2023 Trips

(updated June 22, 2023) Our 2023 schedule includes 27 trips in France, Italy, and England.

If you’re interested in a specific 2023 trip or if your group involves several people, we encourage you to contact us as soon as possible to ensure your spot(s).

We understand that some people may not be ready yet to commit to travel plans for 2023. Of course you can also make a booking at any time during coming year, as many trips will continue to have openings. And cancellations are always possible, resulting on unexpected openings. So please do contact us if you want to wait-list for a trip.

Once you’ve joined us on your first trip, you’ll become a member of our European Experience Travelers Circle. In the future you’ll receive our 10% Travelers Circle discount, and you’ll have the first opportunity to book each year.

2023 European Experiences Trips

Use the links below to learn more about each trip, see photos and videos, and read our articles on the Slow Travel Tours blog. We’re excited to offer 27 trips in 2023, including our new Normandy Experience and seven all-women trips. Email Kathy at any time if you have questions.

We’d love to experience one of Europe’s most beautiful places with you soon!

Note: Check the status of each trip to see if openings are still available.

The Cornwall Experience

Cornwall is a unique and ancient area of England, the southwest tip, with over 300 miles of mostly-rugged coastline and a sub-tropical climate. This special 10-day trip expands our usual Experience week to include several days on the idyllic Isles of Scilly. We'll enjoy quaint fishing villages, white sand beaches, historic and natural sites, prehistoric structures, world-famous gardens, and excellent local cuisine. This trip will be offered again in April 2024.

2023 Dates: April 18-28 (Tues-Fri); Sept 3-13 (Sun-Wed)
Prices: $6,150 per person, double occupancy; $7,000 single occupancy
Leaders: Kathy and Charley Wood
Status: April 18-28 (Closed); Sept 3-13 (waiting list)

Virtual European Experience: Getting to Know The Cornwall Experience

The Paris Experience

You may have visited Paris before, maybe several times, but you'll discover a very different Paris during this week. The focus of this special Experience is the locals' authentic Paris, the less-discovered sites and experiences most tourists never discover. On themed days we'll explore French gastronomy and food history, art and architecture, homes and gardens, neighborhoods, and history, offering a true "inside" experience. We'll also travel outside the center of Paris for a memorable adventure. We plan to offer this trip again in 2024.

2023 Dates: Paris in the Springtime: April 24-May1 (Mon-Mon - closed); May 7-14 Women's Week (Sun-Sun)
Paris in the Fall: Oct 4-11 (Wed-Wed)
Prices: $4,100 per person, double occupancy; $4,550 single occupancy
Leader: Jennifer Dugdale
Status: Openings May 7-14 & Oct 4-11.
Colmar housesThe Alsace Experience

Join us in the idyllic wine region of Alsace, in the foothills of the Vosges mountains near the German border. We'll stay in the peaceful wine village of Kientzheim, a short walk from popular Kaysersberg. Our week includes picturesque villages, the charming town of Colmar, the 12th century Haut-Koenigsbourg castle and other historical sites, winery tours and tastings, and a day trip to a fascinating outdoor heritage museum. We'll enjoy Alsatian cuisine in a variety of settings. We plan to offer this trip again in 2025.

2023 Dates: May 1-8; May 8-15 (Mon-Mon)
Prices: $3,700 per person, double occupancy; $4,100 single occupancy.
Leaders: Kathy Wood and Kelly Wood
Status: May 1-8 (waiting list); May 8-15 (two openings)


The Normandy Experience

NEW in 2023! Our newest trip, 8 nights, is based for 7 nights in the charming, medieval town of Bayeux, just a few miles from the sea. The 8th night (at either the beginning or end of the trip) will be at Mont St. Michel, surely to be a memorable experience! One important day will focus on the World War II and D-Day history, which took place on the nearby beaches. But Normandy has much else to enjoy. We'll make day trips to the medieval port city of Caen and the lovely waterfront town of Honfleur and also experience the lush countryside of the Pays d'Auge. We'll visit apple distilleries, cheese dairies, chateaus and gardens; and of course we'll enjoy memorable meals. This trip will be offered again in 2024.

2023 Dates: May 18-26 (Thurs-Fri); May 26-June 3 (Fri-Sat)
Prices: $4,750 per person, double occupancy; $5,350 single occupancy.
Leaders: Kathy Wood and Kelly Wood
Status: May 18-26 (waiting list); May 26-June 3 (waiting list)
The Mediterranean Provence Experience

This week is based in the waterfront village of Bandol in the protected, lesser-known western area of the French Riviera. The landscape features a mix of natural Provençal forests, rocky cliffs, coastal paths, discreet sandy coves, and the azur blue sea. Our week includes day trips to Marseille and Toulon, visits to coastal villages and vineyards, boat trips to enjoy the spectacular scenery, meals of fresh and seasonal foods, and much more. This trip will be offered again in 2024.

2023 Dates: June 6-13; Sept 5-12; Sept 12-19 Women's Week (Tues-Tues)
Prices: $4,100 per person, double occupancy; $4,550 single occupancy.
Leader: Jennifer Dugdale
Status: Openings in all weeks
The Luberon Experience

The Luberon is an incredibly beautiful valley surrounded by low mountains and views in every direction. The authentic perched village of Bonnieux is the perfect base to experience the best of Provence. Our week includes perched villages, colorful outdoor markets, wineries, picnics, castle ruins and more. This year's June groups will likely see lavender fields nearby! This trip was named one of National Geographic Traveler's 50 best tours in the world. This trip is offered annually, in May/June and September.

