Impact tours in Europe
Wherever you travel, there will be tours. Most of these tours rush you past the tourist highlights, without providing much insight into what it’s actually like to live there. But sometimes you may find a tour that does more than just take tourists around the city centre. Because these types of tours are hard to find, I have started this collection of positive impact tours in Europe. This page includes tours that give something back to the local community, focus on sustainability or social justice topics, and employ people who can provide a unique perspective on the area. If you know of any brilliant tours I should add, please leave a comment at the bottom of the page. And don’t forget to have a look at my list of independent gift shops as well!
Index
Czech Republic
Praha
Many tourists who visit Praha never leave the city centre and spend most of their time in and around the Old Town. Pragulic is here to change that. Led by homeless people, you do not only get to see the less pristine side of Praha, but you will also have a guide who knows the city inside and out. Most of the tours are in Czech, though some are offered with an English translator. Pragulic not only provides an income to the homeless guides, they also provide additional non-monetary support. For other things to do in Praha, check out this post.
Denmark
Kรธbenhavn
If you’re looking for true sustainability tours (both in terms of topics and organisation), you’re in the right place in Kรธbenhavn. Green Bike Tours organises multiple cycling and walking tours focused on how sustainability influences citizens’ quality of life and how this is visible in Kรธbenhavn’s city planning. Aside from tours, your can book site visits to an urban farm, a social enterprise shopping street and more.
Nรธrrebro is a vibrant, multicultural neighbourhood in Kรธbenhavn. You’ll hear all about what it’s like to live there when going on one of the 3 walking tours from Migrantour. The goal is to connect locals and tourists, and showcase how multiple generations of immigrants have contributed to Kรธbenhavn’s culture and economy. The guides are from all over the world, including Greece, Lebanon and Sudan.
Another intiative to support in Kรธbenhavn takes place in a kayak on the city’s canals. Your positive impact will be cleaning up the waterways by litter picking. If you collect trash and share about it on social media, a self-guided Green Kayak experience is completely free. There are multiple locations across Denmark where Green Kayak is active, but the litter picking sessions are dependent on the season and volunteer availability. To book a spot, keep an eye on their Facebook page and sign up using the Green Kayak app.
England
London
Unseen Tours allows you to see one of London’s neighbourhoods from the perspective of people affected by homelessness. You’ll not only learn interesting facts about an area of London, but you’ll also hear about the lives of vulnurable people who live there. Unseen Tours trains guides and thereby provides them with an income. To date, this social enterprise has succesfully worked with 28 people who have experienced homelessness.
London is a diverse city with many histories. Black History Walks focuses on the places that were and still are important in over 3500 years of Black History. So, the 21 different tours on offer show the role of Black people in theatre, industrial development, steam train transportation and the development of various neighbourhoods. On top of walking tours, Black History Walks offers talks, films, bus tours and boat tours.
When 2 female friends got fed up with the soulless conventional tours they led in London, they started Rebel Tours. Ellie and Charlie will take you to tourist hotspots, but instead focus on the stories of outliers and misfits. For example, if you tour the National Gallery with them, they will teach you about the rebels, rule-breakers and revolutionaries of British history. Similarly, they have turned popular ‘Jack the Ripper’ tours into a feminist saga about the resilience of women in East London. They host a vegan food tour, as well as seasonal tours around St. Patrick’s Day, Christmas or Bonfire Night.
History Speak hosts tours through Westminster that specifically deal with the lasting impact of the British Empire. This way, you will learn how colonialism lingers in the built environment through discussing monuments, statues and other symbols. You won’t be looking at public spaces the same way after this educational tour by guide Manasi.
Of course London is known for its elaborate metro (‘tube’) network. You can help preserve some of the disused stations and other transport-related artefacts by joining a Hidden London tour. Hidden London is an initiative of the London Transport Museum, which is a registered charity. Rather than letting some of the hidden spaces around and beneath tube stations go derelict, Hidden London opens them up to the public. The tours are a great way to learn about transport, modern history and the impact of the Second World War on local residents.
Bath
Lead by Bristol Tours, you can join a walk around Bath to learn about the rise of this town during the 18th century. Who funded the construction of all the beautiful buildings? And who built them? Spoiler alert: the splendour is closely linked to profits made off slave trade. There is nothing wrong with enjoying the architecture in Bath, but it is good to know it’s full history. This tour requires pre-booking as a group.
Brighton
If you know anything about Brighton, you’ll probably think of it as a progressive, quirky and colourful place. The Piers & Queers tour tells you the history of Brighton from an LQBTG+ perspective. Full of surprising facts and lesser known stories, guide Ric takes you through the past 200 years as you walk around the city.
Bristol
The Bristol Transatlantic Slavery Walk teaches you all about the influence of slave trade on how Bristol looks today. The route takes you past lots of highlights around the city centre and old port. You will not only learn about the importance of Bristol’s harbour during the 18th century, but about its earlier history, too.
