Hello - I'm Courtney.
I was born in America, educated in England, and have spent the better part of twenty years making myself very at home across Europe. I currently live in Dublin with my Italian husband and my cat, Cosimo, who is named after a Medici.
I'm a trained research historian, a qualified Irish national guide (that's the highest guiding qualification in Ireland, since you asked), and a travel planner who has spent decades building real knowledge of the places I work in - not reading about them, but living in them.
Before I started Your Grand Tour, I spent fifteen-plus years working in the heritage and tourism sectors in England at places like The National Trust, Historic Royal Palaces, and The Heritage Alliance. I've arranged private viewings of estates most people will never see, secured spots in the Royal Enclosure at Ascot, and spent a very long time learning what makes a travel experience go from good to genuinely unforgettable. The answer, if you're curious, is almost always a combination of access, context, and timing - and knowing which local to call.
I only plan trips to countries where I hold deep, established, personal knowledge: Ireland, Italy, and the United Kingdom. That's not a limitation. It's a promise that when I recommend something, it's because I've been there myself, tested it, and would send someone I care about without hesitation.
If you're ready to stop researching and start travelling (properly) I'd love to help.