Get a Fresh Look at the World’s Most Famous Sites

Stand on the Avenue of the Dead in Teotihuacan—just over an hour from Mexico City—and you’ll be struck by the monumental scale of the pyramids in front of you. You won’t be the first or last to be awed by the site; it was a must-see—and a mystery—even for the Aztecs.

Travelers today are often as baffled as the Aztecs were. But when you take a tour of Teotihuacan with AFAR partner Context Travel, you’ll be in the company of an archaeologist or historian who will bring the site to life and explain the latest theories about this fascinating site.

It’s just one of the iconic global sites you can tour with Context, whose mission it is to provide travelers with historic and cultural insights through the eyes of real experts—everyone from professors to professional chefs. On their private and small group tours, which range from two hours to multiple days and are offered in more than 60 cities around the world, you’re guaranteed a group of no more than six participants. You’re also guaranteed an expert guide; one chosen for their ability to combine PhD and M.A.-level knowledge with engaging storytelling.

Here are some of the famous sites you can learn more about with Context.

Explore Stonehenge and Ancient England The southwest of England is home to some of the country’s most famous sites: Stonehenge, Salisbury Cathedral, and Bath, known for its Roman ruins and Georgian architecture. Take a full-day private tour of this region, and your guide will know all the tricks for visiting its most popular landmarks, like arriving at Stonehenge when it first opens in the morning. You can also customize this tour, adding other Neolithic, Roman, or medieval sites, depending on your interests.

Visit with Monet in France Claude Monet found inspiration in the lush, green pastures of this tiny village in Normandy that lies about 45 miles from Paris. It’s an inspiring place even without a deep knowledge about the artist or the Impressionist movement. But thanks to an art historian guide on a tour of Giverny, you can enjoy a true appreciation of this magical landscape, taking a deep dive into how Monet’s horticultural passion shaped his artistic works

Sift Through Italy’s Pompeii Any visit to Pompeii lets you uncover a world lost in time, and buried in ash, after the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 C.E. On this tour of Pompeii, however, your guide—a scholar in Italian art, culture, and/or history—will truly bring this famous site to life with unforgettable insights. Round out your knowledge with a visit to the Naples Archaeological Museum.

Feel More Zen In Kyoto Laying eyes on Kyoto’s temples—16 of which are recognized by UNESCO—is undeniably moving. Yet it’s an entirely different experience to tour some of this city’s sacred spots with an expert in religion. And that’s exactly what you’ll get on this Arashimaya tour, which explores a quiet corner of the city, with insightful learnings about the intersection of religion, history, art, and literature. Visit temples, a sacred bamboo grove, and the Sogenchi Garden, where you’ll find the quiet necessary to experience some Zen-like serenity.

Walk the Great Wall of China Get up close and personal with one of the world’s great feats of engineering. Context’s full-day Great Wall Tour focuses on the Jinshanling section; since it’s a little farther from Beijing than other sections, it’s generally less crowded. Your guide, an expert in Chinese culture, will give you unique insights into the design, engineering, and history of this superlative site.

Get a Closeup of Mexico’s City of the Gods The murals in Teotihuacan’s palaces are inscrutable to the untrained eye. But on this Teotihuacan full-day tour, your guide will point out the jaguars and owls, the Great Goddess, and the paradise of Tlaloc—and explain what they tell us about how the people of Teotihuacan understood the world. You’ll also make a stop at the 16^th-century Augustinian monastery at Acolman for a fascinating introduction into the country’s early colonial period.