Need to know

NEED TO KNOW

ABOUT ELEGANT

CULTURAL TOURS

Trusted Expertise for Your Cultural Journey

When you choose Elegant Cultural Tours, you place your journey in the care of a guide and a dedicated team with more than 20 years of experience and a true vocation for organizing and leading meaningful travel. Together, we combine professionalism with personal care, ensuring your trip is secure and memorable.

Our expertise rests on five pillars:

• Meticulous preparation & seamless flow– From the moment you book, you can rely on a clear and transparent process: secure payments, open communication, and step-by-step guidance so you always know what comes next. Before you leave home, you’ll receive all necessary travel information, thoughtfully prepared and enriched with insights from our trusted local partners. Your journey begins with confidence and continues with ease.
• Local connections– You benefit from our trusted relationships with partners and friends in Morocco, Cuba, Slovenia, and beyond. These connections keep us attuned to daily life and ensure you feel safe and taken care of.
• Knowledge and depth– You travel with a host whose professional background in culture, art history, pedagogy, and sociology adds richness to every story and place you encounter.
• Clarity and presence– You’ll experience history and culture in ways that are easy to follow, engaging, and often touched with humor, making complex topics accessible and alive.
• Passion and vocation– You are accompanied by someone who loves people, beauty, and the art of guiding. Every detail of your journey is shaped with care for how you will feel and what you will remember.

Your safety is always our priority.
Through our network of local partners, we stay informed about health, logistics, and security in every destination. Programs are designed to flow smoothly, so you can relax into the experience.

We are fully licensed.
Elegant Cultural Tours, Ltd. (d.o.o.) is officially registered with the Tourism and Hospitality Chamber of Slovenia (TGZS) and operates under strict EU regulations for travel agencies. Our license numbers are 2412 and 2413.

what we stand for

What matters to us is not only where we travel, but also how we are there. These are the values that guide every journey we create and every encounter along the way.

1. Meaningful and respectful relationships– We cultivate meaningful relationships with our guests. We stand for respect toward our guests, within the group, and for the people we meet on our travels.
2. A passion and deep love for what we do – We work very hard, and we feel passionate about the guests we work with and the experiences we bring to our tours.
3. Cultural travel with responsibility toward the visited culture– We observe and reflect on the impact we have on the cultures we visit. How much and how we leave our footprints – physically and culturally – is important to us.
4. Understanding the unpredictability of travel– We believe that travel is like life. Many things can change daily, even hourly. Often patience, and a readiness to understand, adapt, and learn, bring the best moments that we remember for many years to come.
5. Awareness of injustice and support for fairness– We are sensitive to the wrongs in societies and to the injustices faced by the helpless. We do as much as we can to help the beautiful people we work with earn an honest living through their good work and talents. Whenever possible, we support humanitarian projects by donating part of our profit to non-profit organizations in the countries or cities we visit.

Not all “Luxury” Means the Same

The word luxury is everywhere in travel, yet it rarely means the same thing. A journey may cost 6- 7,000 €, or 15- 20,000 €, and both will be called luxury. Where does Elegant Cultural Tours belong?

1. 6- 7,000 €
   Many tours at this level are described as boutique or luxury, yet they usually include chain hotels, group menus, generic guiding, and larger groups of 15 guests or more. There may be one highlight dinner or a single night in a renowned hotel, but most of the journey is rushed and impersonal.
2. 15- 20,000 €
   This is palace luxury. Five-star icons such as La Mamounia in Morocco or Amanjena, Michelin dining, private helicopters, exclusive VIP events. A world of glamour, prestige, and absolute comfort.
3. Elegant Cultural Tours, around 10,000 €
   We belong in between. Boutique stays with character and soul. À la carte dining chosen for elegance and atmosphere. Intimate groups of 6 to 12 guests, where each guest is seen and invited. Guiding that is not the execution of an itinerary but a lived arc of storytelling, atmosphere, and depth.

Our luxury is not marble lobbies or gold tags. It is intimacy, cultural connection, and the beauty of being part of a story.

When you choose Elegant Cultural Tours, you place your journey in the care of a guide and a dedicated team with more than 20 years of experience and a true vocation for organizing and leading meaningful travel. Together, we combine professionalism with personal care, ensuring your trip is secure and memorable.

