About me
I have always had a keen interest in European Travel, ever since I went to Tuscany on a school exchange as a teenager. I studied languages at university and have worked in travel ever since, both overseas and in UK based roles. I have lived in Northern Italy, the Spanish Pyrenees and the French Alps, and worked as a tour guide in Rome, Florence and Venice. Since working for Scott Dunn I have been lucky enough to visit a large number of our destinations, from the sun-kissed Greek Islands to the stark volcanic landscapes of South Western Iceland.
Favourite places I’ve been
Amalfi Coast and Capri - views to die for and unforgettable luxury hotels
Porto and the Douro Valley - fantastic food and wine, as well as offering great value
Andalucia - amazing cities, fantastic food, great climate
Rome - every street is alive with history
Athens - underrated as a city break destination, and great to combine with the islands
Travel nuggets
01. If you have been to Tuscany, Venice or the Amalfi Coast already why not consider a trip to Sicily, Puglia or Basilicata? Discover beautiful landscapes and beaches and discover the real Italy, away from the crowds.
02. Travel to Moscow on a Friday. When you arrive all the traffic will be heading in the other direction and the hotel rates over the weekend are half what they charge business travellers visiting the city on week days.
03. Some of the best fish restaurants I have eaten at during my travels at Scott Dunn are in Reykjavik. It’s only 3 hours flight from London, and the natural wonders of the volcanic south of Icleand are so close – ideal for a city break with a difference!
My hot picks
01. Santorini Grace, Santorini - enjoying the view of sunset over the caldera from your private plunge pool is an experience not to be missed.
02. Villa d’Este, Lake Como - very traditional, very grand, and rightly heralded as one of the finest hotels in Italy, a stay here can be considered a once in a lifetime treat – if you can resist sneaking back there for another weekend the following year!
03. Masseria Torre Maizza - play 9 holes on the par 3 golf course, swim in the enormous and often deserted pool, before enjoying a meal made of the freshest local ingredients. A perfect day in sunny Puglia!
What my guests have said
"James Ferguson was brilliant - knowledgeable and was spot on with his recommendations and suggestions."
"James was really helpful and he found us exactly the hotel we were looking for."
"Excellent knowledge and handled the hire car issue well."
"James was excellent and, on reflection, we should have taken his advice re his preferred hotel recommendation in the mountains - it would have been more peaceful."
"I appreciate all your effort in trying to put together a program me in such a short notice. I shall tell you that this was probably one of the best experiences I have been offered when booking a holiday break, and as such I must thank you for all that you have made. Although we did not speak on the phone you fast understood our preferences and adjusted the offer accordingly. Given this experience I surely recommend Scott Dunn to friends. "
"James you are a wonderful travel agent. I have elected Scott Dunn as my favourite travel agent now after experiencing how you care for your clients!"
"A brilliant holiday, thank you so much for organising it and coming up with all the suggestions and also accommodating my additions. We had the best time and packed so much in! We saw the Northern Lights but in fact the highlight for me was snowmobiling on top of a glacier in bright sunshine. We were the only people on the glacier (or so it felt). Or maybe it was seeing the Geysir spout every 5 minutes on the dot. Or Pingvellir. The only thing I didn’t enjoy was snorkelling in ice cold water! Still I did it."
"Very knowledgeable, extremely patient and helpful and always willing to go the extra mile."
"We have been very impressed with you efficiency in booking our holiday. Very responsive and most helpful. Would highly recommend you!"
"I just wanted to write to thank you for our wonderful trip to St Petersburg. Our guide was amazing, so passionate and incredibly knowledgeable. If we ever were to travel to any other part of Russia we would certainly try to have her as our guide. The whole trip went very smoothly without any problems whatsoever. She looked after us like were were here family. You certainly arranged a perfect itinerary and organised it to perfection. The hotel was also excellent. I cannot praise your organisation of our journey highly enough. We will most definitely not hesitate to use you for other trips and will recommend you to our friends.Once again James thank you so much for organising a trip that has created wonderful memories for life."
"Thank you for arranging our trip to Marrakech to celebrate our wedding anniversary. The arrangements were flawless and the wonderful hotels exceeded our expectations. The personal touch really made the difference for us. I would have no hesitation in using your services again for extra special holidays in future."
