Many of us experience urban neighborhoods as blurred masses of buildings seen through the windows of speeding cars, buses and trains. But to truly understand and appreciate the architecture, history and unique culture of city neighborhoods, it is necessary to get out and walk the sidewalks, alleyways and streets. An urban walking tour, led by a knowledgeable tour guide, can be a fun and fascinating way to get to know a neighborhood as more that just a collections of buildings, but as a place where history has been, and is still being, made.

Joyce Gold is a historian and tour guide living in New York City. For nearly 20 years she has taught Manhattan history at The New School for Social Research and New York University, and has written books about Greenwich Village and Lower Manhattan. As owner of Joyce Gold History Tours, she frequently guides visitors and residents through New York neighborhoods, speaking on such subjects as social history and physical origins. Here she gives us her insights into the unique world of walking tours:

• Experience a neighborhood. According to Gold, people take walking tours in order to experience a city neighborhood in a whole new way. Joyce has led tours through such varied New York neighborhoods as Harlem, the financial district and Greenwich Village, and being on foot always gives people a feeling of the spirit and texture of the area.

• Find a Guide. Look for experienced guides with a thorough knowledge of a neighborhood's history. City magazines, newspapers and websites are a good place to start your search, but make sure you talk to a guide before you book a tour, so you will have some sense of how he or she operates and what kinds of details the tour will focus on.

• Themed tours. Many cities offer walking tours with specific themes, like visits to famous haunted buildings, or tours featuring the houses of renowned authors or historical figures. Themes like this can add an extra dash of fun to a walking tour and paint an unexpected portrait of a neighborhood.

• Come prepared. Gold recommends bringing along a bottle of water and always wearing comfortable shoes. Cameras are a good idea, and many people like to bring notepads and pens to jot down information they want to remember or locations to come explore in more detail on another day.

• Knowledge and fun. Walking tours are an inexpensive way to have some fun, get a little exercise and expand your horizons. So whether you want to learn more about your own city or get to know your next vacation destination, try booking a walking tour and see our urban neighborhoods the way people did before cars came along and took our feet from the streets.

Joyce Gold History Tours of New York
www.nyctours.com

San Francisco Tours and History
www.sfcityguides.org

Historic New Orleans Walking Tours
www.tourneworleans.com

Tour DC: Walking Tours of Washington DC
www.tourdc.com

See Seattle: Walking Tours & Events
www.see-seattle.com

Solo Travel Portal: Walking Tours
www.solotravelportal.com/trwalktours