One of the most frequent questions we get on a tour is “How did you find this amazing (fill in the blank)?” Travelers are always astonished at the hidden gems we incorporate into our trips, and they are curious to know about the tour planning process.
Research is Essential
We start any planning by identifying which region we will focus on during the trip, and we are extremely specific. You will not go on a trip with us where you check off every box in Italy. We are not trying to squeeze in Rome, Florence, Venice, and Milan all in one week. We pick an area and go very in-depth into all that area offers.
“We are working on our first tour to Greece for next fall, and we chose Crete as our destination because it’s the largest island in Greece and offers a good slice of Greek culture, island charm, urban cities, amazing food, art, agriculture and history,” said Molly.
Then, we take a lot of time to become an expert in the place, especially when it is a new destination being offered to travelers. We take advantage of every resource we can find, from guidebooks (we especially love The Lonely Planet), library books, travel blogs, and websites to YouTube videos of people documenting their top five favorite things in any given area. We use some of the same resources you probably use when you plan your own trips!
The difference is that most people do not have the time it requires to amply research a destination, and we also know what we are looking for and how to properly sort through and vet all of the info that’s out there. We even dig into cookbooks of the region (Molly and Kat’s mom had a big library of cookbooks from her cooking school which are still used today for research) to find authentic dishes and customs. We seek out blogs from people who are local to the area, not just someone who has been to the region once.
“We spend a lot of time becoming an expert in a new place. We look for new things to do as well as classic bucket list items. We pay attention to activities or sites that come up repeatedly and things that are off the beaten path. There are some bucket list items such as visiting the Eiffel Tower and having a glass of champagne at the top that you simply cannot miss. But we also try to find activities and places that are different so that our travelers always have unique experiences. We love it when we can put together an itinerary that others feel they could not have done on their own,” said Molly.
The research phase of a new trip will take several weeks or months, and then it will take a few more months to put it all together with reservations, confirmations, etc. and coordinating logistics. We think of our itineraries as a big puzzle, and we need to get every piece to fit just right. This is why we do not introduce a lot of new destinations quickly and we are often telling travelers “it’s almost there!” as they wait eagerly for a new itinerary.
The Local Connection
Another way we plan our trips is by getting information from our local guides and drivers. In Europe, a travel guide is a common career path, and they go through formal training. These guides are a wealth of information because they hear regular traveler feedback so they know what people love, plus they have their own off the beaten path connections.
But we sometimes must finesse their suggestions to get them to work as a piece of the puzzle for an entire week tour. For example, a guide may suggest an activity too in-depth for our group, such as a two-hour tour of a church. We know what our customers like and how we want a day to flow, so we might suggest a half hour tour instead!
Drivers are always listening to travelers, so they are also a huge resource for us. They know the off the grid places such as a small winery up the mountain with amazing wines, noshes and views. Once we have established local connections, we stay connected with them so we are always aware of new and different things that may pop up, such as a new restaurant opening.
Go with the Flow
In addition to compiling all the information from research and locals, Molly and Kat excel at organizing the flow of each trip. “This is our favorite part of planning a trip. If everyone could have it their way, they would see and do everything, but they would also have tons of free time. It can be a challenge to balance both in a tour to give everyone a depth of experience,” said Molly.
Tours also get tweaked from year to year based on feedback and availability of venues, restaurants, markets, etc. This year, as usual, we are working around the fantastic annual San Sebastian Film Festival to plan our second tour to the Basque Country with The Chopping Blocking. Based on the days of the week the tour is scheduled to be offered, activities may get shifted around and refitting those, along with the schedules of the types of small-scale producers and restaurants we like to visit, can be a challenge!
Relying on Personal Experience
Molly and Kat also draw upon their individual experiences when planning trips. Molly once lived in Ireland and worked at Ballymaloe Cookery School. Now, we offer tours to Ireland and have a group going to Ballymaloe in June.
Kat lived in Prague for four years, so we have done trips there before, and we are planning one in December 2025 to see her favorite Central European Christmas Markets, and we will travel between the cities by train because that’s her favorite way to get around that region.
Molly went to Norway with her husband a few years back simply because there was a direct flight from their local airport to Norway. “What I was surprised to see when we got there was the apple orchards lining the fjords. My husband is an apple farmer and a member of the International Fruit Tree Association, so we brought a group from IFTA to Norway for an apple study tour last summer. This summer we are taking a group of Onward Travelers to Norway and in December we will take the IFTA group to South Africa!” said Molly.
A Cast of Characters
We like our travelers to be exposed to many different local people on our tours, because interacting with all of them gives more depth to the experience. There may not always be just one local guide but rather a compilation of local knowledge. “It’s important to us that our travelers interact with a variety of people. In my trip to Mexico this year, we had an interesting cast of characters from the hatmaker to the bed and breakfast manager who is also a musician to the artist and winemaker. We love to pull the people together!” said Molly.
In the afternoon we’ll check into The Chesterfield Mayfair. Take a little time to freshen up and then we are off to an early evening Champagne High Tea at the legendary Dorchester Hotel. As we sit in the opulent setting of The Promenade in the heart of the hotel, we’ll toast to our week of adventure ahead as we enjoy the elegant spread and welcoming service that makes this one of the world’s most famous places to drink tea. A proud member of the prestigious Tea Guild, The Dorchester is an official partner of Harney & Sons Tea and we’ll enjoy some Harney tea there today.
footsteps along the Mall, stroll the hustle and bustle of Whitehall, pass Downing Street (home to Britain’s Prime Minister), and enjoy the relative tranquillity of Horse Guard’s Parade where two of England’s most ancient ceremonies take place. We’ll visit Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey and The Houses of Parliament.
off your list. We’ll reconvene in the late afternoon to partake in one of England’s greatest traditions together: The Sunday Roast. We’ll head to a favorite neighborhood butcher restaurant, the Blacklock, where you’ll enjoy your choice of juicy charcoal roasted meat – lamb, pork or beef – accompanied by duck fat roasted potatoes, Yorkshire pudding, veggies and a rich gravy. It doesn’t get much better – or much more British – than that!
with tea expert Jane Pettigrew at the UK Tea Academy. Ms. Pettigrew, the author of sixteen books on tea, has worked in the industry for over 30 years and she teaches tea masterclasses all over the world. In 2014 she was voted Best Tea Educator at the World Tea Awards and in January 2016 she was awarded the British Empire Medal for services to Tea Production and Tea History in the UK’s New Year Honours list. We’ll spend an entire day with Jane and her team, tasting, learning and talking tea together.
be a quintessentially British dining experience, with a nod to the tea history we’ve been taking in throughout the week. Enjoy a seven course tasting menu, accompanied by fine wines, at a Michelin-starred fine dining Indian restaurant near the hotel. Whether Indian cuisine is new to you, or already a favorite, this meal will be an unforgettable experience and we’ll laugh and toast our wonderful week together as we enjoy a menagerie of flavors and beautiful, stylish presentation.
