reviews for cosmos tours

The Scoop: What to Know About Cosmos

Globus-owned cosmos focuses on affordability and experiences around the world..

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If you know the tour company Globus , you already have a baseline for understanding Cosmos , since it’s the budget-traveler-minded arm of Globus. Like its sister company, Cosmos has been around for decades: it’s been offering tours for 60 years. It has a wide range of tours around the world and a strong Europe focus.

In addition to its standard coach tours, Cosmos also has a bunch of other, more specialized tour formats, including small group, “undiscovered” (going off the beaten track in popular destinations), and special-event focused tours. New for 2024, Cosmos is launching So Low pricing that waives the single supplement for solo travelers on select tours.

TourScoop Takeaways

Here’s a quick overview of Cosmos:

• Countries: 60 countries on 5 continents
• Tour Size Average: 38 (classic tours), 20-24 (Small Group Discoveries)
• Tour Type: Primarily coach 

How to Book

To book, you can pretty easily go direct through Cosmos via its website. You can also look for deals and help using an online travel agent like  Travelstride  or  TourRadar . Cosmos also has a t ravel agent locator tool on its website.

Credibility Check

Cosmos has solid credibility and satisfaction scores. As part of the Globus family of brands, it has BBB Accreditation and an A+ rating. On Trustpilot , its rating is 4.5 out of 5 (up from 4.3 last year), and its guest-review score on TourRadar is 4.2 out of 5. 

Tour Destinations

Cosmos has a wide reach, with tours in 60 countries on five continents. Among the most popular destinations on its more than 100 different itineraries are Britain and Ireland, Canada, France, Greece, Italy, Portugal, and Spain. It also has a number of tours within the U.S.

Cosmos stands out for its affordability and variety of tour styles, even those who don’t necessarily see themselves as tour-type people. Here’s a rundown of tour types (but note that not every tour type is offered in every destination): 

• Small Group Discoveries :   Small Group Discoveries tours are sized between 20 and 24 people (versus the average traditional tour group size of 38). There are small-group tour options for every tour in Europe and North America, and for some dates on South Pacific tours. 
• Undiscovered Tours :   Both Cosmos and its sister-brand Globus offer these “Undiscovered Tours” designed to take guests off the beaten track and into lesser-known and traveled towns and villages with more time in destination. Born notes that these tours are great for “repeat travelers and for those looking for a more in-depth experience in their chosen destination.”
• Special Event Tours:   Cosmos Special Event vacations focus on large celebrations in North America (think Albuquerque’s Balloon Fiesta and the Calgary Stampede). These tours offer special benefits like better access, close-up views, and behind-the-scenes experiences. 

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• Faith-Based Tours :   Cosmos also offers a range of Faith-Based Vacations that highlight centuries of religious history.  These Christianity-focused tours include sacred locations in the Holy Land, Italy, Spain and Portugal. 
• Cruise and Land Tours : The tour company mixes land and cruise experiences on these tours to destination pairs like the Canadian Rockies and Alaska, and Greece and the Aegean Islands.
• National Parks Tours : Cosmos has about a dozen U.S. national park focused tours. Some mix train journeys or cruises into the tour itinerary.

You can also search tours that are particularly affordable by looking at its Dreams on a Budget section, which features tours under $1,600 per person. And of note for solo travelers is that the single supplement is waived on select departures each year.

Tour Guides

Cosmos tour guides receive extensive training that includes certification by the destination authority and proficiency in multiple languages. Most are from the country in which they lead tours, and all are selected for their passion for travel and their storytelling abilities. Cosmos tour directors average 20 years with the company. 

ARRIVE PREPARED: 10 Things to Know Before Your First Group Tour

In addition to the tour directors, Cosmos has a strong network of local guides, many of whom have worked with the company for years.

Inclusions/Extras

Cosmos was an early pioneer in value touring vacation travel, and focuses on turning people’s travel dreams into reality, even when a budget is tight. Cosmos gets to the lower price point by preserving experiences and finding more affordable (but still conveniently located and of good quality) hotels.  

Cosmos tours include experienced Tour Directors, pre-selected hotels, guided city sightseeing, transportation, and select meals, including breakfast each day.

Optional excursions can be purchased pre-trip.  Cosmos can also add flights to and from the tour, with schedules coordinated with the tour.  Flights include complimentary airport transfers to-and from the hotel.  And airport transfers can also be added for land-only guests.                                    

Typical Travelers

The average Cosmos traveler is in their early- to mid-50s. Guests come from a range of generally English-speaking countries, primarily U.S. but also Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the UK. Cosmos travelers are an even mix of seasoned travelers and first-timers.  The majority are couples and families, but typically 20%+ are solo travelers.

Communication 

The standard pre-trip communication is made up of five emails, including the all-important Travel Packet, with has the detailed itinerary, schedule and flight information (if flights booked through Cosmos), destination information, tips and guidelines on pre-trip requirements and preparation for the destination, and information about booking optional excursions 90 days or closer to the departure date. Vacation planners are available by phone, email and online chat six days a week.     

Perfect Fit: How to Choose the Best European Tour for You

Cosmos also has the Cosmos GO app, which provides access to all tour components, including schedules, hotels, included features, destination information, optional excursions, interactive maps and more.  This access is provided pre-trip, 30-40 days prior to departure.

Loyalty Program

The Globus family of brands (Cosmos, along with Globus and Avalon River Cruises) offers a Welcome Back Credit loyalty program. Each trip earns guests up to $250 credit to use on a future trip with any of the brands. 

The per-person credit is based on the tour price:

• $2,499 or Less =   $100 credit
• $2,500 – $3,499 = $150 credit
• $3,500 – $4,499 = $200 credit
• $4,500 & Over =   $250 credit

Guests have two years to book/deposit a vacation using the credit. 

Private Options

Any Cosmos Europe tour can be converted into a Private Tour for between one and 24 people. There’s an additional premium, based on the overall number of guests, which is charged for each traveler in addition to the published tour price. Private tour groups get a dedicated tour director, private transportation and driver, and personal, and professional local guides, plus all of the visits and entrances in the original published itinerary. Private tours offer flexibility in both pace and experiences for you and your travel companions. To pursue a private tour with Cosmos, choose your tour from the Cosmos Europe lineup and then contact the company.  

Sustainability Efforts

Cosmos is part of the Globus family of brands. The company’s Lighthouse Project focuses on projects that benefit people, places, and the planet, with dozens of areas of focus within each category. Projects include support of The Ocean Cleanup, Trees4Travel, Landmine Design and dozens of other projects and initiatives worldwide.

Health and Safety Practices

Cosmos’ health and safety policy currently includes enhanced cleaning protocols on coaches, hotels, and ships. Cosmos also has a Travel Protection plan that includes a cancel for any reason benefit and covers expenses related to trip interruptions.

Family Companies

• Globus : Globus offers escorted tours to destinations around the world with a range of tour formats.
• Avalon River Cruises : Luxury small-ship river cruises in Europe, South East Asia and other worldwide destinations.

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Reviews 4.4.

