sandeman tours chicago

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Chicago Walking Tours

See our Calendar Below for All Tours, as well as Things to Do & Travel Tips

Featured tours.

Architecture Tour

Architecture tour highlights.

Haunted History

Haunted history highlights.

Loop and Millennium Park

Loop and millennium park highlights.

Riverwalk and History Tour

Riverwalk and history tour highlights.

Lincoln Park & Blues

Lincoln park & blues highlights.

Winter Riverwalk

Winter riverwalk highlights.

Free Tours by Foot is pleased to present the best pay-what-you-like guided Chicago walking tours. 

These interesting and informative sightseeing city tours will take you through many of the Windy City's most famous neighborhoods.

Everyone should be permitted to take a guided tour for a price they feel it was worth or what they could afford – even free!  

Pay-what-you-like tours are tours for every budget.  

• Walking Tours
• Architecture Tours
• Tourist Discount Passes
• Chicago Travel Tips

CHICAGO WALKING TOURS

We provide a platform for local, freelance tour guides to lead walking tours as well as ghost and architecture tours at no upfront cost, so that you may enjoy a worry-free quality sightseeing experience.

Walking tours are our forte, and we offer a number of daily and weekly pay-what-you-like walking tours of Chicago as well as completely free self-guided options.

You could browse the tours that we have by clicking the links below, by scrolling our public calendar (also below) or it just might be best to go directly to our  booking page . 

There’s no cost to book our walking tours. 

We have roughly 1000 reviews with a rating of  5 out of 5 stars and with 97% of reviewers rating us as very good or excellent.

We are so well-reviewed, yet TripAdvisor seems to hide us from you (probably because they can’t sell our tours for commission).   Read the reviews  for yourself.  

Our premiere Chicago walking tours are great day or night and serve as introductions to the city, Chicago history and cover the many of the main tourist attractions.   

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Our Regularly Scheduled Tours

• The Birth of the Skyscraper:  Architecture Tour is a great way to discover and appreciate the incredible landscape of buildings in Chicago and it ends in Grant Park near the famed Buckingham Fountain.
• The  Riverwalk and Chicago History Tour follows the path of the Chicago River and focuses on the history of Chicago, the Chicago Flag, and the beautiful buildings that line the river.
• North Loop and Millennium Park Tour , which covers a great portion of Chicago’s downtown Loop neighborhood, public art, and ends in Millennium Park.
• Our  Chicago Ghost Tour -Haunting History is for folks who love haunting history and creepy tales of the dark side of the White City.
• On The Magnificent Mile Tour , you will discover fun Chicago facts like the history of deep dish pizza while exploring our most popular downtown area.

Weekly Tours

• Our  Gold Coast Tour  meanders through the history of high society where you will be introduced to the glamorous residential neighborhood built around Lakeshore Drive.
• Explore Lincoln Park on our Lincoln Park and Gangster Tour to appreciate a unique neighborhood scattered with hidden history including tales of Chicago Gangsters.
• We also offer a West Loop tour which combines great storytelling for history buffs with great photo ops for those more in the “sightseeing” mood! 
• Get out of downtown and check out the Chicago Street Art on our Wicker Park Culture & Street Art tour.

Winter Tours

We offer tours year-round, even in Chicago's winter, but we take into account the need to be seasonably appropriate for walking tours. Check out our special Winter offers:

• In the winter, we offer a Pedway Tour that explores the indoor tunnels and paths to discover Chicago architecture and arts in a warmer way.
• There is also a  Winter Loop option where we will spend about half of the time outdoors looking up at the skyscrapers and the other half will be spent inside exquisite public buildings and lobbies.
• Our Winter Architecture Tour explores the unique landscape of buildings in the downtown area while also popping into many lovely lobbies for warmth!  This tour is abbreviated and adjusted for our Chicago winters.

En Español:

• Tour del North Loop y Millennium Park
• El Tour Chicago Riverwalk
• Audio Tours

CHICAGO ARCHITECTURE TOURS

Many of our pay-what-you-like walking tours are architecture tours or architectural points are a large part of them.

