Travel

Free Walking Tours

2 Comments

I love free walking tours. First of all, they’re free – my favorite price. My very first blog post was about finding free things in New York, and this is a great way! Second of all, they allow you time to walk around and explore new places while learning. And best of all, they require no tour books or preparation; you just show up and absorb knowledge.

It feels like there should be a catch, but in fact, there is not one. Here’s how it works: You google the place you want to explore + “free walking tour” and then you show up at the specified place at the specified time. Sometimes it requires a sign-up ahead of time, but they never require payment. Then at the end of the tour, you tip the guide whatever you think the tour was worth. This varies based on the tour (and the country… Americans always tip more!).

I discovered free tours last year in Spain, where I went on 5 tours in 4 cities in 10 days. You may think I got carried away, but why not? Tours last anywhere from 1-3 hours, and sometimes cover a lot of miles. I went on tours in Cordoba, Sevilla, Granada (x 2!) and Madrid. As I said above, the best part is learning about your surroundings, both contemporary and historical, without having to get a book from the library. Also, you can meet other tourists and locals. I love to walk close to the guide and pepper him/her with questions along the way. In my experience, they always know more than they let on, and rarely can’t answer a question. My favorite part of the tour is always the end when I ask local tips about the best happy hours, free tapas, best paella, etc. The local guides are the key!

Also, the guides know their way around if you need directions. Once, we were on a tour when the skies opened up and it started to pour. Our guide found us a covered place to wait it out, but when it became obvious that the rain was not going to stop, she told us how to navigate the back roads of Spain to get to our Air BNB as quickly as possible with the most overhead coverage. Also, if you are booked back to back (I often over-plan my trips), the walking tour guides can tell you which attractions are must-see, and which ones you can skip. And their advice and tips are all free!

Although I have taken free tours internationally, and I find them to be more popular in Europe, they also have them all around North America! I went on a tour in Chicago last year after my success in Spain, and I LOVED it! Our guide was a young woman who had a true love for the city, which came through in her tour. I learned about architecture, city history, and some of their landmarks. I was so inspired, that I decided to also go on a free tour in my own city! I had a random day off last summer (Jewish holidays FTW) so I went on a free tour of the Financial District, Little Italy and Chinatown in New York City. I learned a LOT about the original colonization of New York, the Native Americans who were displaced, and of course, the mob in Little Italy. Later last year, I went on another free tour from the same company, Free Tours by Foot, of Grand Central Terminal. I found that one incredibly interesting because it’s a place I have walked through MANY times, but never knew anything about! Did you know the famous clock in the middle is made of opal and is worth $10-$20 million?? Did you know that there are hidden acorns throughout the terminal architecture because it was a Vanderbilt family symbol? Try to find them, like hidden Mickeys!

Inside Grand Central Terminal, with the most valuable clock ever.

Although I said there is no catch for the FREE tours, the way most of these companies make money is that they offer tours for a cost, as well. Often at the end of the tour, they will plug their non-free tours, and offer discounts if you sign up then. In Cordoba, we happened to be in town during the infamous Patio Festival (Fiesta de los Patios). In fact, our Air BNB was even one of the Patio destinations! After our free walking tour, we found that the same tour company was offering a tour (for a cost) of the patios. Since these patios are hidden all around the city, we decided it was worth it. It was. Not only did we get to see hidden gems of beauty throughout the village, we also learned history of the festival, found out how winners are chosen, and learned about how the owners of these homes work all year to prepare their courtyards for the fiesta. Our guides were amazing. Best part: your guide is a built-in photographer! She took fantastic group pics of us, some of our only non-selfie group shots of the trip!

Patio Festival with our tour guide photog.

If you haven’t realized yet, I am addicted to these free tours. I am now in the habit of googling “free tour + [some city]” whenever I have a free block of time! Most recently, I went on a free tour of the New York Public Library and learned a BUNCH. I also got to see the original Winnie the Pooh dolls they have on display in the children’s reading room. And that one didn’t even require a tip because the docent is an employee! I am leaving for Italy in 3 weeks and you can bet I have a few free tours on the itinerary. I can’t wait to report back! Do you guys have any free tour ideas for me to check out? Let me know in the comments!

  • Outside the infamous 5th Avenue Library (yes, it was in the Sex & The City Movie)
  • The Reading Room
  • The original Winnie the Pooh dolls!
Continue Reading

Travel

Montréal

No Comments

For two long months, I have had a blog with a tab for travel, and I never once left New York City. All of that changed last weekend. I left the city. I left the state. I left the COUNTRY!! I went to Montreal, Quebec. (Not as glamorous as you thought it was going to be, I know.)

We were looking for a nearby city where we could spend a 3-day weekend with minimal airfare, minimal time zone difference, and that neither of us had visited before. By we, I mean my emoji-faced-bf, if you have not guessed yet from the feature image or the photos below. Last year, we went to Toronto in February – YUGE mistake. It was literally -25 degrees Fahrenheit with the wind chill. We made a mutual decision that we would never do that again, so we decided on a different province in a different season.

We got in late on Thursday night and headed to our Air Bnb, where our host had luckily left our keys in a masterlock on the door. The code actually worked, and the air conditioning was blasting, we were off to a good start. Some of my friends gave me suggested places to go, as did our air bnb host. Good news: I did my due diligence and downloaded my google map so I could use it offline (Canada means I had my phone on airplane mode the whole time), and I starred all of the places I wanted to see. Bad news: #BankingLifeNeverEnds so my boyfriend had work to do and we only got to go to about half of my starred places.

