a comfortable way to journey through Croatia, its islands and into Montenegro. I particularly enjoyed the mornings watching the sun rise as we sailed into a new port.

Our magical moments: returning from the welcome dinner through the bomb shelters from World War II, now used as sites for raves … Our Lady of the Rocks Shrine in Kotor, enjoying the art without another soul there … the stunning Cathedral of St. James in Sebenik, its architecture transitioning from Gothic to Renaissance (and just when we thought we’d seen enough churches/mosques/synagogues to last a lifetime) … the acapella singing troupe who had us all clapping to Croatian tunes and ended up singing Willie’s “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain” … hearing the profound tale of a woman who lived through the siege of Dubrovnik … and inspiration from a young Muslim woman in Sopot, determined to rejuvenate her village and build a better life for her Catholic family.

It was the full-on OAT experience. Yes, you can go with the crowds in the summer or shoulder seasons, or you can button up your overcoat and go in winter when you will have this special place in the world to yourselves. There’s enough mulled wine and OAT hospitality to keep you warm.

Reviewed Nov. 18, 2023

I have recently returned from my first OAT trip. OAT was recommended to me by friends but I was a bit apprehensive about traveling solo with a group of people I had not met before. I was pleasantly surprised. The group was comprised of both couples and singles. We all meshed very well and did activities together outside of our scheduled events. I have traveled quite a bit but never with an organized tour group. There is no way I could have had as many and as varied of experiences in Sicily if I had planned the trip myself.

The Sicilians I met were all quite interesting. We ate in homes of a retired law enforcement officer and his family, an active farmer and his family and a cook and craftsperson. We were invited to the home of an accomplished pianist in Ragusa who played for us in his parlor and showed us his extensive antique collection. In Mazura, after visiting the museum and seeing the magnificent Dancing Satyr, we listened to the captain who discovered the sculpture talk of his discovery adventure.

We hiked on the hills close to Mt. Etna and listed to its thunder on a day before it erupted. In Taormina we viewed the majestic views of the Ionian seaside from the Greco Roman Theater, while we learned of the Greeks' use of the theater for cultural enrichment and the Romans later use of the theater for gladiator games. Throughout Sicily, we had a chance to learn of the merging of various cultures and that influence on the lives of Sicilians today. We viewed architecture that was originally Greek, converted by the Romans and later formed the base for magnificent cathedrals.

One of the most surprising tours of the trip was a visit to the WWII museum. I would not have placed that on a trip I had planned for myself. I was exposed to a phase of WWII history that I had not been aware of and one that has much similarity to what is happening in our world today. These are just a few of the experiences I had on my trip. There were so many more that greatly enriched my life. Our trip leader, Ignazio, was excellent. He set a high bar for future trips. I definitely plan to travel with OAT again and hope that future trip leaders are as great as Ignazio was.

Donna, we are happy to hear you enjoyed your first trip with us! Thank you for sharing your experience in Sicily with us. We look forward to having you travel with us again in the future.

Reviewed Oct. 24, 2023

It grieves me to see so many negative OAT reviews recorded in ConsumerAffairs. My wife and I have now completed four OAT trips, having recently returned from the Ultimate Africa tour. After reading many reviews, it appears that most complaints are regarding reservations and what happens or doesn’t happen administratively with the OAT organization. There are many dissatisfied customers who feel they have not been treated fairly or honestly by OAT, most often regarding health issues and decisions or schedule changes. In their defense, there is a lot of paperwork to sift through and I would encourage potential travelers to carefully review and ask questions to throughly understand what is being agreed to. By comparison, there are very few complaints regarding the actual trips and trip leaders.

We have had the most wonderful experience during all four of our OAT trips and we believe that the organization does an outstanding job. The whole travel industry was hurting during Covid and is still recovering from a very difficult time. Hopefully, OAT will continue to focus more on staffing and the administrative aspects of customer service, aka phone calls, and a little lesser budget on printed advertisements, brochures and costly literature that is frequently mailed out. The #1 priority and goal should be to have quality customer service.

In regards to our most recent trip, Ultimate Africa, we couldn’t be more pleased with the entire experience from booking to traveling with OAT. This was a well designed and carried out program, and it would be hard to imagine another company doing any better than OAT, especially for the value. Our guide was totally there for everyone during the whole experience. She displayed the ultimate in concern for our safety, well being and travel experience. She was a true African native, well studied in history, culture, daily life, and many other topics. She was the catalyst that made this trip experience so meaningful.

If I was to do a complete review of the entire trip, it would take pages. What we saw, experienced and learned about Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana and South Africa in just 16-days was incredible. OAT is fortunate to have our tour guide as a contractor and she should definitely be used as much as possible for this fantastic tour. She is the Ultimate OAT professional guide and a great person of high integrity and personality. My wife and I highly recommend the Ultimate Africa tour. I also don’t want to fail to mention another wonderful OAT tour that we completed this year, the Egypt & The Eternal Nile adventure. This was also an amazing tour that we highly recommend. We are already looking forward to our next OAT adventure.

Bob, thank you for the kind words! We're very glad to hear that you enjoyed your Zimbabwe, Zambia, South Africa, and Botswana adventure.

Reviewed March 21, 2024

If you've never tried OAT, give it a look. We just returned from our 3rd trip w/ OAT, The Andes to Patagonia, with the pre-trip to Easter Island. It was phenomenal. There is so much that we love about OAT trips. The emphasis is on cultural immersion and meeting local people, both planned and spontaneous. OAT teaches you things about each location, they don't just show you things. We love the emphasis on talking about controversial topics, and learning about the history, current conditions, etc. of each spot. And every Trip Leader we've had has been wonderful; smart, problem solvers, fun and they are backed up by a great back office should there be a disruption that needs changes to the schedule.

People who travel w/ OAT come back over and over again. The value is tremendous, partially bc they don't spend $ on unnecessarily extravagant hotels and meals. All of the hotels are clean, convenient, comfortable and safe. But they are not 5*. Same w/ the food; always good but not spending hours sitting in a restaurant. The trips are active, covering a lot of territory. The balance between planned activities and free time to explore on our own is something we really appreciate. Try OAT. You will come home richer for the experience, while getting so much for your travel dollars.