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Exploring the National Parks of America

Exploring National Parks of America Tour was excellent. It was well organised, the tour guide was very helpful and informative. It was a very busy tour, and although we travelled some 3000 miles in the two weeks we saw lots of amazing sights.We visited 5 National parks as well as State parks.The coach was very comfortable and the drive was extremely smooth.We had lots of comfort breaks. Hotels were on the whole very good.

Date of experience : October 03, 2023

Deborah was an Excellent tour guide

Deborah was an Excellent tour guide. Could not have asked for any better. She made the trip interesting, fun and informational. She was warm and caring. Driver David was an excellent driver and made us always feel safe. Itinerary was good for length of trip. Hotels were good.

Date of experience : October 26, 2023

A 5 star holiday

I thoroughly recommend the escorted New England Fall trip with Cosmos. It was the cheapest tour that we found during our widespread research, but it turned out to be a 5 star holiday. Jackie, our Tour Director, was knowledgeable, friendly and helpful. She also had year's of experience of travelling in New England and was able to make changes when necessary. Cosmos would be the first company that I would look at in future, if I was considering a coach trip.

Date of experience : September 29, 2023

Timeless Japan 2023

I travelled with my friend on the tour Timeless Japan. Our tour director - Aki was excellent and was very happy to tell us about Japan’s history and culture. She also has a great sense of humour. I would recommend this tour as a great first time visit to Japan. I would suggest adding extra nights in Tokyo either at the start or at the end (it’s easy to return to Tokyo by bullet train) as you need a full 2 weeks to really appreciate this fantastic country

Date of experience : October 17, 2023

Best vacation in Greece…

I had the best vacation in Greece through Cosmos. I traveled with my parents and everything was well organized and went smooth. Our your director, George, enhanced our trip in the best ways. He was always several steps ahead to ensure the travel and stops were as efficient as possible. Leaving Greece with memories to last a lifetime!

Sicily 7 day tour

Sicily 7 day tour. Palermo hotel good location but very noisy. The hotels in Marsala and Agrigento were in awful locations, not possible to go for evening stroll. Meals included basically because there was nowhere nearby and the quality of the food provided very poor. The whole trip was saved when we arrived at hotel Kalos in Giardini Naxos, beautiful location and hotel.

Date of experience : September 23, 2023

Great value, Great time

We had a wonderful time on our Texas tour. Eileen, the tour director was very friendly and helpful. Norman, the bus driver was a very good river and funny. Cosmos is less money than some other tour companies, but it does not include meals, unless, for example, breakfast is included in the rate at the hotel. You have to take everything into consideration. We were very disappointed that the Mission Control tour was sold out at NASSA. Cosmos should have sold tickets in advance. The hotel in Houston was on the wrong side of time. Too much time commuting in rush hour traffic.

Date of experience : September 30, 2023

Our tour guide

Our tour guide, Gabriele, and bus drivers, Pedro and Jose, made our trip so wonderful. If all the hotels had been located in the cities' centers, that would have made it perfect. We had a wonderful time and plan on doing another one at a later date.

Date of experience : October 07, 2023

Good tour bad hotels

Pros: Great guide - Stefano was very knowledgeable and funny. Explained everything well. Local guides - both guides for excluded and paid excursion were great. On-time execution - Everything worked like a clock. Cons: Crappy hotels - all the hotels were old and rooms were tiny. Food - All included dinners were disgusting. Breakfast was good.

Date of experience : December 27, 2023

Rush and inconvenient tour

Dislike : all except one hotel are far away from city center , inconvenient for vacationers with little time in each country . This tour unfits seniors who have no strength to carry luggage up and down the stair way in the hotel . Like: nice coach with good driver, nice and helpful tour director

Date of experience : October 09, 2023

Great Tour Guide and bus driver

Great Tour Guide and bus driver. Big city tours were just ok, but all the small villages were fabulous, each had their own claim to fame. Optional excursions were great - except for the Ceremony of the Haggis and the Irish dinner/entertainment where we were packed in like sardines. Over all, I’d do it again, just skipping those two optional excursions.

Date of experience : October 05, 2023

Cosmos travel experience

We loved how organized and professional the tour and its employees were. The fact that everything was organized for us allowed us to see and do more than if we had gone on our own. There was no worry about where we were going and how we were going to get there. In addition, the information and expertise of the tour guide was welcomed and appreciated. We got to learn intricate details of Italian culture which was so helpful and helped us have more of an authentic travel experience.

Date of experience : January 06, 2024

Our thanks for your incredible job…

Our thanks for your incredible job provided a excellent Job; starting for our tour director Francisco Pereira; excellent, excellent job, you have a plus as a company with this increíble person, Jose the driver what a great person magnificent job, responsable, great help and very good in what he dose as a part of the great company COSMOS”. We are very much please and graceful of the job they make. Austerity in a doble porción. Thank you for give us a great element of you to give us a great vacation.

Date of experience : November 19, 2023

A valuable intro to Ireland

The tour my sister and I took around Ireland was very enjoyable as well as extremely informative and lots of fun. The hotels were all very comfortable although I wish the one in Dublin had been closer to the downtown area. Our tour guide, Will Collins, was just terrific - even his jokes! I learned so much about the history of the country. Any tour like this has its limitations, mostly in the time allowed at each stop which can be frustrating. We lost valuable sightseeing time also because of the rain which was disappointing, but unavoidable. However, I would recommend this tour to anyone with limited time and a desire to get a good introduction to beautiful Ireland.

Cosmos Tours to Ireland and Scotland

The trip was well organized. We seen the most important interest points in the two countries. The variety of the activities was very good The food was good. I was however very disappointed with certain rooms. I understand the standards are different in Canada and in Europe but certain rooms were not acceptable. We has specially requested two beds which we only got twice. Not having a good night sleep took away from enjoying fully the following day

Date of experience : September 15, 2023

Do it, you won't regret it

A well organised and extensive tour of the US national parks. A full and engaging agenda that always kept us amazed and excited. Although very hectic, it was also a lot of fun and in the end we were so happy we had done the tour. Big recommendation.

Date of experience : October 22, 2023

Only thing I am unhappy is luggage…

Only thing I am unhappy is luggage handling that I am 80 years old and is too much for me also hotels don’t have refrigerator, microwave and tea kettle in the room , I have medication that should be in the frig and I have difficulties . Also can’t have a cold water if I get thirsty .

Amazing Tour Director Patrizia Wijering and delightful driver Jeffrey…

Tour Director Patrizia Wijering and driver Jeffrey made Best of the Netherlands the best! The director has such a great sense of humour and is so knowledgeable! The tour was short, the country was not really large, but another tour with Patrizia & Jeffrey was be suburb. Patrizia was able to answer all questions thrown to her and Jeffrey was able to park the large bus in places which amazed all of us. Great tour and I recommend it highly!

Date of experience : September 21, 2023

As a group of 8 people who booked for a…

As a group of 8 people who booked for a works night out, we were all very disappointed! Arrived at 7pm, ordered food at 7:45, the food arrived at 10pm! Excuses given that we were a large group!?! The table had been reserved circa 5wks ago, plenty of time to accommodate! When the food arrived the group collectively voiced our concerns of the poor standard of food, which was like warm, appeared to have been reheated! All 8 of us agreed to not return again. Their were plenty of excuses being made by the manager but not willing to accept responsibility. Paid more than £400!

