What makes a rubble of rocks become a wonder of the world, or some chunks of metal become the most romantic place to propose marriage? After making the effort to go somewhere for sightseeing, how do you get the most out of the experience, to suit your budget, time and personality? From guidebooks to bus tours, there is a range of options to ensure that places come to life. These tips are based on experiences in Europe.
For example, there you are in Paris, at the Louvre, underneath IM Pei’s glass pyramid. Looking around the lobby, the escalators lead up towards multiple entrances to the wings of the old palace, so crammed with riches beyond compare. Where to begin?
Tour types
***No tour:
You stand in front of the Mona Lisa and say ‘eh’ before moving on to the next Da Vinci ‘eh’ then a Michelangelo ‘looks like the other dude’. I did this the first time I went to the Louvre and followed the ‘quantity not quality’ method. While I did have the time to find the little figurines in the Egyptian area, did I truly appreciate them?
Advantages: takes less time, go where you want, when you want.
Disadvantages: how would you find out how Da Vinci got the lines so fine on such a small painting (Mona Lisa) or that some guy hacked at David’s left toe with a hammer in 1991 (Accademia, Florence)? The story behind the artwork and artist is often the entertainment more than the mere physical presence.
Suited to: people on a budget, people who don’t like other people, lack of time, lone travellers
Price: nothing
***Guidebook:
Walking around with the gallery’s guide or your own book that explains who-what-when-why-how about an exhibit/place.
Advantages: pick out the bits that interest you before you see them. Find out a bit more. Comes from a sole source, approved by relevant people.
Disadvantages: May not discover other things. For instance, if you had never tried smoked herring for breakfast, you wouldn’t know whether you liked it or not. Or you might walk right past some Goya, when he’s the kind of artist that would really appeal to horror movie fans.
Suited to: people who like to study, those who have a specific interest, lone travellers
Price: varies depending on country, usually around AUD10.
***Audio guide:
hire a device to listen to tracks for selected pieces of a gallery or museum. Follow the map/guide and play the track when you get to the piece. For example to look at the Winged Victory of Samothrace at the Louvre and clog up the stairwell with other agog tourists.
Advantages: can skip bits that don’t interest you. Provides the highlights. Saves time.
Disadvantages: might miss out on pieces not included in the audio guide because you walk right past it. May be bored by the voice. Last guide I had sounding like he was sucking on a prune without about as much verbal outcome…
Suited to: Studious types who’d rather spend more time looking than reading, independent type or couple (shared earphones).
Price: varies depending on country and level of content, usually around AUD10.
***Small group (1-5 people):
Your guide knows you by name, tailors the tour to suit your timings and interests, information is more two-way rather than purely transmit. For example, I went to Auckland in July 2006 and booked in for a day of mountain biking. Yep, it was cold, windy, rainy. I was the only person, but the tour went ahead anyway. I had Bee-Bee all to myself and while we waited for the rain to ease, she did a palm reading and predicted my future as a great writer. Lucky she was also a good guide, as the palm-reading bit is yet to reveal itself!
Advantages: Get a more personal service; guide may suggest something relevant to you specially, eg for tea lovers going through caffeine withdrawal in Paris ‘you simply must go to the Mariage Frères teashop then!’ or they may suggest a restaurant near your hotel and places to avoid.
Disadvantages: usually the most pricy kind of tour and a tip is also expected. If there’s a personality clash then the day could be a drag. Also, they may be in cahoots with other businesses to try and rope you into going to restaurants, for which they receive a commission.
Advice:
—-Basically, take anything they suggest with a skeptical mind, but still be polite. The nicer you are, then the nicer they are.
—-Make sure you go with an agency, rather than some guy off the street who offers to take you around. They may be genuine, but even so, there is no administrative control/insurance etc.
Suited to: Those who are after the genuine experience, ie the custom-made Spanish omelette rather than a McDonalds siesta burger; those who have a bit more money
Price: Depends on the country. In Western Europe = around $AUD90 per person (then a tip)
***Big group:
Usually about 10-20 people wearing earphones to pick up on the guide’s voice as they lead you around, stopping you at exhibits/interests to give their spiel eg ‘ This 18th century china bowl has the utmost significance, for it was used to….’
Advantages: Makes what would be boring in a book, come to life— assuming you get a good guide. In Florence, we had Christina, an art student who truly enjoyed what she did and made sense of the iron rings hanging off centuries-old walls so forever after, I know what they mean.
If you enjoy people, sometimes the tour groups have lunch together so you can meet fellow travelers and exchange stories about dodgy restaurants.
Disadvantages:
—-inconsistent information. For example in Florence, Mum and I had three tours with the same company and three different sets of information as to a what happened to the head of Primavera, a statue on the Ponte Santa Trinita. While it’s not so important to know the facts (you can get that from books) it does detract from the experience, no matter how entertaining the description of how Giuliano Medici was dramatically assassinated during High Mass in the Duomo Cathedral in the middle of a service. And the gore that followed as his brother Lorenzo tracked down the assassins and conspirators.
—-The Chic or Geek factor. For the style conscious and teenagers, you may cringe at looking like a dick walking around with stickers and earplugs. Unless you’re one of the retired Americans with Hawaiian shirts who don’t seem to care.
—-Hearing Voices. Having to hear more than one language rattled off by bi-lingual tour: by the end of a day trip to Versailles, I felt I knew Spanish. Well, I knew enough that it would be hard to understand. So fast!!!
Suited to: Safe-seekers (ie non-adventurous), medium to high budget, couples and families
Price: Depends on the country. In Western Europe = around $AUD90 per person for a half-day tour. More money if lunch and transport are required.
Basically,
if you’re on a budget…use your own guide book or share an audio guide
if you like people….go the small group or big group option
if you’re time poor: no guidebook. Just wander around. At least though try to read up beforehand to see which bits you need to visit.
