Recommend July 2011 - (Page 47)

Opposite page and below: Kensington Tours offers heritage tours in Scotland, visiting historic sites such as the Edinburgh Castle (opposite) and Eilean Donan Castle (below). which has publications from every Scottish family history society and other publishers, plus centuries of census information and Scottish family history journals and obtain a world subscription to ancestry. com. The 7-Day Tour of Scotland combines a good portion of heritage exploration with appreciation of some of the country’s most beautiful landscapes and historical attractions, all while staying at charming hotels. The Hotel du Vin & Bistro in Edinburgh, for instance, is both adorable and ideally situated near various must-stops, including the National Museum of Scotland. In Inverness, clients stay at the awardwinning Glenmoriston House Hotel, on the banks of the River Ness. Best of all, throughout their journey they enjoy the company and assistance of a private driver-guide well versed in everything Scotland. The tour starts at roughly $5,245 pp dbl, depending on the optional activities clients might want to sign up for, and $3,995 pp when four people are traveling. digging in When it comes to ancestral tours of this type, it makes sense to go with a tour operator or company that will be able to focus on each client’s particular needs and family interests. The fact that this type of travel is often an emotional one is also a strong incentive for arranging a private experience. It’s also smart for clients to start their research before their trip so they have more than enough time during their trip to experience not just their specific family angle, but also the culture and age-old attractions that their ancestors did. Nowadays, there are increasingly accurate tools that can help, such as the Irish Ancestral Research Association or German National Tourist Office’s German Originality website. There are also several companies that will help clients perform a genealogy research and then take them on a journey of discovery. Ancestral Attic offers customized tours of any size to Eastern Europe and Poland designed around a client’s particular needs. They’ll tailor each experience so clients can visit local archives or civil offices, perhaps help them locate documents in their country of ancestry and paint a better picture of their families’ past while allowing for plenty of down time for cultural immersion. While the tours section of the company will arrange a memorable trip for them—including accommodations and transportation—while offering you 12 percent commission, their expert genealogists can jump in beforehand by conducting document searches, assisting with translations and even helping to track down long-lost relatives. Because each tour is individualized, prices are dependent on each client’s wishes. Artisans of Leisure offers private tours of Spain, Portugal, Italy and Central Europe that focus on Jewish heritage and assists clients by putting them in touch with local religious leaders, historians and other experts to help them navigate their ancestry. Jewish Heritage: Italy, priced at $18,535 pp dbl, is a 14-day peek into one of Europe’s oldest Jewish populations with a hefty dose of luxury included. Clients enjoy a glimpse of Jewish influence in local history, art and architecture while visiting Ferrara, Venice, Pisa, Livorno, Siena, Porto Ercole and Rome. Clients will get the chance to visit former Jewish ghettoes and cemeteries, explore the history of Jews in Florence and their relationship with the Medici family, visit the town of Pitigliano (also known as “Little Jerusalem” for its strong Jewish heritage) and lots more. Those wanting to delve into their Jewish ancestry without the need for on-location research can choose from a variety of heritage tours designed to provide a glimpse into a people’s experience within a particular region. Arza World has an array of Jewish heritage tours throughout Western and Eastern Europe, including The Essence of Eastern Europe, which starts at $5,389 pp dbl. The 12-day trip offers a snapshot of Jewish life in the region before, during and after World War II with overnight stays in Warsaw, Krakow, Bratislava, Budapest and Prague. The rich itinerary includes guided visits through Jewish Prague and the Warsaw Ghetto, a Shabbat dinner with members of the Jewish community in Budapest, stops at Auschwitz and Terezin and a visit to the Okapova Cemetery, one of the oldest Jewish burial grounds in the world. n Archived related articles (available on recommend.com): Ireland With Brian Moore International Tours (March 2011) contact information Ancestral Attic: (231) 420-2606; ancestralattic.com Artisans of Leisure: (800) 214-8144; artisansofleisure.com Arza World: (888) 811-2812; arzaworld.com German Originality: germanoriginality.com Irish Ancestral Research Association: tiara.ie Kensington Tours: (888) 903-2001; kensingtontours.com july 2011 47 http://www.recommend.com http://www.ancestralattic.com http://www.artisansofleisure.com http://www.arzaworld.com http://www.germanoriginality.com http://www.tiara.ie http://www.kensingtontours.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recommend July 2011

Editor's Notes
Design Hotels
Gap Adventures
Spiritual India
Experiencing the Not-So Familiar Vietnam
Sailing the Seas
New World Adventures in Food
Little Whale Cay, The Bahamas
Into the National Parks
Journeys Beyond the Ordinary
Heritage Tours to Europe
Grand Solmar at Land's End Resort & Spa

Recommend July 2011