This was my first trip with OAT (Senegal, Cape Verde and The Gambia) and my first trip to Africa, a continent with which I was totally unfamiliar. I do a lot of research and planning on my own before I travel and OAT's information was thorough except for the information on currency. I didn't need to concern myself with currency exchange since the locals accepted Euros and American dollars for the most part. Additionally, the actual hikes were even more difficult than indicated in the itinerary and this was a disappointment. Also, I think in the future I will be much more diligent about my flight schedule and choose to do it on my own if I can shorten the travel time. I enjoyed the small group experience. The accommodations in the hotel and on the ship were excellent and the food was good. The crew on the ship could not do enough for us. Our trip leader and the local guides did a great job.

Reviewed March 9, 2024

Poor experience when cancelling an additional night at hotel 34 days before our stay. Overseas Adventure Travel gave us a sevice fee of $300. I think this is excessive.

Paul ** - Eau Claire, Wisconsin

Reviewed March 3, 2024

My wife and I have been on a number of Overseas Adventure trips and have had pretty good success except with the last two trips we took this last fall and this winter. To start with, the price in OAT’s advertising did not match what was in their computer, so we had to get the booking person to acknowledge the price change and honor it. Secondly, we upgraded the airline part of the trip to economy plus, which was very important to us because of our size, I am 6’5” tall. As it turns out the upgraded seating didn’t get put into the system except for the first long flight and the airlines had no knowledge of the rest. Even with three weeks advance knowledge OAT was helpless in getting us upgraded seats and at one point denied that it was even their mistake. Their attitude in this matter has been “how can I not help you”.

We were told that eventually we will get a refund plus a $500 credit for our pain and suffering for two 11 hour red eye flights in economy seats literally at the back of the plane. The compensation is hardly enough for trying to fit a 6’5” frame into a seat that left one leg hanging out in the isle that every person who walked by ran into as well as the attendants and their carts. Further, on the trip that we were supposed to have economy plus seats, the first flight to our destination was late and the second flight (that we were supposed to have economy plus seats on) didn’t fly again till the next day.

When we called OAT to let them know that we would be arriving a day late, they insured us that they would notify the trip leader. Our trip leader was never notified and was stuck at the airport waiting for us to arrive. We were thankful that there was another tour arriving the next day and there had someone at the terminal to take us to our hotel to join our group. On another trip we were quoted an internal air fair that was suppose to be included. They corrected the error before we left the US for the trip, but we were hounded by the tour guide for the extra $50 during the trip. He acted like a bill collector for something that we didn’t even owe.

In summary, do not count on the person booking your trip at OAT Travel to know the quoted prices and options. Doublecheck your flights to be sure that they gave you the seats in the section you expected, and check your statement to be sure they don’t add in an extra fee that is supposed to be included in the trip. Another thing to check is the amount of time you have to get from one flight to another. By the time the plane leaves the gate till it arrives at the next are never what is scheduled. If you thought you had an hour to get from one plane to the next, you probably won’t make it. Two to 3 hours between flights takes a lot of stress out of making sure you make your next flight on time.

Reviewed Feb. 27, 2024

Friends of ours told us about OAT and invited my husband and me to go on the “Inside Vietnam” tour with them. It was our first OAT trip. It was special, because it was TET, so we saw thousands of flowers. We also did the post-tour to Cambodia. Our weather was fortunately almost rain-free. My favorite activity was sleeping on the junk! Our guide, Harvey, was extremely conscientious, friendly, and knowledgeable!

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A History of Moscow in 13 Dishes

Featured city guides.

Travel Itinerary For One Week in Moscow: The Best of Moscow!

I just got back from one week in Moscow. And, as you might have already guessed, it was a mind-boggling experience. It was not my first trip to the Russian capital. But I hardly ever got enough time to explore this sprawling city. Visiting places for business rarely leaves enough time for sightseeing. I think that if you’ve got one week in Russia, you can also consider splitting your time between its largest cities (i.e. Saint Petersburg ) to get the most out of your trip. Seven days will let you see the majority of the main sights and go beyond just scratching the surface. In this post, I’m going to share with you my idea of the perfect travel itinerary for one week in Moscow.

Moscow is perhaps both the business and cultural hub of Russia. There is a lot more to see here than just the Kremlin and Saint Basil’s Cathedral. Centuries-old churches with onion-shaped domes dotted around the city are in stark contrast with newly completed impressive skyscrapers of Moscow City dominating the skyline. I spent a lot of time thinking about my Moscow itinerary before I left. And this city lived up to all of my expectations.

Travel Itinerary For One Week in Moscow

Day 1 – red square and the kremlin.

Metro Station: Okhotny Ryad on Red Line.

No trip to Moscow would be complete without seeing its main attraction. The Red Square is just a stone’s throw away from several metro stations. It is home to some of the most impressive architectural masterpieces in the city. The first thing you’ll probably notice after entering it and passing vendors selling weird fur hats is the fairytale-like looking Saint Basil’s Cathedral. It was built to commemorate one of the major victories of Ivan the Terrible. I once spent 20 minutes gazing at it, trying to find the perfect angle to snap it. It was easier said than done because of the hordes of locals and tourists.

As you continue strolling around Red Square, there’s no way you can miss Gum. It was widely known as the main department store during the Soviet Era. Now this large (yet historic) shopping mall is filled with expensive boutiques, pricey eateries, etc. During my trip to Moscow, I was on a tight budget. So I only took a retro-style stroll in Gum to get a rare glimpse of a place where Soviet leaders used to grocery shop and buy their stuff. In case you want some modern shopping experience, head to the Okhotny Ryad Shopping Center with stores like New Yorker, Zara, and Adidas.

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To continue this Moscow itinerary, next you may want to go inside the Kremlin walls. This is the center of Russian political power and the president’s official residence. If you’re planning to pay Kremlin a visit do your best to visit Ivan the Great Bell Tower as well. Go there as early as possible to avoid crowds and get an incredible bird’s-eye view. There are a couple of museums that are available during designated visiting hours. Make sure to book your ticket online and avoid lines.

