Luxury Travel Newsletter
August 2019
Just Back: Off-the-beaten-path Japan
Aboard the Guntu, a luxury ryokan-style cruise
Japan may be a small country, but there's a ton to see—in fact, many travelers who visit Japan with Artisans of Leisure enjoy their tours so much that they have us plan return trips to explore new regions.
We adore Japan, and our travel specialists return frequently to update our tours and visit favorite and lesser-visited regions.
Most recently, we visited the Seto Inland Sea and the surrounding Setouchi region in Western Japan. This diverse region includes highlights such as the art island of Naoshima, the sacred island of Miyajima (and its iconic floating torii gate), the city of Hiroshima, the traditional canal-filled town of Kurashiki and rural villages.
Another highlight of the Seto Inland Sea is a multiday cruise on the Guntu, an exclusive small ship that sails among the forested islands and fishing villages of this calm waterway in an off-the-beaten-path part of Japan.
View images and read more about our Japan trip
View our private Japan tours, or contact one of our Japan travel experts.
Just Back: The Dolomites - New Tours
The Dolomites: an alpine paradise
For travelers interested in incredible mountain scenery, great hiking and biking, and excellent food and wine, we highly recommend the Dolomites in northern Italy.
We recently returned from this beautiful mountain region, where we explored charming villages, learned about the fascinating World War I history of the area, visited a Zaha Hadid-designed museum and saw Otzi ("The Iceman"), a 5,300-year-old mummy discovered in a nearby glacier. We also enjoyed amazing hiking and mountain biking—assisted by cable cars and gondolas—and local food and wine that showcased the flavors of Italy and nearby Austria.
View images and read more about our Dolomites adventure
Need inspiration? View our new Dolomites tours: Best of the Dolomites and Introduction to the Dolomites.
Contact one of our Italy travel specialists for more information.
What's Hot Now: Morocco
Marrakesh is renowned for its luxurious resorts
Morocco continues to be one of our most popular destinations. We continue to be so excited about Artisans of Leisure travel specialist Mike Korn's designation as a Conde Nast Traveler Top Travel Specialist for Morocco.
Plan now to ensure availability at top Morocco hotels, and have us customize a Morocco tour to include favorite experiences such as:
- Staying at indulgent, over-the-top luxury hotels
- Touring Villa Oasis (Yves Saint Laurent's private villa), Majorelle Garden and Le Jardin Secret
- Personalized insider shopping
- Visiting a private home in the Atlas Mountains
- A night in the desert with traditional Berber entertainment
View our private Morocco tours.
Insider Iceland
Svartifoss Waterfall in Iceland
Iceland is an incredible destination any time of year, including the fall and winter months when visitors have the best chance of seeing the Northern Lights.
Artisans of Leisure arranges private luxury tours throughout the country. Our private Iceland tours feature the best insider experiences, including:
- Exploring ice caves and lava fields
- Excursions into a volcano and into a glacier
- Soaking in geothermal hot springs
- Spending time at the exclusive Retreat Spa at the Blue Lagoon
- Walking on glaciers and black sand beaches
- Whale-watching and puffin-viewing excursions
- Picnics in stunning locations
- Private cooking classes
- Snowmobiling on top of a glacier
- Private lunch at a geothermal greenhouse
- Whale-watching and puffin-viewing excursions
- Seeing floating icebergs
- Horseback riding and ATV rides
- Scenic helicopter charters to beautiful remote areas
- Staying at Iceland's top hotels
View our private Iceland tours, and contact us to start planning.
Plan Now: Southeast Asia
Bagan, Myanmar, is one of the world's great archaeological sites
Now is a great time to start planning winter and spring travel. Among our top picks for this time of year is Southeast Asia, a region rich with great travel options, including amazing family vacations, relaxing romantic getaways and in-depth cultural tours that hit iconic, bucket-list attractions.
Some of our favorite tours in Southeast Asia include:
View our Southeast Asia tours, and contact one of our Asia travel specialists to start planning!
South Korea: A Foodie Heaven
Seoul food
South Korea is a fantastic destination for foodies. From exquisite temple cuisine to eclectic street food, South Korea provides fascinating and delicious options for culinary touring.
We arrange the best private cultural and culinary activities throughout South Korea, including:
- Private street food tours
- Visiting teahouses for tasting experiences and tea ceremonies
- Learning to make kimchi and other local specialties during private cooking lessons
- Insider tours of local markets to learn about traditional Korean ingredients and medicine
- Tours of breweries
- Visiting tea plantations
- Reservations at top restaurants
- Hands-on cooking lessons
- Dining on Buddhist temple cuisine
South Korea is a great stand-alone travel destination. It also combines well with touring in other parts of Asia.
View our South Korea tours
Late Summer & Early Autumn Getaways
Our Greece tours include the top resorts throughout the mainland and the islands
There's still time to book travel for later this summer and into autumn, when many destinations have great weather and fewer crowds.
Some of our favorite places to visit this time of year include:
Contact one of our travel specialists to begin planning today.
Rave Reviews from Our Travelers
"We can't thank you enough for an absolutely first-class trip.
We felt wonderfully and luxuriously spoiled—
and we loved every minute of it!"
~ E.S., Naples, FL
"Wow. Wow. Wow. What a wonderful experience.
Thank you for all that you did to arrange such a memorable trip."
~ J.S., Bondi, NSW, Australia
"Artisans of Leisure is the best!
Other tour companies don't even come close!"
~ M.W., Bedford, NY
Read more testimonials.
Private touring. Only the best hotels. Our world of expertise.
MENU
