JoEllen Schuleman and her husband in Pylimo Choral Synagogue in Vilnius, Lithuania.

Thank you Leigh for such an engaging and active vacation. Our two-week Baltics vacation was filled with private tours, amazing guides, delicious food, and well-located hotels. Our trip started in Vilnius, Lithuania at the Hotel Pacai. We had a large room in a renovated palace. Great location, walking distance to everywhere. We had two whirlwind days of touring. Some of our favorite highlights were a private guide tour of the Holocaust Museum by an Austrian volunteer, and the food tour. Our guide, who grew up in Soviet-occupied Lithuania, shared how the food and culture were shaped and what it was like during the transition to independence. Next, we drove to Riga, Latvia via the Hill of Crosses and Rundale Palace. We had a docent-guided tour of Rundale Palace, first commissioned by the Duchy of Courland, which the Russian Empire annexed, and the palace became one of the residences of the Russian Tsars.

The Grand Kempinski in Riga was our favorite hotel. We were upgraded to a suite and had a warm welcome. Riga, Latvia, had several memorable moments, but two surprise curator tours (Museum of Occupation and Latvian Art Museum) were a true highlight. Our guide took us to the Bikernieki Memorial in Riga. This wasn’t on our agenda, but is not to be missed. It was moving and emblematic how the Jewish Community was slaughtered during the occupation. We had some great meals and especially enjoyed Milda, a restaurant Leigh suggested.

Next stop was Tallinn, Estonia via Parnu as a seaside resort. Unfortunately, the weather wasn’t cooperating, so we took a quick walk to see the beach and went on to our destination, the Nunne Hotel. Well located at the entrance to the old town, this too was a historic hotel. Very modern and lacking storage space, it would not be our first choice. Our guide did a stellar job showing us the highlights of the old town and pointing our places we might want to visit in our free time.

Soon it was time for our ferry to Helsinki. Leigh booked us in business class, which made for a relaxing crossing. We stayed at the Hotel Kamp, which, sadly, was in the middle of extensive renovations. The room was well-appointed and comfortable, and the staff were lovely. Our guide walked us from one end to the other, sharing what made Helsinki unique. We enjoyed the museums, library, rock church, and beautiful parks.

All in all we learned more about a dark period in history and the resilience of the people. It was a great vacation and we are grateful to Leigh and all of our guides and drivers for sharing their expertise and cities with us.

My family and I had a delightful trip to Vilnius, Riga, and Berlin thanks to expert planning by Leigh. It is our third trip with her colleagues, and I continue to be impressed. I highly recommend the Baltics—the scenery is beautiful and the capital cities charming.

We had visited Tallin, Estonia on a prior trip and were curious to see the other Baltic capitols. Vilnius is a charming, Gothic and Baroque city with a sophisticated dining scene with numerous Michelin-starred restaurants. The shopping streets were lined with lovely shops. We enjoyed the day trip to Trakai Castle on an island and lunch at a local restaurant.

Leigh suggested a driver from Vilnius to Riga and a stop at the magnificent Baroque Rundale Palace in Latvia—Catherine The Great and other movies were shot here. We also enjoyed the lovely streets and sights of Old Town Riga. We walked the beautiful Art Nouveau architecture area of Riga.

We enjoyed history-laden Berlin. We only had two full days but Leigh’s plan of one day of a walking tour and the other driving tour allowed us to see quite a lot.

Leigh’s guides were impressive—friendly, welcoming, smart and extremely knowledgeable and perfectly fluent in English. The tour plans in each city were ideal. We saw so much of each locale. All our airport pick-ups and transfers went smoothly. Each driver was early and excellent. We enjoyed all three hotels. Each was well-located and had a lovely staff with delicious breakfasts included. The rooms were large and nicely appointed.

We had outstanding meals in each city—Leigh’s company has curated very helpful restaurant and sightseeing lists. I am always happy to use one of Wendy’s destination experts—I can relax knowing that we’ll see the sights, eat well and stay a in a well-chosen hotel—better than stressing and hoping things go well!

Traveler Michael Ruma shot this photo from his porch at Finland’s Arctic TreeHouse Hotel.

My wife said she’d like to see the aurora borealis and with Wendy’s help, we were quickly introduced to Leigh. Never having visited Scandinavia, we leaned heavily on Leigh’s knowledge of the country’s landscape, culture, and food scene. Leigh quickly answered our call, listened carefully to our wants and needs, and created a delightful week of fun in Finland.

Getting to Finland involved a luxurious and efficient flight on FinnAir. Their business-class product was excellent, with superior service to U.S. air carriers. Landing in Finland during winter quickly introduces you to life in the Arctic. Cloudy, gray, and snow covered, we made our way to Hotel Maria, where we received a beautiful upgrade to a Serene Suite. Our room with muted gray walls and plush fabrics throughout created a calming atmosphere with classical piano playing softly on a perfectly integrated, audiophile-quality sound system built into a control panel operating the lights, blinds, and temperature settings. Opened at the beginning of 2024, the sparkling-new hotel provided a beautiful environment as our home base to explore the country’s capital.

Hello…Helsinki. Fortunately, we did not have to worry about managing any language barrier, as citizens in Finland generally speak three languages, Finnish, Swedish and English. On our first afternoon, we were met by a private guide who introduced us to the well-laid out and easily walkable city of Helsinki. We utilized the superior public tram system, visiting the Helsinki Cathedral, its main esplanade with glamorous shopping and dining, and the national library. Finland has one of the highest literacy rates in the world and it is no doubt seeing their citizens enjoy the incredible library, which acts as a social and educational hub for the community. Receiving a guide on the dining in Helsinki prior to arrival, we sampled several Finnish traditional dishes, including reindeer filet and smoked salmon soup at a traditional restaurant, Kuu.

The following day, after a scrumptious breakfast at the Hotel Maria, we ventured out to see the Fortress of Suomenlinna. Catching the first ferry at sunrise was a delight watching our ship cruise through an ice-filled bay. Built in the 18th century, Helsinki’s harbor fortress was an impressive demonstration of defensive architecture and a refreshing walk during the winter, which is undoubtedly gorgeous in the summer months. At the end of our morning walking tour, we enjoyed lunch at the Old Market Hall, the oldest food hall in Helsinki dating back to 1889. After visiting with numerous vendors, sampling reindeer jerky and a variety of cookies, we sat down at a fish vendor to try some fresh salmon sashimi and langoustine soup. In the afternoon, we retired to the hotel for a massage and our first experience with the Finnish sauna. The sauna layout at the Hotel Maria is decadent, with steam and dry sauna rooms along with a cold plunge pool and two different temperature hot tubs.