Day 2 – Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, the Tretyakov Gallery, and the Arbat Street

Metro Station: Kropotkinskaya on Red Line

As soon as you start creating a Moscow itinerary for your second day, you’ll discover that there are plenty of metro stations that are much closer to certain sites. Depending on your route, take a closer look at the metro map to pick the closest.

The white marble walls of Christ the Saviour Cathedral are awe-inspiring. As you approach this tallest Orthodox Christian church, you may notice the bronze sculptures, magnificent arches, and cupolas that were created to commemorate Russia’s victory against Napoleon.

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Unfortunately, the current Cathedral is a replica, since original was blown to bits in 1931 by the Soviet government. The new cathedral basically follows the original design, but they have added some new elements such as marble high reliefs.

Home to some precious collection of artworks, in Tretyakov Gallery you can find more than 150,000 of works spanning centuries of artistic endeavor. Originally a privately owned gallery, it now has become one of the largest museums in Russia. The Gallery is often considered essential to visit. But I have encountered a lot of locals who have never been there.

Famous for its souvenirs, musicians, and theaters, Arbat street is among the few in Moscow that were turned into pedestrian zones. Arbat street is usually very busy with tourists and locals alike. My local friend once called it the oldest street in Moscow dating back to 1493. It is a kilometer long walking street filled with fancy gift shops, small cozy restaurants, lots of cute cafes, and street artists. It is closed to any vehicular traffic, so you can easily stroll it with kids.

Day 3 – Moscow River Boat Ride, Poklonnaya Hill Victory Park, the Moscow City

Metro Station: Kievskaya and Park Pobedy on Dark Blue Line / Vystavochnaya on Light Blue Line

Voyaging along the Moscow River is definitely one of the best ways to catch a glimpse of the city and see the attractions from a bit different perspective. Depending on your Moscow itinerary, travel budget and the time of the year, there are various types of boats available. In the summer there is no shortage of boats, and you’ll be spoiled for choice.

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If you find yourself in Moscow during the winter months, I’d recommend going with Radisson boat cruise. These are often more expensive (yet comfy). They offer refreshments like tea, coffee, hot chocolate, and, of course, alcoholic drinks. Prices may vary but mostly depend on your food and drink selection. Find their main pier near the opulent Ukraine hotel . The hotel is one of the “Seven Sisters”, so if you’re into the charm of Stalinist architecture don’t miss a chance to stay there.

The area near Poklonnaya Hill has the closest relation to the country’s recent past. The memorial complex was completed in the mid-1990s to commemorate the Victory and WW2 casualties. Also known as the Great Patriotic War Museum, activities here include indoor attractions while the grounds around host an open-air museum with old tanks and other vehicles used on the battlefield.

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The hallmark of the memorial complex and the first thing you see as you exit metro is the statue of Nike mounted to its column. This is a very impressive Obelisk with a statue of Saint George slaying the dragon at its base.

Maybe not as impressive as Shanghai’s Oriental Pearl Tower , the skyscrapers of the Moscow City (otherwise known as Moscow International Business Center) are so drastically different from dull Soviet architecture. With 239 meters and 60 floors, the Empire Tower is the seventh highest building in the business district.

The observation deck occupies 56 floor from where you have some panoramic views of the city. I loved the view in the direction of Moscow State University and Luzhniki stadium as well to the other side with residential quarters. The entrance fee is pricey, but if you’re want to get a bird’s eye view, the skyscraper is one of the best places for doing just that.

Day 4 – VDNKh, Worker and Collective Farm Woman Monument, The Ostankino TV Tower

Metro Station: VDNKh on Orange Line

VDNKh is one of my favorite attractions in Moscow. The weird abbreviation actually stands for Russian vystavka dostizheniy narodnogo khozyaystva (Exhibition of Achievements of the National Economy). With more than 200 buildings and 30 pavilions on the grounds, VDNKh serves as an open-air museum. You can easily spend a full day here since the park occupies a very large area.

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First, there are pavilions that used to showcase different cultures the USSR was made of. Additionally, there is a number of shopping pavilions, as well as Moskvarium (an Oceanarium) that features a variety of marine species. VDNKh is a popular venue for events and fairs. There is always something going on, so I’d recommend checking their website if you want to see some particular exhibition.

A stone’s throw away from VDNKh there is a very distinctive 25-meters high monument. Originally built in 1937 for the world fair in Paris, the hulking figures of men and women holding a hammer and a sickle represent the Soviet idea of united workers and farmers. It doesn’t take much time to see the monument, but visiting it gives some idea of the Soviet Union’s grandiose aspirations.

I have a thing for tall buildings. So to continue my travel itinerary for one week in Moscow I decided to climb the fourth highest TV tower in the world. This iconic 540m tower is a fixture of the skyline. You can see it virtually from everywhere in Moscow, and this is where you can get the best panoramic views (yep, even better than Empire skyscraper).

Parts of the floor are made of tempered glass, so it can be quite scary to exit the elevator. But trust me, as you start observing buildings and cars below, you won’t want to leave. There is only a limited number of tickets per day, so you may want to book online. Insider tip: the first tour is cheaper, you can save up to $10 if go there early.

Day 5 – A Tour To Moscow Manor Houses

Metro Station: Kolomenskoye, Tsaritsyno on Dark Green Line / Kuskovo on Purple Line

I love visiting the manor houses and palaces in Moscow. These opulent buildings were generally built to house Russian aristocratic families and monarchs. Houses tend to be rather grand affairs with impressive architecture. And, depending on the whims of the owners, some form of a landscaped garden.

During the early part of the 20th century though, many of Russia’s aristocratic families (including the family of the last emperor) ended up being killed or moving abroad . Their manor houses were nationalized. Some time later (after the fall of the USSR) these were open to the public. It means that today a great many of Moscow’s finest manor houses and palaces are open for touring.

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There are 20 manor houses scattered throughout the city and more than 25 in the area around. But not all of them easily accessible and exploring them often takes a lot of time. I’d recommend focusing on three most popular estates in Moscow that are some 30-minute metro ride away from Kremlin.

Sandwiched between the Moscow River and the Andropov Avenue, Kolomenskoye is a UNESCO site that became a public park in the 1920’s. Once a former royal estate, now it is one of the most tranquil parks in the city with gorgeous views. The Ascension Church, The White Column, and the grounds are a truly grand place to visit.

