Published by DeparturesWritten By Austin Merrill The land flattened out as we pedaled toward the mountains, which loomed ahead like the ...

Follow our Experience Designer, Courtney Mundy, as she and her family venture out to explore the streets of Florence. Courtney was recently ...

We've been saying for years that our talented Trip Designers are the very best in the world at what they do. But we have to admit: it feels ...

It’s noon on the first day of our Puglia cycling tour when we pedal into Otranto, one of the region’s most historic port ...

It was surely with the intention of bridging a familiar divide that Butterfield & Robinson, doyens of the high-end guided bicycle tour, devised their new Rhine Cruise Biking trip, a week-long luxury sail up the mighty river from Basel to Amsterdam, with daily disembarkations for a few gentle hours of in-saddle sightseeing up pan-flat bike ...

A mountain range called the Sierra de Cantabria runs along the northern border of the Rioja Valley, and I had spent a good part of my morning riding up it. Behind and below me, the vineyards of Spain's most famous wine-making region spread out like a crazy quilt, a long skein of morning mist hanging above ...

In a small village on the western coast of Japan, I found the perfect persimmon. I stopped my bike to pick the ripe, orange-hued orb off of a roadside tree. And as I took a bite, it succumbed to my teeth with its honey-sweet juice. ...

Noto Hanto, the Noto Peninsula, juts out 100km into the Sea of Japan, midway down the country’s west coast, and is a one-hour flight north-west of Tokyo. It is as peaceful as Tokyo is frenetic. Every now and then I pass a person, typically aged, leathery-faced and hunched, toiling over rice paddies or the immaculate gardens of neat, wooden houses in tiny rural ...

There's no sign on the bridge over the Rhine from Switzerland that says "Welcome to Liechtenstein" – or if there is, we didn't see it. This is an understated country in every way: tiny and beautiful, practical but ...

Peru is one of the most geographically diverse countries in the world, featuring three main regions: the jungle, the mountains, and the coast. The country’s shifting shape, climate, and colors make it a haven for explorers, who (if they plan accordingly and follow this guide) can discover the 11 ecological regions and 84 life zones (of 117 in the world) located in ...

"As Peru gears up for Peruvian National Holidays to celebrate its independence from the Spanish Empire, we round up 10 ways to explore this fascinating ...

The true magic of B&R happens out there in the field, with a specific group of travellers in a specific place at a specific time, where spontaneity and circumstance collide to create serendipitous moments of joy and ...

"Thinking of taking an organized bike trip this summer or fall? Here are five myths about bike ...

"A new luxurious land and river excursion from Butterfield & Robinson promises the best of Southeast ...

"Fuelled by steak and fine Malbec, experience cycle touring at its most ...

"Women travellers want to be in the thick of it - to get amongst things and have a real, un-manufactured ...

"A convivial game to play with friends" (albeit one with a competitive edge), petanque revolves around le cochonnet (the ...

"Tour operator George Butterfield on the best of Burgundy, ...

"Watching the world unfurl from the saddle of a bicycle offers the chance to get up close to things you might miss in a car; to pause for lunch in a quiet square, legs aching, body content in the knowledge that it has earned that ...

"When British Airways added Iceland to its route map in October, with flights between London Heathrow and Reykjavik, it became a cinch to make a side trip to the Nordic nation during a visit to the ...

"On the shaded terrace of Le Bistrot de Pierrerue, in a drowsy, sunbaked old village close to the middle of nowhere, our Lycra-clad gang has a Sunday lunch to ...

"The golf course just doesn’t cut it any more. Today, Type-A men are turning to extreme vacations to bond and blow off ...

"Biking- and walking-focused vacations might be common today, but when George Butterfield co-founded the active travel brand Butterfield & Robinson 50 years ago, they were practically unheard ...

"George Butterfield has been at the helm of Butterfield & Robinson since its inception. I spoke with George recently as he reflected on his past as founder of B&R and a look ahead at the adventure travel ...

"From desert camp-outs to palm-grove picnics, a bike caravan through Morocco’s mountains and plains will suit you to a mint ...

