Barcelona Guide Bureau is built on a team of local guides who know the city inside out and will adjust any tour to suit your desires. These licensed whizzes can give unique insight into the historically rich port city and help you skip the lines at the Sagrada Familia and other top attractions. They’ll also reveal secret spots and stories that only Barcelonans know. Choose from a range of tours such as the highlights of Gaudí, a visit to the chapel-covered Montserrat mountain, or a tour of Montjuïc, with its museums and spectacular views of the city. 

Culture, adventure, food — you can find it all in Sydney. Shore Trips and Tours offers fully customizable private tours based on exactly what you want to do — like an inside look at the Opera House. Or choose one of the standard excursions, which are pretty fabulous, too: a Sydney Harbour cruise in a tall ship, a bike tour from Darling Harbour to the Royal Botanic Garden, a craft brewery crawl, or a terrifying climb over the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge. 

These guys take you right into the wilderness from Juneau. Spring for the Mendenhall Glacier Landing Tour — which includes a flight over vast ice fields — or a humpback whale watching trip that ends with a salmon bake. All Alaska Tours' guides and naturalists lead discussions as you take a rafting trip to view Mendenhall Glacier or go sea kayaking past orcas. Or try your hand at dog sledding, getting an inside look at how these champions train for the famous Iditarod.

Select one of Best Guides' "off the beaten path" trips to get a behind-the-scenes peek at St. Petersurg’s top sights. Take a backstage look at the St. Petersburg Ballet, get an intoxicating tour of the Russian vodka scene, or visit the Faberge Museum, home to the stunning eggs. Expert guides can also show you around the State Hermitage Museum, the Peter and Paul Fortress, or St. Isaac's Cathedral.

Beat the crowds with flexible boutique tours from Hellenic Private Tours that offer private car service. You’ll easily zip around to all the classic Athens locations: the Parthenon, the Temple of Poseidon, the ancient Agora, the old neighborhood of Plaka, Mount Lycabettus. These licensed guides also know where to find the best scenic views and the top insider spots for traditional Greek food. 

The local English-speaking guides with Walks of Italy whisk you past the lines to enjoy special VIP access around the Colosseum. Explore the arena floor, the underground tunnels, and the third tier, with its amazing views of Rome. Whether you’re exploring the Forum, Palatine Hill, or Caesar's Palace, Walks of Italy’s guides have such intimate knowledge of the city's ancient regions that you'll get details the average tourist will never hear about. 

It pays to go with a true authority when navigating Istanbul’s legendary Grand Bazaar. Walks of Turkey will also give you special access to the rooftop, with a view over the marketplace. No matter where you want to go in Istanbul — Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque — this company promises you the ability to have up-close experiences on small-group outings. Another highlight not to miss: a cruise of the Bosphorus.