Since we started exploring Europe five years ago, we’ve hired many private guides. We often hire several different private guides in each country, depending on the location that we’re visiting and the expertise of the guide. Over time, we’ve met some incredible guides and this is the basis of our list of the best private guides in Europe.
While we have done a few group tours while travelling, we learned a long time ago that hiring a private guide works so much better for our family. We’ve found its important for the children to be able to ask questions and for us to be able to modify the tour based on how everyone is feeling on a given day. To find out more perks of hiring a private guide, check out our blog post “Eight Reasons Why You Should Hire A Private Guide”
We really hope that our experiences and our choice of the best private guides in Europe can help you plan YOUR trip!
I’ll be adding to this list and providing a lot more detail as we continue to travel so keep checking back.
What makes a great private guide?
You may ask, “Well Joanne, what does it take for a private guide to make it on your list of “Best Private Guides in Europe?”
For us, a great private guide is a person who is knowledgeable, friendly, wonderful with kids, fun, easy-going and reasonably priced. But remember, ‘reasonably priced’ is different for everyone. For us, it takes into consideration both what the private tour entails and prices offered by other guides in the same location for a similar tour.
We would recommend all of the guides in our ‘best private guide in Europe list’ to friends and family or hire again ourselves.
I’m still working on writing individual posts providing more detail on each of the tours we’ve taken and for those completed, I’ve included those links. In the meantime, if you have any questions or if I can help in any way, feel free to reach out to me on our contact page. We’ve hired guides in most countries listed on our Destinations page.
Private Guides in Czech Republic
Prague
Jason from Living Prague
Our tour included six-hour walking tour of Prague Old Town, Jewish quarter, New Town, Lesser Town and Castle grounds. While not a local Czech, Jason is married to one. He is a great guide with an understanding of the history and architecture of Prague. He came prepared with pre-war photos and interesting stories we wouldn’t have heard elsewhere.
To find out more about our day with Jason, check out Day 2 of our Three Day Itinerary in Prague post.
Cesky Krumlov
Our tour included two-hour walking tour of historic Cesky Krumlov and Krumlov Castle grounds. Katalina is from Cesky Krumlov and was a wealth of knowledge about the town’s history. It was a great way to learn more about the village in the very short time we had. Even our teens just loved Cesky Krumlov!
Brno/Mikulov
Lenka from Brno DayTrips
Our tour with Lenka included a walking tour of Mikulov, wine tasting in Valtice Castle and a walking tour of Lednice castle grounds.
Lenka is a wonderful guide with the patience of a saint. We had planned to meet at 14:00 after driving across Czech Republic but we were almost an hour late due to extended stays in other locations. She handled it with grace and even though we didn’t extend our time with her (that wouldn’t have been fair to her at all), she gave us an abbreviated visit to all the places we wished to see. We would love to do a much longer tour with Lenka in future. She definitely makes our list of the best private guides in Europe.
Private Guides in France
Paris
Eugenie P. as booked through Tours By Locals
We booked two tours with Eugenie. Our children were much smaller then being ages 5, 7 and 10. Eugenie took us by train to Versailles and provided a skip the line tour of the interior as well as a tour of the gardens. Versailles can be overwhelming especially for children but Eugenie made the visit thoroughly enjoyable for all of us. She was very fun for the children. Versailles is really one of the great daytrips from Paris.
Our second tour was a 2.5 hour tour of the Louvre, one of the best sights in Paris. She was well prepared for the children and sent them on various ‘scavenger hunts’ in the rooms we were exploring while she told John and I more in depth details about the art and artists. She was so knowledgeable and totally able to introduce us to a few hidden gems in Paris.
It has been a few years since we toured with Eugenie but I’m thrilled to discover that she is still guiding.
Private Guides in Hungary
Budapest and Surrounding area
Timea from Budapest Jewish Walk
We took two tours with Timea. The first was a five hour walking tour of Budapest including the Jewish Quarter, Central Market Hall and St. Istvan Basilica. The second was a daytrip to the Danube Bend including Szentendre, Visegrad and Esztergom.
We thoroughly enjoyed both tours with Timea. She is a teacher and the mom of two young children. She was very soft spoken but incredibly knowledgeable.
To find out more about our walking tour with Timea, check out our post Great Private Guide in and around Budapest and for more on our daytrip with Timea, check out our post A Wonderful Daytrip to the Danube Bend, Hungary
Attila at Best Way Segway
We opted for a three hour Segway tour of Budapest’s Gellert Hill and Citadella with Attila. He was an amazing guide and incredibly patient with those of us that weren’t totally comfortable on the segways.
