MENUOur list of articles tagged with "crafts."
We love visiting European cities during the holiday season, especially to visit the wonderful Christmas markets that take place throughout the region. The markets—which showcase local holiday traditions, seasonal cuisine, and regional crafts—are an amazing way to join in the local holiday cheer. Many cities in Europe—from Salzburg, Austria to Waterford, Ireland—have Christmas markets. Some […]
We recently attended a wonderful luncheon in honor of the city of Suzhou, China, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. An ancient city not far from Shanghai, Suzhou is crisscrossed with narrow canals lined with the whitewashed walls and tile roofs of Ming dynasty architecture. Suzhou is most renowned for its traditional […]
One of our favorite excursions from Helsinki is to the Iittala glass factory. We can arrange a private tour of the factory to watch artisans creating the glass vases, tableware and objets d’art that are synonymous with modern Finnish design. This tour is especially recommended for collectors of Oiva Toikka—designed Iittala annual birds, eggs and other works of art. All of the vases designed by master Finnish architect Alvar Aalto, including the iconic Savoy vase, are made in the main factory.
Lacquerware is one of our favorite crafts from Japan, where is it known as urushi (lacquer), shikki (lacquerware) or nurimono (coated things). Ishikawa Prefecture is among the most famous of the many regions in Japan where lacquerware is produced. Kanazawa, the capital of Ishikawa and historically one of the most powerful castle towns in Japan, […]
This holiday season, spoil family members and friends with the ultimate gift of an Artisans of Leisure tour. Here’s a selection of new tours and perennial favorites that are sure to inspire and delight every sophisticated traveler on your list: • For foodies… Who wouldn’t want to eat their way through a Vietnam for Foodies tour, […]
Artisans of Leisure travel specialist, Stephanie, just returned from Oaxaca, Mexico, one of our favorite destinations to experience traditional Mexican culture, history, food and crafts. Here are some of the reasons we love it: Markets Oaxaca is known for its markets, and the sprawling Central de Abastos is considered one of the best in the […]
Artisans of Leisure arranges private luxury tours of Morocco that feature the country’s top cultural, culinary and scenic highlights and include accommodation at the most luxurious hotels and resorts.
Seoul is a fascinating city that has too often been overlooked by visitors to Asia. Well-known among business travelers, the capital of South Korea is at last gaining popularity among cultural travelers. Our private South Korea tours feature Seoul as the gateway to the country and as an introduction to Korean history, culture and cuisine. […]