*Please arrive 15 minutes before tour start time. It's not possible to join any of the tours halfway or once they have started. * Reach out to Sobeach Tours for any questions or assistance. *We do not recommend driving in Miami. Consider a ride-hailing company like Uber or Lyft, taxi, private car or public transport. Reach out to Sobeach Tours to ask about alternatives. *It's hot in Miami from May-October. Come prepared to walk outside in the heat for an extended period of time. Temperatures usually range in the low to mid 80sF (30C), however, during heatwaves temperatures can reach well over 90F (35C). We recommend bringing a hat, bottled water, and sunscreen. We'll go inside buildings, try to keep you in the shade and make some stops but the tour is approximately a 2-hour walking tour outdoors.
We take you to the rooftop of Art Deco historic hotels to enjoy panoramic views of South Beach, the ocean, landmark architecture and the Versace Mansion's rooftop observatory.
Visit the former Versace Mansion in Miami Beach and learn about the role the show Miami Vice and designer Gianni Versace had in revitalizing South Beach and bringing it to its former glamour. Hear stories of celebrities, lavish parties and murder.
Visit the most popular gay bar in Miami Beach famous for its Drag Queen shows and performances. See the Rainbow Crosswalk and hear stories on how the rainbow colors saved the Art Deco hotels from demolition.
Delve deep into Art Deco history and architecture and visit the interior of Art Deco hotels and movie locations such as the Birdcage, Something about Mary, Any Given Sunday, Scarface, and Frank Sinatra's movie, A Hole in the Head.
Go inside the most famous retro railway dining car in South Beach featured in a popular television show and check out photos of celebrities who visited the diner.
Visit the interior of buildings where Al Capone held his nightly clandestine gambling operations, enjoy 1930s original art deco architectural details, murals and recognize clues on the floors.
Go inside a museum built in 1927, originally built as a warehouse to store illegal gambling paraphernalia during prohibition. Hear stories of celebrities, mobsters, clandestine gambling, vice and secrets of Miami Beach.
Visit top attractions and hidden gems scattered throghout Miami Beach, meet cool locals, see how they live, learn about local culture and cuisine, and hear tips on other tours, activities, and dining recommendations.
Paula was intelligent, knowledgeable and very pleasant. She shared her knowledge about the art deco/south beach history with us. We were kept busy the whole two hours. Great tour!
Paola was an excellent tour guide. She led us on an easy walking tour of the area, pointing out landmarks, telling some history, and teaching about art deco architecture. It was a fun way to spend a couple of hours and helped us recognize and appreciate the local aesthetic.
Excellent tour. The tour guide knew her stuff. When we asked questions about what was original in a hotel, she pointed out what was original and what was a reproduction. We not always saw the exterior of many art deco hotels but we saw some incredible interior ones as well. The fact that our tour was only for four people made it extra good.
Paula was fabulous ! Knowledge was outstanding We were really impressed Went in and out of so many buildings Would do the tour again
Paula was great. She welcomed us by name and was enthusiastic, easy going, knowledgeable and fun to have as a guide. The group was only two couples so we lucked out. I will tell my friends. The two hour tour lasted 2 3/4 hours. Good value!
My wife and I had a wonderful time with Paola wandering the streets of Miami’s South Brach Art Deco neighborhood and learning about its history and Art Deco roots. We went into quite a few buildings and learned about both the interior and exterior features of Miami Art Deco buildings. Our group was only 3 people and Paola took us places larger groups could never access. She answered all of our questions and kept us engaged for over 2 hours. This is a great tour and I highly recommend it.
Paula was a wonderful guide—funny, friendly, knowledgeable. I learned so much history and gained a deep understanding of the art deco movement and its impact on Miami Beach.
I did my your with Howard B and it was amazing! He was very knowledgeable and made the tour engaging. I learned a few things about Art Deco and Miami Beach, which made the rest of the days more meaningful. I highly recommend this tour to anyone who wants to learn and understand the history of the city.
This was a small tour group, 3 of us plus the tour guide Paolo. It was great. Paolo really knows her history and made the tour really fun. It was great being part of a smaller tour. We passed one of the other tours that had about 30 people. The small group was much better and provided more personalized information.
The tour exceeded all our expectations. Paula is a wonderful tour guide. We loved the Art Deco architecture and really enjoyed the tour.
Paula was amazing! Such great information with a brilliant sense of humor to keep you engaged! 2.5 hrs just flew by. We just loved the tour and visited a bunch of the sites post tour. Fantastic trip, thank you!
I very much enjoyed the Art Deco tour of Miami Beach. The guide, Paola, was great. Very knowledgeable and I could tell she truly cared about the historic preservation of the city. This was a lovely way to spend a morning and learn about the architecture of the city. Paola showed us details on the buildings that I wouldn’t have otherwise noticed. Definitely recommend for architecture and history buffs!
