About Britain Before You...

I love to travel. After moving to London in 1991 to work for one year (or so we thought), we began organizing trips for friends and family who appeared at our door—some fished for salmon (my husband’s passion) in Scotland, Devon, and Ireland, while others visited castles and gardens (my interests). We met British people who shared our interests and discovered sights that tourists never find. In 1997 we began offering these trips to like-minded people—gardeners, book clubs, anglers, antiquers, quilters—or just groups of friends who enjoy each other’s company in old-fashioned, unhurried, undiscovered travel.

We stayed for 12 years.

You have free time to pursue personal passions
as you enjoy the companionship of friends.

Ann, organizer and guide, has a SCOTSmaster degree from the Scottish Tourist Board, visit scotland. She also reviews restaurants for Harden's Guide and hotels for Signpost.

We're celebrating our 10th anniversary!

Diane,our quilt trip coordinator, is a quilter, a quilt collector, and on the Board of Directors for the NH Quilt Documentation project.

… and beyond

The longer we stayed, the farther we went—Norway, Spain, Italy, France, the Seychelles, Japan. Each year in autumn we return to New England with British quilters to enjoy sunny, crisp days and spectacular colors.

Now, we escort small groups to Italy and France, exploring the Tuscan and French countryside by train and minivan. We stay in 4-star hotels, chateaux, villas. We laugh, meet locals, have fun. Let us organize a trip just for you.

We've been there before you.

You are warmly invited to join our Tuscany Antique Treasures Tour, May 28–June 7 or September 3–13, for an antiquing adventure amid the stunning landscapes of Tuscany and Umbria. We focus on the special antiques and decor of the region but combine business with pleasure by allowing plenty of time to soak up the warm Italian lifestyle, accompanied by Anna, proprietress of our villa, an avid collector, and her colleague, Marco. They speak Italian and will help you with translating and negotiating.

Please email us for a detailed brochure or click on visit Villa Gioianna

And our travels take us fishing in Norway, New Zealand and the Seychelles, visiting gardens in Northern Italy or relaxing in our friend's villa where we take day trips to Venice, Tuscany, Rome and Florence.