The next day, we hopped an easy flight to Rovaniemi, which lies directly on the latitude of the Arctic Circle. An efficient, private transfer brought us to the Arctic TreeHouse Hotel. Met with warm blueberry juice, we checked into our GlassHouse suite. Our room had a centrally located living room with an enclosed wood-burning stove along with two bathrooms, one of which had our very own dry sauna.

Advised to download the Aurora app, we learned about the KP index, which predicts the probability of witnessing the northern lights. Fortunately, after dinner at the hotel, a notification from the app informed us at 9pm the chance was high! A bit tired, but intent on seeing the natural phenomenon, we bundled up, hiked up a trail to a 50-foot observation tower specifically designed for viewing the lights. Finnish myths say the lights are caused when a fox runs across the arctic landscape whipping up snow from its tail, sparking the lights in the night sky. Regardless of the cause, we were blessed by an hour display of a gray hazy line emerging in the distance and evolving into a bright green glow right in front of our eyes. As we watched and photographed the sky, the lights blew around us along our walk back to our room. Thrilled and chilled by the experience, we stopped to show all the hotel staff our photos while warming up with a drink at the bar.

Our next two days were filled with other Arctic adventures, which included an exciting jaunt by snowmobile to learn how to ice fish on a frozen lake and then dog sledding on a snowy day in the beautiful and vast northern Finnish countryside. We concluded our trip with a train ride from Rovaniemi back to Helsinki. Unfortunately, the Finnish Aviation Union was on strike the day of our return flight, but we found the train ride to be quite enjoyable, catching up on some unread books and unwatched movies. Honestly, when we return to Finland, we plan on booking the overnight train which has comfortable sleeper cars with private bathroom and shower, which will certainly be a great adventure.

On our last day in Helsinki, we hit the esplanade and shopped at Iittala for classic glassware and Marimekko for stylish home goods. We splurged and dined at Restaurant Savoy on our last night, which was designed by architects Aino and Alvar Aalto who are famous for the iconic, birch wood, curved, 3-legged stool.

We would happily come back to Finland for a future visit either in the winter to take in the unique night sky, but this time much further north, or during the summer to take in the lively and sunny long days in Helsinki filled with so much to see, taste, and do.

Delighted by its vast country, small polite population, and compact capital, its seasonally focused food, and its matter-of-fact and kind people. We had such fun in Finland.

We are spending the year traveling, and Georgia has been one of the highlights. To start, it is one of the most scenically beautiful countries, with mountains, rivers, wine country, vistas, etc. If there is a “boring part,” we certainly did not see it. The range of activities and sites to visit was extremely broad. We saw cave dwellings carved out of mountains, dating back to 1,000 B.C.E, more “modern” cave dwellings dating to the 12th century, sixth century churches, wine country and culture distinct from anywhere else we’ve visited. Georgian history is long and storied, and it seems that everyone there is both well-versed in and proud of it. We learned about the early adoption and spread of Christianity (300s C.E.), the clash of empires (Ottoman, Persian, Russian), and the Soviet occupation and post-Soviet struggles/civil war. We spent 8 days and could easily have spent another week, given all there was to do and learn. The food and wine were wonderful (we will be searching out Georgian restaurants in the U.S.), and Anna is head and shoulders the best guide we have ever had. Her mission is not solely to parade you through sites but to educate you about all things Georgian. On many trips, there are typically one or two “meh” experiences that in hindsight you could have skipped. This trip had none of those. We thank Jody Ricottone for understanding our wide range of interests and matching us with the perfect guide.

Given all there is to do and see, we probably tried to fit too much into our short visit, and our days were long. We often got to places after dark, which is not ideal, especially given some of the roads or the scenery that we missed. The hotels were good and the service was what you would expect at nice establishments. Most people had at least a few words of English, and many could communicate easily. Given the good care taken of us, we never felt uneasy or at a loss.

A number of people wondered whether the war between Russian and Ukraine might create problems in Georgia. That conflict is far away, and we did not encounter any issues (except for some anti-Putin graffiti). What we learned about the war and Putin strengthened our support for Ukraine. Putin has stirred up so much trouble in the former Soviet republics, we believe he must be stopped. There were more Russians in Georgia than usual, but there are always a lot of Russians in Georgia given their proximity and history. If this is a worry, I would cross it off the list, as it had no impact on our trip.

Based on all we learned about Georgia and its history, we would also now like to visit Armenia and Azerbaijan, or at least Baku, the capital. The histories and people of this region are intertwined over the millennia, especially Georgia and Armenia. Armenia, we learned, chose to remain close to Russia while Georgians chose democracy – interesting contrast.

We definitely would like to return, perhaps to hike in the mountains and see parts of Georgia we did not get to. One thing to note is that Georgia is not cheap. Thus, don’t go thinking you can get a great meal for $5. Having said that, it is not expensive by American standards. The sights and history are truly amazing, and you just need to go in with the appropriate expectations.

A note about Covid — during Fall 2022 Covid felt like an afterthought. The weather was lovely and we spent most of our time outdoors. Indoor restaurants and museums were not crowded. We were often some of the few tourists present. Georgians were really happy to see us visit!

We spent a wonderful week in southern Norway in late June with the help of Leigh.  Our trip, which we booked through the WOW List 2+ years ago, was originally scheduled for the summer 2020, but—like many other travelers—we had to put it on hold for two years, thanks to COVID. When Norway reopened earlier this year, we reached out to Leigh again and she immediately modified the itinerary to suit our new schedule.

Our trip started in Bergen, followed by a fjord cruise with an overnight in Balestrand, then on to Flam for the Flamsbana and the train to Oslo, where we spent several days. The hotels Leigh booked were all outstanding, her restaurant recommendations included lots of variety and different price points. Our tour guides in Bergen and Oslo were both excellent.

A couple of standout moments for us:
• Leigh encouraged us to break up our “Norway in a Nutshell” experience with an overnight at the historic Kviknes Hotel in Balestrand. We are so glad she did! Having free time to appreciate the tiny fjord town was a wonderful addition to the trip.
• The week before we were leaving, I read an article about the just-opened National Museum in Oslo. Even though it was last-minute and I knew it was hard to get tickets, I asked Leigh if we could add it to our itinerary, which she did.

