A morning drive from St.Clara to Havana, Cuba
Old-timers all round- every few kilometres at least
#oldcars #aljaguiding #elegant_cultural_tours #visitcuba #grouptours #culturaltravel #culturetrip #bbctravel #vintagestyle #explorecuba #cubanstyle #americancars
A HIGHLIGHT OF TONIGHT’S FANTASTIC CONCERT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH FLORIDA’S CHAMBER SINGERS
(Directed by Tara Tasher)
At beautiful Ljubljana’s Cathedral
(Was crying through the whole song 🥹 like rain 😭)
#choirmusic #choir #liveconcert #livesinging #culture #concertlive #luxurytours #boutiquetravel #bbcmusic #bbcthree
A SMALL DOMESTICATED COLIBRI (Hummingbird)
I had never seen it so close and in a public place (a restaurant garden, low above the tables)
The owner told me this one is already the third generation living in the same nest... and at the moment it has an offspring of two
♥️⚜️♥️
This is amazing Cuba, and its wonderful birds
🎥 Video by Alja for Elegant Cultural Tours
#aljaguiding #culturaltourism #grouptour #hummingbird #nature #amazinganimals #visitcuba #visithavana #explorecuba #bbctravel #cnntravel #forbestravelguide #openmyworld #birdstagram #amazingnature #hummingbird #colibries
SOMETIMES WE EXPLORE MOROCCO
In a real Berber van, with beautiful Berber music playing and many Moroccan symbols on the front screen (you can see the Moroccan national flag in many versions, as well as a Berber flag- many colors)
🎥 video by Alja for Elegant Cultural Tours
#aljaguiding #grouptours #guidedtours #boutiquetravel #exploremorocco #visitmorocco #openmyworld #bbctravel #cnntravel #forbestravelguide #specialtours #culturatour #culturetrip #marrakech #womentravel #womentravelers #authenticexperience #sheisnotlost #tours #smallgrouptours #guidedtour #heritage #grouptravel
NOT EVERYBODY EXPERIENCE THE MOROCCAN MOUNTAINS
In a Berber van, with Berber music and many lucky charms at the front screen :-)
🎥 Video by Alja for Elegant Cultural Tours
#aljaguiding #grouptours #moroccotravel #authenticexperience #boutiquetravel #culturaltours #exploremorocco #visitmorocco #marrakech #culturetrip #openmyworld #womentravel #bbctravel #cnntravel #travelguide #culture #culturevulture #forbestravelguide #heritage #grandtour #guidedtours #travelexperiences #realtravel
THE WONDERFUL SETTING CASTILLO DEL MORRO FORTRESS IN SANTIAGO, CUBA
17th century Spanish fortress hosts some interesting activities- from concerts to shooting videos :-) this time we were at the scene of a candid concert
🎥 video by Alja for Elegant Cultural Tours
#aljaguiding #cuba #santiagodecuba #cubatravel #explorecuba #visitcuba #travel #grouptour #boutiquetravel #luxurytours #onedestination #passionpassport #beauty #elegant #instatravel #culturetrip #seetheworld #concert #culturaltour #cubatravel
MAGIC DOESN'T ONLY HAPPEN ON THE SURFACE
This is a live Nativity scene deep in the underground of Slovenian Karst - in the famous @postojnacave
And only in this time of the year...
Can you feel the magic?
🎥 by @postojnacave
#elegantculturaltours #aljaguiding #postojnacave #ifeelslovenia #visitslovenia #slovenia #caves #festiveseason #nativityscene #specialevents
THAT FEELING WHEN YOU ARE ON A PLANE, JUST STARTING THE ENGINES...
... and you look outside... and see your suitcase leaving :-)
Oh, I just had to share this post from earlier today 🤣🤣🤣
Do you also see the fun in it, or you feel anger and imagine your holiday without your clothes?
Video by @viralhog
#elegantculturaltours #aljaguiding #travel #suitcasetravels #letsgo #morocco #cuba #vienna #veniceitaly #slovenia #europetravel #airport
EVENINGS ARE THE BEST- no?!
