Markets, Mosaics & Magic

Take on the diversity of Philly in the best way possible – local style!  Begin your Philadelphia neighborhood tour on the ever-colorful South Street.  Follow your local guide through the streets of the Bella Vista neighborhood for your first glimpse of some beautiful mosaics. We swing by a historic deli, duck into a tempting bakery, and marvel at the sights, smells, and sounds of the famous Italian Market.

The market is the oldest and largest everyday open-air market in America, and you soon understand why it is one of Philly’s must-see attractions. Tempt your taste buds as we wander past the myriad of local stores carrying everything from cheese, chocolate, spices, and olive oils, to the best bakeries, butcher shops, and produce stalls. We take the time to mix with business owners and residents, taste some samples, and hear stories of early immigrants to the city. It was also here that Rocky ran through the streets on one of his famous training runs — feel free to recreate this scene yourself!

We continue this Philadelphia city tour with Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens, which showcases the mosaic art of Isaiah Zagar. This amazing place includes a fully mosaicked indoor gallery and a massive outdoor labyrinthine mosaic structure. Here, your guide fills you in on the local tales of this area, giving you the opportunity to ask them any questions you may have about this classic Philly spot.

From the Magic Gardens, we either take a stroll or catch a local bus down Philly’s eclectic and dynamic South Street.  Get your counter-culture fix here, and, in the spirit of being a bona fide local on South Street, you can make an appointment for your new Urban Adventures tattoo.

Finally, we take a peek into one of the country’s most historic neighborhoods, Queen Village, to soak in the character of this charming corner of Philadelphia. We finish the walking tour back on South Street for a chance to ask your local guide where you should eat, drink, and shop after the tour.

Need a place to stay?

Heading to Philly without a place to rest your head? Have no fear — the Sheraton Downtown Philadelphia Hotel is ready to welcome you to the City of Brotherly Love! As our preferred accommodation partner in Philadelphia, we recommend grabbing a room there if you haven’t already booked any accommodation. Sleep tight!

Additional information

Inclusions: Local English-speaking guide, some food samples, and admission to the mosaic gallery.

Exclusions: Personal shopping, and tips and gratuities for your guide.

Dress standard: A good pair of comfortable walking shoes is advisable. Make sure to check the weather report for rain!

Your Trip: This trip is offered on a “join-in” basis. Maximum group size is 12

Confirmation of booking: If you have your voucher, your booking is confirmed. We’ll see you at the start point.  Get in touch if you have any concerns or require more information via the email address or phone number (business hours only) on your voucher.

Child Policy: This is a child-friendly tour. Children between the ages of 6 and 11 inclusively are permitted on this tour at the rate listed above. Please select ‘child’ above when booking. Children under the age of 6 are permitted to join this tour free of charge. Please inform us at the time of booking if you’ll be bringing a child under the age of 6. You can do so in the special request box on the checkout page.

Local contact

Office phone number: +1 215 280 3746
Email address: [email protected]

Ms. Louise M. from USA traveled on 23 Aug 2017:

Chuck was friendly, informative and a pleasure to spend time with, and the tour was fascinating and informative!

Ms. Patricia G. from USA traveled on 26 Apr 2017:

Ben was amazing – even in the rain!

Mrs. Barbara B. from USA traveled on 23 Apr 2017:

Our group of 8 had a fantastic time. We learned so much and saw much more of South Philly than we would have on our own. Ben was a great guide. He was relaxed, friendly and knowledgeable.

Ms. Maryjane G. from USA traveled on 16 Nov 2016:

Chuck was knowledgeable and enthusiastic!

Ms. Rebecca T. from Australia traveled on 18 Oct 2016:

I thought this tour was a great opportunity to see a different side of Philadelphia. The guide was very knowledgeable.

Ms. Rebecca C. from USA traveled on 22 Jun 2016:

Very interesting and fun tour. Really enjoyed learning about the history of the market and the surrounding neighborhoods. Loved going into the shops and tasting things and getting to talk to the owners/shop workers.

Mrs. Lisa G. from USA traveled on 29 Mar 2016:

Our guide was Kendra and she was fabulous. So knowledgeable and outgoing. We lucked out and had a private tour (just 3 of us signed up for the day.) Kendra gave us opportunities to customize our tour a bit and was so enthusiastic about the neighborhood. We absolutely loved it.

Ms. Camilia d. from USA traveled on 28 Sep 2015:

Nina was the perfect tour guide. Very knowledgeable and willing to share what she knows. She even took me to the community garden where she gardens which was not part of the original tour, but that I appreciated very much.

Mrs. Irene A. from USA traveled on 08 Aug 2015:

We had a blast, learned a lot, and fell in love with the Italian Market and the mosaics! Kenny, our tour guide, was fun to be with and did an excellent job.

Mr. Spencer B. from USA traveled on 15 Jul 2015:

Chuck did a great job and will again when you hire him to run your European tours.

Ms. Mary M. from USA traveled on 03 Dec 2013:

actually, the trip EXCEEDED our expectations. I don’t think we could have had a friendly, more knowledgeable guide.

Mrs. Debra D. from USA traveled on 01 Aug 2013:

Our tour guide, Arielle, was fantastic!! She was extremely knowledgeable and shared a wealth of information with us. Although a native Philadelphian, I was reluctant to go but learned a great deal about the history of the buildings. Arielle integrated a wide range of information about the culture, heritage and history in her tour. She engaged us in conversation throughout the tour. I will definitely recommend this tour to my friends.