A note regarding COVID: Since we are both vaccinated and boosted and wear our masks most of the time, we were not too concerned about COVID. I would note that very few locals wore masks since all restrictions in the country had been lifted.

I think Norway is the perfect destination for someone concerned about COVID right now. Many of the best activities are outdoors in nature and most restaurants have outdoor seating. Besides, it is a beautiful country with spectacular scenery. We will definitely go back since we only scratched the surface.

Just back from Russia and the Baltics … when I saw a three week window open on my calendar recently I made a very last minute decision to go to Russia … Greg and Stella put together a fabulous and interesting itinerary (encouraging me to add Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia) expedited my visa application and guided me through all of the covid related hoops going from country to country … when my own covid test results didn’t come through in time for my initial departure, Stella found and set up an appointment for a rapid test 5 minutes from my ATL hotel the morning of departure, thereby saving me a potential delay in leaving for the trip. As for the trip itself, I had a blast. Every single detail was taken care of, the extraordinary experiences (behind the scenes at the theatre in Moscow, dinner in the home of a lovely young woman in Suzdal, theatre tickets, a boat trip in St Petersburg, chocolate making class in Estonia, I can’t remember them all) were each phenomenal. Guides, drivers, covid testing and hotels all perfectly arranged and top notch. Thank you Greg and Stella for a very memorable return to travel after 20 months at home due to covid restrictions (both here and abroad) and to one of the places that has been on my list for a long time. I’ve already got designs on my next trip!

Bucket list, check, check!

Thanks to Leigh, my daughter and I were fortunate enough to to the check off two activities on our bucket list for both a polar plunge and hunting for the Northern Lights during our recent trip to Norway. Leigh customized our trip to the Arctic to include both the quaint seaside city of Tromsø and the winter wonderland of Kirkenes. She was prompt to respond when I had questions/requests and she sent a very detailed itinerary complete with activity and restaurant suggestions, local contact information, and a very important packing list for our outdoor activities.

Our first three days in Tromsø were spent eating local reindeer, moose, and cod (the best I’ve ever had), visiting the Arctic Cathedral & tram to the top for stunning views of the city, and a trip outside of the city to ride/feed reindeer and learn about the indigenous Sami culture. The highlight of our time in Tromsø included a one of a kind spa experience aboard the refurbished Vulkana whaling boat complete with steam room, sauna with picture window, hot tub on deck followed by an optional “polar plunge”, and delicious lunch. Leigh’s recommendations for great restaurants/bars (Bardus was our favorite) and our hotel (Scandic Ishavshotel) were spot on and our drivers to/from airport were curious and on-time.

The next three nights we spent at the remote Snowhotel in Kirkenes where Mother Nature put on a spectacular display of the Northern Lights during our husky safari. We also feasted on GIANT king crab pulled directly from the Barent Sea after snowmobiling over the frozen fjord (I ate 5 legs alone). The Gamme cabins were warm & cozy with a fantastic view and the staff were friendly and very accommodating. We opted not to stay in the Snowhotel for the evening (made completely out of ice/snow) but we did walk through and admire the amazing artwork made from ice in each room. Don’t miss out on an after dinner drink at the Snow Bar where you can smash your glass made out of ice after your shot.

This is the 9th time that I have used a specialist from Wendy’s list to customize a vacation with very unique experiences. I look forward to many, many more!

Our journey to Stockholm and Copenhagen over the Thanksgiving holiday was terrific. There were four of us traveling, 2 of us chefs, so we wanted to learn, eat, see, eat some more and experience Scandinavian for the first time. Leigh was wonderful from the first interaction. She planned the perfect itinerary in each location, with excellent local guides, activities to showcase both cities, and with enough down time to explore on our own and enjoy the beginning of the Christmas season. One of our favorite excursions in Stockholm was on a boat exploring the archipelago. We loved seeing the homes decorated for Christmas along with hearing Swedish stories from our hosts, Captain Kjell and Ava. We were dropped on the dock of the Artipelag Museum and had a glorious afternoon walking through the forest and seeing the special museum exhibits. In Copenhagen, our guide Avril, kept us entertained with both current and historical stories about the royals. She also gave us an amazing overview of Danish art and life. Two things set this trip apart – first, the quality of the guides. We could have never found them on our own; we are so grateful to have met Asa, Ava and Avril (the true A team!). The second component was the perfect logistics. Multiple guides, drivers, pick ups, drop offs – all on time, professional and hospitable. Clearly Leigh’s planning did not miss a beat. Thank you for a really fantastic adventure.

We’re grateful to Greg for a memorable trip to ever-fascinating Russia. There were too many highlights, exclusive experiences, and magic moments to recount.

We’d end each day thinking it couldn’t get any better only to have our expectations surpassed.

Our carefully curated itinerary together with our personable, expert guides gave us the historic and cultural context to see the heart and soul of Russia.

We leave with a deep affection for Russia.

Thank you, Greg and Stella, for an unforgettable trip!

There were so many options for amazing sites when it came to planning our trip to Scandinavia that we called on Leigh to help us out. We move a bit slower these days and like to mix downtime to explore on our own with scheduled visits and guided tours. Leigh was able to appropriately scale back on the guides where we asked, but left just the right amount in to give us that personal edge. We started in Oslo which became our favorite city immediately. Our guide felt like an old friend and is someone we will reconnect with in the future. I was enthralled by the Circle of Life, a must-see for anyone in Oslo. Leigh’s suggestion of the train and ferry to Balestrand was a great way to see the country. And our private driver to Storfjord was engaging and stopped along the way to show us scenery that we would have otherwise missed. The hotels were absolutely perfect and our trip exceeded all expectations. Leigh has a knack for picking guides and was great at helping us cover lots of ground in our two weeks!

Greg and Stella put together a marvelous custom trip to Russia for my wife Anne-Lise and me earlier this month, September 2019. We enjoy being independent, and their skill organizing many components added up to an excellent experience in a new destination with an unfamiliar language. We were impressed with how smoothly everything went. Our first step was to secure frequent flyer tickets as soon as available most of a year in advance. We then worked with Stella to select preferences for guides, interests, transportation, hotels, and restaurants, with plenty of time to fill out our itinerary. The plan was for 3 nights in Moscow (Ararat Park Hyatt), 2 nights in Suzdal, one of the historic towns in the Golden Circle to the east (Pushkarskaya Sloboda Hotel), and 4 nights in St Petersburg (The Lotte Hotel), before heading west to Helsinki and family in Oslo.

