Discover a selection of design-focused tours to celebrate 100 years of art deco
Sleek lines, symmetry and stylised motifs are among the defining features of art deco, a distinctive design characterised by its simplicity and devotion to all things modern. The style celebrates its 100th birthday this year, with art deco first exhibited at an art exposition in Paris in 1925.
To mark the occasion, some operators are running architecture tours – for the real aficionados – while other escorted options that incorporate walking tours and time to explore art deco districts could be an easier sell for clients with a more casual interest. From New York to New Zealand, we present a carefully curated selection of art deco-focused tours to sell in 2025.
1. Lille and Antwerp, Belgium
Reeling from the destruction of the First World War, northern France began to rebuild just as art deco came into vogue. To mark the centenary, Travel Editions is running a special departure that explores the finest art deco architecture in Lille (accessible by Eurostar), with a second stop in Antwerp, Belgium.
Led by two university lecturers, the tour kicks off with a wander around Lille’s charming centre. On day two, a detour to nearby Roubaix sees the group visit La Piscine, a glorious art and sculpture museum set in a converted art deco swimming pool. Day three heads to Antwerp, where a guided walk around the Zurenborg district highlights the other main style of the early 20th century – art nouveau.
Book it: Travel Editions sells the three-night Art Nouveau and Art Deco in Lille and Antwerp tour from £1,079 per person, based on two sharing. Includes breakfast, two dinners, listed excursions and return Eurostar trains departing May 22.
traveleditions.co.uk
2. Rhodes Town, Greece
The harbourfront in Rhodes’ main town is full of period architecture. On Just Go Holidays’ new Jewels of the Aegean itinerary, clients hit the ground running with a walking tour; highlights include the aquarium (pictured) and the National Theatre, which has elements of fascist-era architecture.
Another excursion visits Kallithea Springs, a bathing cove with hammam-inspired art deco buildings. It’s so immersed in the architectural style it was featured in Agatha Christie’s 1936 Poirot caper, Triangle at Rhodes. A ferry takes clients to Leros, where they will find Lakki, a 1920s model town built by Italian architects – if time allows, suggest clients catch a movie in the art deco cinema.
Book it: The 14-night Jewels of the Aegean tour costs from £1,999, based on two sharing. Includes all meals, ground transfers, listed excursions, buffet meals and free drinks, plus flights and transfers departing June 2.
justgoholidays.com/agents
3. Paris, France
Paris plays host to the World Congress on art deco this October. Though the event is largely limited to scholars and top enthusiasts, travellers can also see the French capital’s architectural wonders on a short break with Riviera Travel. The tour takes in big-hitting attractions, such as Montmartre and Versailles, but clients are encouraged to explore independently in their free time.
Should they end up at the Eiffel Tower, they could wander to the Seine’s north bank to see the art deco Trocadero and Palais de Chaillot (pictured), now home to several museums. Alternatively, they could add an art deco twist to a Champs-Elysees shopping spree by admiring Maison Louis Vuitton’s façade.
Book it: The three-night tour starts from £519, based on two sharing. Includes B&B accommodation, listed excursions and return Eurostar departing April 12.
rivieratravel.co.uk
4. Casablanca, Morocco
If you’ve got clients going to Casablanca, sell an add-on trip with Urban Adventures. In four hours, they’ll see the historic Medina and the city’s art deco buildings. A local guide whisks clients through the alleys of the old Medina, before they come to wide French-style boulevards.
Travellers can expect to see ‘Mauresque’ architecture, which blends art deco with traditional Moroccan stylings: suggest they keep an eye out for the Rialto Cinema (pictured) and the spectacular constructions near Mohammed V Square, including the Maret Building.
Book it: Casablanca: The Medina and Beyond costs from £33, including a guide and private transport.
urbanadventures.com
5. New York, USA
The 1930s Empire State Building and Chrysler Building feature on many an NYC must-see list, but other art deco masterpieces include Radio City Music Hall and Bryant Park Hotel, which offers an elaborate example of early art deco.
Titan Travel’s The City That Never Sleeps tour includes a New York CityPass, so clients can visit the top of the Empire State to admire the style up close and from afar. They’ll also get entry to Top of the Rock – the observation deck at the tip of 30 Rock, another of New York’s art deco skyscrapers.
Book it: New York, New York – The City That Never Sleeps costs from £2,249, including four nights’ B&B, six excursions and flights from Manchester departing April 25.
titantravel.co.uk
6. Napier, New Zealand
When an earthquake levelled the North Island town of Napier, New Zealand, in 1931, it was built back in art deco form. The Unesco-listed historic district includes 140 art deco constructions, each demonstrating a uniquely pastel-hued version of the style. On Luxury Gold’s eight-day North Island itinerary, clients can explore the area in a vintage car. A driver/guide – in 1930s costume – narrates stories from the earthquake, as well as the art deco visionaries who took a blank slate and (inadvertently) turned it into a 1930s time capsule.
Book it: The seven-night Endless Shores tour starts at £4,145, based on two sharing. Includes B&B, some meals and transfers, but not flights. Based on a March 21 departure.
agents.ttc.com
PICTURES: Shutterstock/Isogood_patrick, Philippos Philippou; Shutterstock/David Pimborough, aerrant, Sven Hansche, Ashfaq Karim
