Slow Travel Tours is an informal affiliation of companies who offer small group tours in Europe. Some members offer cultural immersion tours; others offer culinary and cooking tours, photography tours, music tours, arts and crafts tours, barge tours, history tours, or walking tours. Several members offer tours that can be customized for a private group.
- We share a passion for special places in Europe, places that have stirred something deep inside ourselves, places we enjoy sharing with people who are seeking a different kind of tour.
- We share a common philosophy about travel. We believe in traveling more slowly and seeing what’s around you, immersing yourself in the local landscape, the history and culture, the food and the wine, and the people.
- We believe a small group enhances the quality of that experience, and we enjoy the camaraderie with like-minded travelers. The people who join our groups become our friends.
- We love what we do and where we do it. We’re small business owners who manage and lead our trips ourselves. We base in places we know well, involving local friends with our groups.
Some of us live in Europe full-time; others are there several times a year. We’re not just in the travel business – we’re travelers too. Learn about our small group tours in Europe here. Then visit our websites for more detailed information. Read our Slow Travel Tours blog for interesting and helpful articles by our members and see our schedule of upcoming tours offered by our members.
Slow Travel Tours Members and Their Small Group Tours
European Experiences – Kathy and Charley Wood
www.european-experiences.com
Join our small group tours in Europe and experience Europe’s most beautiful places! Our groups base for one week in one location– a village or small town in the countryside in an area rich with beauty, history and culture. Each week includes a variety of activities and experiences, including memorable meals featuring local specialties.
In addition to our award-winning Luberon Experience weeks in Provence, we offer trips in the Dordogne, Alsace, Tuscany, Puglia, the Cotswolds, and Cornwall, as well as a special 12-day “European Christmas Experience” trip.
We’re passionate about Europe. We live part-time in Provence and have traveled extensively in Europe for 30 years. We love sharing the special places we’ve discovered with others, and our local friends look forward to meeting you too. Our groups are small, usually 10 – 14 people. Other people visit Europe… with us you will experience it! Now in our 15th year!
Music and Markets Tours – Anne and Kirk Woodyard
www.musicandmarkets.com
From Tuscany to Prague, from Amsterdam to Provence, we enjoy marvelous music while discovering historically significant or out-of-the-way places. With our guests, we share delightful times over delicious cuisine, insider shopping tips and trips, and the thrill of the artistry of musicians at exceptional concert venues.
Discover alluring destinations across Europe with remarkable cultural happenings that you might not otherwise have experienced on your own. On our small group tours in Europe, you’ll engage all your senses at a little-known village market, a specialty spa, a visit to a private home, or an exclusive cooking lesson with a famous chef. Additionally, we specialize in custom tours focused on our guests’ unique interests. Reach out to us and let us make your travel dreams come true!
Photography Travel Tours – Jim and Magrit Nilsen
www.photographytraveltours.com
Take your photographic skills to the next level with a European photography tour with Jim and Magrit Nilsen.
With the advent of digital capture and digital post-processing techniques, photographers are able to create stunning imagery like never before. We are excited to offer our expertise in sharing these techniques and guiding you to some of the most beautiful and iconic scenes on earth.
Our small group tours in Europe are open to photographers of any skill level. Our goal is a personalized experience to maximize each participant learning a pro’s secrets of photography. All this is interwoven with a wonderful cultural experience, enjoying the delicious food, great wines, the people, and the ambiance of Europe.
Edge Charter – Tim Harrold
www.edgecharter.com
Enjoy a private French barge tour on the picturesque Burgundy Canal du Nivernais and river Yonne. Your luxury stay includes gourmet cuisine, fine wine, and guided tours by private car.
Burgundy is a fascinating region with cathedrals, castles, grand chateaux, pretty villages, markets and vineyards to visit, all set in a beautiful landscape. All our cruises are tailored to meet your exact requirements, from charming auberges to Michelin dining, wine tasting, cycling, walking, or simply relaxing aboard. Whether you are a couple, family or friends, a holiday on your private barge is the perfect way to enjoy rural France.
Poland Culinary Vacations – Malgorzata “Sarna” Rose
www.polandculinaryvacations.com
Your Polish experience with us will be culturally rich, casually elegant, and truly unique. We travel to specially selected regions of Poland to learn about the roots of regional fare and explore how modern chefs are transitioning traditional dishes to contemporary cuisine. Our world-class vacations offer hands-on cooking lessons and demonstrations, as well as trips to local markets, farms, and festivals. We also visit Polish bakers, farmers, shop owners, and chefs to learn the secrets of this outstanding culinary culture.
Between food pursuits, you’ll take in art, architecture, and even sights on the UNESCO World Heritage List. To relax and rejuvenate each evening, you’ll stay in comfortable, chic accommodations ranging from charming boutique hotels to genuine castles and palaces.
