I used Worldpackers in Lebanon during my stay in the country. This was the first place I held a program through the platform. And to my surprise, the experience was extremely positive in all aspects: good accommodation, flexible working hours, and great connection with the host.
I chose the destination for 3 reasons. The first of these was the region in which the country is located. I was going to Turkey, located in the north of the country. And I was at that time traveling through Egypt. In other words, Lebanon was in my way.
Hurghada in Egypt is known for its luxury resorts. However, it’s still possible to travel cheaply around the city. I’ve tried both itineraries there, from the most luxurious to the cheapest. And I can say that you can enjoy the sea and the city in both. In this post, you can find tips on how to travel in an affordable way in Hurghada.
Looking for what to do in Hurghada? In this post, you can find attractions and tips on accommodation and transportation. The city is one of the most famous beach destinations in Egypt. After all, Hurghada is surrounded by the Red Sea and is famous for its crystal-clear waters, resorts, and nightclubs.
For those looking for accommodation in Ras Sudr ( راس سدر in Arabic), know that the area has great value-for-money hotels. Although it’s not a popular destination, Ras Sudr is only a 3-hour drive from downtown Cairo. The beach with blue and calm water attracts many young people to practice Kitesurfing.
We took advantage of our free weekend to take a dip in the city’s sea. One of our Egyptian friends has a travel agency and booked the hotel and van to take our group on Friday morning, with the return scheduled for Saturday at the end of the day. For those who don’t know, these are the days of the weekend here. Muslims have Friday as their holy day.
Many people still ask themselves, is it worth buying guided tours with agencies? The answer is yes. It is worth purchasing guided tours, but it will depend on some factors that we will list in this post.
Advantages of buying guided tours:
save time:
The first advantage of taking a tour is saving time. Although most tours spend hours in shops, or there is always that person late to catch the bus. However, by saving time I mean the hours we invest planning itineraries, checking how to get around the city… None of this is necessary when we hire agencies.
Most agencies already have everything you need from the moment you close the package. From tickets, transfers, accommodation options, and others. Another option is to take a private tour. Although more expensive, they have several advantages. Since they are much more personalized according to your wishes.
In addition, some apps help you to close your tour during or pre-trip. It is no longer necessary to go from agency to agency, looking for prices and itineraries. Sites like Get Your Guide, for example, help you choose the best value for money between tours. The platform brings together numerous agencies that advertise their services there, such as transfers, guided tours, among other experiences.
You can check there the detailed list of what is included in the tour. In addition to making payments and scheduling through the platform. We hired a guided tour through Get Your Guide to visit the Vatican and we did not regret it. Check out our experience here.
Information and privileged access:
What I like most about tours with an agency is the easy access to many attractions. Most guided tours offer the Fast Pass modality, which is nothing more than priority access. So you can “cut” the line of ticket offices, going straight to the attraction. Buying some packages, for example, tickets are already included in the price.
In addition, the guide will take you to the most important points of the attraction with all the explanations about the place. For those who don’t have the patience to read the information on the museum signs, this is the guarantee that you will leave the place knowing the main information about it.
but always remember:
There are several websites that sell tours and tours. However, some only sell tickets to attractions. So, be aware of what is included in the tour and always compare the price with the official website of the attraction you plan to visit.
Several travel groups take you to souvenir shops. These guides earn commissions for taking customers to that location. Sometimes the price can be abusive, much higher compared to the same products in other stores in the area. Research prices in other places before purchasing anything.
It is also quite common for travel groups to take you to stores that demonstrate how the product is made. As if it were a tourist attraction of the place. Watch out! Prices can also be well above normal in these locations as they attract many tourists.
Some museums already have Audio Guides. They can be free or they can be rented. Research whether the museum you plan to visit has the equipment, as it replaces the function of a guide. Providing all necessary information about the location.
Lastly, always bargain, especially with street vendors. Tourist destinations in Asia and Africa, such as Indonesia and Egypt, tend to place extravagant prices on products. Most of the time you can get 50% off without much effort.
Khan El Khalili in the city of Cairo.One of the places you shouldn’t miss out on.
