{"id":53564,"date":"2023-11-13T05:14:26","date_gmt":"2023-11-13T05:14:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2023\/11\/13\/around-review-the-best-place-to-take-audio-tours\/"},"modified":"2023-11-13T05:14:26","modified_gmt":"2023-11-13T05:14:26","slug":"around-review-the-best-place-to-take-audio-tours","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2023\/11\/13\/around-review-the-best-place-to-take-audio-tours\/","title":{"rendered":"Around Review: The Best Place to Take Audio Tours"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p><br \/><strong>Posted<\/strong>: 11\/13\/23 | November 13th, 2023<\/p>\n<p>I love walking tours. The first thing I do when I arrive somewhere is take a walking tour. It\u2019s a great way to get the feel of a new place, see the main sights, and adjust to the local culture. You also get to meet a local expert guide who can answer your questions and give you tips on other spots to check out (I always ask for recommendations for places to eat, for example). <\/p>\n<p>But sometimes the dates and times that walking tours are offered don\u2019t line up with my schedule, especially if I\u2019m only in a place for a few days or if I\u2019m visiting when there is a local holiday. I also like to be spontaneous, and often tours are already filled up for the day or don\u2019t allow last-minute registrations. Plus, I really like going at my own pace when exploring a city, and I don\u2019t always feel like being tied to a tour for three hours.<\/p>\n<p>In the past, this meant I was just out of luck. But today, there\u2019s another option available: self-guided audio tours.<\/p>\n<p>With the prevalence of smartphones, it\u2019s now possible to access guided walking tours from your mobile device, giving you tons of freedom when it comes to taking a walking tour. <\/p>\n<p>I\u2019ve taken audio tours around the world, and they can really run the gamut in terms of quality. <a href=\"https:\/\/around.tours\/?utm_source=nomadicmatt\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Around<\/a> aims to take the guesswork out of finding quality audio tours by vetting local guides and compiling tours from cities around the world in one place. <\/p>\n<p>In this review of Around, I\u2019ll share everything you need to know about using this new tour marketplace! <\/p>\n<p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"what-is-around\">What is Around? <\/span><\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1350\" height=\"790\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" alt=\"A screenshot of the website for Around, showing the different audio tours offered around the world\" src=\"https:\/\/media.nomadicmatt.com\/2023\/aroundreview1a.jpg\"\/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1350\" height=\"790\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/media.nomadicmatt.com\/2023\/aroundreview1a.jpg\" alt=\"A screenshot of the website for Around, showing the different audio tours offered around the world\"\/><\/noscript><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/around.tours\/?utm_source=nomadicmatt\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Around<\/a> is a platform where travelers can find and take self-guided audio walking tours in major cities around the world. Around vets local experts who create and list tours on the website, so you always know that you\u2019re getting a quality tour guide. (Around does not run tours themselves; they rely on local experts.) <\/p>\n<p>Tours generally last 60-90 minutes, though there are longer ones (such as <a href=\"https:\/\/around.tours\/verona\/full-immersion-verona?utm_source=nomadicmatt\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Full Immersion Verona<\/a>) lasting upwards of 180 minutes. Keep in mind that the estimated times do not take into account how many times you stop and start (and they certainly don\u2019t account for that delicious pastry break!).<\/p>\n<p>Since tours on Around are created by local experts, there\u2019s a mixture of detailed tours on a particular topic (such as the <a href=\"https:\/\/around.tours\/chicago\/19th-century-skyscrapers?utm_source=nomadicmatt\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">19th Century Skyscrapers Tour of Chicago<\/a>, led by a professional Chicago tour guide who specializes in architecture and design) as well as general overview tours geared towards first-time visitors (like the <a href=\"https:\/\/around.tours\/berlin\/berlin-highlights-tour?utm_source=nomadicmatt\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Berlin Highlights Tour<\/a>). <\/p>\n<p>Tours are mainly offered in English, though there are some tours in Spanish and Italian, with the intent of adding more languages soon. <\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"how-does-around-work\">How Does Around Work? <\/span><\/h3>\n<p>All you need to take an <a href=\"https:\/\/around.tours\/?utm_source=nomadicmatt\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Around walking tour<\/a> is a smartphone with GPS enabled and an internet connection (no need to download a new app). Rather than the traditional tour model where you pay per tour, with Around, you purchase an all-access pass which lets you take as many tours as you want within a period of time, from 24 hours to 14 days. <\/p>\n<p><center><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"764\" height=\"636\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"A screenshot of the website for Around, showing pricing for 24-hour and 3-day