Date of experience : December 08, 2023

Good holiday

Good holiday. We usually travel independently, so I wasn't sure how it would go for us. Really great guide; good varied itinerary; very comfortable coach. Hotels rather mixed in quality (especially the food - not always good). On my recent tour the group was much larger than expected.

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Cosmos reviews & ratings.

We've taken over 10 group tours using Cosmos and Gate1. This trip last month, 9000 was not very good. -During booking, incorrect information was given about airport-...

Happy Traveler from US

Excellent Experience and Excellent Guide

I would highly recommend this company and some trips to Scandinavia and Baltic. The countries are amazing, the service and our guide Ausra Paukste was really the bes...

Tangobeauty

Great Cosmos Value

I am a budget solo female traveler. I have traveled with COSMOS for about 20 years in the past, all over Europe, Switzerland, Turkey, etc. The best thing is that I n...

tangobeauty

Great COSMOS value

Awesome & the best.

We had a most wonderful trip! Our tour guide & driver were excellent! Our tour guide was very knowledgeable about France, & told us a little history, abo...

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Editoral Review of Cosmos

Cosmos promises to “turn your travel dreams into reality” by offering affordable tours in several parts of the world. Part of the Globus group of travel brands, Cosmos has been running escorted tours for five decades since the 1960s. It touts its clout with hotels and other travel providers as a way of keeping down costs, with savings passed on to their customers. Most expenses are included in the tours, though you may be on your own for some meals and optional excursions.

Cosmos started out offering value-priced European coach tours for budget-minded travelers, and now has added North American, South American, and some Middle East and North African destinations as well. Religious-themed tours of southern Europe and Israel as well as holiday season tours are all part of the mix.

The company emphasizes that when you tour Europe, for example, you’ll stay like Europeans do, eat like Europeans do, and “share the European view of Europe.” That generally means comfortable but not luxury hotels, well-chosen neighborhood restaurants, varied means of transportation, and guided sightseeing of all the “must-see” sites, with extended stays in key cities. Cosmos also offers plenty of free time to explore on your own, a way of personalizing your group tour a bit.  

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Solo friendly.

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About the company.

Since inventing the budget vacation over 50 years ago, Cosmos has offered savvy, value-minded travelers the most affordable travel packages to the world's most captivating places - from the City of Brotherly Love to the City of Light…from the Great White North to northern Africa…from tropical Hawaii to sub-tropical Lugano, Switzerland…from the rainforests of Brazil to the Lost "City of the Incas." Our incredible value helps travel buffs travel more often.

We understand that you want to get out and experience the world. And that you'd rather spend another day in London than have a chocolate on your pillow. That's why Cosmos vacation packages include comfortable, clean, and attractive pre-selected hotels; guided city sightseeing; a dynamic assortment of transportation…to make getting there half the fun; and many meals. Our clout with suppliers is concentrated…and we pass the savings on to you.

With Cosmos, you'll enjoy the benefits, security, and convenience of escorted travel, an expert Tour Director, a greater choice of activities and excursions, and longer stays in key cities so that you can truly immerse yourself in the local culture.

You can also personalize your getaway, thanks to well-designed itineraries that feature the must-see sites as well as significant free time to explore your destination the way you want.

Cosmos Trips & Specials

Norwegian Fjords

Spain, Portugal & Morocco

England, Scotland & Wales

Gourmet Tuscany

Camino de Santiago: the Scenic Portuguese Route

Southern Charms & Florida

New York City, Niagara Falls & Washington DC

Sensational Spain

• Save $100 per person on select 2015 Cosmos Eastern Canada vacations.
• Receive a $100 per person Air Credit on 2015 Europe Tours.
• For under $1,000, you can enjoy the benefits of escorted travel.
• North America Tours for under $150/day
• With Cosmos, travel is definitely a family affair. Young travelers ages 8-17 receive a 10% discount on the land-only portion of their Globus vacation.

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 Cosmos Trip Categories

Cosmos 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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This Lesser-visited Caribbean Island Has Pristine Beaches, Excellent Rum, Rain Forest Hikes, and Incredible Biodiversity

The French overseas territory is perfect for adventurous travelers who love a mix of relaxation and activity.

• Best Hotels and Resorts

Best Things to Do

Best restaurants, best time to visit, how to get there, how to get around.

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Close enough to island hop to nearby St. Lucia and Dominica but worlds away regarding both language and customs, Martinique is an island that offers a distinctive Caribbean experience.

The French overseas territory is greatly influenced by its European counterpart; residents speak French, the euro is the official currency used, and the capital city of Fort-de-France’s outdoor bistros mimic those of Paris on a balmy summer day. Many residents speak Creole, too — a nod to the island’s rich West African heritage, which is celebrated and displayed yearly during the Carnival season. Infectious zouk and soca music fill the air, and the energy of the Nèg Gwo Siwo — revelers who coat themselves in cane sugar molasses and charcoal as a commemoration of enslaved people and their spirit of rebellion — is powerful to witness. 

Tour guide Devon Adrien of SDA Taxi says this cultural amalgamation is part of the island’s magnetism. “Our French and Caribbean culture here is part of what makes Martinique so special, from the languages spoken to the foods we eat,” Adrien tells Travel + Leisure . Some of the island’s dishes include colombo, made with a base of Creole curry flavors like turmeric, coconut milk, and brown mustard seed, typically served with tender bites of lamb or chicken. 

Beyond the island’s flavors, travelers with a spirit of exploration will have no shortage of ways to experience Martinique on both land and sea. “If one would like to have a bracelet on their wrist and sit on the beach all day, Martinique is not the best island. I’m not saying the beaches are not wonderful, but Martinique is the perfect island for people who enjoy being independent, like traveling in a foreign country, and like to be active," says Benjamin Mélin-Jones, a Martinican who is the managing director of Spiribam American, which distributes many of the island's rums. "What’s also great is that if you get tired of the beach, snorkeling, or trekking, there are about a dozen distilleries and tasting rooms scattered around the island where one can discover the island’s most precious treasure, the fabulous rhum agricole."

Indeed, rum enthusiasts will be more than content on Martinique, which holds the only French A.O.C. designation in the world for their varieties of the centuries-old “rhum agricole.” The spirit is produced from fresh cane juice and follows strict regulations to maintain quality and taste. You can find distilleries around the country and shouldn't miss the opportunity to experience a tasting or two. 

The island's natural wonders are the best thing to pair with its potent rums: The formidable waves of Diamant Beach on the remote southwestern coast, the turtle-hatching sightings on Anse Dufour, and the quintessential white sands of Plage des Salines are just a few of the island’s diverse networks of coastline.

Saut du Gendarme waterfall is an under-the-radar spot in the Caribbean, according to to locals . Dense, colorful vegetation has bestowed the Eastern Caribbean country with the title of “the Isle of the Flowers,” and it won’t take long driving around before stumbling upon glowing hues of hibiscus, heliconia, and porcelain roses that bloom on mountainsides and in tropical gardens.