"50th-anniversary trips across Bavaria that mix adventure, culture and ...

"While it does not claim a title for the oldest or most challenging of golf’s four Majors, its meticulously manicured setting and exclusivity have made The Masters not just the most desirable golf event, but what is widely regarded as the toughest ticket in ...

"Though certainly not unknown, the Dolomites are often overlooked on Italian ...

"Nick Hammond discovers that keeping fit on a family holiday can be positively enjoyable and ...

"The popularity of biking isn’t limited to a certain age group or gender. Bike tours all over the world are growing exponentially in popularity, and many more hotels are providing free bikes for their guests to use during their ...

"With travel, adventure, conflict and learning coalesce into shared memories to last a lifetime, making it the gift that keeps on giving. To whet the imagination, and in no particular order, here are ten trips from ten points around the globe at various price ...

"Our hit list of the places you just have to take your children before they grow up...#96. Catalonia, ...

"Zigzagging my bike around ripe green olives scattered on the pavement, I reach up as I pedal to pluck a juicy black fig dangling from a roadside ...

"With the holiday travel season fast approaching, we've rounded up six lavish getaways for clients looking for an ...

"Fancy a cycling trip but in total luxury on an electric powered e-bike if you prefer? Look no further than Butterfield & Robinson, which offers escorted, tailor-made cycling holidays all over the ...

"Take the slow road. Organize bespoke hiking and biking trips through the prettiest Tuscan and Provencal countryside between the best hotels, restaurants and vineyards. They transport your luggage and lay on guides and ...

"There’s no time like fall for an active getaway. Butterfield & Robinson invites you to enjoy the crisp air in fall 2016 while cruising and peddling through four countries on the new Danube River Cruise and Bike ...

"One of Mother Nature's most spectacular displays is upon us. With the arrival of autumn the forests and woodlands of the Northern Hemisphere are gradually transforming into a striking natural show of russet, vermillion, gold, bronze and yellow. New England is justifiably popular for its arresting autumnal displays but there are off-the-beaten-track ...

"Presided over by smoking Mount Etna, with azure waters framing its serpentine coast, Sicily’s east side has long held a charm for ...

"One of the biggest trends in incentive travel is to engage with locals in ways that may not be possible when traveling purely as a ...

"Geopolitical pressures make the journey to some remarkable destinations a balancing act of risks and ...

"Butterfield and Robinson has partnered with food and wine magazine Saveur. The Toronto-based travel outfitter—which will be celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2016—has launched three new fall trips to a few of the most “edible” destinations in the ...

"In Europe, luxury travel experiences keep taking off in new directions, as can be expected on a continent tailor-made for today’s brave new world of bespoke ...

"To celebrate its 50th Anniversary, Butterfield & Robinson, the world’s premier active travel company, will travel back to 1966 to recreates its first ever cycling tour from Munich to ...

"September and October are the perfect months to explore Spain’s Rioja region—especially if you love to move at an unhurried ...

"As autumn slowly rolls in, many destinations are heading into their peak season. Here are some of our favorite ways to enjoy the next few ...

"Butterfield & Robinson is introducing a new Danube River biking itinerary for next year. The upscale hiking and biking operator has partnered with Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection to offer an eight-day biking trip on Uniworld’s 160-passenger River Beatrice from Munich to ...

"Butterfield & Robinson, known for providing the best biking and walking travel experiences in the world's most incredible places, has partnered with SAVEUR to craft trips that take food lovers seep into the gastronomic souls of some of the most edible ...

"Gen Xers (33-49): School calendars largely dictate timing for this group, our study shows. "In the 33-to-49 set, it's all based on whether you have kids, and what ages the kids are," agrees Ottawa-based advisor Sheila ...

"Touring Europe via bicycle isn’t a new concept and traveling through the region on a river cruise is growing in popularity. Tour operator Butterfield & Robinson have now combined the two to introduce a more active river cruise along the Danube ...

"On some vacations, the moment travelers check in, they wish they could just check out. After spending months and thousands of dollars to book an idyllic escape from the stresses of working life, many people arrive only to experience a sense of ...

