Husband and I will visit Berlin, Nuremberg and Munich over just a few days. Looking for best walking tours per each location. We will be in Nuremberg only 1 day. Berlin and Munich 2 days each. First trip to Germany.
Posted by
Huntsville, AL, USA
8120 posts
We always go online and find the Free Walking Tours where tour guides are paid by tips. They're fully licensed and usually college grads. in their 20's. The tour company will also offer nightlife tours where they introduce you to the really good local bars and restaurants in the city.
We will usually take the Free Walking Tour the first day we're in a city and take the Nightlife Tour that night. Very often the people taking the night tour are extroverts from all over the world, and we've always had a ball.
Taking nightlife tours of Munich and Berlin would be great experiences as they're exceptionally lively cities.
Posted by
Southeast US
3830 posts
Congratulations on going to Germany. It's a great place. Do you have a budget in mind for your walking tours? Looking to take a group tour or a private tour?
Posted by
Atlanta
967 posts
I've done this one in Munich twice and enjoyed it. https://munichwalktours.de/en/the-city-walk It usually lasts about 2+ hours, but once we had a great guide who kept us going for over 3! The route can vary with the guide.
Can't remember the name of the one in Berlin, but we hopped all over the city, using public transport at times. It was a great overview that later helped me find places on my own.
In Nuremberg with only one day I think I would first go to the Documentation Center to see the museum, parade grounds, courtroom. The old city of Nuremberg is compact and not difficult to see on your own afterward.
Posted by
Chicago
1942 posts
Original Berlin Walks-Discover Berlin walk will take you to all the tourist sights. http://berlinwalks.de/public/index/publictour/secnav/1/id/Discover
Yes, you have to pay but I find these tours actually pay their guides, rather than free tours that ask for tips and are usually more accurate in terms of history, etc. JMO
Posted by
Corvallis OR
7025 posts
I took two walks with Original Berlin Walks, including the Discover Berlin walk. I thought both were excellent and worth the money - €12 back in 2014 - great guides and very informative and entertaining. They get great reviews which is why I chose them vs a free walking tour.
I did try the free walking tour in Munich and I was terribly disappointed - the tour was too large, about 30 people, and the guide acted like it was a chore he was trying to finish as soon as possible. I left the tour before it was over because I wasn't getting anything from it. I did give the guide a small tip (€2) for the portion of the tour that I stayed for. I'm sure some of the free tours are fine and worth a decent tip, but I shy away from them in favor of paid tours with good reviews.
Posted by
Frankfurt, Germany
8938 posts
The "free" tour guides are not fully licensed in Germany unless they belong to the German tour guide association and I know for a fact that are NOT allowed to join this association.
Anyone can go buy a business license for 23€ and say they are a tour guide. It is that easy, no test. So, please do not believe they have passed some kind of test that makes them professional guides. This is a lie. The tour guide association is tough to get into with very specific requirements, not only knowledge of history but also how to treat guests, how to move them through the city, how to control a large group, how to speak effectively, etc.
For Berlin, I recommend Insider Tours and for Munich, I recommend Dark History Tours.