“All of the island’s rich biodiversity offers many trails to appreciate the specificity of our forests, and gorgeous landscapes. My favorite route is a road trip to the north, from Fort-de-France to Mount Pele, by the panoramic road of La Trace. It takes you to luxuriant forests, waterfalls (Saut gendarme), a stop to visit the botanical garden of Balata, and then you reach the Aileron site to appreciate the landscape on the north of the island,” says Gilles Vicrobeck, president of the Comité de la Randonnée Pédestre de Martinique, a hiking organization.

"Beyond those natural aspects, there are the people who animate this island–the Martinican people with a history and special hospitality towards visitors, who open their hearts and houses with a large smile," he adds.

Read on to learn more about how to experience the best of Martinique and its people.

Top 5 Can’t Miss

• At Bouliki Bio spa garden, unwind in an unforgettable forest retreat with a hammam, waterfall shower, and hammock relaxation area.
• Find out why Martinique is nicknamed “the Isle of Flowers” at Balata Gardens, located in a rain forest teeming with thousands of native plant species.
• Embrace a home away from home on the hillside La Suite Villa, where just nine garden villas and six sea-view suites create a welcoming, intimate atmosphere. 
• Integral to understanding the island’s history, Les Savane des Esclaves is an open-air museum that charts the island’s legacy of slavery through various structures and murals.
• Join residents on the weekend over glasses of rum cocktails at beachside Le Chill, where grilled fresh catches of the day and front-row seats to sunsets at Le Diamant beach are in high demand. 

Best Hotels and Resorts 

 Courtesy of La Suite Villa Martinique

Simon Hotel

Located in the heart of the capital city, Fort-de-France, the Simon Hotel is a centrally located option with proximity to the cruise terminal and several restaurants and shopping in the island’s commercial center. The property features 93 rooms that are well-appointed with modern amenities for the business traveler. A breakfast buffet has an impressive variety of bread, fruits, and fresh juices. Their terrace bar is the place to be for a cocktail at night. 

La Suite Villa

An eclectic mix of art deco design and enviable sea views atop a hill in Les Trois-Îlets, La Suite Villa features nine garden villas and six sea-view suites, all newly renovated. A cascading swimming pool sits beside Le Zandoli, a French restaurant that offers French Caribbean cuisine set against the backdrop of brightly colored art and red chairs. Chefs at the restaurant have formerly worked at Michelin-starred restaurants in Paris, and that taste is evident through dishes like a lamb cooked with a white yam crumble and a tender cote de boeuf best paired with one of their Bordeaux wines. 

La Pagerie –Tropical Garden Hotel

Ninety-five rooms are spread about a lagoon-style pool with a swim-up bar at this Les Trois-Îlets hotel. Each accommodation has a terrace that overlooks the foliage below, and the property is within walking distance of a village with several shops and dining. Events that guests can enjoy include rum tastings and local art exhibits. Restaurant Le Pitaya serves Creole-influence food such as chicken with a yam mousseline and rum jus.

French Coco

Located along the island’s Atlantic coast, French Coco offers 17 suites, six of which feature a private pool in its own tropical garden. The boutique hotel is a five-minute walk from the bronze-colored sands of Plage de la Breche and is a quiet retreat and favorite of couples. Guests can enjoy dishes of carpaccio infused with coconut oil and mango pomegranate salsa at the YLANGA Cocktails & Tapas Lounge on the property.

Ismail Salahuddin

See Les Savane des Esclaves

The passion project of Martinican Gilbert Larose, Les Savane des Esclaves is an open-air museum set on a hillside teeming with flora and fruits in Trois-Îlets. Meant to replicate a Maroon village post-slavery, the grounds share the history of colonialism, the slave trade, and the aftermath through a series of murals and sculptures. Make your way to the top of the site and enjoy freshly made crepes in an al fresco cafe. 

Experience Some of the Best Rum in the World

To experience some of the island's best rhum agricole, head to Rhum J.M.’s distillery, located on 100 botanical acres. A self-guided tour and tasting are complimentary. Habitation Clément   is another popular distillery tour, and you could easily spend a day roaming the botanical gardens, distillery, and on-site museum. Tours are readily available. “The tropical volcanic terroir makes for growing some of the most flavorful sugar cane. Rhum Agricole is truly different from what most believe is rum. The best way to enjoy it is how the locals have it, which is part of their daily ritual. It is the simple Ti’ Punch, the most iconic French Caribbean cocktail,” says Mélin-Jones.

Unwind at Bouliki Bio in Saint-Joseph

Complete alignment with the surrounding environment is the ethos of the spa garden Bouliki Bio, from the riverside massages to food grown on the grounds and served as lunch. Located in Saint-Joseph, the property was created by farmers to immerse guests into nature with amenities like a sauna hammam, a riverside body scrub and massage, and a hot bath infused with herbs and flowers to stimulate circulation. Mid-afternoon snacks are also served with produce from the on-site garden. 

Discover the Coastline of Diamant and Anses d’Arlet

Make your way down the coastline of Diamant, a town located on the southern coast. Make a stop to witness Diamond Rock, a 575-foot-tall basalt rock in the middle of the sea that gives the appearance of a floating iceberg. Nearby, Anse Cafard Slave Memorial features 20 white stone effigies that commemorate an 1830 shipwreck that killed many enslaved West Africans onboard. The 8-foot statues are a sobering and powerful reminder of the lives lost. Nearby, the black sands of Diamond Beach attract families for picnics and loungers for a day of relaxation.

Balata Gardens

Balata Gardens is a 7-acre private garden just outside Fort-de-France, home to more than 300 plants. Walk through the grounds and find bromeliads, begonias, hibiscus, and more. There are several shaded areas and fish ponds to take a moment, as well as an aerial walkway for sweeping views. Walking the entire grounds takes about an hour, and there are marked signs throughout the gardens.

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Le Petibonum 

At this popular beachside restaurant on Plage du Coin, you can taste Martinican gourmet food like the national dish, Colombo. Le Petibonum is owned by Guy Ferdinand aka “Chef Hot Pants'' because of his signature shorts. You can also taste some of the best agricole rums in the world here, while taking in a stunning on the sand.

Located poolside at the colorful La Suite Villa hotel, Le Zandoli offers French Caribbean cuisine from Michelin star chefs with dishes that are seasonally driven. Popular dishes offered in the al fresco setting include the roasted fish of the day lacquered with tamarind and served with sweet potato ravioli. A glass of Bordeaux is a great accompaniment to their tender cote de beoug, which is cut tableside. 

This beachside restaurant is the place to be for a rum inspired cocktail and food, particularly on the weekends. Located on Diamant Beach, there are also a number of loungers to relax right next to dining tables and a central bar that offers a variety of local Neisson rums. Start with accras–crispy salt cod fritters–then consider the whole grilled snapper as your main course.

Step past the swaying white drapes into this trendy bistro beach bar on Anse Mitan in Trois-ilet. Menu items include creole-inspired tapas like vegetable accras and cassava fries. The vibe here is lively, with rotating DJ’s on the weekends and people looking to unwind after work. There is also a great range of rhum varieties here.

