LogFAQs > #979429109

You're going to a foreign country or even just foreign state or area and everyone will tell you the same things:

• stay out of the centre, it's too touristy and expensive
• Here's this super niche not-touristy activity that we did and you should do it too, trust me bro. Basing this off the one time I went there as a tourist for 3 days
• You don't want to go to X famous place, it's too crowded and full of tourists
• Here are some bars/restaurants that only the locals know about

I've travelled a lot and to be honest that's just bollocks advice isn't it? I mean the stuff you saw in the postcards is why you saved up money and went there in the first place right? Why are you listening to your pal who is barely less ignorant about it than you are?

I'll take Edinburgh as an example. I live in Edinburgh, but for most people in the world this is a dream tourism destination. A magical hogwarts-like city with castles and oldness and winding dungeons and passages and stuff like that.

Now if I were to give you the "local" experience, here's what you'd do: 1) avoid all the areas that make's edinburgh so picturesque so that you can commute more easily, 2) go to a local's bar/restaurant that is pretty much like any bar in the world (except maybe smaller), 3) stay in a suburban area outside of the main strip that looks pretty much like any other place in the world because it's more affordable, 4) here's a bunch of restaurants that I enjoy that are foods from around the world that give you nothing new in terms of experience, because I'm guessing you've had a good burrito or pizza or wherever you came from.

All the stuff that I avoid is stuff that tourists want to experience in edinburgh. The castle, the royal mile, the scott monument, some horrific haggis dish somewhere. At best I can recommend some famous tourists spots that are not obvious on trip advisor, and that would be the one gem of advice that would be worth your time. But for the most part, you should do exactly what the tourists do. Go to the centre where the other tourists are.

Bonus pro tip: have a weekend in your own city or town and go and do all the touristy type stuff that you normally scoff at. You'll probably have a surprisingly good time.