February 2017
Some places live more in old legends than in modern day travel reality. A place like Romania, for example, is best known for a 15th century vampire named Dracula in the Transylvania region than for its terrifying recent political past, and current relative prosperity. Romania for many people is a place they’ve never been, and with a challenging language barrier, they may never see.

June 2015
To many people, South America is a mystery that they may never unravel.  Between the many language challenges, fears and hesitations, it is unfortunate to miss such a huge range of great countries.  For some, though, it just takes the right tour operator and a willingness to trust that their experiences there will lead to a wonderful travel experience. That’s what many of the woman who have traveled to Peru with Sights and Soul Travels say.

December 2014
In 2014, Japan’s Tourism officials were pleased to report a big surge in visitors from the US traveling to their country. While among the most insular of modern countries, especially when it comes to foreign languages, Japan remains an exotic bucket list destination to many Americans. In 2014, more than 881,000 U.S. citizens visited Japan, and overall the country had 13 million overseas visitors in 2014, a record number. Why is Japan such an up and coming destination?

August 2014
Many people have asked me over the twelve years I’ve been a regular international traveler what my favorite destination was or is. Though I prefer my standard quip that “the next trip is always my favorite destination,’ if I was pinned down, I’d have to say New Zealand.  Why? Because no other country combines so many outstanding things on two small islands.  There is such a wealth of adrenaline activities, a tourist infrastructure that’s set up to make it easy for visitors... 

April 2014
South America is becoming one of the most popular destinations for travelers who have already been to Europe and other places and are looking for something more exciting, and different. Sights and Soul Travels offers a twist–their Argentina tour is for women only! We spoke to some of the women who have gone on Sights and Soul’s trips to this destination to get their thoughts on the journey. 

August 2013
Ever since I caught the travel bug, Africa has been on my top destinations list. Although I have yet to visit any parts of the world’s second largest continent, many other women have traveled throughout the region with life-changing experiences. Morocco, in particular, offers a range of sights, smells, and taste within its vivid seaside cities and mountainous Sahara Desert. Rich in Arabic culture and history with beautiful mosques and people, there is no reason not to tour this country.

June 2013
Yolanta Barnes is a European who has been living in the US for over 25 years. She is a business owner, a speaker, an artist, and a student of life. Yolanta is an enthusiatic and gifted teacher and leader and her multi-cultural approach to the world is what makes the tours truly unique. Yolanta has traveled extensively throughout most countries in the world and delights in sharing with others her passion for travel, art, history, wine and gourmet food.

May 2013
When I speak to experienced travelers who have been to many different parts of the world, often one place pops up as a perennial bucket list destination. For many of the most seasoned travelers, Vietnam remains a place they really want to visit. Is it because so many of us baby boomers grew up with the shadow of the Vietnam war playing on the television? Is it the familarness of names like Saigon, Hanoi or the popularity of Vietnamese food in the US? 

October 2012
The Sights and Soul Travels’ Germany Christmas Markets tour takes place Dec. 3 to 9. Participants in the Germany Christmas Markets tour will experience Bavaria including a visit to the Residenz Palace, the English Garden, and the Gothic cathedrals of Munich; the medieval Old Town and the Christmas Museum in Rothenburg; Albrecht Durer's House, the German Museum, and Craftsmen's Courtyard in Nuremberg; and the Hohenschwangau and Neuschwanstein Castles (the latter being the model for Disney's Cinderella castle). 

October 2012
Germany is actually the birthplace of most Christmas traditions and the Advent season brings with it all of the traditional Christmas festivities including Christmas markets that spring up in squares and streets of German towns.  This is the country where travelers can trace many fairy tales and cultural traditions as they tour snow-capped Alps, the meandering Romantic Road, and the legendary Black Forest with visits to the beautiful Bavarian cities of Munich, Nuremberg, and Rothenburg.

June 2012
For 2013, Sights and Soul Travels, LLC will offer tour programs to the following destinations: The Amazon, South Africa (with Zimbabwe/Victoria Falls extension), Egypt (with Jordan/Petra extension), Vietnam (with Cambodia/Angkor Wat extension), Washington, DC, New York, Portugal, Spain, Greece, France, Croatia, Poland, Prague, Austria, Iceland, Ireland, England, Italy (five separate tours including Venice and the Lakes, Tuscany, Rome, Amalfi Coast, and Sicily), Turkey, Morocco, Argentina... 

