Touring historical or cultural sites in urban settings is best done on foot. While short tours last only a few minutes, longer tours can last the whole day of visiting several sites. A tour guide is responsible for escorting the tourists in longer walks. A tour guide isn’t necessary in walking tours. This distinguishes it from longer tours that require guides who are well familiar with the sites being visited. The guide’s purpose is to explain and interpret the historical and cultural background as well as the artistic significance of the tourist sites. These kinds of tours, whether long or short   are a universal part of the tourism industry all over the world. In some cities, groups of people are currently using a dramatic aspect to appeal more to the tourists. The actors in the walking tours bring history back to live passing historical knowledge effectively and efficiently.

The walking tours are a specific genre in the tourism industry. These tours take place outside of traditional museum settings and require the audience to move through urban environments. This fact makes this style of walking tour a genre of its own.