Meet Our Travelers
“The traveler was active; he went strenuously in search of people, of adventure, of experience. The tourist is passive; he expects interesting things to happen to him. He goes ‘sight-seeing.’ ” (Daniel J. Boorstin)
A beautiful place. A distinctive culture. Connections with local people. A compatible group of travelers. These are the four key ingredients to a European Experiences week. We enjoy the beauty of the natural surroundings, immerse ourselves in an interesting culture, and connect with local people… and the compatible group of travelers is the magic ingredient that really enhances the experience.
We like the Boorstin quote because it accurately describes the type of person who chooses a European Experiences trip. From the start, we’ve called our participants “travelers” instead of the more remote, business-oriented term “clients. Our top priority is to provide an outstanding week and the best possible service and support before, during and after the trip, but we consider our travelers much more than business relationships… they very quickly become friends.
Since we launched European Experiences in 2006, we’ve hosted over 1250 travelers in 107 groups in five countries: France, Italy, England, Austria, and Germany. Our travelers have come from eight countries (USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, England, Scotland, South Africa, and Senegal), including 42 US states. About 15% of our participants are from outside the USA.
Other than our occasional Women’s Weeks and a special Cotswolds gardens week in 2013, our trips aren’t organized for a particular demographic group or around a single interest. Our groups have included a wide variety of people: solo travelers, couples, family members, and friends; photographers and painters; shoppers and history buffs; foodies and wine enthusiasts; working people and retirees; hikers and those less active. Our trips attract travelers: people seeking those special personal connections, adventures, and experiences in Europe’s most beautiful places.
Meet some of our travelers and learn first-hand about their experiences:
Traveler’s Feedback. Comments from several travelers about their Experience week.
Travelers Reviews: Reviews from travelers posted on our Facebook page. (We activated this feature in May 2017)
European Experiences group on Facebook. Connect with European Experiences travelers and friends.
2019 Photo Contest: Winning photos and stories from our 2018 travelers, including a slide show of the 81 entries.
2018 Photo Contest: Winning photos and stories from our 2017 travelers, including a slide show of the 105 entries.
2017 Photo Contest: Winning photos and stories from our 2016 travelers.
2016 Photo Contest: Winning photos and stories from our 2015 travelers.
2015 Photo Contest: Winning photos and stories from our 2014 travelers.
2014 Photo Contest: Winning photos and stories from our 2013 travelers.
2013 Photo Contest: Winning photos and stories from our 2012 travelers.
2012 Photo Contest. Winning photos and stories from our 2011 travelers.
2011 Photo Contest. Winning photos and stories from our First Five Years photo contest.
Jim’s Périgord Poem: A poem by Jim from Texas, about his Périgord Experience week in 2017.
Dorothy’s Memories: Thoughts from one of our travelers, Dorothy. She and her husband have joined us on seven trips since 2008.
Ann’s Art. Paintings by Ann Howe based on photos and sketches she made during her Luberon Experience week (September 2010)
Sandy’s Art: Paintings by Sandy Davis from her Luberon Experience (May 2010) and Chianti Experience (June 2012) weeks.
Adam’s video. A video from The Luberon Experience, made by Adam from Maryland (May 2010)
Ivan’s videos: Ivan and his wife Dawn from New South Wales, Australia have joined us for four trips. Ivan made wonderful short videos of his experiences in the Luberon (May 2011), Chianti (June 2012), the Salzkammergut (July 2012) and the Cotswolds (July 2013)