We had a great tour with Paula! She told stories about the characters that helped form South Beach, gave us inside tips, and pointed out hidden gems in plain sight. Her tour helped us see beautiful South Beach with new eyes.
Paola’s tour was great and the perfect into to Miami Beach. Extremely informative, while also being engaging and very entertaining! Highly recommend to anyone considering! Also, Paola was super helpful with recommendations for the remainder of my trip, and continued to answer my questions via WhatsApp, even days after the tour - thanks again Paola, really appreciate all your help.
Our walking tour with Paola exceeded our expectations in every way. Paola is very knowledgeable and engaging, and her tour was perfectly paced and encompassed many aspects of South Beach history, architecture, and culture. We had a wonderful time!
This tour is fun & informative - changes your whole perspective on the art deco buildings throughout Miami Beach & Miami and seeing there’s 800 of them it’s quite important to know what they are & why they’re there.
The tour was amazingly good and worth every penny! Paola is incredibly knowledgeable about Miami Beach, it's history and especially it's art deco heritage, and clearly loves to share her knowledge with others. The tour exceeded expectations and included access inside several of the interesting buildings. If you're visiting Miami Beach for the first time, I would recommend taking this tour early on: you will learn so much that will enhance the rest of your visit.
We lucked out with what turned out to be a private tour with our tour gide Paula. This was our first trip to Miami Beach and it started off with a great overview of the local history and how it all started. Once we got going, we visited several of the many art deco hotels on Ocean Blvd. and Collins Ave. I would highly recommend Paola and South beach Tours for anyone visiting Miami Beach. 5 Stars!
This was so fun! Lots of history and architecture appreciation. Paola was a wonderful guide. Sassy, fun, and knowledgeable. We would go on another one of her tours!
Paola amazed us with her knowledge of the Art Deco area. It was an informative and entertaining walking tour. She took us to sights not known by many tourists. I highly recommend booking with her.
Paolo really knows Miami Beach and so she offers a most interesting insider’s tour. We learned so much about so many things…architecture, history, celebrities, local restaurants and more. And, she took us everywhere from hotel lobbies and museums to the oldest dive bar in Miami Beach! Highly recommend this wonderful tour.
Best walking tour ever !!!! Paola opened our eyes to a rich history and gave great tips to come back and explore hidden gems later Highly recommend
Paola was a fantastic guide to show us around Miami Beach on the art deco tour - she was funny but informative and I really enjoyed her tour. It was good that we were able to go inside some of the buildings she mentioned and found out extra information about Miami - would recommend doing the tour for certain!
We had an amazing, insightful, and most importantly, personal tour with Paola. It was an experience you just can't get with the larger tours. She took us everywhere—and I mean everywhere. From the iconic Art Deco buildings to the lesser-known spots that only a local would know, she gave us the complete picture of South Beach. Paola didn’t just focus on the architecture and history, but also on the people who have shaped the area over the years. She shared stories about the characters who’ve lived here and their contributions to making South Beach the unique, glamorous, and sometimes gritty place it is today. What really set this tour apart was Paola’s ability to connect the dots between history and the present. I’ve done this kind of tour before, but this was by far the best. She made the experience feel personal and engaging, while also teaching us so much about Miami and its culture. I would 100% recommend this tour to anyone who wants to truly understand South Beach beyond just the surface. Whether you're visiting for the first time or have been here before, you’ll walk away with a new appreciation for the the area and is people.
Paola was entertaining and very knowledgeable, we learned so much about the city and the people who lived there. We would definitely recommend this to other young people interested in architecture or just the city in general
My wife and I did Paola's tour of the Art Deco buildings in South Beach. It was amazing. She was very knowledgeable not just of the architecture but also the history of Miami Beach. It was very fascinating. She was prompt, friendly, charming, and professional. We would highly recommend it.
The tour was excellent! Our tour guide, Paola explained the histories of the buildings and the development of the area so well! We saw beautiful architecture and learned of the interesting stories behind them.
Fantastic tour, lots of interesting infos and a great way to enjoy South Beach from another perspective. Would definitely recommend!
Paola was an excellent guide. Very knowledgeable and didn't stop for 2.5 hours! She didn't need any notes. I will never look at Art Deco buildings again the same! My friend and I went together and she was also very impressed. I live in Miami Beach and saw some sights (top of the Palace Hotel, for example) I would have never seen without Paola's guidance. Plus, we happened to get the VIP treatment because it was only the two of us. The small sizes she promised was what swayed me for this particular art deco tour, as there are quite a few others advertized. Would highly recommend this tour with Paola.
This was an excellent tour. Paola was very knowledgeable and made the tour very interesting. She also gave us tips on where to eat, where to stay next time. She also has a great sense of humor with lots of stories about the area. We highly recommend her services.
