1. DON’T HAVE AN ESPRESSO BY THE LEANING TOWER OF PISA

It is a huge tourist trap, really. Having a drink or food around a famous attraction means you will be paying 3-5 above normal prices. Instead, take a walk and have a drink or food anywhere else on another street. Another great tip is that if there is an English menu in a non-English speaking country, the prices will be much higher as well. Check out Pablo’s tips and experience here.

2. NEVER TAKE A CITY BUS TOUR

As well as you wasting your money, you will probably kill all your desire of exploring the city by joining a city bus tour. Trying to see a city in only 1 hour is like reading just a summary of a book; it doesn’t really take through the feels. And would you read the book again after knowing how it ends? 🙂 Instead, you can find several unique local experiences here and explore the city like a local.

3. NEVER EAT A PAELLA FROM PAELLADOR IN SPAIN

When you tell your friends that you are going to Barcelona, they will probably advise you to eat paella. Paellador is a brand for frozen paella and most of the restaurants in the touristic areas serve Paellador. If you see the sign of Paellador outside of the restaurant, don’t ruin your first paella experience there, please. Pick a local independent spot with great vibes and get the real deal paella! Get help from Luca to find your local food spot here.

 4. AVOID SCAMS IN GRAND BAZAAR (ISTANBUL)

Grand Bazaar is one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world. It offers a unique shopping experience with over 4000 shops. If you are visiting it without a local (Turkish speaker) be careful because some sellers can try to defraud you. They will always say a higher price than the regular price if they realize that you are a foreigner. Don’t forget to bargain and say the magical words: “BEN ÖĞRENCİYİM, BENDE PARA YOK.” It means “I am a student, I don’t have money” 😉

5. DON’T PAY MUSEUMS, VISIT THEM ON FREE DAYS

It is really not necessary to pay for the entrance of the museums when you have many to-do options in a city. Almost all museums in Europe has a couple of specific days for free entrance. Before you plan your trip, don’t forget to check the free entrance days to museums online.  If you are in London, let Rachel-Claudia show you her favorite museums.

6. DON’T TAKE A TAXI, RENT A BIKE

In Europe, most of the city centers are small and they have bicycle roads. You can rent a bike for a very low cost and you can go everywhere with a bike. This way, you can save money and explore the city freely without any traffic jams while you reduce your carbon footprint. A hot tip if you want to make the most of your biking experience is this bike tour with Francesco in beautiful Rome. 

7. DON’T TRY TO FIND A UNIQUE LOCAL PLACE ON APPS

You may be using Foursquare, Yelp, TripAdvisor, and other apps and they are all good If you are searching for the most visited, most rated places, but If you are looking for something unique, local, not a well-known beauty, don’t try to find it on those apps. Because If something appears on the app it is rated by people many times, which in turn means It is not a hidden beauty. You should find it on your own by getting lost in the city and keep it for yourself 😉 You can also find a local here to show you the hidden beauties of the city 🙂