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Vania

Gay

10 years of experience
London / England
United Kingdom (UK)

Contact Options

Living serendipitously, being able to make delightful discoveries purely by accident.

About

Hello, I am Vania, a fully qualified Blue Badge London Tourist Guide, City of London, City of Westminster, St Paul’s Cathedral, Windsor and Eton Accredited Guide and Hampton Court Palace Guide.

I moved from Brazil to London in 1989 and having fallen in love with the city, I decided to change profession to become a guide. I greatly enjoy taking around tourists from all over the globe in both English and Portuguese.

I was born in Porto Alegre, Southern Brazil, where I first gained a degree in Nursing at Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul followed by a Bachelor in Law and Social Sciences at the same university. When I left my home town, I was on my second year as undergraduate on the Fine Arts Bachelor course at the aforementioned university. I suppose I just love learning!

 

Tours Offered & Destination Knowledge

Bus ToursCultural/Specialty ToursGeneral Walking ToursLarge Group ToursLocal GuideMulti-Day Tour Director/LeaderPrivate Tours

I offer many tours around London, from the Royal Palaces to the Financial District, from Political and Royal Westminster to Theatreland and from Gentlemen’s London to High Street shopping.

I also offer tours out and around London at destination such as Oxford, Windsor, Bath, Canterbury, Salisbury, Stratford-Upon-Avon and the Cotswolds.

Fun Fact!
I cared for tuberculosis patients in the 80s, HIV/AIDS in the 90s and now working at COVID-19 Vaccination centres.
Hobbies & Interests
When not guiding, I love going to exhibitions, art galleries and museums. I enjoy reading, walking in the countryside and wonder throughout London discovering new places. I also love running, scuba diving, and gardening.

Virtual Tour Experience

Virtual Tour on request. Have received training by the Association of Professional Tourist Guides.

Testimonials

“Having Vânia as a guide in London has extremely enriched our trip. We had plenty of pleasant surprises, Vania provided us lots of historical information, numerous curiosities and showed special places that we would not have known on our own. Her work is really differentiated and her tips are very valuable. I, my husband, our three boys and niece, teenagers we think that our trip would not be the same without Vânia”. Jane Leal, Belo Horizonte, January 2020

“We took a trip to London and on the recommendation of a guide in Rome, we contracted Vania Gay guiding services to assist us on a 6-day program. It was a very pleasant surprise for me, my wife and two 11-year-old twin daughters, to have contact with an intelligent, super-prepared and especially caring person, who fully guaranteed the success of visits to all points of the program. The girls were delighted and seemed to know Vania for a long time. We feel that we now have a new friend in London.” José Adilson Miguel, S.Paulo, January 2020

“Today I woke up after a nostalgic dream…I remembered so many wonderful moments we spent in London! Ahh miss it !! I want to take this opportunity to thank @brasilianguidelondon Vânia, who was our guide! She took us to wonderful, charming places, full of history and beauty! Some that are part of any visitor itinerary to the city and others that only Londoners, or a Brazilian like Vânia, knows! Places that are out of the tourist agglomeration and that made us feel a little bit like a true Londoner, feeling part of this wonderful city! Thanks to her we had our time maximised and our tours were tailor-made, after all, we did not want to “tour”, our desire was to get to know London at our own pace, according to our interests and taste! I am immensely grateful to Vânia! For all the time she made herself available, by her patience, tips on where to drink, eat, stay, museums, pub, restaurants, shops, castles, parks, local and world culture etc and especially for sharing with us so much wisdom of history! The woman is incredible !!! Not my exaggeration, no !!! I will always indicate this unique person! Our trip would not have been the same without you, Vânia! We are forever grateful! Oh, she has all the necessary credentials and even more to be a guide! Also very important, he is always updating himself and perfecting his acquaintances, who already are many !!! Thank you so much, Vânia! You are wonderful! I miss you!!!! See you later!! Kisses.” Greise Nardelli, Blumenau, Brazil, 2019

 

Details

Gateway Airport(s)

Heathrow, Gatwick, Stanstead, City Airport, Luton

Licenses

London, UK

Training

London Blue Badge Tourist Guide

Language(s)

English, Portuguese

Additional Education

Blue Badge London Tourist Guide, City of London, City of Westminster, St Paul’s Cathedral, Windsor and Eton Accredited Guide and Hampton Court Palace Guide.

Nursing Degree.

Bachelor in Law and Social Science.

General Availability

As a result of the pandemic, free most of the year.

Photo Album