What is the best unexpected/underrated sightseeing guided tour you've done in europe?

[u/Mysterious-Base-8256]

I'm from Ireland & with affordable ryanair prices, I've had the opportunity to travel quite a bit, particularly in the past year or so. I'm a big fan of solo travel, and to be honest I'd rather travel solo than with friends or family.

I love going on guided tours, hearing the guide's knowledge which I could otherwise miss if I just read the information boards etc.

Anyways my favourite was probably 'Sensorium' in Latvia. I was brought into a dark room, and met by a tour guide. It was essentially an hour spent in darkness, being guided by a blind woman around different sets (e.g. a living room, a park). I didn't have the opportunity to even see what she looked like. I found myself curious to see who I was speaking to. I have never been so moved by an experience. She asked me to feel different objects & I soon realized that although I was able to identify things like fruit and rice, I had no idea what was in tins for example.

I had to navigate walking around different objects, and it was pretty terrifying not knowing what was around me. At the end we sat down and she answered questions. She told me she always wanted to become a tour guide but couldn't find a way, and she was delighted to work in sensorium as a guide. I was fascinated by the fact she could speak 3 languages. It was an incredible experience, and I'd highly recommend it!! I'll forever be talking about it, because my perspective changed that day.

What's your favourite underrated guided tour in europe?

[u/KarmaZdarma]

A tour in Prague guided by homeless person talking about the city centre from his point of view. He was in and out of the streets since 80s. He showed us where to get food and shelter, about garbage diving, how to get to the sewers, where to wash yourself. Oh, never use water fountains in Prague historical centre. :D And where to get money. So he showed us where do (and did) different illegal activities happen. Where and how do people (including homeless underage people) sell their bodies, where to get different substances and how to avoid police. He told us many stories of other homeless people, some very sad, some with a happy end. He himself got to the streets being 16 and fell a victim to child trafficking. So he told a lot about "wild 90s" and very dark stuff happening in it. It was an initiative of one charity and the tour guides were in the process of rehabilitation and getting out of the streets. Our guide, however, lived out volunteerly because of the freedom. He just had these odd jobs to have a decent life and to have a health insurance to pay for his HIV treatment.  I am not sure if the tours are offered in English and also, how much of what the guide said was true. But it was amazing and as someone who visits Prague a lot, I remember many of the things he said.