Free walking tours with a local offer unique way to explore a city
While it's great to tick off the tourist sites on holiday, sometimes you just really want to discover the places locals go.
That cosy pub, quiet park, hidden cafe or fabulous boutique.
And an international scheme in more than 150 cities lets you do that.
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The International Greeter Association pairs tourists and locals for a free private walk for two or three hours through a city, and started in New York Getty
The International Greeter Association pairs tourists and locals for a free private walk for two or three hours through a city.
The original one, Big Apple Greeters, was set up by Lynn Brooks in New York City in 1992, who wanted to show visitors 'her New York.'
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Tours with volunteers are offered in countries as diverse as Cameroon and Ghana to more popular holiday spots like the USA, France, and Japan.
There are even Australian Greeters in Adelaide, Brisbane and Sydney.
9Travel managed to get a Big Apple Greeter while in the city a few years ago.
We joined an older NYC native who took us to the Conservatory Garden - a part of Central Park we'd never been before.
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We joined an older NYC native who took us to the Conservatory Garden - a part of Central Park we'd never been before. Getty Images/iStockphoto
(We saw a man walking his tortoise, no joke).
She then took us for lunch at the diner famous for being in Seinfeld, Toms, in Morningside Heights.
After that, we had a wander around The Cathedral Church of St John, the Divine, which is the largest Cathedral in the world.
Tom's Restaurant was famously the diner in TV show, Seinfeld. Instagram
Not only was it refreshing to explore a new part of the city, it was also great to connect with a local and hear about their life.
And while the organisation's website says tipping is not needed, a donation to the organisation is encouraged
Travellers have to apply online in advance, and while you're not guaranteed to get a Greeter, it's worth putting in a request with your travel dates.
You can also let them know what you're interested in, such as art, or food.
The writer joined the tour at her own expense.
