Having true scholars organize and conduct such tours is a great concept which really added a special depth and created a uniquely special learning experience to these tours. Also, being private tours, our sights and discussions were not limited to just the actual tour objectives but we could digress into other subjects and sights that were of interests to us. The guides for both of these tours never had any trouble at all answering any of our questions and in fact could provide fascinating details that we would have never known otherwise.
PhD & MA-Level Guides
Private & Small-Group Guided Tours
Customized Travel Experiences & Trip Planning
Revealing Cities
We craft engaging tours that reveal centuries of history in insightful ways because we’re passionate about the past and futures of the cities that we help you to explore. You travel to shift your boundaries and expand your knowledge of the world. That same love of adventure and discovery motivates us and is an extension of the curiosity that led us to academic research, teaching, and journalism. As brainy guides, we look for the crucial detail, the vital, quirky fact that illuminates local cultures while also revealing global contexts.
In the News
“They really explain the city and its history in an informed way,” says Mark Baker from Lonely Planet, mentioning the operator’s Beer and Baroque and totalitarian-themed tour options.”
“On this guided walk you’ll visit hotels, bars, restaurants, and train stations notable for their elaborate facades, ginkgo Biloba leaves, and elegant light fittings, as you discover Prague’s history.”
“Dr. Bonita Rhoads, a bubbly New Yorker and founder of Insight Cities, a company specialising in architectural tours in Central European and American cities.”
“Insight Cities’ Prague Art Nouveau tour, helps make sense of a place that only emerged from behind the Iron Curtain in 1991, and widely agreed to be as beautiful as Paris.”
“Insight Prague guides come with impressive academic credentials and extensive knowledge in their areas of expertise. The company promises ‘truly informed tours for travelers who like to learn.”
“Vadim Erent runs Insight Cities, a tour company that promises to give visitors a deeper perspective on the cultural and political histories of more than half a dozen cities.”
See What Our Guests are Saying
Insight Cities was wonderful. Our group from New York University’s Gallatin school went on several tours with them and I led the group as one of the chaperones. Logistics were easy, and all of their guides were knowledgeable and personable. They led wonderful tours for our academic group in Prague, Vienna, and Budapest. All of the Insight Cities tours felt more academic and had less of a typically touristy vibe when compared to other tours. I wholeheartedly recommend and expect to use their services again in the future.
Our tour guide – Annelie—was truly superb! Our tour was centered on the music history of the area, and she surprised me with her in-depth knowledge of the history. As a professional musician, I was especially pleased with the insight and background she provided. I would heartily recommend her for anyone seeking a unique and enriching overview of the areas history.
I’d rebook with them any day (and I’d welcome them into our home if they ever venture to our part of the world) and I will highly recommend them to anyone of my colleagues or friends who are taking a similar trip. Pricing – is it the cheapest? Nope. Is it entirely worth it? Yes! The experience and attention to detail and overall feel of our vacation was entirely worth it.
It was like getting a taste of a fascinating college course – which makes sense because he and his wife Bonita (co-founder) are scholars. If I’m making this sound intimidating, it’s not – just a deeper understanding than what you would read in a guidebook or hear on a bus tour. InsightCities small group tours aren’t generally for one person, but they are so small that it’s like walking around with a knowledgeable and interesting friend. You will never want to take a typical tour again. I look forward to taking their tours in other cities, with other scholars.
This tour was very cool. Vadim’s knowledge of Prague’s architectural history is impressive and he made the various buildings we visited really come alive. I especially liked how he could position us to see how older and newer buildings spoke to each other in terms of their characteristics.
Even for people who know Prague well (I lived there for five years), he was able to bring new perspectives to well-known places, such as the murals inside the main post office depicting the history of communication.
Highly recommended!
We LOVED this tour!!! Katrina was incredibly knowledgeable and answered our questions with astonishing expertise. The Palace was incredible and my family said later we never would have wanted to see it without the guided tour to help us understand all the incredible history we were seeing and really bring it to life. I fully recommend this tour!