Our expertise rests on five pillars:

• Meticulous preparation & seamless flow– From the moment you book, you can rely on a clear and transparent process: secure payments, open communication, and step-by-step guidance so you always know what comes next. Before you leave home, you’ll receive all necessary travel information, thoughtfully prepared and enriched with insights from our trusted local partners. Your journey begins with confidence and continues with ease.
• Local connections– You benefit from our trusted relationships with partners and friends in Morocco, Cuba, Slovenia, and beyond. These connections keep us attuned to daily life and ensure you feel safe and taken care of.
• Knowledge and depth– You travel with a host whose professional background in culture, art history, pedagogy, and sociology adds richness to every story and place you encounter.
• Clarity and presence– You’ll experience history and culture in ways that are easy to follow, engaging, and often touched with humor, making complex topics accessible and alive.
• Passion and vocation– You are accompanied by someone who loves people, beauty, and the art of guiding. Every detail of your journey is shaped with care for how you will feel and what you will remember.

Your safety is always our priority.
Through our network of local partners, we stay informed about health, logistics, and security in every destination. Programs are designed to flow smoothly, so you can relax into the experience.

We are fully licensed.
Elegant Cultural Tours, Ltd. (d.o.o.) is officially registered with the Tourism and Hospitality Chamber of Slovenia (TGZS) and operates under strict EU regulations for travel agencies. Our license numbers are 2412 and 2413.

What matters to us is not only where we travel, but also how we are there. These are the values that guide every journey we create and every encounter along the way.

1. Meaningful and respectful relationships– We cultivate meaningful relationships with our guests. We stand for respect toward our guests, within the group, and for the people we meet on our travels.
2. A passion and deep love for what we do – We work very hard, and we feel passionate about the guests we work with and the experiences we bring to our tours.
3. Cultural travel with responsibility toward the visited culture– We observe and reflect on the impact we have on the cultures we visit. How much and how we leave our footprints – physically and culturally – is important to us.
4. Understanding the unpredictability of travel– We believe that travel is like life. Many things can change daily, even hourly. Often patience, and a readiness to understand, adapt, and learn, bring the best moments that we remember for many years to come.
5. Awareness of injustice and support for fairness– We are sensitive to the wrongs in societies and to the injustices faced by the helpless. We do as much as we can to help the beautiful people we work with earn an honest living through their good work and talents. Whenever possible, we support humanitarian projects by donating part of our profit to non-profit organizations in the countries or cities we visit.

The word luxury is everywhere in travel, yet it rarely means the same thing. A journey may cost 6- 7,000 €, or 15- 20,000 €, and both will be called luxury. Where does Elegant Cultural Tours belong?

1. 6- 7,000 €
   Many tours at this level are described as boutique or luxury, yet they usually include chain hotels, group menus, generic guiding, and larger groups of 15 guests or more. There may be one highlight dinner or a single night in a renowned hotel, but most of the journey is rushed and impersonal.
2. 15- 20,000 €
   This is palace luxury. Five-star icons such as La Mamounia in Morocco or Amanjena, Michelin dining, private helicopters, exclusive VIP events. A world of glamour, prestige, and absolute comfort.
3. Elegant Cultural Tours, around 10,000 €
   We belong in between. Boutique stays with character and soul. À la carte dining chosen for elegance and atmosphere. Intimate groups of 6 to 12 guests, where each guest is seen and invited. Guiding that is not the execution of an itinerary but a lived arc of storytelling, atmosphere, and depth.

Our luxury is not marble lobbies or gold tags. It is intimacy, cultural connection, and the beauty of being part of a story.

ABOUT OUR
TRAVEL

The Experience of Traveling with Us

Our journeys are designed to feel fresh and personal. We are far from mass tourism and different from typical luxury tours. Traveling with Elegant Cultural Tours is like spending time with a trusted friend: elegant and well-prepared, yet also a little quirky, full of knowledge, ideas, stories, and wit.

What you can expect:

·  Moments that belong only to us– an intimate concert in a hidden courtyard, a calligraphy lesson in a riad, or sitting down to couscous with a Moroccan family on a Friday.

