Why do tourists all want to 'avoid the touristy areas?'
Posted by Flaky-Walrus7244@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 576 comments
I live in a city with a LOT of tourism (Edinburgh). Every day there are posts of the city Reddit page (and Facebook and Insta) all saying 'I'm coming to visit your city for the first time but I want to avoid the touristy areas, what are some hidden gems?' These are literally tourists who don't seem to think they are tourists. Don't they realise that if the locals told every tourist about the 'hidden gems' - then they'd just be yet another place full of tourists?
Lost_Afropick@reddit
I travelled to see how YOU live and eat what YOU eat and all that.
I don't want to travel to see Starbucks and McDonalds and all that generic stuff I can get where I'm from. I don't want to see the big commercial shopping district or Mall you're proud of which has the same shops I have back home.
I saved up a long time and invested a lot of planning and saved vacation days and all that to come to this trip which I'm going to make the most of.
Touristy places are usually full of overpriced restaurants with watered down versions of the local food they think will be palatable to foreigners. I don't want that. I want to actually see the real.
BUT
Obviously when it comes to historical buildings, organised tours, museums, waterfalls and all that. Then yes. Obviously I want to see that touristy stuff. If I ever go to Cairo I'm seeing the Pyramids. If I go to Paris I'm seeing the Louvre and Notre Dame. Basic but imagine not seeing those great things just to be a contrarian. That's not what people mean when they say they're avoiding tourist areas. They mean avoiding the silly price hotels and shopping and food full of touristy tat. "I went to NYC and got this silly shirt" kinda nonsense.
citruspers2929@reddit
Imagine going all the way to Edinburgh and not wanting to see the castle.
SquiffSquiff@reddit
From my experience in Edinburgh it's hard to go there and not see the castle from wherever you are!
TheMarvelMunchkin@reddit
You’ll be surprised of the amount of times per summer I get asked “excuse me where’s the castle” while on Princess Street - yes I work nearby…
TheKnightsTippler@reddit
Tbf Edinburgh is a bit of a maze. It's easy to get lost there.
I spent ages looking for a street on Google maps, then eventually worked out it was on a bridge that went over the street, from where I was it didnt look big enough to have a whole street.
frymaster@reddit
I love the old town's multilevel nature. There used to be a nightclub that had at least 3 different entrances and exists, all at different heights and on 2 different streets.
TheKnightsTippler@reddit
Yes, it's definitely a work out for the legs.
Opposite_Radio9388@reddit
On what street? 😉 (fellow local)
travpahl@reddit
I have not gone in the castle or climbed that big hill y'all have there. I spent a week there. I have been to enough castles I really have not inclination to go there but will eventually i suppose. My daughter says she can not go in till she graduates from university. The hill looks cool though but she has already climbed it multiple times and did not want to do it with me.
I have bought a few meal deals from the local grocery stores though. Thta was pretty non touristy!
daftcockneytwat@reddit
I lived in Edinburgh for 5 years and never went in the castle. I did once go in the grounds of the castle when Stereophonics were doing an entire gig as a sound check.
widgetbox@reddit
Lived in London for decades - have not seen many tourist sights/sites except in passing. I mean they've been here for hundreds of years so they'll be there when I actually want to see them.
Fearless-Summer-4847@reddit
I live in Edinburgh and it took me 10 years to go and see it - they had free tickets on a sunday in january. Tbh I'm glad I went but to be honest it was a bit underwhelming - it's much more impressive as a part of the skyline than from the inside.
Fantastic_Tomorrow53@reddit
name checks out
daftcockneytwat@reddit
Exciting times. First time I've had this comment on my new account. I would like to thank Danny Dyer.
SarkyMs@reddit
I think I saw runrig in the castle grounds.
Only_Appeal_5403@reddit
The castle is pricey but it's a good time. Would recommend it if you are ever back in the area.
Nuthetes@reddit
Edinburgh castle was very overrated.
It bills itself as an ancient castle but the vast majority of it is Georgian & Victorian and a small section is Tudor.
