New City

I know people who will visit a few monuments and claim they know their city. It couldn’t be further from the truth: discovering a new city is a slow, consuming art that takes months, if not years.

It’s an adventure. You don’t want others to spoil it for you with guided tours and pub crawls.

Never plan, and never stay in your comfort zone. Leave your phone at your hostel. You want to get lost and find your way back. You need spontaneity and courage. Only then can the city unveils itself in its rawest beauty. 

Walking is the single best way to get to know your city. Think of yourself as a flâneur and never cease strolling. Let your curiosity guide you. 

Get out of the city center whenever you can, for a lot is hidden away from the tourist’s eyes.

Live outside, work outside whenever you can. Read in public parks. Write in coffee shops. Take a piece of paper with you during meditative walks.

Engage with locals: bars owners, partygoers, drunks, passer-by, grocery clerks, shop keepers, acquaintances, gym members… the city is where its people are. Traveling is an opportunity to overcome your social fears. If you travel alone, there is no one to tell you how to act: you can be whoever you want and do things you wouldn’t normally consider.