·  Workshops with a soul– not staged performances, but small encounters where you create with your own hands: painting tiles, folding a piece of calligraphy, tasting flavors that carry centuries of memory, or scents that inspire you.

·  Stories with color and wit– history told with humor and warmth, where kings and poets become people you feel you’ve met, and complex times make sense in simple, human ways.

·  Atmosphere that nourishes– elegant hotels, thoughtful pauses, and the kind of warmth that lets you relax fully, knowing everything is taken care of.

Places We Choose

Our journeys take you to destinations that are both vibrant and meaningful, always chosen with care, never by chance. We focus on places that offer depth, beauty, and a rhythm that feels balanced rather than rushed.

• Vibrant capitals, with pauses for calm– We spend time in inspiring cultural capitals, alive with art, history, and daily life. On longer tours, we balance the rhythm with a retreat to a quiet, remote place where you can relax and recharge.
• Relevant and beautiful, never random– We choose sites that carry cultural meaning and beauty, rather than chasing guidebook “must-sees.” Each visit is selected with care, so you experience places that matter, and always at the right moment of the day.

With Alja as Your Host

Every journey is personally led by the founder of Elegant Cultural Tours. She is a natural-born guide with over 20 years of experience. Her way of guiding combines professionalism with presence, and elegance with warmth.

• Professional and in-depth– With a background in culture, art history, pedagogy, and sociology, Alja brings context and depth to every place and story.
• A warm and personal atmosphere– Journeys bring a feel of home: attentive care, emotional presence, and genuine love for art, culture, and creativity.
• Stories brought to life– History is never distant or dry. Kings, poets, and complex times become human through vivid detail, humor, and wit.
• Interactive discovery- Guests are invited to take part: from guessing how to recognize a Berber from an Arab, to uncovering playful cultural “homework” that makes learning fun.

Never impersonal or cold– Knowledge is shared full-heartedly: passionate, accessible, and alive with meaning.

 

The Slow Rhythm of Our Journeys

Our philosophy is grounded: less program, better quality. We don’t believe in “see everything, do everything” itineraries. Instead, we take you mostly to the places we truly love, and those deserve time, presence, and care.

At each of these, we slow down.

We sip tea or coffee with a slice of cake. We savor great food with excellent wine. We pause in awe before an unforgettable painting. We listen to a piece of music that stays with you. We linger in a garden, gallery, or museum collection. We glide in a gondola and let ourselves be carried into Venice of 300 years ago. We learn three steps of the Viennese Waltz and use them to dance the night away.

We take our rose-time, quiet moments to stop, breathe, and smell the roses.

Emotions need time to unfold and deepen. And we give them the space.

We also plan free time in beautiful settings, so you can wander at your own pace, follow your curiosity, and let the place speak to you. And of course, we are nearby with suggestions and insider tips whenever you would like a gentle nudge.

How Days Unfold

This is an example of how a day on an Elegant Cultural Tour might look. It does not mean that every day, or every tour, will follow the same rhythm. Some days are fuller, more dynamic, and diverse, while others are slower and lighter.

• Each guest begins the morning in their own way.

• Most days, our group program starts after breakfast, usually around 9 or 10 am.

• We spend about three hours together in the morning program.

• Lunch is sometimes organized as a group, and sometimes left for you to enjoy at leisure (see the program of your selected tour for details).

• After lunch, there is usually an hour of free time, often a Mediterranean-style siesta.

• Afternoon activities last another two to three hours.

• The late afternoon and evening vary from day to day and from destination to destination.

Exceptions
On days when we transfer between cities, the rhythm changes. In Morocco, for example, distances require longer travel days, but we balance these with relaxing free days in between. Longer journeys are softened with stories, conversations, music, and occasional visits along the way.

Hands-On Moments

Our workshops are not just a creative addition, but an essential part of Elegant Cultural Tours. They open space for you to pause, discover, and connect with yourself, with fellow guests, and with a local master who shares their craft.

• For every level. You don’t need to be an artist to join. Each workshop is adapted to the group’s wishes, from total beginners to those with experience.
• Authentic settings. Sessions take place in inspiring environments, with professional tools and the gentle guidance of local masters.
• A deeper connection to culture. Each workshop is thoughtfully placed within the journey, chosen to bring you closer to the visited place, the country and its traditions.
• Awakening creativity. You may discover something new and invigorating, or rekindle a talent that has been resting quietly, waiting to return.
• A personal keepsake. Guests leave with something they have made with their own hands, a unique reminder of the journey and the culture.
• All materials provided. Everything you need is prepared for you. For some tours, we send a simple supply list together with your information letter.

