Slow Down to See the World with Butterfield & Robinson
The active luxury travel company encourages guests to make deep connections on their biking and walking tours
When it comes to leisure travel, there’s something intangible yet profoundly different that happens when you stop rushing from site to site, from experience to experience, at the speed of trains and cars.
Take Tuscany, Italy, for example. Even for a connoisseur of the region’s poetic hills, it’s a proven fact: when those same landscapes are explored through a Butterfield & Robinson biking or walking trip, something changes. Suddenly, that spectacular beauty stops being just a postcard—or Instagram post—and becomes a living, breathing experience. You feel it. You live it. You’re there in the moment, smelling the air, making the journey your own. You might even find yourself singing your heart out as you pedal through the idyllic scenery (something that actually happens more often than one might think). That physical act of walking or riding a bike is key to unlocking a whole new sensorial dimension. It’s also the essence of Butterfield & Robinson’s mission for their travelers.
Now celebrating their 60th year, the company is led by CEO Mike Scarola, a former Olympic athlete passionate about the human connections that this travel format can inspire. He follows in the footsteps of founder George Butterfield who, at 86, still rides his bike to the office at B&R’s Toronto headquarters.
From a technical standpoint, what makes traveling with B&R remarkable is their attention to detail, down to the minutiae. Every element is designed to enhance your experience: top-tier bikes (standard or electric) and helmets, GPS devices for easy navigation and a support van following at a respectful distance to ensure full assistance, refreshments and safety at all times. And when you’re not walking or pedaling, their warm, attentive team ensures every comfort, including luxury accommodations, full luggage concierge service and the finest regional cuisine.
Through a network of meticulous Experience Designers constantly scouting the best routes and hidden gems, B&R’s trips are never predictable, often surprising and always top quality. Thanks to their deeply-rooted relationships, the experience team also connects travelers with inspiring local personalities, fostering genuine bonds with the land and its people.
One such encounter might be with Margo, an intrepid and seemingly restless American and former B&R traveler who, inspired by her early trips, moved to Tuscany to start her own vineyard. Or perhaps with Laura and her sisters, founders of Puscina Flowers, a floral farm that transformed their father’s former sheep pastures into a dreamscape of color. There, under an olive tree, they serve a farm-to-table lunch with live music, surrounded by the rolling hills outside Pienza, the capital of Tuscan pecorino cheese.
In Florence, an exclusive lantern-lit nighttime visit to the breathtaking Church of Ognissanti reveals treasures like a crucifix by Giotto and the tombs of legendary Renaissance Venus’ painter Botticelli, Napoleon’s sister Carolina Bonaparte and history-changing explorer Amerigo Vespucci. The experience was offered by the church’s restoration supporter and next door neighbor, Officine Gullo, a luxury kitchen design studio, where an intimate dinner is prepared by top chef—and close B&R friend—Duccio.
At the two featured accommodations on this trip, guests are welcomed by owners eager to share their philosophy and passion. Swiss couple Philippe and Antonie created Casa Newton, a design-forward, 12-room boutique villa that overlooks the UNESCO-listed Val d’Orcia, It embraces color, texture, art and playfulness while offering complete tranquility. Meanwhile, Australian-Italian Alessandra and her Roman mother, Adriana, breathed new life into a historic Medici hunting manor in Cortona. Villa di Piazzano is a refined, aristocratic mansion with a timeless allure that has captivated B&R travelers since its inauguration 25 years ago.
The local guides are special friends of B&R, too. And quite prepared. They deliver a rich insight into history, culture and local values, while remaining accessible, simpatico and easy to understand.
Butterfield & Robinson offers trips on all five continents. Their 2026 Tuscany lineup for small groups includes a range of options for every fitness level—from relaxed rides through Chianti and Siena to more challenging cycling adventures, from wine-country itineraries featuring exclusive tastings to walking tours connecting Tuscany and Umbria (including stays at the famed Castello di Reschio resort). There’s even a special women’s trip that blends biking, hiking and yoga.
Beyond small group journeys, B&R specializes in bespoke experiences—tailor-made for friends on holiday, family gatherings and milestone celebrations—and self-guided trips, where travelers stay in charming village accommodations and discover local restaurants, cafés and shops at their own pace.
Visit Butterfield & Robinson for more info on small group, bespoke and self-guided biking and walking trips.
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