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The best time to visit Martinique is during April and May, when temperatures are agreeable. Be aware that hurricane season begins in June and lasts through November, with September typically being the wettest month. Hotel prices and crowd numbers rise during the peak season of December through April.

Many travelers will need to fly to neighboring islands such as Puerto Rico or Barbados in order to reach Martinique Aimé Césaire International Airport (FDF).There are also nonstop flights from Miami on American airlines. A 15-minute cab ride from the airport will land you in the capital city of Fort-de-France.

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Your best bet to get around Martinique will be to rent a car from the airport from companies like Budget or Avis. Cabs are notoriously expensive, particularly for sightseeing. You can also consider hiring a tour guide like Adrien of SDA Taxi. Metered taxis are available via your hotel and the airport. For another way to view the island, consider the ferry boats (called vedettes) that depart from rue de la Liberté in Fort-de-France and ride between the east coast’s marinas. Round trip tickets are 6.50€ and run from 6:30am to 9pm daily.

Related Articles

• AIG Travel Guard Overview
• AIG Travel Guard Plans

AIG Travel Guard Cost

How to file a claim with aig travel guard, compare aig travel guard, aig travel guard frequently asked questions.

• Why You Should Trust Us

AIG Travel Guard Insurance Review 2024

Affiliate links for the products on this page are from partners that compensate us (see our advertiser disclosure with our list of partners for more details). However, our opinions are our own. See how we rate insurance products to write unbiased product reviews.

AIG Travel Guard is a well-established and highly rated name in the travel insurance industry. It offers three main coverage options to choose from, and in general its policies have above-average coverage for baggage loss and baggage delays, plus high medical evaluation coverage limits. If you're looking for travel insurance, consider Travel Guard .

AIG Travel Guard Travel Insurance Summary

AIG Travel Guard is among the best travel insurance companies with impressive coverage limits, even with its basic plan, Travel Guard Essential. It's emergency medical evacuation coverage is particularly high, making Travel Guard a good choice for insuring cruises, as sea to land evacuations are often expensive. 

Additionally, Travel Guard's Premium and Deluxe plans offer coverage that many of its competitors don't, such as its travel inconvenience coverage and ancillary evacuation coverage.  

That said, Travel Guard is on the pricey side, compared with its competitors. While age is often a factor in your insurance premiums, Travel Guard tends to quote older travelers higher rates than its competitors. However, you often get what you pay for. In Travel Guard's case, you'll find that its coverage justifies its higher rates. 

While great coverage is important, it's also crucial that an insurance company has a smooth claims process, which Travel Guard lacks, according to its customer reviews. Across 135 reviews on its Trustpilot page, AIG Travel Guard received an average of 1.2 stars, with 95% of reviewers giving the company one star. Surprisingly, AIG Travel Guard fares even worse with the Better Business Bureau, receiving an average of 1.08 stars out of five across 301 reviews. 

Coverage Options Offered by AIG Travel Guard

AIG Travel Guard offers three primary plans: Travel Guard Essential, Travel Guard Preferred, and Travel Guard Deluxe. Each plan has different coverage limits and various types of protection.

Here's a look at what you'll get with each plan:

Depending on the policy you select, additional coverages may be included at no extra charge, such as a pre-existing conditions waiver , single occupancy fee coverage, worldwide travel and medical assistance services, and more. Be sure to check each policy closely to see what is and isn't covered.

Each of these plans also includes coverage for one child under 17 as long as their travel costs are equal to or under the adult's cost. Additional coverage does not apply to the child.

AIG Travel Guard Pack N' Go Plan

In addition to these three primary plans, Travel Guard offers the Pack N' Go policy along with an Annual plan. This policy is for last-minute travelers who don't need trip cancellation coverage.

This plan includes:

• Trip interruption and trip delay ($200 per day maximum) up to $1,000
• Missed connection up to $500
• Baggage delay up to $200 and baggage coverage up to $1,000
• Medical expenses up to $25,000 and dental expenses up to $500
• Emergency evacuation and repatriation of remains up to $500,000.

AIG Travel Guard Annual Plan

Taking multiple trips throughout the year? Consider the Travel Guard Annual plan instead of purchasing a new policy for each adventure. This plan comes with coverage for: 

• Trip interruption coverage  up to $2,500
• Trip delay coverag e up to $1,500 ($150 per day maximum)
• Missed connection coverag e up to $500
• Baggage delay coverage up to $1,000 and lost/damaged baggage coverage up to $2,500
• Medical expenses coverage up to $50,000 and dental expenses up to $500
• Emergency evacuation coverage and repatriation of remains up to $500,000
• Accidental death and dismemberment coverage up to $50,000 and security evacuation up to $100,000

Additional Coverage Options from AIG Travel Guard

Like many other travel insurance providers, Travel Guard offers add-ons for an additional cost. These can be selected while you're purchasing your policy.

The availability of these add-ons depends on the policy you're buying. Note also that some are already included in the Preferred and Deluxe plans. 

• Medical bundle — Increases coverage amounts for medical expenses and evacuation and adds hospital of choice and additional evacuation benefits.  
• Security bundle — Provides various coverages for trip interruption or cancellation due to riot or civil disorder.  
• Rental vehicle damage coverage — Reimburses a predetermined amount for physical damage to a rental car in the policyholder's name. 
• Cancel for Any Reason Insurance (CFAR) — This is just what it sounds like. Cancel for any reason coverage will reimburse 75% of nonrefundable expenses when you cancel your trip for any reason, up to 48 hours before your scheduled departure. CFAR coverage is only available for Travel Guard's Deluxe and Preferred plans. 
• Inconvenience bundle — Offers reimbursement for inconveniences like closed attractions, credit/debit card cancellation, hotel construction, and more.
• Pet bundle coverage — Daily travel benefit for boarding and medical expense coverage for illness or injury of dog or cat. Includes trip cancellation or interruption coverage if the pet is in critical condition or dies within seven days before the departure date.
• Adventure sports bundle — Removes the exclusions for adventure and extreme activities.
• Baggage bundle — Your baggage coverage with AIG becomes primary with increased coverage and baggage delay benefits. 
• Wedding bundle — Provides trip cancellation coverage due to wedding cancellation (brides and grooms not covered).
• Name a family member bundle — One person can be named as a Family Member for the purpose of family member-related unforeseen event coverage.

How to Purchase and Manage Your AIG Policy

Getting a quote from AIG Travel Guard is quick and easy. Head to the AIG website and enter basic information about the trip you're looking to cover. You'll get an instant quote for the insurance plans available for your trip, so it's easy to compare each option. Be prepared to provide information including:

• Your state of residence
• Date of birth
• The cost of your trip
• Travel dates
• Destination
• Method of travel

We ran a few simulations to offer examples of how much a Travel Guard policy might cost. You'll see that costs usually fall within 5-7% of the total trip cost, depending on the policy tier you choose.

As of April 2024, a 23-year-old from Illinois taking a weeklong, $3,000 budget trip to Italy would have the following  Travel Guard travel insurance quotes:

• Travel Guard Essential: $86.96
• Travel Guard Preferred: $152.01
• Travel Guard Deluxe: $188.59

Premiums for Travel Guard's various single trip plans are between 2.8% and 6.3%, well within, and even below, the average cost of travel insurance .

