Is touring authentic? It’s a question that might come up when you’re deciding whether to join a guided tour or plan an independent itinerary.
We might be a little biased, but we truly believe touring can be an authentic way to see a destination and connect with the soul of the place – but you have to choose the right tour company. Since 1947 we’ve been crafting the perfect travel itineraries that connect with locals, go deeper, and help our guests experience the soul of a destination.
With the help of our local Travel Directors and a team of curious travel scouts, here at Trafalgar we design unforgettable trips that travel deeper through a destination with special Be My Guest meals, hotel stays with interesting histories, and MAKE TRAVEL MATTER experiences that give back to the community.
Let’s look at why guided touring is an authentic way to travel – including feedback from past guests.
There’s a destination expert leading the way
One of the best thing about going guided with Trafalgar is that you’ll have an expert Travel Director leading the way. These experienced travelers and tour leaders know the destinations you’ll visit like you know the layout of your house. They are subject matter experts who are great communicators, social people, and who love to introduce Trafalgar guests to their favorite spaces and places. We asked some of our past guests what they loved most about the guided touring experience with Trafalgar.
Our guide this summer in Scotland was fabulous. She was witty and very thoughtful and deliberate. She planned bus activities such as playing Scottish music, hilarious videos about Scottish history, Kings of Scotland, the various British accents, etc. She also offered multiple samplings of local sweets/treats like Cadbury’s chocolate bars, shortbread (of course), her mom’s homemade tablet, etc. Our TD offered a dram of various types of regional Scottish whisky too along the way for those who wanted to try it.
– Past guest Donna
If you’re asking ‘is touring authentic?’ then just quiz your trusted Travel Director – they know the destinations, cities, towns and countries like the backs of their hands. They are your shortcut to getting to know a place, they can give you local tips for where to find the best ~whatever it is you’re looking for~, and they have rich stories to tell from their time on the road.
You’ll go beyond the guidebook and visit places out of the ordinary
(Trafalgar) can take you to places that you would never know about… even if you spent hours searching the internet or reading guide books, you will never really know the lesser-known places of interest… they can take you to all the best spots and help you avoid any tourist traps.
– Past guest Daisy
Daisy makes a great point – while Trafalgar tours tick off the most important sights (yes, don’t worry you will see the Eiffel Tower) we also include lesser-known gems that you won’t find in guidebooks and that are extremely hard to Google. Traveling by coach we know the best smaller stops or will go out of our way to visit special places, especially for our carefully curated and sourced Be My Guest experiences.
(Our favorite thing was) the hidden treasures you would never find as a tourist
– Past guest Amy
Locals welcome you into their homes and share their culture with our Be My Guest experiences
Can you connect with locals while on tour? Yes, and we don’t mean simply saying hello at the supermarket checkout. It started with a small idea many years ago – we wanted our guests to connect with locals on a deeper level. It started with a lunch in Italy, and has since blossomed into our signature Be My Guest experience.
There’s a Be My Guest meal included on every Trafalgar itinerary. On each and every trip we’ll take you to a local’s house, where they open the doors to their vineyard, castle, farmhouse, palace, manor…. (you get the point) and share their local cuisine and culture with guests. On some trips that might mean touring a farm with the owner, then enjoying a feast of local dishes and cheese made on-site before joining the family for a session of traditional song and dance! It’s fun, it’s immersive. So is touring authentic? We think yes.
Traveling by coach, you explore more than fly-in, fly-out travel
Coach is a fantastic way to travel around a country. While less sustainable than train travel, it’s still far more ecological than hiring a car and exploring independently. It also offers us the chance to visit smaller, off-the-beaten-path places – like the addresses of our special Be My Guest experiences.
While sometimes the drives between destinations can be long, it’s a chance to rest and relax (not navigate stressful airports) and to take in the countryside scenery. You can learn a lot looking out the window, admiring little villages and rolling pastures zip by.
We bring in local tour guides – our Local Specialists – to share in-depth information about their cities and landmarks
Guided is the only way to go. Most guides are local so you get a local’s unique perspective as they describe and tell you about their country, their city, and local trasures that makes that particular location special. In addition, local guides give you tips to help you stay sage, and will also recommend the best shops, markets, and/or restaurants to patronize.
– Past guest Lawrence
Past guest Lawrence says it better than we can say it ourselves! “Most guides are local so you get a local’s unique perspective as they describe and tell you about their country, their city, and local treasures that make that particular location special.”
While your trusted Travel Director is with you the whole time, guiding the way, as different stops the group is joined by a Local Specialist who lives and breathes the destination. When they join they might take you on a tour of their city, or share special insights about a historic monument.
While you could always hire local guides while traveling independently, you’ll have to pay for their expertise too – something that can add up – or miss out entirely! It’s one reason why guided touring can be both good value and authentic.
You give back to local communities and connect with culture through our MAKE TRAVEL MATTER experiences
Another cool way we try to make every Trafalgar itinerary both authentic and sustainable is through our MAKE TRAVEL MATTER Experiences. While these experiences vary wildly from place to place, what connects them is their mission. Each chosen experience gives back to the local community and supports sustainable development. In Costa Rica that might mean visiting a palm plantation, while in Italy you may meet a traditional glass blower.
We’re rapidly growing our portfolio of these experiences to include one on every trip.
MAKE TRAVEL MATTER: Best of Italy
Our Stays With Stories add an extra special touch to some itineraries
From ancient castles to historic hotels, we love to stay in places whose hallways are filled with history. Trafalgar’s Stays With Stories mean you can rest your head somewhere interesting where the legends about the place are as interesting as those told about the monuments you visit!
Our Stays With Stories are not included on every trip – after all, not everywhere has somewhere worthy of being included – which makes these hand-picked hotels even more special.
Is touring authentic? We think yes! What do you think? Leave us a comment…