passes\" src=\"https:\/\/media.nomadicmatt.com\/2023\/aroundprices1.png\"\/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"764\" height=\"636\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media.nomadicmatt.com\/2023\/aroundprices1.png\" alt=\"A screenshot of the website for Around, showing pricing for 24-hour and 3-day passes\"\/><\/noscript><\/center><br \/>\n<center><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"675\" height=\"395\" alt=\"A screenshot of the website for Around, showing pricing for 7- and 14-day passes\" src=\"https:\/\/media.nomadicmatt.com\/2023\/aroundprices2.png\"\/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media.nomadicmatt.com\/2023\/aroundprices2.png\" width=\"675\" height=\"395\" alt=\"A screenshot of the website for Around, showing pricing for 7- and 14-day passes\"\/><\/noscript><\/center><\/p>\n<p>This is a great value when you consider that taking one walking tour is normally around $5-20 USD, and for most cities on Around, there are at least three tours currently offered. If you\u2019re visiting a place for a weekend, the three-day pass is perfect, as you can take all the tours you want for just $14.99 USD. Purchases on Around can be made in five main currencies (USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD) to avoid exchange rate fees.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re more of a slow traveler and staying somewhere longer, or are visiting a few different cities on one trip, there are one-week and two-week passes too. <\/p>\n<p>Once you purchase a pass, you\u2019ll unlock all Around\u2019s available tours for that period of time. As the company started in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nomadicmatt.com\/travel-guides\/italy-travel-tips\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Italy<\/a>, you\u2019ll see the most cities represented there: <\/p>\n<p><center><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1543\" height=\"349\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"A screenshot of the website for Around, showing the different audio tours offered across cities in Italy\" src=\"https:\/\/media.nomadicmatt.com\/2023\/aroundreview2.png\"\/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1543\" height=\"349\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media.nomadicmatt.com\/2023\/aroundreview2.png\" alt=\"A screenshot of the website for Around, showing the different audio tours offered across cities in Italy\"\/><\/noscript><\/center><\/p>\n<p>You\u2019ll also find tours in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and throughout Europe, with new cities being added all the time. In fact, since I started writing this post, new cities have been added!<\/p>\n<p>On each tour page, you\u2019ll see helpful information including the duration, recommended starting point, information about the expert guide, a map of the stops, and a short description of what the tour is about: <\/p>\n<p><center><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1350\" height=\"790\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"A screenshot of the website for Around, showing details for a tour offered in the Gothic Quarter of Barcelona, Spain\" src=\"https:\/\/media.nomadicmatt.com\/2023\/aroundreview3.png\"\/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1350\" height=\"790\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media.nomadicmatt.com\/2023\/aroundreview3.png\" alt=\"A screenshot of the website for Around, showing details for a tour offered in the Gothic Quarter of Barcelona, Spain\"\/><\/noscript><\/center><\/p>\n<p>I really like how you can listen to a 30-second preview of the tour. That way, you can quickly get a feel for the guide before you decide to embark on a longer audio adventure with them. <\/p>\n<p>Each tour page also displays some of the highlights in visual form, which is super helpful for knowing whether the tour covers main city landmarks that you might not want to miss: <\/p>\n<p><center><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"895\" height=\"982\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"A screenshot on the Around website showing photos of highlights that you would see on the Barcelona tour\" src=\"https:\/\/media.nomadicmatt.com\/2023\/aroundreview4.png\"\/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"895\" height=\"982\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media.nomadicmatt.com\/2023\/aroundreview4.png\" alt=\"A screenshot on the Around website showing photos of highlights that you would see on the Barcelona tour\"\/><\/noscript><\/center><\/p>\n<p>While tours all come with a recommended starting point, you can start at any location on the tour. Upon starting, you\u2019ll follow the route, guided by your map and the voice of your guide. Once you reach an appointed stop on the tour, an orange button pops up. Hit the button to listen to the guide\u2019s expertise at the stop. <\/p>\n<p>You can pause and replay each stop as many times as you like, which is handy in busy cities that might be loud or otherwise distracting. <\/p>\n<p>In fact, while you\u2019re in the city where the tour takes place, you can play each stop\u2019s audio whenever you like. This is not only helpful if you\u2019re using an older device that might struggle with precise GPS (so it might not recognize if you\u2019re standing at an audio stop), but if you didn\u2019t have time to finish the tour while walking around, you can still learn the information while relaxing in your hotel or hostel later. <\/p>\n<p>And as long as your access pass remains valid, you can take the whole tour again if you really want to!