{"id":749,"date":"2026-06-12T16:23:15","date_gmt":"2026-06-12T16:23:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.exeterviews.co.uk\/exeter-blog\/?p=749"},"modified":"2026-06-12T16:23:16","modified_gmt":"2026-06-12T16:23:16","slug":"are-exeter-red-coat-guides-worth-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.exeterviews.co.uk\/exeter-blog\/are-exeter-red-coat-guides-worth-it\/","title":{"rendered":"Are Exeter Red Coat Guides Worth It? A Local’s Guide to Exeter’s Free Walking Tours"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

If you’re looking for free things to do in Exeter<\/a>, the Red Coat Guides should be near the top of your list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many visitors head straight for Exeter Cathedral, the Quayside or the shopping areas around Princesshay, but one of the best ways to understand the city is by joining one of the free guided walks led by Exeter’s famous Red Coat Guides.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Exeter
Exeter Red Coat Guide leading a walking tour gathered on Cathedral Green<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Whether you’re visiting Exeter for the first time or you’ve lived in Devon for years, these tours offer a fascinating introduction to the city’s history, hidden corners and stories that you would almost certainly miss on your own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Are Exeter’s Red Coat Guides?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Red Coat Guides<\/a> are a team of volunteer guides who lead walking tours around Exeter throughout the year. Dressed in their distinctive red coats, they share the stories behind the city’s streets, buildings and landmarks while bringing more than 2,000 years of history to life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most tours are completely free to join and no advance booking is required. Simply arrive at the meeting point a few minutes before the tour starts and join the group.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why They’re Worth Doing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You Discover Parts of Exeter Most Visitors Miss<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

It’s easy to spend a day in Exeter without ever seeing some of its most interesting places.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many of the Red Coat tours venture beyond the obvious attractions and explore hidden passages, medieval streets, sections of the city wall and lesser-known corners of the city centre.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You often come away with a completely different understanding of Exeter’s history and layout.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Guides Know Their Subject<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

One of the biggest strengths of the tours is the knowledge of the guides themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rather than simply listing dates and historical facts, they share stories, local legends and details that help explain how Exeter developed from a Roman settlement into the city visitors see today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because different guides have their own interests and presentation styles, no two tours feel exactly the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They’re Excellent Value<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In a time when many guided city tours charge a significant fee, it’s remarkable that most Red Coat tours remain free.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For visitors on a budget, they’re one of the best-value experiences available in Exeter and can easily fill a morning or afternoon with something genuinely memorable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which Tour Should You Choose?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you’re visiting Exeter for the first time, the Introducing Exeter tour is a great place to start. It provides an overview of the city’s long history and helps you decide which areas you’d like to explore further.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

History lovers often enjoy Medieval Exeter or Exeter Old & New, while visitors interested in local folklore are usually drawn to Ghosts & Legends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to see a different side of the city, the Historic Quayside tour offers a fascinating look at Exeter’s trading past and the importance of the river to the city’s development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3 Things That Surprised Me About Exeter’s Red Coat Tours<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

1. How Much of Exeter’s History Is Hidden in Plain Sight<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I’ve walked through Exeter city centre countless times, but it wasn’t until I joined a guided tour that I realised how many historic details I’d been passing without noticing. From medieval buildings tucked between modern shops to sections of the old city wall, the tours reveal layers of history that are easy to miss when exploring on your own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. The Tours Appeal to Locals as Much as Visitors<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I expected most people on the tour to be tourists, but there were plenty of local residents too. Many were keen to learn more about their city or discover parts of Exeter they had never explored before. It shows that even if you’ve lived in the area for years, there’s still something new to uncover.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Every Guide Brings Their Own Perspective<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

One of the things that makes the Red Coat tours so enjoyable is that each guide has their own way of telling Exeter’s story. While the routes may be similar, the personal anecdotes, favourite facts and local insights often differ, meaning no two tours feel exactly the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tips Before You Go<\/h2>\n\n\n\n