You could easily spend a full day here, exploring a traditional Russian village (that is, in fact, a market), picnicking by the river, enjoying the Eastern Orthodox church architecture, hiking the grounds as well as and wandering the park and gardens with wildflower meadows, apple orchards, and birch and maple groves. The estate museum showcases Russian nature at its finest year-round.

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If my travel itinerary for one week in Moscow was a family tree, Tsaritsyno Park would probably be the crazy uncle that no-one talks about. It’s a large park in the south of the city of mind-boggling proportions, unbelievable in so many ways, and yet most travelers have never heard of it.

The palace was supposed to be a summer home for Empress Catherine the Great. But since the construction didn’t meet with her approval the palace was abandoned. Since the early 1990’s the palace, the pond, and the grounds have been undergoing renovations. The entire complex is now looking brighter and more elaborately decorated than at possibly any other time during its history. Like most parks in Moscow, you can visit Tsaritsyno free of charge, but there is a small fee if you want to visit the palace.

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Last, but by no means least on my Moscow itinerary is Kuskovo Park . This is definitely an off-the-beaten-path place. While it is not easily accessible, you will be rewarded with a lack of crowds. This 18th-century summer country house of the Sheremetev family was one of the first summer country estates of the Russian nobility. And when you visit you’ll quickly realize why locals love this park.

Like many other estates, Kuskovo has just been renovated. So there are lovely French formal garden, a grotto, and the Dutch house to explore. Make sure to plan your itinerary well because the estate is some way from a metro station.

Day 6 – Explore the Golden Ring

Creating the Moscow itinerary may keep you busy for days with the seemingly endless amount of things to do. Visiting the so-called Golden Ring is like stepping back in time. Golden Ring is a “theme route” devised by promotion-minded journalist and writer Yuri Bychkov.

Having started in Moscow the route will take you through a number of historical cities. It now includes Suzdal, Vladimir, Kostroma, Yaroslavl and Sergiev Posad. All these awe-inspiring towns have their own smaller kremlins and feature dramatic churches with onion-shaped domes, tranquil residential areas, and other architectural landmarks.

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I only visited two out of eight cities included on the route. It is a no-brainer that Sergiev Posad is the nearest and the easiest city to see on a day trip from Moscow. That being said, you can explore its main attractions in just one day. Located some 70 km north-east of the Russian capital, this tiny and overlooked town is home to Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius, UNESCO Site.

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Sergiev Posad is often described as being at the heart of Russian spiritual life. So it is uncommon to see the crowds of Russian pilgrims showing a deep reverence for their religion. If you’re traveling independently and using public transport, you can reach Sergiev Posad by bus (departs from VDNKh) or by suburban commuter train from Yaroslavskaya Railway Station (Bahnhof). It takes about one and a half hours to reach the town.

Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius is a great place to get a glimpse of filling and warming Russian lunch, specifically at the “ Gostevaya Izba ” restaurant. Try the duck breast, hearty potato and vegetables, and the awesome Napoleon cake.

Day 7 – Gorky Park, Izmailovo Kremlin, Patriarch’s Ponds

Metro Station: Park Kultury or Oktyabrskaya on Circle Line / Partizanskaya on Dark Blue Line / Pushkinskaya on Dark Green Line

Gorky Park is in the heart of Moscow. It offers many different types of outdoor activities, such as dancing, cycling, skateboarding, walking, jogging, and anything else you can do in a park. Named after Maxim Gorky, this sprawling and lovely park is where locals go on a picnic, relax and enjoy free yoga classes. It’s a popular place to bike around, and there is a Muzeon Art Park not far from here. A dynamic location with a younger vibe. There is also a pier, so you can take a cruise along the river too.

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The Kremlin in Izmailovo is by no means like the one you can find near the Red Square. Originally built for decorative purposes, it now features the Vernissage flea market and a number of frequent fairs, exhibitions, and conferences. Every weekend, there’s a giant flea market in Izmailovo, where dozens of stalls sell Soviet propaganda crap, Russian nesting dolls, vinyl records, jewelry and just about any object you can imagine. Go early in the morning if you want to beat the crowds.

All the Bulgakov’s fans should pay a visit to Patriarch’s Ponds (yup, that is plural). With a lovely small city park and the only one (!) pond in the middle, the location is where the opening scene of Bulgakov’s novel Master and Margarita was set. The novel is centered around a visit by Devil to the atheistic Soviet Union is considered by many critics to be one of the best novels of the 20th century. I spent great two hours strolling the nearby streets and having lunch in the hipster cafe.

Conclusion and Recommendations

To conclude, Moscow is a safe city to visit. I have never had a problem with getting around and most locals are really friendly once they know you’re a foreigner. Moscow has undergone some serious reconstruction over the last few years. So you can expect some places to be completely different. I hope my one week Moscow itinerary was helpful! If you have less time, say 4 days or 5 days, I would cut out day 6 and day 7. You could save the Golden Ring for a separate trip entirely as there’s lots to see!

What are your thoughts on this one week Moscow itinerary? Are you excited about your first time in the city? Let me know in the comments below!

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24 comments.

Ann Snook-Moreau

Moscow looks so beautiful and historic! Thanks for including public transit information for those of us who don’t like to rent cars.

MindTheTravel

Yup, that is me 🙂 Rarely rent + stick to the metro = Full wallet!

Mariella Blago

Looks like you had loads of fun! Well done. Also great value post for travel lovers.

Thanks, Mariella!

I have always wanted to go to Russia, especially Moscow. These sights look absolutely beautiful to see and there is so much history there!

Agree! Moscow is a thousand-year-old city and there is definitely something for everyone.

Tara Pittman

Those are amazing buildings. Looks like a place that would be amazing to visit.

Adriana Lopez

Never been to Moscow or Russia but my family has. Many great spots and a lot of culture. Your itinerary sounds fantastic and covers a lot despite it is only a short period of time.

What was their favourite thing about Russia?

Gladys Parker

I know very little about Moscow or Russia for the\at matter. I do know I would have to see the Red Square and all of its exquisite architectural masterpieces. Also the CATHEDRAL OF CHRIST THE SAVIOUR. Thanks for shedding some light on visiting Moscow.

