ICONIC TRAVEL
The road less travelled Whether you are visiting the British Isles for the first time, are a seasoned traveller or taking a holiday close to home, a bespoke tour promises much to enjoy and discover 75
With a passion for travel that began with trips to London leading to journeys further afield, Andrew Stevens has turned his wanderlust and an interest in history into an inspiring business. “I was in love with London – the museums, fashion boutiques, record stores and, as I got older, the pubs and clubs,” he explains. After several years working as a DJ, Andrew saved enough money to travel the world. While he experienced many wonders on his travels, it also opened his eyes to the attractions of his own country: “I realised that Britain had incredible places to see and things to do. I was always fascinated by the landscape, particularly the thousands of shades of green and wild windswept hills, and
I especially like little villages with no tourists. I used to wonder why nobody knew about such places.” Andrew realised he could use his local knowledge and love of travelling to create a business. “I trained as a guide in London for six months. Then I thought I could use my driving skills and imagined taking people into our lovely countryside and enjoying pub lunches.” It was at this stage Luxury Vacations UK was born: “My clients loved seeing off-thetourist-track places. I enjoyed introducing visitors to local people and having a bit of banter.” Since 1998, Andrew has been touring England, Ireland, Wales and Scotland with people who share a thirst for knowledge and a desire to learn about the culture and history. In 2001, Andrew met Elizabeth, who was working at a law firm. She shared his love of exploring: “As our relationship grew with marriage and children, so did our business, especially when I joined Andrew to work full time. The fun we had exploring
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the country researching new itineraries and discovering unique hotels for our clients. I soon realised I had a passion for the British Isles.” While Andrew and Elizabeth love to take visitors to out-of-theway locations, they are also aware that Britain has many must-see attractions such as Edinburgh Castle, Bath Abbey, Stonehenge and the Eden Project. And that is the beauty of Luxury Vacations, the tours are designed to suit each individual or group. As Elizabeth explains: “It is an absolute pleasure to be trusted with our client’s vacation plans. I especially enjoy researching special requests or putting together multigenerational celebratory trips.”
Specialist guides Andrew and Elizabeth employ a team of carefully selected experienced and professional guides to work with them, including Chris who has been with them for more than seven years and has a vast knowledge of