These tours include:

• The Birth of the Skyscraper
• North Loop and Millennium Park Tour
• Riverwalk and Chicago History Tour
• The Magnificent Mile Tour
• West Loop Tour

In addition to our walking tours, there are other walking tour companies that offer excellent architecture tours.

Another popular option is to take an architectural boat cruise . There are even architectural tours by bus as well as Segway.

If you are on a budget or would just like to take things at your own pace, then consider one of our self-guided walks .

OTHER TOURS

In addition to walking tours, Chicago has bus, bike & boat tours. Read all about them...

• What is the Best Chicago Architecture Tour?
• Chicago Boat Tours Compared
• Hop on Hop off Chicago | Big Bus Tours vs. City Sightseeing Tours
• Chicago Ghost Tours | Haunted Tours in the Windy City
• Chicago Segway Tours
• Chicago Bike Rentals and Tours

PRIVATE TOURS

We also offer our guiding services for private groups, families, or school groups where we can guide you in the Loop, the South Side and anywhere else in Chicago.

Find out more about private tours...

And much, much more

North america, united kingdom & ireland, middle east & india, asia & oceania.

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Free Guided Tours of Chicago's best neighborhoods led by local guides.

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The 10 Best Chicago Walking Tours (Most of Which Are Totally Free)

A walking tour isn’t just for tourists. In a city with such robust architectural history (the first skyscraper in the world was built here!), there’s always something new to learn about Chicago’s buildings and the people who built, lived, and worked in them. Whether you’re interested in gawking at terra cotta façades or following in the footsteps of 1920s gangsters, these free (and/or practically free) Chicago walking tours are a surefire way to spice up your daily quarantine walk. Here are our top ten picks.

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The Best Free Chicago Walking Tours

1. chicago greeters.

Ever heard of a Chicago Greeter ? No, it’s not a new beer-and-a-shot combo; it’s your new favorite tour guide. Sponsored by Bank of America, the Chicago Greeter program invites enthusiastic (and well-trained) residents to lead two-to-four-hour tours of different Chicago neighborhoods, pointing out landmarks and historical sites along the way. (The only catch: tour bookings are required at least 10 business days in advance.) In the mood for a tour sooner than that? International Greeter Day is Saturday, September 19, which you can celebrate by downloading a self-guided tour of neighborhoods such as Chinatown, Ukrainian Village, Pilsen, and Hyde Park.

2. friends Of The White City

Travel back in time to the 1893 World Columbian Exposition with a Friends of the White City tour. While their guided tours are on hold until further notice due to the pandemic, their free app can lead the way instead. Take a stroll through Jackson Park and imagine the grand buildings that were built just for the fair, with help from the app’s videos, photos, and text. Get ready for your brain to melt a little bit as you stand among the trees where the Manufacturers and Liberal Arts building once stood, which was so huge that it could have fit the Willis Tower inside (horizontally). In the mood to see a World’s Fair building IRL? Walk to the north side of the park and take a lap around the Museum of Science and Industry, which was originally the fair’s Palace of Fine Arts.

3. metrowalkz

MetroWalkz doesn’t skimp on the details in its self-guided walking tours—in addition to all the historical and architectural information you’ll expect, they also tell you fun insider tips, like where to stand to peek inside a walled-off courtyard, or when to turn around to take in a full, fantastic view. Take your pick from nine tours, including an in-depth exploration of Gold Coast, where you can learn about Potter Palmer and the other wealthy historical figures who commissioned some of the city’s grandest homes. Notable architects of those mansions include Burnham and Root, Frank Lloyd Wright, Louis Sullivan, Stanford White, and more. Just visit their site to pull up a free tour on your phone and tap your way from landmark to landmark.

