Travelers David and Lyn Heard, cozy during a food and drinks tour in Innsbruck.

Just back from Austria and Germany. We got stuck in France during a Eurotunnel strike last year right before Christmas and had to rearrange everything ourselves. My husband asked what we could do differently this year, and I thought of Wendy’s WOW List. We had already scheduled a one-week European Christmas Markets’ River cruise for December, so we asked Gwen to arrange 4 nights pre-cruise and 10 nights post-cruise to round out three weeks in Germany and Austria. We wanted to focus on activities surrounding WWII, art, and food & drinks. Gwen set up all the hotels, guides, and transportation in both countries. We also wanted to see the Mercedes and Porsche museums.

We flew into Frankfurt and headed to Stuttgart for the car museums the next day. Both were interesting. Mercedes was all about luxury and Porsche all about racing. Next up was Nuremberg where we toured the city, visited Courtroom 600 where the Nuremberg trials took place, and then headed to the former Nazi parade grounds. On Sunday before our cruise started, we went to Rothenberg ob de Tauber, an architecturally preserved town near Nuremberg. We would never have gone if not for Gwen’s suggestion. Our guide Andrea was great. We saw the farm where her in-laws lived from afar during our tour and met her son afterwards.

Then we headed to our ship for the cruise. The cruise ended in Vienna, where we spent the next three nights. Sascha provided a walking tour of the city and the Belvedere Palace, where we saw the Klimt collection. He also guided us through the Fine Arts Museum (KHM), where he worked, focusing on Brugel, other important works, and the Rembrandt special exhibit. We really enjoyed our food and drink discovery tour with Bianca, too. She has such an interesting background in finance and now food. She gave us a copy of her cookbook, but I forgot to have her sign!

We left the Hotel Sacher in Vienna for another Sacher, the Alpine Resort in Seefeld, the home of cross-country skiing. This is another place we would not have known about if not for Gwen. The resort is charming and includes half board. The food was very fresh and tasty. One night my fish came from a stream 10 minutes away. The assigned table for our meals had a great view, and I’m sure that was due to Gwen.

Our guide for Innsbruck was Luc. He took us to the top of Innsbruck for a panoramic view of the city. Then we went on a walking tour of the major sites and had lots of good food, wine & beer, and dessert at all the places he likes. My husband’s favorite memory was watching the Austrian national team practice at the prestigious Bergisel Ski Jump for the upcoming Four Hills Tournament. Luc is a ski instructor and asked our driver to head to the ski jump used at the Olympics and other important events. The area was closed to visitors that day due to the practice. However, Luc was able to get us through the gate so we could enjoy the practice.

After Seefeld, we headed to Munich, our last destination. When we arrived at the Rosewood Hotel, we found our junior suite had been upgraded to a one-bedroom suite for the next 4 nights, making this a special end to a memorable trip. We had a food & beer tour on the first afternoon. The next two days, Sybille guided us through the Alte Pinakothek and its special exhibit of Rach Ruysch paintings, which Sascha mentioned to us when we were in Vienna since I really like her work. We saw the Blue Ryder paintings at the Lenbachhaus, too. The next day Sybille did a walking tour of Munich specifically based on our desire to see historic WWII sites. Sybille took over for another guide who had gotten sick at the last minute, but I don’t know how anyone could have been better than Sybille.

All hotel suggestions and guides were spot on. Lastly, Gwen had another great tool, a travel app that we downloaded to our phones and iPads. This app was very helpful because it contained a detailed daily itinerary of all our activities, hotels, and guides. It included suggestions for restaurants, shops, and gratuities and emergency contact info. Thanks to Gwen and her team, we really enjoyed our winter vacation this year.

In traveling to the Maldives from the US, we had a day layover in Vienna on the way, and an overnight in Vienna on the way home. I reached out to Gwen for help as I was completely unfamiliar with Vienna. She and her team were wonderful! We worked through a couple of different options and ended up with a day room located right in the center of the city. She arranged for a guide who showed us the highlights then took us on a special tour to the rooftop of St. Stephens Cathedral.

We ended our tour with a stop at the oldest Viennese coffee shop where we sampled many of the specialties of the city. Having the day room was so helpful, we were able to shower and rest before our second overnight flight. On the way home, Gwen found another hotel located just steps from St. Stephens, the Leo Grande. It was lovely, our only regret is that we didn’t have more time due to a delay in leaving the Maldives. Being able to rest in a comfortable bed made the long days of travel much easier.

My daughter was studying abroad in Europe and we decided to meet in Europe at the end of the semester for a mother-daughter trip. The problem was that we didn’t know where to go, especially in early December when it would be cold! I specifically wanted a trip that wasn’t too busy to have time to explore and would also appeal to a fickle older teen that doesn’t love extensive sightseeing or too much nature. Brook helped us narrow our options to Christmas markets in Central Europe, and connected us to Gwen.

Gwen turned out to be the perfect choice because, also the mother of a teen, she understood exactly what I was dealing with! Gwen recommended a few itinerary options and we ultimately decided on a trip to Berlin, Prague and Vienna, spending 3-4 days in each city.

Everything was amazing! The guides were all personable, knowledgeable, and actively included my daughter, in addition to helping us secure restaurants reservations, which was greatly appreciated. Our guides also took us on exclusive tours—that even my daughter found “cool”—of the library in the Strahov Monastery in Prague and the attic of St Stephen’s Cathedral where we were able to sit in the Pope chair!

We had requested centrally located boutique hotels so that it was easy to wander around and to restaurants, which is exactly what we got. All the trains and transport were seamlessly planned (drivers even met us on the train platform upon arrival!) and any questions that we had along the way were answered immediately.

Of course we did city tours and went to the must-see sites, but best of all were the activities geared towards my daughter. There was a Christmas market tour in Vienna and jewelry making in Prague. She loved the guided vintage shopping in Berlin and especially in Vienna, where our guide Lucie was fantastic! Also big hits were the Christmas market tour and traditional food cooking class in Vienna.

Gwen’s planning checked all of our boxes so that both my daughter and I had wonderful trip!

My wife and I had never used a travel specialist but decided to enlist the help of one on a trip to visit Christmas markets in three European countries. Through Wendy’s website, we connected with Gwen. Wow, what a difference Gwen and her team made! Gwen’s expertise allowed us to make the most of our days while leaving our nights free to visit the Christmas markets.

Since we were new at this, and to determine the value of using a specialist, we planned the first leg of the trip ourselves (Bruges), used a hybrid approach with the second (Dresden), and relied on a travel specialist exclusively for the third (Prague). The trip that Gwen planned was by far the most enjoyable, stress-free and fulfilling.

The private tours that Gwen scheduled in Dresden provided helpful historical context and local insight. We visited well-known sites such as the Green Vault and the Old Masters Gallery, but also visited neighborhoods to see works by local artists. A particular highlight was visiting the site memorialized in Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse Five. Just as important, we connected with our tour guides (Cosima and Klaus) on a personal level. What we learned from the stories our guides shared is not something that we would’ve learned on our own.

The private transfers arranged for us in Prague were top tier. We didn’t know how much that would mean to us until we got off the train. After arriving very late in Prague following delays with the train from Dresden, we found our driver, Lucas, waiting for us on the platform right at the exit of our train car. What a relief to not worry about navigating through a train station to find him!

The hotel that Gwen recommended in Prague was perfect for us. We had planned to stay near Old Town closer to the Christmas markets, but Gwen convinced us that a hotel in Lesser Town was the better choice, and she was right. The Aria Hotel kept us close to the markets and away from the crowds. We also got a room upgrade!

Our tour guide in Prague (Eva) ensured that we made the most of the two days that we spent with her. We visited the Strahov Monastery that included a private tour of the library. It was an amazing experience to be alone among books dating from the early 1100s. At the Lobkowicz Palace, we saw, among other things, a musical score handwritten by Mozart and an original score of Beethoven’s.

Prague was VERY crowded, and we were unaware that Prague does not have “skip-the-line” tickets. A few of the sites we intended to visit had lines that would have required us to wait for hours to get in, so Eva took us to other interesting landmarks and areas of town. For example, we hopped on a tram to visit a Christmas market that catered to locals that we would never have found on our own. While there, Eva explained local holiday traditions and the proper way to eat a Trdelnik!

After this experience, we’re firm believers in using a travel specialist. Every hotel, every guide, and every driver that was part of our trip contributed to an experience that felt both genuine and highly personalized. We’ll certainly be excited to work with Gwen and her team again!

This trip was magical! Gwen and group planned many days for us in Vienna with fabulous tour guides. Do not shortchange your time in Vienna….there is so much to see. The roof top of St. Stephens cathedral was spectacular. One of the tour guides found a grave of a college friend and made sure that we found it—all from a copy of find a grave. Lovely city and people!

I travelled with my teenage daughter for a long weekend to Berlin for a music festival. It was a last-minute trip that wouldn’t have happened without Gwen. Gwen planned a trip for us that combined time at the music concert with tours of Berlin. She recommended a perfectly located hotel. The best part of the trip were the tours. We had 2 different tour guides that provided fascinating details not only about their city but also about their personal experiences growing up on both sides of the Berlin Wall. Talk about making history come alive!

We hope to plan a longer trip exploring more of Germany with Gwen soon. Thanks Gwen and thanks to Wendy Perrin for recommending her!

This was our third trip with Gwen, so we knew we were in good hands even before we got to Budapest. She put us in a lovely hotel—the Matild—and arranged for a great guide (Julia) who was also a Jewish history expert. A highlight of the trip was the pinball museum, which Gwen had recommended might be fun on our arrival day because it could help keep us awake. We had a few issues with communications early on in the planning process, but as the trip grew closer Gwen and her team were very prompt with their responses. I would happily use her again for a Central European trip.

Michelle Price and family in the Strahov Monastery’s library.

Gwen organized another amazing trip for me, my husband and son to Central Europe. This is our second time traveling with her. Our destinations included Krakow, Prague, Perast (Montenegro) and Dubrovnik. We were happy with all the hotels, tours and guides, and drivers.

Krakow: We stayed at Hotel Indigo Krakow, a smaller boutique hotel just outside the Old Town Gates. It was a convenient location—near the lively Old Town but quiet enough. We explored Old Town and also did a food tour where we tried Zapiekanka, soups, pierogies, and typical Polish dishes.

Prague: We stayed at Aria Prague, another boutique hotel within walking distance to Old Town. Our room was spacious and cozy. I suggest visiting the rooftop terrace for stunning views of Prague. A highlight of our trip was visiting the Strahov Monastery where we had a special, behind-the-ropes tour of the library. Most books were from the 10th to 17th centuries. And a great surprise was a monk showing us how the book wheel worked and a glimpse into two secret staircases. The three of us loved Prague and want to visit again.

Montenegro: We stayed at Heritage Grand Perast, a beautiful hotel right on the Bay of Kotor. The food, rooms and staff were great. We had a problem with the AC not going low enough. The hotel couldn’t fix it during our stay but offered us a second room for my son to stay in. Our skipper picked us up from the hotel dock and we had a full-day tour of the bay. A tour guide accompanied us and it was wonderful having him along. We stopped in Little Old Town where we walked through the ancient city and had lunch near the main marina. We also entered an abandoned submarine tunnel, by boat, which was eerie and fascinating. I don’t know how he navigated such a tight space.

Dubrovnik: We stayed at Hilton Imperial Dubrovnik. Our short time there included a walking tour of the walled city. And another trip highlight was a WOW Moment, which was a sailboat tour around the coastline. The sea was a bit rough that day but the sights and time on the water were enjoyed.

Louise and Lee Andrews at the Hohensalzburg Fortress, overlooking the city of Salzburg.

Just back from Austria and Germany. Gwen Kozlowski was our travel adviser/planner for our 9-day trip to Innsbruck, Salzburg and Munich. We stayed in the mountains outside Innsbruck, which made for a very relaxing start to the trip. Had wonderful day with Innsbruck Food Tours and another day with a history guide. We then did a salt mine visit which was so fun and interesting on the way to Salzburg. Our guide in Salzburg was awesome with great information on the city of Salzburg and went to the beautiful lake district and a ride up in the oldest cable car to do a short hike in the mountains. Munich was very interesting with most time spent in the old town and a fun pretzel-making experience. Another day out to Linderhof and Oberammergau. All guides and drivers were very good, on time, courteous, flexible to our wants. We could not have had these experiences without Gwen.