Cambridge
Dive into the unheard stories from the rich history of Cambridge with Uncomfortable Cambridge. Aside from a general Cambridge tour, you can also pick a specific theme such as the complex history of scientific discovery, discussing some of the questionable ethics behind scientific experiments. Another themed tour focuses on the African collections of the university and how the curation of such collections shapes our views. As part of this tour, you’ll pass through 3 museums. All of the tours offered by Uncomfortable Cambridge are led by university researchers.
Manchester
Explore pubs, music and creative venues with an Invisible Cities Manchester tour. All of these social impact tours are led by local people who have been affected by homelessness. If you want to know more about the hurdles Manchester has overcome as a city throughout its history, there is a tour about that, as well. And if you want to support the tour guides from Invisible Cities in other ways, you can use the ‘pay it forward’ system to give someone else the chance to join a tour, buy something from the online gift shop, or make a donation.
Rebel Tours has expanded to Manchester to bring you more tales of resistance. Dive into the history of the world’s first industrial city, covering topics such as worker’s rights, suffrage, industrial revolution and LGTBQ+ rights. Just make sure to book this 2-hour tour in advance, as walk-ins are not accepted.
Oxford
Behind the beautiful buildings and prestigeous university of Oxford lie some bitter truths. Uncomfortable Oxford therefore brings such issues of inequality and questionable ethics to light. But don’t worry, these tours are not only about doom and gloom. Rather, they shed light on the less straightforward history of for example medicine and the Ashmolean Museum. The tours are led by postgraduate historians and the organisation works as a social enterprise.
York
Just like its counterparts in Cambridge and Oxford, Uncomfortable York takes you on tours with researchers. During the tours, you learn about York from the perspectives of women, people of colour and other groups underrepresented in conventional historical narratives. In short, the guides will share stories you wouldn’t hear elsewhere. And good to know: Uncomforable York is a living wage employer, so most of what you pay for a tour will go directly to the guides.
Invisible Cities also hosts tours in York. Led by guides who have experienced homelessness, you can tour the city to hear more about Guy Fawkes, York’s railway heritage or the growth and development of the city. Moreover, there’s even a family-friendly tour with lots of puzzles and sidequests for little ones.
France
Paris
Using the app ‘Paris Eco Walks‘ (Balades Paris Durable), you can follow no less than 27 self-guided tours through the green areas of Paris. The routes are dotted around the city and differ in length from 1,5 hours to 3,5 hours. The app has several useful features. Firstly, it helps you navigate through communal gardens, biodiversity spots, parks and ‘green corridors’. Secondly, it contains information on plant species and community projects you pass along the way. I really enjoyed walk #8 along a disused railway line.
Ireland
Dublin
The Liberties is an area in Dublin 8 that often gets portrayed negatively in the media. It has a 50% umemployment rate in male residents and only 5% of the population progresses to tertiary education. These figures indeed show shocking inequalities, so the best thing you can do is to learn about the ‘why’ and help provide employment opportunities by booking a tour with In Our Shoes. This social enterprise trains tour guides to tell about both the good and the bad in their area. By joining a tour, you make Dublin 8 a better place for its residents and hear stories the average tourists will never know about!
For those interested in circular economies, a tour at the Rediscovery Centre is not to be missed. The building itself is constructed sustainably and has a biodiversity garden next to it. And even their website is low-carbon! On a tour, you’ll learn about the history of the centre and all it does to promote circularity to support both the planet and the local community. You also hear all about the current environmental friendliness of Ireland in general.
Like many other European cities, Dublin has a social enterprise that trains people affected by homelessness. Secret Street Tours helps marginalised people develop their public speaking skills, customer serive and route planning. The tours mix historic knowledge with personal stories, giving you a fresh perspective on Ireland’s capital city. You can currently choose between a North and South city tour.
Dublin Heritage Tours offers more traditional walking tours, but at a slower pace and in collaboration with independent, locally-owned pubs and cultural venues. This small tour company focuses on storytelling rather than surface-level sightseeing. The stories aim to encompass lesser known narratives and perspectives to preserve cultural knowledge that would otherwise get lost. The signature tours include a historic pub crawl, ghost stories at night, the influence of Guiness, and the history of Irish identity.
Scratenagh
If you’d like to experience Irish nature and wildlife while supporting conservation of native species, Wildacres Nature Reserve is the place to be. Tours include bat and moth safaris, as well as guided nature walks. The tours are held only once in a while, so you need to plan in advance! Wildacres also offers lots of workshops on topics like creating a wildlife pond or mini nature reserve. Whatever you pay for a tour goes directly towards restoring Irish biodiversity.