2011
One of the most striking trends in the travel industry in recent years has been a dramatic increase in the number of women-only tours. While some tours are run by large companies seeking to take advantage of this trend, the most popular are run by small companies run by and for women with years of experience in the field. And while many women-only tours focus on conventional sight-seeing, shopping and spas, more and more are adding an greater element of adventure in the jungles of the Amazon... 

February 2009
Beyond providing an escape from our everyday routine, travel enables us to understand ourselves and the world around us in a new way. Through bonds made both with locals in places we visit and with travelers sharing the experience, we realize a side of ourselves that we never knew before. More and more, women are finding that these journeys of discovery are best made with other women.

February 2008
Sights and Soul Travels, the leading expert in women-only luxury travel has announced its impressive selection of European tours for 2008. With the strong Euro, the most popular destinations this year are outside of the Euro zone: Hungary, Croatia, Poland, Prague in the Czech Republic and St. Petersburg in Russia. Sights and Soul Travels meets this growing demand with several carefully designed tours which offer classic European experiences at competitive prices. 

2008
Over the years, Joan Soriano had visited countries around the world with her husband. But when a disability left him unable to travel, he encouraged her to continue. Soriano began researching women-only tours, and in 2008 visited Italy with Sights and Soul Travel. “With a women-only tour, you don’t feel like you’re infringing on couples that may be on the trip,” says Soriano, who lives in Bremerton, Washington. Not wanting to feel like a fifth wheel in a group filled with couples is one of the reasons many women choose a women-only tour. 

December 2007
Sights and Soul Travels, a women-only tour company has announced a new tour to St. Petersburg in Russia. During the visit, the group will see the famous sights and experience the cultural offerings of St. Petersburg, as well as engage with their Russian hosts and foster understanding of the new Russia. In June 2008, during the Russian White Nights, sixteen American women will travel to St. Petersburg, Russia with a tour organized by Sights and Soul Travels.

December 2007
Designing a great tour requires a thorough knowledge of the country you're visiting, its history, its traditions, its way of life, and what it is about it that makes people 'click'. You have to know where the best historic and cultural sites are, and the most enjoyable activities. And you have to know the best inns and restaurants and how to connect with the locals. A truly great tour requires flexibility and there has to be a balance of scheduled activities and down time.

September 2007
Sights and Soul Travels' small group European vacations provide the antidote to the typical "If-It's-Tuesday-This-Must-Be-Belgium" Europe trip with a women-only twist. "During our tours we emphasize in-depth cultural and historical immersion," says Yolanta Barnes, who co-owns the company along with fellow European Kasia Slabs. "We also realize the importance of having fun and relaxing during a vacation, so each of our tours are split in two parts:

January 2007
Until recently, female travelers without a travel partner did not have much choice. They could either join a standard tour which catered mostly to couples or they could settle for a singles' tour, regardless of whether they were looking for a partner or not. Most of the time, they didn't go where they wanted to go and didn't do what they wanted to do. Now, however, the world of travel is wide open to women and they can do as they please. 

January 2007
While some people take a vacation just to relax, for others travel is a process of exploration and discovery -- an opportunity to lose one's self in another culture and then to find one's self again, renewed, grounded, wiser and more worldly. Many women are finding they can best do this in the company of other women. By far the fastest growing segment of the travel industry in recent years has been the proliferation of companies offering women-only tours... 

January 2006
They experienced the beauty of the incredible architecture - from Market Square in Krakow to castles, to gorgeous Cathedrals, and admired the majesty of the Tatra Mountains in Zakopane. They also learned much about the long and eventful history of Poland and experienced the culture, the food and the people of another country. They met with Girl Guides in Poland and compared notes with them on Girl Scouting there versus in the United States.

November 2005
Are you drawn to castles, ancient culture, breathtaking scenery and fantastic cuisine? Try Poland. I joined Yolanta Barnes of Sights and Soul Travels to experience and share her life ambition of endearing travelers to her native country. Our visit started in the heart of the ancient city of Krakow. The Old Market Square features Cloth Hall, billed as "the world's oldest shopping mall."