We appreciated the knowledge and experience of our guides, Gennady in Moscow and Suzdal, and Luda in St Petersburg, both of whom were great travelling companions with decades of experience with Greg. Luda was particularly adept at maneuvering us through the unexpected hordes of tour groups at some of St Petersburg’s primary attractions. Being independent travelers, and probably due to deserved Russian pride and cultural background, it was difficult for our guides to cut back on “seeing everything.” A recommendation – set up a couple of half days with guide and driver in the morning, and then do your own thing in the afternoon; this allowed Anne-Lise to shop or rest after much walking, and me (an architect) to return to a location or two for more intense photography. All our drivers were excellent, the cars immaculate, and we took advantage of the highspeed bullet trains from Moscow to Vladimir (Suzdal), St Petersburg, and Helsinki.

The hotels/service and restaurants/food were impressive. The one restaurant reservation that did not measure up to expectations was Mam Gochi in Moscow – it was almost empty on Saturday evening, and we ordered from a menu of photographs. Gennady’s suggested lunch at the Vogue Café, a short block from the Ararat Park Hyatt, was elegant and this would have made for a classy dinner. Our favorite dinners were at Dom and Cococo in St Petersburg. Our guides joined us for lunch at excellent local restaurants when we were on the go. Imported premium wines were extremely expensive, as warned, but we were able to find a few southern European and South American wines by the glass or bottle on most any wine list at prices close to those at home. Remember that tipping is expected everywhere like in the US, and cash is preferred to get to the right person. US dollars, Euros and local currency are welcomed, and I filled up a secure wallet with crisp $5, $10 and $20 bills before leaving home.

We came away with a very favorable impression of this part of contemporary Russia. Everyone was extremely helpful, and we never felt unsafe. The reconstruction that has taken place following the Nazi destruction is mind-boggling, and streets and public places are clean and extremely well maintained. Our private visit to the “Amber Room” workshop at Catherine Palace outside St Petersburg and the classical concert for an audience of 50 at Grand Duke Vladimir Palace in the city were special. Challenge Greg and Stella with a special interest request. They arranged for me to meet up again with Father Roman in Moscow at the Danilov Monastery; he was our Russian bell expert who came to Harvard University a decade ago and advise us on the exchange of 18 new bells to replace the originals that were rescued from Moscow during the Stalin era; the originals returned home to Danilov Monastery. Greg’s contact got in touch with Father Roman and we ended up chasing him up the tower where he played the bells in the weekly Sunday ringing; a wonderful reunion.

I am certain Greg and his team will put together a great trip for anyone travelling independently or interested in a small group.

Overall, it was an amazing trip! Two things that really set our trip to St. Petersburg apart:

(1) Eugenia, the guide they arranged, was AMAZING. She is a wonderful person and was a delight to our three pre-teen/teenage boys. We learned all about her fascinating family. As she learned what our family already knew about Russian history (the kids LOVE history), she adjusted to make her content much deeper. Eugenia’s grandfather was the official photographer at the Hermitage, and she knows the museum like her own home. We spent 7 magical hours there with her, and I’d gladly spend another 7 magical days! She adjusted our plans on the fly so we could fit in the Faberge Museum. She helped us know what to look for in the ballet Giselle before we went. After a couple days, it was like traveling with a (deeply knowledgeable) good friend!

(2) the itinerary was very thoughtful given our interests. For example, the Peterhof tour included the grottos (where we went from massive crowds to serenity in seconds!) and Mon Plaisir, but not the crowded main house. For us, this was perfect. Also, the Museum of Political History was fascinating given our interests, and we understand it doesn’t get included in many shorter itineraries. The built-in flexibility in the Hermitage day was also ideal.

Travel specialists were great. Standouts were ability to get us intimate tours inside the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow and inside the world famous Marinsky school in St. Petersburg as well as a superb opera in each city. Our 18 year old granddaughter is a dancer so this was important.

Also important were the dinners that Greg lined up for us. I asked that they be a good mix of intimate small places, unique to Russia, as well as excellent top line places. I also wanted him to tell us at what hour we should eat in each place. So many tour guides or concierges just give us a long list with lots of descriptions. Greg was willing to listen to me give a detailed picture of what I preferred then select a specific list for each night or day. And the result was perfect.

The guides in both cities were very good and we saw the best stuff and skipped most of the long lines.

I am very picky and appreciate the good work.

Leigh planned a fabulous trip to Finland and Norway for us. I am not always an easy person to work with because I do lots of research and add my 2 cents! Leigh accommodated all our concerns including not driving on very twisty roads in Norway or dropping out for 3 days, mid trip to visit with friends in Trondheim. Our pre-programmed Garmin was a god send as we took off with confidence through fjord country. Leigh also provided the most concise, small bound itinerary with all the essential final information with in country contacts plus great restaurant recommendations. Would love to work with Leigh again.

Our 18 day trip to Berlin, Moscow and St. Petersburg in May was fantastic. We even squeezed in an overnight to Suzdal and Vladimir which gave us a glimpse into Russia’s distant past and proved to be a delightful change from the beautifully restored cities. It also gave us the opportunity to enjoy dinner at the home of a Russian family in Suzdal. Enlightening and fun.

As a travel group of four adults, it was very helpful to sort out our priorities per your questionnaire and then road test our ideas with Greg & Scott. Their experience, questions and suggestions paid big dividends in planning our itinerary and throughout the trip which included well appointed hotels, good restaurant recommendations and a mix of planned and “free” time that reflected our interests in history, art and music. That said, ‘free time” didn’t mean “down” time. Too much to explore and enjoy. A lovely surprise -lilacs and tulips in bloom everywhere.

Berlin: On our first full day, it was great fun walking up through the glass dome of the Reichstag and looking out at the city. City highlights included a private tour of the Boros Collection, Nefertiti at the Neues Museum and three incredible classical music venues and performances. We especially enjoyed Daniel Barenboim playing Beethoven Sonatas in the Pierre Boulez Saale.

