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No minimum number of attendeesNo minimum number of attendees is required for the tour
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Free booking and cancellationFree payment tour, no set price, booking and cancellation are free
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Accepts electronic paymentThis tour allows payment by electronic means or credit card
The Essentials: The Best Free Highlight Tour and More of Historic Philadelphia
My name is Tom and I am History Swiftly. I am a U.S. history teacher in a local, suburban school district and am passionate about teaching history and sharing that love of history. Over the last 20+ years as a teacher, I’ve taken students from Quebec City to Boston to Gettysburg to Annapolis to Washington. Philadelphia is always a favorite tour. You will find that I purposely schedule smaller group tours (compared to many of the larger tours offered in the city) so I can share all of the wonderful history and fun Philadelphia has to offer and offer recommendations on how best to see the city!
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Tour description
Highlight Tour of Historic Philadelphia:
Join this walking tour to see the important sites in historic Philadelphia: Independence Mall, Washington Square Park, parts of Society Hill and Old City. This will be the BEST highlight tour of the historic area in Philadelphia that you will find!
See More History:
You will see more, learn more, and have laughs while listening to stories on this guided walking tour of historic Philadelphia! You will see all the essential spots in early Philadelphia history and a several bonus spots, too that other tours don't visit.
Smaller Group Size:
You will not find me giving tours to large groups. Because I enjoy engaging with everyone on the tour, I have capped the group size to 13 or fewer and most tour groups are much smaller in size. I think you’ll get more from the tour with a smaller sized group. I am always happy to offer personal suggestions on the best sites to see in the city to make your visit to Philadelphia a great memory. If you are interested in a larger group tour, please feel free to contact me and I will work with your group to find a solution that benefits everyone.
The tour usually lasts about 2:00 hours.
For a longer tour that extends past this tour into Society Hill, see another tour that I occasionally offer (usually on warm Sundays) by following the link at the bottom of this page.
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Highlights
What will we visit on this tour?
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Meeting point:101 S Independence Mall E, Philadelph...101 S Independence Mall E, Philadelphia, PA 19106, USADirections
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1Outside visitWeitzman National Museum of American Jewish History Museum Store
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2Outside visitDeclaration House
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3Outside visitPresident's House Site
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4Outside visitLiberty Bell Center
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5Outside visitIndependence Hall
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6Outside visitWashington Square
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7Outside visitSecond Bank of the United States Portrait Gallery
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8Outside visitCarpenters' Hall
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9Outside visitWelcome Park
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10Outside visitChrist Church
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11Outside visitElfreth's Alley
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12Outside visitBetsy Ross House
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13Outside visitArch Street Meeting House
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14Outside visitChrist Church Burial Ground
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15Outside visitIndependence Hall Visitors Center
How much does this tour cost?
Free tours do not have a set price, instead, each person gives the guru at the end of the tour the amount that he or she considers appropriate (these usually range from €10 to $50 depending on satisfaction with the tour).
Tour opinions
Lorena
30 May 2023
Verified booking
Travelled in couple -
May 2023
Our tour was lovely. Our guide had a lot of knowledge about the city and history, he was fun, and the walking wasn't excessive
Karen
27 May 2023
Verified booking
Travelled in group -
May 2023
Eleven of us from 20’s - 70’s were engaged for over 2 hours. Thomas was funny and knew how to keep it going. Lots of charisma. Lucky to have him.
Terri
22 May 2023
Tim was friendly, knowledgeable, polite. Wonderful tour!!! Highly recommend.
Raffael
22 May 2023
Verified booking
Travelled in couple -
May 2023
Thomas war ein super Tourguide und man merkt, dass er das ganze aus Leidenschaft macht. Konnte alle unsere Fragen beantworten und hat eine super informative und abwechslungsreiche Tour geboten.
(Man konnte sogar mit Karte bezahlen)
Nochmals herzlichen Dank an Thomas.
Gosia
22 May 2023
Verified booking
Travelled in group -
May 2023
Thomas is a great tour guide and a very knowleagable history buff. He was also funny; chose the most important spots for his tour; answered our questions; challenged our knowledge of the US history without stressing us out; answered challenging questions without making anyone uncomfortable. I had been a little stressed before the tour because I brought two foreign visitors and was not sure their English would be enough but I shouldn’t have worried. Tom spoke in clear English and in an engaging manner for everyone. Fantastic way to start exploring Philadelphia, as he gives some great advice about what to do next.
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Who is this tour for?
Accessibility
Suitable for people with reduced mobility.
Groups
Accepts reservations up to 13 people.
Pets
Suitable for carrying pets.
What should you know?
Minimum of attendees
There is no minimum number of people required for the tour.
Additional costs:
The tour does not require the payment of entrance fees or additional expenses.
Free cancellation
If you will not be able to attend the tour, please cancel your booking, otherwise the guide will be waiting for you.
Payment methods
Electronic or credit card payment is accepted.
When do you want to go?
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
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See availability