Best Context Travel Tours Around the World: My Favorite Experiences + Discount Code
If you’ve followed my travels for a while, you know I love experiences that go beyond simply checking off the major tourist attractions. I want to understand the history, culture, food, and stories behind a destination, which is why I’ve taken so many tours with Context Travel around the world.
Context Travel specializes in expert-led experiences, including private and small-group tours, food tours, day trips, and self-guided audio guides.
One of my favorite things about taking a private tour is how intimate and personalized the experience can be. Instead of following a huge group through a city, you can actually talk to your expert, ask questions, spend more time on subjects that interest you, and get recommendations along the way.
After experiencing Context tours everywhere from Japan and Singapore to Italy, Spain, Norway, Switzerland, and beyond, I’ve put all of my favorites in one place to make them easy to find and book.
SAVE THIS CODE: Use my discount code FANCYNANCISTA when booking your Context Travel experience for a discount!
Disclosure: Some links in this post are referral/affiliate links. If you book through them, I may receive a commission or credit at no additional cost to you.
Explore Context Travel Tours by Country
Planning a trip? Jump straight to the destination you’re visiting to discover my favorite Context Travel tours, experiences, and recommendations around the world. Click the country below to jump directly to my Context Travel recommendations for that destination.
🇦🇹 Austria • 🇭🇷 Croatia • 🇫🇷 France • 🇭🇺 Hungary • 🇮🇪 Ireland • 🇮🇹 Italy • 🇯🇵 Japan • 🇳🇴 Norway • 🇵🇹 Portugal • 🇸🇬 Singapore • 🇪🇸 Spain • 🇸🇪 Sweden • 🇨🇭 Switzerland • 🇹🇷 Türkiye • 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
Context Travel Tours in Spain 🇪🇸
+ Málaga: Layers of Málaga Audio Guide
Prefer exploring independently? This self-guided Málaga audio experience takes you through the city’s history, port, and evolution while allowing you to explore at your own pace.
It’s a convenient option for solo travelers or anyone who wants the storytelling of a guided experience without committing to a scheduled tour.
-> Book the Layers of Málaga Audio Guide
+ Bilbao: Expert-Led Bilbao Welcome Tour
If it’s your first time in Bilbao, a welcome tour is a great way to get oriented while learning about the Basque city’s history and identity.
I’d recommend doing an introductory tour like this toward the beginning of your stay so you can use what you’ve learned throughout the rest of your trip.
-> Book the Bilbao Welcome Tour
+ San Sebastián: Expert-Led Welcome Tour
San Sebastián is famous for its beaches and incredible food scene, but understanding the city’s Basque culture and history gives you another perspective entirely.
This introductory walking tour is a great starting point before diving into the city’s pintxos bars and beaches.
-> Book the San Sebastián Welcome Tour
+ Seville: Triana Neighborhood Tour
Triana is one of my favorite areas to explore in Seville because it has such a distinct personality and history.
Located across the Guadalquivir River from Seville’s historic center, the neighborhood has deep connections to ceramics, flamenco, and Andalusian culture. A neighborhood-focused tour is an excellent way to experience a side of Seville that many visitors miss.
-> Book the Triana Neighborhood Tour
+ Madrid: El Escorial Day Trip
If you have enough time in Madrid to venture beyond the city, consider a day trip to El Escorial.
This historic royal complex offers a completely different experience from central Madrid and is particularly worthwhile if you’re interested in Spanish royal history, architecture, and culture.
-> Book the El Escorial Day Trip from Madrid
Context Travel Tours in Italy 🇮🇹
+ Venice: Tasty Traditions Audio Guide
Venice is even better when food is involved! This self-guided audio experience introduces you to Venetian culinary traditions while giving you the flexibility to explore the city on your own schedule.
-> Book the Tasty Traditions in Venice Audio Guide
+ Verona: Shakespeare’s Verona Literary Tour
Yes, the city of Romeo and Juliet has much more to discover beyond Juliet’s famous balcony.
This literary-focused Verona tour explores the city through the lens of Shakespeare, storytelling, and the history that helped turn Verona into one of Italy’s most romantic destinations.
-> Book Shakespeare’s Verona Literary Tour
+ Bologna: Music Tour & Violin Artisan Visit
Bologna may be famous for food, but there’s another fascinating side to the city: its musical heritage.