"The bottom line – we absolutely had a truly exceptional trip in Iceland!" Kind words like that are what make our jobs so amazing. Of course, there's an old saying about how much a picture is worth compared to words, so check out the slideshow below for a little further evidence of how much fun Ken and his family had on ...

These spots perfectly combine romance and exhilaration for newly married ...

A face-off between Leonardo's landscape and the wild heart of the Lone Star ...

The largely flat country won't challenge cyclists with long climbs, but it has what many consider the best riding roads in the world. Its unrivaled system of car-free bike paths have been dubbed "biking superhighways" by luxury tour outfitter Butterfield & ...

Butterfield & Robinson’s Chile Biking Tour starting and ending in Santiago (our cover photo), showcases this culturally robust country’s mix of European and indigenous influences with a Mediterranean-like climate perfect for ...

"New Foodie Trips from Butterfield & ...

"SAVEUR has partnered with the award winning travel experts at Butterfield & Robinson to launch SAVEUR Trips, it was announced today by Kristin Cohen, Publisher of ...

"Culinary magazine Saveur has partnered with upscale adventure tour operator Butterfield & Robinson to create a portfolio of new tours called Saveur ...

“One more push – you’re doing great!” urges my partner. My limbs are burning, small sacrifice for the euphoria I feel reaching the top and speeding downhill past carpeted fields of wildflowers and knotted olive trees, the warm salty air in my ...

"A look at some of the most incredible trips that tour the world on two ...

Butterfield & Robinson is the World’s Best Tour Operator, according to readers of Travel + Leisure ...

"Flying private for a family reunion, last-minute holiday or sporting event is on the rise. Aviation firms report that about 35 percent of their flights today are for personal travel. Here are 10 reasons that more and more families are choosing to leave commercial air travel ...

"River cruising was no. 1, and world cruising was no. 2 – but after that, your bucket list trips ...

"Fleet, slick, simple and healthy both for the rider and for the planet, bicycles confer an unparalleled and joyful sense of freedom. And oh, the places you can ...

"Traversing through the Andes, on the last portion of the Inca Trail, Machu Picchu comes into view. As I gaze awestruck at the 15th century Inca civilization surrounded by cloud forests and blanketed in a misty fog—I’m speechless. Words can’t explain the feeling of seeing this wonder of the world for the first ...

"When traveling with a young family, wine regions shouldn’t be automatically pulled from the ...

How to walk the Amalfi Coast – chic or ...

“Cash does nothing to motivate me but a trip to Greece or Tuscany had been on our wish list for ...

Francis Ford Coppola made his name directing a film in which people were presented with offers they “couldn’t refuse.” But unlike the characters he brought to life in The Godfather, Mr Coppola only makes offers that people can’t refuse because they’re simply so tempting! Take the Palazzo Margherita, for ...

"The Toronto-based active adventure company Butterfield & Robinson has a new summer family biking trip through the Netherlands and ...

"See the world’s most beautiful buds in the ...

Japan is on the bucket list for many world travellers, so why not make a family excursion out of it? Experience the most fascinating elements of the country’s culture from Tokyo’s frenetic urban cacophony of sights, lights and sounds to a heritage richly preserved in subdued ...

Newfoundlanders are known for their friendly demeanor, and visitors can expect an especially warm welcome when exploring this rugged island with Butterfield & ...

"These days, it seems everyone wants a bit of adventure. What's more, we expect it to come with a healthy helping not just of running water, but also gourmet food and, preferably, a comfortable mattress. Fortunately, tour operators are ...

"Offering luxury bespoke walking and cycling expeditions to nearly every corner of the world since 1966, Butterfield & Robinson knows how to get you from point A to point Z in active ...

"Escape the crowds of tourists and make your own tracks on a bike tour, the best way to uncover a region at your own pace. We’ve rounded up fifteen breathtaking bike tours around the world that will take you past ancient glaciers, active volcanoes, bustling villages, lava-sand beaches, and more. So grab your helmet—and your sense of adventure—and let’s hit the ...