4. frommers

What would travelers do without Frommers? The savvy travel site outlines 10 self-guided tours in its guide to Chicago, which you can take at your own pace. Choose from an architecture-focused loop around the Loop, a stroll past notable landmarks of Wicker Park and Bucktown (we see you, shoutout to filming locales from The Real World ), or perhaps take a trip to Hyde Park (hello, early When Harry Met Sally scenes). Frommer’s has more than just hot tips on Hollywood filming spots, though—it also suggests the best times of day to start your tour, and where to stop for a snack break. (Just do a quick Google ahead of time to make sure any indoor destinations are accessible right now.)

5. gps My City

The GPS My City app is an ideal tour option for people who don’t want to use up all their cell phone data, thanks to its offline functionality after downloading your Chicago tour of choice . In the free version of the app, you can choose from seven sightseeing walks, which include trips to Chinatown and Old Town, as well as a three-hour tour dedicated to Loop architecture. In the mood to forge your own path? You can build a custom walk centered around the sites that interest you, and the app will whip up an efficient walking route and accompanying historical information. Plus, the app has the scoop on 1,000 cities around the world, so whenever traveling becomes a thing again, you’ll want it in your back pocket.

The Best Practically Free Walking Tours (after Membership Fees)

We know, we know, these technically aren’t tours for free. But if you like architecture and history enough to take more than one tour per year, then it might pay off in the long run to buy a membership to one of these bastions of Chicago’s architectural history. After paying your member dues, the perks start rolling in, including “free” tours.

6. frank Lloyd Wright Trust

Members of the Frank Lloyd Wright Trust can visit the famed Prairie style architect’s home and studio in Oak Park, as well as Hyde Park’s Robie House, for free throughout the year. More in the mood for the Rookery Building or the Emil Bach House? You can score discounted member pricing for those tours, too. Additional member perks include discounts on merch and visits to other Wright sites in the region, and a subscription to the charmingly named Wright Angles magazine.

7. chicago Architecture Center

The Chicago Architecture Center is more than just its famous river cruise (although that’s extremely fun, too). Its team of 450+ docents leads 65 different walking tours around the city, which members can attend for free. In the mood for Art Deco skyscrapers, Mies Van Der Rohe, or sacred spaces? The CAC has you covered with its array of tours, which reaches beyond the Loop to neighborhoods on the North, West, and South sides, too. Other member benefits include free admission to the Chicago Architecture Center itself (home to an intricate scale model of the city), discounts on river cruises, and more.

Pro tip: The Chicago Architecture Center also organizes Open House Chicago every October, which invites the public to explore compelling Chicago buildings across the city, completely for free. (Members still get some perks, though.) This year’s sites haven’t been announced yet, but you can check out last year’s 350+ locations on this map to get a taste of what 2020’s lineup might bring.

The Best Paid Walking Tours

OK, so these walking tours aren’t free, but they cost less than a bottle of Malört, so they’re practically free, right? Either way, they’re too cool to miss.

8. brick Of Chicago

Brick of Chicago is more than just Chicago’s best Instagram account (per the Chicago Reader’s readers’ choice awards ): it’s also an opportunity to learn more about the city’s neighborhoods and the diverse bricks and people that built them. Join brick enthusiast Will Quam for a virtual tour via Zoom, starting at just $8. Recent virtual tours have included brick histories of Rogers Park, Washington Park, and Hyde Park, and some tours come with downloads of a map and Quam’s notes so you can see the sights for yourself on your own schedule. (Keep an eye out for in-person tour options when the pandemic and weather allow.)

9. free Tours By Foot

This “pay-what-you-like” operation offers walking and architecture tours to suit everybody’s interests, and is slowly resuming in-person tours, too. (Check their site for the latest availability and updates.) Whether you opt for a tour that’s led by a human or by GPS audio narration on your phone, you’re in for an entertaining and informative tour of Lincoln Park’s gangster history, of ghosts and hauntings downtown, and more. (While keeping the tour free is a totally valid option at checkout, it might be polite to throw a few bones at your guide.)

10. chicago Detours

Chicago’s top-ranked walking tours (per TripAdvisor) have moved entirely online in light of the pandemic, but that doesn’t diminish the slew of fun facts and historical insights that Chicago Detours brings to the table. Every tour is led by an experienced guide with a background in history, architecture, and/or art history, who dives into topics such as A Deep Slice of Chicago Food History, Innovations at the 1893 World’s Fair, and a Cruise from Your Couch Boat Tour. Tours typically range from $15–$18.