The advantages of being your own guide:
save money:
The first advantage of not hiring a guide that I can list is, without a doubt, saving money. For those who are going on a budget tour, I would say that tours with an agency are the most expendable item compared to accommodation, food, transport, and other expenses. With a little more planning, you can do it all yourself.
One of our great allies when traveling without a guide is the Internet. Several mobile applications are available for download that help us when taking public transport, checking out city attractions, or even speaking the local language. Check out a list of essential apps for traveling here!
Another tip, especially for those traveling through Europe, is the Free Walking Tours. The Free Walking Tours have local guides and work through the spontaneous contribution of those who participate. For extroverted travelers, there’s nothing better than meeting local people and asking for directions to the city’s best places to visit.
Make your own itinerary and schedule:
Another great advantage of not traveling with a guide, especially in groups, is making your own itinerary and schedule. For example, you don’t have to go through situations like waiting for someone late for breakfast or being forced to get up early because of tour bus departure times. Traveling on your own, you can do everything the way you want.
For example, I don’t particularly like going to souvenir shops so I avoid it if I’m traveling on my own. In my itinerary, I try to include cultural attractions, in addition to various outdoor activities. Another thing I love to do is visit markets and look for the best local food restaurants. I try not to get too neurotic with schedules and do everything calmly.
but always remember:
Planning is very important when traveling alone. You need to know how to get around, where to go or stay, opening hours, etc. Nobody will be organizing this for you. So stay tuned for cell phone battery and ensure internet access. Always be prepared for any situation.
Always compare prices and avoid unnecessary expenses. Use apps like the ones we’ve listed above to ensure a good experience and avoid frustration. It’s also worth reading our selection of hosting sites. All are reliable and full of guest recommendations. So you arrive prepared at the place.
The internet is full of materials, tips, guides, and travel itineraries (see the content of our blog OurVoyage.life). Take advantage of all the content to arrive informed at your destination.
My tip is to have the discipline to not waste time sleeping in the hotel, but nothing too strict. Enjoy the moment without timing.
And do you prefer to travel with or without a guide? Leave it here in the comments.
FAQ about guided tours
Is it worth buying a guided tour?
Yes, in many situations it is worth purchasing a guided tour when traveling. However, you need to be careful not to spend money on anything. Here are some of the advantages and disadvantages of this type of product.
What are Free Walking Tours?
Free Walking Tours are tours with local guides, who go on foot to the city’s destinations. They work through the spontaneous contribution of those who participate.
What is Get Your Guide?
Get Your Guide is a website that sells experiences, tours, and transfers from third-party agencies. There you can compare prices and what is included in each tour. The purchase takes place through the website, in a secure way.
Is it worth using Get Your Guide?
It’s worth using the Get Your Guide website to compare what’s included in the tours, as well as prices. I also recommend checking user reviews of agencies to see if they are trustworthy.
There are several hosting Apps online. So, we decided to dedicate a post just for them. Which one to choose will depend on your travel style and budget. Yes, there is much more than resorts and hotels out there!
Searching for the best Apps for traveling? Find here the Apps you need to have on your cell phone.
Traveling is getting easier and easier. For this reason, more and more people travel solo, without buying agency packages. Much of this we owe to the internet and other technologies. Since they are making it simpler to search and compare prices, locate and move around, in addition to receiving information from anywhere.
Are you looking for tips on how to visit the Vatican? Then, this is the right place!
Visiting this city has been a dream since I watched the Angels and Demons movie series. I was enchanted by the history and architecture of this city-state located in the middle of Rome. Fortunately, earlier in 2020 I had the opportunity to spend a day getting to know the premises.
The Vatican is not only a museum, but a complex of museums, chapels, and also the house of the supreme leader of the Catholic Church, the Pope.
how to visit the vatican:
On the first day of our stay in Rome, we booked a tour through the Get Your Guide app to see the Vatican that same day. As we only had 4 days in Rome, we opted for a guided tour, as we were afraid of the queues at the entrance. If you want to know more about the rest of our trip to the city, check out this post.
In this post, you will find suggestions for restaurants in Venice. There are three restaurant options with Italian cuisine and excellent value for money.
