Tours, Experiences & Getting Around

These might just be what really makes your trip special!

LOOKING TO BOOK A TOUR  – see LINKS below & in most cases Mobile Apps available as well

Many people don’t consider Tours or even Excursions when planning a holiday as they immediately think that its going to be much more expensive, and that it involves unflexabile accommodation and other itinerary options.

Thankfully that assumption is fading fast as word gets around and more and more people are experiencing the joy and benefits of Tours and Excursions, and often they realized that by having taken a Tour, they ended up getting way more out of the trip than if they had tried to do it all on their own. They saw more, did more and there was no time wasted with line ups at restaurants, or buying tickets for events/excursions, or waiting to get from Airports to where they were staying etc.

They were also quite often not aware of excursions in certain areas and this is where the Tour Companies shine as they know exactly whats available and where.

Surprisingly it doesn’t always cost an arm and a leg either, and it could even be more expensive if you booked them on your own because of the deals offered to the Tour Companies by Hotels, Guides, Restaurants, because of constant bookings and business from them.

Once you start looking you will realize there are a million and one Tour Companies out there and there is a reason why they are becoming so popular – people want to make the most of their trip and time, and its an excellent way of getting to know a place and experience something unique and in most cases a good Tour Company delivers and is worth every penny.

Tours and Excursions can vary from Luxury or Budget, Single Item or Full Package Deals where everything from Accomodation to Excursions and Events is taken care of….. add to that there are Customized or Personalized Trips, for the young or for the retired, short Afternoon or Day or Night excursions, Cooking or Painting classes, Vespa Tours, Art Tours, Food & Wine tasting tours, Shark Cage Diving, …you name it –  its all available out there…private or group.

A great starting point in getting your bearings and an overview of where you are is to do a Walking Tour (many cities offer basic FREE Walking Tours, or there are paid ones that offer more or that specialize in things like a Walking Gallery Tour etc …if you do a Free Walking Tour then please tip your guide as thats how they earn a living)…or try a Bus or a Boat Tour (if the destination calls for it).

Here are a FEW Sites for TOURS that will help you get started

Get Your Guide – A global market for just about any Tour & Excursion out there for cities all around the world – this is a great starting point when looking for Tours ..offering just about everything out there – from Walking Tours to Cooking Classes, Vespa Rides, Art Classes and much much more! 

Visit A City – Love this site and App: Plan your own PERSONAL travel guide, starting with one of their many adjustable itineraries listing tons of Tours and Activities.  Visit A City is all about the fun of planning the details of your trip. Learn from other travellers

Intrepid Travel – Great Company for GROUP Tours all over the world – Offering small group multi day or week trips that use local guides.

Safari Bookings – THE Safari Marketplace for all of Africa 

New Europe – Fantastic Free Walking Tours & Day Trips in many European Cities

Culture Trip – One of my Favourite GO TO for planning .Great Selection of Trips – World Wide: Unique Trips, Mini Trips ( 3-5 days ideal for Solo travelers or couples or small group. Love their GUIDE Section.. perfect to inspire you &  give you tips! eg Best Markets to go to in a city, or Best Street Art or How best to spend 48 hrs in a city etc

Devour – Top Rated FOOD TOURS – Select cities in these Countries: Spain / France / Italy / Portugal / UK / USA

Civitatis – Excursions in English Around the World. 3460 Destinations. Good Selection incl some Free Ones

Citalia  – Well established Luxury Tour Company in Italy ..passionate about what they do and offering attention to detail – from short weekend trips to 3 week adventures across Italy – they offer flexibility and will create a holiday perfectly suited to your exact requirements from booking regional flights to accommodation, car hire, event tickets etc. Their Last Minute Deals are worth checking out.

Guide2Portugal – Discover the best of Portugal – indepth Travel Guides, Insider Tips on where to visit, eat and stay

Travel Italian Style  – Run by Cassandra an Italian American who from what Ive heard and read Is a real people person who really works from the hart and is extremely knowledgeable on all areas of Italy based on her own experiences and because of that will show you the Authentic Italy .. so well worth checking out –  Italian Travel – Bespoke Travel Planning – Personalized Tours Connecting you to the People, Places and the History of Italy.

Walks – North America & Europe especially – ( they offer more in depth walks than the Free City ones, so if you want to get a bigger picture of where youre at, then go with them) they started off in Rome and now operate in many of the worlds most exciting cities offering Small Group Tours  that are Culturally, Culinary (food or vineyard tours) and Historically detailed …often offering special access to iconic landmarks and attractions.

 Some Additional TRANSPORT OPTIONS

that will help you get around

Rome2Rio –VERY Interesting site – you get options on getting from A-B ( ie even to and from select hotels or restaurants etc) listing the best and cheapest way possible. Enter your Dates and It will give you all the plane, bus, train or boat routes and options that can get you there with times and price range and you can you link to finding flights based on shedules etc. Definitely a site worth exploring

Eurail – If you’re going to travel around Europe using high speed trains you can save a lot of money by getting a Rail Pass – they offer different passes based on where you are heading, a Trip Planner, A Mobile App – plus suggested Itineraries as well as info, maps, tips etc

The Man in Seat 61 – Awesome Award winning site with  Extensive guide to global train travel, A wealth of comprehensive information on routes, times, prices, and train conditions from all over the world, If youre into Rail trips this is your Go to site as they also showcase  Train Travel Deals & Specials.