European Walking Tours

Michael Broderick researches Venetian history to find unique material for walking tours at VeniceScapes.

by Durant Imboden

If you're the kind of person who prefers live instruction to learning from a book, a walking tour is the perfect way to learn about a city's history and culture.

In Europe, such tours range from inexpensive one- or two-hour group walks sponsored by local tourist offices to private all-day sightseeing excursions led by art historians or archaelogists. You can spend a few dollars or Euros on a walking tour, or you can spend more than the price of a room in a first-class hotel.

The best place to start your search for a walking tour is the tourist office of each city or town that you'll be visiting. Even a small city may offer a variety of walks, especially during the main tourist season. For example, the tourist office might sponsor a daily orientation walk with general information on the city and its history, plus specialized tours of local cathedrals, museums, markets, etc. on different days of the week. In some cases, a single guide will speak several languages; in other cases, the tourist office will have separate tours for visitors of different nationalities.

Privately led sightseeing excursions generally cost more than tourist offices' group walks, but they're worth considering when:

• You're traveling with a group. (In many cases, this will result in a lower cost per person than for a solo traveler or couple.)

• It's the peak summer season, and cheaper tours (such as those sponsored by tourist offices) are likely to be crowded.

• You have specialized interests that can't be met by a mainstream tour.

• You have deep pockets and don't have to think twice about the extra cost.

Where to find private walking tours 

Europe is awash in small businesses and organizations that sponsor private walking tours, and many local travel agencies book such tours (either with their own guides or with specialized services). Some cities have official guide organizations that you should be able to contact through local tourist offices. Also check for walking-tour listings in the free visitor magazines that you'll often find in tourist offices and hotel lobbies.

For other walking-tour services, including Web links, see page 2 and page 3.

Next Page > Tour providers > Page 1, 2, 3
 

 

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