Tuscany, Italy—“Andiamo!” (“Let’s go!”) That command in his native Italian sums up Paolo’s exuberant approach not only to travel, but to life. Never one to sit in front of the television, Paolo has always had a passion for being active outdoors. Growing up in Venice, he spent a lot of time on his bicycle and enjoying his close-knit family. 11 years ago, Paolo joined VBT and began delighting our travelers with his passion for life and zest for the varied cultures and traditions of Italy. He recommends to every visitor that “they try everything they can, because Italian food made outside of Italy never tastes the same as it does here. And neither does the wine!”

Portugal— “Diversity, tradition, and relaxation” are what David most loves to share with visitors to his native Portugal. “Traveling here, he says, “is like crossing into a different country every 50 miles, with the different food, landscapes, and dialects.” He also loves how old-fashioned traditions still make his hometown, Lisbon, “like a big village, where all the kids play in the streets, and mothers call from the windows.” The relaxation part comes easy with David, who always tells his guests “Calma. It means “take it easy.” It’s your vacation. Things get done in time here—in a very relaxed way.”

Ireland—Katrin began working as a trip leader in 1997, and never looked back. She loves introducing travelers to Ireland’s food, natural beauty, music, and especially, the craic, which is local parlance for fun, entertaining conversation. “There is a presence here in Ireland that you can hardly find anywhere else in the world.” she says. “You just have to find out for yourself.”

Holland & Belgium—Ed will teach you many things: how to keep your feet dry in Holland’s lowlands, how to eat Dutch poffertjes, and which Belgian beers are a must-taste. But he says his most important lesson is “do like the Dutch and Belgians: Chat with everybody! We love to talk, especially in English.” When not leading VBT trips Ed and his wife love to roam Europe in their camper van. And of course, they talk to everybody they meet.

Hungary—Zsuzsanna likes to teach her guests a little Hungarian, which she claims is “one of the most difficult languages to learn.” She should know: she speaks seven of them. Zsuzsanna would say that travel is in her blood, given that her father was a tour guide and she conducted her own first tour at age 14. But it’s not her expertise in history or culture or outdoor sports that make her such a great trip leader. “It’s my smile: I smile 24-7 — that’s what everybody says.”

Maine—Anne says “I like to first have guests take a deep breath and realize they will be taken care of. This is their vacation to relax and embrace all the beauty and culture there is to enjoy by bicycle.” It’s a pretty simple philosophy from someone who says her greatest pleasure is “living a simple life, In Maine—‘the way life should be.’” In her spare time Anne is an organic farmer and connoisseur of lobster and whoopee pies — Maine delicacies she will gladly share with you.

France—Pierre has traveled the world and been a trip leader for more than 33 years, but says that he might otherwise have gone into acting, a lifelong interest. Some of his travelers think he’d be well suited for this, given his charm, great sense of humor, and an accent that has been likened to that of Inspector Clousseau. But Pierre is quite serious about sharing the diversity of his native France, and especially, introducing you to its legendary cuisine.

Puglia, Italy— In addition to being a fantastic Trip Leader Marco is a ski instructor, scuba diver, semi-professional bicycle racer, mountain climber, hiker, and snorkeler. But this eight-year VBT veteran has more easygoing passions to share as well, like cooking, wine, art, and history. Marco says that he’s always happy because he loves his job, and that his mantra is la vita e bella (life is beautiful). It most certainly will be when you discover Italy with this fun-loving native.

New Zealand— When not leading bike tours Emmily can be found snowboarding, kayaking, diving, camping, wake boarding, hiking, and of course, traveling. This native Kiwi has lived in the US, where she worked as a river guide and decided to make travel her career. "I have loads of fun and energy on tour," says Emmily, and it rubs off on her travelers.

 Costa Rica— Giovanni is always on the go and often on wheels—be it a dirt bike, motorcycle, mountain bike, BMX, or rollerblades. When not rolling around Gio is very down to earth, as you might expect from someone who majored in Topography at the University of Costa Rica. From there he trained as a Naturalist Guide at the National Biodiversity Institute, and spent weekends working as a rafting guide. In 2004, he decided to “dedicate my whole time to what I love to do” and became a fulltime Trip Leader. You’ll appreciate his expertise on local fauna (especially Costa Rican birds) and the way he takes the national slogan, “pura vida” (pure life!) to heart. “We use it to say hello, thanks, how are you, but it is really an invitation to enjoy life to the fullest.”