Did you know that most Tourism offices have a list of the best, authorized guides of the area? Did you know that you can make arrangements to hire one of these guides to take just your family around to local attractions--and you can specify just the ones you want?
Tourism Offices on the Web
You can search for the city you're looking for from the search box on this site, and look for the tourism office in the list of links for that European city. If it's not listed, a search on your favorite search engine using the terms "[city] office tourism" will usually narrow the category. From there, look for a link to guided tours. Most tourist offices also offer their own guided tours of a city starting out from the tourist office. If not, find a general email address or telephone number and inquire about hiring a private guide, stating your planned itinerary.
You may say something like, "I'll be in your city from July 5-7, and I would like a guided tour for 6 people that centers on art history of the area." This will give the office a good indication of the type of guide you're looking for.
It's not likely that every small tourism office will be able to help you on any single request. Guides can be busy, or hard to find. They are likely to be expensive for a smaller number of people. Still, why waste your time seeing things you don't have an interest in?
Private Tours and Tour Guides on Europe for Visitors
For general tours for specific interests, see our Specialty Travel and Tours Directory where you'll find interesting barge, bike, and walking tours, as well as information on taking a language course or vounteering on a project like an archaeolgical dig or a building renovation.
We've also included a small listing of selected custom tours and private guides in Europe, if you're looking for more than a city walking tour. You can book custom tours or hire a private guide from these listings.
