Seeing a city can be best done with a walking tour. You can use GPS or map to get a good hold of the city. But as it comes to see and learn the city, you need to walk through the alleys and lanes; from one public transport spot to another. And then only you can know the city to its core, discover the hotels, restaurants, stores and places that you never expected existed.

Tourists on a walking tour in Old Delhi

Benefits of Walking Tours to know a city better

The benefits of such tours are literally endless. This is a great way to meet other tourists to accompany, especially if you are travelling alone. Moreover, in most cases, such tours give onsite knowledge of places and people.

Walking is an excellent exercise as well. Walking tours never let you miss any detail like interesting places, offbeat restaurants, street art and what not! You can experience places and things more closely, enjoy availing public transportation and squeeze into narrow alleys.

While on a walking tour, you are likely to follow the map and this gives you an idea of where exactly you are in terms of the city.

Flower market in Kolkata

Things to follow while on walking tours

As it comes to a walking tour of a new city that you are not familiar with, you must bring a hat and water, especially if it is hot out. Your tour guide might not arrange for standing in the shade. And now, here are a few tips to follow while on your walking tour.

• Be vigilant – While you are moving between locations, you must be attentive. Keep your eyes and ears open, as this would help you take snaps of every single thing that might excite you during Walking Tours. On the other hand, it would help you avoid any unwanted situation or accident while remaining busy in taking pictures.
• Keep a scanned copy of the Wikipedia page of the respective city – Read the page thoroughly like you are reading the books before class to keep yourself prepared for the class. This helps you know the fundamentals of the city to make your tour even better and more detailed. If you are a history buff, this would be just perfect for you.
• Choose the right guide and ask him/her for advice – Get help from the guide. He or she is the right person to guide you in the best possible way to ensure a nice, memorable and safe walking tour of the city. They are sometimes even better than any other resources.
• Know about cultural difference – Choose a guide who is knowledgeable about the local culture of the city. To know the cultural difference it would be even better if you select a guide who is an exposed to different kinds of cultures. An expert guide will not just inform you about the local culture, but also about the cultural difference.

These are a few things to know ensuring a fantastic walking tour of a city conducted by a guide. As a token of courtesy, don’t forget to say a few words of appreciation. Well, they just thrive for compliments.