A 30-year-old traveler from California is heading to Japan for two weeks, costing $4,000. The Travel Guard travel insurance quotes are:

• Travel Guard Essential: $198.77
• Travel Guard Preferred: $240.39
• Travel Guard Deluxe: $305.04

Premiums for Travel Guard's various single trip plans are between 5% and 7.6%, within the average cost of travel insurance.

A couple of 65-year-olds looking to escape New York for Mexico for two weeks with a trip cost of $6,000 would have the following Travel Guard quotes:

• Travel Guard Essential: $471.10
• Travel Guard Preferred: $618.22
• Travel Guard Deluxe: $834.78

Premiums for Travel Guard's various single trip plans range between 7.9% and 13.9%, which is significantly higher than the average cost. That said, travel insurance is often more expensive as you get older. 

AIG Travel Guard Annual Plan Cost

Getting a quote for the annual plan requires much less information, only asking for the intended policy start date, your state of residence, and how many people you plan to insure. Quotes from AIG remained at $259 per traveler, regardless of state of residence and number of travelers.

Filing a claim with Travel Guard is a straightforward process. You'll need your policy number and can either go to travelguard.com or call Travel Guard at 866-478-8222 to start the claim. Once submitted, you can check the status of your claim at claims.travelguard.com/status.

See how AIG Travel Guard stacks up against the competition and find the right travel insurance policy for you. 

AIG Travel Guard vs. Nationwide Travel Insurance

Nationwide is a household name when it comes to insurance providers and one of the largest and most recognized insurance providers in the US. Similarly to Travel Guard , Nationwide makes it easy to find coverage by offering just two single-trip plans: the Essential and Prime plan.  

In addition, Nationwide offers plans specifically designed for cruises along with annual trip insurance for those who travel a lot throughout the year.  

The Nationwide Essential Plan comes with trip cancellation coverage of up to $10,000, up to $250,000 in emergency medical evacuation, up to $150 per day reimbursement for travel delays of 6+ hours, and coverage for delayed or lost baggage.

In comparison, the Travel Guard Essential plan covers trip cancellations with up to $100,0000 in coverage, up to $150,000 in emergency medical evacuation expenses, up to $100 per day ($500 total) for trip delays of 12+ hours, along with lost or delayed baggage coverage. 

The high-tier Prime Plan from Nationwide offers even more coverage, including trip cancellation up to $30,000, trip interruption coverage up to 200% of the trip cost (maximum of $60,000), missed connection and itinerary change coverage of $500 each, $250 per day for trip delays of 6+ hours, and up to $1 million in coverage for emergency medical evacuation

AIG's highest-tier Deluxe plan comes with trip cancellation coverage of up to $150,000, up to $1,000,000 in emergency medical evacuation, up to $200 per day ($1,000 maximum) reimbursement for travel delays of 12+ hours, and coverage for delayed or lost baggage.

As you can see, it's hard to compare apples to apples when comparing the two different insurance providers. But it helps to know the specifics of the coverages that matter most to you.

Read our Nationwide travel insurance review here.

AIG Travel Guard vs. Allianz Travel Insurance

With Allianz Travel Insurance , you can choose from 10 different insurance plans to find one that suits your needs. Like Travel Guard , it offers one-off policies for specific trips and an annual travel insurance plan for those who take multiple trips a year. Similar to AIG, too, the different plans offer varying levels of coverage. 

Allianz's most popular single-trip option is the OneTrip Prime plan. This plan offers trip cancellation coverage up to $100,000, trip interruption coverage up to $150,000, emergency medical coverage for $50,000, coverage for baggage loss, theft, or damage up to $1,000, and up to $800 in travel delay coverage.

The most similar plan from Travel Guard is the mid-tier Travel Guard Preferred plan, which which you'll get up to $150,000 in trip cancellation coverage, trip interruption coverage up to $225,000, $50,000 in emergency medical coverage, coverage for baggage loss, theft, or damage up to $1,000, and travel delay coverage of up to $800.

A variety of factors will determine the final cost of any of these travel insurance policies. However, when comparing quotes with the same factors, Allianz tends to be cheaper. Additionally, Travel Guard seems to be more sensitive to the traveler's age. However, it's best to compare quotes using your specific personal and trip details to determine which policy is the best for you.

Read our Allianz travel insurance review here.

AIG Travel Guard vs. Credit Card Travel Insurance

Before purchasing a travel insurance plan, take a look at the coverage offered through your travel rewards credit cards. Some of the basic coverages you're looking for, like rental car insurance, may already be available through credit card travel protection . 

The coverage you have on your credit card couple be sufficient if, for example, you're taking a road trip by car and you don't have any non-refundable trip expenses. It could also be enough if your health insurance covers you while you travel and you aren't overly worried about incurring additional medical expenses during your trip.

It's also worth remembering that credit card coverage is usually secondary versus the primary coverage you'd get with a travel insurance policy. Meaning you'll have to file a claim with the other applicable insurance (like through the airline travel provider) before filing a claim with your credit card company.

Read our guide on the best credit cards with travel insurance here.

Depending on the single trip plan you choose, AIG Travel Guard offers $15,000-$100,000 in emergency medical expense coverage.

All three of Travel Guard's single trip policies offer pre-existing condition waivers as long as you purchase your policy within 15 days of your initial trip payment.

Travel Guard is the name used for AIG's travel insurance products, but AIG also offers other insurance products, like AIG Life Insurance .

Your coverage depends on the policy you buy, but all policies will cover (up to a specified limit) trip cancellation, interruption, delay, emergency medical expenses, lost and delayed baggage, and emergency evacuation. 

Yes, Travel Guard plans cover trip cancellation and interruption due to illness, injury, or death of a family member. If your trip is delayed or canceled due to inclement weather, that's covered too. AIG Travel Guard's is also among the best CFAR travel insurance companies.

Why You Should Trust Us: How We Reviewed AIG Travel Guard

The policy that's best for you will be the one that offers the right amount and type of coverage, fits your budget, and is easy to use if you ever need it.

In reviewing Travel Guard , we looked at the company's travel insurance offerings and compared them to plans offered by the top travel insurance companies in the space. Factors considered included things like coverage options, claim limits, what's covered, available add-ons, and typical insurance policy costs. We also considered buyer preferences.

Read more about how Business Insider rates insurance providers .

Editorial Note: Any opinions, analyses, reviews, or recommendations expressed in this article are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer. Read our editorial standards .

Please note: While the offers mentioned above are accurate at the time of publication, they're subject to change at any time and may have changed, or may no longer be available.

