Ppdavid

Starting to plan a trip to Europe in 2005 for my wife and I. No firm agenda
yet but probably try to visit some combination of England, France and Italy.
We do not want to do the tour group approach....too restrictive for me.
However, we do want to use local guides in selected areas and will probably
travel via some combination of rail and rental car so we can reach the
countryside.

Is there any reliable way to find and book tour guides in Europe? What
should I expect to pay per day for such a guide? Agencies for this?

Paul D

Owain

"ppdavid" wrote
    | Is there any reliable way to find and book tour guides in Europe?
    | What should I expect to pay per day for such a guide? Agencies
    | for this?

I don't know about France and Italy, but for England "Blue Badge" guides
have a good reputation and are preferred by many operators and attractions:

- The Blue Badge is the qualification of the UK's professional, registered
tourist guides.
- The first Blue Badges were awarded to tourist guides who were trained for
the Festival of Britain in 1951.
- There are now around 2,000 Blue Badge guides in England and Wales, just
over half of whom are London-based.
- Blue Badge guides work in over 40 languages in coaches, in cars, on foot
and on site.
- Blue Badge guides are the only guides (other than in-house people)
authorised to guide in the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, St Paul's
Cathedral, Windsor Castle, Kensington Palace, Spencer House, Oxford and
Cambridge Colleges, Shakespeare Birthplace, York Minster, Palace of Holyrood
House and Edinburgh Castle.
- Their training normally lasts eighteen months with eight rigorous written
and practical examinations.
http://www.aptg.org.uk/badge.html

http://www.aptg.org.uk/booking.html
APTG has a new Interactive Web Site with a searchable database, which
provides detailed information, including photos, about all APTG members.
Alternatively, our recommended booking agency is: Tour Guides Limited, who
will book a guide at a moment's notice, or help you plan your tour in
advance. Many years of experience ensure expert advice on special tours
covering a wide range of interests. Their ability to find the right guide
for your group - whether you are travelling by coach, car, or on foot - can
make your task easier and your tour a success!

Rates are listed at
http://www.aptg.org.uk/rates.html
Day tours from £ 146.00

Many other useful links from that site.


See also:
http://www.blue-badge.org.uk/

http://www.netaguide.com/
NetaGuide.Com is designed to help travel Agents and Tour Operators, find and
contact available Tourist Board registered Blue Badge guides, without
spending hours on the telephone or fax machine.
As guides make changes to their availability forms online, you will see
these changes, in real time, on the linked pages. This will enable you to
fill even a last minute booking request with ease.

For costs,
http://www.visitcambridge.org/visitors/unique.php?id=10
lists the following for private tours:

2 Hour Walking Tour GBP5 per person (subject to a £57 minimum charge)
1 Panoramic Coach Tour GBP 60 (not including coach hire)
4 Hour Coach Tour GBP 80 (not including coach hire)
8 Hour Coach Tour GBP 125 + GBP7 lunch allowance (not including coach hire)

Scottish Tourist Guides Association
http://stga.co.uk/guidingfees.shtml
says:

STGA tourist guides offer a variety of services. All are self-employed, and
some are VAT-registered. It is therefore unrealistic of STGA to set guiding
fees.
However the recommended *minimum* you should expect to pay the guide is:
Half Day, Up to 4 hours GBP 67
Full Day, Up to 8 hours GBP 105

Outside the UK, try the World Federation of Tourist Guide Associations
http://www.wftga.org/
(this site has pop-out menus and may not work in all browsers)

and
Fédération Européene des Associations de Guides Touristiques
http://www.touristguides-europe.org/

Owain

Barbara

Hi Paul
I'm learning English so I'd like to practice with foreign people. I'm
interested in Roman history so I can offer a free tourist guide in
Rome. Contact me: [email protected]
Ciao.
Barbara

"ppdavid" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected] m>...
    > Starting to plan a trip to Europe in 2005 for my wife and I. No firm agenda
    > yet but probably try to visit some combination of England, France and Italy.
    > We do not want to do the tour group approach....too restrictive for me.
    > However, we do want to use local guides in selected areas and will probably
    > travel via some combination of rail and rental car so we can reach the
    > countryside.
    >
    > Is there any reliable way to find and book tour guides in Europe? What
    > should I expect to pay per day for such a guide? Agencies for this?
    >
    > Paul D

Tim Kroesen

For London tours check out London Walks... One of the advantages IMO is
that you 'just show up' (outside Tube stops) at what interests you
without advanced reservations required; fairly cheap at GBP 5.5 or 4.5
with discount card. I did Five over Four days and was well pleased with
the presentations.

www.walks.com

Tim K

"ppdavid" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > Starting to plan a trip to Europe in 2005 for my wife and I. No firm
agenda
    > yet but probably try to visit some combination of England, France and
Italy.
    > We do not want to do the tour group approach....too restrictive for
me.
    > However, we do want to use local guides in selected areas and will
probably
    > travel via some combination of rail and rental car so we can reach the
    > countryside.
    > Is there any reliable way to find and book tour guides in Europe?
What
    > should I expect to pay per day for such a guide? Agencies for this?
    > Paul D