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Budget Travel

Discover the World of Free Walking Tours: Explore Cities on Foot

13 Sep 2024

It is a common belief that best things in life come free. In case of travel, you may believe that this is not true at all, with the flights and accommodations that you will have to pay for. However there is a new concept that has become increasingly popular with tourists and it is the free walking tour of major cities. If you are after a city break you will want to see the best parts of it and who better to assist you than a local guide. The best part is that they will do this for free, though you can always show your appreciation with the tips. It’s not mandatory to pay these, but it will encourage the guide to stay in this occupation.

Book early to guarantee your place

So, the next question you will have will be where to find these guides. The internet as always has made the word smaller by bringing people as close as possible in the digital world. There are some who have their own websites while others are registered with popular websites that are dedicated to assist with this way of touring a city. As you would have guessed this idea at the moment has been implemented in not too many cities and these tours are mostly available in major cities of the world. This idea originated in Europe with quite a few large cities offering such tours and lots of guides in the Latin American world are catching on. If you are an international tourist, you may find guides who are multi-lingual speaking more than one European language. You may even be able to find your fellow countrymen working as guides in these destination. If you get in touch early, they may even be able to assist you with cheap accommodation. Here we suggest some cities where you will be able to be a part of free tours walking easily.

Berlin: visit the parts that interest you

This city, capital of Germany has a lot of modern history and a lot of structures to go with it. The Berlin wall is a reminder of the days when the country was divided into 2 and some parts of it still remain, some covered with graffiti, which you are sure to see if you have chosen a tour related to history. You should always choose the tour according to the hours you are prepared to walk. If you are a young person you can choose to see the cultural sides of the city and if you are an elderly couple you can prefer to see the churches along with monuments including statues of famous historic personalities like Karl Marx. If you're planning to visit Berlin, check out cheap flights to Berlin to make your trip more affordable.

Edinburgh: discover the real Scotland

Like all of the UK, it rains a lot here even in the summer, so you must check the weather forecast before deciding on the date for your tour. This city is famous for its castles and Harry Potter movie filming locations. If you're a fan, you'll find guides who can take you to the various sites where parts of the movie series were shot. For those interested in Scottish culture, there are guides who can show you the homes of famous authors and poets. These guides can also recommend eateries offering excellent local cuisine and even join you to suggest the best dishes. Be sure to check if the tours are suitable for younger children if you're planning a family vacation. For more affordable trips, check out our Family Flight Deals.

Santiago: the impact of past on the present

This city, the capital of Chile has good views of the surrounding mountains that border this city. This city was part of the Spanish colony and there are quite a few large structure like squares and churches, reminding you of those days. Everybody here now speaks Spanish and your guides may expect that you know some words of the language. As you go for a trip in your chosen part of the city, most people usually choose the city center, you will be taken to important buildings that now house government offices. The views will be totally free from the outside and you will be taken inside those with no entrance fee. You can even visit the local markets to see what the locals produce. check out cheap flights to Santiago for affordable travel options.

Kyoto: choose the way you want to explore this city

When you take these free walking tours you can expect the guides to tell you stories or history behind the parts of the city you are visiting here. Japan has caught the imagination of international tourists in last half century and there is now good infrastructure to welcome foreign tourists too. Though the Japanese are known to be proud of their language, some of the local guides here have learnt European languages so they can show more people around the city they live in. You have the option of choosing a walking tour unless you are in good physical condition to take a bike tour. You will always be taken to century old pagodas and the Geisha district where you may even come across the few ladies who still take up this profession. For affordable travel options, check out cheap flights to Japan to plan your walking trip.

San Francisco: Strike gold in the Gold City

This is one of the cities in USA that was founded during the gold rush. Since then a lot has changed and you can go on walking tours on streets up and down the hills or on the stairs which don’t end easily. You should choose the tour according to the time of the day you are comfortable with. You can choose for evening walk through the Chinatown and try the Chinese cuisine at one of the many restaurants. The other option you will have is to explore the bay area in the morning with the view of the Golden Gate Bridge and you will be pointed out the now closed Alcatraz prison on its island, which you may have seen in a few movies. Check out cheap flights to San Francisco deals to make your trip more affordable..

Conclusion

The world has changed a lot with the new businesses with new ideas. Most things you get involved while traveling require you to pay first, though with free walking tours you can pay later according to your level of satisfaction. Yes, these are called free but it will be rude not to give tips after the hard work that the guide has put in for you.

By FlightsChannel Team
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