Especially if you can spend them in the desert camp of the Moroccan Sahara
What do you love doing in the evening the most? And what about when you are traveling?
🎥 Video by @merzouga_luxury_desert_camps__
#elegantculturaltours #aljaguiding #luxuryexperience #desertexperience #grouptour #specialexperience #visitmorocco #exploremorocco #moroccotravel #saharadesertmorocco #merzougadunes #desertadventure #elegant #boutiquetravel #specialevents #marrakech #culturaltour #culturetrip #culturaltravel #luxurytour
BECAUSE WHERE ELSE WOULD YOU WANT TO LISTEN TO LIVE MUSIC IN MOROCCO THAN IN ESSAOUIRA?!
It is the town of famous musicians and an International gnawa festival after all
Adorable main square will welcome you in any time of the day, but it is in its best in the evening light and with live music of the local artists
⚜️ Video by Alja for Elegant Cultural Tours- enjoy the song ♥️🎶🎵
#elegantculturaltours #aljaguiding #visitmorocco #essaouira #essaouiratrips #morocco #moroccotravel #inmorocco #grouptours #guidedtours #exploremorocco #moroccanmusic #culturetour #culturaltours #explore #music #marrakech #casablanca #simplymorocco #instamorocco #guidedtour #travel #northafrica
A lovely mid-day on our tour last week. In the South of Morocco... a world famous filming place and a UNESCO world heritage site.
We experience it for the first time so calm and quiet at this time of the day and the year... beautiful!
#elegantculturaltours #aljaguiding #grouptours #travelmorocco #aitbenhaddou #visitmorocco #southmorocco #moroccotrip #boutiquetravel #luxurytravel #specialplaces #moroccovacation #smallgrouptours #northafrica #unesco #travelmorocco #marrakech #saharadesert #instamorocco
A WONDERFUL BEFORE-THE-STORM PIRAN ON SLOVENIAN COAST
It is a quiet Sunday afternoon, cafés and restaurants are open, visitors are not many… but there is very few towns so pleasant on a Sunday afternoon around here
You can visit Piran with some of our tours :-) and walk the narrow alleys and enjoy your coffee at the main square… in general you will feel like in Venice (with a Slavic twist)!
⚜️ Alja
DO YOU ALSO LIKE ELEGANT CAFÉS?
We promise you will love this one- the Wonderful Café Florian @caffeflorian on the only Piazza in Venice- Piazza San Marco.
We also promise a handsome selection of teas and infusions should this be your thing :-)
Are you packed? Ready? Let's travel :-)
Video @travelinggentleman
IN ISLAM MANUAL LABOR ISN'T JUST A WORK, BUT ALSO A MEDITATION AND CONTEMPLATION OF GOD
For us, at Elegant Cultural Tours understanding the visual expressions in a culture is very important- because it explains so much (especially the traditional arts and crafts) about how the local culture perceives the self and the world.
In this example of a sketch for a moroccan mosaic, the geometrical forms are put together in a beautiful shape of a star (one of the main elements of every mosaic). The pattern is organized so that it can be continued, or put together with another same pattern and can form a whole extensive net of patterns that are all the equal, but there can be as many as needed for the decoration... in one way those patterns represent the infinite universe, made of smaller parts like our own world.
Many times we organize a hands-on workshop of drawing a preparatory sketch for a mosaic when in Morocco. In this way we get familiar with the main elements and shapes, learn about the colors and what they represent, as well as dive deeper into planning and executing a traditional Moroccan pattern!
Making one such drawing is easier than one expects and harder than it looks like :-)
The best part of a worksop is the first-hand experience of indulging in creative making of something very traditionally Moroccan... and the second- you have a beautiful hand-made souvenir that will remind you of your travel and adventures in this fantastic country- and it is now hanging on your wall at home :-)
And all in all- it is a very relaxing and fun thing to do- in a traditional environment, with a cup of Moroccan tea on the side and some freshly baked cookies... we train our brain and our hands to be a bit more Moroccan :-) and we then really appreciate all that mosaics in Morocco even more. It is a definite win-win situation for our guests and they usually love the experience!