Attila trained us before our excursion and handled two incidents where Sydney and Caiden hurt themselves very well. On top of that, he was more than happy to modify the tour when he realized we wanted to see the Church in the Rock.
To find out more about our Segway tour with Attila, check out day 5 of our post Five Days in Budapest: Our Itinerary
Private Guides in Italy
Rome
Daniella Hunt at Mirabilia Urbis Tours
Italy was our first visit to Europe after my car accident. We had planned to hire Daniella for one tour only and ultimately decided to book her for three tours: a walking tour, a tour of the Colosseum and the Roman Forum and a tour of the Vatican.
The children still remember some of the amusing anecdotes Daniella told us on our walking tour. She was wonderful at telling us stories and explaining the history of the Colosseum, Roman Forum and the Vatican in a way that didn’t overwhelm even the youngest.
We are clearly not the only ones who feel that Daniella is one of the best private guides in Europe. She is sought after as a guide and as such, it is highly recommended that you try and book her early in your planning process.
Pompeii
Our tour included a driver from Naples to Pompeii and return, a tour guide at Pompeii, lunch at Cantine del Vesuvio and a choice of either walking up Vesuvius or exploring Naples Archeological Museum.
We took the train from Rome to Naples to meet our driver. Our tour of Pompeii was fantastic. Our guide was totally geared towards the children with an ipad and a pop-up book to allow them to see what Pompeii was like before the volcano erupted.
Our meal at Cantine del Vesuvio was delicious. Due to the extreme heat, we opted to visit the Naples Archeological Museum rather than walk up Vesuvius. We may do the latter one day as we really wanted to do it but it was nice to have that flexibility to decide on the day.
Private Guides in Spain
Barcelona
Robb at RobBCN
Our first stop during our 16 days in Spain was Barcelona. We did a full day walking tour with Rob that included Park Guell and the Gothic Quarter with an interior visit to Sagrada Familia and Casa Mila. As with many private guides, travelling with Robb allowed us skip the line entry into the Sagrada Familia which was wonderful.
Robb was great with the kids and provided a wonderful tour, covering all the locations we wished to see in our short time in Barcelona. He also took us to a great little known restaurant for lunch and introduced us to tapas. He was definitely one of our favourite guides in Europe. To get more details on our day with Robb, hop over to the post about our 3 days in Barcelona.
Sevilla
We booked several tours with Mahsa at Not Just a Tourist. Each of our guides and drivers were wonderful so I would put my family again in Mahsa’s hands at any time. Mahsa was incredibly patient with all of my questions and changes in preparation for our visit. She also arranged for tickets for flamenco at La Casa del Flamenco which we all thoroughly enjoyed.
Our first tour was a walking tour of Seville and afterwards, a tapas tour of some of the best tapas in Seville. Sarah and Caroline were wonderful with the kids. The tapas tour was incredible. We ate at three or four restaurants and Sarah and Caroline suggested tapas at each. The food was incredible!
Our second tour was a day trip to Jerez and Cadiz, on the Atlantic Ocean. This included a tour at Sandman’s Sherry Bodega and a show at the Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art in Jerez and a visit to the beach in Cadiz. Javis and our driver Juan were wonderful. They were funny, informative and great with the kids.
Our final tour was more of a transfer than a tour. Javis and Juan drove us from Seville to Granada but en route we stopped to explore an olive farm where they make olive oil, Setenil de las Bodegas and Rhonda.
The trip was wonderful despite the long ride and both Juan and Javi handled it wonderfully when Lucas got sick driving through the mountains. The children loved our driver, Juan, who was both funny and caring, along with being a great, cautious driver.
Granada
We had two days in Granada. Our full day tour with Marina included a visit to the Alhambra (interior and exterior) and walking tour of Granada including interiors of Granada Cathedral and Royal Chapel of Granada.
We had only two days in Granada so having Marina as our private guide made the most of our time. She was wonderful with the kids and extremely knowledgeable.
Madrid
Almudina Cros at Across Madrid Cultural Tours
Almu provided one of the best tours we’ve had. She was very in tune to the children and we learned so much, without the children being bored. I would highly recommend her for any visit to Madrid, with or without children.
Our private full day tour with Almu included Prado Museum, Reina Sophia Museum (she arranged this just so we could bring the children to visit Guernica), and her Bear Discover Tour (designed for children). Almu also brought me to a wonderful little leather shop where they make the most beautiful purses!
Private Guide in United Kingdom
London
Our thought on booking a walking tour in London was to avoid the lines at Westminster Abbey. We opted to book a full day private tour which included this as well as a short walking tour of central London and an interior guided visit to the British Museum. This was a great combination.
Our guide from London Walks met us at our hotel (as most private guides will do if asked) and really focused on the kids enjoying and understanding the tour. She even suggested an ice cream break!
