Travel & Hotspots

follow these 5 tips and no one will know you’re a tourist

Two weeks ago my boy and I were on a weekend getaway. After just a couple of hours in Barcelona it seemed like our hotel had suddenly moved or had broken down – no other option was possible. Armed with a humongous map, a beach bag and a mega sized camera, we were the epitome of two lost tourists. Because those can be recognized out of thousands.

And you know what, it’s not cool. Because what you want is to blend in with the locals. How do you do it? Follow these five tips (yes, I learnt it the hard way) and nobody is going to know you’re just there for the weekend.

Tip 1: dress differently than you’d like to

I think for most people (especially the Dutch if I compare it to where I’m from) they’ve got the tendency to pull on a dress and flip flops as soon as they see one ray of sunlight. Same story when they’re abroad. But really, keep that thin vest on during the day and believe me when I say you won’t stand out as much. Same story with bold sunglasses. Oh and uh, steer clear of those ‘I Love London, New York or Barcelona’ t-shirts. And that backpack? Leave it at home too.

Tip 2: do your research

Smart move before you go is to look up some of the main streets on Google Maps. That way you’ll know exactly what route to walk and how to get to the good shopping stores without looking like a complete dodo trying to figure it all out on the spot.

Tip 3: get rid of that map

Sounds straight to the point. And incase you really do need some navigating, take care of it at your hotel and take a photo of it with your phone. Then you won’t need wifi while you’re out walking. Besides, a cell phone doesn’t scream the word TOURIST as much as a map does. Not bringing your phone? Jot it down in a small notebook.

Tip 4: know the valuta

If there is one thing sales people and scammers know how to differentiate the locals from the tourists, it’s by their wallets. Make sure you know all about the exchange rates (luckily a lot of cities in Europe all use the Euro which will save you having to learn this) and it’ll save you from that awkward moment in which you have to ask: ‘Uh, how much is this is dollars/euro’s?’

Tip 5: learn a couple of words from the language

My boy managed to piss off a waiter by continuously talking in English, but I made the smart decision to throw in a couple of Spanish words that I knew, and suddenly we were given a lot more respect. Even if it’s just by learning the basics like ‘good morning’, ’thank you’, ‘can we have the bill’ and ‘goodbye’. Seriously, learn a thing or two about the language and you won’t be such a tourist.

Bon voyage!