Covid has significantly changed the nature of how we choose to travel. No longer is it enough to travel just for the sake of traveling. 

We want to get away, not just to sightsee but to enjoy meaningful, life-enhancing experiences. 

We want to create lasting friendships, have fun and enjoy a safe, exciting journey that leaves us inspired and feeling refreshed when we return to our regular world. 

We want to feel changed by what we experienced while we were away, and hope we left a positive impact wherever we've been. We want to combine travel with personal growth. We want to make connections, learn a new skill, try our hand at something creative. 

At Duende, we can offer those kind of nourishing travel experiences because we aren't cookie cutter. 

We have over twenty years of experience leading groups of people from all ages and cultures around the world. 

We know what works and what doesn't. 

We understand what's worth your precious time and what isn't. 

We handcraft our itineraries - whether for a retreat or a private getaway - in a way that reflects our values: quality over quantity, restful versus exhausting, slow and abundant versus total overwhelm. 

We know what looks good on a paper itinerary might not always translate into an enjoyable trip. 

Sometimes it's enough just to stand, in slightly jet-lagged awe staring up at the duomo in Florence. Or marvel at Rome's forum from the shade of an umbrella pine.  

You don't have to be consumed or exhausted by an itinerary in order to feel you've traveled in a way that's worthwhile. 

Whether it's the location, accommodation, activities, excursions or tastings, we have a list of essentials we feel are required for our itineraries to be infused with all the right soul-nourishing components to leave you feeling renewed, refreshed and reinvigorated upon your return home.