Yehuda and Tammy Schmidt during their private Danube cruise in Budapest.

We are still in a glow from our amazing trip to Eastern Europe. We reached out to Wendy, who matched us with Gwen. Gwen and her team organized the trip of a lifetime! We began our trip in Budapest. Budapest is a gorgeous city with a very rich history. We floated down the Danube both day and night. We absolutely loved our WOW Moment of an evening wine tasting floating down the Danube at night, seeing Budapest’s parliament and other buildings glowing at night. Simply gorgeous! Such a small world it is! The captain of the boat lived in our area near Washington DC when he was younger. We learned about Hungary’s history and how the legacy of communism and monarchy impacts their daily life. We love architecture and our guide; Julia was able to point out fascinating tidbits along the way. We spent a day driving to the Etyek region and visited a winery that specialized in producing sparkling wine. We enjoyed meeting the owner and learned about the production process which is 100% manual. Our hotel was an easy walk to the river and to historical sites so we were able to stroll around the city on our own after our busy time with Julia, so we could explore restaurants and nightlife.

We traveled by train to Vienna, one of Europe’s most beautiful cities. Once again, Gwen found a hotel not close to the center of town, next to the Museum Quarter, Hofburg historic palace, National History and Fine Arts Museums. And once again, Gwen matched us with a perfect guide, Gerti. We got a behind-the-scenes visit to one of the oldest libraries in Europe. Despite a marathon run and closed subway stations, Gerti was able to playfully take us around the city. What could have been a stressful day, turned into a fun and interesting day. We visited the Belvedere Palace and Gardens and enjoyed its art collection, including the Gustav Klimt collection. When we arrived at the new “Shoah Wall of Names,” a quartet was playing music. We were very moved. We loved our food tour with Tom, and despite knowing much about Viennese food, we were wowed. We were able to see the city with our guides but also on our own as we like to ramble around and explore, we were so close to museums and the Habsburg Palace.

We love trains so off we went to Prague by a train! We are not sure how Gwen did it but once again she matched us with a perfect guide, Kamila and the perfect hotel, just a stone’s throw from the historic Charles Bridge and Prague old city. We loved storybook Prague, especially behind-the-scenes tours in so many places. Prague has a rich history and beautiful architecture. We toured historic buildings, palaces and libraries as old as any in Europe. It enriched our lives and deepened our appreciation of history and culture. Kamila also took us to the historic sites of Terezin and Lidice, both terribly impacted by World War II. She talked through our emotions with us so we felt heard and understood. It was such a powerful visit. Kamila was able to arrange behind-the-scenes visits and was able to tweak timing to optimize our visit. We loved it!

We loved our trip to Eastern Europe and highly recommend it to everyone!

We had a great trip to Poland, and we are most grateful to Gwen Kozlowski & her team for all of their efforts on our behalf. In both Warsaw and Krakow we had two fantastic guides. Both guides were filled with information, context, and stories that brought each city to life in memorable ways. Moreover, both guides were keenly interested in answering all of our history questions, and both guides always had in-depth answers. In addition our private guide at Auschwitz did a fantastic job.

Every pick-up was prompt—we never waited for anyone. Wrapping up our trip making pierogi with Marta was fabulous—another excellent Gwen suggestion. Our advice is to listen to the recommendations of Gwen and her team, as they really do know Poland and had excellent suggestions. All in all—we had a fantastic trip to Warsaw and Krakow and covered a lot. If the opportunity presents itself, we would work with Gwen again.

We recently returned from 5 days in Berlin (April 4-April 9) planned with the assistance of Gwen Kozlowski who is part of Wendy Perrin’s WOW List. Gwen provided great advice on lodging, connected us with an outstanding guide and prepared a terrific itinerary. Daniel J., our guide for 4 days, was a delight to be with on a personal level and provided expert historical context and commentary throughout our time together. Very interesting and perfectly planned day trip to Potsdam one of our days together and another day together strolling through neighborhoods. Thanks to Gwen — our trip touring was memorable and covered lots of ground.

The Nury family learn how to make pierogi. Photo: Traveler Doug Nury

The current state of our world is disheartening. Our March 2023 travels (arranged by a Wendy Perrin WOW List agent) took us to Israel as tourists, never imagining that seven months later, Israel would be at war with Gaza. Since October 7, our family regularly discusses the conversations we had with our two tour guides, Daphne (Israel) and Isla (West Bank) about the conflict and how both of them want a peaceful, but fair solution. Through our vast international travel experiences, our family has learned to seek as many perspectives as possible, particularly from non-US citizens on domestic and international issues. As a result, we jumped at the opportunity for Gwen Kozlowski to plan an Eastern European trip over Christmas not only to enjoy the Christmas traditions and markets, but also to hear the views of Europeans very close to the Ukrainian/Russian conflict. Our trip included four nights in Budapest, Prague and Krakow.

Gwen’s tour guides were the best part of our trip. During our first four days in Budapest, Julia explained to us the devastating history of the Jewish population and how close to 500,000 citizens were murdered during WWII. She also arranged an enjoyable boat tour (the boat had heat!) on the chilly Danube, pointing out architectural landmarks on the Buda and Pest side, while cruising on the river. In Prague, our guide Christina spent the rainy morning with us inside the Strahov Monastery, an active monastery that houses the largest collection of Bibles in the world, and gave us a VIP tour of its two main halls, the Philosophical and Theological halls. In Poland, we toured Auschwitz privately with Wojtek Smolen, a tour guide with over 30 years of experience who had two family members imprisoned at the concentration camp. His narration and walking tour of Auschwitz and Birkenau was fact-based, with no political slant. The things I saw that day — the massive size and scope of the concentration camp, the vast piles of victims’ strands of hair, abandoned shoes and suitcases on display, will forever be tattooed on my brain.

Following Auschwitz, we drove back to Krakow and met Julie at the Krakow History Museum, which is located at Oscar Schindler’s factory for a tour of Krakow before, during and after the Nazi occupation. The museum is well done and definitely worth visiting. Our final day in Krakow was spent making pierogi with Marta in her home. While rolling out dough, adding the fillings and pinching the pierogi before dropping it into the boiling water, she told us how she housed eight Ukrainians for two months at the onset of the war and is concerned about the conflict due to the proximity of Poland to Ukraine.

My husband and I hope that this trip punctuated the importance of visiting historical relics and learning from experts at the site about past events instead of watching a YouTube video for our teenagers (ages 19 and 16). It’s also essential to engage with people worldwide to gain insight on their perspective of US leadership and diplomacy.

Gwen and her team planned a wonderful Christmas week in Vienna, Bratislava and Prague. This is the second trip with Gwen and she impressed us once again. Both hotels — the Sans Souci Hotel in Vienna and the Andaz in Prague — were great choices. Both were near the center but in a quieter area. The rooms, staff and breakfasts were lovely.

The guides in all three locations were personable and knowledgeable. All transfers were on time and efficient.

Our walking tour of Vienna was enjoyable — the cathedral tour was incredible! We were on the roof walking along the outside perimeter and inside the ceiling about the nave. A truly interesting and unique experience. The food tour was fun and enjoyable. We went to five different locations and got to sample different Viennese specialties. We enjoyed the outstanding museums and lovely shopping streets. We loved the tour of the magnificent Schonbrunn Palace. Another day we took a train to Bratislava and were met on the platform by the guide who showed us this interesting city.

The train to Prague was easy. We walked everywhere in Prague — Old Town, Jewish quarter, Charles Bridge, Wenceslas Square. The Strahov monastery library and Prague Castle complex were impressive. We were so lucky that the line to the remarkable St. Vitus cathedral was quick and we got to see it. The Lobkowicz Palace is a treasure — we could have spent hours there. We enjoyed walking through the Mala Strada district.

Gwen and her team suggested terrific restaurants, including two outstanding meals at Michelin-starred restaurants Field and La Degustation in Prague.

It was a wonderful vacation — the days spent in each location were just right.

My good friends, their daughter-in-law and 2 grandchildren and I went to Warsaw to see their son play in an international amputee soccer tournament. That was an adventure in itself! Since we had time between games, I contacted Gwen to help with activities for this eclectic group! She did a great job. She had Maria take us on a walking food tour. We met by the library in an older part of town. We walked to the top of the building where there is a garden and great views. Maria said she didn’t usually have children on her tours and she was great with them! She kept them interested, gave them tasks and interviewed Maddie as to what her favorite taste was—pierogis!! We also tasted some cheese and jam on delicious bread, herring and beef tartare and, lastly, an array of fabulous desserts. Maria also shared her family’s history, including the time of the uprising.
The next day was spent with Agnieszka who, again, was great with our group. We toured the Old Town, other parts of Warsaw including remnants of the Warsaw ghetto, the Jewish museum, the Museum of the Warsaw Uprising with a lovely lunch and walk in Lazienki Park. It was a full and educational day! Both kids really enjoyed it, too—including trying to catch squirrels in the park!

We are all very grateful to Gwen and our guides for their expertise and guidance during our visit. It was a great trp!

The Romantik Hotel Markusturm in Rothenburg, ob der Tauber, Germany. Traveler Ted Embacher

Gwen Kozlowski provided outstanding advice on the best places to stay, helpful information about the places we were visiting and provided us with amazing guides where we toured. The hotels that Gwen chose for us were not just great hotels, but their locations were convenient. She listened to what we wanted for our trip and planned it accordingly. We are already planning another trip that we’d like Gwen to help us with. I think the highest compliment that we can give Gwen is that after our trip we were reviewing all that we experienced and decided that there was nothing that we would have changed. We’ve traveled extensively and I don’t recall ever coming home and deciding that we wouldn’t have changed anything. We’d highly recommend Gwen and her team.

2023 began as a tough year for us. My husband and I had had four surgeries between the two of us including two knee replacements. By June, we were starting to go a little crazy with endless visits to our physical therapists. We needed release and for us that meant we needed to travel. Given our health situation however, we needed a trip designed to test our existing capabilities while stimulating our desire for new things. That meant hiking (Bhutan) wasn’t in the cards. Poland isn’t at the top of Americans’ travel bucket list. This is too bad, as it is far more interesting and beautiful than many think. We knew that Wendy Perrin’s trip specialist for Poland was Gwen Kozlowski. Gwen had planned our excellent 2017 trip to Croatia and Slovenia. She knew the kind of things that would appeal to us most. We trusted Gwen and the people she has on the ground locally. We knew if we had to make ad hoc changes to accommodate our physical limitations, her people would do whatever was necessary. Fortunately, the trip was perfectly targeted to meet our physical needs and stimulate our minds. We ended up with a two-and-a-half-week trip that was principally urban in nature. We started in Gdansk, then drove a rental car to Torun (via Malbork castle), then on to Warsaw. After Warsaw, we took the high-speed train to Krakow before flying to Vienna. Vienna was the perfect place to end as we love the city and it has a direct flight to our home near Washington, D.C.

Gwen’s itinerary ensured we toured the most important sights in Poland. We visited four world-class museums. In Gdansk we went to The Solidarity Museum and the Museum of the Second World War, believed by some to be the best WWII museum in the world. In Warsaw we visited the Warsaw Uprising Museum and POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews. The latter had a deeply affecting temporary exhibit on the Warsaw Jewish Ghetto Uprising. We toured the old city areas in all four of the Polish cities we visited and marveled at the thoughtful restorations of Gdansk and Warsaw’s old city areas. Excellent guides with deep understanding of what had transpired in these communities accompanied us. We ask a lot of questions. Our guides always had the answers. We went to Auschwitz and Birkenau extermination camps, fragments of Warsaw’s Ghetto walls, remains of Krakow’s Jewish Ghetto, and the excellent Schindler museum that focused on what happened to the Jews in Krakow’s Ghetto.

