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I apologise as Marco was suddenly indisposed so had organised for his colleague to take a tour and I can't remember his name, but he was brilliant (and want to thank him for standing in last minute, it says a lot to be able to count on tours going ahead as planned. He was born and bred in Dubrovnik so was able to tell us all about the city, its history, its tales and sagas but also what life was like for him to grow up in the old town in PEAK tourist times (yes 3 times busier than now - which I found unbelievable) and how for good and bad tourism has moulded the locals experience and how UNESCO was critical in repairs after the war. I stayed in Dubrovnik for 5 days and saw dozens of tour groups each day led by bored tour guides leading a pack of 40-50 bored tourists following them as they droned on about the facts of the city without any interaction. This was the opposite and why I find tip-based tours the best. The guides normally are very enthusiastic, and passionate, wanting to converse with people, often locals, tell more than just dry history, real life and cultural topics and make sure that people have a lovely time on the tour and are open to any questions. This was a prime example of that and it gave me not only a fabulous introduction to Dubrovnik but a flavour and insight into the heart of the city and it's people. Thank you
I really enjoyed Ruben’s tour of Oviedo and his focus on the Legends and stories of Oviedo rather than dry facts. Oviedo is a place that is rich in history and lots of impressive facts and dates but these are brought to life with the stories. I also very much liked his commitment to sustainable and responsible tours. Using a radio mike so he could speak at a normal volume to not bother locals and keeping his groups to a minimum size to avoid disruption is something that I feel is important so that visitors and locals can enjoy this wonderful place at the same time!
Stefan is a top guy. His tour is completely unique in Bucharest and really delves into the wonderful complexity of it's soul now. Referencing rather than focusing on the history to put things in context it was full of hidden amazing places that I'd not seen (and this is my 3rd walking tour here) and would have never found by myself, stories and fascinating facts. He's a wonderful guide and it was really interactive. He's happy to go 'off piste' into different topics prompted by questions. It felt like being shown around (very informative) friend! Thanks, Stefan