"There are so many new and creative options that are available to families these days that take traditional trips and turn them into once-in-a-lifetime opportunities for multi-generational groups. From brand-new options on Europe's rivers to custom, private adventures for the whole clan, the opportunities are seemingly ...

Forget Glamping, this is the new luxe adventure ...

National Geographic Traveler has named our Switzerland E-Biking trip one of their 50 Tours of a Lifetime for ...

"As we sat around that Tuscan dinner table that night, one thought sprung to mind: mission ...

"Contributing editor Carla Hunt put together a few tasty culinary journeys through Africa in the African Adventures in Food & Wine feature. Here’s yet one more tasty morsel—a bike tour in South Africa that offers up a grand sampling of Winelands ...

"For an offbeat holiday this season, sign up for an organised cycling tour and experience a destination in an entirely new and healthier ...

"Explore volcanoes and coffee plantations, horseback ride to waterfalls, zipline through treetops, and relax in a hammock with views of the ...

"Since 1966, Butterfield & Robinson has offered luxury travel the Galapagos to active ...

"Sonoma and Napa are the two best-known wine regions in California, but don't dismiss them as been-there, ...

Cycle on two wheels in the picturesque region of La Rioja in northern ...

Wine Chap embarks upon a four-day cycling tour in France’s exalted wine ...

"Our reward for making it to the top of the mountain was a stop at an adorable rifugio for a ...

"Long ago, I promised myself that I would take a biking trip through some obscure corridor of Europe, going in-depth over a small ...

We are absolutely thrilled that George Butterfield has won the PURE Award for Experiential Travel at PURE Life Experiences. ...

"Now a tour company has paired Alsace with Champagne, allowing participants to experience two traditions—and arguably, two visions—of ...

"The company blog takes an in-depth look at slowing down in destinations around the world, many of which are well off the beaten ...

For those who think walking tours sound like a snoozefest, B&R's "Indochina Active: Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam" will make you reconsider your stance. ...

A new two-part trip from Butterfield & Robinson is heavily customizable—possible add-ons include Mediterranean yacht excursions and private museum tours. ...

B&R manages to do the impossible: Orient each group trip to suit the needs and speeds of guests with different interests who move at different speeds. ...

Butterfield & Robinson introduces riders to several of France’s legendary appellations on this casual sip-and-spin. ...

"Blame it on Bill Murray... It started, innocently enough, as a bike trip with Butterfield & Robinson, that upscale globe-trotting ...

"Among high-end Western operators, Butterfield & Robinson has considerable in-country experience to go along with its overall solid ...

The Global Community Service Foundation (GCSF), has awarded B&R its Founders Award for our work building houses for families in Myanmar. ...

Toronto-based Butterfield & Robinson unveiled a new four-day itinerary last summer through Jordan and nearby ...

"A newly added week-long excursion through Chile offers a moderate pace through wine ...

Travel + Leisure magazine names The Slow Road "Best Blog" in its annual social media awards. ...

Travel + Leisure: Butterfield & Robinson introduces riders to several of France’s legendary appellations on this casual ...

"On a custom Peru family trip you spend time exploring the Lost City of the Incas, the Sacred Valley and Cusco's markets with your ...

"For all its appeal, Bogota is as safe as most big cities but not terribly user friendly. It helps to have someone show you around..." ...

While Vietnam offers lavish hotels and world-class cuisine, this Southeast Asian hot spot is also ripe with unforgettable experiences for pedal-powered travellers. ...

"When anyone asks me what my favorite all-time trip was, it always comes down to the B&R cycling journeys I've ...

"This is how one spends one's time on the islands: hiring boats for visits to beaches unmarked by the footsteps of ...

When six-year-old Emily left Rae Rae, her stuffed bunny, behind while on safari with B&R, she worried he was gone for good... ...

"Clear, cold winter nights are the best times to view the Northern Lights in Iceland’s countryside," writes Departures ...

"A sounder of warthogs!” someone shouts as we cycle a dirt road through low desert shrubs. “A journey of giraffes!” comes another cry on the shoreline of a white salt plain. ...

