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City Tours and ExcursionsPage 2
ABOVE: Scott, an historian who leads Mercat walking tours through the subterranean vaults of Edinburgh. INSET BELOW: An open-top sightseeing bus. Where to find toursTourist offices, travel agencies, and hotels Local tourist offices frequently have their own guided walking tours, especially in smaller cities and towns. Such tours are usually inexpensive, and they're nearly always your best value in a walking tour. (On the downside, these city-sponsored walks are often seasonal, and English-language tours may be in short supply.) If price isn't an issue, ask about hiring a private guide. In larger cities, tourist offices may sell tickets for tours with private operators. At the very least, they'll usually have racks of pocket-size advertising brochures for tour companies. You can also book tours locally in many travel agencies and hotels. "Hop on, hop off" tour buses and boats
Tickets are usually available from the driver, from local sales outlets, or--in many cases--online at Viator (see below). To learn how the buses work, see our articles on Edinburgh Bus Tours and Paris Sightseeing Buses. A few cities offer hop-on, hop-off canal or river boats as well. Amsterdam has its Museum Boat, and Paris has the Batobus. Prebooking from abroad Reserving tour tickets in advance can be a wise move if:
In such cases, you can book directly with tour companies or with our advertising partner, Viator, which works with local tour operators in 30 European countries. Viator offers hundreds of tours in scores of cities, and you can view prices in euros, British pounds, U.S. dollars, or Australian dollars. To look or book, visit our Sightseeing Tours page. Tip: For the best tour experience, avoid traditional mass-market coach tours ("Paris in 4 hours," "London in a Morning"). You'll have more fun--and you'll probably learn more--if you go on tours that match your own interests and tastes. Back to: Introduction - Page 1
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In many European cities, the local transportation authorities or
private operators have "hop on, hop off" tour buses. These buses--often
open-topped double-deckers--follow a predetermined route, and you can get on or
off as many times as you wish during a 24- or 48-hour period. As a bonus, you
get an audio description of the sights as you ride along (sometimes in a choice
of languages via headphones).