With 25 years of travelling under her belt, Lucy has been a backpacker, worked in luxury hotels, travelled on incredible rail journeys, eaten at the best restaurants as well as the best street food joints. She knows the world of travel upside down and inside out and now she brings that wealth of knowledge to her own back yard, planning exceptional trips throughout the UK, Ireland and Scotland, sharing hidden gems and exciting routes for B&amp;R travellers.

The Ultimate Insider

Trip Designer

If you wanted to sum up Ernesto by conventional standards, you might start by addressing his most pressing job: the owner of a small farm in southern Italy where he works with olive oil. Things start to get more fluid when you add his occasional yoga retreats (all organized by him), six years wandering around Europe as a B&amp;R Guide, his work as a private chef, his fondness for languages (a cool five), his academic training (diplomacy, law and human rights) and perhaps the tip of the hat: his love of solo long-distance biking. Apulia and Southern Italy have always been at the centre of Ernesto’s life, and after many years of world wandering, he decided to return there to organize your unforgettable adventures!

Apulian Explorer

Alvaro was bit by the travel bug in his early teens during his first trip abroad to the United Kingdom and never looked back. He ditched his 9-5 as a corporate consultant and followed his wanderlust across Europe, Mexico, Abu Dhabi, Thailand and Indonesia—then found his calling at B&amp;R in 2015. When Alvaro isn’t guiding, you can find him tending to his pistachio trees and vegetable gardens in the Iberian Peninsula.

OUR SOUL-STIRRING SPANIARD

This lifelong rover's trips—backed by 15 years of experience—have compelled gasps, cries of joy and even the odd proposal (yes, really). Will your Orsolya moment be melt-in-your-mouth sukiyaki in Kyoto? Or aperitifs atop a sunbathed kasbah under the Skoura sky? There's only one way to find out...

Deep Immersion in Exotic Locales

Erin's journey began in our French atelier, as B&amp;R's first female bike mechanic. After guiding B&amp;R trips across Europe, Canada, Africa and Southeast Asia, she found her permanent haven in British Columbia. Beyond biking and hiking, Erin has woven yoga into her narrative, but her ultimate passion centres around guiding travellers toward self-discovery while connecting them deeply with their surroundings. When she isn't crafting life-changing adventures across Canada and the Balkans, you can find Erin playing in the mountains near Revelstoke with her Portuguese water dogs.

Deeper Connections

Mario has prepared for being B&R’s guy in Central Europe all his life—he just didn’t know. As a freelance travel writer, he discovered places worth telling people about.

Mario has prepared for being B&amp;R’s guy in Central Europe all his life—he just didn’t know. As a freelance travel writer, he discovered places worth telling people about. With his film production company, he learned how to orchestrate a group of diverse talent to show the audience their combined best. As a chef, he got the knack of how that extra little pinch makes for a most memorable dish. And in his free time, he zig-zagged the roads of the European continent in his camper van.Somehow he is still wearing all these hats. Except now he’s finding those places for you. He lets his local friends and contacts make their stories come alive for you. And because other—and probably better—chefs now do the cooking, he has even more time to zig, zag, discover and plan.

World Wanderer

Melanie is a New Yorker by birth but has lived for most of her adult life in Tuscany, making her an honorary Italian. A natural icebreaker with a flair for the creative, she’s travelled the world thanks to her personal and professional connections, performing theatre with Bengali people in India, harvesting honey in Malta and snorkelling with locals across the islands of Southern Italy. Her passion for sustainable living and travel has brought her to design personalized trips that allow travellers to savour the world one step, ride and bite at a time.&nbsp;

All the World's a Stage

Born in a barrel, raised in a big Burgundian family, Eugénie has a natural taste for refinement, authenticity and all things delicious: food &amp; wine top on the list! She is a very caring host who will naturally go above and beyond to ensure you experience everything Burgundy has to offer in the most memorable and fun way.&nbsp;Her sense of curiosity and passion for connection took her around four continents (Oceania, next!). She then settled in the vineyards of Northern California for a few years before returning to her one and only home, the capital of Burgundy wines: Beaune. She has been a part of the B&amp;R family for 15 years after graduating with a Master of Tourism Management, just because she is a perfectionist like that. Her enthusiasm is contagious, so the main risk you are taking is that once on your trip, you will never want to leave. Eugénie doesn’t just know Burgundy. She is Burgundy.

