The concept of Free Tours launched in 2004 in the capital of Germany and is currently practiced in over 250 cities around the world. As a rule, free tours are chosen especially by tourists who want to see the cities they visit through the lens of a local passionate about the history and stories of the respective cities. At the same time, an important category of tourists who choose to take part in free tours is that of "budget conscious" tourists.

Free tours imply that there is no set fee for taking the tour, but in all cases, at the end of the tour the guides accept tips. Of course, taking part in the tour is not conditional on the donation at the end, so the tourists decide if they'll donate or not.

An important thing to know about free tours in general, and the free tours offered by the Alternative Tourism Association in particular, is that "free" is not synonymous with "worthless". Quite the opposite. Unlike classic tours, organized by tour guides who do this full time, free tours are supported by volunteering guides, who do this strictly out of passion, trying every time to offer tourists a special experience, to help them see cities through the eyes of the locals and help them find stories that capture their attention, not just historical data that they would hardly remember anyway.

And if we talked about the tips that the guides receive at the end, a few aspects are worth mentioning. The financial reward of the guide at the end of the tour and strictly at your pleasure, as a tourist. the decision being 100% in your hands. The guide does not expect donations at the end of the tour, but, of course, they'll be happy to receive them. It's a way the volunteer guides who practice free tours are also financially encouraged to continue to do so with as much pleasure and joy.

Currently, the Alternative Tourism Association offers free tours in the cities of Arad and Timișoara. Our plan is to expand the network to other cities in the country, the first cities we "set our eyes on" being Oradea and Cluj-Napoca. Click on the logos below to reach the website of each of our Free Tours projects.