The Travel Detective

Travel Detective Blog: Traveling With Guided Tours

Locations in this article:  Florence, Italy

3313_EUR_2013TI’m a big fan of the term “hit the ground running,” because it more or less accurately describes my life when it comes to travel.

I’ve had years of building up insider and local contacts in just about every conceivable destination around the world. But for most people, hitting the ground running is a scary proposition, especially when visiting a new city.

If you want to have a new cultural, gastronomic, or historical experience in a foreign country, it can easily become a disorganized and confused mess. When you’re planning a trip there are so many variables to consider—creating a schedule, delays caused by unfamiliarity with language, customs, local traditions (and rules), and of course just good basic information.

As a result, a lot of people opt for a guided vacation. But what kind of guided trip? One where you’re stuck whizzing past the pyramids of Giza at noon with two thousand other folks? Standing in line at the Hermitage or the Prado?

The key to any successful guided vacation is not about checking off a box on a list of destinations, but immersing yourself in the local culture with someone who knows it best.

3348_EUR_2013TMy definition of a great guided experience is where someone literally points you in a direction they would go themselves, and then introduces you to the locals in a way that gives you a memorable (and meaningful) experience. In recent years, one company has done this very well, and that is Trafalgar.

Trafalgar provides culturally rich and meaningful trips, and has influenced how guided vacations operate for the past 70 years. They incorporate four special “insider experiences” into each one of their guided trips. And this is not just about going to a museum and looking at a painting.

Trafalgar takes their guests into local towns, farms, and villages to dine with the locals. No touristy restaurants on these trips. You’ll have the chance to visit vineyards and family-run restaurants, then sit down and have a meal—and authentic, genuine experiences—with the chefs, winemakers, and farmers who live there.

When it comes to your nightly accommodations, you’ll get to experience a location beyond chain hotels, and stay in buildings that are not only culturally significant, but have unique architecture and deep history.

Outside of Florence, you can get a hands on experience as you cook with local chefs in their village restaurants; or go to a winery for an intimate dinner with the winemaker and his family. In addition, the trips directly connect guests with local working professionals—artists, historians, cheese makers, and brewers, to learn about their passions and their crafts. These trips are not about lectures. Instead, they are about conversations.

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Here are my top 12 reasons to go on guided tours:

1. Time

Going guided allows you to make the most of your time—whether it’s your first trip to a destination and you want to make sure you see the highlights—or your fifth visit and you want to get off-the-beaten path with the expertise of a local. You can pick a guided vacation that’s tailored to your specific needs and passions.

2. Safety

A guided vacation offers safety and security, especially if you’re traveling to a new and unfamiliar location.

3. Language

If you don’t speak the language, you don’t have to restrict yourself to places where English is likely to be spoken. You will have your own native speaker to translate and smooth your way.

4. Convenience

I’m a big fan of minimizing the “schlep” factor. A guided vacation allows you to more thoroughly immerse yourself in the experience while someone else gets you from place to place, makes the reservations, knows opening and closing times of attractions, best times to go and gets the tickets.

5. Comfort

Do the math and calculate the time you would spend driving, planning, coordinating airport transfers and luggage handling. Going guided allows you to relax—without undue tension and stress.

6. Access & Options

Guides and trip companies often have preferred relationships and can get you access to special places or have arrangements with heavily visited spots to circumvent long lines or waiting times. This also means a number of optional tours within a guided vacation.

7. Insight

An educated Travel Director or local guide can provide cultural and historical insight far deeper and more enjoyable than a guidebook, wall plaque or audio-tour.

8. Budget

A guided vacation avoids sticker shock. You will know the cost ahead of time. The value proposition with a guided vacation is a plus.

9. Logistics

When planes are delayed, weather intervenes or a mishap occurs, guided vacations often have pre-set contingency plans. After all, when it comes to any kind of travel, you need a plan B… The stereotypical definition of a rigid escorted tour has been replaced by flexible schedules that respect the time needed to explore and experience.

10. Adventure

One size does not fit all. Today, guided vacations offer you a comprehensive menu for experience and physical choice with a number of different trip options. It’s often an opportunity to easily and safely challenge your own comfort zone.

11. Expertise

For any adventure, even if you consider yourself an experienced climber, scuba diver or deep-sea fisherman, a Travel Director or local guide can be 
a life-saver, literally. A skilled local can take you to the best sites and guide you safely there and back.

12. People

You will meet interesting—and interested—people who share the common love of travel, a destination and the experiences you will share. It’s not just about the memories of a trip, but the life-long friendships that are created on a guided vacation.

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To learn more about traveling with guided tour companies, check out:

By Peter Greenberg for PeterGreenberg.com