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Freelance PureWow Editor

Discover Chicago's Secrets with Magnifico Tours

At Magnifico Tours, we’ve reimagined Chicago exploration, intertwining the city’s mysteries and tales into our adventures. While our specialty lies in crafting detective intrigue within our Chicago Walking Tours, we embrace the rich tapestry that is Chicago’s history, from its notorious gangsters to its spectral legends, and from its architectural marvels to its vibrant cultural districts like Old Town.

The Chicago Murder Mystery Tour invites you to step into a detective’s shoes, solving mysteries as you navigate the city’s landmarks. And alongside the sleuthing adventure, our Private Chicago Magnifico Tour offers a unique Spanish-language journey through Chicago’s cultural wonders.

With Magnifico, every tour is a story, every moment a clue in the grand narrative of Chicago.

Our Chicago Walking Tours

The Chicago Murder Mystery Tour

Embark on a thrilling journey through Chicago’s Gold Coast with our Chicago Walking Tours. Not only will you delve into the city’s mysteries and legends from Al Capone to the Playboy Mansion. A must-experience for every true-crime aficionado.

Schedule: Daily

Start Time: 2 PM, 4:30 PM, 7 PM

Language: English

Duration: 2 Hours

View Highlights

The Private Chicago Magnifico Tour

Embark on a 2-hour journey through Chicago’s vibrant history with our expert guides. Dive into tales of Al Capone, architectural wonders, and our city’s rich Latin culture. Spoiler Alert: You’ll also get to know where NOT get Deep Dish Pizza!

Start Time: Customizable

Language: Spanish

Duration: Customizable

Testimonials

Our guests often find themselves immersed in the rich and varied tales of Chicago, exploring narratives that span from the spectral to the criminal, from the architectural to the historical. Whether it’s the allure of Chicago Gangster Tours, the spine-chilling tales reminiscent of Chicago Ghost Tours, or the architectural marvels that might be explored in a Chicago Architecture Tour, our adventures touch upon diverse threads of stories that make up the fabric of the city.

Mi parte favorita fueron las historias.

Muchas Gracias!

It’s the highlight of our trip to Chicago.

This tour was amazing.

Excellent fun!

Why You Should Go For Magnifico Tours

Our tours, while specializing in mystery and detective-themed experiences, also provide glimpses into other fascinating aspects of Chicago. Whether it’s the notorious past explored in Chicago Gangster Tours, the spectral stories you might find in Chicago Haunted Tours, or the architectural wonders celebrated in Chicago Architecture Tours, Magnifico ensures a rich and varied exploration of the city

Expert Guides

Our guides are Chicago enthusiasts and history buffs, blending historical knowledge with local insight.

Immersive Tours

Immerse yourself in an intriguing experience blending historical facts with captivating storytelling.

Exclusive Access

Our tours enter places not accessible to the general public so you can experience gems of Chicago.

Customizable

Personalize your journey! Tailor the tour to fit your unique interests and comfort level.

Inclusive Fun

Everyone – families, couples, friends, and solo travelers – is welcome for a memorable experience.

All-Weather

Regardless of rain or shine, our tours proceed. Plus, we offer easy rescheduling options.

Whether you’re exploring the city on foot with our Chicago Walking Tours, delving into the city’s notorious criminal past akin to Chicago Gangster Tours, or exploring the spectral stories similar to those in Chicago Ghost Tours, we ensure your adventures with Magnifico Tours are seamless and memorable. Find answers to common queries below, and prepare to step into the multifaceted stories of Chicago with us.

The closest parking garage to the Murder Mystery tour is located at 110 E Pearson St. And for the Magnifico Chicago Private Tour, the closest parking can be found at 505 N Michigan Ave.

Yes, it is a walking experience! The Chicago Murder Mystery is an interactive game that takes you through the city, revealing thrilling stories and showing you sites as you also solve a crime. The crime-solving bit is an interactive experience; if you don’t feel like taking part, you can opt out!