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England, Scotland & Wales

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Traveled in June 2023

Places You’ll See

• Introduction
• Day 1 ARRIVE IN LONDON, ENGLAND
• Day 2 LONDON
• Day 3 LONDON–OXFORD–STRATFORD-UPON-AVON–LEEDS
• Day 4 LEEDS–YORK–JEDBURGH, SCOTLAND–EDINBURGH
• Day 5 EDINBURGH
• Day 6 EDINBURGH–ST. ANDREWS–PITLOCHRY–CULLODEN MOOR–INVERNESS–STRATHPEFFER
• Day 7 STRATHPEFFER–FORT WILLIAM–GLASGOW
• Day 8 GLASGOW–GRETNA GREEN–LAKE DISTRICT, ENGLAND–LIVERPOOL
• Day 9 LIVERPOOL. NORTH WALES EXCURSION
• Day 10 LIVERPOOL–LUDLOW–CARDIFF, WALES
• Day 11 CARDIFF–BATH, ENGLAND–GLASTONBURY–WIDECOMBE–PLYMOUTH
• Day 12 PLYMOUTH–STONEHENGE–LONDON
• Day 13 LONDON

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What's Included

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Customer Reviews

• Overall Rating Excellent 4.8
• Itinerary Excellent 4.2
• Guide Excellent 4.7
• Transport Excellent 4.8
• Accommodation Good 3.9
• Food Excellent 4.2
• Tour Operator Cosmos 4.9
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• A Christine · 12th July 2023 Susie Cleary the tour Guide and John Goodrich the driver were excellent. Susie was very informative and helpful and John was an awesome driver. I loved everywhere we went. Would recommend this tour. Trip date: June 2023 Review collected by Cosmos
• A Dee · 11th July 2023 No wifi on bus. No headsets (as advertised). Guide, Driver, Routes, Bus, Accommodations were superb, Trip date: June 2023 Review collected by Cosmos
• A Lorraine · 15th July 2023 They had everything planned very well. All excursions were great. Trip date: June 2023 Review collected by Cosmos
• A kathryn · 8th July 2023 Professional and experienced Trip date: June 2023 Review collected by Cosmos
• A Forrest · 2nd July 2023 Super Tour Guide, Julie Ann Trip date: June 2023 Review collected by Cosmos
• A Loretta · 27th June 2023 This was my first Cosmos tour and my first travel abroad and what a way to start! Julie Ann was our tour guide and she was amazing. The driver Pedro was so skilled and I felt safe at all times. The couch was so very comfortable and it was comforting... Show more Trip date: June 2023 Review collected by Cosmos
• A Jade · 27th June 2023 Evie was so knowledgeable and could answer any question that was asked and the places we visited were simply breathtaking. Would recommend globus to any family or friends wanting a carefree holiday. Very happy with everything Trip date: June 2023 Review collected by Cosmos
• A Sheryl · 26th June 2023 Great guides!!! Very knowledgeable! Trip date: June 2023 Review collected by Cosmos
• A Brian · 25th June 2023 It was my first time doing a bus tour. I didn't know what to expect. Everything was very professionally done and I was made to feel a part of the group, which was my main concern as I was traveling alone Trip date: June 2023 Review collected by Cosmos
• A Catherine · 24th June 2023 1. The new coach and driver skills are very good 2. The tour guide Miss Julianne is an experienced and hardworking guide. She is friendly, helpful and treat her clients with love and care. Much impressed by her personality and outstanding services. 3.... Show more Trip date: June 2023 Review collected by Cosmos

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• August 2024
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• Monday 8 Jul, 2024 Saturday 20 Jul, 2024 English Sold Out Based on Double Room €2,708 See Similar Tours For These Dates
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• Monday 5 Aug, 2024 Saturday 17 Aug, 2024 English Sold Out Based on Double Room €2,867 See Similar Tours For These Dates
• 2 Other Unavailable Departures
• Get Instant Confirmation Monday 19 Aug, 2024 Saturday 31 Aug, 2024 English Multiple Room Types €2,867 Confirm Dates
• Monday 2 Sep, 2024 Saturday 14 Sep, 2024 English Sold Out Based on Double Room €2,708 See Similar Tours For These Dates
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Frequently Asked Questions

Motorised scooters are not permitted, and no accommodation is provided for them.

Visa requirements can be checked with your local consulate; responsibility for obtaining visas rests with the traveler.

You should contact the company before booking to discuss your specific requirements.

Some activities and locations might not be accessible or may be restricted if your mobility is limited.

You can discuss potential adjustments or alternative arrangements with the tour company before making a reservation.

No refunds are given for missed services or activities due to personal reasons.

It is not allowed to leave one tour early and rejoin another on a different date.

You must notify the company at the time of reservation, and the wheelchair must be collapsible to fit certain restrictions.

Contact customer support to update the reservation with correct details.

Yes, booking a single room involves an additional cost, known as the single supplement fee.

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• Unfortunately we cannot offer you a visa application service. Whether you need a visa or not depends on your nationality and where you wish to travel. Assuming your home country does not have a visa agreement with the country you're planning to visit, you will need to apply for a visa in advance of your scheduled departure.
• Here is an indication for which countries you might need a visa. Please contact the local embassy for help applying for visas to these places.
• For any tour departing before 30th August 2024 a full payment is necessary. For tours departing after 30th August 2024, a minimum payment of €250 is required to confirm your booking with Cosmos. The final payment will be automatically charged to your credit card on the designated due date. The final payment of the remaining balance is required at least 65 days prior to the departure date of your tour. TourRadar never charges you a booking fee and will charge you in the stated currency.
• Some departure dates and prices may vary and Cosmos will contact you with any discrepancies before your booking is confirmed.
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• TourRadar is an authorised Agent of Cosmos. Please familiarise yourself with the Cosmos payment, cancellation and refund conditions .
• Insurance Unless otherwise mentioned, TourRadar does not provide travel insurance. We do however recommend purchasing it through our tried and trusted partner, World Travel Nomads .
• Accessibility Some tours are not suitable for mobility-restricted traveller, however, some operators may be able to accommodate special requests. For any enquiries, you can contact our customer support team , who are ready and waiting to help you.
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If you have a host of weddings coming up, you might be in need of a reliable pair of heels. The Aerosoles Cosmos are just that, thanks to their comfortable-for-dancing block heel and elegant ankle strap — and now they’re 25 percent off at Nordstrom, bringing the price down to less than $100. Gaby Grossman, the former director of editorial operations at New York , has worn the heels to seven weddings already, including a black-tie affair in Miami , a rainy upstate New York wedding, and one at a château in Provence. She now owns three pairs of the heels in different colors and has inspired friends to buy them too (one compares them to “walking on clouds.”) Almost every color is on sale, including silver, gold, and black. Do as Grossman does — stock up and enjoy hours of foot-pain-free dancing.

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How Did We Learn to Talk? We Can’t Say for Sure.

In “The Language Puzzle,” the archaeologist Steven Mithen asks exactly how our species started speaking.

By Dennis Duncan

Dennis Duncan is the author of “Index, A History of the.”

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THE LANGUAGE PUZZLE: Piecing Together the Six-Million-Year Story of How Words Evolved , by Steven Mithen

If you stand on the rock of Edinburgh Castle on a clear day and look due north toward the Firth of Forth, you can make out the small island of Inchkeith, about three miles out to sea. It was to this island, in 1493, that James IV banished two infant children, with only a mute nurse for company, to be raised in silent isolation. The king hoped that, when the children came of age, this experiment would reveal the original, Edenic language of Adam and Eve, uncontaminated by modern chatter.