Born-and-Bred Burgundian

After contracting a severe case of wanderlust, Steve said adios to finance, trekked all over Latin America, and then jumped into the travel industry where he now plans in some of his favourite regions including his own backyard: The British Isles. His specialty? Multi-country exploring and multi-week (or month) stays. His trademark? Every day of exploring—no matter how remote—ends with a great meal (and even better wine).

Unquenchable Thirst for Adventure

Born behind the Berlin Wall in East Germany, Florian proudly can declare, "Ich bin ein Berliner." Transitioning from a career as a professional swimmer, he uncovered his genuine passions in rock climbing and surfing. Enchanted by the beauty of nature and the rich cultural diversity across Northern and Central Europe, Florian curates experiences for travellers that celebrate these regions and remains unrestricted by any boundaries. He has a knack for opening typically closed doors.&nbsp;

Unlocking Closed Doors

With a travel career spanning nearly two decades, expat Dana Quinn has left few stones unturned in Europe. And underneath those stones? Under-the-radar gems like mountain pine grappa and a Sicilian cave that whispers to you.

Digging Deep in Europe

After studying in Canada, Spain and France, Steph decided the best way to continue her education was to be constantly on the move. Could she have found a better institute for higher learning than B&amp;R? And her syllabus? Wildly varying. Visually stunning. And positively delicious.

Two Wheels Not-So-Firmly Planted

The question isn't "should I go on a Jérôme-designed trip?" The question is: "How will I return to normal life after?" This native Frenchman's B&amp;R trips are infamous for their passion, decadence and non-stop, shiver-worthy thrills—visual, oenological and gastronomic. Ooh. La. La.

Of Wine and Wanderlust

Definitely the B&amp;R Trip Designer with the cutest accent, this native Kiwi loves nothing more than showing off his stomping grounds. He's been our (wildly popular) New Zealand and Australia expert for 11+ years. But beware: Rob's sincere, open, heart-on-sleeve journeys have left many misty-eyed.

KIWI TO THE CORE

With a keen eye for the natural world and the fine things of life, Fede has been travelling since completing his art and architecture studies in his hometown of Florence, Tuscany. He went from Canada to New Zealand, where he managed a successful restaurant. Fede spent time exploring every continent before moving to the Swiss Alps to boost his career in hospitality and tourism and answer the call of Europe’s highest peaks. Now based in Valais, when not guiding, he can be found riding his mountain bike or skiing the backcountry.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Summits & Stunning Vistas

Georgia joined B&amp;R in order to spend one summer as a guide before getting a "real" job. That was 24 years ago. Fortunately for us, the allure of Italy outweighed the impulse to do anything even approaching ordinary. Now based in Milan, with a home in the Dolomites, Georgia is our resident expert on all things Italiano and eager to share the many ways to experience la dolce vita. Recently named Top Travel Specialist for the Dolomites and Sardinia by Condé Nast Traveler, consider yourself in capable hands.

La Dolce Vita

Between cycling through Spain and South America and navigating the realm of travel management, Ninon’s adventures have shuffled her all over Europe. She still claims her fondest workplace is the bike rental store in Madrid where she first learned about bike mechanics. Suckers for a bike-lover story, we hired her immediately. Ninon started guiding for B&amp;R throughout Spain, Morocco, and France in 2019 and is excited to continue blending her passion for active travel, local culture and creating memorable experiences for B&amp;R travellers along the Camino de Santiago.

The Real Spanish Experience

When it comes to local immersion, no one tops Courtney. Pennsylvania-born, she's spent the past few decades becoming part of la famiglia in Italy, creating long-lasting bonds with scores of charming locals from the cliffs of the Amalfi Coast to the rolling hills of Tuscany. Her insider's expertise, along with 20 years of experience in planning memorable Bespoke Trips, has awarded Courtney as a Top Travel Specialist by Condé Nast Traveler magazine. Still, Courtney continues to boost her arsenal of singular offerings by maintaining a thorough exploration of the regions, leaving no stone unturned in the search for impeccable details for your dream vacation. At home in Florence—or wherever the Chianti and olive oil flow freely—she's planned, walked, biked and hiked trips across Europe, but Italy remains her first and truest love.

Italian at Heart

Seattle-born and Corsican-settled, Marya explored Europe high and low (much like her namesake wind) before settling down to craft poetic, resonant trips to let travellers in on the fun. Full-senses fun like sand-sailing Norman beaches, yodelling to Swiss cows, tasting sumptuous Nebbiolos with their humbly brilliant makers or following your nose through the maquis gathering wild herbs for a picnic beside the Med. Dive in!

