sightseeing

sightseeing — noun

1. the enjoyable activity of walking or travelling around a city or area to look at

1.nounA2
Definition

the enjoyable activity of walking or travelling around a city or area to look at famous landmarks, historic buildings, and other notable attractions, typically while on holiday

Example

Joon and his wife went sightseeing around the old town after breakfast.

go sightseeing — most common verb collocation

The best sightseeing in this city is along the river and costs nothing.

Common collocations
  • go sightseeing
  • do some sightseeing
  • a day of sightseeing
  • spend time sightseeing
Synonyms
  • touring

    more active — implies moving through multiple locations rather than staying in one place

  • exploring

    broader — can include learning about culture or nature in depth, not just visiting famous spots

Grammar Patterns

go sightseeing

do some sightseeing

spend [time] sightseeing

Usage Note

Sightseeing is uncountable, so phrases like 'a sightseeing' or 'sightseeings' are not correct. Use patterns such as 'go sightseeing', 'do some sightseeing', or 'a day of sightseeing' instead.

Common Mistakes

Yesterday we did a sightseeing around the city.
Yesterday we did some sightseeing around the city.
'sightseeing' is uncountable and cannot be used with 'a'.

sightseeing — adjective

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Sightseeing, touring, and exploring all involve visiting places, but they differ in scope and purpose. Sightseeing focuses on looking at famous landmarks and attractions, usually as a tourist with limited time. Touring implies a journey through multiple locations — you travel between cities or regions rather than staying in one. Exploring is the broadest term: it can mean discovering hidden gems, learning about local culture, or venturing off the beaten path. For example, 'We spent the morning sightseeing at the cathedral' suggests a quick visit to a known attraction, while 'We explored the backstreets of Kyoto' suggests a more open-ended discovery. Touring is somewhere in between: 'We spent a month touring Europe' covers movement between destinations.

touringexploringsightseeing ↗