Happy New Year! It’s early January of the new year and the ideal time for looking back on 2023 and looking ahead to 2024.

Looking back on 2023

We just completed the 18th season of European Experiences, and it was a very good year! When Charley and I launched our first two Luberon Experience groups in September 2006, we never dreamed how European Experiences would develop and the many wonderful people we would get to know.

In 2023 we hosted 27 trips; Jennifer Dugdale led 11 trips, and I led 16 . Seven of our 2023 trips were all-women’s trips.

We welcomed groups on five trips in the United Kingdom (Cornwall, the Cotswolds, Bath), two trips in Italy (Puglia), and 19 trips in France (Paris, Alsace, Normandy, Luberon, Mediterranean Provence, Riviera Hillsides). We also hosted our 12-night European Christmas trip, based for four nights each in Salzburg, Austria; Munich, Germany; and Colmar in Alsace, France.

223 different travelers joined us in 2023, including 23 people who were with us on two trips and four who were with us on three trips. 59% of our bookings were from Travelers Circle members (“alumni” travelers), and 41% were with us for the first time.

Our travelers posted 22 new five-star reviews on Google and Facebook. (Check out our reviews here.)

We offered The Normandy Experience for the first time in May 2023 and planned the launch of our next new trip, The Morocco Experience, in 2024.

Over 1,100 people have traveled with us since 2006, from 11 different countries (USA, Australia, Canada, South Africa, United Kingdom, New Zealand, Mexico, Israel, France, Germany, and Senegal). 400+ people have now been with us on two or more trips. Our “most frequent traveler” Sarah joined us for her 10th, 11th, and 12th trip in 2023! Kathy was with us for her 11th trip in Puglia and will be with us in Morocco for #12 in March.

Looking back on 2023, I’m so proud of our outstanding team (Charley, Jennifer, Kelly, Drew, Christian, JP, Susan, Tommaso, and Vincenzo) and our many local partners. Our hotel owners and staff, restaurants, guides, drivers, winery owners, and other hosts really care about our travelers and are also important members of our team. We all share a desire to create personal, unique, and memorable experiences. Hats off to the European Experiences team!

Looking ahead to 2024… and soon 2025!

We’re now busy getting ready for our 2024 trips. We’re offering 24 trips this year. Jennifer’s first trip is our new Morocco Experience trip in March, and Charley and I will welcome my first group for The Cornwall Experience in April.

We’re now 70% booked for 2024. Eleven trips are full and running waiting lists, but it’s not too late to join us! We still have openings in these 2024 trips:

Trip	Dates
The Mediterranean Provence Experience (mixed group)	April 26 - May 3 (only 2 openings)
The Normandy Experience (mixed group)	April 30 - May 8 (only 2 openings)
The Riviera Hillsides Experience (mixed group)	May 25 - June 1
The Luberon Experience (Women's Week)	May 25 - June 1
The Mediterranean Provence Experience (Women's Week)	June 7 - 14
The Cotswolds Experience (Women's Week)	June 22 - 29
Inside Bath (mixed group)	June 25 - 29 (only 2 openings)
Inside Paris (mixed group)	September 17 - 21
The Luberon Experience (mixed group)	September 21 - 28 (only 1 opening)
Inside Paris (Women's Trip)	September 24 - 28
The Luberon Experience (Women's Week)	September 28 - October 5
The Paris Experience (mixed group)	October 7 - 14
The European Christmas Experience (mixed group)	December 2 - 14

Contact me for more info… we’d love to have you join us!

We’ll announce our 2025 schedule to the Travelers Circle in late February and open for Travelers Circle bookings on March 1 for a two week “preview” period. We’ll open for 2025 bookings publicly on March 15. (Stay tuned for details of new trips in Portugal and Lyon in 2025!) Sign up for our mailing list to receive the announcement!

We wish everyone health, happiness, and amazing travel experiences in this new year! We hope to see you soon!

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Read our blog posts from 2023:

Is International Travel worth the Hassles—and the Risk?

The Magic of Christmas in Europe

The Magic of Mont Saint-Michel

Experiences by the Sea

Along with her husband Charley, Kathy Wood founded European Experiences in 2006, offering week-long “slow tours” in some of the most beautiful areas of Europe. European Experiences' trips include The Luberon Experience in Provence, France, named one of the top 50 tours in the world by National Geographic Traveler magazine. Kathy has personally organized and hosted over 170 Experience groups. She hosts Experience weeks in the Luberon, the Chianti region of Tuscany, Puglia, Alsace, the Dordogne, Normandy, Cornwall, and the Cotswolds, Charley is now retired but will continue to occasionally be a "special guest" on trips with Kathy Kathy has been traveling in Europe for 30+ years and loves sharing her special places in Europe with other travelers. The Woods have a second home in their beloved village of Bonnieux in the Luberon. Read more about Kathy here. Slow Travel Tours is an affiliation of small-group tour operators who offer personalized trips in Italy, France and other European countries.