Thanks for swinging by! The Red Square is a great starting point, but there way too many places and things to discover aside from it!

Ruthy @ Percolate Kitchen

You are making me so jealous!! I’ve always wanted to see Russia.

Moscow is in my bucket list, I don’t know when I can visit there, your post is really useful. As a culture rich place we need to spend at least week.

DANA GUTKOWSKI

Looks like you had a great trip! Thanks for all the great info! I’ve never been in to Russia, but this post makes me wanna go now!

Wow this is amazing! Moscow is on my bucket list – such an amazing place to visit I can imagine! I can’t wait to go there one day!

The building on the second picture looks familiar. I keep seeing that on TV.

Reesa Lewandowski

What beautiful moments! I always wish I had the personality to travel more like this!

Perfect itinerary for spending a week in Moscow! So many places to visit and it looks like you had a wonderful time. I would love to climb that tower. The views I am sure must have been amazing!

I was lucky enough to see the skyline of Moscow from this TV Tower and it is definitely mind-blowing.

Chelsea Pearl

Moscow is definitely up there on my travel bucket list. So much history and iconic architecture!

Thumbs up! 🙂

Blair Villanueva

OMG I dream to visit Moscow someday! Hope the visa processing would be okay (and become more affordable) so I could pursue my dream trip!

Yup, visa processing is the major downside! Agree! Time and the money consuming process…

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‘People are getting murdered in knicker factories!’: how Coronation Street lost the plot

Fans are outraged, ex-cast members think it’s drivel – even its current actors are fed up. How did the world’s longest running soap go from shaping the national conversation to thinking it’s a ropey crime drama?

W hether it’s Deirdre being sent to prison , Alan Bradley getting mown down by a Blackpool tram or “you should have stayed at the party, Maxine” , Coronation Street has provided some most memorable moments in UK soap history.

At its peak, the world’s longest-running television soap could pull in 26 million viewers an episode and its stories, such as the introduction of the transgender character Hayley Cropper , helped shape the national conversation in a way Westminster politicians could only dream of. But in recent years, Corrie has faced a backlash from fans who say they are fed up with dark, issues-based plots, an ever-increasing cast and sporadic scheduling of ITV’s flagship soap.

“ITV and Coronation Street seem to have forgotten what made Coronation Street into the beloved institution that it once was,” says super fan Lewis Pringle, who has been watching Corrie since he was five and is now a serial tweeter about the show. “It’s not a Netflix crime series or Line of Duty. They’ve substituted character and heart for endless drama, and sometimes it feels like issue on top of issue, written and produced by people who have never watched Coronation Street before.”

The criticism comes as soaps face an uphill struggle to survive amid plummeting ratings and slashed budgets. Channel 4’s Hollyoaks has recently cut its weekly episodes from five to three and moved to online-first , while Channel 5 controversially cancelled Neighbours two years ago – before it was resurrected by Amazon .

Corrie’s recent reliance on dramatic scenes has come at the price of viewer fatigue. Although some big stunts – the 50th anniversary tram crash or a sinkhole appearing in the Platts’ back yard, for example – have been well-received, a conveyor belt of crime-related plots has left fans disillusioned. In the past year, the soap has featured multiple hit-and-runs, several characters held at gunpoint and various instances of drug lords wreaking havoc on the cobbles.

For Bruce Jones, who played Les Battersby from 1997 to 2008, the storylines have become too unbelievable. “I watched it from day one but now my wife says it’s not worth watching. You can’t have that many murders on one street,” he says. “She’s watched it all her life but she’ll tell you ‘it’s not just me saying it, it’s everyone’.”

“The writers we had were living Manchester city life. It’s not the actors’ faults – they’re all doing a good job for my money – but it’s the writers that have changed. I actually think we’ve lost that element of what Manchester life is all about.”

Contemplating what would improve the show in its current form, Jones says: “Get it back to what Coronation Street was – a community. The comedy was there and the tragedy came after. That’s what it was and the love of the people in the street, that’s gone.”

Jones’s former co-star Beverley Callard, who played Liz McDonald on and off for 31 years, told the How to Be 60 podcast in June 2023 that she walked away because “the scripts weren’t what they were”.

“Years ago, we used to get the scripts and you’d open them and think: oh my goodness, this is amazing, I cannot believe I’m going to be filming this,” she said. “And then I would open the scripts and think ‘well, we filmed that three years ago’. The street originally was very character-driven and story-driven and I think often with a lot of television now and film, it’s issue-led and I hate that.”

For many, Maureen Lipman’s portrayal of Evelyn Plummer has been one of the big positives in recent years but even she has publicly lambasted its recent direction. She told the Beyond the Title podcast in February: “We’ve come to a point in Corrie now where people are getting murdered in knicker factories. We’re having domestic abuse … anything that ticks the box of social problems in the 21st-century is going to be in [it].”

Some fans fear that the soap’s main problem is a lack of funnier moments. “There’s certainly a place for the issue-led storylines and some of them, such as the current one in which Paul struggles with motor neurone disease, have been done particularly well,” says Gavin Broom, co-host of The Talk of the Street podcast. “But historically it’s always been contrasted well with lighter storylines and humour, and the past year or so has been missing that. The hardest thing doing the podcast is when the show is really ambivalent and I just don’t care about it.”

In 2017, ITV increased the soap’s weekly episodes to six, in the form of three hour-long broadcasts each week. The additional airtime has seen the show’s cast increase to about 90 regular characters. Another headache for fans has been sporadic scheduling. Typically broadcast across three hour-long episodes on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, the first two months of 2024 were interrupted by live sport broadcasts on ITV1, with even the soap’s most famous fans left confused about when the show is due to air.

Veteran broadcaster Tony Blackburn tweeted : “This is now beyond a joke for all us Coronation Street fans. More football this evening on BBC and ITV which means no Corrie. Why can’t they put football on other channels and leave us Coronation Street fans alone or put Coronation Street on say ITV2 we will follow it anywhere!!!”