An ancient castle was there once, but is long gone. I was very disappointed Sterling Castle was much better. That actually was old and had history to it.
Looks impressive over the city though,
IgamOg@reddit
If you're smart you go to Stirling Castle instead.
onlyfansdad@reddit
Went there too when I went there, quick train ride, and a really cool castle. Definitely enjoyed it with less people than the one right in Edinburgh.
Lanthanidedeposit@reddit
And definitely Craigmillar
paulmclaughlin@reddit
Alright there Longshanks
CriticalCentimeter@reddit
Been to Edinburgh a few times and couldn't fathom why I'd want to visit a castle. I've seen other castles and in all cases wondered why id bothered
ross-dirext-words137@reddit
There is a big difference between Edinburgh castle and Scotland. Like Thailand it's full of junk aimed at tourists.
Yes you see some of the real Scotland but it's very much a warped perception.
okwhateveryouwin8@reddit
The Royal Mile is a bit of a cringe fest as a Scot
Kiardras@reddit
Was up there a week ago on holiday, really enjoyed it so sad to hear its regarded like that.
Dont get me wrong its an obvious tourist spot but we did enjoy it
okwhateveryouwin8@reddit
Its the same to me as going to the Netherlands and wondering why nobody is walking around with wooden clogs on. The tourist shops will sell the clogs because it's a relatable part of Dutch history in the same way tartan and kilts are here but you won't find any locals in these shops buying this stuff
Kiardras@reddit
We did see a man wearing nothing but a kilt, sat in a doorway, smoking a pipe and drinking a pint. Seemed like the most Scottish thing ever.
okwhateveryouwin8@reddit
😂😂😂
Kiardras@reddit
It was 10 am, if it helps
GooseyDuckDuck@reddit
Don’t worry, some on Reddit seem to take pleasure in putting down others enjoyment.
I live very close to Edinburgh and happily spend time around the Royal Mile.
okwhateveryouwin8@reddit
Calm down braveheart
Rgeneb1@reddit
It's not really, I'm Scottish and its a beautiful area and much loved, of course being local we get the benefit of going when its a wee bit quieter.
Nikotelec@reddit
HEY ARE YOU SCOTCH? WHAT CLAN ARE YOU?
okwhateveryouwin8@reddit
My mother is from the outer Hebrides, that's real Scotland
the_ninjahippy@reddit
It is wild and fabulously beautiful. I went there in 2024. Been wanting to go for 40 years and finally made it. Probably my favourite holiday in all those years as well.
the_ninjahippy@reddit
McMuffin.
GingerWookie95@reddit
Why yes I am scotch, I identify as a Macallan 18.
crankyandhangry@reddit
Yes, I am an egg.
Conspiruhcy@reddit
I’m Scottish (west coast) and quite like walking down it whenever I’m there. I won’t be stopping in any of the tat shops obviously but it’s nice enough
Superb-Ad-8823@reddit
Oh aye we avoided it like the plague.
RestaurantAntique497@reddit
You say that as if it's a tourist trap that's been manufactured for tourism as if the castle itself hasn't been there for nearly a millennia
ross-dirext-words137@reddit
I not saying don't go see the castle. But I understand why people want to see the real scotland
Serious_Escape_5438@reddit
What's the real Scotland? The run down housing estates on the outskirts of Edinburgh? Where people wear tracksuits and eat at McDonald's?
ReinforcedTube@reddit
Cumbernauld
Rowdy_Roddy_2022@reddit
What makes Edinburgh Castle not "real" Scotland? It's a key part of Scottish heritage and history.
Fattydog@reddit
The commenter said “imagine going to Edinburgh…”, not “imagine going to Scotland…”
SimplyFootballNet@reddit
Got a good idea of real Scotland via the pitch invasion at Celtic a few days ago
Superb-Ad-8823@reddit
Stirling Castle is much better.
