Feeling At Home: Take A Walking Tour

Posted on 05. Aug, 2009 by Emmanuelle Archer in Blog, Expat Life, Relocation
2 comments

I have always enjoyed playing tourist in my own city. I also happen to love walking, and it is my favourite way to explore a new place.

The slower pace allows you to notice all sorts of details. All your senses are stimulated. You get to fully experience your environment. This little shop has beautiful fruit – I’ll have to come back. Funny, this street feels much safer than the one I just left – good to know. And oh, what smells so good? Is there a bakery around the corner?

If you live in a larger city or in a touristic area, why not join a guided walking tour?

I cannot think of a better way to become acquainted with your new city. You will learn about local history and the different neighbourhoods. You can ask your guide all sorts of questions. Who knows, other participants may even be fellow newcomers and potential friends!

As an added bonus, guided tours allow you to explore safely – a big plus if crime is at all an issue where you are, or if you find it intimidating to venture into unknown areas.

Vancouver boasts a wide variety of walking tours, designed around themes as diverse as heritage gardens, gourmet shops and haunted houses. The one that recently caught my eye is an architectural tour of our local Chinatown – maybe I’ll go next week.

Have you ever been on a walking tour? What side of your new city would you love to explore? If no such tours are available, what about making your own itinerary?

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Emmanuelle

Images by AlBakker (top) and I am I.A.M. (bottom), both via Flickr Creative Commons