Ways to travel
Culture & discovery
Cities, markets, kitchens and workshops — travel that begins with curiosity about how other people live, cook, make and remember.
Photo: Daniel Akselrod / Unsplash
Culture is rarely found in one famous building. It's in the way a Hanoi street vendor assembles a bowl of bún chả, in the patterns woven by a cooperative near Cusco, in the way Lisbon's neighbourhoods fill with people for the June festivals. Travelling for culture means paying attention to details like these, and giving yourself time to notice them. Often the moments that stay with you happen not in a museum but in a market, or at a local family's table.
It also means travelling with respect: curious, but never intrusive. We look for guides, cooks and makers who are glad to share their work, and for experiences run by the people whose culture they reflect rather than staged for visitors. Whether you're drawn to Kyoto's temples, the medina of Fes, Rome's archaeology or the food of Oaxaca, we'll help you shape a journey around what makes you curious.
First, we listen. Then, we explore what's possible.
How we approach it
- 01
Guides who explain
A good local guide turns a street or a ruin into a story. We look for specialists who know their subject and can answer the questions you didn't know you wanted to ask.
- 02
Respect before spectacle
We favour experiences where hosts share their own culture on their own terms — a cooking class in a family kitchen, a visit to a working craft studio — and before you go we'll share the local customs worth knowing.
- 03
Time to wander
Culture doesn't fit a tight schedule. We leave unplanned hours for cafés, side streets and the conversations that happen when you're not in a hurry.
Ideas for a journey
Illustrative ideas, not bookable products.
- 01
Kyoto's craft quarters
Mornings in quiet temple gardens, an afternoon with an indigo dyer or lacquer maker and an evening walk through the wooden lanes of Gion.
- 02
Fes, slowly
The tanneries and madrasas of the Fes medina with a local guide, then an afternoon of cooking in a family riad.
- 03
Rome and Naples by train
Rome's forums and an early-morning visit to the Vatican Museums, then the train to Naples for pizza, Pompeii and the Archaeological Museum.
- 04
Oaxaca's kitchens and markets
Mole and tlayudas in Oaxaca's markets, a visit to the weavers of Teotitlán del Valle and, in late October or early November, the traditions of the Day of the Dead.
Destinations to consider
Inspiration only — we plan journeys worldwide.
Japan
Culture · Luxury · Discovery
Quiet Kyoto gardens, Tokyo's energy, mountain villages and a cuisine worth taking your time over.
India
Rajasthan · Palaces · Desert
A first encounter with India through Rajasthan: Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur and golden Jaisalmer.
Vietnam
Food · Landscapes · Culture
Hanoi's streets, the karsts of Ha Long and Ninh Binh, Hoi An's old town and the lively Mekong Delta.
Morocco
Culture · Desert · Cuisine
The medinas of Marrakech and Fes, Berber villages in the Atlas, a night in the Sahara and the windswept coast at Essaouira.
Egypt
History · The Nile · Desert
Islamic Cairo and the Giza plateau, slow sailing on the Nile between Luxor and Aswan, Nubian villages, desert oases and the Red Sea coast.
Peru
Trekking · Culture · Discovery
Cusco and the Sacred Valley, the routes to Machu Picchu, Lake Titicaca, the Amazon and Lima's kitchens.
Mexico
Culture · Food · Coast
From Oaxaca's markets and Guanajuato's hills to the cenotes and Maya cities of the Yucatán — Mexico runs far deeper than its beaches suggest.
Italy
Food · Mountains · Culture
Dolomite ridges, the northern lakes, the white towns of Puglia and Sicily — alongside Rome, Florence and Venice when you want them.
Turkey
History · Food · Coast
Istanbul and the Bosphorus, the valleys and rock-cut churches of Cappadocia, Ephesus and the Aegean villages, and finally the Lycian coast on foot and under sail: several different Turkeys in a single journey.
Sample journey
More journey inspiration
14–18 days
Japan — beyond the first impression
Tokyo, the Kiso Valley, Kanazawa, Kyoto & Naoshima
Culture & discovery · Tailor-made journeys
12–14 days
Eastern Canada: from Québec's streets to the Atlantic shore
Montréal, Québec City, Charlevoix, Tadoussac, Gaspé, Prince Edward Island & Cape Breton
Culture & discovery · Wildlife & nature
12–16 days
Italy — a journey through food, culture & place
Bologna and Emilia-Romagna, Florence, the Tuscan countryside and Puglia — mostly by train
Culture & discovery · Tailor-made journeys
11–13 days
Sicily and the Aeolian Islands, between volcanoes and baroque
Palermo, Cefalù, Salina & Stromboli, Taormina & Etna, Ortigia & Noto
Culture & discovery · Exceptional stays & escapes
16–20 days
Indonesia — temples, volcanoes & island seas
Yogyakarta, Bali beyond the obvious & Komodo National Park
Culture & discovery · Adventure & active travel
14–18 days
Peru — Andean landscapes & cultural discovery
Lima, the Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, Cusco & Lake Titicaca
Culture & discovery · Adventure & active travel
The Journal
Visit the JournalDestination guides
When to go to Japan: the seasons, honestly
Blossom and red maples are only part of the story. What Japan looks and feels like through the year, which weeks are hardest, and when it makes sense to go.
6 min read
Destination guides
Japan beyond the classic route: slower regions and quieter rhythms
Tokyo, Kyoto and the bullet train in between make a fine introduction. How to go further: which regions reward a longer look, where to sleep, and how to pace it all.
5 min read
Made to be combined
Combines well with
Culture sits comfortably alongside almost any way of travelling — a few city days before a trek, a cooking class on a family trip or a slow week somewhere beautiful after a busy itinerary.
All ways to travel
Plan your journey
Curious about a city, a cuisine or a craft? Tell us what fascinates you, and we'll explore the possibilities from there.
Your enquiry comes straight to labas@toliai.lt.