Gwen knows we have traveled the world on all seven continents. Many of our trips (at least eighteen) have been curated by Wendy’s trip specialists. Gwen knows we increasingly value experiences over mere sightseeing. This itinerary included many hands-on and personal experiences. In Gdansk, we visited an amber workshop and created our own amber jewelry using the workshop’s professional tools overseen by a friendly jeweler. We took home the two amber pendants we made. In Warsaw, Gwen had another wonderful special experience for us: a visit with an artisanal nalewka (pronounced na lef ka) producer. This cordial is made in many homes. But this producer elevates the quality to the nth degree. Made of macerated fruits (or flowers or pine shoots or even milk), water, alcohol and sugar, the mixture sits in huge glass jars in his backyard for at least ten months, then matures in huge plastic barrels for at least three years before bottling. While visiting with this fascinating man, we tasted twelve of his varieties. We brought home two bottles and wish we’d brought a lot more. In Krakow, we had a great lesson on how to make one of Poland’s national foods, pierogis (filled dumplings). The private class was in the home of the woman who runs the annual Krakow Pierogi Festival. We had such a good time with her that we stayed far beyond our scheduled time. Also in Krakow, we visited a small workshop that makes hand-painted glass Christmas ornaments. My husband and I each painted our own ornaments with direction from the chief painter. We ended up bringing a dozen or so ornaments home. In Vienna, we had a great food safari that took us off the tourist circuit and introduced us to stores and producers of traditional Viennese foods.

I could go on and on. Not only were the guides excellent, the drivers and cars were terrific—the lovely Pawel in Krakow to name just one. Trips to and from airports and train stations were always on time. Recommended restaurants were fine and almost invariably within walking distance of our hotel. The hotels were terrific; we loved Raffles in Warsaw. Gwen has an instinct for knowing what will please. We knew she had been swamped by all the requests for travel to Central Europe this summer. We were a little concerned she might not have time for us. But she is fond of Poland and she knows us. The trip she planned was wonderful. She and/or one of her local staff were in touch almost daily, commenting on what we were doing and experiencing. I think she got a kick out of our trip. As did we.

Gwen and her team created an amazing trip for us this August. We only had five days, but she managed to pack in Vienna and Salzburg as well as the Vienna Woods. The service provided for us was excellent throughout. The private tour of the top of St. Stephen’s Cathedral definitely stood out as one of the most interesting things we’ve seen, and Gwen worked with the Hotel Sacher to accommodate our kosher food restrictions. This was not our first trip with Gwen, and I certainly hope it won’t be our last.

Gwen Kozlowski and her team crafted a wonderful trip to Poland (August 2023) for us. We loved Poland and enjoyed every moment. Gwen’s hotel choices were perfect — lovely rooms, delicious breakfasts, great staff and amenities. The drivers she chose were excellent, always early and the vans were clean and comfortable.

The tour guides truly made the trip special. They were extremely knowledgeable — we learned so much. Each day was well planned and we saw everything!

We loved the cuisine, and the food tour Gwen selected for us was so much fun. Our guide was delightful, and we enjoyed walking to each stop on the tour discovering the next gourmet treat. Gwen and her team also recommended terrific restaurants — every meal a delight.

I am looking forward to planning another trip with Gwen.

Gwen helped us narrow down the cities to visit in our trip. We had a large list of requests and her advice was to focus on less cities to truly enjoy them and she was correct. Her recommendations for hotels were perfect for our needs. We particularly enjoyed the Kempinski hotel in Berchesgaden with easy access to Eagles Nest and hiking opportunities. The guides were excellent providing tours of each city. The route she recommended helped us plan and enjoy exactly what we were looking for. Would definitely use Gwen and her team again.

Our family trip to Austria and Czech Republic was great. We were very happy with the itinerary and, considering how crowded Europe is at the moment, we mostly avoided the crowds, and had expert help to guide us through the more crowded destinations we did choose to visit, like Neuschwanstein castle.

Gwen is very experienced. Her access to top-notch guides is invaluable but she definitely doesn’t push guided experiences when things can be easily be seen independently. We only had 4 guided days during our trip but each guide added great value, especially during our private tour of the Strahov Monastery in Prague. This was an experience that would’ve been difficult to recreate on our own and it was certainly worth an hour of our time—we could’ve easily spent twice as long there. Gwen’s on-the-ground support was also excellent and kept things moving seamlessly, responding to our needs extremely quickly. For example, when my phone broke in Austria, Dana reached out to our Prague guide to make sure a repair kiosk was added to our touring stops on our first day in town.

Gwen is very likable and easy to speak with. Our initial conversation left me feeling very comfortable—knowing I was in good hands. One of the things I like about using a WOW Lister is that the planning part of the trip is low stress and usually great fun. While I know that all in-demand travel agents are pushed to their limits right now, Gwen’s lack of ability to reply to inquiries in a timely fashion was challenging. Waiting 2-3 weeks for most e-mail replies and feeling like I was chasing down answers could be stressful, and while I know she was overwhelmed with staff training and dealing with crazy numbers of tourists returning to travel, it took a lot of the joy out of planning, although I’m happy to report it didn’t hinder our enjoyment of the trip. This trip was a re-attempt of a pre-Covid trip we were taking with Gwen. I know from that previous experience that she usually provides excellent service in addition to great trips. I hope that excellent trip planners like Gwen will be able to return to some sort of normalcy in the post-Covid era so that the planning and execution can be enjoyable for everyone—especially since I would love to book a Central Europe Christmas market trip!

This is our second Central Europe trip planned with Gwen. Our family of four (two boys, 17 and 15) did two weeks from Gdansk to Torun to Warsawa to Krakow. We gave Gwen broad outlines of history and food and she filled in the details — amazingly. Gwen suggested Torun — a medieval city known for its — which we loved and highly recommend. She also encouraged the WWII museum in Gdansk (after the Teutonic Malbork castle) and we are so happy she did — it was one of our favorites. In Warsawa, a must-see is the museum POLIN (Jews in Poland). It is hands-down one of the best history museums we have ever visited and a can’t-miss in Warsawa. Gwen arranged a gingerbread-making class in Torun and a pierogi-making class in Krakow — these were both incredibly unique and memorable. Making the trek to Jasna Gora — the Black Madonna — was definitely worth the detour. We ended up making the pilgrimage around the altar on our knees — an experience my kids (and my husband’s knees) will never forget. Our guides and drivers throughout were incredibly knowledgeable, personable and helpful. The most special part of our trip was Gwen arranging a driver and guide to take us to the small village two hours east of Krakow to the cemetery where my great-great-grandparents were buried — and all we had to go on was an old print with a few sentences of my great-grandfather’s handwriting on the back. Our guide Marta was incredibly helpful and she cheerfully accompanied us as we wandered around the cemetery in a blowing April snowstorm. The small restaurant she found for us after (in the middle of nowhere) was my younger son’s favorite meal of the trip. Indeed, Gwen’s guides made all the difference: At the Solidarity museum in Gdansk our guide Kasha shared how she remembered the day martial law was imposed because her son had an earache that day and she had to go out and get medicine — you can’t get that from a wall placard! And at the Schindler museum in Krakow, Marta was able to navigate us through the throngs (like hundreds!) of people at the entrance. Similarly, at Auchwitz our guide was able to get us quickly through the crowds and confusion. Gwen and her colleague checked in with us throughout the trip, which was much appreciated. This trip was originally planned with Gwen pre-Covid and we are so happy it could finally happen. Gwen’s expertise during the year(s) of planning were invaluable.

My father and I recently went on a great trip to Austria that Gwen helped us plan. The tour guides she selected for us were friendly and knowledgeable. We had a lovely time exploring Salzburg and the surrounding lake district, visiting sites and parts of the city we never would have went on our own. And in Vienna, we got early access to the Belvedere Palace, which helped us avoid crowds. We never would have done that on our own. All of the transports and hotel arrangements were as smooth as could be. Couldn’t recommend Wendy’s service highly enough!

Took a multi-generational family trip to Germany and Austria during the 2022 Christmas holiday. Cannot say enough good things about planning a trip with Gwen Kozlowski. She is by far the best we have ever experienced! Our guides — and we had a ton of them — all were fantastic. They were able to provide for and entertain everyone from our 9-year-old son to my 79-year-old mother. This was a special feat in the cold Christmastime chaos!

Gwen had all the right advice — we felt safe and cared for throughout our train and car transfers and adventures. Our initial idea was to see the Christmas markets, but what we got was so much more — the markets were almost an afterthought. She knew where to go — Munich, Salzburg, Vienna — and what to do there. When she heard that we had a 15-year-old car fanatic with us, she made arrangements for a side trip to Stuttgart as well. Just take her advice on where to go, and you won’t be disappointed!

A family group of seven, parents and college-aged kids, spent three nights each in Budapest, Vienna and Prague on an itinerary developed by Gwen Kozlowski. A great time of year to visit these festive European cities, with Christmas Markets, festive lights and lots of church choices for Christmas Eve. Gwen and team did an excellent job in both recommending hotels and special activities and in organizing all the elements — hotels, restaurants, guides, transport, event tickets, etc. Gwen really knows the details of the cites, sights, events and hotels, so was able to craft something memorable for everyone. Kudos.

Barvarian band playing in Braeustueberl Tegernsee beer garden, Germany. Photo: Michael Ruma

Impromptu trip planned to visit friends stationed in the area turned out to be a well-needed time for relaxation and a stunning experience of Bavaria’s autumn colors and culture. Recognizing the prior benefit of using Wendy’s trusted travel planners, we reached out again in the hopes to gain the necessary assistance to orchestrate a two-week journey across southern Germany, arriving and departing from Frankfurt.

After receiving a quick response, we arranged a brief call with Gwen, who listened to our interests, preferences and desires for our travel. Gwen and her team then curated a delightful itinerary based on our requests for a few city tours, hiking, wine tasting and excellent food. What evolved from there really was a sublimely pleasing trip.

Upon arrival to Frankfurt we walked to the train terminal connected to the airport and boarded our train to Baden Baden. Concerned about missing our train due to a delayed international arrival, we were contacted by our in-country contact who assured us that back-up plans had been made just in case we missed our previously scheduled flight. Without a travel expert monitoring our trip, we would have been stuck worrying about how we fix our train travel.

I’ll highlight just a few of the many wonderful perks we experienced traveling across Bavaria with Gwen’s assistance. First, we received complimentary upgrades at two of the four hotels we stayed. Both of these were not expected, but greatly appreciated with more space, gorgeous balcony views and little treats each and every night. Second, we had really extraordinary guides in each locale giving us the inside scoop on the finest restaurants, hidden museums and the best ways to enjoy each city. Last, each transition to the cities we visited was seamless with either a highly professional driver or fine-tuned directions on how to find our way on our own.

With superb itinerary planning, smooth transportation regardless of mode and a watchful guide wherever and whenever we needed it, we were left with the freedom to simply relax and immerse ourselves into each site we visited, which is the real gift all travelers are after. What this meant to us included walks each morning along the beautifully forested river walk, the Lichtentaler Allee, admiring the changing colors of the trees, spending half a day soaking at a thermal spa, wondering how much more grand Neuschwanstein castle could be from a bridge suspended hundreds of feet above a roaring waterfall, sampling fine chocolates in Strasbourg, learning about riesling quality designations from our wine-loving guide, finding the local spot for wild boar and dumplings, and hiking over 10 miles high above Lake Tegernsee and enjoying a crisp German lager to celebrate the view of the Alps at the local brewery with a live Bavarian band playing next to us.

If you enjoy excellent and well choreographed travel allowing you the ability to feel like a relaxed local truly experiencing all their cities have to offer, then we think you will be pleased to have Gwen put a trip together for you. We will certainly be putting her to work again in the near future!

We traveled through Budapest, Vienna, and Berlin (October 18-29). We were very pleased with all our hotels (Aria, Sacher, de Rome). The guides were excellent. In Berlin, our guide tested positive for Covid and had to be replaced. Unfortunately, the replacement guide was not as good and he also was a smoker, which I found unpleasant. The replacement guide seemed to want to hurry us along and he was the only guide that did that. Gwen, our travel agent, and her colleague, Dana, were fantastic. They responded quickly to emails or text messages and were very helpful on a number of occasions.