Europe-Bound from Birth

Born in Uruguay, raised in Barcelona, and now based in Portugal,&nbsp;Andrés&nbsp;has spent many years working for the advertising and audiovisual industries in Spain and France. Some years ago, he transitioned to the tourism sector, where he led a tourism company in Portugal. His passions revolve around culture, languages, travel, and connecting with people. He also deeply&nbsp;loves&nbsp;sports, especially surfing,&nbsp;music, and nature. His native language is Spanish, and he is fluent in English, Portuguese, and Catalan.

Harnessing the spices of life

Even Peter Pan grows up, and so did Nathan Lane—but not before guiding more than 100 trips for B&amp;R in his own inimitable way. As a Trip Designer, he now crafts the sort of experiences he used to facilitate as a guide. And we aren't the only ones who think so - for many years running he has been named a Top Travel Specialist by Condé Nast Traveler.

Asia Adventurer

When we found out Christine had been to Paris 10+ times and never gone up the Eiffel Tower, we knew she was a keeper. She elevates "the road less travelled" to a religion, plotting eclectic trips from East Africa to Spain.Despite her frequent travels to the continent, Africa remains an endless source of learning for Christine. While her adventure started with a six-month research trip in Nairobi, her latest claim to fame includes launching a photography gallery in Rwanda's gorilla-viewing hub. At the heart of Christine’s travel philosophy is a desire to introduce travellers to places that have the power to positively transform them, where the very energy seems to rise from the ground itself.

Adventurer Extraordinaire

João is a Lisbon native with a passion for adventure, arts, and finding ways to bring more joy to those around him (and those he's planning trips for!).&nbsp; As a father of two small kids, he's keen to help families and travellers of all ages balance having loads of fun and relaxing in serious luxury. He's been a Butterfield &amp; Robinson guide since 2017 and loves curating authentic and special experiences throughout the Iberian peninsula. Through his extensive network in Portugal, he’ll connect you with the traditions and talents of the country that few get to experience, whether it's a private concert of traditional music, an intimate foodie experience at a chef's home or a stellar bike route through undiscovered bits of wine country.&nbsp;

Fuses Arts and Adventure 

Edo can ask for a glass of wine in no less than five languages, with the credentials to boot: Chianti-born, he’s also worked for a small family-run winery in his home region. B&amp;R-bred, he's guided trips for our travellers all over the world. Now based in Berlin, Edo crafts his journeys through the Italian Lakes District with a generous sprinkle of insider knowledge and an alluring mix of Alpine and lakeside tranquillity.

DIGGING DEEP IN THE ITALIAN LAKES

Affectionately known as B&amp;R’s Indiana Jones, Tom has visited 40 countries, lived in six, and has a finely honed sense of how to knock travellers’ socks clean off the continent. Tom’s odysseys (his word, not ours) are known for being 97% life-giving… 3% crazy. (Warning: may reverse ageing.)

40 Countries and Counting

If it's off the beaten path, quiet and soul-stirring—it's probably Christina's doing. This Italy aficionado loves to zig when others zag.Christina believes the best way to travel is to experience it like a native, and with that target, she crafts her journeys: A private gallery visit with the owners accompanied by a jazz trio, a paleolithic cave lunch with a million-euro view, stargazing with an astronomist at 2,000+ metres or simply ensuring that you’re treated like family at our favourite boutique lodgings. From Hawaii to her stomping grounds in the Canary Islands, her trips reflect a passion for digging deep in a region to share with our travellers.

Enthusiastic Oenophile

Karen’s love of travel has taken her to over 50 countries. Born in Canada, she spent 16 years living in Thailand, Grand Cayman, and Myanmar. Trading the nomadic life for a fixed address in Toronto, Karen gets ideas out of travellers' heads and into trips of their lifetime. As B&amp;R’s Experience Designer for Thailand, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Myanmar and Indonesia, Karen now does more than wrangle with routine. With over 15 years of guiding and trip planning, she's passionate about injecting the fun and adventure she found in her travels into extraordinary experiences for families, groups of friends, and her favourite – mother and daughter trips. What do you get when you combine extensive travel and a love of culture and exploration? A designer who uses hands-on experience, commitment and personal connections to craft unique journeys that are challenging to plan by yourself.

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