"Thanks to new points of entry by land and sea, the archipelago off the coast of Ecuador is more accessible—and luxurious—than ever" writes Departures. ...

"Among the vines are those of Chateau Petrus, possibly the world's most exclusive and expensive ...

Check out what some of our amazing travellers have to say about the land of lavender fields, ...

“This was why I was enchanted, a while back, to notice that some bike tour outfits, like Butterfield & Robinson, were offering electric motorized bikes or ...

Chef Brisa Deneumostier's well-traveled career has taken her from Copenhagen's Noma to top kitchens in New York, Phuket, Lebanon and ...

When George Butterfield, founder of the active-travel company Butterfield & Robinson, led a group of travelers on a bespoke wine-focused trip through Germany and France earlier this year, he knew he was onto something special. ...

Butterfield & Robinson creates unusual, active experiences, including bike and walk safaris in Tanzania and Namibia. ...

“Nowhere seems more desolate and ethereal than the volcanic landscape of western Iceland. I’d take a guided tour with Butterfield & Robinson..." writes Travel + Leisure's Lindsey Olander. ...

Whether you've been working at something for five minutes or five decades, it's always nice to hear an encouraging word (or ...

Whether you've been working at something for five minutes or five decades, it's always nice to hear an encouraging word (or ...

Whether you've been working at something for five minutes or five decades, it's always nice to hear an encouraging word (or ...

Thanks to our amazing travellers, we frequently find ourselves feeling very encouraged indeed. Check out what some of them have to say about our biking and by-sea trips to ...

We spent the final few days of our wonderful Wine Grand Journey enjoying the many pleasures of the Champagne ...

“Butterfield & Robinson, the Toronto-based active adventure company... has recently introduced five self-guided ...

When my wife and I did a bespoke solo cycling trip though Burgundy with Butterfield & Robinson, it began with their local guide coming to our ...

Whether you've been working at something for five minutes or five decades, it's always nice to hear an encouraging word (or ...

Whether you've been working at something for five minutes or five decades, it's always nice to hear an encouraging word (or ...

A B&R traveller presents an ode to Puglia to her group at the end of a great trip — with glass of wine close at hand, of course! ...

Whether you've been working at something for five minutes or five decades, it's always nice to hear an encouraging word (or ...

Readers of Travel + Leisure magazine have voted Butterfield & Robinson among the Top Tour Operators in the world. ...

“There is so much more to experience walking or biking through the countryside than seeing it from a car window or lying on a beach, and it is a great way to get some exercise to justify all the gourmet food you will ...

On cycling tours, rides range from easy to very challenging, and some tours offer a daily ride selection of varying difficulty... ...

Hop on customized Cannondale bikes to navigate the charming vineyards and villages along the Danube when you book the six-day Vienna to Prague Family ...

Today, at the age of 74, George Butterfield’s one of those people who has figured it out—how to live a long, healthy and, perhaps most importantly, a happy ...

When a few of our travellers wrote to explain what a great time they had in Costa Rica, we were grateful for the reminder that our passion for planning translates directly into exceptional ...

We were thrilled to receive this email from past traveller Bob Collins, who embarked with George and Martha on a European excursion in the summer of 1969. ...

Butterfield & Robinson is thrilled that one of our trips was once again named to National Geographic Traveler's list of the 50 Tours of a Lifetime. ...

Traveller Jack Hardin learned firsthand that having a few local friends on the ground is the best introduction to a new ...

“The definition of luxury has really changed," as B&R Director of Media Relations Kathy Stewart recently told Travel Professional ...

Luxury travel website Le Travelist profiles George Butterfield. ...

Butterfield & Robinson included in Travel + Leisure's "Definitive Guide to Adventure Travel." ...

B&R co-founder George Butterfield shares his favourite biking region in the world with the author of Fifty Places to Bike Before You Die. ...

Photographer Christopher Michel recounts his Myanmar Biking experience to Outside Magazine with Butterfield & ...

In real estate, it’s ‘location, location, location’. And in luxury touring, it’s ‘access, authenticity and à la carte’... ...