In our post about budget travel itineraries in Venice, we already talked about how prices can be abusive in touristic cities like Venice. We had a hard time finding nice, cool places with good prices. That’s why we decided to make a post dedicated to the restaurants in the city that we know and would definitely recommend.
Best Value Restaurants in Venice:
Pizza 2000
Open every day until midnight, we found Pizza 2000 walking through the alleys of Venice. When we reached about a block from the place, we could already smell pizza in the oven. We took a photo to remember to come back to later. And hey, it was worth every penny. It was the best pizza we had in Italy.
In addition to the affordable price (about 12 euros), the size of the pizza is quite large and one is enough for two people, despite the traditional Italian thin crust. They have a good variety of flavors and you can eat in or take away. But be careful if you want to eat there, as the place has few chairs and is usually full.
Large four-cheese pizza.
Bacaro Quebrado
This was one of the good finds we found on TripAdvisor. The restaurant is quite small and it was a little difficult to find it. Despite that, we were very pleased with the service and quality of the restaurant as soon as we entered. The owner was very friendly and served us wine and Couvert, with bread and colonial cheese on the house. No wonder the place was full, with customers waiting for a table.
The two pasta dishes did not disappoint. We ordered gnocchi and pasta con verdure (penne in Sugo sauce with vegetables). Everything was prepared quickly, but with care. The pasta ranges from 7 to 12 euros, depending on the meat that garnishes the plate. The restaurant also has side dishes from 4 to 9 euros. You can check out the entire menu on the Bacaro Quebrado website.
We were so hungry that we forgot to take a picture before eating.
Dal Moro’s: Fresh Pasta to go
Dal Moro’s Venezia is very popular with tourists for two reasons: it’s close to St. Mark’s Square and the prices are great. All kinds of pasta are served in boxes, “to go” style, and they cost around 7 euros. The restaurant doesn’t have tables to eat on site. The way is to buy and consume sitting nearby.
The hotel room kitchen:
Jokes aside, nothing better to save money than cooking in your hotel room or hostel. The markets in Italy are charming and offer all the products we drool over in the imported areas in our countries at the best prices. Selection of cheese, wines, chocolate… Products sold for 2 to 4 euros!
We had an amazing dinner for around 20 euros. We bought homemade tomato sauce, pasta, cheese, wine, salad, and bread for half the price of a lunch. And a bottle of white wine to top it off.
A memory of our dinner, made in our hotel bedroom kitchen.
Visit St. Mark’s Square and Basilica. Go over the Rialto Bridge and check out the market that takes place there. Want more tips on what to do in Venice? Check it out here.
How to get to Venice in Italy
You can reach Venice by bus, train, cruise, plane, or private transport. Check out more about prices, pros and cons, and itineraries in this post.
How much does it cost to travel to Venice?
The expenses per day in Venice are around 200 euros. With accommodation, meals, and transport. However, you can use some tricks to save money. Check this post.
Looking for things to do in Venice? In this post, you will discover places to visit in this romantic Italian city. Everything can be done in 2 days. Read until the end to check a guide with a map that we prepared.
What to do in Venice?
Our visit to Venice was literally a nice surprise. Not because we didn’t expect Venice to be a charming city, but because we didn’t expect to include the place in our travel itinerary in 2020. However, those who followed our itinerary through Rome know that we missed our flight to Croatia on New Year’s Eve.
So we suddenly bought two bus tickets to go from the capital to Venice. Our final destination was Athens in Greece. So we only had two days to explore the city, which I thought was enough. In this post, you can check our Venice travel guide for two days in the city.
We arrived by bus at dawn. Piazzale Roma is the last stop to reach Venice by road. It’s the square where the Freedom Bridge ends and where you will have to stop if you go by bus, car or even plane to Venice. Since airport transfers also stop there.
For those who like to travel at night like us, be aware that the only way to get to the center of the city at this time is to walk with your bags for about 20 minutes to the train station. From there, you can choose to walk to the hotel, if your accommodation is close to the station, or to take a boat to the nearest point of accommodation.
Between the bus station and the train station, there are also Vaporettos. These boats travel to different parts of the city. They work on specific routes and times. If you want to know more about how to get to Venice, check out this post.
Vaporetto on the Venetian canals.