This is now beyond a joke for all us Coronation Street fans. More football this evening on BBC and ITV which means no Corrie. Why can’t they put football on other channels and leave us Coronation street fans alone or put Coronation street on say ITV2 we will follow it anywhere… pic.twitter.com/WlF0MUeFDM — Tony Blackburn OBE. (@tonyblackburn) February 28, 2024

Another recurring criticism of Corrie is that legacy characters such as Gail Platt, Tracy Barlow and Toyah Battersby have been sidelined in favour of new, often younger, characters in a bid to attract young viewers.

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“I think Coronation Street and ITV have to seriously think about who they are appealing to – the long-term fans, those who will abandon the show at the drop of a hat or younger viewers who probably aren’t interested in soaps,” concludes Pringle.

Covid has also had an impact on the soap which it is yet to recover from. Due to lockdown restrictions, cast and crew began filming in “blocks”’, meaning some actors and their character’s stories can go weeks or even months at a time off-screen.

“It ruins the momentum because rather than the plot being presented at a nice pace, it is a constant stop-start situation,” says Caitlin Stewart, whose social media account Script to Scene counts Coronation Street and many of the show’s stars among her followers.

“Often there are several weeks between one point in the storyline and the next, so it’s hard for viewers to stay invested. It is a shame. Hopefully there is a way to fix it.”

Coronation Street remains the UK’s most watched soap ahead of its main rivals Emmerdale and EastEnders – despite the latter’s recent resurgence under senior executive producer (and Corrie alumna) Kate Oates. Corrie producer of six years Iain MacLeod was promoted to executive producer for continuing drama, also responsible for overseeing Emmerdale, in February.

Replacing MacLeod – blamed by many fans for the soap’s recent downturn – is Emmerdale producer Kate Brooks, who was announced this week as Corrie’s new producer. ITV bosses eventually landed on Brooks after reportedly struggling to fill the position , having been turned down by “a number of prestigious TV executives”.

The show’s deputy producer Verity MacLeod – also Iain’s wife – had been acting up as producer in the interim; MailOnline reported that external producers were put off by the prospect of working between her and her executive producer husband, as well as the salary. Brooks’ appointment came as Corrie was snubbed for a Bafta nomination for the second year in a row.

While ITV was unwilling to put anybody forward to discuss fans’ concerns, the network’s MD for continuing drama, John Whiston, did provide a written statement. It reads: “Coronation Street is, and always has been, a mixture of characters you love, earthy humour and stories that matter such as the current Liam bullying storyline or the Lauren grooming storyline.

“The show is proud to explore important contemporary issues such as these and our audience research shows that viewers really appreciate these stories and believe we deal with them in an engaging but responsible way. Which is why Coronation Street continues to be the most-watched soap on British TV.”

For the show’s fans, the hope is that things start to turn around for the Weatherfield-set soap – and quickly. “Mostly, it feels a chore watching it, and that saddens me,” says Pringle. “I just wish they’d put some love and care into the show as a whole, and come up with better stories and characters before it’s too late.”

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Subscriber only, books | ‘noteworthy’ salutes southern california authors whose books made an impact in 2023, this is the southern california news group's third annual tribute to our region's literary culture.

Great new books get published every day. Just take our own little corner of the world: It’s almost impossible to capture the breadth and scope of Southern California’s literary scene and its impact on the nation’s book culture. Let’s take a look back for a bit and appreciate some of the highlights of last year.

“Despite hard times for the publishing trade, we saw an especially rich variety of nonfiction, fiction and poetry from Southern California writers last year,” said Tom Zoellner, editor-at-large for the Los Angeles Review of Books. “The challenge for readers is figuring out where to go without a map. There was no one ‘big book’ that everyone had to read, but we instead saw a panoply of titles representing different niches of the region and appealing to a range of tastes, from the mainstream to the weird. For those willing to plunge into different literary worlds without a lot of curation or guidance, it was a very good year.”

We here at the Southern California News Group don’t believe awards or “best of” lists tell the whole story when it comes to the broad reach — not to mention appeal — of literature. At the same time, it’s true that each year certain authors and the books they’ve published strike a chord that resonates deeply in the hearts of many readers, and impacts the culture at large in unexpected ways.

To that end, we offer “Noteworthy,” our third annual salute, as selected by our editors, to Southern California authors whose books in the past year helped shape conversations, garnered attention from critics and readers alike, made powerful statements and delivered compelling reading experiences. These authors’ influence reached beyond the region and reverberated across the nation. Their works connected us, enlightened us, provoked us, entertained and inspired us. For that, we celebrate them.

• Also see: ‘Noteworthy’ books from Southern California authors in 2021 and 2022

Justin Torres

“blackouts”.

“We the Animals” turned first-time author Justin Torres into a literary star in 2011.

Torres told our reporter Michael Schaub that he wrote his first novel while working a series of bad jobs, but everything changed after it was published — there was even a movie based on the book.

“When I was writing ‘We the Animals,’ I was broke,” he recalled. “After the book came out, I had stability. I got these fancy fellowships, and then I became a professor at UCLA, and I had time to write built into my job. So I wasn’t snatching bits of time whenever I could, but instead had it be the center of my life.”

More than a decade later, he cemented his literary reputation with “Blackouts,” which earned the 2023 National Book Award for Fiction.

The lyrical, dreamlike story follows a young, unnamed narrator tending to his dying older friend, who has dedicated his life to his pet project, based on a 1941 book, “Sex Variants: A Study of Homosexual Patterns.” The innovative structure of “Blackouts” is meant to mirror the lost histories of queer folk both individually and collectively, featuring photos of textbook pages with redacted or blacked-out sentences.

Critics were enamored of the book; NPR’s Maureen Corrigan called it “Sweeping, ingenious … A kiss to build a dream on,” while Hamilton Cain with the Star Tribune described it as a “tour de force.” In addition to winning the prestigious National Book Award for Fiction, the novel also was longlisted for the National Book Critics Circle Award for Fiction. The list of outlets naming it one of the year’s best books is too long to fit here but includes The New York Times Book Review, NPR, The Washington Post, Time and The New York Public Library. It was called a must-read by Chicago Tribune, The Guardian, Boston Herald, Literary Hub, The Rumpus, Electric Literature and Publishers Weekly, among others.

