Shake Hands with the World ™

With VBT, the road to discovery never ends

You thought you knew Italy. But this was not like anything you’d experienced before, a medieval nest of tiny beehive-like houses crowned with conical roofs and mystical symbols. You expect a Hobbit to step out of one but instead, an old nonna beckons you into her trullo house with a smile. You sit next to her in a small alcove by the fire, as she starts peeling some odd-looking bulbs and hands them to you to soak in a pot. Your Trip Leader translates that these wild edible hyacinths are lampascione— just one of the strange, alien, and delicious secrets of Puglia. And you thought you knew Italy…

“VBT did a fabulous job of connecting us directly with the Croatian people — whether through an opportunity to buy wine or figs or a home-hosted dinner. As a result, we came away from our trip feeling as if we'd had a truly authentic experience.”

Laurie S., Croatia: The Dalmatian Islands

Exercise your mind!

Stimulating history to ponder, unusual sights to marvel at, interesting people to meet, old stories to listen to, new ways of living to consider. The bikes may be put away, but with VBT, the wheels are always turning. All along our route you’ll stop to explore, and to meet our friends and neighbors so you can learn first-hand about the life and times of your host country. Join us in family homes, farms, factories, artisans’ studios, shops, temples, and schools, and get a true feel for the local culture.

Included tours reveal fabled attractions and hidden gems

Besides an appreciation for the beauty of your destination, you’ll come away with a good understanding of its cultural and historic underpinnings. That’s because VBT includes sightseeing and guided exploration as part of every trip. And while we certainly pay homage to the monumental attractions you’ve come all this way to see—the great Loire chateaux, Granada’s fabled Alhambra complex, Machu Picchu—we also celebrate the small marvels that lie off-the-beaten path.

For example, in Vietnam we cycle along the coast towards famous Hoi An, but stop before getting there to admire a sandy beach and see how the locals weave basket boats. As we admire the graceful architecture of Pucisca, Croatia, we also go behind the scenes to a stonecutter’s school, and learn how the gleaming limestone that adorns nearly every town along the Dalmatian coast has been mined, graded, polished and sculpted. And in St. Remy, France, a local historian shows you the places that inspired some of van Gogh’s most famous paintings.

Learn by doing

Our excursions often feature opportunities to try your hand at local pastimes and workaday activities. In South Carolina, for example, we attend a proper Beaufort social and learn to dance the Virginia Reel. Along Italy’s Strada del Vino, you’ll play sous chef to your hostess, helping to prepare a Tuscan feast (and getting some great cooking tips in the process). In Cordoba, Spain, you’ll enjoy a traditional Moorish hammam experience, replete with a relaxing bath, massage with essential oils, and a tea tasting session. In Vermont’s Champlain Valley, you’ll get a private kayak lesson in the Dead Creek Wildlife Management Area. Besides great photos, you just might come home with newfound skills.

Intimate encounters with the people

Riding or walking along the same provincial byways used by the locals, you’ll be in step with the rhythms of daily life. In Maine, you’ll cycle on the old granite haul roads used by local quarry workers. In Italy, we ride the paths once trod by Etruscan warriors. And in the Netherlands, you’ll cross paths with the locals as they pedal along the towpaths to work and school.

You’ll get acquainted with the people on an even more intimate level through the home visits we include in every VBT trip. Trace your Irish roots, and see if there’s a connection with our Killarney host as you compare family histories over tea and scones. Meet the grandmother of one of our Trip Leaders on Italy’s Salento coast, sample her scrumptious orrechiette pasta, and see why Debora loves to visit her nonna. Do you like homemade strudel? You’ll love it even more after our Hungarian hostess makes some for you during a luncheon at her home in the Hungarian countryside. And raise a glass of corn beer with the locals at our favorite Peruvian chicheria, or bar. You’ll be touched by the genuine hospitality, and gratified by the bonds we share.

Get the inside scoop from your VBT Trip Leaders

Only a local can tell you who serves the best lowcountry cuisine in Charleston … why there are tiny house models outside many Vietnamese homes … which Prague pub has the most varieties of pilsner. That’s why VBT hires only residents of the region to
guide your trip. We know how much it will enrich your perspective to have a credible expert to explain local customs, give you the back stories about the places you’ll visit, and recommend the secret spots only insiders know about. You can rely on them to steer you right, since your satisfaction is their greatest priority. Take advantage of their knowledge—it’s a treasure trove many travelers never get to share.