No worries, you are not obligated to perform. We often have families come where some wish to participate and others play as encouraging audience members. In the event where everyone is shy and less interested in playing, your tour can take on a more typical walking tour experience.

Our team is 100% responsive within a 24 hour period, and can be best reached by email [email protected] and Phone/Text/Whatsapp at 872-310-7645. Tickets are 100% refundable until 24 hours before a tour. If you need to cancel within 24 hours of the tour, you may reschedule onto any future tour. Again, please reach out by email or phone/text/Whatsapp.

• The St. Valentine's Day Massacre Site
• The famous alleyway from a legendary crime
• The haunted Chicago theatre

And a whole lot more!

WALK CHICAGO TOURS

Private and Personalized Walking Tours of the City of Big Shoulders

ON EVERY CORNER...

The mission of every Walk Chicago Tour is linked to the commitment of our owner, Terry Sullivan, a born and bred Chicagoan who wants every visitor to love Chicago as much as he does. The intention of every walk is to enable visitors to not only see Chicago in all its grandness but to feel its energy and to know its heart. This is the sincerity of effort that separates us from the others.  

Every tour is led by a knowledgeable and experienced guide who is skilled at unraveling the many layers of Chicago's culture and history. Guides are chosen for their engaging styles and their ability to share their passion for Chicago.

All our tours are intended for curious, inquisitive, budget-minded visitors. No visit to our city should be a blur on a bus nor an uncomfortable mix in a large group. And, no visitor to Chicago should be excluded. We openly solicit the disabled and physically impaired and work to meet their individual needs. Let Walk Chicago Tours wrap America's most American city into a story package for you to take home. Give us a chance to help you build your memories at your own pace. Come walk with us and leave our home convinced that you have come to know the real Chicago.

All tours are completely private. We do not combine groups nor add individuals to reserved tour times. Your Guide, Your Group Only!

Reservations are necessary. A minimum of two people is necessary. Call or email for available tour times.

See our F.A.Q. page for pricing and additional tour information.

We’ve been awarded the Certificate of Excellence by Trip Advisor. See what our customers have to say about our tours.

If you have been on one of our tours, we’d love your feedback.

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ANNOUNCEMENT

It has been a very difficult time. We have all been affected, and our lives have changed. And we must all do what is required of us until normalcy returns. But we want you to know that we are standing ready to serve you whenever you feel secure and comfortable enough to return to the beauty, friendliness and excitement that is the real Chicago. We will be ready and waiting to take a walk with you. Keep in mind that we have always been a completely private walking tour service. It will again be just your personal group and your private guide. There is no combining of tour groups. We will be properly distanced, masked and ever diligent about your safety and the avoidance of risk along the way. We hope to see you soon...we have so many stories to tell. Call or email us soon......

The Walk Chicago Tours Guide Staff

We consider ourselves Chicago's premiere educational field trip tour service (see tripadvisor.com for reviews by teachers). We have served scores of grade schools, high schools and colleges. Most of our guides are former educators (see guides page on our website) who know how to engage students and how to work with teachers to meet the intended goals for their student groups. We are open to planning with instructors to customize any of our tours to meet the objectives of their classrooms. All school groups receive special discounts. We do not charge for certified faculty members, paraprofessionals or designated school personnel serving as chaperones.

Just How Do "Free Tours" Work? An Interview With Sandemans New Europe

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10/23/2019, 1:00 PM

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CHICAGO'S ORIGINAL ARCHITECTURE TOUR®

BEST SEAT IN THE HOUSE

Choose your adventure, chicago river architecture tour (90 minutes).

Take in the world-renowned architecture as our expert guides tell the story of 130 years of architectural innovation.

We like our drinks stiff, not our tour guides.

Chicago River Architecture Tour (45 minutes)

This family-friendly introduction to the Windy City's rich history and architectural heritage features highlights from Wendella's full-length architecture tours.

The Ultimate Chicago experience.