What if you’re visiting a location that we haven’t listed?
Finding a great private guide does take a bit of work but you can definitely find a great guide on your own if you have to. And who knows, he or she may make your list of the best private guides in Europe! It’s all about finding the right fit for you!
We love GetYourGuide and ToursByLocals. They have wonderful, knowledgeable guides to help you learn more about your destination. Each company has reviews from travellers who have actually used the guides services.
If you’d rather find a guide in a more traditional way , start by reading reviews. I like those on TripAdvisor. Find a few guides that have a reputation for being informative, fun and great with kids. Note: You can also ask on the TripAdvisor forums as the locals will often have recommendations.
Whichever route you choose, once you’ve found five or six that you feel may fit the job, examine their website (if they have one) but also reach out to them by email. Tell them how many of you are in your group (list ages if there are children or seniors), tell them the type of tour you’re looking for (this can be a modification of one on their website or it can be something you’ve come up with on your own) and ask them what they would charge for such a private tour.
Remember, whether you’re searching on your own or using GetYourGuide or ToursByLocals, most private guides are happy to add and remove sights and/or stops based on your own personal preferences. This is another big perk to booking a private guide over a group tour.
Your next step is to compare their responses (is it detailed and helpful or short with little detail) and the prices. You can always respond with additional questions if you’d like more information.
Once you have all the information and have a personalized plan in place, you’ll be able to make the right decision for your travel adventure.
Have you hired a private guide while travelling in Europe? We’d love to hear about it!!
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24 Comments
Rebecca McLeod · November 2, 2018 at 6:38 pm
Love this post. The only way to really see what a place is like is having a guide, and finding the best guide is brilliant. Thank you for sharing.
Karie · November 1, 2018 at 4:09 pm
I’ll agree that hiring private guides are much better than group tours. It definitely is more convenient. We had hired one on our visit to Jordan. Since you travel with kids it does make it easier for them to ask questions. Thanks for sharing the list of these private guides with us.
Yukti · November 1, 2018 at 1:02 pm
Sometimes I love to hire guides as they become nice travel companion with lots of local information and a friend from the foreign land. I am saving your post as it has useful information on reliable and trusted tour guides which are not easily available anywhere else.
Dominic Gramatte · November 1, 2018 at 12:17 pm
My partner and I also love getting private guides. Like kids, we are quite inquisitive and feel like we get a lot more out of our trip when its tailored for us. What we see, how long we stay, what we discuss – it’s all up to us. I also think you can learn a lot about them and where they are from – which is a lot more than a book can offer. This post is a great testament to the work these guides have done for your family. Happy Travels.
Amber Tatton · November 1, 2018 at 1:58 am
I have not really had many private guides in Europe – I feel it would feel really personal an amazing. Although I have had some in India, where the prices are much much lower and it is really lovely to experience a place with local knowledge. Some guide groups are great too for that, but I guess with kids it becomes harder to get them to concentrate. Your kids are so lucky to experience such places – I have fond memories of going around the UK with a castle membership and I’m sure they will feel the same about their adventures across Europe.
Navita · October 31, 2018 at 2:00 pm
We have taken a private guide at very few places, mostly where language was a barrier or where it is mandated such as national parks. But this post does give us an idea that when visiting Europe, it could be a good option. I would agree that we should have someone to ask questions, even as adults, and modify the tour when needed. A good guide can really have a high impact on the depth of travel experience. If we choose a private guide, the criteria would be pretty much be same as yours and I think, this post would be very handy for anyone visiting Europe. Its like a quick reference to chose a private guide.
David · October 31, 2018 at 9:30 am
A couple of quick afterthoughts.
1. Guidebooks are out of date before they go to press. And they’re inevitably superficial, especially a guidebook to a major city. Think what London encompasses – this place isn’t a city, it’s a world – it’s hard enough to catalogue what’s here, let alone do justice to it. Doing a place like London by guidebook is, frankly, a crying shame. It’s like learning to scuba and then never going down more than three feet. 2. The false economy point and its “fit” with my point about the importance, the huge advantage, the rewards of “local knowledge” – let me provide an example of two by way of illustration. I’m a wet shave guy. One of those in the West End will set you back £28-£30. The place where I get mine – and it’s very central – charges £8. And it includes – just like the overpriced West End salons – the superb, free cup of coffee. Quite a ways further along on the price scale – in the West End you can easily pay £400 (or more) for high quality English shoes. That’s what tourists and more money than sense City boys (stockbrokers, etc.) fork out. I’ll get the exact same pair of shoes for £200. Local knowledge. You can’t beat it – and you’d be a fool not to avail yourself of it, wherever you are. And that’s just one (important) reason why a high quality guide is extremely good value for money.