Moscow: Highlights included visits to the Armory Museum, Diamond Vaults, the Jewish Museum and Tolerance Center and a private tour of the Bolshoi Theatre (a truly amazing facility).

St. Petersburg: Highlights included a private curated tour of the Hermitage, a moving visit to the Siege Museum and a private visit to the bells and ancient clock mechanisms within the steeple of the Peter Paul Cathedral. Great views and well worth the climb!

In addition to trip planning, Greg has an excellent team of local guides who enriched our experience immeasurably with their professional knowledge, responsiveness and willingness to share their personal experiences as residents of these amazing cities: Martin in Berlin, Elena in Moscow and Anya in St. Petersburg.

We had a very good trip, although the transfer from Moscow airport could have been better. We had to wait for at least 20 mins outside the airport arrival terminal for our car to pick us up. Although the transfer assistant and the driver did otherwise provide excellent service. Also the transfer to the Sapsang station could have been better…provide baggage trolleys so that luggage can be carried from the drop-off to the train. Other than these….excellent transfer assistants and guides…

Response from Greg Tepper:
I’m thrilled to hear that Fran enjoyed our guides and transfer assistants. Unfortunately, in Russian airports, our drivers must wait outside the central part of the airport and in a place similar to our “cell phone lots” here in the US. When you walk out of customs and into the care of our transfer assistant, the assistant immediately calls the driver and he starts making his way to you in the arrival area. I’m sure Fran noticed the problems Moscow has with traffic, and this certainly applies to traffic even within the airport. It truly can take 20 minutes for a car to get to you, even if the driver is waiting in the official waiting zone of the airport. I’m so sorry that this wait was noticeable to Fran.

As for Russian train stations, I wish they had free trolleys too! It would make life so much easier for us all. There are a few porters at the train stations, but they charge considerably for their services and normally assist only groups boarding the train. It does sound like Fran enjoyed Russia, and I hope she comes back.

The highlight for me was standing on the apron of the Bolshoi stage. I know you can buy private tours of the Bolshoi, I know you can stand in line for group tours. But we spent well over an hour, possibly two hours, I was so in heaven I lost track with the director of public relations. She didn’t just show us the theatre, we sat in a couple of the boxes and swapped stories about performances we’d seen, when we’d both seen Nureyev, experiences wed shared, just at different points on life’s timeline. And then to just relax and hear her stories from her amazing career at both the Bolshoi and the Mariinsky, so special, this is not what happens in a tour available on Viatour. The cherry on top was when we followed her to the stage. No performance that day as they were changing sets, so she led us to the apron. I caught my breath for that one minute.

We thoroughly enjoyed our time in Russia thanks to Greg. Greg knows Russia and his in-depth knowledge enabled him to tailor our trip to meet our needs with visits to Tolstoy and Dostoevsky museums. Our Trip was 10 days with the majority of the time spent in Moscow and St. Petersburg. We were particularly impressed with our early entry into the Hermitage thereby avoiding the long lines. The same was true for access to Catherine Palace through the front main gates. Our Russian guides were very adept at getting us around and through our venues with great efficiency. The bullet train from the Golden Ring to Moscow was fantastic and the private boat tour of canals and the Neva river in St. Petersburg provided amazing views of the city.

Our Russian adventure was wonderful. We will never forget our time in Moscow and St.Petersburg.

Our trip to Russia was one of the best trips we have taken (and we travel a lot). No detail was overlooked, Our guides were fabulous. Their English was great and their knowledge was impressive. The “extra ordinary” experiences arranged for us added another level to our trip. We definitely recommend Greg to anybody considering a trip to Russia.

Visiting St. Petersburg has been a long-standing item on our bucket list. We decided that we would use an ocean cruise as the means of traveling there and picked a cruise that included a two-night port stay, giving us three full days to enjoy the city. Even so, we were concerned that reliance on the excursions offered by the ship would not give us the experience we were looking for. Being a part of a group of 20 to 40 people working to a fixed schedule did not appeal to us. We decided to contact Greg Tepper for help.

Greg’s team worked with us to plan a visit that covered all the traditional highlights, while adding in elements that are simply not available to large tours. For example, our visit to Peterhof not only included a walk through the famed gardens and fountains, but also incorporated stops at the grottoes and a thoroughly delightful exploration of the little-visited “bathhouse”. It was those two additions that made the visit memorable.

Likewise, the highlight of any visit to Catherine Palace is the Amber Room. Unfortunately, ropes keep you far enough away from the walls to make it difficult to appreciate the artistry of the room, and photographs are strictly forbidden. Our visit, however, included a lengthy stop at the Amber Workshop, where all the amber displayed in the Palace was created. This is something that is simply not possible to do with a large tour. Here we were able to talk one-on-one with the Amber Workshop guide and actually handle the raw materials, examine pieces in detail, and take all the photographs we wanted.

We also delighted in being able to have lunch at small cafes, such as The Idiot (with its Bohemian décor mimicking the style of one of Dostoevsky’s St. Petersburg flats). It was these kinds of experiences that affirmed the wisdom of selecting Greg’s team to plan our visit.

In addition to putting together an excellent plan, the execution was perfect. Little details were carefully thought out, such as making sure that we started our day only after the regular ship excursions had time to complete the lengthy passport control process.

Finally, we enjoyed the services of a wonderful guide for our 28 hours of touring. Luda has 20 years of experience working as a guide, and it all shows. Her knowledge of St. Petersburg is encyclopedic, but she only shared what we showed an interest in hearing. She was attentive to our moods and interests and frequently made adjustments to the plan, both small and large, to better accommodate our needs. We could not have asked for a better guide.

From start to finish, I have never felt so well cared for by any other Travel Specialist.

Every detail of the trip was carefully considered and worked into the planning…not just selecting the sightseeing options, but also taking into consideration the local holidays, traffic, opening hours, travel distances, neighborhoods, etc. Only their level of expertise and familiarity with this region could allow them to provide this type of pre-planning.

We had to work around 2 holiday situations while we were in Russia and both were handled very smoothly and effectively by pre-planning and by our local guides who were prepared to deal with any possible inconveniences.

We worked primarily with Gregg’s representative, Jody. Both Gregg and Jody understood immediately what I was looking for in my trip and planned accordingly. Very importantly, Jody answered ALL my many many questions PROMPTLY AND COURTEOUSLY. I had a lot of questions regarding local customs and etiquette in Russia. But Jody unlocked many of the mysteries of Russia for me.