We're In the People Business

This was one tour that I can honestly say was worth doing & probably should be a must do/ see on your visit to Chicago.

Ginette, 2023

We were recommended the architecture boat tour by a few locals and it was absolutely amazing!! Beautiful views from anywhere you sat and an extremely knowledgeable and funny tour guide led the trip. Great value for money and so so worth it. Thank you!!

Jessica W, 2024

The skyline was beautiful and the buildings all shined differently. Pictures come out amazing!

Christina, 2023

SEE FOR YOURSELF

Book your experience now.

Sandeman's New Paris Tours

Review Highlights

“ On our third day we took the Versailles Tour (30euro) and guess who we had as a guide FILIPA!!! ” in 4 reviews

“ On the tour, you hit many of the major sites (Louvre pyramids, Pont Neuf , Pont d'Arts ("Lover's Bridge"), Jardins des Tuileries, and more. ” in 3 reviews

“ From the tour, I was able to go to the Eiffel tower by myself another day. ” in 4 reviews

Location & Hours

Suggest an edit

St Michel-Notre Dame

75006 Paris

Saint-Michel/Odéon, 6ème

Recommended Reviews

• 1 star rating Not good
• 2 star rating Could’ve been better
• 3 star rating OK
• 4 star rating Good
• 5 star rating Great

Select your rating

Overall rating

Harry was our guide and very knowledgeable. He provided a lot of interesting historical contexts you otherwise wouldn't know about, definitely recommend!

Alberto was fantastic. So engaging, interesting, and well informed. We're heading for Rome next, we wish you could come with us! Thanks, Alberto, you've given us new insight into the beautiful City of Light Jackie and Todd (Le pompier)

We went on a group tour of Montmarte with Fernando. The group was a bit big, but manageable. Fernando did a good job and showed is some street art by Love and Anarchy and the Invader, which we have continued to see during our visit. Fernando offered some recommendations for bakeries and restaurants. A good way to see the high points of this interesting neighborhood.

Dawie was AMAZING!!!!!!! Showed us so much of the city and small details I never would have seen. He talked about the culture and his excitement was contagious. Can not recommend this tour enough. Now searching for Sandeman tours in other cities.

I was doing some research about Paris, and came across this free walking tour. They have English and Spanish tour. I signed up for the English tour. It was simple and easy through their website. Meet up location was easy to find. My tour guide is Alberto. He is very friendly and knowledgeable. He told a lot of stories about all of the history monuments we visited. To be honest, I dislike history class, but I like listening to stories. Alberto did it in a nice way that interested me. I paid more attention to his tour more than my history professor in college! Tour was about 2.5 to 3 hours long. It was a very enjoyable experience. Thank you Alberto!

Our waiting spot

We were in town on Christmas day, all museums and many shops were closed, glad this free tour, tip payment, was available on a national holiday.  Our guide was Francaise? who was very energetic, informative and entertaining.  I learned about the French history as well as their culture from him.   The guides are required to pitch their other paid tours, but done tastefully.  We ended up booking their Versailles Garden Tour which I found well worth the price.