If you prefer not to join a workshop, we kindly ask you to let us know when booking. This helps us plan your time and experience with care.

Boutique Hotels and Elegant Stays

Where you stay is part of how you experience a place. The right atmosphere can deepen the sense of culture, beauty, and presence, which is why our accommodations are carefully chosen for their character and location.

We look for places with ambiance and elegance, often boutique in style, and always in the heart of the city. Staying in the center allows our guests to dive into daily life and feel like locals, even for a short time.

Occasionally, we may need to compromise if the places we love are not available or if the destination has limited options. When this happens, we always prioritize quality, aesthetic pleasure, and harmony with our values, so the stay still reflects what Elegant Cultural Tours stands for.

Our accommodations usually include

• Four- or five-star authentic and elegant hotels
• Bed and breakfast basis
• Central location within the city
• Rooms with air conditioning or heating
• A style and quality in line with our values

In Cuba
When traveling in Cuba, we use two types of stays: selected four- or five-star hotels, and boutique colonial private homes (called casas particulares). These private homes, always on a bed-and-breakfast basis, offer a more intimate way to experience Cuban life.

The Beauty of Real Travel

Our guests can expect travel in real time, with all its challenges and surprises. At Elegant Cultural Tours we believe that we journey to see the world as it is: to encounter new cultures, experience unfamiliar moments, and discover fresh insights.

We travel elegantly, but never in a bubble. We meet cultures as they are, with respect for their traditions and customs. If a country’s standards are different from those at home, we accept this with understanding and with appreciation for the efforts local people make to welcome us.

For us, authenticity is part of the beauty of travel. It allows us not only to see new places, but to feel them as they truly are.

Our journeys are designed to feel fresh and personal. We are far from mass tourism and different from typical luxury tours. Traveling with Elegant Cultural Tours is like spending time with a trusted friend: elegant and well-prepared, yet also a little quirky, full of knowledge, ideas, stories, and wit.

What you can expect:

·  Moments that belong only to us– an intimate concert in a hidden courtyard, a calligraphy lesson in a riad, or sitting down to couscous with a Moroccan family on a Friday.

·  Workshops with a soul– not staged performances, but small encounters where you create with your own hands: painting tiles, folding a piece of calligraphy, tasting flavors that carry centuries of memory, or scents that inspire you.

·  Stories with color and wit– history told with humor and warmth, where kings and poets become people you feel you’ve met, and complex times make sense in simple, human ways.

·  Atmosphere that nourishes– elegant hotels, thoughtful pauses, and the kind of warmth that lets you relax fully, knowing everything is taken care of.

Our journeys take you to destinations that are both vibrant and meaningful, always chosen with care, never by chance. We focus on places that offer depth, beauty, and a rhythm that feels balanced rather than rushed.

• Vibrant capitals, with pauses for calm– We spend time in inspiring cultural capitals, alive with art, history, and daily life. On longer tours, we balance the rhythm with a retreat to a quiet, remote place where you can relax and recharge.
• Relevant and beautiful, never random– We choose sites that carry cultural meaning and beauty, rather than chasing guidebook “must-sees.” Each visit is selected with care, so you experience places that matter, and always at the right moment of the day.

Every journey is personally led by the founder of Elegant Cultural Tours. She is a natural-born guide with over 20 years of experience. Her way of guiding combines professionalism with presence, and elegance with warmth.

• Professional and in-depth– With a background in culture, art history, pedagogy, and sociology, Alja brings context and depth to every place and story.
• A warm and personal atmosphere– Journeys bring a feel of home: attentive care, emotional presence, and genuine love for art, culture, and creativity.
• Stories brought to life– History is never distant or dry. Kings, poets, and complex times become human through vivid detail, humor, and wit.
• Interactive discovery- Guests are invited to take part: from guessing how to recognize a Berber from an Arab, to uncovering playful cultural “homework” that makes learning fun.

Never impersonal or cold– Knowledge is shared full-heartedly: passionate, accessible, and alive with meaning.