We decided to continue walking to our hotel, as it would only be another 7 minutes from that point. A tip is to avoid rolling suitcases to walk around Venice, after all the streets are narrow and irregular, with paths full of stairs and bridges.
Accommodation in Venice:
Staying in Venice isn’t cheap because of low availability and high demand. Therefore, we recommend booking in advance your accommodation. Although hotels close to the center are more expensive, I strongly recommend them to anyone who can afford to stay in the area.
Thus, you will end up saving a lot on transportation, since you can do everything on foot. Plus, it will save you time waiting for boats and avoid crowds. We made our reservation the day before, but we were very lucky in choosing the guest house. We stayed at Porta Orientalis Venice. The room had a mini kitchen, which also helped us save money.
As we were tired from the bus trip, we took the morning to rest at the hotel. Around noon we went out to have lunch and explore the city. We traced an itinerary all on foot, to explore the streets and save a few euros.
We reserved this day to walk in the regions farther from the center. First, we visited the Ca’ d’Oro, passed the Mocenigo Palace-Museum, and descended towards the district of Dorsoduro. This is a more university district south of Venice, home to two important art galleries and the Basilica Santa Maria Della Salute, from which the dome can be seen from across the city.
We ended the day at the Academy of Fine Arts in Venice. For €12 you can visit one of the most important art galleries in the world, which houses the largest collection of Venetian art.
Venice travel guide: day 2
Our second day in Venice started early. We planned to go to the most touristics spots in Venice that day. So we left the hotel towards the Bridge of Rialto, the most famous and oldest bridge in Venice. We crossed the Rialto Market, where fruits, vegetables, and fish are traditionally sold every morning. Then, we head to St. Mark’s Square.
St. Mark’s Square
St. Mark’s Square is the most important and busiest in the city. Most of Venice’s historic buildings are located there, such as the Ducal Palace, St. Mark’s Belfry, St. Mark’s Basilica, and the Clock Tower.
St. Mark’s BasilicaSt. Mark’s Square
I suggest visiting St. Mark’s Basilica and St. Mark’s Museum, which is located inside the basilica. Admission is free to see the interior (and the lines are almost always long). However, it’s required to purchase tickets to access the Museum of São Marcos and its treasuries.
The Belfry Tower is the name given to the bell tower of St. Mark’s Basilica. With 98 meters, the tower is the tallest building in Venice. But this isn’t the actual original tower, as the first one collapsed. The appearance is the same as the original. It’s possible to pay a visit to the tower and see Venice from another angle for 8 euros.
Doge’s Palace
The Doge’s Palace, located next to the Basilica, is also open to visitors. The common ticket (without a guide) entitles you to the Ducal Palace in addition to the Correr Museum, the National Archaeological Museum, and the Marciana Library.
It’s also possible to take a guided tour around the secret places inside the palace. This tour is offered daily in English, Italian, or French. You go through the basement, the officers’ offices, the courtyard… However, you need to make a reservation. The tour only takes place with a minimum number of people. You can get more information on the Doge’s Palace website.
Enjoy the sunset on the Riva Degli Schiavoni promenade. The landscape is incredible, overlooking the island of São Jorge Maior and several gondolas anchored. On the way back to your accommodation, take the opportunity to give a look at the Bridge of Sighs, right behind the Palace.
Sunset on the Riva degli Schiavoni promenade.São Jorge Maior Island.
Extra day at Venice
Another option for those who have more time in the city is to go by boat to the islands of Burano and Murano. These smaller islands are located next to Venice. They are famous for their artisans and colorful houses.
Map of our Venice itinerary:
On the map below you can see all the places we visited on our itinerary. You can open and use it to guide yourself during your visit to the city.
To visit all points of interest, stay for 2 days in the city of Venice. It’s possible to extend an extra day to discover the surrounding islands. Check out a complete two-day itinerary in the city here.
What to do in Venice in 1 day?
Don’t miss the walk to St. Mark’s Square. Walk through the Rialto Bridge on the way. Visit St. Mark’s Basilica and, if you’re willing to spend a few euros more, ride a gondola.
What can’t you miss in Venice?
You should walk to St. Mark’s Square and watch the gondolas. Another highlight of the visit is the Rialto Bridge and the market at its entrance.