My husband and I were interested in a comprehensive day tour in Krakow and were referred to Gwen Kozlowski, who specializes in this area. She immediately contacted us and listened to our requests and also added additional venues and tips. She posted our itinerary and instructions on a website, also with tour information.

Unfortunately, my husband wasn’t feeling well, so it was just my guide Marta and me. Marta was fantastic. She was extremely knowledgeable and had a wonderful personality. We toured the Old Town where she had personal stories and lesser-known streets and churches. Chocolate shopping and having hot chocolate were definitely on my list and I couldn’t be happier with her choices. The two main sites that were “must visits” were the Czartorsky Museum, to see DaVinci’s Lady with an Ermine, and the Schindler Museum. The Czartorsky was a highlight of my trip. Marta definitely knew her art and made the whole museum fascinating. The Schindler Museum was an absolute bucket item. Marta timed it so there were no crowds before or after us, making it seem like we had it all to ourselves. This was also combined with the Jewish Ghetto and Kazimierz, where we stopped at a local restaurant and had a delicious Forest Soup. It was a full 8 hours with Marta, both walking and having a driver for a few stops. It was an interesting, educational, sobering and entertaining day in Krakow.

PANDEMIC TRAVEL We went (first trip to Europe in three years) to Germany and Austria. It was a family trip with our three adult children. During the planning Gwen’s suggestions were fabulous—in particular adding Berlin which is an amazing city and a completely different energy from Austria. We also liked all of the hotels (all in perfect locations and with great service). We really liked most of the guides (one was a dud but several were amazing including a Berlin guide who grew up in Eastern Berlin) and the foodie tour was a huge hit. Sadly after the first week we all got very sick with Covid (no one masks in the cities we were in, except on transport). After that we were miserably sick in the hotel room eating room service and thinking sadly of all the money this lost week cost us. We are now home for over a week and several of us are still pretty sick. Yes, we were fully vaxxed and boosted but we didn’t mask due to peer pressure…and the museums and markets were crowded with no one masking. In any case I am sad to say I think it is too early to go back to Europe at this stage.

PANDEMIC TRAVEL  We just returned from a 14-day family trip in Austria planned by Gwen. I can only describe the experience as life-affirming. The official occasion for the trip was my son’s graduation from high school and sending him off to music school in the fall, so we had a heavy musical focus, but there was truly something for everyone in the family. We toured palaces and cathedrals in Vienna, experienced local food, watched the Lipizzaner stallions perform and had a private tour of the stables. We moved on to the Wachau Valley for wine tasting and breathtaking Danube scenery, then visited the abbeys of Melk and Stift-Admont. In Salzburg, we soaked up the music festival, saw the fortress and countless Sound of Music film locations, attended a Mozart opera, a Vienna Philharmonic concert, and a world-class string quartet. We learned to make apple strudel and Salzburg Nockerl, and visited the charming lake district outside Salzburg. We rounded out our trip with several days in Innsbruck and a final train ride to Munich where we celebrated my son’s birthday at a beer hall and caught our flight home. Gwen was helpful and responsive and understood my family’s diverse needs. She steered us away from tourist traps and embraced our interest in some off-the-beaten-path locations. She suggested lovely boutique hotel experiences and guides with extraordinary depth of knowledge of their cities. Her restaurant and activity recommendations were spot on. I highly recommend Gwen and her team for anyone looking to travel in Austria and central Europe.

PANDEMIC TRAVEL  Wendy Perrin put me in touch with Gwen to help me plan our Berlin itinerary—my husband is an art collector, so I tasked Gwen with helping me find a local art guide to go all over the city. Gwen found the perfect person in Paulina, an art specialist and guide—exactly what we asked for and more! Gwen also provided excellent drivers, local tour guides and was even able to help switch up the days on two tours last-minute due to unexpected rain. She did an unbelievable job—another successful adventure with Wendy Perrin and her team.

PANDEMIC TRAVEL  My husband, daughter and I traveled to Germany and Austria between June 17th and July 3, 2022. Our trip was planned by Gwen. Our trip was fantastic. We started in Munich and attended the Passion Play in Oberammergau the day after arrival. Even though we don’t speak German, the play was an amazing experience. We then spent two days touring Munich learning about German history, visiting the Olympic Park and BMW World. My husband studied German in high school and the visit to Munich and Bavaria was magical. He said what place could be better where beer is actually cheaper than water? In addition, our hotel was in the middle of the old section of Munich and we had a direct view of the famous Glockenspiel from our hotel window.

We then moved to Tegernsee lake region and stayed at an amazing resort on the lake. The town was very beautiful. We also toured the Bavarian countryside visiting Neuschwanstein, a local supermarket for meats and cheeses and ended up in the clouds on the top of Zug Spitze via the gondola. And I also need to mention our driver in Munich and throughout Bavaria was Robert Herr, who was awesome and most accommodating. In addition, Gwen booked amazing restaurants each night that gave us variety, local flavor and great atmospheres. This was throughout our trip.

Leaving Tegernsee, we headed towards an Austrian experience starting in Salzburg. On the way, we stopped to have a schnapps tasting experience. Our expectation was that we would be stopping at a distillery that made schnapps. How wrong were we? We stopped at a schnapps distillery, but it was a family farm with third-generation family owners. They are one of the larger schnapps distillers in Austria, but it absolutely was a family farm experience. They served us an amazing charcuterie board and we tasted many flavors of amazing schnapps and gin. The family was amazing and charming. This absolutely was one of our favorite experiences of the trip!

On to Salzburg, home of Mozart and a history that dates back to 500 BC and Roman occupation from 50 BC to 500 AD. We toured the city and learned the amazing history. We had a cooking experience to make the famous Salzburger Nockerl and Apfelstrudel. My husband then had to depart this amazing experience and my daughter and I continued with a trip to Eagles Nest and a bike ride through Salzburg donning Dirndls for the true Sound of Music experience. Again, dining was amazing from Gwen setting up a historic abbey to a cliff side experience with an amazing view at the metropolitan museum.

The final destination was Vienna. A quick train ride and drivers at departure and arrival destinations made the trip easy and safe. Vienna is an amazing cultural city with deep history. I would also be remiss to not mention how great all the tour guides were (Gerti, Martin, Tom, Marco, etc) from Munich to Salzburg to Vienna, all arranged by Gwen and her team. In Vienna, we experienced a walking food tour; a walking street art tour to satisfy our love of graffiti art; a wine tour of the Wachau Valley; a visit to the famous Spanish Riding School of Vienna; and a unique dining experience on a horse-drawn carriage through the city.

Our trip enabled us to make new friends and new cultural connections. It was humbling to remind us that in our vast world, we all share the same passions and desires to enjoy life, respect fellow human beings and learn from one another. We developed huge appreciation for the German and Austrian people and their amazing picturesque countries. And all of it well planned by Gwen’s office to ensure a fantastic life experience. We also felt very safe and comfortable throughout our trip. Thanks Gwen!

PANDEMIC TRAVEL  Our family of three traveled to Munich, Hallstatt, Austria and Vienna during June 2022. It was the perfect mix of city exploration, mountain hiking and relaxation. We were especially pleased that they quickly suggested Hallstatt as the mountain escape to take a break from city touring for our entire vacation. Hallstatt was a family favorite and we would recommend as a “don’t miss” location if planning a trip in that region. Gwen and her team picked hotels that were always the perfect combination of hotel amenities and location activities. They suggested extraordinary experiences in both a Vienna food tour with the brilliant and personable Bianca and a Wachau Valley wine tour that knocked our socks off with the personal attention of Martin. I appreciated the travel planner’s responsiveness with questions mid-trip and the addition of a hotel room in Vienna for our son. And lastly, Gwen exceeded expectations when she offered her thoughts of my son’s trip to the Balkan countries right before he met with us. She gave me peace of mind for how our trips would dovetail efficiently and without drama.

PANDEMIC TRAVEL Gwen was very efficient and on top of all of the arrangements she made for us. She communicated with us efficiently and in a timely manner. We would definitely use Gwen again.

Guides in Sofia and Prague were very informative and pleasant.

The fees for these private tours do raise expectations to high levels. One aspect of our Sofia plans changed. Our trip to the mountain was replaced due to cloud cover restricting any city views. We were taken to the History Museum instead which was an option that pleased us.

However, the museum had just reopened after COVID. It would have been much more interesting to us if our guide had been able to offer us more information as we toured the museum. She had not visited the museum since the museum had reopened and some displays had been rearranged–not really her fault, but… it did negatively impact our experience there. We were taken to a lovely, large, and VERY LONG lunch. It felt a bit like the guides did not know quite what to do with us and needed to use up our allotted time. I stress the guides were lovely people and obviously trying hard to please.

Our guide in Prague was top-notch and met every expectation above and beyond!

PANDEMIC TRAVEL Gwen planned our first trip to Budapest, Vienna and Prague to perfection. We had experiences beyond anything I imagined (private tours of palaces, libraries, etc) with incredible guides. We had a food tour in Vienna that we could never have done on our own and a lovely boat trip at sunset down the Danube in Budapest. And in route to each city, we stopped at a vineyard for a private tasting and even had lunch in a Michelin star restaurant in the middle of nowhere. I didn’t have to think of anything, Gwen had it all planned. She picked amazing restaurants and every one of them knew of my dietary requirements before I got there. She picked amazing hotels and got us really good suites and the hotels gave us extra stuff with a note that said your travel designer planned x for you – which was a wonderful surprise. She knows the area so well and after speaking with her, she knew what we would and would not like. She even communicated with her colleague that planned different trips for us and Ala told her our likes as well so she really knew what to plan for us. When you get someone like Gwen, you immediately understand why having someone plan out your trip takes it to a level you could never achieve. Covid was not really an issue where we went but we did have to get a test to come home and the hotel sent someone to our room for an instant result test so it was easy. The Axus app that comes with the trip is constantly updated so it’s your bible on the trip and when our flight got canceled and rebooked later the same day, I emailed Gwen and the app was instantly updated and she changed our pickup, etc. without me having to do anything. We really loved all three cities and I know it’s because of how Gwen planned it for us.

PANDEMIC TRAVEL I worked with Gwen and her team to travel with my sister, mom and her best friend to the Christmas Markets in December 2021. Our original plan had us going to Munich, Salzburg, and Vienna for 9 nights in early December 2021. Gwen put a great plan together for us and we were excited to take this trip.

As we approached the time to depart (about a week before we were to leave) we began to get notices from Gwen (and we saw on the news) that one by one each city was cancelling the Christmas markets and eventually Austria (where two of three cities were planned) closed down entirely. Gwen’s team was on top of it each step of the way. They offered us alternatives and reassured us that there were still options for where we could travel. Gwen was emailing us day and night leading up to our trip and we talked on the phone when needed. They went above and beyond to make sure we were comfortable and happy with our decision. Our group decided that we really wanted to take the trip so we were flexible about where we would go.

Eventually, we settled on an itinerary of Warsaw, Krakow, and Budapest. Because of all the moving parts we didn’t even have the full itinerary until the day or two before we departed. The absolute best thing we asked Gwen to add for us was VIP arrival and departure service in our European cities. When we got to Warsaw we were whisked off to a private lounge, the staff took our passports and COVID arrival info and handled all the details for us. As we relaxed in the lounge, they took care of our arrival into the country. No lines, no frustrations with procedures, and no stress. We loved it! Before we knew it, we were being taken to our private transfer and off to the hotel. We even got a call during our ride to the hotel from the in-country planner who checked to make sure all was well. It was worth every penny. In fact, we loved it so much, we asked Gwen to add the VIP departure service to our flight leaving Budapest at the end of the trip. Once again, we hung out in a private lounge as everybody took care of our paperwork. We were escorted through private security and then to a private transfer right to the door of the plane where we were the first to board. Fantastic!

