The 15 Best Harvard Tours

1.Harvard University Student-Guided Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 3,931 reviews · 1h 10m · from $22Our pick

Meet a Harvard student in Harvard Square for a 70-minute walk through the university’s historic grounds. See Johnston Gate, the John Harvard Statue, Memorial Hall, and Widener Library while hearing campus stories and student-life details. The route is under a mile, wheelchair accessible, and led in English.

“We enjoyed the tour so much, Jonathan was awesome. We totally recommend that tour while visiting Havard.”

Check availability →Read our full review

2.Harvard University Campus Guided Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 3,632 reviews · 1 hour 10 minutes (approx.) · from $23

A current Harvard student leads this under-one-mile walk through Harvard Square and campus, sharing university history, traditions, and student-life stories. You’ll see Harvard Yard, the John Harvard Statue, Memorial Hall, and more, then finish at the student-run Harvard Shop. The tour costs $23 and runs about 70 minutes.

“Nice tour of the campus! We visited the most important and historic buildings and got to know fun facts about the school. Oksana was an amazing guide.”

Check availability →Read our full review

3.MIT and Harvard Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 486 reviews · 3h 30m · from $49

This 3.5-hour walk links MIT’s architecture, pranks, and campus lore with Harvard Yard, its famous statue and student houses. An English-speaking guide leads the way, and the two-stop subway ride is included. Guides have included Jenny, Alexandria, Maria, Holly, and Marybeth, though your guide may vary.

“This tour was great! Jenny is such a fantastic guide!”

Check availability →Read our full review

4.MIT Campus Guided Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 175 reviews · 1 hour 10 minutes (approx.) · from $22

Meet near Kendall Square for a 70-minute, less-than-a-mile walk across MIT with a student guide. You’ll hear campus history, student stories, and tales of hacks while seeing the Great Dome, Infinite Corridor, Stata Center, and Charles River area. Guides including Austin, Ruben, Maggie, and Vic have led tours. Entry to buildings can vary.

“The MIT Tour was informative and enjoyable. Unfortunately sometimes hard to hear the guide. Mostly tour of outside buildings with limited access inside. Great overview.”

Check availability →Read our full review

5.Illustrious Schools: Group Tour of MIT And Harvard

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 107 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $50Top rated

This 3.5-hour Cambridge tour links MIT’s inventive campus with Harvard Yard, using stories, architecture, and student pranks to bring both schools to life. Guides including Jenny, Alexandria, Alex, Maria, John, and Riley lead the walk. Expect a Red Line ride, a Boston skyline photo stop, and limited MIT building access on weekdays.

“A very nice trip … a good walk on the campus and nice explanations, only if it’s rains it can be a problem.”

Check availability →Read our full review

6.From NYC: Boston and Harvard University Guided Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 36 reviews · 14 hours · from $130

Ride from Manhattan to Boston for a guided look at Copley Square, the Freedom Trail, Harvard University, and Quincy Market. Expect about four hours on the road each way and a full day of sightseeing, with time for a campus walk and a market stop. Food is not included, and the vehicle size can vary.

“The trip was amazing! Milly was the best guide — I highly recommend the tour!”

Check availability →Read our full review

7.Delicious Donuts of Harvard Square: A Historical Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 31 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours (approx.) · from $70

Walk Harvard Square with a local guide, sampling breakfast doughnuts from three shops while learning about the area around Harvard University. Guides have included Jackie, Bob, Emily, and Cole. The walk lasts about 90 minutes to two hours, starts at 1 Bennett St, and ends at Saloniki Greek.

“Best donut tour ev-er, honestly. Jackie was full of enthusiasm for the history of the area and, of course, donuts. So much of a tour like this is dependent on the guide and she was simply awesome. The various types of donuts was excellent. Flavors, textures and types that I wouldn't have gravitated to on my own, which is exactly what I appreciate the most. Finding new donuts - yummmm! Highly recommended.”