If you have never done a "free" walking tour while on vacation, you must try it. "Free" is a misnomer here. It's not free. They tell you that to lure you in (yet I still give them 4 Stars! Read on to find out why!). A more accurate description would be along the lines of "paying after the tour" as opposed to paying a fixed price when you reserve. You see, at the end of your tour, you are asked to pay whatever you feel the tour is worth. They called it "tipping" but it's not really. Typically, these companies will have a "free" tour but will spend a few minutes to pitch you their paid ones. I did some research and found out that the companies are a little underhanded. They outcompete the bigger tour companies with their "free" tour. In the beginning of each tour, a group photo is taken. The guide will say it's for their Facebook page, but really it's so the handler can charge the tour guide a fixed fee per person (around $2.50). The tour guide keeps the extra money but doesn't get paid otherwise. We've had such good tour guides though, we were more than happy to "tip". I can't knock down more than 1 star despite my misgivings about the company though because our tour guide was so phenomenal, so engaging and charismatic. She spoke to each of us and even though we were a large group, she somehow was able to include everyone in the conversation. She also warned us about thieves that hung around the sites we were going to. She said she would shout THIEF! if she saw them. This August, we were on the free "Intro to Paris " tour given by Sandeman's New Paris, which lasted a good 4 hours. We started around the Seine and ended the tour in the courtyard of the Louvre. Inga, our tour guide, is not a native Parisian, but she has been in Paris for many years and her passion for the city shows! She is fluent in English and she is a great storyteller. She is young, energetic, witty and knows how to engage the audience. She talked about the architecture and some of the famous sites. What I loved is that she told us the background story behind each of the sites and made you feel like you are back in that era. You FELT how powerful Napoleon was and the sentiment of the people of the times. We did a handful of these free tours with different companies and all of them had great tour guides; each of them phenomenal storytellers. They seemed to be college students or recent graduates. While in Paris, we also did a couple of paid tours. Although these guides did their jobs and were knowledgeable, what lacked was the passion and enthusiasm. Quite frankly, they were educational but boring... but these are pre-paid. At least with these free tours, you can choose to leave the tour if you didn't like it and choose not to pay.

I participated in the English free tour when I went to visit Paris on a whim this year. This the first thing I did after dropping off my luggage at my hotel. Registration is easy, and the starting place was quick to find. Our tour guide was excellent-he knew so much history and shared such great insight into each spot. When I found this, I thought it was too good to be true, it it really is free-they do accept tips at the end though.

See all photos from Nora S. for Sandeman's New Paris Tours

Enlighten yourself with a free walking tour, but tips are suggested! I wish I knew about the free walking tours back in London, which was the first city that I started out from on my EuroTrip! I would have went to that one as well! Anyways, I am glad that I made it to this one for Paris! We had a tour guide named Enrique and he was well versed on his knowledge about Paris' history and its historic monuments! His energetic tone about the significant sites, was very captivating! I learned a lot from his history telling and this tour was so splendid, that I did the Versailles Tour with Enrique as well for the next day! That one costs, however, but train transportation was included as well as a very knowledgable tour guide! Otherwise, I would have roamed around not knowing the significant history that took place in the massive and marvelous gardens! I highly recommend the tour and what great way to know more about Paris when it's free!

See all photos from Tiffany D. for Sandeman's New Paris Tours

As much as Paris is a destination to visit, my partner and I did not plan much on our on day trip nor knew of the hot spots in Paris. So with the power of Google we were able to find a "free" tour and this one was so worth it! If you happen to have Nancy, you are in for a treat! Nancy is one of the best tour guides that we have ever had. During the tour Nancy did an amazing job intergrating the group together. So that it is less awkward to do the tour. The tour took us at the hot spots and less known spots that is worth checking out. I love the history and context provided. Nancy is super knowledgble and please do not be shy to ask all the questions. From recommendations to more navigation tools. At the end of the tour, Nancy taught super helpful and practical skills in Paris. Last thing to know, if you like the tour, tip well. I know we tip pretty well as we were super content with the tour. If you are able to do 3 hours of walking, then this is a worthwhile tour and pay what you are able too.

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Feb 2019 Paris

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Touring Sandeman Port Cellars in Porto

Port wine is probably the most famous product from Portugal, and likely one of the first things to come to mind when thinking about the country. And while having Port in Portugal is an obvious must, touring the port cellars in Porto is a close second. After seeing the Port vineyards and wineries in Douro Valley , we toured Sandeman Port Cellars in Porto to complete our Port in Portugal experience.

Sandeman dates back to 1790, when two Scottish brothers started the company with just £300. Yes, Scots founded a Portuguese Port brand! Thanks to the popularity of Port in England, many original Port producers were British . That’s why so many have English names (like Croft, Taylor’s, and Graham’s).

As an iconic and historical brand, touring Sandeman Port cellars is an excellent example of how port ages in Vila Nova De Gaia, Porto.