And yet, here’s the catch: This work that resonated with so many wasn’t initially the one he set out to write, Torres told our reporter: “I was writing these stories about … this young man in his twenties, and I lost the manuscript. I had certain pieces that I’d emailed myself, but everything else was on a laptop that I physically lost. So some of those vestigial elements I worked into what became “Blackouts,” but pretty soon after that, I started thinking about having this book be a kind of Socratic dialogue. I was really interested in writing about intergenerational conversation and wisdom talking to youth, and I really wanted to have lots of literary allusions.”

Tod Goldberg

“gangsters don’t die”.

A well-known voice in the region’s lit scene and an advocate for his fellow SoCal authors, that’s Tod Goldberg. The director of UC Riverside’s low-residency MFA program and co-host of the podcast “Literary Disco,” Goldberg has published 16 books including “Living Dead Girl,” “The House of Secrets” (co-written with Brad Meltzer) and the short story collection “The Low Desert.”

But it is his noir trilogy — the novels “Gangsterland,” “Gangster Nation” and the 2023 final installment, “Gangsters Don’t Die” — that might be his most distinctive creation.As SCNG’s books editor Erik Pedersen explained in an article on Goldberg and his brother Lee , who also is a successful novelist, the trilogy follows hitman Sal Cupertine as he hides out from both the feds and the mob under the assumed identity of Rabbi David Cohen, “a man of wisdom and faith known to quote from both the Talmud and the gospel of Bruce Springsteen.” The ultimate anti-hero, Cupertine/Cohen is both an effective spiritual leader and “a stone-cold killer when he deems it necessary.”

The trilogy’s final installment, “Gangsters Don’t Die,” earned a slew of kudos, notably a Southwest Book of the Year and nomination for Reading the West Book Awards, as well as being an Amazon Best Book of the Month, and one of The Washington Post’s Most Anticipated Titles.

And in naming “Gangsters Don’t Die” a Notable Book of 2023, CrimeReads’ Dwyer Murphy said, “Goldberg’s Gangsterland series has been one of the standouts in the world of crime fiction in recent years. … Sal Cupertino, the hit man on the lam, posing as a rabbi, is one of the more original figures you’ll come across, and now he’s making one last desperate gambit to get his life back. You won’t want to miss these books, so if you haven’t already, brush up on your Goldberg.”

Diane Marie Brown

“black candle women”.

Long Beach-based Diane Marie Brown has had a comfortable career as a professor at Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa and a public health professional for the Long Beach Health Department, respectively. In addition to degrees from UCLA, Brown earned a degree in fiction from USC’s Master of Professional Writing Program, and had work published in places like Bomb Magazine, Hear Our Voices, Scary Mommy, the Audible Blog and the Daily Bruin.

And then her first novel, “Black Candle Women,” was published.

It launched her writing career into the successful author stratosphere.

“Black Candle Women” was a Read with Jenna Book Club Pick on the “Today” show and hit bestseller lists around the country. Plus, it was named a Best Book of the Month by Shondaland, Ms. Magazine, TODAY.com, Reader’s Digest, Katie Couric Media, AARP Sisters, Goodreads and BookRiot.

The story is a family drama with a magical twist — it’s about four generations of Black women living in California, a voodoo love curse that goes back to New Orleans, and the secrets the women keep for and from each other. Expect to see it on the small screen in the coming years because it’s in production as a TV series.

And with all that, Brown still keeps her day jobs.

“You can have more than one dream, you can do more than one thing,” she said on “Today.”

But, she added, writing makes her happy, so expect to see more of Brown’s hopeful, love-filled tales. As she told UCLA’s Daily Bruin, “I want to write books that show that, despite the craziness in the world and the unpredictability of things, we can create lives that we feel are worth living and, most importantly, in our relationships with others, in our friendships and our family members.”

Edan Lepucki

“time’s mouth”.

“Sometimes when I look at the light in L.A., or I go to Marin County, or Eureka, where it truly looks like a magical fairytale land, I think, ‘There’s something objectively about this place that is special and different,’” Edan Lepucki told us in our interview for her third novel, “Time’s Mouth.” 

The story by this quintessentially Californian writer, who first earned bestseller status over a decade ago with her debut novel titled — what else? — “California,” also takes place in the Golden State. It spans San Francisco and Santa Cruz’s redwood forests, to the shabby glamor of Melrose Avenue and the oil derricks off La Cienega Boulevard in LA. The mind-bending family saga delves into intergenerational trauma in a surprising way, beginning with a time traveler who forms a cult for pregnant women in the woods.

The novel garnered a lot of attention, from being longlisted for the Joyce Carol Oates Prize to making most-anticipated-book lists in no less than Time, Salon, Literary Hub, The Millions and Library Journal. Science Friday named it a Best Book of the Year, too. “Rich and riveting” People magazine called it when it was named Book of the Week

But the novel almost had another title, a secret she confessed to SCNG’s book editor Erik Pedersen: “The book was almost called “The Accumulators” — but that really didn’t make sense, so…”

Yunte Huang

“daughter of the dragon: anna may wong’s rendezvous with american history”.

Our reviewer Michael Schaub named this biography by UC Santa Barbara English professor Yunte Huang a must-read title , way before the book earned a nod as both a New York Times Notable Book of 2023 and one of its 10 Best California Books of 2023. It garnered best-book kudos from a slew of other outlets as well, including Smithsonian, BookRiot, The Atlantic and Christian Science Monitor.

L.A. native Wong was the world’s first Chinese American movie star, celebrated for her performances in “The Thief of Bagdad” and “Piccadilly.” This biography follows her from Hollywood to Berlin to Shanghai — and then to Santa Monica, where she died in 1961 at age 56.

Yunte Huang grew up in southeastern China, moving to Alabama in 1991. His previous books include the nonfiction titles “Charlie Chan: The Untold Story of the Honorable Detective and His Rendezvous with American History” and “Inseparable: The Original Siamese Twins and Their Rendezvous with American History.” Of “Daughter of the Dragon,” a New York Times reviewer called Huang “a wry and generous storyteller.”

Tananarive Due

“the reformatory”.

