Esther van Veen graduated in 2001 from the University of Amsterdam. After studying Spanish for one year, she continued her studies at the Faculty of Arts and Literature with a Bachelor and Masters degree in the field of European Studies. Apart from her major in Italian and English language and literature, she studied Italian art and history. After her graduation, Esther van Veen travelled across Asia for a couple of months. From that moment on, she was captivated by the charm of travelling, and the sheer beauty of Asia. Since 2005, she has been working as a tourleader all over the world. During her many travels, she encounters fascinating exotic cultures and special places. The extensive knowledge and the personal experiences that she has acquired during these travels, add more flavour and depth to her writings; whether these are on the Italian Renaissance, Peruvian Inca cities, Tibetan Buddhism,the enchanting souks of the Middle East, Japanese geisha dwellings or on modern art in NY.