<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"pros-of-using-around\">Pros of Using Around <\/span><\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/around.tours\/?utm_source=nomadicmatt\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Around<\/a> takes the guesswork out of finding quality audio walking tours, and there\u2019s a lot to like about this newcomer on the tour company scene. <\/p>\n<p>I especially liked how, with Around, you can:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Take expertly guided walking tours at any hour of the day <\/li>\n<li>Stop, start, replay, and come back to tours on a truly self-paced tour experience<\/li>\n<li>Enjoy as many tours as you want for one price, with their unlimited access pass <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span id=\"cons-of-using-around\">Cons of Using Around<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Around is still in development, meaning that they\u2019re still working out the kinks. While they\u2019re off to a great start, here are some places I\u2019d love to see them improve upon: <\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>More cities offered (which is something they\u2019re actively working on)<\/li>\n<li>Downloadable tours as you currently need an internet connection to take tours, which is something you may not have when you\u2019re traveling<\/li>\n<li>Short bios of the guides to highlight their background and expertise (most are professionally licensed guides)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><center>***<\/center><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/around.tours\/?utm_source=nomadicmatt\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Around<\/a> is a cool, affordable platform with lots of potential. While there are a lot of companies offering walking tours these days, there still isn\u2019t a lot of focus on audio tours. It\u2019d be great to have a go-to place to find curated expert-led audio tours around the world. I\u2019m looking forward to seeing them flesh out some of the features and add more cities too. If you\u2019re somewhere that Around offers tours, definitely check them out! <\/p>\n<div class=\"single-booking\">\n<h4>Book Your Trip: Logistical Tips and Tricks<\/h4>\n<p><strong>Book Your Flight<\/strong><br \/>Find a cheap flight by using <a href=\"https:\/\/skyscanner.pxf.io\/c\/214481\/1027991\/13416?subId1=%26currency%3DUSD&amp;associateid=AFF_TRA_19354_00001&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.skyscanner.com%2F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Skyscanner<\/a>. It\u2019s my favorite search engine because it searches websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is being left unturned. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Book Your Accommodation<\/strong><br \/>You can book your hostel with <a href=\"https:\/\/prf.hn\/click\/camref:1101lHtj\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Hostelworld<\/a>. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use <a href=\"https:\/\/www.booking.com\/index.html?aid=362916\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Booking.com<\/a> as it consistently returns the cheapest rates for guesthouses and hotels. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Don\u2019t Forget Travel Insurance<\/strong><br \/>Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It\u2019s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I\u2019ve had to use it many times in the past. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:<\/p>\n<p><strong>Want to Travel for Free?<\/strong><br \/>Travel credit cards allow you to earn points that can be redeemed for free flights and accommodation \u2014 all without any extra spending. Check out <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nomadicmatt.com\/travel-tips\/picking-a-travel-credit-card\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">my guide to picking the right card and my current favorites<\/a> to get started and see the latest best deals.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ready to Book Your Trip?<\/strong><br \/>Check out my <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nomadicmatt.com\/travel-resources\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">resource page<\/a> for the best companies to use when you travel. I list all the ones I use when I travel. They are the best in class and you can\u2019t go wrong using them on your trip.\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><span class=\"et_social_bottom_trigger\"\/><\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nomadicmatt.com\/travel-blogs\/around-review\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Posted: 11\/13\/23 | November 13th, 2023 I love walking tours. The first thing I do when I arrive somewhere is take a walking tour. It\u2019s a great way to get the feel of a new place, see the main sights, and adjust to the local culture. You also get to meet a local expert guide [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":53565,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-53564","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-travel"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53564","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=53564"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/53564\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/53565"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=53564"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=53564"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=53564"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}