SunnyNy Posted July 17 #1 Share Posted July 17 We have a port stop here. I've already been to Mont St. Michel and am trying to decide between a ship excursion to Dinan, or something independent in Saint Malo. The only walking tours I've found in Saint Malo seem French speaking. Does anyone know of tours offered in English, or is it worth self-exploring without the benefit of a guide? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edinburgher Posted July 17 #2 Share Posted July 17 2 hours ago, SunnyNy said: Does anyone know of tours offered in English, or is it worth self-exploring without the benefit of a guide? We almost always self explore whichever ports we are visiting. Should you not get replies for english language organised walking tours, try internet searching something like " self guided walking tours of (name of port)") as these self guided tours often come with maps and descriptions and are usually easy to follow. We have also had succes with GYPSmyCity if St Malo is on their list. Only you can decide if Dinan offers more of interest to you than St Malo. Read about both and look at images to help you decide. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Harters Posted July 27 #3 Share Posted July 27 (edited) On 7/17/2024 at 2:22 PM, edinburgher said: We have also had succes with GYPSmyCity if St Malo is on their list. I'm also a fan of GPSmycity and St Malo is listed. Although, IMO, it's not really that helpful on this occasion, as only a handful of places are listed. But all is not lost as it's a small "old town". I had researched it for a cruise that we had cancelled on us due to catching Covid. We planned a walk round the city walls, leaving them to see the occasional church or whatever, and then getting back up to continue the stroll. Easy to download a map of the old town and mark up the places off the walls. We visit it on a cruise next year and will re-research to do pretty much the same thing. Not forgetting lunch at a creperie (I had a number of recommendations from a food forum I play on). As I recall the town's tourism website is in English as well as French but, if not, there's always Google Translate if your French isnt up to it. Edited July 27 by Harters 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edinburgher Posted July 27 #4 Share Posted July 27 39 minutes ago, Harters said: I'm also a fan of GPSmycity I had posted about it quite a long time ago. We discovered it quite by chance as we are mostly independent when ashore and often google for "self guided walking tours of XYZ" as we are big fans of these as they usually come with maps and descriptions making them easy to follow,and on that occasion I had searched for "self guided etc" for Muscat Oman and it popped up in the results. Having never heard of it until then,looked into it and were pleased with what we found, but we don't use it exclusively as we can still find other walking tours depending on where we will be and we compare and follow whichever we think best for us for that particular location. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Harters Posted July 27 #5 Share Posted July 27 2 minutes ago, edinburgher said: I had searched for "self guided etc" For me, it popped up on a Google on "port guide for ......". I think it was Bordeaux which was also a port on the cancelled cruise I mentioned (and will be on next year's Oceania cruise, so I need to resurrect it). I've now used it for three places we've been to on cruises. I use the website to find the "attractions" and put them into route order. But I then use Google Maps to plot an actual route to each point, that I can print out. A bit fiddly but it works for me. Like you we prefer the independent mooch round a town, at our own pace, rather than an organised walking tour that is at the guide's pace. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edinburgher Posted July 27 #6 Share Posted July 27 Frommer's can be a good source of self guided walking tours although in recent years we have noticed that there are fewer than there used to be. We delete the unneccessary sections(for us ones such as "take a break in X cafe or have lunch in Y restaurant" in part as the timings may be totally wrong) then print off. And borrowed from the library guide books can also be good. We scan and print off walking tours and sometimes city/town maps which interest us as the ship port maps are very basic and not really that good.. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Harters Posted July 27 #7 Share Posted July 27 I used to use Frommers for holidays in the States. There used to be a really good port guide website. Something like "Steve's port guides" or some such but it's disappeared. It wasnt a commercial website so possibly "Steve" (or whoever) is no longer around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edinburgher Posted July 27 #8 Share Posted July 27 6 minutes ago, Harters said: "Steve's port guides" You may have confused two male names. It was "Toms Port Guides but they disappeared a couple or so years ago. Many Americans use RICK STEVES guides. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Harters Posted July 27 #9 Share Posted July 27 That's it. I knew it was some bloke's name. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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