Our three city choices were great. Some highlights:
*the gingerbread cookie baking class in Warsaw was wonderful.
*In Krakow our tour of Auschwitz-Birkenau was so moving and impactful. Our guide was incredible and we were so fortunate to have him explain the history of this terrible place to us. We found out that our guide’s father was a survivor of Auschwitz and it was humbling to have him share with us. Guides really do make or break tours.
*A private ornament making session with a renowned hand-painted ornament business. They were even so sweet as to bake us an apple cake and our guide along with the owner sang us traditional Polish Christmas carols as we decorated our ornaments and the snow fell outside. Quite the experience!
*A fantastic meal at the beautiful castle restaurant in Egar with Hungarian wines paired to our various courses – the best meal of the trip!
*A private boat on the Danube to see the lights of night time Budapest.

I appreciated Gwen’s team being willing to make changes for us as we moved through the itinerary. Because we didn’t have a lot of time to process the itinerary before we left, there were some small things we wanted to change as we went along. Gwen’s in-country team handled them with no problem.

Even though this was not the trip we had originally planned, we ended up with a trip that we all enjoyed and were glad to be able to take our girl trip. I would highly recommend using Gwen and her team. They were complete professionals and there is no way this trip would have happened without them. It was such a relief to know the logistics were handled and we had someone on call should anything change or become difficult. I will definitely use Gwen again!

Michelle Price and her family enjoy the holidays in Vienna.

PANDEMIC TRAVEL We worked with Gwen, who planned the perfect itinerary to Austria for December 2020. Due to covid, our trip was delayed. She made postponement easy and secured the same rates for the following year.

A few days prior to our departure (December 2021), Vienna delayed opening hotels for tourists. Gwen quickly scheduled a couple-day detour to Budapest. We were thankful she was able to “save” our trip and loved our time in Budapest. The Four Season was simply fantastic—one of the best hotels I’ve had the pleasure of sleeping in. And they thanked us with a hotel credit due to booking with Gwen. Another hiccup was Austria instated a Covid booster shot requirement (or proof of negative test) on the day we departed from the US. Fast-acting Gwen worked with the Budapest hotel concierge to schedule a test and rush the results.

Our time in Vienna was great, including a tour of the city and Christmas markets. We scheduled a cooking class but due to covid regulations we changed to a food-walking tour with Bianca—which ended up being a highlight of our trip!

Salzburg was magical. The Sacher Hotel was everything we wanted in a hotel. Touring Old Town, visiting the Christmas market, and shopping was just what we wanted—perfect. Dinner at St. Peter Stiftskulinarium (over 1200 years old) was simply delicious.

Our day trip to Hallstatt felt like a dream. We practically had the entire town to ourselves. In fact, we only saw a handful of tourists for the first hour. In total, we saw fewer than 50 tourists that day.

Next, we headed to Seefeld for an alpine experience. While my husband and son enjoyed their time skiing, I was pampered at the spa.

Our trip from start to finish was more than we hoped for thanks to Gwen and her team. If it were not for her, the covid hiccups would have caused us to cancel or certainly would have derailed our trip. Gwen ensured that everything was taken care of for us.

PANDEMIC TRAVEL Touring the Frankfurt area from the 14th through the 19th of September, 2021.

While planning a trip to Kenya we found that we would need to change planes in Frankfurt. Sensing an opportunity we decided to turn our connection into a 5 night layover and contacted Gwen to help us make the most of our stay. It turned out to be a good decision. While we might have stumbled across some of the elements that made it into itinerary, dealing with all the details while trying to ensure that we were not taking undue risks due to COVID would have been a significant challenge.
After listening carefully to our interests, Gwen and Lori put together an itinerary that suited us perfectly. They suggested we board a train at the Frankfurt airport and travel immediately to Baden-Baden. Our three night stay there was perfect. Baden-Baden made a terrific base of operations for our explorations. We started that first day with a guided walking tour that acquainted us with the charming city. We then took a full day tour of the Black Forest, which included strolls around lakes and hikes along waterfalls. It also included a private demonstration of a chef putting together a Black Forest cake and a visit to a cuckoo clock atelier. The next day we drove a rented car to Strasbourg. There our guide toured us through the Old Town of that delightful World Heritage Site, ending with a visit to the famed cathedral. We also enjoyed a relaxing private boat tour on the river that took us by the impressive buildings of the European Parliament.
At the end of the day we returned to Brenners Park, our hotel in Baden-Baden. Not only are the accommodations there exceedingly comfortable, and the location an easy walk to the heart of town with its fun dining options, but the staff is the best of any hotel we have visited. We would not hesitate to recommend Brenners Park to anyone staying in Baden-Baden.
The next day was dedicated to the town of Heidelberg, with a focus on Heidelberg Castle, which should be considered a must-see for anyone in the area. We then drove to our hotel in Frankfurt, which was within walking distance of the old part of town. Our last day gave us a chance to explore this largely underappreciated city.
This trip involved some complex logistics. This included arrangements for our COVID PCR tests at Brenners Park. Gwen and Lori had it all under control. With just one small exception, everything went according to plan. The exception was an anomaly which Gwen has already taken steps to insure won’t happen again. We would recommend the services of Gwen and Lori to anyone planning a trip in the area.

PANDEMIC TRAVEL Gwen and her team did an excellent job of communicating the planning of my trip to Krakow and Amsterdam. Everything worked like clockwork, from the airport pickups to the multiple specialty guides. The trip to Auschwitz was difficult but very important. The guide’s father had been a captive at the camp and his perspective was excellent. Traveling is always difficult and much more during the time of Covid. Gwen was invaluable. Anyone considering a similar trip must use Gwen.

Gwen listened and helped me plan a very interesting itinerary for my 15 year old and me through various cities in Poland and Berlin. We were also challenged by the closings on Christmas. I was actively involved in what we wanted to see and do, but Gwen listened and organized very wonderful days, fitting in what we were looking to see and learn about. The guides in Poland were all wonderful, and the logistics throughout the trip, pick ups and transfers, all were perfect. All the drivers were great. Hotel recommendations were mostly spot on. Only hiccups were a couple of restaurant reservations that got a bit mixed up. All in all a great experience.

My husband and I recently traveled to Prague, Austria, and southern Germany for 24 days using the services of Gwen Kozlowski and Exeter International. I reached out to Gwen over a year before we planned to go after winning an auction for a short stay at a Munich hotel. We used that as a starting point. After extensive email interaction we got to know each other well enough to really nail the itinerary and come up with a wonderful experience.

Part of the excitement of any trip I take comes from reading and learning about the places I intend to visit. With a year of potential planning time I came up with quite a dream list. It included renown museums and historic sites, but also alpine trails we wanted to hike and restaurants we wanted to dine at. Gwen had her own list of special activities, led by guides with unique knowledge, to add to the mix. Some sounded very familiar – a Food Tour or Wine Tour. I admit to being reluctant to spend time on these since we have taken dozens of such tours. She assured me they were special, tailored to our particular interests, and encouraged me to give them a try. They turned out to be some of our most memorable activities. We really learned invaluable information that helped navigate restaurant menus and wine lists throughout our trip.

All of the private guides we used were outstanding. Without exception they were knowledgeable, friendly, punctual and flexible, answering all of our questions and providing local insight into the places we visited. I most likely would never have found them without working with Gwen. Her professional relationship with these guides, the transfer/driving companies, and local support people was the significant difference from any trip I planned on my own. The logistics were flawless and the management of our time, having full days but not overwhelming ones, very much was due to her assistance. I also appreciated Exeter’s ability to expedite access to several venues.

You asked to comment on any local support we had while traveling. Because of bad weather we at one point considered changing hotels and reworking the itinerary. The local Exeter representatives helped run the numbers and provide alternatives. In addition, my husband needed a quick trip to a local ear, nose, and throat doctor. Our guide helped negotiate everything and he was able to enjoy the following days. This medical visit would have been much more difficult on our own.

One more general thought – I have used several of your recommended specialists. Gwen was one of the easiest to work with. She gave me choices among hotels including a range of styles and price points. I consider us to be pretty independent when traveling. We have lived both in Europe and Asia. We often chose to use public transportation and eliminate a private car and driver to hold down costs. She was fine with this. I appreciated her flexibility and willingness to accommodate.

Gwen did an excellent job for our family on a Munich, Salzburg, Czech Republic trip. Everything was seamless and went like clockwork. We really wanted to stay at the Goldener Hirsch but it was uncertain if it would be reopen in time after remodeling. Gwen made back up reservations but then when the Hirsch (happily!) reopened on schedule, moved us over there into the most fabulous rooms. Cesky Krumlov wasn’t on our radar — she put it on and booked us at a fabulous new boutique hotel. We are so delighted she did. She accommodated our request for a private tour at Cesky Budejovices Budweiser/Budvar brewery and it was fantastic. The highlight of the trip however was the private tour of the Strahov monastery library. A once in a lifetime experience.

Thanks to Gwen’s help and deep experience, we had a great 2+ week trip to major cities in Central Europe. We liked every city, with just the right amount of time in each. Vienna and Budapest were favorites. We enjoyed Salzburg and Prague but found the latter to be overrun by hordes of tourists. In early planning, Gwen had duly learned our needs, wants and preferences. As a result, our hotels were fabulous, especially Sacher Vien and the Aria Budapest. Happily, we received great upgrades at both! Guides can make or break a trip like this, and all our guides were exceptional, especially Peter in Vienna and Anna in Budapest. We had many great meals, often at Gwen’s recommended restaurants. We also benefited from her many suggestions of how to spend leisure time. For example, the thermal baths in Budapest were a blast! All the transportation arrangements went very smoothly. City-to-city travel by train was easy and pleasant and our local drivers were polite and professional. Gwen arranged several memorable experiences. We loved the Vienna Choir Boys and Lipizzaner stallions at the Tribute to Vienna. A real highlight was a special visit with guide Peter and his wife at their gorgeous apartment in Vienna. And the Czech Philharmonic concert was truly amazing. This was a wonderful trip at a fair price. In the end, we were so very glad we chose to work with Gwen on this custom trip rather than partaking of a standard Danube river cruise!

As usual when using one of Wendy’s great specialists, Gwen and her team helped create a fascinating experience.

We contacted Gwen when a last-minute work trip provided the opportunity for an extended vacation. With 4 weeks to plan Gwen took time to get to know us and provided us with excellent recommendations on ways to enjoy our time in Austria. The guides she selected, the transportation (train, driver and rental car) were all seamless and the hotels were amazing. She was always a pleasure to deal with an even handled a small snafu (our fault) while we were away. Gwen even teamed up with Wendy for our WOW moment at the Kunsthistorisches Museum, which did not disappoint! We love learning about art and Julia’s passion and knowledge were infectious! She was such a pleasure to spend time with and we had an amazing afternoon. A highlight was the time she spent on the Klimt brothers paintings on the walls and ceiling of the museum. Not only did she teach us so much about the history of the works and the artists but she had high resolution photos of the works on her tablet that allowed us to zoom in on the details of the art you cannot see with the naked eye – a completely different perspective and they are even more amazing seeing them through that lens. What a memory!

Thanks to Gwen (and Wendy!) we had an amazing trip we will remember for a lifetime.

We hired Gwen just a few weeks before a last-minute trip to Prague. She quickly put together a comprehensive trip for us, even though we ended up using hotel loyalty points to book our hotel. She organized guides who were knowledgable and listened to our interests. We only eat kosher food and she not only researched kosher restaurants in the area, but also found places that could deliver to us. We only had 4 days there but left feeling as if we really saw almost everything! Thankfully we had no glitches at all except for a delay on our flight home, and Dana (Gwen’s person on the ground) quickly switched our airport transfer for us. We would definitely hire Gwen and her team again.

Gwen arranged our trip to Austria and Switzerland. She picked our hotels, restaurants and activities. Everyone in our group, from toddler to adult, had at least one activity designed for them each day. Gwen found things to do in each locale that were both fun and authentic, such as performances by the Vienna Boys Choir and the Spanish Riding School. She also found ways for us to experience local culture, such as cooking national dishes with local hosts right in their homes. Our whole group was very pleased with the itinerary she delivered.

Agent arranged every transfer, hotel, guide, and entertainment tickets and made restaurant suggestions. We were never disappointed. The hotels, guides and drivers were welcoming and accommodating. We felt very prepared for the itinerary, logistics and tipping. When one of our flights was cancelled, it was handled well and we felt secure and it finding alternatives.

