800-200-3887
FIND A TOUR
FIND A TOUR

Bringing authentic experiences to life

The Best Guides in the World

A group shot of tour guides with a mountain landscape backdrop.

You’ve Got a Well-Connected Friend.

There is simply no better way to discover a place than in the company of a well-connected friend. That’s how you’ll feel about the local guides who are your companions every step of the way on every one of our walking tours.

Your guide will be the kind of person whose grandfather was his country’s former president, or who walked the runways of Milan for Galiano and traded in her heels to hike the footpaths of the Cinque Terre. An insider who knows the opening day of truffle season…and a truffle-hunter who’ll let you tag along. A Fes native who can navigate the maze of the medina with her eyes closed, because it’s where she and her family live.

Our Guides Open Doors That Outsiders Can’t.

Many other tour operators airlift guides in from overseas, but what a missed opportunity that is for a curious traveler like you. Our native guides are your proud cultural hosts who understand local life because it’s their everyday life…and go out of their way to help you get a real feel of their world. Their friends are your friends. They know the shopkeepers, the monks in the monastery, the farmers who wave them down for a friendly chat.

A tour guide posing on. a mountain top.

You’ll Always Enjoy Their Company.

Classic Journeys guides are there full-time for you, every step of the way. They’ll also introduce you to our extended family—specialists in anything from birding to wine-tasting to archaeology. And because your guides are actually members of the Classic Journeys team that curates your trip itinerary, they have all kinds of leeway to personalize your trip on the fly, whether it’s to take advantage of an unexpected opportunity like a one-day festival or an invitation into a private home.

Women on sand dunes in Morocco.

Moments when a local guide matters most…

  • In a village café, you want to try an off-the-menu dish they’re having at the next table, but you don’t know how to ask for it.
  • A flock of sheep blocks your footpath, but your guide knows a detour through the private pasture of her childhood friend.
  • You need a packet of antihistamines, but no one in the pharmacy speaks English.
  • You wonder what it’s like to go to school in the rainforest, and because your guide’s cousin is the principal, they’ve arranged an invitation to a classroom.

Get to Know Some of Our Top-rated Guides

Sergio, a Classic Journeys tour guide in Italy

Sergio

"Sergio, amico mio!” Sergio practically invented the concept of the “well-connected local guide”. He’s a native Neapolitan who puts his life into showing off the region he’d never leave.

Saida guide image.

Saida

Originally a journalist, she graduated with a degree in English Literature before switching to guiding more than two decades ago. A mother of two daughters (one a doctor and the other an engineer) she delights in breaking down cultural stereotypes. She’s guided U.S. Senators and Ambassadors and has even teamed with The Today Show to introduce people to her country.

Livio, the Classic Journeys guide in Croatia.

Livio

Named the #1 guide in all of Croatia and fluent in seven languages, Livio is part teacher, part kid, and all-around great guy.

Flaminia tour guide image..

Flaminia

An expert in Modern and Contemporary Art for Sotheby’s in Rome, her discerning eye is a huge asset whether she’s helping you see the composition of Lucca’s townscape or interpreting an altarpiece. Her knack for seeing under the skin of Italy is a skill guests treasure.

Bart tour guide sitting on a rock.

Bart

An expert in prehistory, Bart has worked with NASA, the Leakey Foundation, museums and universities. He was Michael Crichton’s personal guide during the author’s research for his book, ‘Timeline’. A philanthropist, he’s also been a convoy-leader for the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in Africa and Asia.

Yasemin tour guide image.

Yasemin

Yasemin is married to another Classic Journeys guide, Cemil, and they live along the beautiful south coast in Antalya, where their home is surrounded by mountains and Termessos National Park. A noted botanist, she authored a book on local wildflowers.

Michael guide leaning on a barn.

Michael

Nova Scotia’s a melting pot for culture and food, and there’s no one better to experience it with than Michael. An acclaimed chef, he’s on the boards of Taste of Nova Scotia and Slow Food Nova Scotia, and is the recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal. His cookbook, ATLANTIC SEAFOOD, was shortlisted for the Canadian Cookbook Awards.

Luciano tour guide in Amalfi.

Luciano

A true Renaissance man, Luciano has studied music in Florence and is fluent in six languages. He also knows everyone in Tuscany, from Andrea Bocelli and Dario Cecchini to the best gelato maker in San Gimignano.

Tour guide Vibeke on a glacier.

Vibeke

A true sportswoman, Vibeke grew up in Bergen and delights in cross country and downhill skiing, hiking, glacier climbing, and any other activity she can organize for herself, husband, sons and friends. She enjoys sharing “hidden” places with guests and giving them experiences and memories that tourista never have while opening windows into the Norwegian culture and soul.

Beny tour guide walking over a bridge.

Venicio (Beny)

Beny is the kind of naturalist guide you dream of: well informed and fluent in how to transmit his treasure of information to you. In his own words: "As a naturalist guide I have to help people 'remember' the other senses that they seldom use.

Donal tour guide image.

Donal

An expert on the people, history and culture of Ireland, Donal continues his studies at University College in Cork. His favorite moment on tour? The boat trip on Killarney Lakes to Ross Castle. “It’s beautiful. And the guests can’t stop laughing at the stories and antics of the boatman, Pat O’Callaghan."

Kenneth tour guide image.

Kenneth

A naturalist and rafting guide, Kenneth is always prepared. Not only does he know every bird, plant and animal in Coasta Rica, he knows the people (‘ticos’) just as well. And when you visit his friend’s orchard, Kenneth will just happen to have two knives and a pair of gloves on him to carve up a juicy treat for you.

In our many travels abroad, some 70+ countries by land tour and cruise ship, it is amazing to find two superb tour guides working seamlessly together as a team. Luciano and Elena’s knowledge, delivery and pace are excellent, as are their patience, accommodation and consideration for fellow travelers. Having previously visited Venice, Florence and Rome, we were impressed by how much is to be gained from tour guides skilled in their craft

A Note From a Fellow Traveler

98/100 ON TRUSTPILOT

What Our Guests are Saying

Trustpilot
Amalfi Coast.

Ready to explore? Let's go!

If you’re seeking a once-in-a-lifetime travel experience that’s tailor-made for you and yours, look no further. Drop us a line today and see how we can work together to fine-tune the details of your dream journey.

Make a Reservation
Contact Us