GoHomeCryWantToDie@reddit
If you live in the Royal Burgh of Stirling, you get free access to the castle. I went all the time when I lived there.
vipros42@reddit
It's also not in Edinburgh
NinjaTigerB@reddit
Craigmillar Castle is great and fits the bill as not overrun with tourists.
lalajia@reddit
agreed!
Maleficent_Owl_7001@reddit
The castle is worth it.
Lanthanidedeposit@reddit
Been here on and off for 50 years and have yet to see the castle - other than as a backdrop.
jb0079@reddit
Check out their Historic Sundays offer for residents. You'll have to wait until October now, but if you can get tickets then it's a good way to get free entry. https://www.historicenvironment.scot/historic-sundays/
Lanthanidedeposit@reddit
Thanks - missed that. I used to look out for Open Doors but the Castle disappeared from that, now I know why.
Appreciated.
idlewildgirl@reddit
Maybe they have seen it before and want to try something new
ChallengingKumquat@reddit
Is there something truly remarkable about it? I've seen a number of castles and couldn't be bothered seeing another one. The city of Edinburgh was beautiful and unique, but I suspected that the castle might be much like any other castle? Maybe that was a huge mistake, Idk.
sockeyejo@reddit
Been to Edinburgh twice for the day and still not been to the castle. Had a fabulous time wandering around the city each time and still don't feel like I've missed out.
TheShakyHandsMan@reddit
I’ve been a lot but never bothered with the castle. I’ve done the whisky museum nearby twice though.
anguslolz@reddit
It's always really chock a block these days it's mainly waiting in a queue these days. When I went as a kid I don't remember it being like that. Plus yeah there are better castles to visit and there alot funner things to do elsewhere in Edinburgh.
I think seeing the castle from the outside in the skyline is iconic though just going in these days isn't as fun due to over tourism.
Camderman106@reddit
Because “touristy” areas all become identical cesspits of overpriced generic tacky nonsense trying to swindle you out of everything you own. People don’t go on holiday for that experience
BountyBobIsBack@reddit
To make themselves sound cultured
MobiusNaked@reddit
A:Try Slough
Madog-Hellgeese@reddit
Problem with avoiding touristy areas is that youll probably struggle to fill a day walking round Tesco or a Shell garage
TheMusicArchivist@reddit
But in Rome, if you dodge all the tourist streets you still get all the famous sights but the walk inbetween them is more pleasant, more realistic, and full of high-quality eateries with no tourists in them. It's amazing how little effort it takes to dodge tourists in major cities. I got within a minute of the Trevi Fountain without seeing anyone.
In Venice, for example, walking through the Jewish Quarter cuts 90% of the tourists out.
In Lake Como, taking the ferry one stop cuts 99% of the tourists out.
That's just three anecdotes from one person in Italy who can read maps (me), but it applies the world over. Go one block further away and then walk parallel.
biggles1994@reddit
When I visited Rome I basically wandered a loop around the city through whatever streets looked interesting to me, came across all sorts of cool stuff that I never knew about beforehand, most of them pretty quiet and tourist-free (besides myself of course).
Serious_Escape_5438@reddit
Do you think you're the only tourist who's thought to walk a couple of minutes from major attractions?
RRW2020@reddit
This is very funny 😁
nipple_juicerx@reddit
We love visiting supermarkets when abroad. We also tend to go out of town to visit the large hypermarkets.
SweetPrism@reddit
YES! I do all my shopping at the pharmacies and grocery stores when I travel abroad. No one wears the tee shirts people bring back, unless it is something really cool (I got my dad a Belfast Harley Davidson shirt, he loved it). At the markets and pharmacies, you can get perfumes that are made locally, with locally grown scent notes. There are spices, treats, candies for the kids, snacks, etc... that we don't have in the states so the recipient can try cooking a new dish. I also like to go to the liquor stores to buy different little airplane bottles of booze that they make/distill in that country. These are all memorable, inexpensive souvenirs that people really like.