St. Mark’s Church in Zagreb, Croatia

We had previously traveled with Gwen’s colleagues to Russia, so when we saw Wendy recommended them for Croatia we were delighted. We were traveling over Easter and wanted to maximize our time and see as much as we could. We needed to fit in the museums we wanted and balance it with the early closings and other sightseeing. We agreed to an itinerary including Split, Dubrovnik, and Zagreb with day trips to Hvar, Cavtat & Konavle. We wanted to get a mix of history, art, culture, Jewish history, and Game of Thrones, and each of our three guides delivered. Our guides and drivers were knowledgeable, connected to their community, friendly, and great hosts. We truly enjoyed our time with each of the guides and saw and learned so much more than we could have seen on our own. Our driver Maro was like having a friend showing you around. Gwen was able to help us secure reservations at the restaurants we wanted, including Michelin-starred Restaurant 360 in Dubrovnik. We also loved her suggestions of Restaurant Dubrovnik and Adriatic Graso in Split — we had amazing meals and service. While in Dubrovnik we were surprised with our WOW Moment. We had a private boat ride from the new harbor to the old harbor just outside the Ancient Walls of Dubrovnik. We were served wine and charcuterie. Despite the rough waters, Captain Chris gave us a wonderful tour and a new perspective of Dubrovnik. It was such a treat. I highly recommend the Judita Palace for its location and manager Andrew, and the Excelsior Hotel for everything (we received a double room upgrade to an executive suite). Croatia is a magical place and Gwen’s team is there to roll out the red carpet for you.

We recently returned from a trip to Berlin and Vienna planned by Gwen Kozlowski and Silvia Baigorri and are extremely happy with our experiences in both cities and the itineraries that were put together for us. Our guides were excellent, our tours perfect for us. Since it was our first visit to these cities we decided to do walking tours. We find that this type of tour gives us a great overview and sense of the layout of a city. Also, it’s a great way for us to decide if this is a city we would want to visit again. If so, then we book a much more in-depth tour on our return visit. These are two cities that we will definitely visit again! We did 4-hour tours in each city and I must say that our time was well planned and yet jammed packed with one great experience after the next. Our only regret was in not planning 6-hour tours so as to be able to spend 2 more hours with our terrific guides…Olaf and Peter!

Our guide Olaf Kolbatz in Berlin was excellent. His knowledge and the historical perspective he provided us with was special. You can read all of the information that’s been printed about the Berlin Wall but to speak with someone who actually lived through those times, as Olaf had, was quite special. His insights and perspective enriched our experience not only as it related to the Berlin Wall but to Berlin and its rich history.

Our guide in Vienna, Peter Heuritsch, was not only knowledgeable but so enjoyable to be with. He provided us with a great first impression of this beautiful city greatly enhancing our experience. We had a fantastic day with him. He shared wonderful stories with us about Austria and its history and in particular Vienna. His knowledge was and is vast.

Gwen was fabulous to work with. Prior to our trip she provided us with our itinerary as well as an incredible wealth of information as it related to each city. There was a very comprehensive list of restaurant suggestions and the offer to help in securing reservations. Of course, we chose only those restaurants that Gwen gave her “star” rating to and we were not disappointed. While we were in Berlin I sent her a note asking about Jazz venues. She immediately sent me an in-depth list of suggested jazz venues and a description of each club and the type of music that was being performed. Great info!

She also arranged for us, with very little lead time, to go to the Musikverein on two occasions. One evening the Vienna Symphony was performing and on the other the National Symphony Orchestra of Katowice (Poland) was performing. Both evenings were most enjoyable and our seats were excellent!

Gwen and her team put together a terrific itinerary together for us. Communicating with her was easy and her response to any request or question that I had was always answered quickly. I will look forward to collaborating with her again….. hopefully, in the not too distant future!

Thank you, Wendy for another great recommendation!

Gwen and her team were outstanding in planning our itinerary for Vienna and Prague. The entire family had a wonderful time filled with unforgettable memories. We would definitely use her services again!

Shannon Howard and her husband on Goat Mountain, near Salzburg, Austria

For our twenty-fifth wedding anniversary, we considered booking a Danube river cruise (as we have immensely enjoyed river cruising). After perusing several cruise lines’ itineraries, I wished we could combine elements from each cruise to create the perfect anniversary trip. Following an initial phone conversation with Gwen, I realized it was possible to design a land trip, based out of Prague and Vienna, that could include all our “must haves,” from touring Lobkowicz Palace and the Jewish Quarter in Prague to climbing the 343 stairs to the roof of St. Stephen’s Cathedral, to biking along the Danube in the Wachau Valley, to seeing The Sound of Music highlights in Salzburg. Because we would be “in port” all the time, we could also add evening ballet and symphony performances, plus a romantic anniversary dinner at a top-rated Viennese restaurant.

After corresponding for several months with Gwen and Lori, I felt confident that we had finalized every last detail of our dream itinerary. But what I didn’t fully appreciate was that Gwen could provide the perfect ingredient that no amount of my researching and selecting sites could provide—and that was our private guides.

In Prague, Kamila candidly shared details about her childhood under communist rule. As we walked through New Town, she pointed out where her father stood as he witnessed the Russian tanks that entered their city in 1968. Kamila was expert at keeping us on task (with our ambitious site-seeing itinerary) without ever rushing us. She allowed ample pauses to soak in the architectural beauty, reminding us to “always look up and look behind” when we were admiring the scenery.

Our Viennese guide, Peter, provided in-depth historical context so that we could appreciate that “Austrians are not Germans.” Before beginning our biking adventure along the Danube, Peter took us along charming back streets to view centuries-old buildings in Krems, his childhood home. Our visit inside the church in Durnstein seemed especially intimate when Peter revealed he was married there. Peter provided a local lens to his Austria so that we felt a little less like tourists and more like guests.

After a vigorous Fraulein Maria public bike tour in Salzburg, we were hoping for a lazy afternoon. Our guide, Michaela, streamlined our previously scheduled car tour to achieve a visually stimulating, yet low-key, route through the Lake District. We especially enjoyed gorgeous (and tranquil) views atop “Goat Mountain” and an impromptu stop at a local shop in St. Gilgen, where we conversed with the jovial store owner before purchasing locally made goods (including salt and pumpkin seed oil). Knowing we’d appreciate a view of the church in Mondsee, Michaela squeezed in this final stop—but not before calling the restaurant to push back our dinner reservations.

Our perspectives of the places we visited were authentically enriched by Kamila, Peter, and Michaela. We’re grateful that Gwen and Lori arranged for us to tour with knowledgeable, personable, and genuinely dedicated guides.

We explained in our first phone conference with Gwen that we wanted to hear some fine classical music in and around Vienna. Gwen assembled information on what was available in October so we could select the performances that interested us and the dates for our travel. We selected a couple of symphonies at the Musikverein, a string octet at Karl’s Church, a piano recital in the crypt of St. Peter’s church, and the Sunday mass at Hofmusikkapell that featured the Vienna Boys Choir and Schubert’s Mass. Gwen and Lori got us all the tickets with favored seats. We also indicated an interest in hearing Gregorian chants and they arranged for us to hear the monks sing the midday service at Heiligenkreuz Abbey near Baden (combined with a personal tour of the Beethoven Museum). Wow: what an array of wonderful musical performances in an array of special and varied venues, all wrapped into one week!

Gwen and Lori also led us into other great experiences. For food, they advised us on restaurants and signed us up for a personal foodie tour by an accomplished and published chef with a hands-on lesson in making apple strudel. For wine, we were driven out to taste and learn about special white wines in Wachau on the Danube. For art, we got a personal tour of the Belvedere Museum and, together with an excellent gourmet dinner in the cupola hall of the Kunsthistorisches Museum (Fine Arts Museum), a personal tour of the Curiosities collection by a member of the museum’s Education staff. For sport, they got us prized arena-level seats to watch the Lippizaner horses perform at the Spanish Riding School, followed by a personal tour of the stable, exercise ring and tack room where we came literally eye-to-eye with the horses.

But a fundamental value for our trip came from spending time and conversing with the outstanding guides and docents and chauffeurs during our personal tours. Each was engaging and knowledgeable. Each was respectful of our impaired walking ability. Each shared personal experiences and insights with us about their lives and current life in and around Vienna.

Outstanding.

Gwen and Lori were excellent trip planners. They really know intimately the area we traveled to, Budapest, Vienna, and Prague. We had amazing tour guides and what was really jaw-dropping is that everything went as planned….at every new place we were greeted on time by our new guide or picked up by the driver to take us to the next region or next experience. The vehicles were first class, comfortable and always equipped with water and snacks. A map was always provided in each city. Loved the handy spiral booklet they created for the itinerary. And the guides spoke very highly of Gwen and her team as well. And we had a number of extraordinary experiences planned by Gwen that were wonderful and better than we expected. Thanks, Gwen and Lori!

Gwen and her team were amazing. From the flawless planning and documentation of the trip to follow-up during the trip. The hired great guides, suggested amazing restaurants.

Our Travel specialist was so excellent for many reasons. I would absolutely use Gwen again. She listened to my needs and preferences. She understood exactly what type of trip we wanted and the accommodations we like to stay in. The pace of the tours in each city was really comfortable. Her contacts and tour guides were so good they felt like family. She was easily accessible answered any questions or queries very quickly. Her suggestions were phenomenal and she took all the guess work out of our trip. We had some very specific needs to be met and she accommodated us willingly. Gwen made sure that any specific sights we wanted to see were open when we in the a particular country and planned our schedule around those exhibits I am an avid traveler and quite skilled at creating an itinerary but after using Gwen and having her fit everything we wanted to accomplish within out timeline and restrictions I will be using these services again. The thing that impressed me most was that she was not afraid to say that certain countries were out of her area of expertise and would suggest I contact someone else if we wanted to see countries she was not well versed in. Her honesty was refreshing. Thank you so much for a perfect trip.

We informed Gwen that our focus on Vienna was history. She provided a guide that took us to museums, palaces, areas of government that really satisfied our travel request. Our trip was seamless and effortless thanks to Gwen and Lori. Prior to our trip she provided pages of restaurant suggestions and was willing to help with any request we might have had.

Gwen and her team helped us with several bespoke excursions during our recent trip to Dubrovnik, Croatia. Gwen was really helpful with information about accommodations early on in our trip planning — we wanted to stay in Montenegro in a rental property and she helped educated us that verified options home rental options were rare in Montenegro and recommended staying in Southern Croatia instead. This was really helpful advice and allowed us to solidify our plans around Dubrovnik, where we eventually found a truly lovely property to rent.

They organized 2 local excursions from Dubrovnik. One to a local winery and one to Montenegro. They both went very well. Our winery trip was local and super delightful. We thoroughly enjoyed the trip. Our excursion to Montenegro was similarly wonderful. It was a bit longer than we expected but we saw much of the small country and were happy that we did it. We were surprised by lovely things along the way, such as the amazing Our Lady of the Rocks, a small church with super interesting and beautiful artifacts on a man-made island that took over 200 years to build. Our guides and drivers were knowledgeable, flexible, and wonderful throughout.

Honestly, I don’t know where to begin. Gwen created the most amazing, magical, seamless experience of my life. She is truly brilliant, astute and intuitive. Every single detail she arranged was perfect. I am emotional writing this as I am remembering the pure joy my son and I experienced together on this trip because of Gwen. Our hotels were amazing, we both fell in love with Berlin, Vienna, and Prague through the most exceptional guides we had whom we absolutely adored, each and every one. Everyone treated us with such kindness and dignity. I am beyond grateful to Gwen for literally orchestrating a dream come true.

We had a wonderful time in Dubrovnik and in Montenegro. Everyone was professional, knowledgeable, helpful, and friendly. Our driver, Ilija, was outstanding. We were thankful to be with him all three days. He knew the perfect spots to stop for photos and helped avoid traffic. Our half day walking tour guide in Dubrovnik on the first day helped us see everything we hoped to see in the walled city and gave us great historical information. On the second day, Aleka was the best! She was with us for a full day tour of Perast and Kotor. We learned so much and saw so many beautiful sights. Aleka had vouchers prepared for entry to every sight and also recommended a delicious restaurant for lunch. We loved the entire trip.

