TINY WORLD TOURS

Since 2015, through unique experiences in the U.S. and around the world, Tiny World Tours has been bringing people together in meaningful ways to help shrink our planet. We open doors to an inside track of special people, places, opportunities and  transformative ideas.  You step through.

On every trip you’ll meet fascinating people such as architects, artists, archeologists, astronomers, balladeers, Bedouins, beer makers, Buddhists, cheesemakers, chefs like Steve Couch, experimental postmodern choreographers like Deborah Hay, curators, elephant mahouts, fashion designers, filmmakers like Richard Linklater, folk artists, foragers, furniture makers, game designers, geographers-at-large like Eames Demetrios, holographers, librarians, linguists, mariachis, mayors, monks, musicians, naturalists, neurosurgeons, novelists, opera director/polymaths like Doug Fitch, restauranteurs, scientists, shaman, Sherpas, storytellers, ship captains, teachers, textile makers, thespians, Tibetan Lamas, truck decorators, urban planners, zine publishers and more…

On every trip you’ll go to unique places and get behind-the-scenes at places such as the Alhambra, artist studios, astronomical observatories, bakeries, botanical gardens, cathedrals, cemeteries, circuses, coffee plantations, dancehalls, distilleries, farms, flea markets, film studios, the Fly Ranch, galleries, the Hagia Sophia, high-tech manufacturers, Hindu festivals, mosques, Kcymaerxthaere, the Noah Purifoy Outdoor Museum, onsen, private art collections, quarries, the Reichstag, ryokans, Sunnylands, the Taj Mahal, Turkish baths, vineyards, Watts Towers, zoos, and more…

On every trip you’ll taste something different such as Chocolate in Belgium, Baklava in Istanbul, BBQ in Kansas City, Korea, Memphis, Texas, etc., beignets in New Orleans, bourbon tastings in Kentucky, breakfast tacos in Austin, Vietnamese fusion in Paris, chicken fried steak in Gruene, Texas, cava cocktails in Madrid, dosa in Karnataka, gelato in Venice, kahvalti in Istanbul, Lobster in Maine, mole in Oaxaca, Natto in Karuizawa, Okonomiyaki in Okayama, pilsner in Pilsen, tapas in Barcelona, mescal in Mexico, pizza in Naples, rijsttafel in Amsterdam, Sherpa stew near Mt Everest, smørrebrød in Kobenhavn, street food in Singapore, sushi in Tskuji, whitefish boil in Dorr County, Wisconsin, yakitori in Ueno, and more… We’ll be delighted to organize a guided tasting experience and/or local cooking class for you - please ask!

On Every Trip you’ll learning something new. With an emphasis on locally-focused, cross-cultural exchanges, our tours often have a thematic focus that spotlights key ingredients which make each place unique. Example trips include Adaptive Reuse in Architecture to Austin, San Antonio and the Hill Country; King Ludwig’s Castles to Germany; Total Solar Eclipse in KcyOming (that you may know as Wyoming), Change over Time in Film, Art, and Architecture in the Czech Republic; Art, Land Water in Italy; the Landscape in Modern Maine Art; Sherpa Culture in Nepal, and many more...

We initiated this project as a platform to share experiences that connect art, community, and lifelong learning through the travel experiences we offer for small groups (and through stories, photos, and videos of those experiences) .  Sign up now to receive our quarterly newsletters and tour announcements. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn for other postings. You will find invitations to join us on future adventures and expeditions, or ask us to craft a custom experience for your family, friends, and/or colleagues. You’re also welcome to use the information to learn about and enjoy highlighted people and places on your own. Thanks for your interest!

Tiny World Tours is for you if:

• You appreciate the intentionality and efficiency of a well-crafted itinerary

• You enjoy walking, looking, learning and participating in great conversations

• You want to be off the (over-touristed) beaten track

• You enjoy co-creating meaningful experiences resulting in great memories and stories to bring home

• You value small group, intimate travel experiences with diverse people

• You enjoy expanding your comfort zone and feel ready to have some of your assumptions challenged

• You love nature and culture; walking and imagining the world through the footsteps and eyes of others

Tiny World Tours delights in designing unique tour experiences for groups that includes people with different abilities and disabilities. Please contact us if you have an interest in this and wish to start a dialog via email to info@tinyworldtours.com.

MARK HOLZBACh

With a background in science and technology (B.A., Astrophysics, Middlebury College, M.S. MIT Media Lab) Mark co-founded Zebra Imaging, a holographic imaging startup and has his name on dozens of patents.  At age 16, he took his first trip abroad, and has since enjoyed living in Europe and Asia. He has travelled to all seven continents with husband Dana Friis-Hansen. Organizing unique travel experiences close to home and to remote areas of the world allow Mark and Dana to make authentic global connections that last a lifetime.

Dana Friis-hansen

A former museum director and curator, Dana’s expertise brings a unique blend of contemporary art curation and international cultural exchange to Tiny World Tours. Dana’s passion for art, culture, and education is expressed through cultural exchanges with artists and museums, particularly in Japan, building on his impactful engagements from Tokyo to the Venice Biennale.