"Look at me, look at me, look at me now," says The Cat in the Hat. "It's fun to have fun, but you have to know how."
Designing a great tour requires a thorough knowledge of the country you're visiting, its history, its traditions, its way of life, and what it is about it that makes people 'click'.
You have to know where the best historic and cultural sites are, and the most enjoyable activities. And you have to know the best inns and restaurants and how to connect with the locals.
A truly great tour requires flexibility and there has to be a balance of scheduled activities and down time. And you have to know the tastes and preferences of your clientele. But above all you need to know how to have fun, and as the Cat in the Hat points out, that takes an expert. MORE
Ten Empowering Women-only Vacations by Molly Feltner
Sights and Soul Travels' small group European vacations provide the antidote to the typical "If-It's-Tuesday-This-Must-Be-Belgium" Europe trip with a women-only twist. "During our tours we emphasize in-depth cultural and historical immersion," says Yolanta Barnes, who co-owns the company along with fellow European Kasia Slabs. "We also realize the importance of having fun and relaxing during a vacation, so each of our tours are split in two parts: one when we focus on discovering the culture and the other when we focus on relaxation with spa treatments, walks along the beach or hikes in the mountains, wine tastings, and visiting with locals. MORE
Women-Only Tours: Finding Freedom and Forming Friendships
by Stephen Hartshorne women-only tours discussed on GoNomad travel portal January 2, 2007 While some people take a vacation just to relax, for others travel is a process of exploration and discovery -- an opportunity to lose one's self in another culture and then to find one's self again, renewed, grounded, wiser and more worldly. Many women are finding they can best do this in the company of other women. MORE...
Interview with Sandra Yancey on women travel ABC/Disney Radio October 20, 2006
<a href="http://j.b5z.net/i/u/2041111/m/ewomen12-03-2006.wma">Play the media using the stand alone Player</a>
Listen to Yolanta's interview on ABC/Disney Radio. Yolanta speaks with Sandra Yancey of eWomen Network about the specifics of women-only travel, new European destinations and travel safety for women.
Sunday Mail, Adelaide, South Australia; and Sunday Mail, Melbourne, Victoria March 19, 2006
This stunning homepage is easy on the eyes and focuses on women-only tours that blend new European destinations, exciting outdoor adventures and luxury spa retreats. Check out scheduled tours, download a brochure, click into some useful links.
Eastern Europe has increased in popularity in recent years and here's an opportunity to explore the Baltics with local women Yolanta Barnes and Kasia Slabosz of Sights and Soul Travels. It doesn't matter that Gdansk is almost impossible to pronounce. You get to learn how this city shaped the world, as well as kayak on seaside canals, explore Europe's only moving sand dunes, discover amber on beaches, visit the castles of medieval Teutonic knights and shop at the 1920s resort of Sopot.
Senior Girls Scout Troop 159 of Germantown, Maryland ventured overseas for a fantastic trip to Poland July 7 - July 17, 2005.They experienced the beauty of the incredible architecture - from Market Square in Krakow to castles, to gorgeous Cathedrals, and admired the majesty of the Tatra Mountains in Zakopane.
They also learned much about the long and eventful history of Poland and experienced the culture, the food and the people of another country. They met with Girl Guides in Poland and compared notes with them on Girl Scouting there versus in the United States. The girls overcame personal fears and accomplished many things they didn't think they could do. MORE...
Poland Filled with Culture, History and Heartbreak
Are you drawn to castles, ancient culture, breathtaking scenery and fantastic cuisine? Try Poland.
I joined Yolanta Barnes of Sights and Soul Travels to experience and share her life ambition of endearing travelers to her native country.
Our visit started in the heart of the ancient city of Krakow. The Old Market Square features Cloth Hall, billed as "the world's oldest shopping mall." We toured the 14th-century Collegium Maius of Jagiellonian University (its most famous student was Copernicus); the Wawel Castl, residence of Polish royalty since the 11th century; and the incredible Wieliczka Salt Mine, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We spent hours walking in this subterranean city carved in salt, admiring underground chapels and lakes.
We also saw the Czartoryski Museum, which displays Leonardo da Vinci's Lady With an Ermine. I cannot express how beautiful this painting is and how lucky I felt to be standing within arm's reach.
I was delighted with the food. I loved Krakow's gourmet restaurants, which served their meals in atmospheric, imaginatively designed interiors. Every meal was a culinary experience. Try blueberry pierogi or the traditional borscht (beet soup).
In the mountain town of Zakopane, we took a cable car to Kasprowy Peak for a hike in the Tatra Mountains. We soon realized how out of shape we were, so we relaxed on a rafting trip down the Dunajec River. We rode in a horse-drawn carriage to Lake Morskie Oko, which is possibly the most beautiful mountain lake in Europe. Visiting Niedzica Castle, we learned of the castle's connection to the Incas, and of the Hungarian owner who lost the castle to the Communist government.
I saved Birkenau and Auschwitz for last because I knew it would be an emotionally draining experience. These camps became synonymous with what has been termed "the greatest mass murder in the history of humanity." The scale of the Nazi death camps was incomprehensible: Jews, Poles, Russians, Gypsies and others perished here. I left this day with a heavy heart.
I loved Poland not only for its historical and cultural content, but also for its people. For me, Poland proved to be a country whose citizens opened their arms and let me into their hearts.