In May 2018, my husband and I spent 2 1/2 weeks on a self-drive trip around Slovenia and Croatia arranged by Gwen. We aren’t cruise people and most who go here do so on cruise ships. A couple of years ago, we found Gwen who proposed a better way — at least for us–than the typical cruise ship stopping along the coast. Gwen is a Wendy expert for Central/Eastern Europe. For a variety of scheduling reasons, we worked with Gwen over a couple of years. We started with Gwen’s pre-planned tour called “Ultimate Self-Drive Croatia & Slovenia: A Private, Historical and Cultural Self-Drive Tour of Zagreb through to Dubrovnik, with private guides opening doors along the way.” Using an already planned itinerary generally has little appeal to us but this did. Driving ourselves would allow us to see the countryside, not just the coast. It seemed well thought out (remarkably so, it turned out). The stops made sense, the hotels were the kind we like, the allocation of time with guides and free time seemed reasonable, and the price was right. Of course, we tinker with everything and opted for upgraded hotels and a few additional days that sent the price up. But we ended up getting what we wanted.

Frankly, we were amazed at how well it worked out. Gwen’s guides were superb; the hotels were terrific; the restaurant reservations she had made for us were spot on (and we had one of the best meals we’ve had in the world at Restaurant Monte in Rovinj, which she directed us to). The itinerary was great though, in retrospect, we wish we’d spent even longer in that unexpected jewel of a country — Slovenia. Gwen’s GPS with all our stops and possible side attractions already pre-set made driving (and even parking for the hotels) easy; the unexpected free loan of a Croatia cell phone was a bonus that got used far more than we expected. Gwen was always accessible and her on-the-ground person in Croatia, Nastasa, was only a phone call away. We made a major change along the way by deciding to add in Bosnia but that didn’t phase Gwen or Nastasa at all and a terrific guide was put at our disposal.

Gwen is our 14th Wendy Perrin expert who’s planned a trip for us. This is the first time we’ve used a base itinerary that was already figured out. And yes, we tinkered with it. But we were very impressed by how well thought her self-drive itinerary was. She knew just how much time to allot to guided vs. free time, what were the most important places for us to spend time, what lots of additional side trips ( pre-set in the GPS) we could (and invariably did) make, and how these two foodies could get the best possible meals in Croatia and Slovenia.

We had a great time. Wendy’s trip specialists score again!

We got a late start planning this trip because we didn’t know when my daughters summer internship dates would be; so we were only a couple of months out with the planning. The main reason we worked with Gwen is that every request I sent to Auschwitz-Birkenau for a guide came back rejected and you can only work with their authorized guides. I am seriously hearing impaired so groups and headphones are useless to me. I also wanted my daughter to be able to ask questions if she found anything confusing. And this was the most important day of our Berlin & Krakow tour. Gwen came through with an excellent private guide and we came away with a deep but very heartrending understanding of the camps.

Thank you so much! You have helped us once again plan a perfect vacation that we will remember forever. This was a trip that was planned at the very last minute once we learned that two of our children could join us. We reached out to Gwen Kozlowski to see if she could possibly help us plan a trip to Hungary and Croatia. We did not make it easy on her as our trip was last minute, involved 2 teenagers, included a side jaunt of our own that we inserted, and the fact that we wanted to drive ourselves to get a true feel for the areas that we were visiting. Nothing was a problem for Gwen. Our accommodations were absolutely stunning- the restaurant recommendations were superb, and our guides could not have been better! Every detail was considered- at one point we had a little problem with our GPS (our fault) and Gwen had it addressed immediately. It was as if she was holding our hand throughout our entire trip. The highlight of our trip was a private yacht excursion to the islands in the Adriatic that Gwen recommended- it is truly a day that we will always remember. What an amazing trip! Our thanks to you once again for your wonderful recommendation of Gwen and her team!

My husband and I just returned from a wonderful trip to Berlin with our granddaughter, who had just graduated from high school. Unbeknownst to us, she had taken a course in her senior year about the Holocaust and 20th-century German history – so she was ecstatic with most everything we saw, the most memorable being the room in Potsdam where the final agreement between the three powers was signed at the end of WWII. We had told Gwen that we were interested in the highlights of Berlin (Reichstag; Berlin Wall; Brandenburg Gate), possibly Potsdam and that we were of the Jewish faith and so would like to see some Holocaust-related sights as well. And we saw ALL of these things. The best of all was our guide, Jeanette. She knew EVERYTHING – from art to history to Holocaust, etc. She also was lovely, understanding of a teenager (as well as my husband’s bad knees) and flexible as needed. Gwen picked out the very best sites for us to see – and the hotel was perfect – location, view, breakfast! There is so much to do in Berlin, and her choices were right on. Many thanks.

Gwen and Sylvia on her team were very receptive to our ideas and were also forthcoming with their own suggestions. We spent a week in Prague at the Augustine hotel, recommended by the travel agent. And, it was wonderful: excellent service, large room, good food both at breakfast and at dinner and perfect location for wandering around this beautiful city. And two of our days, we took guided tours; and our guides were wonderful, informative, educational, and very personable. We would definitely use them again; appreciated their willingness to work with us even though we were only going to be traveling for one week; and, we did not want to book tours for every day. They made wonderful suggestions about what we could do on our own. We had a great week!

My husband and I just returned from our third private trip with the Gwen’s team to Eastern Europe. This time we visited Tallinn, Riga, Vilnius, and Gdansk and just as before, it could not have been easier to plan or better to experience. We contacted Gwen Kozlowski just 6 weeks before we wanted to travel but Dasha and Gwen made it all happen. We exchanged some ideas on the itinerary and in no time at all, everything was confirmed. As always, they gave us great recommendations on what we should do and also adjusted for some special requests/interests. All 4 hotels were terrific, all the guides and drivers were excellent and even when we had a seriously delayed flight from Vilnius to Gdansk, Gwen’s representative in Poland contacted us, updated the plan, reassured us about timing, and adjusted seamlessly so that we did not miss a thing. Eastern Europe is fascinating and we can’t wait to visit some new places with their help. A fabulous trip, filled with educational and memorable experiences!

Gwen was terrific from our first email until we returned. She helped plan an excellent trip, the guides were terrific as were the drivers. The contact in Poland was responsive immediately when we had 2 issues with pickups. Gwen helped with reservations for hotels and meals even beyond the Poland portion of our trip. One of the important things was her quick responses and always making us feel our trip was important to her. I have already recommended her to several friends.

Wendy, thank you for providing your WOW List. I had always used a travel agent in Chicago who recently retired. We travel a great deal and do some trips ad hoc, but felt Poland and the important history made having guides important. Often, I use context tours, but when I contacted them, they said they do not do Poland and recommended I go to your website..it all worked out perfectly. Poland is a very emotionally straining trip, but I felt we had wonderful insight and experiences. Gwen must remain on your list.

We loved our local guides…..they were wonderful. Our driver, in Tivat, was a professional basketball player who had traveled the world. He was so good with kids. Our guide in Belgrade was so great he helped me organize other outings and he was great with kids. The bread museum was so cool! The owners let us into their house to show my girls 3-day old kittens. It was so sweet.

Gwen Kozlowski planned and executed an absolutely amazing trip to Vienna and Prague for my family. During our first phone conversation, Gwen asked questions to understand how we like to travel (the type of hotel, things to do, the food we like, etc.), especially when it came to what would interest our 17-year-old son. I told her that our son is passionate about playing piano, particularly the music of classical and romantic era composers. Gwen put together an itinerary that included visits to Mozart’s and Beethoven’s apartments in Vienna, and a visit to the cemetery in Vienna where Beethoven, Schubert, Strauss, and Schönberg are buried. She also arranged for us to go to an exhibit that included one of Mozart’s original manuscripts. In Prague she included visits to a collection that included the original score to Beethoven’s third symphony, as well as access to Strahov Library that tourists typically only get to view from a distance – we got to wander among the stacks! We also got spray paint our “tags” on the famous Lennon Wall! Gwen paired us with fabulous guides who, by the time we left, felt more like friends than mere guides. One bonus was our guide in Vienna is from a musical family so she had unique insights into Viennese musical history. Gwen also recommended great restaurants and even made our dinner reservations before we left so we never had to worry about where to have great dinners. All in all, once our plane landed in Vienna everything happened smoothly and seamlessly. I would not hesitate to use Gwen again or to recommend her to anyone traveling to Central or Eastern Europe.

1. The logistics were flawless. We had multiple airport/train pickups and drop-offs, some of them at unusual hours. Multiple restaurant reservations and hotel check-ins, multiple meetings with guides. Everyone they used was on time and waiting for us when we needed them. They made it extremely easy and took the stress out of the trip.

2. The hotel rooms we got were great – I realize we were the ones paying for them, but they clearly knew the properties and got us good rooms with great views.

3. The guides were good – one of them very good.

4. Everything else they told us, ranging from restaurant recommendations, ability to use Uber, itinerary suggestions, etc., was spot on in terms of accuracy and quality. Their food recommendations were particularly good. Gwen clearly knows Poland extremely well.

We went to Prague in December. The guide provided was wonderful and helpful. The schedule was worked out reflecting our interests and the VIP tours were exceptional experiences.

The guide was excellent, interesting with great insights. Helped to skip the lines as well. Everyone was very responsive by email, even to random questions.

We could not have been happier with our experience from the planning stage on. Gwen talked with us to find out our interests then arranged an itinerary and suggested restaurants that were perfect. All the travel arrangements from airport pickup to drop off were smooth with all the drivers there ahead of time. We want to give special credit to the guide Gwen arranged for our first day. Claudia was knowledgeable about the art and architecture and history of the Hapsburgs and managed to convey a sense of it all in a memorable way.

Thank you for recommending Gwen and her team.

Gwen and her team were extremely responsive and knowledgeable. We would highly recommend them.

Although Gwen only helped us with a day and one half in Budapest and in Prague bookending our Backroads bike trip, she was very helpful. She even helped me choose my hotels which I was booking on points. We had some special experiences, the wine district outside Budapest and visiting with the Holocaust survivor in Prague that we would not have had on our own. I would recommend Gwen without hesitation.

The guides hired by Gwen were all excellent, well-informed about history in each locale, personable, experienced and good communicators. Gwen’s team responded quickly to questions I had during the trip. We traveled in October 2017.

Gwen Kozlowski crafted a five week itinerary that allowed my
wife and I to travel throughout Croatia and Slovenia and to get an overview of Bosnia &
Herzegovina. This historical and cultural tour was ideal. We had outstanding guides, the
same driver throughout the trip, excellent hotels, the opportunity to tour many wineries
as well as the chance to visit several islands by boat. We visited each of the places of
historical significance within these countries. Our in-country support was monitored and coordinated by Natasha Lovric who ensured that everything proceeded as planned. After all, the devil is always in the details and there were many arrangements on this trip and all were executed flawlessly. Special thanks for my birthday celebration. Unfortunately, we had to curtail our adventure for health reasons and we very much appreciated the supporting arrangements made by Gwen to get us home early. This is our 3rd lengthy trip planned by Gwen and each has exceeded our expectations. We highly recommend Gwen and her team for travel to the Balkans, to Eastern Europe, to Russia and to Scandinavia.

This is the second time that my wife and I have used Gwen and her staff. Our trip to Romania and Bulgaria (September 2017 for two weeks) was just as well orchestrated as our prior trip to Russia. Gwen and Silvia are tops in customizing to meet the special needs and interests of their clients. Their firm excels because they do not attempt to be all things to all people. Their specialization and expertise results in exceptional and flawless execution. Excellent guides, well thought out itineraries, good property selection creating unique experiences…..the real deal.

We could not have been more pleased. Highly recommended.

We had a wonderful trip to Poland and Austria. We expected to like Austria — we just stayed in Vienna — more than Poland but ended up loving the food and experiences we had in Warsaw and Krakow. Our guides in both countries were phenomenal — deeply knowledgeable, flexible and fun. We would highly recommend both countries.

