TOURS FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'T LIKE TOURS

Many of our clients swore they would NEVER take a tour . . .

. . . and then they found Hand Crafted Tours.

We’ve been operating small group tours in Europe since 1994. Unlike big tour companies with hundreds of departures and thousands of clients, we limit each trip to no more than eight participants. With less than a dozen departures each year, our clients are more than just a number. They become friends, and our biggest promoters.

We do zero advertising. Each year the vast majority of our tour members are repeat clients, or were referred by someone who has traveled with us in the past. A lucky few stumble across us on the internet and join the growing band of fans.

Our small group size is the most obvious difference between a traditional big group tour and a Hand Crafted Tour. Limiting our groups to only eight people is the foundation, enabling everything that follows. Here’s why past customers continue to travel with us, why they refer friends and family, and why you should join us as well.

THE HAND CRAFTED DIFFERENCES

Relaxed Pace

Unlike big bus tours, there’s no rush to get people out the door and on the bus at the crack of dawn. We begin our day the way most independent travelers do: with a leisurely breakfast before heading out around 9:00am (most museums and other sights don’t open before then anyway). With at least two or three days in most locations, you’ll have time to savor the unique character of each place before moving on.

Flexibility

Our tours preserve the best aspects of independent travel — freedom, flexibility and contact with the local culture — while eliminating the hassles and hard work of traveling on your own. For the ultimate in flexibility, take a look at our private, custom tours.

Charming Hotels

First off — yes, your room will always have a private bathroom.

Secondly, we’ll take a half-timbered inn over a Holiday Inn™, any day. Our small group size allows us to use hotels that those big bus tourers can only dream of.

Whether it’s a woodsy chalet high in the Alps, an old olive mill that has been converted into an elegant B&B in the hills of Tuscany, or a boutique hotel in the heart of a big city, we use accommodations that capture the spirit and character of each place.

Great Meals

Food is a very important part of any tour experience. It is a basic expression of the people and culture you’re visiting.

Breakfast in Europe is not, and should not be a hard roll and coffee (the “Continental” breakfast offered by most big tour companies). Our hotels usually offer a buffet, with local varieties of breads, cheeses, eggs, fruit, cereal, yogurt, coffee and tea.

For included dinners, we use local-style restaurants with a casual atmosphere, where the focus is on good service and excellent food. We do not pre-arrange a set meal for the entire group, and you always have free choice from the restaurant’s normal menu.

Understandable Sights

Our itineraries concentrate on culture, art and history, but we refuse to be stuffy and monotone when it comes to museums. With a passion for the people and stories behind the history, we bring the past to life, put it in context with world events at the time, and relate it to our modern world. And with only eight people gathered around, you’ll have no trouble hearing your guide, who speaks fluent American.

Fun People

Our trips attract a fascinating, eclectic mix of couples and singles, people who are open-minded, flexible, and interested in learning. Many are well- traveled, though we get a fair number of first-timers as well.

Memorable Experiences

Travel should not be a mad dash from one sight to another. After years of leading tours and talking to travelers, it’s clear to us that what people remember most about their trips are the people they meet, and the experiences they have along the way. We emphasize real places, real people and real history, by-passing tourist pseudo-sights that are famous just because they’re close to a freeway and able to handle large tour buses. You’ll still see the important sights, but we’ll also take you places that big tours, with their mammoth buses and steam roller schedules, simply can’t go.

Peace of Mind

Our tours are not bare bones, budget tours. There are no hidden “optional cost” excursions. The tour price includes all group admissions and sightseeing.

All departures are guaranteed, even if the tour is not full.

And while our company may be (proudly!) small, we are well-established and deliver what we promise. The proof is in our repeat clients and referral business. Over 70% of our tour members in 2006 had traveled with us before, or were referred by someone who had.