March 24, 2009

Private Jewish Heritage Tours

Many travelers ask us to incorporate people, places and activities of Jewish significance when they are traveling internationally with us. We can incorporate Jewish touring into any of our tours around the world, from Sydney to Shanghai and most places in between. Many travelers simply want us to incorporate some Jewish-related sightseeing in Europe, Asia, […]

Tags: ancestral tours, Artisans of Leisure, Berlin, Budapest, family travel, guides, heritage, history, international, Istanbul, Jewish, Jewish heritage, Jewish history, Jewish sightseeing, Jewish touring, Jewish tours, Jewish travel, Jewish travel experts, Judaism, Lithuania, Mediterranean, Prague, private, synagogues, tours, travel

March 23, 2009

The Indonesian Island of Lombok: Culture, Beauty, Luxury

Lombok has been one of our favorite cultural travel destinations for quite some time. Easily accessed by hydrofoil or plane from the neighboring island of Bali, Lombok offers deeply traditional culture and pristine beauty: a volcano, beautiful beaches, excellent diving and snorkeling, waterfalls, and lush terraced rice fields. Our private tours of Lombok include a […]

Destinations: Asia, Indonesia, Southeast Asia

Tags: cultural travel, culture, excursions, honeymoons, Indonesia, Indonesian, islands, Lombok, luxury, luxury resorts, luxury tours, luxury travel, Oberoi Lombok, private tours, romantic, tours, villages

March 19, 2009

Must Buy: Edo Chiyogami (traditional paper) in Tokyo

A highlight of Tokyo is experiencing the non-stop action, the neon, the pop-culture, cutting-edge design, and the crowds. But we also love taking our travelers to quiet sections of Tokyo that are filled with traditional Japanese shops, Edo-era wooden buildings, Buddhist temples, and other historic sites that escaped the WWII bombing One of our favorite places is […]

Destinations: Asia, Japan

Tags: architecture, Artisans of Leisure, Asian art, Buddhist, cultural tours, culture, Edo, Edo Chiyogami, experts, foodies, gallery, Gallery of Horyuji Treasures, Isetatsu, Isetatsu paper, Japan tours, Japanese, Japanese culture, Japonisme, Kappabashi, lacquer, neighborhoods, paper, plastic food, prints, shopping, shops, Tokyo, Tokyo tours, traditional, traditional paper, traditions, travel, Ukiyo-e, Van Gogh, woodblock, Yanaka tour

March 19, 2009

Potsdam: a perfect day trip from Berlin

Just outside Berlin is one of Germany’s most enchanting destinations: Potsdam. The one-time residence of Prussian kings and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the town is set among a chain of lakes, and features royal palaces and gardens, a historic town center filled with unique boutiques and great restaurants, and unique architectural works from […]

Destinations: Europe, Germany

Tags: architecture, architecture tours, art tours, Babelsberg, Baroque, Berlin, Berlin tours, Cecilienhof Palace, Einstein Tower, Einsteinturm, Erich Mendelsohn, gardens, Germany tours, history tours, Jewish, Jewish artists, Jewish tours, Liebermann Villa, luxury, luxury travel, Martha Liebermann, Max Liebermann, Mies van der Rohe, neo-Classical, New Garden, palaces, pleasure gardens, Potsdam, Potsdam Conference, Potsdam tours, private, private Berlin tours, Rococo-style, Russian Colony, Sanssouci, shore excursions, Telegraph Hill, tour, tours, travel, UNESCO, villas, vineyards

March 18, 2009

Philanthropic travel in India

India is one of the best destinations for philanthropic travel, and many travelers ask us how they can contribute to local communities while touring India. It is very easy for us to incorporate philanthropic experiences into any of our private India tours–these experiences make travel in India that much more meaningful, and we consistently hear […]

Destinations: Asia, India

Tags: aid organizations, Artisans of Leisure, charities, charity, children, Delhi, donate, donations, family, India tours, Jaipur, NGO, non-profit travel, organizations, orphanage, Philanthropic travel, philanthropy, private, private tours, schools, tour, tours, travel, travelers, trips, villages, volunteer, volunteer vacations, voluntourism

March 17, 2009

The ultimate Aussie: a Kangaroo Island insider

We recently caught up with one of our preferred guides on Kangaroo Island, Australia. The island is featured in several of our luxury Australia tours–we consider it to be one of Australia’s most worthwhile destinations and a must for anyone interested in wildlife, incredible scenery, and an opportunity to experience the best of Australian hospitality. Our guides connect […]

Destinations: Australia, South Pacific

Tags: Adelaide Hills, art, Artisans of Leisure, Australia tours, Australian, Barossa, bird tours, birds, cattle station, Coonawarra, family, family tours, food, fossils, guide, Kangaroo Island, Kangaroo Island tours, kangaroos, Peggy Rismiller, private Australia tours, Richard Forley, sheep, South Australia, Southern Ocean Lodge, Top End, tour, tours, travel, wildlife, wildlife tours, wine, wine country

March 4, 2009

Must Buy: gold in the souks of Dubai

A trip to the souks—particularly the gold and spice souks—is a must when in Dubai. These markets offer travelers a glimpse into Dubai’s past that a visit to one of the city’s modern malls does not provide. The souks are a wonderful place to purchase local goods, or to simply wander the narrow walkways, browsing the numerous […]

Destinations: Dubai, UAE

Tags: Dubai Creek, Dubai tours, Emirates, gold, gold souk, jewelry, markets, shopping, souks, UAE

March 2, 2009

A conversation with Chef David Sterling of Los Dos, Mexico’s acclaimed cooking school

We recently enjoyed speaking with renowned Yucatecan chef David Sterling, the founder of Los Dos Cooking School in the charming colonial city of Merida, Mexico. Q: Your cooking school in Merida, Los Dos, is one of the leading culinary schools in Mexico. You were instrumental in making Yucatan cuisine more internationally known and regarded. How […]

Destinations: Latin America, Mexico

Tags: ancient ruins, chef David Sterling, chocolate, classes, cooking, cooking tours, cooking utensils, cuisine, culinary, culinary blog, culinary destinations, culinary schools, culinary techniques, culinary tours, culinary travel, culture, culture blog, dance, Diana Kennedy, European, excursions, festivals, folk art, food, food blog, foodie, French chocolate, gourmet, Guanajuato, Gustav Eiffel, haute cuisine, hotels, Los Dos Cooking School, luxury, luxury haciendas, market, Mayan cuisine, Mayan villages, Merida, mestizo cuisine, Mexican food, Mexican kitchen, Mexico City, Mexico tours, Michoacan, Morelia, music, Portuguese, recipes, s cookbooks, Spanish, street food, tours, traditional, travel, trips, Yucatan, Yucatan cuisine, Yucatecan, Yuecatecan, Zitacuaro