 

Our philosophy is grounded: less program, better quality. We don’t believe in “see everything, do everything” itineraries. Instead, we take you mostly to the places we truly love, and those deserve time, presence, and care.

At each of these, we slow down.

We sip tea or coffee with a slice of cake. We savor great food with excellent wine. We pause in awe before an unforgettable painting. We listen to a piece of music that stays with you. We linger in a garden, gallery, or museum collection. We glide in a gondola and let ourselves be carried into Venice of 300 years ago. We learn three steps of the Viennese Waltz and use them to dance the night away.

We take our rose-time, quiet moments to stop, breathe, and smell the roses.

Emotions need time to unfold and deepen. And we give them the space.

We also plan free time in beautiful settings, so you can wander at your own pace, follow your curiosity, and let the place speak to you. And of course, we are nearby with suggestions and insider tips whenever you would like a gentle nudge.

This is an example of how a day on an Elegant Cultural Tour might look. It does not mean that every day, or every tour, will follow the same rhythm. Some days are fuller, more dynamic, and diverse, while others are slower and lighter.

• Each guest begins the morning in their own way.

• Most days, our group program starts after breakfast, usually around 9 or 10 am.

• We spend about three hours together in the morning program.

• Lunch is sometimes organized as a group, and sometimes left for you to enjoy at leisure (see the program of your selected tour for details).

• After lunch, there is usually an hour of free time, often a Mediterranean-style siesta.

• Afternoon activities last another two to three hours.

• The late afternoon and evening vary from day to day and from destination to destination.

Exceptions
On days when we transfer between cities, the rhythm changes. In Morocco, for example, distances require longer travel days, but we balance these with relaxing free days in between. Longer journeys are softened with stories, conversations, music, and occasional visits along the way.

Our workshops are not just a creative addition, but an essential part of Elegant Cultural Tours. They open space for you to pause, discover, and connect with yourself, with fellow guests, and with a local master who shares their craft.

• For every level. You don’t need to be an artist to join. Each workshop is adapted to the group’s wishes, from total beginners to those with experience.
• Authentic settings. Sessions take place in inspiring environments, with professional tools and the gentle guidance of local masters.
• A deeper connection to culture. Each workshop is thoughtfully placed within the journey, chosen to bring you closer to the visited place, the country and its traditions.
• Awakening creativity. You may discover something new and invigorating, or rekindle a talent that has been resting quietly, waiting to return.
• A personal keepsake. Guests leave with something they have made with their own hands, a unique reminder of the journey and the culture.
• All materials provided. Everything you need is prepared for you. For some tours, we send a simple supply list together with your information letter.

If you prefer not to join a workshop, we kindly ask you to let us know when booking. This helps us plan your time and experience with care.

Where you stay is part of how you experience a place. The right atmosphere can deepen the sense of culture, beauty, and presence, which is why our accommodations are carefully chosen for their character and location.

We look for places with ambiance and elegance, often boutique in style, and always in the heart of the city. Staying in the center allows our guests to dive into daily life and feel like locals, even for a short time.

Occasionally, we may need to compromise if the places we love are not available or if the destination has limited options. When this happens, we always prioritize quality, aesthetic pleasure, and harmony with our values, so the stay still reflects what Elegant Cultural Tours stands for.

Our accommodations usually include

• Four- or five-star authentic and elegant hotels
• Bed and breakfast basis
• Central location within the city
• Rooms with air conditioning or heating
• A style and quality in line with our values

In Cuba
When traveling in Cuba, we use two types of stays: selected four- or five-star hotels, and boutique colonial private homes (called casas particulares). These private homes, always on a bed-and-breakfast basis, offer a more intimate way to experience Cuban life.

Our guests can expect travel in real time, with all its challenges and surprises. At Elegant Cultural Tours we believe that we journey to see the world as it is: to encounter new cultures, experience unfamiliar moments, and discover fresh insights.

We travel elegantly, but never in a bubble. We meet cultures as they are, with respect for their traditions and customs. If a country’s standards are different from those at home, we accept this with understanding and with appreciation for the efforts local people make to welcome us.

For us, authenticity is part of the beauty of travel. It allows us not only to see new places, but to feel them as they truly are.

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