Philadelphia · OLD CITY WALKING TOURS
15 reviewed
Old City is small, cobbled and stacked with the oldest streets in the country, and it rewards a proper guide. Here are the best Old City walking tours, best first, from Independence Mall to Elfreth’s Alley: prices, durations, and which ones set off early enough to beat the crowds to the front door of the nation.
A 90-minute Philadelphia Old City walk with a comedian-style guide, 10+ major photo stops, and smart Revolutionary-era storytelling for first-timers.
“A great introduction to the history of Philadelphia and our country, entertaining and very informative”
Small-group Old City Philadelphia pub crawl with 4 bar stops and an expert guide sharing colonial and Revolutionary stories. $45, ~2h15.
“Our tour guide was great! We ended up getting a two-person private tour and she was very knowledgeable and friendly. It was a great time!”
Walk Philly’s Old City on the Road to the Revolution in 90 minutes, hitting Betsy Ross, Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, and more.
“Tour was great! I could have spent another 2 hours listening to Greg talk about American history!”
Three hours of Philly street food and history at Reading Terminal Market, Chinatown and City Hall, with 5 tastings and a secret dish.
“He was very professional and knowledgeable about the history of each place. We really enjoyed the food and the information we received. He was very organized and patient with us. I would recommend him to everyone.”
One hour in a vintage car to hit Philly’s key historic sites fast, with funny guide stories and big-picture context along the way.
“Minor issue connecting with our guy but no big deal. We had a great time despite the cold temp. Loved our driver and his knowledge of the city. He went out of his way to make sure we had a good time!”
Teacher-led 90-minute walk in Philadelphia’s Historic District with 21 stops from Liberty Bell to Independence Hall, $25.
“Tom was a fabulous guide! He weaved the sights and history into a delightful narrative that peaked our curiosity. My daughter and I highly recommend him, we were very pleased!”
A 90-minute Old City Philadelphia walk covering Independence Hall, Liberty Bell, Franklin, the Mint, Betsy Ross, Quaker history, and Elfreth’s Alley.
“Jonathan M. was an amazing tour guide! Super knowledgeable, very personable host, and left us with a ton of recommendations and ideas for the rest our time in Philadelphia. Highly recommend him!”
Self-guided GPS audio walk through Philly landmarks like the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall, with offline maps and lifetime access.
“A lot of walking with very little information provided. The tour could be nice but there is very little information for a lot of walking. Philadelphia has so much history. Tell it!”
App-guided self-walk through Philadelphia’s Revolution-era icons, with audio stories, easy directions, and smart value for $9.49.
“I liked the fact that I could go at my own pace. Unless you have airbuds, you can’t listen to the commentary on each landmark. It would be good if you could buy them at various places like Ross’s house. Buy them when you buy your ticket.”
A 2.5-hour Independence Mall walk through Philly’s founding stories, with included visits to Christ Church and its Burial Ground.
“Please let me clarify that our guide was lovely - it was the tour itself that was poor. We started at the Betsy Ross house as the meeting point. We looked at the outside, were told it wasn't included and so we walked to Christ Church. When we arrived we were told they weren't open yet but we could come back later if we wanted. Same thing with the Benjamin Franklin cemetary. We eventually made our way to Independence Hall to find out that we needed a reservation through the National Parks office. It was 12:30pm and all time slots were sold out for the day. I essentially paid $90…”
A 2-hour Colonial Philadelphia walking tour with street stories, Liberty Bell and Independence Hall exteriors, Franklin Court, Elfreth’s Alley, Betsy Ross.
“This was an amazing tour! Fayge was so personable and knew so much about this amazing city! She had so much knowledge and answered all my questions (which were numerous) many thanks again to the offbeat team for making my last day in Philly so great.”
A private Old City Philadelphia walking tour with Benjamin Franklin storytelling, key Independence sites, and optional Betsy Ross and President’s House stops.
“My private tour with Ben, was both informative and entertaining. His knowledge and enthusiasm about the history was great. This is a must tour when traveling to Philly.”
A small-group Philadelphia walking tour with humor and pointed context, covering Franklin, Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell area, and more.
“Absolutely fabulous. Fayge was so knowledgeable, teaching us nuances of history that we did not learn in history class! Engaging, thoughtful, and connected so well to our modern life. Would highly recommend for anyone!”
A small-group Old City Philadelphia dine-around with tastings, dinner, and drinks, plus a timed walk to Independence Hall in about 2.5 hours.
“I found out the tour was a nogo.After I arrived at the waiting spot. It sounds like Viator scheduled the tour on a date that City Tours was not scheduling tours. The reason I gave 2 stars instead of one is that the person from City Tours reached out to me when he found out.I had been waiting when City Tours did not know that Viator had scheduled a tour. Both the person I spoke to at Viator and the man I spoke to at city tours helped smooth my disappointment. In addition, the man at City Tours really tried to help find an alternate tour that we could schedule…”
Old City after dark in Philly: oldest tavern stop, axe throwing, tequila shot, Japanese listening room, and salsa at Brasil’s Nightclub.
“California girl here- but I had to leave a review 😀. This tour completely exceeded my expectations! Old City After Dark was the perfect blend of excitement, energy, and fun. From ax throwing to bar crawling, to dancing salsa with a free tequila shot in hand—it was one of the most unique and memorable nights I had in Philly.”