The Netherlands
Amsterdam
Whatever you are interested in to do with sustainbility and inclusivity, Tours that Matter will have a suitable tour for you. The tours explore different neighbourhoods and focus on a variety of themes, such as urban agriculture, counterculture, tolerance and migration, innovation, freedom or circularity. Of course there is also the option of a bike tour, where you will dive deeper into cycling culture and how car-free areas came about. The tours need to be pre-booked as a group. Cool extra’s include engaging in a volunteering activity, workshop or community meal afterwards.
V for Food hosts vegan food tours in 3 Dutch cities. Of course you do not need to follow a vegan diet yourself to join one of the tours. In Amsterdam, you will explore sustainable entrepreneurship and the rise of plant-based food in the ‘Old West’. All stops will be at small, locally-owned restaurants or family businesses. As part of the tour, you will meet local entrepreneurs and get discounts to return to the restaurants at a slower pace later.
Rotterdam
‘Verhalenhuis Belvรฉdรจre’ (Storyhouse Belvรฉdรจre) aims to connect people from different walks of life through art, culture and storystelling. To achieve this, they host exhibitions, lectures as well as community lunches. And, in collaboration with migration museum Fenix, they lead tours in the Katendrecht neighbourhood about how Rotterdam became such a multicultural city. Currently, the tour is only available in Dutch.
Rotterdam is a vegan paradise, so it’s no surprise that you can embark on a vegan food tour with V for Food in this city. This tour is all about the Rotterdam mentality of less talk, more action. While strolling past the iconic sights along the Maas river, you meet plant-based entrepreneurs and changemakers. And don’t worry, the famous Markthal is included on the itinerary!
Utrecht
Utrecht is one of my favourite cities in the Netherlands and has lots of good food to offer, too. With V for Food, you will visit multiple restaurants for some delicious bites. Because Utrecht has an incredible cycling infrastructure (including the busiest cycle lane in the world!) you can opt for a bike tour that takes you beyond the city centre. The goal of the tours is to provide everything that’s great about food tours, minus the animal cruelty and overconsumption. You’ll be supporting locals and hearing their stories while tasting yummy food. Alternatively, use this Utrecht Vegan Food A-Z to plan your own foodie tour.
Scotland
Edinburgh
Invisible Cities Edinburgh employs tour guides who have experienced homelessness. Booking one of their tours is not only a great way to give something back, it also connects you with people who have seen the majestic city of Edinburgh from a very different side. You can choose between several walking tours about inventions and creativity, crime and punishment, the influence of women or the Royal Mile.
Interested in the sustainability of the University of Edinburgh’s campus? You can take a self-guided tour to find out all the details about the Edinburgh Climate Change Institute (ECCI) building. You will walk through and around the building guided by online, interactive information. The ECCI tour is an open access resource, available to everyone. Do check the opening times of the building, though!
A unique tour and experience is a Wedgwood Foraging Course led by chef Paul Wedgwood. It comprises 2-hours of foraging near Edinburgh, followed by a culinary lunch in the city. Paul will discuss seasonal cooking, how to recognise edible plants, how to forage sustainably and how he applies this knowledge at his restaurant.
Aberdeen
Learn about witch trials, the University of Aberdeen, single mothers, street art and more during one of the Invisible Cities Aberdeen tours. Each tour interweaves interesting facts about the Granite City with the personal stories of the guides and their experience with homelessness.
Glasgow
Radical Glasgow Tours is a small tour company set up by 3 guides. The tours explore histories of activism, protest, political and social change. Topics include for instance the evolution of private property, women’s roles in activism and organising, the history of refugees in Glasgow and the revolutionary inhabitants of certain neighbourhoods. To make sure everyone is able to join the tours, they rely on donations through a ‘pay what you can’ system.
See a different side of Glasgow with Invisible Cities Glasgow. There are multiple routes on offer through different parts of the city. You can choose themes such as the dark history of Glasgow and its maritime past. As is the case for all Invisible Cities tours, the guides have been affected by homelessness and your tour will directly support them.
Spain
San Sebastian
Indulge in bean-to-bar chocolates or regional wine while doing good: that’s the premise of Eat One Feed One. These food and drink tours work with family businesses and traditional bars in San Sebastian. You will get to know Basque food culture through meeting locals. And for every tour booked, one meal is donated to people in need via one of the partnering charities. Sadly the tours are not vegan or glutenfree-friendly, but you can request private tours that may be tailored to dietary requirements.
Sweden
Malmรถ
Dive into sustainable city transformation with Green Bike Tours. You can choose between a walking or cycling tour to explore how Malmรถ has evolved from an industrialised city to a modern, sustainable hotspot. The tours discuss green architecture, energy efficiency, water and waste management, and of course cycling culture!
Wales
Cardiff
Unpack all the layers of history and culture that make Cardiff the city it is today with Invisible Cities Cardiff. By booking a tour, you support tour guides who have experienced homelessness. Invisible Cities Cardiff works together with The Wallich, a homlessness charity, to train tour guides. The result are intruiging tours about protest, coal mining, television, druid stones and more.
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