Janiel · October 30, 2018 at 6:30 pm
I LOVE getting private guides when I travel, they are more expensive for me personally – but I think the quality and amount of local knowledge they have is invaluable. Plus if you are in an unstable country, or a protest breaks out that you don’t want to be involved in — the local guide will know the best getaway, what to react to and how intensely you would need to react to these kind of situations. If you get hurt, they will know which hospitals to avoid, which ones to go to- and help you get the best deals while shopping and not get ripped off.
Lance · October 29, 2018 at 7:22 pm
What a great experience for your kids to get to talk to and learn from a private guide. I must admit there have been many times when we have been on group tours and been hesitant to make comments or ask questions because of the group dynamic. Sometimes, we have been able to get a side moment with the guide, but that’s simply not enough. Our son is very inquisitive, and I imagine having a personal guide would be a great opportunity for him to experience a city or culture.
Jessica Carpenter · October 28, 2018 at 1:11 pm
I love that you take your kids to so many places and they get to learn so much from locals! I bet they have seen and experienced so much. School is no substitute for the education they get from travel. I love learning about places from the perspective of a local guide who knows and understands the history and culture of their city.
Danik · October 27, 2018 at 10:11 am
I have to admit, I never hired a private guide in Europe (as I am European who travels intensely over Euroland), but I have done in Morocco. I think thats the only place I have done it in, despite speaking French etc. It was great, saved a lot of time researching etc but I am back in Morocco in January but this time I am doing D.I.Y. I can understand why people hire private guides to save time on research, language worries etc but I couldnt do it all the time. 😛
Joanne · October 27, 2018 at 10:26 am
Hi Danik! Our experience in the varying countries in Europe is similar to your experience in Morocco. For a first time visit, we find it so helpful to have a guide show us nooks and crannies that aren’t in the guidebooks, tell us stories that only the locals know, etc. Each European country is so different from our experiences in North America. For repeat visits, we often don’t hire a guide. It’s that introduction to a new location that makes it so helpful. That said, we’d definitely be open to hiring a guide for a special tour that would give us more insight into the area or to allow us to save time with a skip the line tour, etc.
Carol Colborn · October 27, 2018 at 1:00 am
Honestly, I would rather spend the money to travel to other destinations. I just research the place before to make selections and after to complete facts and figures. And while there, I am alert to angles, perspectives, details about the place.
David · October 27, 2018 at 6:13 am
It’s a false economy, Carole. Local knowledge can save people hundreds of pounds – far more than the cost of the guide. “Research” – screen slogging and poring over guidebooks – is never going to yield up the rich particularity that you get from a great guide. Rich particularity, contacts (and contact), privileged access, being able to look at what you’re there to see as opposed to having to time and again peer at a screen or read the necessarily thin fare set out on the page of a guidebook… And that’s not to mention “efficiency.” You could – by putting in the time (how much is your time worth?) it takes – 500 hours they say – to get minimally competent in a foreign language – you could, with that sort of time investment, get across probably 65 percent of the stops on my Hampstead Walk, but even setting them out in a list you’d never be able to work out the best way of stringing them together. It’s often overlooked, that. It shouldn’t be. What you’re also getting – what you’re paying for – and it’s incredibly valuable – is the route. Joanne’s right. There’s no better investment than local knowledge. No better investment than hiring a great guide. (Though I wish she had mentioned Paris Walks and Concepcion in Sevilla. Maybe next time.)
As Rumi put it, “Whoever travels without a guide, needs two hundred years for a two-day journey.”
Joanne · October 27, 2018 at 10:06 am
Thank you both for commenting. Carol I’m sure you aren’t alone in your opinion. There are likely many that feel the same. I do an incredible amount of research before we travel. In fact, I create a travel guide for us before each trip. It includes tidbits of information and routes that I find in travel guides. But for us, that never outweighs the importance of having a guide. Check out our post on ‘Why you should hire a private guide’ 🙂
David I totally agree. I’m glad to hear about Paris Walks and Concepcion. We’ll definitely look into their guides and tours the next time we visit Paris and Seville. We did check out Paris Walks in the past but we were on a budget and Eugenie’s rates couldn’t be beat at the time. 🙂
Carol · October 27, 2018 at 12:02 pm
I don’t know, maybe I was just unlucky with the guides I tried out in the beginning. Sorry if I created some discussion here but I think it is good to talk about it. This is the reason you brought out the topic anyway. Again, sorry
Joanne · October 27, 2018 at 12:22 pm
Hi Carol. That’s ok! We all have different experiences that’s what makes travel so great 🙂 I’d suggest trying hiring a guide again. They really are worth their weight in gold.
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