On a large bus tour the main focus is on showing you the monuments from afar and offering some picture opportunities. A live guide will talk about the history, points of interest, etc. Sometime a headset is offered to listen to a pre-recorded tape to match the areas you are passing by. These tours tend to be the most impersonal, but are the most economical with a large amount of `Fellow Travelers.`

A small group tour normally consists of 5 – 22 people and is offered in minivan and minibus. An excursion normally has either a driver/guide or a driver plus guide or a driver with a local guide at the main attraction. These tours are more personal and a lot less stressful than coach tours. The driver/guide makes a concerted effort to connect with passengers and answers more questions.

A smaller version of Small Group tours. It is important to read the fine lines, as some small group tours are sometimes small enough to equal a semi private. On these tours, the chance is quite high that you will get a driver/guide.

This type of tour is the most expensive and flexible and normally includes a driver/guide only. There may not be as much information on history or a running dialogue offered in this tour as there is in others. However the tour will be catered to your needs with more time flexibility available at stops and the option to stop somewhere else.

Please note: A small group and semi private tours also offer more flexibility but you will need to discuss and agree with fellow passengers.

These tours involve a lot of walking either with a small or large group. They meet at a specific location where the guide is waiting and depending upon the size of the tour headsets may be provided so you are able to hear the commentary. Some walking tours include transportation. This is a more intimate tour providing more photo opportunities.

Skip the line tickets allow you to skip the long lines entering attractions. These are becoming very popular. Make sure to read the description as some skip the line tours are just for skipping the line for the entrance and then you are on your own. Many tours including a guide tend to be Skip the Line as the tour companies make pre-arrangements as a schedule needs to be followed.

A Hop-on, Hop-off tour is provided by a big companies usually on board a double-decker bus with different circuits covering the city highlights. These tours are sold in time periods of 24/48/72 hours however circuits do not run for 24 hours, a tour normally operates until 6:00-7:00pm. Your voucher includes a ticket that will be time stamped, a map of the route and the stops covered by the bus along with a headset. Once on board you plug in your headset and listen to the recording on the area being visited. If you come to an area that you wish to explore, you get off the bus, visit the area and come back to the same spot to be picked back up or to a designated stop closest to where you are located. Some tickets offer discounts to attractions and restaurants.

Please note: These tours are economical and are a great way to get aquatinted with the city on the day of your arrival and a great way to get from attraction to attraction. These are not personal tours.

Companies will offer two or more tours for a discounted price, ex: one in the morning and another in the afternoon. We do not recommend these types of tours as they can be very tiring, unless you are looking to pack in a lot in a short space of time.

These passes provide entrance to attractions and in some cases include a headset to listen to the pre-recorded tapes with information on where you are visiting.

A rental is the ability to rent a bike, a segway, etc by the hour or day.