Have you ever booked a coach tour and then wondered what on earth the difference is between ‘VISIT’, ‘VIEW’ and ‘SEE’ in the itineraries? To be honest I had no idea when first asked this question so decided to find out a bit more on the meanings of words or phrases used.

Trafalgar Tours offer a good translation, so please take a look at the list below and let me know if you can find any more travel jargon out there!

Everything else you wanted to know but were afraid to ask – including “itinerary speak”

Visit

This means the tour bus will stop and the groups will visit a specific site. You will then get in-depth sightseeing with a Local Guide or your Travel Director. This includes VIP entry and will vary based on the venue itself.

View

An opportunity to stretch your legs, take in the sights and capture photos with a brief stop.

See

See the sight and its surroundings while driving by on the coach.

Sightseeing tour

A local city guide will accompany passengers on a tour of a city or site.

Orientation tour

Places of interest are pointed out, allowing passengers to then explore on their own.

‘Why not see’ or ‘perhaps enjoy’

These phrases usually refer to optional excursions not included in the tour package, but available for an additional fee at competitive prices. Payments are usually made to the Travel Director by credit card or cash whilst on the tour.

Time to explore and discover

Free time to do as you please.

A day to relax

No planned activities. Time for optional excursions or other independent activities.

Transfers

Motor coach or train transportation from the airport to your hotel or city centre.

Local Guides

Professional guides with specialised expertise in a specific city or region that guide you on a sightseeing tour. They will show you specific sights in more detail while providing vast knowledge on the local area.

Tour Director

Tour escort, responsible to see that your tour runs smoothly. He or she travels with you, helping with everything from co-ordinating hotel check-in, language translation, to advice on best restaurants and sights to see.

We hope this unravels some of the mystery and doubt when reading itineraries