7 Hidden Ways To Experience A Country Like A Local (That Most Tourists Overlook)!

Beyond the Tourist Trail: Insider Secrets to Experiencing a Country Like a Local

Ditch the guidebook! Here’s how I uncovered the real culture in places like Ukraine, Georgia, France, and beyond.

Why Most Travelers Never Experience the ‘Real’ Culture

I used to think I was a master of blending in. I had the essential backpack (even when unnecessary), a wobbly but enthusiastic attempt at local phrases, and a belief that ordering whatever the old man at the next table was eating made me an honorary local.

And guess what: It didn’t.

When I moved to Ukraine, I thought I was doing everything right:

• I took the marshrutkas and the metro instead of taxis.
• I drank samagon (Ukrainian moonshine) with neighbors. (They told me it was a “natural product/натуральный продукт”.)
• I even managed to keep a straight face when someone handed me salo (pure pig fat) as a drinking snack.

Then one day, a Ukrainian colleague smirked and said, “No local walks around with coffee to-go. That’s such an American thing.”

And just like that, my illusion of cultural assimilation crumbled.

The truth? Most travelers, even the adventurous ones, only skim the surface.

They snap photos of medieval churches in Tbilisi, pretend to be amazed by their 200th “hidden gem” café, and call it an authentic experience. And that’s fine… if you just want the postcard version of a place.

But if you want to feel the pulse of a country, you have to go deeper.

I’ve spent years living in Ukraine, Georgia, France, and Albania, and I’ve made just about every cultural misstep possible:

• Insulted a Ukrainian host by not drinking enough.
• Accidentally ordered a kilo of raw squid in Spain, thinking it was grilled calamari.
• Clapped like an overly enthusiastic American at the end of a movie in Poland (The Matrix, English version, no dubbing… seemed applause-worthy).

But these stumbles also taught me what actually works when it comes to experiencing real culture.

Forget the tourist traps.

Ignore the checklist of “authentic experiences” every travel blogger with a drone insists you must do.

Let’s get into it.

1. Go Beyond the ‘Must-See’ List (And Ask This Instead)

Most travelers treat trip planning like a grocery list.

They check off the monuments, the museums, and the “authentic” local dish you found on some influencer’s Instagram.

The result? 

You leave with pretty pictures but zero real connection to the place.

Take Kraków, Poland. Everyone flocks to Wawel Castle and the stunning Rynek Glowny square.

But the most interesting part of the city?

The tiny milk bars, no-frills eateries where locals eat for pocket change.

One afternoon, I ducked into one and found myself sitting elbow-to-elbow with an old Polish man who, despite our language barrier, made it clear I was ordering the wrong thing.

I followed his advice. What I got was pierogi so good, I almost applied for Polish citizenship.

Try this instead:

Instead of asking, “What should I see?” ask a local, “Where would you take a friend visiting for the first time?”

You’ll get real answers, not the ones regurgitated in every guidebook.

2. Eat Where the Grandparents Eat

If a restaurant is packed with tourists taking selfies with their food, it’s not where you want to be.

But if it’s packed with elderly locals arguing about soccer? 

Ding! Ding! Ding! Jackpot!

In Georgia, I skipped the trendy Tbilisi wine bars in the center and instead decided to finally try a local family-run restaurant in the neighborhood I was living in.

I went in expecting a quiet meal.

I left five hours later, full of Khinkali (Georgian dumplings), slightly inebriated from the Saperavi wine, and feeling like I’d been adopted by the owner and waitstaff.

I had since become a regular…

Try this instead: 

Walk a few blocks away from tourist-heavy areas and look for a small, packed restaurant where the menu isn’t in English.

Bonus points if there’s a cranky old man running the place, that means you’re about to eat something unforgettable.

3. Learn the “Unspoken” Rules of Daily Life

Culture isn’t just food and language — it’s **the tiny, unspoken rules that nobody teaches you** but everyone expects you to follow.

When I moved to Ukraine, I thought I was adapting well, until I got side-eyed for whistling indoors (apparently, it’s bad luck) and horrified gasps when I stepped on a manhole cover (which, in Ukraine, could mean a broken ankle or an encounter with a disgruntled sewer rat).

And don’t even get me started on the time I almost bought an even-numbered bouquet for a date, turns out, that’s strictly for funerals.

Try this instead:

Observe.

• How do locals greet each other?
• Do they pay at the counter or wait for the check?
• Do they tip? 

Mimic what you see, it’s the fastest way to blend in.

4. Use the Language… Even If You’re Terrible at It

There’s a magical thing that happens when you greet someone in their language: they suddenly stop treating you like an outsider.

In France, I made the mistake of opening conversations with, “Do you speak English?” and was often met with the same enthusiasm you’d reserve for stepping in dog poop.

But the moment I butchered a greeting in French first (“Bonjour, excusez-moi…”), everything changed.

The same people who were cold before suddenly became helpful, even kind, even if they immediately switched to English after hearing my tragic accent.

Try this instead:

Learn five key phrases before visiting a country:
1. Hello
2. Thank you
3. Please
4. Excuse me
5. Do you have wine? (Okay, maybe that’s just my essential list.)

5. Find a “Third Place” (And Become a Regular There)

Locals don’t live in tourist spots, they have third places, the coffee shops, bars, or street corners where they socialize between work and home.

If you want to understand a place, you need one of these, too.

In Vlore, Albania, I became a regular at a tiny café where the owner knew my order before I even sat down.

He didn’t speak much English, and my Albanian was limited to “hello,” “thank you,” and… “please don’t overcharge me.”

But over time, I learned more about life in Georgia from those morning coffee rituals than from any travel blog.

Try this instead: Pick a local café, bar, or market and go there every day.

Familiarity opens doors to conversations that tourists never get to have.

6. Accept Invitations… Even When It Feels Uncomfortable

Some of the best travel experiences start with an invitation you’re tempted to decline.

On the Camino de Santiago, our little band of pilgrims grew to eight or nine, a mismatched crew bound by blisters, bad jokes, and shared meals.

Among us was a Spanish girl from Ferrol, who, by the end, felt like family.

When she invited us to her home, we went. Her parents welcomed us like long-lost relatives.

We met her sister and her fiancé, toured the city, bar-hopped, devoured tapas, and reveled in the kind of hospitality that makes you question why you ever pay for hotels.

Then came the invite for all of us to come back for her sister’s wedding at the end of August.

Two of our group returned. They danced, ate, celebrated… and made memories that would last a lifetime.

I didn’t go and I regret it to this day.

Don’t make the same mistake.

If someone invites you into their world, say yes (within reason… don’t be reckless).

You’ll experience a side of travel no tourist attraction can give you.

And who knows? 

You might just get a wedding invite you won’t want to turn down.

7. What Separates Travelers from Tourists… Following Local News, Not Just Travel Blogs

If you want to understand a country, don’t just visit its landmarks, listen to its people.

In Spain, I thought I grasped the Catalonia independence debate, until I sat in a Barcelona bar, hearing locals argue over tapas and vermouth.

Suddenly, it wasn’t history, it was personal.

Try this instead:

• Read a local newspaper (or a translated version) before you arrive.
• Ask taxi drivers, bartenders, or café owners about current events.
• Engage beyond tourist attractions… people appreciate it.

At the end of the day, traveling like a local isn’t about where you go, but how you connect.

Some of my best travel moments weren’t planned… they happened because I said yes, stayed curious, and paid attention.

So here’s my challenge: Next time you travel, ditch the list.
Sit in a local café, learn three words in the language, ask a local for a recommendation.

You might just experience something no guidebook could ever show you.

Have a story where you truly felt part of another culture?