This experience explores Bologna through music and includes a violin artisan visit, making it one of the more unusual cultural tours on this list.
-> Book the Sound of Bologna Music Tour
+ Rome: Underground Rome & San Clemente
Rome has layers, literally.
The San Clemente Underground Rome History Tour takes you beneath the modern city to discover different eras of Roman history hidden underground. If you’ve already visited Rome’s famous landmarks and want to dig deeper into the city’s past, this is a fascinating experience.
-> Book the San Clemente Underground Rome Tour
+ Florence: Market-to-Table Cooking Experience
One of my favorite ways to experience Italy is through its food, and Florence is the perfect place to do it.
This experience combines local food culture with hands-on cooking, taking you from market to table. It’s ideal if you want an activity that’s interactive and gives you a delicious memory to take home from Florence.
-> Book the Florence Market-to-Table Cooking Experience
+ Milan: Navigli by Night Aperitivo Tour
For something a little different in Milan, head to Navigli after dark.
This experience combines the atmosphere of one of Milan’s best-known nightlife districts with the Italian tradition of aperitivo. It’s a fun choice if you want something more social and food-focused after a day of museums, fashion, and sightseeing.
-> Book the Navigli by Night Milan Aperitivo Tour
Context Travel Tours in Switzerland 🇨🇭
+ Lucerne, Switzerland: Alpine Farm Tour
This is such a unique option if you want to experience Switzerland beyond its cities.
The Alpine Farm experience takes you into the countryside to discover the traditions connecting Switzerland’s landscapes, farming, and food. It’s perfect for travelers looking for something more immersive than a standard city tour.
-> Book the Alpine Farm Tour from Lucerne
+ Bern, Switzerland: Bern City Tour
Bern sometimes gets overlooked by travelers rushing toward Switzerland’s mountains, but its UNESCO-listed historic center is absolutely worth exploring.
An expert-led introduction is an easy way to understand the history and architecture of Switzerland’s capital while discovering details you might otherwise walk right past.
Context Travel Tours in United Kingdom 🇬🇧
+ London, England: Tower of London Tour
The Tower of London has centuries of fascinating, and sometimes dark, British history behind its walls. Exploring it with an expert adds so much context to the stories, people, and events associated with this iconic London landmark.
This is one I’d especially recommend to history lovers and first-time London visitors.
-> Book the Tower of London Tour
+ London, England: London Half-Day Tour
If you’re short on time, or simply want someone knowledgeable to help you make sense of such a huge city, a half-day London tour can be an excellent introduction.
It’s particularly useful for first-time visitors who want to cover important sights while understanding the stories behind them.
-> Book the London Half-Day Tour
Context Travel Tours in France 🇫🇷
+ Nice, France: Expert-Led Nice Welcome Tour
Nice is much more than beaches and the Promenade des Anglais.
An expert-led welcome tour is an easy way to get oriented while learning about the history and culture of Nice and the French Riviera. I’d especially recommend doing this toward the beginning of your stay.
Context Travel Tours in Austria 🇦🇹
+ Vienna, Austria: Schönbrunn Palace Tour
Schönbrunn is one of Vienna’s essential historic attractions, but there’s a lot of Habsburg history to unpack once you’re inside.
Exploring the palace with an expert helps put the rooms, personalities, and imperial history into context instead of simply moving from one beautiful room to another.
-> Book the Schönbrunn Palace Tour
Context Travel Tours in Hungary 🇭🇺
+ Budapest, Hungary: Castle District Tour
Budapest’s Castle District is beautiful to wander through, but there’s a tremendous amount of Hungarian history behind what you’re seeing.
This tour is a great way to explore the historic Buda side of the city while learning about the events and people that shaped Budapest.
-> Book the Budapest Castle District Tour
Context Travel Tours in Ireland 🇮🇪
+ Dublin, Ireland: Introduction to Dublin
For your first trip to Dublin, this is a great introduction to the city and the stories behind it.
Rather than simply walking between landmarks, an expert-led orientation helps connect Dublin’s streets and sights to the history that shaped the Irish capital.
