Luxury Travel Newsletter
October 2019
Just Back: New Zealand
Striking views in Queenstown
New Zealand’s spectacular landscapes, incredible luxury lodges, and renowned food and wine make it an unforgettable destination. Artisans of Leisure travel specialist Claire Yearwood Munn, who has lived in New Zealand and has family there, just returned from an incredible trip that included some of our favorite places on the North and South islands.
Read more about the best of New Zealand and Claire’s trip, which included stays at ultra-luxury lodges, wine touring in the top Central Otago vineyards, exploring enchanting Hobbiton, seeing geothermal highlights in Rotorua, touring idyllic Hawke’s Bay and spending time in the Auckland region.
View our private New Zealand tours, or contact one of our New Zealand travel experts.
Just Back: Marrakesh, Morocco
A traditional Moroccan hammam
For travelers interested in a quick trip to experience the best of Morocco, we recommend Marrakesh. The evocative city is one of our favorite places for over-the-top luxury, incredible architecture and exclusive cultural experiences.
On our most recent trip to Marrakesh, we combined time exploring the narrow streets of the UNESCO-listed medina with visits to exquisite courtyard gardens, great shopping and dining, and exclusive excursions to the nearby Atlas Mountains and Agafay Desert.
For inspiration, enjoy these photos from our trip
View our private Morocco tours, or contact one of our Morocco travel experts.
Incredible Fall Foliage in Japan
Mild weather and stunning fall foliage make autumn a wonderful time of year to visit Japan
Autumn is one of our favorite times to visit Japan—the weather is mild, the seasonal dishes are delicious, and the koyo (fall foliage) is magnificent. On our private tours to Japan this time of year, we take our travelers to see the brilliant red, orange and yellow leaves decorating our favorite Buddhist temples, Shinto shrines and gardens. We also arrange walks and hikes in the forested mountains throughout the country, including in more remote regions such as Tohoku and Kyushu, for travelers interested in momijigari (leaf peeping). Other seasonal highlights that make autumn such a great time to visit Japan include soaking in onsen (hot springs) and savoring seasonal culinary treats such as roasted chestnuts, matsutake mushrooms and wagashi (confections) in the shape of maple leaves.
Autumn in Japan runs well into December, so contact us to start planning a private Japan tour now.
Japan combines well with other destinations in Asia such as South Korea, China, Thailand, Singapore and Vietnam.
What’s Hot Now: Egypt
Temple of Philae, seen from one of our luxury Nile cruises
Our Egypt tours continue to be incredibly popular. Artisans of Leisure arranges tours that feature the very best of Egypt, including:
- Hard-to-get reservations on the top luxury Nile River cruises, even during peak season
- Private touring throughout Egypt with your own Egyptologist guide, including on Nile River cruises
- Insider touring of Cairo, the Pyramids and the Valley of the Kings
- Accommodation at the best luxury hotels
- Unrivaled connections throughout Egypt
- Opportunities for VIP behind-the-scenes access throughout Egypt
View our private Egypt tours, or contact one of our Egypt travel experts to start planning!
New Whisky Tour of Scotland
Scottish style at The Fife Arms Hotel
Our new Whisky Tour of Scotland is a wonderful way into Scottish culture and landscapes. It features insider experiences at some of the most iconic whisky distilleries, private touring of fascinating cultural sites and beautiful landscapes, and accommodation at the top luxury hotels and lodges in the country.
Highlights include:
- Visiting the most important whisky-producing regions in Scotland: Islay, Speyside and the Highlands
- Tours and tastings at top distilleries such as Lagavulin, Glenmorangie, Talisker, Glenfiddich and Macallan
- Private cultural touring in sophisticated Edinburgh
- Scenic drives through the Highlands and on the islands of Islay and Skye to see dramatic landscapes, romantic castles, beautiful gardens and charming villages
- Whisky-focused optional activities such as whisky blending classes, meetings with master distillers and tastings of rare whiskies
- Additional options such as tee times at golf courses, guided hikes, and tickets to seasonal performances such as the Edinburgh Tattoo and Highland Games
Read more about our private Scotland tours, and contact one of our travel specialists to begin planning a private Scotland tour or a tour that combines Scotland with nearby England or Ireland.
