Audio Tours I Love for Slow, Meaningful Travel
How Audio Tours Changed How I Travel
When I travel, I’m not chasing a checklist. I like leaving room for surprise and letting the experience unfold as it will. Sometimes special moments arrive unexpectedly, like stumbling upon a quiet, gorgeous street in Lisbon (cover picture), I might never have found it if I hadn’t been following an audio tour instead of a map. While I enjoy the connection of a group tour now and then, audio tours offer something I value more. Freedom. The freedom to pause, wander off-script, and experience a place in a way that feels personal and spacious.
VoiceMap audio tours, in particular, have become one of my favourite ways to be introduced to a new city or even reintroduced to an old favourite. They let me wander with curiosity, listen deeply, and follow what genuinely catches my attention, all at my own rhythm. I never have to worry about missing something or taking a wrong turn.
I’ve used audio tours on my own, with my husband (we each listen by sharing Bluetooth headphones), and with girlfriends (we simply put a phone on speaker). They work beautifully in any travel rhythm; solo, shared, spontaneous, or slow.
What Makes VoiceMap Different
Here’s how they work: you download a tour through the VoiceMap app, pop in your headphones, and start walking. Because the tours use GPS, the narration begins exactly when you arrive at the right spot with no rewinding, no fiddling, no getting lost!
Just you, the story, and the place revealing itself in real time.
There are around 2000 VoiceMap audio tours in over 79 countries (in 2025) available. The tours are created by journalists, filmmakers, street artists, tour guides, novelists, podcasters and passionate locals. You can choose from traditional sightseeing routes to tours that satisfy very niche themes such as chocolate, wine, literature, alternative culture, street art, or family-friendly spaces.
The following are the tours that I’ve personally taken and have helped me see a place with new eyes. They are experiences that felt less like sightseeing and more like receiving a local’s favourite spots.
But don’t be limited by my list because I haven’t wandered everywhere yet… explore what VoiceMap offers in your hometown or wherever your travels take you next. You might just discover something ordinary-made-extraordinary, just around the corner.
A quick reminder: I’m an affiliate for VoiceMap, which means I earn a small commission on purchases at no extra cost to you. I only ever share experiences I genuinely love, use, and trust. I’ll continue to update and edit this list. Every trip - a new tour! Check back or subscribe to my email list for updates! (last updated January 2026)
Audio Tours I’ve Loved (so far)
Walking Tours in Portugal
Lisbon: Tram 28’s Final Destination: Prazeres Cemetery
Call me odd, but wandering old cemeteries is one of my favourite ways to understand a culture. A tour through Prazeres Cemetery in Lisbon was my cup of tea - a peaceful, symbolic, and unexpectedly beautiful way to spend an afternoon.
This VoiceMap tour slowed me down and helped me notice details I would’ve missed: stories etched in stone, symbolism tucked into the architecture, and incredible hilltop views over the Tagus river. It felt like being gently guided through Lisbon’s history.
If you love art, symbolism, or places that reveal a deeper layer of a city through history, this one’s a gem.
(Travel tip: Skip the crowded Tram 28 ride there and take the public bus to Prazeres, enjoy the tour, then catch the famous tram back to the city centre. With fewer people around, cue up to be first on board!)
Lisbon’s Iconic Tiles: A Walking Tour with Context
Lisbon’s tiles have always enchanted me, but this tour helped me really see them. Three girlfriends listened to the tour on speaker phone and wound our way through Graca and Alfama’s narrow lanes and hills, slipping into tiny shops, pausing in hidden courtyards, and noticing artistry I would’ve completely missed on my own.
I loved how the tour wove history, architecture, and storytelling together. Suddenly, the azulejos weren’t just pretty patterns, but living pieces of Lisbon’s past. We touched ancient tiles, browsed local makers’ studios, and found ourselves stopping constantly just to take it all in.
If you’re curious about craft, culture, or the small details that reveal the soul of a city, this tile walk is such a treat. But remember, Lisbon is hilly!
Porto’s City Hall to Vila Nova de Gaia: Portugal’s Hidden Stories
This tour was recommended to me by a VoiceMap team member, and it did not disappoint. What’s meant to be a two-hour walk turned into a six-hour wander as my travelling companions and I kept stopping to savour Porto, including eating pastel de nata, thrift store shopping, and finding unexpected viewpoints and alleyways that begged for a photo-op.
As we walked from the grand avenues near City Hall into narrow medieval lanes, the tour kept revealing the layers of stories tucked beneath blue tiles, pieces of Portugal’s revolutionary past, and the kind of quirky history that is fun to learn. Crossing the Dom Luís I Bridge into Gaia with the Douro below us was a moment I won’t forget.
If you love a mix of history, beauty, and the idea of choosing a slow, meandering exploration, this tour is a gorgeous way to experience Porto.
Walking Tours in Canada
Chocolate and Churches: A Food and History Tour of Downtown Victoria
Even after decades of living on Vancouver Island, this tour helped me see Victoria with new eyes. I spent a morning playing tourist and found myself falling a little in love with home again! The stories and the hidden corners were delightful, and yes, the chocolate stops helped too.
I loved how the route wove history with indulgence, taking me past grand churches, local favourites, and spots I’ve walked by countless times without really noticing. It felt like having a local friend whispering secrets as we wandered, including a surprising little twist about the iconic Empress Hotel that I’d never heard before.
Whether Victoria is new to you or home, if you enjoy sweet treats, gentle history, and rediscovering familiar places in unexpected ways, this tour is such a delight.
If you love the idea of exploring a city at your own pace without rushing, crowds, or pressure, I’ve created a FREE guide for you.
How to Make the Most of an Audio Tour
It’s a simple, grounded resource designed for curious travellers who want more meaning from their wanderings, whether they travel solo, with a partner…or even close to home.
Inside, you’ll find:
✨ How to choose a tour that actually matches your mood, energy, and unique interests
✨ What to prepare so you feel comfortable, confident, and safe
✨ Smart, non-fear-based safety tips (especially for solo walkers)
✨ Ways to add meaning and mindful attention to your experience
It’s the kind of guide I wish I had when I first started using VoiceMap to slow down enough to really experience a place in a way that fits ME.
Join the Travel Lab to access your free guide and let your next wander become a little richer, a little more present, and a little more you.
Voice Map Tours I’m considering next (a peek into my travel plans).
In Love With Valencia: A Tour of Its Landmarks, Markets and Art
Bites of James Bay: A Food and History Tour of Victoria’s Oldest Neighbourhood
Travel doesn’t have to be big or far to be meaningful. Sometimes it’s a single walk, a story whispered through headphones, or a familiar place seen with new eyes. Audio tours like these remind me that incredible experiences aren’t reserved for epic trips. Awe is available when we slow down, listen, and let curiosity lead.
Wherever you find yourself next, may your wanderings be a little richer, a little more present, and a little more you.
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