Everything has to start somewhere. It’s our time now! The Alternative Tourism Association implements the concept of free tour in Timișoara by launching the “Timișoara Free Tours” project.
Hello Timișoara, hello world!
We are glad that after several months of work on the project, we managed to launch the site, the blog the tours and the whole Timișoara Free Tours concept as well.
We want to offer both tourists and locals the opportunity to discover Timișoara within the framework of our free tours concept, a form of alternative tourism that our association has embraced since its very beginning.
What is this concept of free tours all about?
Well, it is a form of alternative tourism. It was first implemented in Berlin in 2004 and has been a game changer for guided tours. It was revolutionary! The idea has caught on so well that there is hardly a city today that has anything to offer in terms of tourism where there is no such tour.
What makes a free tour special?
Well, it’s simple… first of all it’s important that it’s done by locals, by people who live in the city, know it with their eyes closed, know its stories, its secrets, its flavors… no matter what guidebook you read, no matter how much you read on the internet about a place, you can’t know it like someone who lives there every day… and then there’s the human interaction, with locals, which can’t be replaced by anything.
The unwritten criteria
There are some unwritten criteria, implemented from the beginning by the creators of the concept, some principles, so to speak, that make a free tour a real free tour experience… Here they are:
- Everyone regardless of budget should be able to experience a tour of the highest quality.
- To redefine industry standards.
- To raise the bar, to set and initiate new market expectations.
- To support local communities.
- To give talented self-employed guides the opportunity to express themselves at the highest level.
Our blog
In addition to our tours, the project aims to develop in the blog section a series of articles related to Timișoara, history, culture, architecture, special people and all the best the city on the Bega has to offer!
Our guides
Most of our guides are civically involved, have strong ties in their communities (they are teachers, translators, museographers, artists, etc.) and all share a passion for local history, heritage, and culture. All of our guides have to adhere to certain professional criteria and standards and a certain configuration of objectives depending on the tour, but they have the freedom to show you the city in their personal style and are encouraged to imprint their charm, personality and own thoughts on each tour.
Smart travelers
So, we welcome you to join us on this adventure, where we aim to bring together smart travelers and certified, professional local guides to help visitors see the city through the eyes of authentic locals to get the best feel for the atmosphere and pulse of the city!
The team
