Fernando Garcia
Regional Qualification(s):
London
Language(s):
English, Spanish, Portuguese
Phone Number(s):
0773 863 5047, +44 773 863 5047
Email:
fernandoguide@mac.com
Introduction:
I'm a born and bred Londoner and guide in English, Spanish and Portuguese. Before guiding I worked in academia (I have a PhD in urban and cultural geography) and also in business (I ran my own tour operator and coach company); all of which was great preparation for the career of guiding in and around, which I love. I qualified as a London Blue Badge guide in 2010, gaining the award for Best Overall Practical Exams (for the Tower of London, St Paul's Cathedral, British Museum, Westminster Abbey, Tate Modern gallery, guiding on a coach and a guided walk of the ancient City of London). I have an interest in politics and have an additional endorsement to guide at the Houses of Parliament and also enjoy being one of the guides at the world's premier tennis club: Wimbledon! I'm fluent in Spanish and Portuguese and follow the cultures, politics and general gossip of countries tham speak these languages and am able to incorporate links with these places when I guide around London and day trips from the capital. I enjoy cinema, and, again, I have developed itineraries around London to illustrate the places that feature in films such as Notting Hill, James Bond, Harry Potter, Match Point, Sherlock Holmes, Bridget Jones, 28 Days Later, Four Weddings... and many, many more.
Personal Interests:
| Multicultural & Modern London |
| Museums & Galleries inc Tate Modern |
| Walking & Pub Tours |
| City of London |
| Spanish & Portugese speaking cultures |
| Coach Tours & Walking tours |
| Houses of Parliament |
| All England Lawn Tennis Club (Wimbledon) |
Special Interests:
| Geography & Geology | I'm a Doctor of Geography (my PhD was in café culture...really, it was!). My speciality is in urban cultural geography and like to theme tours around aspects of "diversity" and "global London" (e.g. tours about diversity of London's cultures; and tours that explore how global flows of people, ideas and money meet in London's streets, pubs, markets and buildings). |
| Art/Paintings & Sculpture | Highlights tours of the main London galleries, especially National Gallery and Tate Modern |
| Walking Tours | Exploring London on foot is a personal favourite of mine |
| International Links | Español: si busca guía en Londres y sus alrededores, no dude en conctactarme. |
| International Links | Portugués: si procura guia em Londres e Inglaterra, por favor contacte comigo. |
| Politics & Government | I'm an accredited guide of the Palace of Westminster (Houses of Parliament) and, frankly, a bit of a politics geek. |
| Museums | Highlights tours of London's most popular museums, especially the British Museum |
Endorsements:
2012 Venues, Parliament
Additional Qualifications:
PhD, MA, BA (Hons.)
Driver Guide:
No