The results, let’s say, were inconclusive. An early historian, writing in Scots, offers contemporary gossip — “some sayis they spak goode hebrew” — before quickly disavowing any firm opinion on the matter.

This is just one of several near-identical language deprivation experiments reportedly carried out by various despotic rulers over the centuries. Many of these stories are probably apocryphal, but they point to an ongoing curiosity that is very real. Where did language first come from, and what was the first language like? These questions are addressed by archaeologist Steven Mithen in “The Language Puzzle.”

Speculation on the matter was so rife, and often so wild, that on March 8, 1866, the Société de Linguistique de Paris issued a set of statutes which notably declared that they would no longer enter into any communication concerning the origins of language. This ban has been credited with putting an ancient field of inquiry into hibernation for over a century — an exaggeration, perhaps, but one that carries a germ of truth.

Many scholars had come to realize that the question of how language had evolved was itself so inherently complex, and crossed so many of the specialist disciplines into which academia divides itself, that anyone claiming to have the answer was likely to be a quack.

Since the end of the last century, however, we have begun to see serious, multiple-component approaches to the topic that draw together evidence from different branches of learning. Mithen has a useful metaphor for the way in which the question must be tackled: The puzzle in his title is a jigsaw. The picture we are after, of language evolution, will only reveal itself if we place all the different pieces in the right configuration, bringing together evidence from linguistics, archaeology, anthropology, genetics, neuroscience, psychology and ethology (the science of animal behavior).

What King James didn’t realize — but what should seem obvious to us in a post-Darwin world — is that language did not appear fully formed as one item from a small menu of available options. “Fully modern language,” as Mithen calls it, is the endpoint of an evolutionary process that stretches back to the lip-smacks, pant-hoots and kiss-squeaks of chimpanzees and other primates. Along the way, it acquires the possibility of combining multiple noises into phrases, the capacities to represent things that are not immediately present and to use metaphor.

At the same time, developments in the vocal tract allowed for a vastly increased palette of potential sounds. English uses 44 distinct phonemes; the Taa language of Botswana has 144.

A key piece of Mithen’s jigsaw is the divergence of hominids and chimpanzees. Fossil evidence of variations in brain size and vocal tract shape between Homo sapiens, Neanderthal man, Homo erectus and so on down the family tree allows for the speculative dating of some of those linguistic leaps. Mithen is especially good at describing humankind’s differentiation and migration over the last three million years, and this early chapter is a tour de force of terse, fascinating clarity.

The same cannot be said of all of them, unfortunately. In Mithen’s jigsaw there are a lot of specialist disciplines that necessarily need to be unpacked for the general reader. Sometimes, however, he provides more detail than we subsequently need. “The Language Puzzle” contains many memorable passages, but I will struggle to recall exactly how nucleotides model proteins, or the precise distinctions between the hand tools of the Lower Paleolithic period.

Occasionally, one senses that the puzzle pieces have been clipped slightly or jammed in to fit the picture; many of these disciplines have not settled into consensus to quite the extent that the author suggests.

Take the idea of sound symbolism, the proposition that certain sounds in words have a non-arbitrary relationship to their meaning: the onomatopoeia. Certainly this idea, discredited for most of the 20th century, now has a significant body of well-evidenced support. Nevertheless, if one were to ask a straw poll of academic linguists how seriously they take sound symbolism, one would find that the matter is by no means as unanimously resolved as Mithen needs it to be. But by and large, he is an honest commentator.

Mithen is not averse to taking sides in debates that are still open. Phrases like “I am aligned with” or “in my opinion” pepper the text. As a consequence, the picture revealed in the final chapter is only a hypothetical one — “my best shot,” as Mithen puts it. Nevertheless, it is a remarkable, vivid set piece: a montage that runs from the barks and coos of forest-dwelling primates to the grammatical written language you are reading now.

No doubt, aspects of Mithen’s picture will need to be redrawn. It is, by his own admission, only the snapshot of a moment in a debate that will continue as the underlying sciences come into greater definition. Thankfully, this time the learned societies of Paris will not forbid the discussion from continuing.

THE LANGUAGE PUZZLE : Piecing Together the Six-Million-Year Story of How Words Evolved | By Steven Mithen | Basic Books | 534 pp. | $36

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Something to Stand for with Mike Rowe

Join America's favorite storyteller on an epic journey to the heart of Washington DC. This cinematic tour de force will take viewers to the frontlines of the American Revolution, World War I... Read all Join America's favorite storyteller on an epic journey to the heart of Washington DC. This cinematic tour de force will take viewers to the frontlines of the American Revolution, World War II, the Civil Rights movement, and more. Join America's favorite storyteller on an epic journey to the heart of Washington DC. This cinematic tour de force will take viewers to the frontlines of the American Revolution, World War II, the Civil Rights movement, and more.

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Taylor Swift Live in London: The Eras Tour Sets a New Bar for Stadium Shows

By Will Richards

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When  Taylor Swift  released her soft, folky pair of 2020 lockdown albums –  Folklore  and  Evermore  – it was reasonable to think she was slowly exiting her maximalist pop star phase and settling into her thirties with less yearning for the spotlight.

Instead, in the four years since the albums’ release, she has put out six more albums, including four as part of an ongoing re-recording series, and become more of an omnipresent cultural force than ever before.

With the most dedicated and rabid fanbase on earth behind her, Swift’s mantra of late has been that more is better, and it’s served her both for better and for worse. On the downside, it bloated her 11 th  studio album,  The Tortured Poets Department , to an unnecessary 31 songs, but it’s also led her to The Eras Tour , one of the decade’s biggest cultural moments so far.

For  Folklore  and  Evermore , Swift sits atop a mossy cabin, while the new  Tortured Poets Department  section sees her go full Broadway, reanimated from a slumber by her effervescent backing dancers – dressed as mimes – before album highlight “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart.”

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As well as a marvel of songwriting and creativity, The Eras Tour is also astonishing for Swift’s pure stamina. Though she exits the stage for costume changes in between each era, she is rarely out of view for more than a minute at a time across the three-and-a-half hour show, before popping up and gliding her way across the huge stage and walkways again, never letting her voice suffer as a result. A swarm of dancers surround her at all times, inhabiting her past selves excellently: it makes for a brilliant feat of acting as well as live performance.

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Prince William dancing to Taylor Swift’s ‘Shake It Off’ at the Eras Tour in London. pic.twitter.com/yBzm8mbULF — Pop Base (@PopBase) June 22, 2024

By design, very little about The Eras Tour is casual though. No artist alive has the ability to dive so deep into their own lore and pull it off on such a massive scale. With countless easter eggs, a wonderful and warming culture of outfit creation, and stage production on a scale rarely seen, the tour is a cultural behemoth just like Swift. It’s hard to tell yet whether these shows will mark the end of Swift’s imperial, ubiquitous phase, but whether she retreats into the shadows now or not, this will surely go down as the apex of her startling career.

Taylor Swift taking a selfie with Prince William and his children. pic.twitter.com/MaMLiauHC0 — Pop Base (@PopBase) June 22, 2024

This review originally published on Rolling Stone UK .

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