Sightseeing: with a guide or on your own?

How to organize a sightseeing tour, so that the trip left best memories - this question usually puzzles travelers.

Is it better to look for sights by yourself, using maps and hand books for each interesting object (which you still have to find in an unfamiliar country) or to use professional services of a personal guide?

The key factor here is theamount of time that you have. If your plan to stay in the country for a bit longer, for example for two or three months, then, you can take your time and get acquainted with the culture, architecture and other sights. However, you should consider possible inconveniences associated with the queues in museums, unreasonable prices in restaurants and cafes in the tourist area, etc.

In case you are pressed for time, it is more reasonable to find an insider, a person to help you get acquainted with the sights of this area in a qualified and detailed manner. Here are a few reasons, why it is wiser to hire a guide:

What a good tourist guide looks like?

To be a travel guide implies a lot of duties and responsibilities: such a person should have not only extensive knowledge of history and be ready to answer any questions about all historical epochs, but also should be a nice person. Working with people requires being friendly and stress-resistant, besides, a good guide should have enough stamina.It is important to be in love with the profession to get appreciated by tourists.

What kind of tourist guide you need?

Hereareafew types of guides:

• A “sightseeing guide” accompanies tourists on foot walks, car trips and cruises. Their competence includes the development of the route and the selection of sites to visit. A good guide considers the individual characteristics of the group members: the average age of the participants, their mobility, interests, etc. During the whole stay with his group the guide tells interesting stories, answers the arising questions and tries to meet the needs of each tourist in the group.

• A “guide-driver” can not only surprise you with interesting facts about the place of visit, but is going to take you to the chosen placeusing the safest and most beautiful roads. It is clear, that the car tour can significantly expand the horizons of your trip.

• A “guide-interpreter” performs several functions at once: the functions of a professional guide, an interpreter and an administrator. Particularly important are their skills of psychology and the ability to come along with any tourists: in fact, according to the requirements of the profession, this guide communicates with people of different age and different nationalities. This guide always includes in the route the most vivid sights, leaving a great impression of the country.

Choose your tourist guide and bring home the warmest memories of the trip.