BARCELONA RUNNING TOURS ...a running tour of one of Europe's most beautiful cities ...what a terrific idea!
I love to run. I am especially exciting to run/explore when visiting a new city. But, how does one get the lay of the land? When sees something interesting, how does one know what he's looking at?
I suppose for a little background before embarking on one's run, he could bury his head in guidebook maps or hop on a tour bus. But while a bus can be an efficient means of exploring, these rides are often cookie-cutter-impersonal and I find it all too frustrating to passively sit atop a bus watching a beautiful city just roll by below me when I could be in the thick of it all.
This is why I was so excited when BARCELONA RUNNING TOURS appeared on my iPad screen as a pop-up ad after booking my trip. I requested a tour via e-mail and got a quick response offering a variety options to personalize the tour to my interests and running preferences, The email also offered helpful recommendations so the options never got to be too overwhelming).
I booked my 90-minute tour. My guide, Robin, met me just outside my hotel at the specified time. He was friendly, accommodating, and very knowledgable. As we trotted through the city's most famous and beautiful neighborhoods, he pointed out landmarks, showed me the most efficient and picturesque paths to get to them. He offered details about the various sites and neighborhoods, but this was not just some local expert spouting answers to common FAQ's. This was a discussion, friendly and conversational. At times, it seemed as if Robin reshaped the tour on the spot based on on the direction of our dialogue. I asked about live musical performances, Robin pointed out a jazz clubs and concert halls. When we discussed Spanish-Jewish culture, he led me to the Jewish Quarter.
And talk about accommodating! ...He packed water for the two of us. He offered to take photos along the way on his iPhone. As our time was waning, he graciously extended our tour by an additional hour. At the end of the run, he offed tourist info from backpack. Within hours of the end of our tour, he e-mailed me photos along with suggestions for restaurants, shopping experiences and even books based on the topics that came up during our run.
And the benefit of my BARCELONA RUNNING TOUR did not end there. Robin made himself available via email through the remainder of my week in Spain offering answers to additional questions and personal recommendations based on my taste and location in the city. He even emailed a personalized map detailing the location of a small street I was trying to find.
Had BARCELONA RUNNING TOURS delivered an enjoyable 90-minute running excursion, I would have been plenty satisfied with an invigorating and entertaining introduction to a beautiful city. That BARCELONA RUNNING TOURS offered so much beyond my expectation made this a unique, memorable, and very happy experience that proved indispensable to my first visit to Barcelona.
If only every city offered such an experience for visitors! read more