Adventures in Italy – Michelle Logue
www.adventuresinitaly.ca
Rediscover the joy of learning through our cultural and art-based trips. We engage all your senses in adventures of cultural understanding, self-discovery, personal enrichment, and travel. Spend a week in enchanted Orvieto and its environs falling into local rhythms, residing at a homey convent B&B, and exploring food, culture, wine, and artful living. Live at an Italian pace. Melt into, feel, and absorb the culture. An array of local activities yields cultural insights. Immersion in the Italian way instructs us about our own.
Travel to learn, learn to travel!
French Country Adventures – Sue Aran
www.frenchcountryadventures.com
Imagine living for ten days in a French chateau, buying fresh delicacies at local farmers’ markets, sipping café at a sidewalk terrace in a different charming village every day, and taking leisurely day trips to wineries, Armagnac distilleries, and medieval bastides. Sound appealing? That’s the magic of slow travel with French Country Adventures.
Having lived in France for the past 14 years, it is my pleasure to share my discoveries with fellow lovers of travel, art, history, cuisine, and culture. My travel philosophy is simple: Do less, experience more. I have created personally guided vacation adventures for no more than six people to provide you with an intimate portrait of French rural life in Gascony, the Pays Basque, Provence, and beyond.
Cotswold Walks – Andrew and Elizabeth Guppy
www.cotswoldwalks.com
We are a local, family-owned company, specializing in customized self-guided and guided walking tours in the Cotswolds. With over 25 years of organizing tours and a passion for walking and the Cotswolds, we offer in-depth knowledge of the area. We pride ourselves on our friendly service and attention to detail which is second to none.
Our carefully selected walking routes were designed to showcase the best of the Cotswolds. Once out on the trail, you will begin to really sense the freedom that comes with this slower pace of travel: the chance to stop and appreciate the charm of “chocolate box” villages with their parish churches, the beauty of traditional English country gardens, the majesty of the open meadows, and the serenity of ancient woodlands.
Let us take you on a tour off the beaten track, and enjoy the perfect blend of crowd-free, peaceful walking.
Village Vacations in Italy – Nedra Bottieri
www.villagevacationsinitaly.com
We will help you get the most out of your vacation in Italy! Our tours are everything you need to truly experience living “La Dolce Vita,” the sweet life that Italy has to offer—whether you are a solo traveler or prefer to travel with a few people or a larger group.
We organize the perfect vacation accommodation for your group in the small villages of Umbria, the green heart of Italy, and Tuscany. Our daily excursions take you to a different village each day for you to explore and enjoy. We work with groups interested in vineyard tours, cooking lessons, yoga retreats, creative writing, textile tours, girlfriend getaways, weddings, olive harvest tours, and more. There is so much to see and do in this beautiful part of Italy, and we will make your dreams come true.
Bold Spirit Travel LLC – Regina Winkle-Bryan
www.boldspirittravel.com
Bold Spirit Travel’s journeys are about creating a community with awesome women. Being bold is easier when you have other strong women to support your aspirations, whether they’re travel-related or not. On our trips, you will see the world, learn something new, and make a friend or three along the way!
Our European journeys focus on Italy (Rome, Amalfi Coast, and Tuscany) and Spain (the Camino de Santiago, Barcelona, and the Costa Brava), destinations are chosen for their ability to excite wanderlust. You explore with savvy guides, archaeologists, art historians, biologists, and fun women who are seasoned expedition experts. If you finish a journey with Bold Spirit Travel and feel the unshakable desire to keep on traveling, then we have done our job well.
Knee Deep Into History – Randy Gaulke
www.kneedeepintohistory.com
Get knee deep into history with a small-group or private tour of the World War I and World War II battlefields. Knee Deep Into History tours provide an in-depth focus on one or two significant battles, including battlefield walks of moderate length and duration.
Most tours are jointly led by owner Randy Gaulke and German historian Markus Klauer. They have been visiting the battlefields and studying military history for decades; they each speak multiple languages and strive to tell both sides of the story. After a day in the field, relax with some down time followed by a delicious European dinner at a family-owned three-star or high-quality two-star hotel/restaurant. All of this provides an extraordinary battlefield experience for the military history enthusiast.
En Plein Air with Virginia Fergus – Ginny Fergus
www.enpleinairwithvirginiafergus.com
My small group Plein Air Painting Workshops in Italy and France are beautiful opportunities for creative immersion and personal transformation. Each workshop offers plein air painting experiences in curated locations, sensitive and personal instruction, experienced and empathetic guidance, artistic immersion, beautiful accommodations and delicious meals in authentic locations, and new friends for the journey.
“Authentic, Intimate, Beautiful” is my motto and is the creative and experiential goal of each workshop. If you are searching for an experience that combines a thoughtful itinerary, inspiring and varied painting locations, experienced and targeted leadership and instruction, and a small group of fellow travelers, En Plein Air with Virginia Fergus is a great choice! I put my heart, head, and hands into the planning and execution of each workshop and will be happy and honored to share in your art and painting journey.