Check availability →Read our full review

8.Harvard & Cambridge Walking Food Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 18 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $119

Spend about three hours walking through Harvard Square and nearby Cambridge landmarks with Secret Food Tours. The small group is capped at 12, and the tastings include a New England popover, fried clam po’ boy, Harvard’s favorite pizza, a Boston cream pie donut, and a secret dish. The tour starts on Massachusetts Avenue and ends at Union Square Donuts.

“Chloe was excellent. She is very knowledgeable and accommodating. She made it fun and really relaxed.”

Check availability →Read our full review

9.Harvard Square Chocolate Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 14 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $60

Meet your guide at 1400 Massachusetts Ave for a 90-minute chocolate walk through Harvard Square. Expect tastings of chocolate and other sweets, local independent shops, and stories connecting chocolate with Cambridge history. Guide Roberta has led the tour, though your guide may differ. Groups are capped at 12.

“Roberta was GREAT! Very informative and personable. Great energy the whole time. I would recommend her and the tour to anyone.”

Check availability →Read our full review

10.Harvard: America’s oldest university – walking tour in French

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 10 reviews · 2 hours · from $35

Spend two hours exploring Harvard Yard and the neighborhood around it with a French-speaking guide. You’ll hear about university traditions, the John Harvard statue, Widener Library, and campus legends, with time for a souvenir-shop stop. Groups are capped at 15, but the tour stays outside: university buildings and museums are not included.

“La visite a été super, et la guide excellente. Elle s’exprime dans un français remarquable.”

Check availability →Read our full review

11.Best Of Boston: Harvard, MIT, Harbor Cruise Small Group Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 10 reviews · 6 to 7 hours (approx.) · from $149

Spend six to seven hours visiting Harvard and MIT, then enjoy free time at Quincy Market. From May through October, the day includes a one-hour harbor cruise; from November through April, it includes a lobster lunch instead. Pickup is offered at select Boston locations, and the group is capped at 12.

“Loved the tour with Jeffrey. He was wonderful and I would love to use him again. He was friendly and knowledgeable”

Check availability →Read our full review

12.From NYC: 1-Day Tour to Boston, Cambridge, MIT, Harvard, and Much More

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 6 reviews · from $103

Travel from New York in air-conditioned transportation for a 14-hour day covering Harvard, MIT, Copley Square, Back Bay, Beacon Hill, the Freedom Trail, and Quincy Market. A live guide speaks English or Spanish, with stops to walk and take photos. Meals are not included, so budget for lunch at the market.

Check availability →Read our full review

13.Boston Private City Tour 4 hours and Harvard University

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 5 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $901

See Boston and Harvard on a four-hour private tour with an official guide and a dedicated driver. The route includes the Freedom Trail, Harvard, Trinity Church, the State House, and City Hall, with pickup and drop-off at a Boston address. Guides named in past accounts include Elizabeth and Roberta, but assignments can vary.

“Great experience! They went the extra mile to accommodate my mother who has limited mobility! Great history with a sense of humor! The driver was amazing also!”

Check availability →Read our full review

14.Harvard Square Cambridge Food & Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 5 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $100

At 11:30 am, a local guide leads you through Cambridge and Harvard Square, pairing food stops with stories. Expect appetizers in an underground tavern, Greek and Latin dishes with a modern twist, college pizza, and tiki-style eats. The group is capped at 12, and the tour ends where it begins.

“Its unfortunate that access to the Harvard campus was prohibited due to the protests, but our guide did a good job of making the tour informative, interesting and enjoyable”

Check availability →Read our full review

15.From NYC: Boston 1-Day Tour Harvard, Cambridge, MIT & Freedom Trail.

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3 reviews · 14 hours · from $112

Leave Manhattan early for a 14-hour Boston trip with an English- or Spanish-speaking guide, round-trip transport and stops at Copley Square, Harvard, Beacon Hill and Quincy Market. You get a short campus visit and an hour for lunch. Oscar is noted for his good humor and French commentary, but confirm language availability if you need French.

Check availability →Read our full review