Sometimes the best way to explore a new destination is on foot, but solo travel isn’t always safe nor is it recommended. Thankfully, most major cities have established organizations willing to take visitors on guided walking tours, ensuring you have a great time and that you won’t end up lost at the end of the day.

Plan to get in shape before your next vacation and don’t forget to pack your best walking shoes. Here are seven of the best cities to visit if you’d like to take a guided walking tour.

7. Rome, Italy

The city of Rome is usually very crowded, so if you don’t go in with a plan you’ll likely have a difficult time getting close to any of the area’s most popular attractions. Joining a guided tour will not only save you the aggravation of fighting the crowd, but will earn you quick entry to some of the most popular sites such as the Roman Forum or the Vatican.

Presto Tours offers incredible walking tours of Rome, and we highly recommend Rome City Tour offered during the evening. Seeing the city illuminated by soft lights and the starry night sky is nothing short of breathtaking.

6. New Orleans, Louisiana

Believe it or not, there’s more to do in New Orleans than finding a party destination during Mardi Gras or spring break. New Orleans has a stark history with spectacular and tragic events marring the time line from origin to the present day.

A favorite tour is the “Cocktail Hour” tour provided by Grayline Tours. This walk occurs in the late afternoon and guides visitors through the French Quarter, St. Louis Cemetery, and several other notable destinations. While you’re there, take note of how the city has recovered from the most recent hurricanes as well.

5. London, England

There are so many different walking tours available in London we’d be hard pressed to list them all. Most (at least, over 200 different walks) are offered by LondonWalks and all are designed around specific themes.

Literature lovers will enjoy “Shakespeare’s London,” while music lovers will likely enjoy “Beatles in My Life.” We can guarantee that you’ll have a knowledgeable guide, no matter which tour you end up on. Most stay within London, but a few will venture out into Oxford, Canterbury, and other surrounding cities as well.

4. Paris, France

Paris is full of spectacular attractions, but if you follow a guided tour such as those provided by Paris Walks you’ll get a better understanding of the city’s rich history.

Those interested in literature will enjoy the “Hemingway’s Paris” tour while those interested in life before the revolution will appreciate “The French Revolution,” a tour guiding you through many of the attractions still standing from the late 1700s. Art, history, and culture are all on display throughout Paris – you just need to know what you’re looking for.

3. New York City, New York

The city of New York can be daunting to anyone without a plan. Some of the most famous walking tours are offered by a group known as Big Onion Walking Tours and they provide a variety of options based on several different themes.

This tour group has something for everyone, whether you’re interested in textbook history or things a bit off the beaten path. Visit the sites mentioned in the classic “Gangs of New York” or tour Historic Lower Manhattan. The variety of tours offered by Big Onion could keep you walking for days.

2. Dublin, Ireland

Walking tours through Dublin give visitors the opportunity to view life in Ireland from a number of different vantage points. Some tours present views of working class neighborhoods while others, like “The Story of Irish Food and Drink” provide themed entertainment that is just as likely to tickle your taste buds as anything else.

There are several different tour groups providing walking tours of the Dublin area. Favorites include the Dublin Pub Crawl and Historical Walking Tours of Dublin.

1. Boston, Massachusetts

On our first trip to Boston we devised our own “poor man’s walking tour” and while we managed to see quite a bit we probably would have been better off if we had joined a guided tour group. Boston is oozing with sites significant to the development of our nation, all of which you’ll wish you could cram in during your stay.

A favorite tour is “Boston By Little Feet,” which is presented by Boston by Foot Walking Tours. This tour is specifically designed to entertain tourists between the ages of 6 and 12, with both their interests and levels of endurance in mind. The “Heart of the Freedom Trail” is another great way to learn about some of the area’s highlights before attempting the entire Freedom Trail on your own!

A walking tour of your favorite city is a great way to experience all of the history and culture the area has to offer. You’ll see more and, in most cases, won’t have to worry about getting lost or stuck in traffic!

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