The guides in St. Petersburg and Moscow were top notch….brilliant and charming with excellent English.

The hotels were excellent with great staff taking wonderful care of us. Gregg and Jody’s restaurant suggestions were super and they took care of all the reservations.

We were kindly and expertly escorted everywhere by Gregg’s representatives….airports, train stations, and back to our hotel at the end of the day.

This was such a very special trip for us. We are deeply appreciative of all the kind care and attention we received.

Greg’s team planned a wonderful itinerary for us. The accommodations were superb, the guides excellent, and our drivers were just great. We truly felt that we really saw the Baltic capitals; we learned so much and came away with a better understanding of the Baltic people, their past and their future.

I contacted Leigh to help with a trip to the Ice Hotel in Sweden, and several days in Stockholm. Leigh arranged all of the details of our stay, including airport transfers, hotel rooms and walking tours. She was responsive, listened to my requests and advised me about selections for our itinerary. I appreciated how clear and detailed the final travel documents were that Leigh produced. We enjoyed the restaurants in Stockholm she recommended, especially the dinner reservation on Valentine’s Day that she secured for us, after I had no luck trying to book something on my own.

I worked with Greg and his right hand, Gwen, in planning our September 2018 trip to Moscow and Budapest. In Moscow, the Metro stations, the churches with golden domes, and the Kremlin were all great. But our favorite experiences were (1) the Museum of Tolerance, where the complete honesty and openness of the museum’s required private guide demonstrated how Russia has changed, and the State Museum of Contemporary Russia, where the note in one exhibit that the “reunification of the Crimea with Russia…was the result of universal free expression of the will of the Crimean people” demonstrated how Russia has not changed; (2) two performances of the Bolshoi Ballet, with tickets secured for us by Exeter; and (3) the GUM store near the Kremlin. By the way, in Moscow, we had no problems with personal safety and were treated very well by everyone we came into contact with.

In Budapest, highlights were (1) morning shopping with the chef of Gundel restaurant and a specially prepared lunch by the chef in a private room, with Gundel’s sommelier overseeing the very good wines we were offered, including a 5 Puttonyos Tokaji Aszu; (2) a new, special exhibit at the Dohany Street Synagogue on the Hungarian ghettos late in WWII after Hitler invaded Hungary; and (3) music events at Liszt Academy and Béla Bartók National Concert Hall, with tickets secured for us by Exeter. Of course, we enjoyed Buda with its views of the Danube and other sights. The Club Lounge at the Ritz-Carlton was great and so valuable for us because it gave us flexibility in eating breakfast (I could easily get carry-out coffee and a roll while my wife was still in bed, and return later with her for more breakfast), plus on the two nights when we went to 7:30 pm music concerts, my wife and I could have a light, quick dinner in the lounge before we went to the concert hall.

Only my initial conversation was with Greg. Most of my contact was with Gwen, who was simply wonderful to work with, both technically and personally. I could not have been more satisfied.

Working with Greg and our primary contact person, Jody, was fantastic! We did 3 full days of touring- packed.

One of the best moves, early in planning, was when Jody got our list of what we want to see and do, she gently let us know that our expectations of what we could accomplish in 3 days, during the high season were unrealistic. So working with the two couples she helped us prioritize our objectives based on our passions and must do’s. The special perk of doing Catherine’s Palace was to get a chance to go to the amber workroom and learn about Amber, what can be done with it and how they went about reconstruction a replica of the first Amber room, lost in WWII. She also strongly recommended the private entrance to the palace, not inexpensive, but seeing the 4-6 hour regular admittance line made us believers. Also, it felt like we were royalty as we were whisked in!

Our guide, Anya, was a delight- Very knowledgeable and well versed on many topics. All in all, a very successful 3 days in St Petersberg. I will say, that after experiencing the tremendous crowds present throughout the Baltic, I am only further convinced that if you can take the weather during offseason, it would be the better time to travel to popular destinations

Leigh did an excellent job coordinating our family trip to Copenhagen and Stockholm. There were many moving parts…people arriving at different times and staying in different venues. She helped pull it all together and arranged fantastic guides for a variety of activities…a canal cruise, bike tour, walking tour and castle/museum visits. Leading up to the trip Leigh provided a wealth of knowledge about local customs, popular restaurants, and unique neighborhood haunts. Her on-site team in Copenhagen were amazing. The drivers and guides were punctual, incredibly knowledgeable, helpful and fun. We left with a breadth of information about the history and culture of both Copenhagen and Stockholm and an appreciation and admiration of the people. Her recommendations for our “leisure time” were most helpful as well.

It was obvious that Leigh was very familiar with Copenhagen/Stockholm and had a great sense of the types of activities that would work for our family of five: two parents and three 20-something kids. Her co-worker, Jody, who pitched in at the end (Leigh had a pre-planned trip) was also a great resource and helped with a few last minute logistics. Our ultimate itinerary was beautiful and filled with excellent recommendations and resources. I would not have been able to coordinate/customize our plans without Leigh’s assistance. I would definitely recommend her.

Leigh has been an absolute pleasure to work with. The initial travel agents I contacted (all of whom I found on my own) were worthless – all tried to fit us into a pre-designed itinerary and we just don’t fit that. I’m not “group friendly” – I’m a photographer and if I want to stop and photograph something, and the rest of the group is moving on – that’s going to be a problem. So, custom itineraries work the best for us.

Leigh listened carefully and designed a 3-week trip through Sweden, Norway, and Denmark that was just wonderful. Throughout the process, communications with her were excellent – she patiently answered all of my questions and addressed my concerns, even the stupid ones. Her hotel recommendations were the best – every hotel was lovely and within an easy walk to all the major attractions. She organized guides in two locations and they were wonderful – we saw and learned things we wouldn’t have on our own.

Leigh’s company also has either offices or contractors in every country we visited, so if we had a question while on the trip, there was someone in our time zone who took care of the issue immediately. All in all, because of working with Leigh, our trip was wonderful – a memory we’ll cherish forever. I would not hesitate to recommend her to anyone wanting a real professional who will design a trip that is exactly right for the things they want to see and do and who takes care of all the details. For example, before leaving, we received a package from Leigh that contained a bound and highly descriptive itinerary, our tickets and vouchers and, as an unexpected surprise, a Garmin GPS unit pre-programmed with all of the destinations we drove to – that’s above and beyond service.