This was such an interesting tour and Paola was an excellent guide. She showed us places inside the Art Deco hotels that we could not have found on our own. The tour is a nice mix of history, architecture and how Hollywood has had an impact on Miami Beach’s resurgence. We highly recommend Paola and the tour!
Paola gave us a fun and fact-filled tour of the art deco highlights, including a history of the area and recommendations for eateries and bars. She has a great sense of humor and we thoroughly enjoyed our tour. I would highly recommend it to anyone visiting Miami.
Paola’s tour of South Beach is absolutely top notch. She is extremely knowledgeable about the entire history of Miami Beach and the art deco architecture and is a great storyteller. We thoroughly enjoyed her tour and highly recommend it.
Very interesting and enjoyable tour. The hotels in South beach have more history than I imagined. Fun to hear about the Art Deco buildings and all the happenings of long ago. Paola our guide was very good and shared quite a bit of interesting information. Had a fun morning in South Beach on this tour.
Paola is a very knowledgeable guide. She gave us a lot of wonderful local historical knowledge mixed in with some great humor.
Very informative and entertaining. Paola showed us another side of South Beach besides just partying and the ocean. South Beach has a fascinating history with some amazing architecture/decor. It was a two hour tour that was very captivating. Would highly recommend on the first day of your visit.
We stayed at the Fontainebleau and they enthusiastically recommended Paola—and so glad they did. It was the perfect mix of history and architectural and design history detail. Paola had answers to my many questions and took us to see small details, places that her relationships with locals helped her gain access to. And so you come away with a local’s perspective on what makes the place so special in terms of the Art Deco architecture but also you learn about a cool place for a coffee, a perfect spot to watch sundown, or see a free jazz show by the beach. Paola really went the extra mile to make sure we learned enough to appreciate Art Deco buildings more when we return to NYC and know the difference between NY Deco and Art Deco in Miami. I go on these kinds of tours a lot think Paola offers something really special as a “design storyteller.” Was a lot of fun!
What a find!!! SoBeach Tours came recommended to us by the concierge at the Fontainebleau. Paola gave us some great Miami history as we explored an incredible collection of deco buildings. She is very well versed in the subject matter. The two hour tour was well paced, and surprising how much ground she was able to cover. Also, her tours are generally smaller than the large group tours you see advertised everywhere. (There were just two of us today.) She encourages questions and we had a lively discussion. I highly, highly recommend this tour.
Paola Bortolin is a fablulous guide. She shared her extensive knowledge of the South Beach Art Deco History combined with her quick wit and humor, she gave us an interesting and fun fact filled tour. Andrea & Michael NYC
This is a fantastic tour, so much information about the history and culture of Miami. I highly recommend this to anyone visiting Miamil
We had a marvelous time. Paula is very knowledgeable about historical buildings and sites not to be missed. Highly recommend
paola was amazing! we had the best walking tour ever! so knowledgeable! highly recommend!! We learned so much about the history of Miami.
Paola was an amazing and intelligent tour guide. Beautiful buiildings. Highly recommended with Paola. Thank you!
I am so glad that I did my Art Deco Walking Tour with Paola Bortolin. She is very informative with excellent communication skills. I found the tour very interesting and educational, plus, very personalized. Doing this tour early on during my stay in Miami set the foundation for the rest of my vacation. All I learned from the tour made all the beautiful architecture and art even more meaningful. It also saved me time by just doing the tour in 2.5 hours, because learning it on my own would have taken days. I highly recommend others to do this tour with Paola to learn about this fascinating history of Miami!
Paola provided a very informative and pleasant tour, and she presented it in a personal way. We are from the Netherlands and were able to follow the storyline easily. The tour was interesting and she pointed out where several famous movies were shot and told us about the history of Miami Beach and Art deco. Paola led us to many places which we wouldn’t have found ourselves. Afterwards she gave many activity and restaurant tips. To conclude, we enjoyed our tour and we will come back anytime.
This was a great introduction to South Beach. Paola was very knowledgeable about the history of Miami and South Beach, and she gave us great feel for the neighborhood. She was also able to take us inside several of the hotels since our group was small, and she gave us some excellent tips on how to spend the rest of our day. All around great experience!
Perfect way to spend 2hrs touring south beach while learning the history of art deco. Paola was so knowledgeable, engaging and personable. We loved our tour! If you’re in South Beach check out SOBEACH Tours.
Very informative and well presented. Paola is very knowledgeable and made the tour fun and enjoyable.
Exactly what I was looking for! Paola is a great asset for guiding you and explain all the history and Art deco style of this city! Super recommend. Hope to see you soon in a next tour 🙏
Amazing walking tour. Paola is a great dynamic guide, full of knowledge and interesting fun facts about Miami. Also, she makes sure she gives you various options of free or cheap activities to enjoy your time in Miami. Definitely recommend this tour.
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