Hop On Hop Off Bus Tours In Smaller European Cities — Do You Need Them?

After a detailed analysis of whether you need Hop on Hop Off buses in London, Paris and Rome, we now ‘hop’ on to some of the smaller cities in Europe and UK – like Edinburgh in Scotland, Lyon, Nice and Monaco in France, Florence in Italy.

Do you need to take the Hop On Hop Off bus tours in these smaller cities?
Well it very easy to decide – these cities are smaller and are more compact in terms of the must visit sites. Hence, walking is the best way to explore them. Pack your bag with enough snacks and water and you are good to go. Do not forget to say a small prayer the previous night requesting the weather Gods to be good to you. Nothing beats walking in the beautiful cobbled streets of Europe, across the lovely boulevards, past the dolled up stores and divine-smelling cafes, restaurants and delis.

Hence, please DO NOT waste your money booking the HO-HO service in these cities. These are best covered on foot or trams/buses.

A Ready Reckoner For Booking The Hop On Hop Off Busses:
• Good only in select cities. Do some research before making the bookings
• In case short on time and you need to see ‘EVERYTHING’ in a day or two
• You hate using maps
• You hate to plan your itinerary
• Have kid(s) or elderly people in your group who cannot walk as much
• You are not comfortable with English language and signs/directions in cities

Do Not Use Hop On Hop Off Busses In These Situations
• If you love to see the local way of life – the off-touristy places and sites
• Can walk a whole lot and still be raring to go the next day!
• Like to plan your own itinerary and are comfortable moving around with maps & guide books