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I only had 24 hours in Tetuan and I couldn't have spent a better 3 of them on Mr Hamid's tour! It was such an amazing taste of the richness, diversity of the fascinating city of Tetuan....The medina is truly a labyrinth and he steered us around, explaining how life, work, family, history, and religion has all intersected to make this incredible place. We were taken inside special impressive Riad's, to panoramic views, to traditional bakeries (one gave us roasted peanuts straight out of the oven) and lots more things that there is no way I'd have had the chance to see/experience/understand not having done his tour...THANK YOU!
Candelaria tour was more than I could ever have hoped. She indeed took us off the beaten path, away from the tourist throngs and introduced us to the beating hearts of Chefchaouen, all the while giving us the benefit of her 20+ years here (as a non-native she could explain some of the cultural uniqueness and things that us travellers would be fascinated by) her insight on how it has changed and her passion for her adopted home, it's passageways, people and community were evident from her stories and when we were with her, whether we were going into an oven, blacksmith or passing by her neighbours and friends in the street we were embraced by association...a true privilege. Plus her recommendations from where to eat, where to get the real handicrafts, things fixed etc...and much more were invaluable. No matter if you think you know Chaouen...I encourage you to get to know Candelaria's, I've come away even more in love with the place. Thank you Candelaria!
Imad was superb, born and bred in Chefchaouen, he was an expert in showing us the town, explaining its history, its idiosyncrasies, and personal stories from what it was like when he was a child and where, of course, the locals go! He answered my many curious questions with pleasure and as I'm here for a month, gave me some vital and valuable information to assist me and make my stay! I highly recommend the 8am tour....See it, and have the alleys to yourself before the hoards arrive!
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!
