ABOUT OUR TOURS

Why Wingback Travel?

Expertly crafted itineraries

Our itineraries feature only the places that we know and love. We handpick every detail, from hotels and restaurants to private estates and fabulous shops. Our attention to detail ensures that the daily flow and pace of the trip is just right. While you may not have heard of every place on our itineraries, we promise to only take you to the places we find worthy of a visit.

Authentic hotels

As more hotels lose their charm and character, we go out of our way to find properties that have retained their historical authenticity and sense of place. We stay in four and five star hotels, each one hand selected (we never take you to a hotel that we ourselves would not stay in).

Two guides with you the entire time

Wingback Travel is a two-person operation. Laura owns and operates the company in conjunction with her colleague Ross. We take care of you from start to finish, from booking to flying home.

Exclusive access

Through our connections we are able to arrange visits to properties that are difficult to access or normally closed to the public. When possible, we also aim to visit more well-known historical sites outside of normal opening hours to ensure an enjoyable visit.

Small groups

Many tour companies promote small group tours, but here at Wingback Travel we mean it. Our tours will never have more than 15 travelers, and some have as few as 8 to 10. This ensures access to sites that are not open to large groups on big buses and lets us use smaller, often locally-owned hotels.

Personal service

After you inquire about a tour, you will have our personal cell phone numbers and can call or text us anytime about the tour. No call centers. No robots.

Types of Tours

Our tours reflect our areas of expertise: art, gardens, interiors, and shopping. We handpick every detail, taking you only to places that we know and love.

Art & Antiques

These tours combine the knowledge and expertise of Laura Leeker (PhD Art History) and Ross Harper (antiques expert). They are split evenly between shopping and visits to cultural sites. These tours run at a more leisurely pace with some free time. We currently offer Art & Antiques trips to Paris and Provence.

Gardens & Interiors

These tours offer exclusive access to privately-owned properties, garden tours with Head Gardeners, and visits to important historical houses. Our days are full - we are out from 9am to 5pm most days. These tours offer free time only in the evenings. Accommodations include historic hotels.

What to Expect

  • Information on hotels is listed on each page. Laura and Ross are pretty picky travelers and are very discerning when it comes to hotels. We stay at 4 and 5 star hotels that are centrally located and full of character and authenticity.

  • We do our best to accommodate travelers wishing to share a room with two twin beds.

  • If you have mobility concerns, please speak with us before booking. We often stay in historic hotels that may have limited elevator and/or step-free access. If you require a walk-in shower please speak with u before booking.

  • Museum visits: Laura has several years of teaching experience. She has a unique approach to museum guiding and tries her hardest to avoid museum fatigue. Seated in a comfortable park or cafe, Laura will give you all the background information you need about where we are going. Inside the museum, Laura keeps her guiding brief, drawing your attention to objects that she finds fascinating or historically important. Laura also believes that the joy in visiting a museum is finding the objects that interest you the most. Armed with historical knowledge, you will always have time to explore and look on your own. Museum visits last no more than 1.5 hours.

  • Kindly know that Wingback Travel is not a travel agency. While we are happy to recommend ways to extend your stay and provide tips and guidance, you are ultimately responsible for booking your airfare as well as any extras not included in the tours.

Pace & Transportation

  • Our tours are structured and organized at a leisurely pace. The days are full but not rushed.

  • Travelers should be comfortable walking 8,000 steps or 3-4 miles a day, over uneven terrain, up and down stairs, and standing for up to two hours at a time. You need not be a marathon runner (it would be against our philosophy to make you break a sweat!), but you should bring comfortable shoes.

  • Our tours employ a range of transportation options including walking, private vans and minibuses, and high-speed trains depending upon the tour. Transportation to and from all antique markets is by private vehicles. If a site is near our hotel, we will often walk 10-20 minutes to get there (especially if the walk is scenic!). Each tour differs and transit specifics can be found on our tour pages. As always, if you have questions or concerns please do not hesitate to ask.