2023 Dates:(Tues-Tues) June 6-13 Women's Week; June 13-20;
(Sat-Sat) Sept 16-23; Sept 23-30 Women's Week
Prices: $3,700 per person, double occupancy; $4,200 single occupancy
Leaders: Kathy Wood and Christian Linke
Status: June 6-13 (waiting list); June 13-20 (two openings); Sept 16-23 (waiting list); Sept 23-30 (waiting list)

Virtual European Experience: Getting to Know The Luberon Experience
Inside Paris

This four-night "insider's" experience in Paris will introduce you a more authentic Paris, including experiences not normally accessible to visitors. We'll explore French gastronomy and food history, art and architecture, and homes and gardens, often through the perspective of Parisian hosts. (Note: we won't visit the major tourist sites, so this is not intended as a traveler's first visit to Paris.) We'll offer this trip again in Fall 2024.

2023 Dates: May 14-18 (Sun-Thurs); Sept 19-23 Just for Women (Tues-Sat);
Prices: $2,600 per person, double occupancy; $2,950 single occupancy
Leader: Jennifer Dugdale
Status: May 14-18 (waiting list); Sept 19-23 (openings)

The May trip pairs well with The Normandy Experience, May 18-26 or The Riviera Hillsides Experience, May 20-27. The September Women's trip can be paired with The Mediterranean Provence Experience Women's Week, Sept 12-19 or The Luberon Experience Women's Week, Sept 23-30. Book any of these combinations and your transportation between the two locations will be included.
The Riviera Hillsides Experience

This Experience week is based in a typical village near Grasse, in the scenic foothills behind the famous French Riviera, offering a very different ambiance from the glitzy beaches of the Riviera. The backcountry of the Côte d'Azur is bathed in sunshine and carpeted in olive groves. The protected micro-climate favors temperate plant species and flowers of all kinds, important for the perfume industry. Our week includes visits to perched villages and lush gardens, a special day focused on art and artists, an excursion by boat to an offshore island, food-related experiences and much more. We'll offer this trip again in 2024.

2023 Dates: May 20-27; May 27-June 3 Women's Week (Sat-Sat)
Prices: $4,100 per person, double occupancy; $4,550 single occupancy
Leader: Jennifer Dugdale
Status: Openings in both weeks

Inside Bath

Explore this fascinating UNESCO World Heritage City on a four-night intensive experience, hosted by a former Bath resident, who can offer a true insider's perspective. Our group will explore Roman history, Georgian architecture, Jane Austen sites, and favorite local spots for food and drink. We'll also make a day trip to the nearby port city of Bristol, with its own interesting history. We hope to offer this trip again in 2024.

2023 Dates:June 27-July 1 (Tues to Sat)
Prices: $2,600 per person, double occupancy; $2,950 single occupancy
Leader: Jennifer Dugdale
Status: Openings

Located on the southern end of the Cotswolds, this is an ideal trip to combine with The Cotswolds Experience, July 1-8 . Book both trips and your transportation from Bath to Chipping Campden will be included.
The Cotswolds Experience

The Cotswolds is the English countryside you've dreamed of: an idyllic land of rolling hills, gentle streams, grazing sheep, and quaint stone cottages. The well-preserved town of Chipping Campden, with its lovely High Street, is our home for the week. Our week includes historic castles, traditional pubs, magnificent gardens, quaint villages, a visit to a historic (and perhaps haunted) village pub, and a special dinner at the Pudding Club. We hope to offer this trip again in 2024.

2023 Dates: Women's Week June 24-July 1; July 1-8 (Sat-Sat)
Prices: $3,700 per person, double occupancy; $4,100 single occupancy
Leaders: Kathy Wood and Susan Tseng
Status: Openings in both weeks

Virtual European Experience: Getting to Know The Cotswolds Experience
The Puglia Experience

Our week in southern Italy ("the heel of the boot") offers unique experiences and spectacular scenery on the sea and in the countryside. We'll base in the hilltop "white city" of Ostuni, just a few miles from the Adriatic coast. Our week includes special visits to family wineries and small food producers, guided walks in fascinating towns and villages (including Lecce and Alberobello), explorations of ancient sites, and a cooking class. Of course, our meals will be a highlight! We'll offer this trip again in 2024.

2023 Dates:(Thurs-Thurs) Oct 5-12; Oct 12-19
Prices: $3,950 per person, double occupancy; $4,350 single occupancy
Leaders: Kathy Wood, Tommaso Perrone and Vincenzo Di Modugno
Status:Oct 5-12 (waiting list); Oct 12-19 (waiting list)
The European Christmas Experience

This 12-night "trip of a lifetime" takes us to three different areas during the magical Christmas season: Salzburg, Austria; Munich, Germany; and Colmar in Alsace, France. We enjoy the holiday atmosphere and traditions through special experiences including walking tours, Christmas markets, visits to museums and historical sites, day trips to the countryside and small villages, musical events, and a cooking class. So much more than a Christmas markets trip!

2023 Dates: Nov 27-Dec 9 (Mon-Sat)
Prices: $6,150 per person, double occupancy; $6,800 single occupancy
Leaders: Kathy and Charley Wood
Status: Openings


The Luberon Christmas Experience

Based in the hilltop village of Bonnieux, this week is a designed as a return trip for travelers who previously experienced the Luberon in warmer months. We'll enjoy the quiet holiday season in the Luberon, focusing on the special Christmas traditions of Provence. Our week will include Christmas markets and festivals, a private visit to the famous nativity Crèche in Bonnieux's old church, visits to local artisans, explorations of small villages, a truffle hunt and tasting, a day trip to Aix-en-Provence and much more.

2023 Dates: Dec 12-19 (Tues-Tues)
Prices: $3,950 per person, double occupancy; $4,400 single occupancy
Leaders: Kathy and Charley Wood; Christian Linke
Status: Openings