Everyone who goes to Scandinavia goes to Stockholm, Oslo, the Fjord region, Copenhagen, etc. and we went there and those places were terrific. However, one of the highlights of the trip was a place I’d never heard of: Edshultshall Sweden. In fact, no one in Sweden that we spoke to heard of it. It’s on the western side of Sweden, right on the coast of the Swedish Archipelago. Leigh recommended a funky 4 room B&B, right on the sea that was fantastic, but again, a place no one had ever heard of. I’m a photographer, and 2 of my favorite photos and memories were taken right from the back of the B&B. If given all the time in the world to plan a trip, I never would have found Edshultshall. I doubt it’s in any guidebook. It was these kinds of recommendations that made the trip special and unforgettable. I can’t thank you enough for recommending Leigh.

Before we contacted Greg and Natasha, we did research on sites, restaurants, and experiences we did and didn’t want. Our son is very knowledged in WWII history, tanks, and aircraft, so we wanted extensive coverage of these topics. Besides the tank museum at Kublinka the largest in the world and aircraft museum at Monino, Greg and Natasha suggested other sites— Stalin’s bunker, the Museum of the Great Patriotic War, and a Cold War nuclear bunker in which we turned the keys to launch ICBMs. Our guide, Tatianna, met us daily and took us and translated for our private guides at each site. One of our favorites was a night at the circus. We had reserved restaurants beforehand so our stay in Moscow was wonderful. We took the Sandan bullet train to St. Petersburg which was the only disappointment as we thought we were booked in 1st and instead were in a cramped car without foot room and roaming children. Ted, our guide in St. Petersburg, was like Tatianna, a gem. Like in Moscow we dispensed with the churches and visited Peterhof, Catherines Palace where the famous Amber Room is with a special appointment in the amber workshop, the Cruiser Aurora, the Naval Museum, and the Artillery Museum, where my son took apart an AK-74 and put it back together. Ted and I wandered the Hermitage and the annex for Impressionist paintings. All of our needs were carefully thought out with Greg and Natasha before our plane left the ground, and now I wouldn’t do it any other way. Impressive!

10/6-10/16/2017
Moscow and St. Petersburg

Overall we had a great time on our trip to Scandinavia. The Guides and Drivers were all knowledgeable and enthusiastic in wanting to share their city/country with us. All of our airport pickups were there waiting for us and those dropping off were helpful in directing us to where we needed to go.

A few more comments:

STOCKHOLM: We arrived around 12:30 from NY, dropped off our bags at the hotel, and immediately hopped in a cab to take us to Hudiksvallsgatan to visit a collection of galleries. We were told they closed at 4:00 and were not open Sunday and Monday, and we were leaving Tues. When we arrived in Huudiksvallsgatan, we were surprised to find it was in a very industrialized area with absolutely no foot or car traffic. The one or two galleries we saw from the street appeared closed and we were not about to leave the car. There would have been no way we were going to be able to get a cab to take us back to the hotel. I asked Leigh if she was familiar with the area and she said she was not—she had never been there.

The Grand Canal Cruise and the visit to Artipelag was quite enjoyable.

We met our guide Irene in the lobby on a rainy, blustery day but it was fine since we were prepared with rain jackets, boots, and sturdy umbrellas. We walked to (or were blown to) Gamla Stan to the Royal Armoury which was CLOSED. Check ahead of time? As it became more precarious to walk on the slippery stones we spotted two cabs parked in the open plaza and we suggested we take one. Irene said they were probably taken and waiting for someone and continued to walk on. We went over and found one was free and piled in. Irene directed the driver to take us to the ferry but we suggested he take us directly to Djurgarden because of the bad weather. A guide should take charge and be able to adapt to changing conditions. But Irene was wonderful as a guide at the Vasa Museum.

OSLO: The Astrup-Fearnley Museum with the Renzo Piano design was fabulous and we thoroughly enjoyed the Tjuvholmen art galleries. Our guide Anna was excellent and gave us quite an insight into Danish mentality as well as being quite a historian. We first went to City Hall which was CLOSED – we were disappointed in not being able to view the largest oil painting in Europe and location of the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony. Vigeland was spectacular! We also enjoyed the Munch Museum very much.

BALESTRAND: The morning of our stay here was a major lack of communication! Our itinerary read as follows: “This morning at 9:00am depart on a 2.5 hour journey. Travel up the fjord, past steep mountains as you come close to the fjord shores. View cascading waterfalls, and lush green farmlands.” First, we didn’t know who we were meeting nor where. We thought we were on a private tour on a comfortable boat. We were on a RIB boat with full gear. I really questioned Leigh’s decision to book us on this type of excursion after I had specifically told her we were not an outdoorsy family… not backpackers or hikers … we enjoyed more comfortable sightseeing. Lars our boat guide was great though. Of course, the Fjords were fabulous and the Kviknes in a beautiful location.

BERGEN: Martin, our guide here, was excellent. We had an in depth look at Old Bryggen and it was fascinating.

COPENHAGEN: Pia, our guide here, was a delight… cheerful, enthusiastic and knowledgeable. On the day we had a driver Luis for the day, we drove to the Louisiana Museum which we all agreed may be a favorite of all of the museums we visited. Wonderful to see sculptures able to design for specific space – and what an incredible space. Spending the day with Luis was so enjoyable … such an excellent driver and knew so much about contemporary and historical Denmark.

Outstanding trip. Every detail taken care. Handled delayed flight needs perfectly. Hotel choice guides tours all amazing. Nothing but Positive experience with Leigh Landis.

I needed to plan a rather last minute vacation-about 45 days prior-so I needed arrangements quickly. I like traveling a bit off the beaten path and Leigh was able to do that. We went to Sweden, Stockholm, the western coast and it was a road trip.  July 2017. We loved all the little Inns, B&Bs, and villages that Leigh sent us to. She gave us a pre-programmed GPS in English and it worked perfectly. We never would have found any of these places on our own.

Leigh helped us out with guides and restaurant suggestions in Stockholm and Copenhagen pre and post a National Geographic Cruise in the Baltic for a group of 8 adults.

Her restaurant suggestions in both cities were excellent. She organized guided tours in both cities and both guides were excellent. The guide in Copenhagen was outstanding, a lot of fun, very knowledgeable. We wanted to cover a lot of ground in a short time and he accommodated that, as well as working longer than the agreed time.