@katie_in_arizona
THE FACADES OF TRIESTE, Italy :-)
The times of the Austrians (1382 till 1918!) left a decisive mark on the city. You can see it in the architecture, as well as with the people- the Triestinians aren't like the rest of Italians. They seem to be a bit more reserved and serious :-) maybe due to the turbulent history (sitting on the very border between the East and the West of Europe), or it could be just the geography- the strong North-Eastern (cold) wind called Bora demands all the strength form a person to just walk down the street... and then you don't have much energy left for loud talking and lively partying... who knows :-)
In the video- a terrace of the famous Harry's bar and a facade of the Grand hotel Duchi d'Aosta, on the main square Plazza dell' Unitá d'Italia, just next door to the Comune di Trieste iconic building.
Do you like it?
A JOLLY ANNOUNCEMENT FROM UNESCO'S COMITEE TODAY
The world is richer for 4 new sites on the UNESCO's heritage list :-) and ...
...
SO PROUD TO SAY-
Slovenia's most famous architect Jože Plečnik and the many projects he did between the two wars in Ljubljana had made it to the list earlier today on a session held online and chaired from China :-)
It might not sound like much, but this is only the 5th UNESCO enlisted property in Slovenia (yes, still a long way to catch China or Italy with their 55 sites, but hey- Slovenia is doing the walk :-D he he he)
This was a mega project that lasted years and years of research and preparation of the documents for UNESCO... and we all profited- many new data was published and discovered regarding Plečnik's work and ideas!(And we adore new stories and interesting insights!)
Congratulations to everybody who were involved and helped make this happen :-)
In this video- freshly enlisted part of Plečnik's heritage to Slovenians- the serene and classical main entrance to the Žale cemetery of Ljubljana (in our opinion one of the most elegant architectures in this part of Europe)
THE PLACE TO VISIT AND EXPERIENCE WHEN IN MARRAKECH!
With its luxury and elegant atmosphere it is probably the best of the best of riads that Marrakech can offer... and rightfully so- every step of the way in Royal Mansou is an adventure for all senses and a treat of beauty
What was the best hotel you ever visited? And what did you like so much in it?
Video via @royalmansour
AHH- THAT MUSIC AND THAT BUILDING... do you also get a feel of decadence and a rich art milieu?!
Vienna has so much to offer to those of you (and us) that adore art and beauty!
Just, please- would you take a look at the MAK (Museum of Applied Arts) building's inner courtyard!
One would have thought it was built in a renaissance time Italy, but no- it sits on the side of the Viennese Ring Road boulevard (at Stubenring section). And it has been, ever since its opening in 1871!
It is hard to say what here we adore more- the building, or its rich expositions! But gladly none of us has to decide... a visit in a MAK is always a real treat!
(Just imagine all that fantastic Bidermeier furniture, Gustav Klimt's preparatory cartoons for many grand works, baroque porcelain of Austria, Bohemian and Venetian glass, Flemish and Italian lace,silver, and carpets... as well as Chinese porcelain and Japanese colored woodcuts...!!!)
Who is coming with us to our boutique tour to Vienna to visit that treasury of design, arts, crafts and architecture?!
Beautiful video by @viennabylocals
AFTER THE LIVE WALK YESTERDAY-I DID GET THE 80%CHOCOLATE VEGAN ICE-CREAM
It is my favorite in Ljubljana
What is your favorite flavor?! Is it fruit or creme?
#icecream #elegantculturaltours #aljaguiding #boutiquetravel #foodtravel #travelforfood #desserttime #dessert #chocolate #foodie #localfood #travel #culturetrip #theculturetrip #travelauthentic #discover #hometown #traveltips #visitljubljana #ljubljana #slovenia
TOMORROW, OUR INSTAGRAM LIVE VIRTUAL WALK
On a surprise location
At around 13-14h Central EU time
Video will be available later in our IGTV channel and in a post
Joins us... and invite some friends also :-)
See you tomorrow
Alja
#virtualwalk #livevirtualwalkingtour #virtual #virtualwalk #livevirtualwalk #localguide #joinus #joinustomorrow #comewithus #elegantculturaltours #aljaguiding #letsgo #secretplace
