Tours de Deux - Making Private Tours More Accessible for Traveling Pairs

We at Context are all about giving you more than a typical tour. You travel with us to get more than a cursory glance and rote information about a city: you travel with us to learn from PhD- and MA-level guides who can stoke your curiosity, engage in insightful conversation, immerse you in the local culture, and yes, sometimes nerd out a little. 

To that end, we've recently put more focus on our private tour offerings—because they offer one-on-one interaction with our guides and can be customized to your interests, we think they’re the best way to truly deep dive into a topic that fascinates you. But, we've also heard your feedback that our private offerings can be a bit out of reach for those traveling solo or in pairs.

Because we believe that travel is the ultimate form of education for all, we’re pleased to announce that we’re making our private tours more accessible than ever for our scholarly singles and tweedy twosomes. We're lowering the base price of our private tours by 10-25%, rolling out now through the end of November. All private offerings will now be offered at a flat fee for up to two people, with a per-person fee for each additional participant. 

And, to celebrate the occasion, we've rounded up some of our favorite tours for traveling twosomes.

From bickering to beloved:

Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera tour: There are few couples in history that can match the tumult of Frida and Diego. That drama yielded some of the most compelling and enduring art that has helped define Mexico City to this day. This tour visits the Casa Azul, Frida Kahlo's former home and studio; the Leon Trotsky museum (yes, he was also involved); and the Museo Estudio Diego Rivera y Frida Kahlo, the couple's shared home and studio.

Catalan History Tour: Not an actual couple, but the history of Catalonia and Spain is just as drama-filled. The region is known for its fervent nationalism and strong desire for independence. This tour examines the complex history and current issues the region faces as Catalonia continues to push for separation from Spain.

The quickest way to the heart is:

Cucina Povera, Annotated Dinner in Rome: Learn about cucina povera, dishes made from inexpensive ingredients, that are a strong part of Italian cooking today—think arancini, panzanella, pasta e ceci. Of course, we think any dinner in Rome is romantic, but even more so when learning about the special culinary traditions of a country known for some of the best cuisine in the world.

Way of Tea: There are few, if any, food traditions as steeped in history and tradition as a Japanese tea ceremony. This tour explores the intricate customs and culture surrounding tea in Japan in a tranquil and soothing setting—a perfect respite for travel companions.

Romantic refreshments:

Tokyo Evening Sake Tasting Experience: Taking place in an off-the-beaten-path neighborhood, this tour will impress any traveling companion. Even more impressive is the knowledge that you’ll gain about sake’s history, brewing process, and food pairings that will help you become an expert sake buyer and consumer.

The couple that learns together:

The Blitz: London During the War: Not exactly a romantic topic, but we think learning together is quite a romantic activity. On this tour, you’ll learn about London during WWII, when air raids were a daily threat, propaganda campaigns were abound, and the Ministry of Information was tasked with boosting morale of the fearful residents.

Immigration and the Changing Face of Paris: The modern history of France has been largely impacted by its immigrant communities—from the time when France colonized Africa, to the influx of Muslims and Jews in the 19th century, to the Northern African immigrants that helped rebuild France after WWII. These various historical events, and the recent influx of immigrants and refugees, have left France questioning its identity, a topic that this tour examines in depth.

Creative sparks:

Cézanne's Aix-en-Provence: Paul Cézanne, one of the most influential artists of the early 20th century, was influenced himself by Aix, the place of his birth and death. On this tour, you’ll explore the key sites of his boyhood, his later atelier, and the sites that most influenced his work. 

Made in Florence, Oltrarno Artisans: The lesser-known Oltrarno area has a centuries-long history of creating goods for generations of royals and nobles. Today, the rich traditions of leatherworking, silversmithing, shoemaking, and millinery are alive and well in small, private workshops throughout the neighborhood. This tour visits several workshops and explores the history and preservation of the artisan heritage of Florence.

Of course, this is just a sampling of the private tours that Context offers. Now operating in over 60 cities worldwide, we’re so pleased to continue to offer experiences that dive beneath the surface and uncover the hidden corners of the cities we visit. We hope that the updates to our pricing mean that our traveling pairs can more easily participate in what we think are the best tours Context has to offer. 

(Our small group tours will remain priced, as always, on a per-person basis. Our custom tours will also retain their pricing. For more information on all of our tours, check out our FAQs.)