Leigh in Greg’s office was my agent and from the beginning, I was impressed with her professionalism. We had no concerns or issues during our trip. Our guides were very knowledgeable and polite. Thank you!

In 2014 we attempted to plan a customized trip to Norway with a travel consultant unaffiliated with Wendy’s List. We felt as if the consultant mainly wanted to plug us into a pretty predictable itinerary, and she couldn’t seem to understand our desire to visit the Lofoten Islands. We ultimately abandoned the plan. Two years later, through Wendy, we contacted Leigh and found her to be someone who really listened to us. Despite having given Leigh only a couple of months’ lead-time, she patiently and pleasantly worked and reworked the itinerary with us until we had what we wanted. And she included the Lofotens, which were definitely a highlight of our trip! In retrospect, we wish we could have spent more time there. We would probably have benefited from a bit more editing of our very ambitious itinerary, but we do understand that Leigh was trying to accommodate our “want to see/do” list.

Our 16-day trip in May 2016 from Oslo to the Lofotens to Bergen, involved two in country flights, two separate car rentals, a number of ferries, and several nights on a Hurtigruten ship. Leigh expertly managed and coordinated these complex arrangements and schedules. Her hotel recommendations were almost all excellent – great locations, good service, and a lot of charm and appeal. Only one was a disappointment, though we understand that Leigh’s first choice was unavailable due to our short planning time.

We ran into a small glitch when several hotels did not seem to know that we had prepaid. However, Leigh has a local counterpart in Oslo that we were able to contact, and she straightened things out expeditiously. In terms of more unique restaurants and out-of-the- ordinary sights/activities, we wish we had asked Leigh for greater guidance, especially outside the cities. However, we did enjoy the guides that she arranged for our private half-day tours in Bergen and Oslo. They were knowledgeable and engaging.

All in all, we enjoyed our Norway trip very much. Leigh was easy to work with, prompt in returning our phone calls, and good about answering our many questions. These are important qualities in a travel expert and we really appreciated them.

Our St Petersburg guide, Luda, was very knowledgeable in leading us through all the main sites. St Petersburg is a beautiful city with lots and lots of museums and palaces to see. During the middle of our stay we decided to add a visit to the siege museum which was well worth the time and we would recommend everyone considering it.

The trip was planned with precision and everything flowed smoothly. Both guides were excellent and the hotels were beautiful. When we did not have snow, a lunch alternative to the troika was booked and when the Russian museum was closed, we were able to go to the Faberge museum, which was a very good experience. We were given a diverse itinerary and received a good tour of the both Moscow and St. Petersburg. We really feel that we now have in-depth knowledge of some Russian history, which is something we take back with us. In addition, the restaurants suggested were all excellent.

Leigh’s service, from the planning stages to the return airport transfer, was attentive and professional. An in-depth knowledge of Copenhagen, very accommodating to last-minute changes, and worked hard to fit the plan within a budget. The recommended guides were helpful and always went out of their way. Overall a great trip. Highly recommend.

Greg and Leigh on his team were very responsive to our requests concerning specific things we wanted to do while in Russia, though we could not do everything we wanted (for instance, a backstage tour of one of the theatres…but, theatre season had not yet begun). The special experiences they offered were excellent: for example, seeing the storage facility of the Hermitage collection and having a private time in the amber workshop where the process of recreating the Amber Room was explained, before we saw the room in the Catherine Palace. We spent 4 days in Moscow with a private guide and 5 days in St. Petersburg with our own guide…much better than the two or three days offered on most tours, and even then not really enough. In between, we spent 6 days on the Volga Dream, and that, too, was a good experience.

St. Petersburg — 3 days in city — four of us were accompanied by a guide and a driver. We were able to discuss overall planning with Greg, then detailed planning with his staff, and they helped us design an itinerary to ensure we were able to visit all the places we felt were important. Our guide was wonderful – very knowledgeable about the area, the places we visited, and the history, as well as giving us an idea of what its like to live there today. The drivers were excellent, and the timing , never rigid, was very comfortable to meet all of our goals. We highly recommend Greg.

We recently took our 2nd custom trip to Eastern Europe with Greg — a 2 week trip to St Petersburg, Moscow, and Volgograd Russia. Like our first trip 2 years ago to Poland, everything was handled beautifully, from planning to visas, travel insurance, internal Russia flights, ballet and opera tickets, restaurant recommendations and hotels. But of course, most important, were the guides. And just as we experienced in Poland, our guides in Russia were outstanding. All 3 were terrific matches for us – about the same age (so that we could talk about the same events of our lifetimes), perfect English, energetic, willing to talk openly about any topics, full of recommendations, willing to modify our itinerary for highlights we hadn’t considered, and sensitive to our needs and interests. Everything worked smoothly – every time we were to be met, they were there; everyone was always on time; cars and drivers were polite and helpful. Custom trips with Greg are expensive, but he delivers — we look at them as “travel investments” because we learn so much during these trips and every moment is memorable (with no time wasted and no mistakes that I’d make if I planned them myself). We’re already thinking about our next trip to Eastern Europe with Greg and his team.

Our trip to St. Petersburg was one of the most extraordinary travel experiences of my life. Our guide, Anya, and our travel planner, Dasha who works for Greg, were the primary reasons for this amazing trip. The planning and execution of the trip were flawless. Anya’s knowledge and insight as a local were the most wonderful part of the trip. Our children (and their parents!) learned more about Russia and St. Petersburg in several days than they could ever have from outside sources. I highly recommend Greg and his team and hope to use them again for another trip to Russia. We traveled to St. Petersburg from Helsinki by train in August 2015.

We used Greg and his team at Exeter to book a trip to St. Petersburg, Krakow and Prague. They were terrific. We wanted them to handle logistics so we could focus on our vacation. We told them what kind of hotels we wanted, and through them got a guided orientation to each city and airport pickup and drop off.

The hotels were perfect, centrally located, excellent quality, boutique offerings. The guides were great. We spent a full day with a guide in St. Petersburg, which was invaluable, especially for the early admission to the Hermitage, which would have been overwhelming without assistance. They were helpful, knowledgeable, and willing to mark up our maps so we could then navigate on our own. Drivers all spoke English, and were on time or early.

If you can afford the service, I highly recommend this organization. They couldn’t have been better and made our trip easy and delightful.