Gwen did a great job with our trip, and we had a fabulous time. Her guides were excellent, and her hotels were varied and interesting. We liked that she had local contacts in each country, and her well-organized guidebook/itinerary was very useful. Her help booking the rental car and recommending concerts worked very well also. We booked our trip last-minute, and communication was a little spotty (I could tell she was very busy as we got into summer), but she absolutely came through in the end.

Utilized Gwen and her team for our recent visit to Lithuania and would do so again.  My son and I had a unique, customized adventure which was well executed and benefited from the first-hand experience of Gwen and her team.  We would utilize her again and recommend to others.

We used the recommendation of Wendy Perrin and used Gwen Kozlowski and Silva on her team for our three days stay in Berlin this past April/May. They were able to get us to the sites we wanted to see all the while working around our tight schedule and a major European holiday, May Day. Additionally, a surprise to us was that most stores and such are closed on Sunday as well. It was unfortunate that we could not change our travel dates so be aware of holidays in other countries before you book anything. However, they were able to help us plan and maximize our time with seeing the sites we wanted to see. Gwen and Silvia were able to provide us with hotel recommendations that were able to make use of our time in that the hotels were in the hub of ‘tourist/historic’ area. Easy walk to the Brandenburg Gate at sunset. Easy walk to the Island Museums, which were open on Sunday and the holiday!

Also, the guide that was arraigned for us was excellent. I cannot say enough positive things about Daniel. His excellent command of English, his in-depth knowledge of history and culture of Berlin and Germany were a highlight of our trip. He helped us navigate the subway, trains and other transportation as well. Some of the little-known facts about Potsdam and St. Catherine’s Palace, Daniel could relate them and provide insight that you just can’t get from a book. And for me, Daniel was able to fit in a stop at the wonderful department store KaDaWe. Fabulous!

I would definitely use Gwen and Silvia again. Silvia is a foodie like me so do schedule enough time to enjoy the food at KaDeWe. And Silvia was also able to get a reservation for us at the top of the Reichstag for lunch at the restaurant and enjoy the view on a beautiful spring day.

Just got back from Prague (March 2017). It was only one day yet Gwen was to put together a program that fit our needs perfectly. We were at a conference in Wroclaw and on our own, planned a visit Auschwitz on our way to Prague. Even though we had not hired Gwen for that portion of the trip, she made several suggestions on transportation and lodging that we found invaluable – and never would have figured it out on our own (or at least not nearly as well). Thanks again Gwen.

Gwen and her team were amazing. She listened to what we wanted (and did not want) and delivered beautifully. The hotel locations and quality were just what we asked for. The guides Gwen recommended were the absolute highlights of our trip. They brought our destinations, Vienna, Prague and Durnstein to life. The planning and logistics were flawless all the way down the small bound book with day by day itinerary sent to us in advance and the GPS with all of our designations and potential side trips pre-programmed. She thought of everything! Two pieces of advice. 1) Ask Gwen and her team to send you concert and dinner options and recommendations *early* in the planning and then make reservations or get tickets for at least one night in each city. Gwen will send you a great (invaluable) restaurant lists for each city and will make restaurant reservations. Don’t wait. 2) Be prepared for tipping. Gwen will send you recommendations via email but this was not part of the printed itinerary. It took us a day or two to figure out where the information was.

Using a WOW trusted travel advisor changed our experience. We weren’t just tourists looking at a place. We experienced and learned about our destinations. We have already booked a second trip ( to a different destination).

We had very specific requests about our trip and one of them included an “insider” visit to the Wachau and Kremstal wine region in Austria. Our guide, Martin was a gem. He was flexible to move around our original tour dates to accommodate visits with specific vintners and winery owners. With a wealth of information about the wine region and his personal friendships with vintners, he was a delight to tour with. Gwen was also able to arrange first rate seats at the ballet in Vienna and all of her hotel and dining recommendations were excellent. Can’t wait to go back…

My husband and I travelled to Budapest, Vienna, and Prague the last 2 weeks of April 2016. This was our 4th European trip with a Wendy Perrin travel specialist and Gwen Kozlowski and her team were simply the best!  I contacted Gwen through Wendy’s link back in November and was shocked that she actually remembered speaking with me 5 years before when we first thought we would take this trip and had kept our details available for my call back. This is the kind of organization and attention she gave to the planning of every moment of our trip.

Gwen is involved in every step of the planning process, although she does use assistants, she reads every email that her office receives, interjects when needed, and is always available to answer any question. Initially, we spent several weeks going back and forth about which cities to visit in the allotted time and the order in which to see them. Gwen was great in sorting this out for us because we originally wanted to incorporate a stop in Poland and decided (with her gentle guidance) that this would be too crazy given our 2 weeks of travel time.

What impressed us the most about Gwen is that she really listened to what we wanted to get out of our trip, our likes and dislikes, and incorporated (or didn’t) those items in both her suggestions for our itinerary and hotels. Additionally, she selected our tour guides for their particular expertise based on the things we expressed interest in – history, architecture, wine, etc. Although she recommended tours and experiences she’d used before, our trip was totally tailored to our interests. Her guides, drivers, special experiences, hotels and restaurant recommendations were all fabulous. What was especially appreciated was the way that our touring and free time was scheduled so that we never felt overwhelmingly exhausted. For example, when we were picked up at the airport in Budapest we were delivered to our hotel and didn’t have anything scheduled until the next day. This gave us time to nap, shower and enjoy an evening stroll and leisurely dinner which was very rejuvenating after a long flight. All we needed to do to make this a trip of a lifetime was board our flight and show up at the appointed times.

Our trip was totally stress-free, and that says a lot about Gwen and her team! The more information you can give Gwen about what you want to get out of your trip, the better it will be, and don’t hesitate to ask for changes if what she drafts for you isn’t exactly perfect. We will definitely use Gwen again when we go back for our tour of Poland.

My son and I are both history buffs, and for a quick father-son bonding trip, we decided to learn about WW2 and to immerse ourselves in Krakow and Berlin – with the guidance of Gwen and her team. We visited Krakow for two nights and Berlin for three nights, with day excursions out of the city to see Auschwitz (from Krakow) and Potsdam from Berlin. Aside from the flawless operations, everything went without a hitch, the trip was beyond words for us. Visiting the sites and learning firsthand about the history was huge, and of course the content itself was moving. Everything from the hotel selection, itinerary planning, guide selection and all of the little details gave us just what we were hoping for…a 6-day history lesson executed with style! Specifically, their guides made it a spectacular trip as we were in the presence of true experts, historians and professional hosts. I highly recommend Gwen and the teamfor any journeys in the regions where they operate. It was life-changing. Thank you Gwen!!

Gwen and her team were wonderful to work with. The trip went so well. All of the guides and drivers were on time, were so knowledgeable and made the trip so enjoyable. We would definitely work with Gwen again and would highly recommend her to others.

Gwen and her staff were fantastic, patiently crafting our wonderful vacation to Krakow, Prague and Budapest in October, 2015. Gwen’s prompt and thorough response to phone calls and emails makes you feel like you are her only client. Our itinerary, accommodations and guides were all top notch. I highly recommend Gwen and her team!

We just returned from our trip to Warsaw, Krakow, Prague, Vienna, & Budapest. I found Gwen through the WOW list, and we could not be happier with our experience. I had detailed interaction with Gwen in planning our trip, and she and her team came up with a fabulous trip. We had a few uniquely arranged experiences in every location. The guides were friendly, personable, knowledgeable, and spoke English perfectly. Beyond the guides, there was also great in-country support with her contacts that responded to some changes we wanted to make as well. They were all flexible and responsive to our requests. We loved our hotels, not big chain properties but pretty places with nice sized rooms, fitness centers, and very good service. Gwen suggested great restaurants and truly, as “foodies”, we were thrilled with the restaurants that were suggested and chosen. Everything was SEAMLESS and great and I recommend Gwen VERY highly!!

WOW! Wow is right on spot to describe our Austria trip planned and handled by Gwen Kozlowski and her team from October 15 – 26. From the beginning, our needs were all taken into account, including working within our budget, and more importantly, making sure all accommodations, restaurants, sites chosen, and tours were as handicap accessible as possible. (This means wheelchairs were ready and available when needed, and a legal and a valid handicapped parking permit was obtained for the days when we were self-driving in the countryside.)

I told Gwen we are interested in food, wine, history, and art. Our itinerary reflected these interests perfectly. Her selection of accommodations was top notch and varied from the well-known, perfectly located, grand Hotel Sacher Salzburg with its congenial, yet professional staff to the beautiful, shabby chic B & B, Mooslechners Bürgerhaus, in Rust. However, my two favorites turned out to be the exquisite, historical Schloss Dürnstein, where we felt like royalty (and their decor, service, food, and entertainment was the basis for that). The most surprising was the flamboyant, funky, and perfectly located, in Museum Quarter, Hotel Sans Souci in Vienna. Surprising was the purple velvet, purple paint, and purple lighting, all very modern, yet baroque at the same time and the most beautiful indoor swimming pool and excellent spa.
So, obviously, Gwen knows her clients’ tastes, and she takes care of any problem immediately. We only had one bauble, contacted her, and it was resolved in less than two hours. She has some serious stroke in Austria!

Our private tours and excellent guides were the highlights of the trip. Both my husband and I agree that our favorite experience on the trip was with Martin, a third generation member of a local winemaking family, who was able to take us to the incredible Nikolaihof Winery in the Wachau Valley above the Danube which produces my favorite Grüner Veltliner wine. We toured the unpicked grapes in their vineyard, their winemaking facility, the beautiful and historical cellars, and met the family at lunch on site. The family matriarch sold and autographed her latest cookbook (available in German or English) to me. My husband also really enjoyed the walkability, friendliness, and history of the town of Salzburg. Other special places not to be missed were the Melk Abbey, and the Catholic Cathedral on the grounds of the State Psychiatric Hospital in Vienna. And, I can’t leave out our wonderful wine tasting without mentioning the kind and generous visit with the winemaker, Heidi Schröck in Rust. We have already figured out how to buy both her wines and those from Nikolaihof here in the states.

Two services especially added to our trip. First, were the daily restaurant recommendations and reservations. The food was invariably good, and there was a lot of variety in the food and style. We did cancel several nights and just caved into street food. Our two favorites were Carpe Diem Finest Finger food, which reflects the current food scene in Salzburg, and Vestibul in Vienna where the famous owner/chef made sure we had an all-around special experience from personally matching our wines to our food to autographing and selling me his cookbook. The second service was the provision of the pre-programmed GPS for our rental car. The mere touch of a button got us to every hotel, restaurant, tour site, etc. Big help and stress reducer!

We would highly recommend Gwen. A great travel experience.

We used both Alex and Gwen for this trip to Eastern Europe and they were very helpful in planning our trip. I would not hesitate to use them again and would recommend them highly. The order they set to see the cities we visited was perfect and the hotels they picked were terrific, as were their guides.

Gwen and her team did an awesome job coordinating a trip to Hungary, Austria, and the Czech Republic for us. It was a big trip, which included several biking excursions, visits to small towns where my grandparents lived, castles, gardens, concerts, museums, galleries, wineries, and even a strudel-making lesson! There were well-informed guides for each country, and good, dependable drivers available for those activities and days when we were on our own. We were blessed with excellent weather, and we got lots of exercise, which we needed to work off the incredible food. Gwen and her team were responsive and flexible in helping to plan and execute this complicated trip, and I recommend her highly!

I recently returned from a trip to Budapest, Vienna, and Prague that was planned by Gwen Kozlowski and Lori Hinkle. My wife, daughter, and I had a marvelous experience. Gwen and Lori were helpful in the planning stages, both suggesting options and accommodating our requests. Our guides were good or (mostly) excellent; they not only showed the sights to us, but shared their cities and histories. Highlights were the private tour of the Strahov Monastery Library which is typically not open to visitors, and a visit to two family wineries in Durnstein. Our hotels in Budapest and Vienna couldn’t have been nicer and all our hotels were well-situated for our roamings. I would have no hesitations working with Gwen and Lori again.