Insider Culinary and Cultural Touring in Mexico
Our culinary tours feature immersive, educational and delicious experiences
We are thrilled that Virtuoso Life magazine recently featured our private Mexico tours in an article about celebrity chef Enrique Olvera and the city of Oaxaca, one of Mexico’s top foodie destinations. Artisans of Leisure arranged the food-focused itinerary for the travel writer, who visited some of our favorite markets, restaurants, food stalls and traditional crafts studios.
A great way to experience some of Mexico’s best flavors and cultural attractions is on our 10-day private Culinary Tour of Mexico, which features the best of Oaxaca, Puebla and Mexico City. Private touring and experiences include:
- Visiting vibrant food markets to learn about local ingredients and dishes
- Tasting mescal at a local distillery
- Learning to prepare local dishes such as mole poblano
- Street food tours for tastings of local specialties
- A chocolate-making workshop
- Trying unusual flavors of ice cream
- Reservations at the best restaurants
- Visiting UNESCO-inscribed colonial-era districts in each city, as well as archaeological sites such as Monte Alban and Teotihuacan
- Browsing the best crafts studios and folk art shops for ceramics, woven textiles and other items
- Options to visit the National Museum of Anthropology, art museums, the house-museums of Frida Kahlo and Luis Barragan, and other cultural institutions
View our private luxury tours of Mexico.
Plan Now for the Holidays
The festive holiday market in Tallinn, Estonia
The holiday season is a wonderful time to visit some of our favorite destinations in Europe. Snow and festive decorations transform historic districts into fairy-tale settings, and atmospheric Christmas markets showcase local crafts and seasonal foods.
Among our favorite holiday experiences in Europe are:
- Enjoying the festive lights, holiday markets and festive performances throughout London
- Relaxing in cozy pubs or enjoying afternoon tea in Ireland, Scotland or England
- Attending performances by the Vienna Boys Choir and Vienna Philharmonic in Vienna
- Strolling through renowned Christmas markets in Tallinn, Strasbourg, Nuremburg, Munich, Berlin, Vienna, Salzburg, Prague, Brussels, and Copenhagen
- Soaking in open-air thermal baths in Budapest
- Touring in the fairy-tale environment of Prague
- Winter-wonderland activities such as a horse-drawn sleigh ride in Finland or a troika in Russia, ice skating at outdoor rinks in beautiful settings such as Somerset House in London, and skiing in the Alps in Switzerland or Austria
- Participating in unique local festivals such as Hogmanay (New Year’s Eve) in Scotland
- Attending a seasonal ballet production at one of the world’s great opera houses in Paris, Vienna or St. Petersburg
- Watching New Year’s fireworks
- Enjoying seasonal specialties such as mulled wine, stollen (German fruitcake), English mince pies and buche de noel (French Christmas log cake)
- Warming up in the renowned Blue Lagoon and other geothermal pools in Iceland
Contact us now to start planning a customized holiday tour in Europe.
On Our Blog: Argentina, England, India, Holland & Greece
We’re constantly adding new content to our luxury travel blog, which offers insight, expertise and sophisticated recommendations.
View our blog to read the latest articles, including:
- Hiking and Active Tours in Patagonia and Iguazu Falls, Argentina
- Afternoon Tea in England
- Art Deco at Umaid Bhawan Palace in Jodhpur, India
- A private tour of the Royal Delft Factory in Holland
- A private excursion to tour the ancient ruins in Delphi, Greece
Rave Reviews from Our Travelers
"Our trip to Kenya & Tanzania was a dream.
Everything I had hoped for, and more."
~ Y.Z., New York, NY
"Our trip to Italy was absolutely perfect!
We loved every minute of it. Artisans of Leisure did a fantastic job planning everything,
which made it very effortless for us."
~ B.J., Waterford, WI
"We had a phenomenal time in Egypt.
The trip was perfectly planned, and our Egyptologist guide was amazing."
~ J.C., New York, NY
Read more testimonials.
Private touring. Only the best hotels. Our world of expertise.
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