Planning your vacation over a family meal? BICYCLING magazine has some ideas in their "Spin the Globe" story, including B&R's Morocco Bistro ...

Apricot Hill profiles Butterfield & ...

"Tour operators are diversifying with new product lines priced both lower and higher than their traditional tours. The strategy is aimed at reaching new markets as well as building brand loyalty among travelers – and travel ...

"Cycling and wine have long captured the imaginations of American travelers with dreams of gliding through verdant, ...

Once again Butterfield & Robinson has been included in Travel + Leisure's World's Best Awards. This year we are thrilled to have placed fourth in the Tour Operator ...

Luxury Latin America profiles ...

The Financial Times profiles ...

My idea of bliss is cycling through the Tuscan countryside. The landscape takes your breath away. The vineyards march in tidy rows down the undulating ...

“Walking fever,” as Dowhan calls it, is catching on and transcends all age groups. But it’s especially popular with a younger generation that’s always had access to the latest transportation technology (and perhaps wants a time-out from ...

Sheila McCracken places her trust squarely upon the shoulders of B&R to discover the world in a way that allows her to completely relax and thoroughly indulge her sense of adventure. ...

There's a castle in my bike's side-view mirror. But it's not just any castle. It's the castle said to have inspired the tale of Sleeping ...

With every sip of wine, you'll drink in centuries of tradition and history. You'll encounter wines you'd never find at home and meet people whose families have been making wine for ...

We set out just after dawn to get a head start on the day’s heat, pedaling fast under a tattered blanket of fog. The night before, a strong, cold mistral wind had swept away the last of a long and languorous ...

Butterfield & Robinson takes the luxe route through North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia, with standout trips along the Silk Road and through Myanmar. ...

B&R's new Cervélo Pro Travel The Tour Biking trip was chosen by Outside Magazine as their Best New Bike Trip for ...

We had enjoyed previous group cycling trips with Butterfield & Robinson, renowned for its skilled guides, so we were immediately intrigued by the company's radical change of ...

Casual cyclists who have been tempted to sign up for a Butterfield & Robinson tour in Europe or elsewhere but were deterred by either price or their own fitness level should be interested to hear that the outfitter has made some key tweaks to its ...

City hopping by private jet, mingling with maharajas in their palaces, hanging out with world famous artists in their ateliers or being serenaded by a group of classical musicians in the middle of the desert – for a tiny, elite group, travel in India is far removed from the backpacker ...

No matter how you tip the gastronomic scale, one thing is certain: Eating well and traveling well go hand-in-hand. Regardless of whether you’re a full-out foodie or a humble supper guest, meals form memories. ...

Butterfield & Robinson thinks the best way to travel is by bike, foot or sea. Its site is arranged accordingly, with custom trips (iconic Amalfi Coast walks, biking and boating in Turkey) to match. ...

For 45 years, Canadian entrepreneur George Butterfield, co-founder of travel company Butterfield & Robinson, has been on the forefront of providing luxurious experiences to active ...

Welcome to “The Great Life.” Don’t expect me to kick it off in a small way. This is not the “okay life” or even the “good life.” It’s about great experiences, trips, foods, things, places. ...

From a rafting trip in Costa Rica to a campout on the Galapagos Islands, here's a sampling of ways to keep your gang's adrenaline going. And you thought your wild days were ...

For those who want thrills beyond the edge of the earth, Iceland is calling you. Here, the soaring mountains, rumbling volcanoes, lava fields and bubbling geysers will stir your imagination and ignite passions that might have been dormant for ...

Biking is a way of life in Myanmar and undoubtedly the best way to soak up its lush countryside and encounter the ...

A visit to Italy offers an incredibly diverse experience in a small area, with different dialects, cuisines and landscapes, from sun-kissed Mediterranean islands and beaches to snow-covered, world class ski ...

Over a Michelin-starred dinner during a B&R trip to the Dolomites, Kate MacNamara recounted how there had been no better surprise than meeting the perfect travel companion on her very first B&R ...