Very scary is the specialty of Tananarive Due, who teaches Afrofuturism and Black Horror at UCLA. The author of several novels and the short story collections “Ghost Summer: Stories” and “The Wishing Pool and Other Stories,” Due was an executive producer on “Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror.” She’s co-written the graphic novel “The Keeper” and an episode of “The Twilight Zone” with her husband, science fiction author Steven Barnes.

But with “The Reformatory” — a novel set in the Jim Crow South made all the more terrifying because of its historic resonance — Due took it up a notch: NPR’s reviewer called the novel “one of the best novels published in 2023. A superb mix of literary fiction, horror and historical fiction, ‘The Reformatory’ tells a story of inequality, ghosts, abuse and the power of love between siblings.”

The book saw critical acclaim from The Washington Post, Library Journal, Kirkus and others, earning a Notable Book of the Year nod from the New York Times, and a Best Book mention from the American Library Association.

But as she told editor Erik Pedersen in The Book Pages newsletter , she nearly abandoned “The Reformatory”:

“I almost stopped writing “The Reformatory” when I heard that “The Nickel Boys” would be published. Colson Whitehead is one of my favorite writers, I knew it would be impactful (it won a Pulitzer!) and I didn’t think there would be room left for another novel fictionalizing the Dozier school. Luckily, my family and my agent encouraged me to keep writing.”

Héctor Tobar

“our migrant souls: a meditation on race and the meanings and myths of ‘latino’”.

Pulitzer Prize-winning-journalist-turned-bestselling author Héctor Tobar is known for writing impactful prose. His two novels are “The Tattooed Soldier,” which follows a Guatemalan immigrant to LA during the 1992 riots, and “The Barbarian Nurseries,” about a Mexican woman working as a live-in maid in Orange County who must care for two young boys when their parents disappear. His book “Deep Down Dark: The Untold Stories of 33 Men Buried in a Chilean Mine and the Miracle That Set Them Free,” was a bestseller that was adapted into the film “The 33.”

In 2023, Tobar, now a professor of English and Chicano/Latino Studies at the University of California, Irvine, came out with the powerful nonfiction release, “Our Migrant Souls: A Meditation on Race and the Meanings and Myths of ‘Latino.’” The work expertly blends memoir, reportage, and cultural criticism to explore the essence of Latino identity. Critics raved: It won the Kirkus Prize for Nonfiction, was named one of Notable Books of 2023 by both Time and the New York Times, and was a Top 10 Book of 2023 at Chicago Public Library.

The book begins with a prologue addressed to his students at UCI. Tobar told our reviewer that he “felt the need to do something like what James Baldwin does in the beginning of ‘The Fire Next Time,’ or Ta-Nehisi Coates does in ‘Between the World and Me,’ addressing this younger generation.”

“Open Throat”

Writer Henry Hoke, who went to graduate school and later taught at the California Institute of the Arts, turned his fascination with the wild mountain lion known as P-22 into a slim but captivating novel inspired by the big cat: “Open Throat” follows a queer mountain lion as it lives in drought-devastated Los Angeles. and tries to understand the city’s humans.

The weird and haunting tale captured the imagination of critics far and wide, earning it a finalist spot for the Barnes & Noble Discover Prize and longlisted for the PEN/Faulkner Award. It was one of the Washington Post’s 50 Notable Works of Fiction and also one of The New York Times’ 10 Best California Books of 2023. Vanity Fair’s reviewer said, “This lyrical story of loneliness and kinship in Los Angeles is, by turns, delightful and melancholy — and inventive throughout.”

But perhaps the strangest part of the story is how the book got its title, as Hoke explained to our writer in The Book Pages newsletter: “Anthony Bourdain came to me in a dream and gave me my title. I was leaving a restaurant on Sullivan Street in Manhattan and he was leaning against a wall finishing a cigarette. He dropped it, stamped it out and said ‘By the way, your book’s called ‘Open Throat.’”

Ruth Madievsky

“all-night pharmacy”.

A Los Angeles-based writer and graduate of USC’s pharmacy program, Ruth Madievsky had an idea for her debut novel. “I kind of thought I was writing a feminist ‘Jesus’ Son’ of the opioid epidemic,” said Madievsky. “That was the first thought that I had in 2014 when I was just out of undergrad, and like everyone else who took fiction classes, I wanted to write a Denis Johnson knockoff.”

But what she ended up with was a unique and propulsive tale about substance abuse and recovery and pain passed down through generations that became a nationwide bestseller — and won the National Jewish Book Award for Debut Fiction. It also racked up other kudos, including a Shondaland Best Book of the Summer, a Best Debut of the Year by Chicago Review of Books and Goodreads’ Buzziest Debut Novel of the Year.

She told our reporter Liz Ohanesian that her day job as an HIV and primary care clinical pharmacist, where she spends a lot of time talking to people to try to help them find the right medication, ended up informing the novel in surprising ways: “That work to figure out people’s desires and what they need to live meaningfully, I think that was pretty helpful with constructing characters for the novel too.”

“Searching for Savanna: The Murder of One Native American Woman and the Violence Against the Many”

Publishers Weekly called LA-based journalist Mona Gable’s nonfiction title a “shocking true crime saga” that draws attention to the widespread violence against Native American women by zeroing in on a single, gruesome case of it.

For that alone, this thoroughly researched and compellingly written work was notable to us.

The statistics are gut-wrenching, as we detailed in our coverage of Gable’s book : On some reservations, Native American women are murdered at more than 10 times the national average. Nearly one in three Native American and Alaska Native women will experience rape or attempted rape in their lifetime.

Gable — whose articles have been published in The Atlantic, Vogue and The Daily Beast, among others — has long reported on violence against women, but with “Searching for Savannah,” about the bizarre, unexplained disappearance of Savanna LaFontaine-Greywind, a 22-year-old Indigenous woman in North Dakota who was eight months pregnant, the writer delved into the troubling problem of unsolved cases involving missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls.

“Once I really found out how widespread this violence is and how long it had been going on against Native American women, I really wanted that to be a central theme of the book rather than just, ‘Oh, look at this horrific murder,’” said Gable, whose paternal grandmother was a member of the Chickasaw Nation. “What really motivated me was trying to not just tell Savanna’s story but the larger story of other women and girls, and what Native American advocates are doing — and have been doing — to try and draw attention to this problem.”

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