the joys of wandering?

[katiekate]

In an effort to keep my costs low, my backpacking plan is to book a 10-20 EURO city tour each day, (which typically last 1-2 hours) and then spend the rest of the day wandering. I'm not sure exactly what to ask..... Is this... wise? Is it too dangerous? Would I have more fun if I plan exactly what to see each day? Or would wandering and asking around for hotspots suffice?

[pointofnoreturn]

I'm not going to make a lot of comments but many museums are free of charge or provide discounts to students... that would be more cost-efficient rather than splurging on tours.

[katiekate]

the tours im looking at are walking tours of the city (not a lot of museums I don't think) to familiarize myself with the lay of the land and to learn some history about the place. thanks for the tip though

[WillTravel]

I have had several great walking tours, so I can understand why you want to do them.

Otherwise, you can and should wander, but if you read up about the city ahead of time and look at a map, you can have a bit more idea where you're going and what to see and where the hidden interesting spots are. If you just start wandering in Paris, for example, you might end up in a dreary, uninteresting area, when you could instead be wandering in an interesting area.

In many places, the churches are free, or at worst cheap, so consider some churches you would like to see.

[crystal]

I'm a great fan of the wander.

I always read up a little before I go and take a decent map as Will suggests. I also get to know the transport system so if you've wandered into an undesirable area you can hop on the public transport back to where you feel safe. Use your instincts if you feel unsure about an area then leave.

You might uncover some hidden gems!

[Eagle]

katiekate, when I arrive in a new city I normally take short tours to both "get my bearings" as well as learn something of the history and culture.

I use either walking tours and/or the "hop on-hop off" Bus tours (the Bus tours are great for an overview of all the sites, and some of them have a live Guide - they're also a great way to rest my aching feet!). Both the walking tours and Bus tours are usually listed in the Guide books, along with the costs.

I also like to "wander" and explore new cities. So far I haven't found this to be particularly dangerous (I was wandering about Naples carrying expensive Camera gear a few weeks ago, and never had any problems). However, it's a good idea to exercise some "common sense" precautions (ie: don't wander into dodgy areas late at night, etc.). I usually obtain a city map when I check into my Hotel or Hostel (they usually have these on a large pad on the Desk, and the Maps are usually quite well formatted). I also usually ask the Hotel staff about any current "problem areas".

Happy travels!

[herrbert]

Always start your planning before your trip, read about a town/city, about the history and the culture. This makes it more easy to really 'see' the things, when you are actualy looking at them. In most cases I have a travelbook with me, so I re-read in the train (or plane) about the place I am heading to.

When I arrive I always start with a trip to the center of town, as this is in 95% of the time the place, where you will find most of the sights, so I get an idea, of where everything is. If I am planning to cook at the hostel, I'll also try to find a supermarket close to the hostel.

A good map of the town for me is a must. (I have a small obsession with maps and globes), also if you are in a big city, always get a map of the Metro system.

Does this mean I plan everything? No. I really like to wander around town. I don't like to take the same route twice, so this also means that I get lost every once in a while. (and that's when I need the maps )

Some hostels provide walking tours, which are free of charge, but it is common to give the guide a little bit a the end of the tour. I think they can give you a sense of orientation, so if they organize one at the beginning of your stay, I would take one. In some cities, you have a tramline or a busline passing all the important sights (like in Helsinki or Vienna)

[intreker05]

I'd also suggest taking some of the unique tours, not just basic history. For example, there are a lot of tours in London. I know a Jack the Ripper tour I'm planning on taking while I'm over there. I imagine some places have tours of artists' homes or musicians' spots or things like that. You might enjoy something like that even more once the city tour thing wears a little thin.

[madamtrashheap]

That Jack the Ripper tour (if it's with London Walks) is great - very informative and a lot of fun to boot!