Let’s talk About Port

Port is a fortified wine, meaning a neutral grain spirit is added to the wine . It stops the fermentation, increases alcohol percentage (to about 20%), and — its original purpose — makes it easier to transport. Made from five different grapes, Port must be made in Portugal to have that prestigious name.

(If not made in Portugal, it’s called Port-style wine or described as tawny. Except in the United States, where “Port” is not legally protected and does not mean the wine is from Portugal. So check the bottle for an authenticity stamp or location of origin stating Portugal.)

The grapes grow on the mountainous vineyards in the Douro Valley, about a two hour drive from Porto. I highly recommend taking a day trip to the Douro Valley to see the vineyards — it was one of the highlights of our trip! After being made in Douro, the wine makes its way to Porto’s Vila Nova de Gaia neighborhood for aging. Historically transported by boat on the Douro River, today the wine makes gets to the city in a truck. (Boring, but much more reliable!)

Aging Port in Vila Nova de Gaia

The neighborhood of Vila Nova de Gaia, on the south side of Porto, is perfect for aging Port . For one, being next to the Douro River meant the wine could originally be transported from the vineyards by boat. Two, it’s somewhat sheltered from strong winds and direct sunlight, keeping the temperature more mild (and better for aging). And third, it’s outside of Porto, so producers avoided paying taxes in the 13th Century. (Everything comes down to politics at some point, right?)

Today Port cellars line the streets of Vila Nova de Gaia. Literally, dozens are nearby each other: Ferreira, Sandeman, and Graham’s on the river; Taylor’s, Cockburn, and others behind them. But touring the Port cellars in Vila Nova de Gaia is not like visiting most wineries or distilleries . Tours require advance reservations. Unlike many other wine-tasting regions , not even tastings are possible without reservations. So plan ahead!

Touring Sandeman Port Cellars in Vila Nova de Gaia

The lobby of Sandeman Cellars opens to a Port museum, with artifacts about the wine’s history and bottles dating to the 1600s. After perusing the museum, our tour guide walked us through an alley of barrels in every size imaginable. Many are small, stacked on top of each other; others are 20,000 liters. There are even a few 100,000 liter barrels that can last 100 years! The larger vats slow oxidation while smaller barrels give more wood flavor to the wine.

We walked along barrels and barrels, then passed bottles of Vintage Port, a few dating back to 1908! Vintage Port, from a single vintage and declared to be one of the best by The Port & Douro Wine Institute, spends 2-3 years aging in a barrel before spending decades in the bottle.

Sandeman Port

Besides Vintage Port, there are several different types of Port each with their own tasting profiles. Ruby Port , vibrant in color and taste, aged in steel or concrete. White Port , bright and fruity, made with white grapes and unaged. And Tawny Port , sweet and nutty, aged for decades in wood. The age of Tawny ports is an average of the wine in the bottle.

Our tour included a tasting of four Tawny Ports in the private tasting room. The Tawny 10 Year (23€) was darker (an indication of youth), with flavors of ripe fruits and raisins. The Tawny 20 Year (49€) was more balanced, with flavors of honey, nuts, and vanilla. My favorite, the Tawny 30 Year (120€), with dried apricots, hazelnuts and vanilla flavors. And the Tawny 40 Year (156€) had flavors of oak and honey with dried fruits and a lingering finish.

The tour ended in the gift shop, of course, where we shopped for wine, vintage advertisements, and glasses. I couldn’t leave without a bottle of Tawny 20 Year. Even though it’s available in the States, having it from Sandeman Cellars was a perfect souvenir.

Taking a tour of Sandeman Port Cellars in Vila Nova de Gaia is a must do in Porto. But remember: tours require advance reservations. You can make them online here . Tours range from 14-42€. Or tour several cellars together with a tour like this one .

Related :: Day Trip to Douro Valley Wine Region in Portugal , What to Eat in Portugal , and Why Portugal is Perfect in Winter

Disclaimer :: I was graciously treated to this tour at no cost. As always, all opinions are my own. • Some of the links in this post are affiliate links and I may receive a commission from them. Thank you for supporting the companies that support Whiskied Wanderlust.

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