Our first day there, we left the apartment at noon (after he submitted his report), and did some exploring by foot. We headed toward Basilique Notre-Dame de Montréal and the Maisonneuve Monument. We didn’t go in the church, mostly because it had a long line and also because it cost money. We took some pictures and took in some sights, then continued our walking journey through beautiful streets of Old Montreal. The streets and buildings looked very European, and it helped the vibe that everyone was speaking French. We took a quick pitstop at “Café Starbucks” to charge our phones and check tips on Foursquare on where to eat lunch. We settled on Jardin Nelson and I’m pretty pissed I forgot to take photos of my food. We shared the lobster mac and cheese, which literally cannot be bad, and the duck crepe. Woah. FAMAZING. Which I believe is french for “YUM-O.”

We took the long way back to our air bnb for a siesta and came across a festival. Supposedly there are festivals every weekend during the summer, but this one was called Les FrancoFolies. It’s an annual music festival featuring over 1,000 French-language performers from all over the world. Pretty cool. We also came across a lot of random performances, exhibits, and a newly-constructed zip line at the old port of Montreal to celebrate its 375th year. According to their Bureau of Tourism, more than 175 projects and initiatives are planned throughout this year to celebrate. GO VISIT NOW!

After our nap, and after discovering there was a bodega inside our air bnb building that sold wine, #PregameEvenInCanada, we went out to Pullman Wine Bar, which was highly recommended. Get. The. Cheese. Plate. Trust me on this. Again, I’m really sad the only photo I took was of the chandelier. I’m not a very good blogger. After the wine bar, we decided to check out the epic nightlife that everyone talks about on Rue St. Laurent. Unfortunately, the nightlife consisted of children aged 18-21 and the club we waited in line for was reservation-only. Lamezilla. We ended up at Bar James, possibly named for James Dean, or maybe James Franco, where some very rich, local, middle-aged man took a liking to my BF and me. He bought us each a round and 3 shots. He also bought 20 roses for the bartender. He also told my bf that he wears the pants in our relationship, but I pick the color. Accurate.

I realized the next morning that I could not hang like I used to. Jameson is not my friend. Jameson is my enemy.

The next morning, post-during-hangover, we started out as any good Quebeckers do: with poutine. We went to Romados Rotisserie, which is supposedly #1 in Montreal for French fries, something I clearly had to research prior to my trip. I ALMOST didn’t try poutine because I hated it in Toronto, but everyone told me only Quebec does it right, and they were correct. YUM. Also, I finally remembered to take a photo. I also got the pork sandwich, which was equally amazing, if not better. We did some walking around Plateau Mont-Royal, walked some more down Rue St. Laurent and same across a mini street fair. Also, a lululemon enchanted forest! You can’t make this sh*t up. Me, the person who shamelessly owns over 100 pieces from lulu, came across “La Forêt Enchantée présentée par lululemon.” A literal dream come true. We stopped for a quick caffeine jolt at Allô! Mon Coco, then we made the biggest mistake of the trip… renting bikes.

One of my friends from Spin class recommended renting bikes, and said Montreal was “very bike-friendly, with bike lanes completely separated from traffic with medians.” #FAKENEWS. Full disclosure: I had not been on a bike in nearly 16 years (insert jab about me teaching Spin class 3 times a week). We were attempting to get to Belvédère Camillien-Houde, but needless to say, we did not get there. The road was a STEEP hill and there was traffic coming at us from all directions. Also, we didn’t have helmets and I was terrified. Cue not-so-mini panic attack in the middle of the road. We decided to hop back into the Parc du Mont-Royal to calm my nerves and visit the Monument to Sir George-Étienne Cartier. We returned our bikes and got ready for the best part of the trip, SEGWAYS!!

We discovered Segways when we went to Cleveland for a friend’s wedding, and found a Groupon for them. We had a BLAST in Montreal, as we always do. I highly recommend renting them everywhere you go. Click here to reserve them if you are going to Montreal. My sister and brother-in-law do this, too. Our tour guide was francophone, but we did not have much trouble understanding her. She explained to us how many of the buildings in Montreal dated back to the Industrial Revolution, and how salesmen commuted by horse in the winter over the ice when the St. Laurence River would freeze over. This is no longer possible due to global warming. They still believe in science in Canada. Thank goodness for air travel! We also learned that Montreal is famous for their steakhouses, dating back to an original Steak Connoisseur, and the phenomenon of economic competition. We quickly made a reservation at The Keg Steakhouse and Bar, one of the top steakhouses in Montreal. It did not disappoint. However, my blogging skills did. I forgot to take pictures. Again. We had baked brie, calamari, crab and steak, and pistachio-encrusted salmon. All amazinggg. Then we rolled ourselves to an uber and back to our air bnb. #FoodComaCommence.

Overall, we had a great time in Montreal. I will have to go back to the other sights like the Underground City, Musée McCord Museum, and Crescent Street. Also, maybe I’ll try again to get to Belvédère Camillien-Houde, this time without the bikes. Until next time, Montreal, Au Revoir!

Continue Reading