-> Book the Introduction to Dublin Tour
Context Travel Tours in Croatia 🇭🇷
+ Dubrovnik, Croatia: Introduction to Dubrovnik City Tour
Dubrovnik is undeniably gorgeous, but there’s much more behind those famous medieval walls than a beautiful backdrop.
This introductory tour takes you through the city’s history and is a great choice for understanding Dubrovnik beyond the photos—especially if it’s your first visit.
-> Book the Introduction to Dubrovnik Tour
Context Travel Tours in Norway 🇳🇴
+ Oslo, Norway: National Museum of Norway Tour
Art lovers should add Oslo’s National Museum to their itinerary. This expert-led museum tour explores Norwegian art and cultural history, including folk traditions and works by Edvard Munch. It’s an especially good option if you enjoy museums but want someone to provide the historical and cultural context behind what you’re seeing.
-> Book the National Museum of Norway Tour
Context Travel Tours in Sweden 🇸🇪
+ Stockholm, Sweden: Södermalm Neighborhood Tour
Stockholm, Sweden: Södermalm Hidden Paths & Hipster Headquarters
Want to experience a different side of Stockholm? Södermalm is one of the city’s coolest neighborhoods, and this tour takes you beyond Stockholm’s traditional sightseeing circuit to discover the area’s character and local culture.
It’s a great choice if you’ve already seen some of Stockholm’s major attractions or simply prefer neighborhood exploration.
-> Book the Södermalm Stockholm Tour
Context Travel Tours in Portugal 🇵🇹
+ Porto, Portugal: Porto Food Tour
Porto is absolutely a city to experience through your stomach.
This food-focused tour combines local flavors with the stories and traditions behind Porto’s cuisine. I’d recommend it to anyone who wants to go beyond simply ordering popular Portuguese dishes and actually understand the city’s food culture.
Context Travel Tours in Turkey 🇹🇷
+ Istanbul, Türkiye: Blue Mosque to Hagia Sophia Highlights Tour
Istanbul is one of those cities where having an expert can completely change your understanding of what you’re seeing.
This highlights experience explores some of Istanbul’s most significant historic sites, including the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia, while helping you understand the cultures, religions, and empires that shaped the city.
-> Book the Istanbul Highlights Tour
Context Travel Tours in Japan 🇯🇵
+ Tokyo, Japan: Tsukiji Outer Market Food Tour
Tokyo can be overwhelming for first-time visitors, especially when it comes to knowing what and where to eat.
This food tour focuses on the famous Tsukiji Outer Market, combining tastings with insight into Japanese ingredients and culinary traditions. Come hungry!
-> Book the Tokyo Tsukiji Food Tour
+ Osaka, Japan: Osaka Night Food Tour
If there’s one city where I’d recommend arriving hungry, it’s Osaka.
A nighttime food tour is such a fun way to experience the city after dark while discovering Japanese food culture and local specialties. It’s ideal for travelers who want an experience that’s social, delicious, and distinctly Osaka.
-> Book the Osaka Night Food Tour
Context Travel Tours in Singapore 🇸🇬
+ Singapore: Singapore Food Tour
Singapore’s food culture reflects the incredible mix of communities that have shaped the city.
A food tour is one of my favorite ways to experience Singapore because you get to taste the destination while simultaneously learning about its cultural influences and traditions.
-> Book the Singapore Food Tour
Are Context Travel Private Tours Worth It?
For me, one of the biggest advantages of a private or intentionally small tour is access to the expert leading it.
You aren’t just listening to a memorized script. You can ask questions, dive deeper into something that catches your attention, and have conversations that make the destination feel much more meaningful.
That personalized element is particularly valuable at museums, historic sites, and destinations with complex histories. It’s also great for couples, families, friends, or solo travelers who prefer a more intimate experience instead of being part of a huge tour group.
And if private tours aren’t your thing, Context also offers other ways to explore, including audio guides like the ones I’ve tried in Málaga and Venice.
How to Book a Context Travel Tour + My Discount Code
Ready to book one of these experiences?
Use the individual booking links above to find the exact tour you’re interested in, and don’t forget to enter my code:
FANCYNANCISTA
at checkout for a discount on your Context Travel booking.
I’ll continue updating this guide as I experience more Context Travel tours around the world, so bookmark this page if you’re planning future trips!
