There is nothing like a trip to the city where you can take in the culture, sights, sounds and architecture. Here are three of the best ways to see a modern city…
Modern-day cities are sprawling metropolises with most being a mixture of the best engineering infrastructure that modern technology has to offer, classic architecture, modern architecture, individuals of all types and intriguing traditions.
Most cities can’t even be seen properly in a day visit and staying at a hotel for a few days becomes necessary in somewhere like New York, London or Tokyo. Because these cities are so vast, with a never-ending supply of distractions for all of your cultural tastes, food included, you will never fully see a city unless you get down on the ground and away from the tourist areas.
Some of the best ways to really see a city include:
- Public transport
- Street food
- The people and culture
Public transport in cities provides the backbone of travel inside the confines of a major urban area while street food gives you a real flavour (sorry) for the culture and getting to know the people is the best way of learning the best places to visit.
Get Around on the Ground
A modern public transport system in a big city is nothing short of amazing. These truly remarkable systems including buses, trams and rail both underground and elevated are the pinnacle of the Passenger Transportation industry. From horse and cart of Victorian times, the Japanese Rickshaw and the Kenyan boda-boda to the black cabs of London, subway of New York and the El-train of Chicago, transportation infrastructure has evolved and keeps the city moving.
Most public transport systems inside a tourist-targeted city are designed to take tourists through the most interesting areas and using a system such as a subway for example is a great way to gauge a large cross-section of the inhabitants of any given urban development. Not all attractions are located inside a city centre such as Liverpool’s two football stadiums (Liverpool FC and Everton), both of which are located in sprawling residential areas.
Get a Genuine Taste
Disappointingly, almost half of British people don’t eat local food when on holiday. One of the most memorable things about any city is the food and while you may get accustomed to visiting brightly-lit chain restaurants on the main street of a city, you will undoubtedly find the best ones off the beaten track and down alleys. But some of the most memorable you will find will be from street food vendors, most of whom make food for the citizens of the city rather than tourists, which means that you can get an honest taste of what the people of a particular city eat.
While you may not want to eat tarantulas on sticks in Vietnam (or maybe you do) the immense and intense flavour from a serving of honestly made Pho by a street food cook using his great grandmother’s recipe will stand up to any Michelin starred restaurant. A good tip is to watch for where the locals eat rather than shiny outlets designed for attracting outside visitors.
Meet People and Get Involved
As humans, we are of course programmed to be sociable. There is a richly diverse population of people all over the world and you should try your best to interact with the residents of a city whenever you can. Not only can you learn the language, be pointed to some of the best places to see and get advice on areas to avoid, but you can also make some great friends.
One of the most interesting things about humans in different countries is the amazing differences in culture. From Morris dancing in England to the Shao-Lin monks of China, culture as entertainment is a great way to show appreciation for local practices and most cities around the world will regularly schedule shows of some kind relating to their heritage and history with most offering guides, tours and souvenirs which keeps them funded.