koalateacow@reddit
Yes mostly to sample the strange variety of crisps
Madog-Hellgeese@reddit
UK has THE best selection of crisps in the world. Most of Europe you'll be getting some paprika muck
Bgtobgfu@reddit
Yeah it’s one of my favourite things to do on holiday
BlockedNetwkSecurity@reddit
probably my favorite thing to do on vacation is to go to the grocery
simonjp@reddit
I always get a bag for life from supermarkets abroad. I like to think it makes me look dead cosmopolitan when doing the Big Shop at the Big Tescos
nutella-filled@reddit
Hell I even like to see supermarkets in different areas of London because not all Tescos are the same everywhere and part of what they stock depends on the local ethnic and cultural makeup.
Lanthanidedeposit@reddit
Same here, for that "this is what you could have won" vibe. Depressing when you get home though
fannyfox@reddit
Speak for yourself. Yellow ticket hunting is a full time hobby.
elimercer@reddit
Golden tickets
widgetbox@reddit
Brit who does not live in the UK.
Was back in the UK this past weekend. In a Sainsburys as they were doing the yellow sticker drop. Was at risk of getting trampled. I do miss yellow sticker bargains.
CT0292@reddit
Stop 1 M&S. Find those stickers. The posh pork pies and chicken goujons are top priority. Followed by those shortbread biscuits with the chocolate chips in them.
Stop 2 Tesco. This one's a big Tesco, not an Express. Meal deals? Forget it. We are hitting the meats first. Mince, fish, whatever to fill the freezer with. That's a week of dinners for less than a tenner.
Stop 3 Boots. The 12 quid Tuesday deals are a must. Makeups, baby stuff, headache pills, grab the meal deal sandwich and crisps. Scoff that and get ready for the next one.
Stop 4 TK Maxx everything is always on sale. Shoes, clothes, handbags. Those nice candles that smell like cinnamon. Get it all. Don't hesitate because it won't be there when you get back.
Stop 5 Smyths for the kids. They've been whining being in all these shops. Grab them a Barbie or something and shut them up. Next to Smyths though is
Stop 6 B&Q this is our finisher. We need an apple tree. Some onion sets. Potting soil. Oh and several different lightbulbs. And nana wanted us to price some fence panels after the last big storm blew hers down.
Go home, settle in, put those reduced price pizzas on and light that pumpkin scented candle. Almost time for Coronation Street.
And that's how you live like a local as a tourist.
headphones1@reddit
My old housemate showed me her yellow sticker tour route when we lived in Sheffield. We'd occasionally go on the hunt after uni. Good times.
apple_kicks@reddit
Middle ground and what will probably satisfy is local chippy.
A local flavour tourists probably not used to and not tourist trap. The problem is if too many tourists go the prices go up and chippy is low cost food for some locals.
If pubs or other types of businesses are dying out tourists might give them boost if regulars don’t get at them
SubjectiveAssertive@reddit
I was in in Edinburgh a few weeks back and spent plenty of time at The Range...
Juilius-Sneezer@reddit
I feel like if you want to see the touristy stuff that's all quite easy to research. If I'm coming to Reddit I probably already know what the top recommended sights and just want some different ideas, something a quick Google search wouldn't throw up. Personally when travelling I like a bit of a mix between famous sites and a few 'hidden gems' when I fancy a break from the crowds, especially when staying multiple days.
That said, one of the things I miss the least since leaving Edinburgh is the subreddit. It was all just low effort posts like the ones you describe, or people moaning about said posts.
kahuna3901@reddit
I never think we in the uk have touristy areas lol
No_Release2180@reddit
This annoys me the other way too.
I went to Rome last year. A colleague of mine used to live there. When I told her about my trip, and the things I did, she said "ah so you just did all the touristy things, that's a shame". She'd given me a list of recommendations, but they were all super obscure. I wasn't going to travel way out of my way for a pizza when there is pizza on every corner.
I had similar happen when I went to New York. Ahead of my trip, somebody tried to tell me the Empire State Building AND the Statue of Liberty weren't worth it.
And that may be true, but when I visit somewhere like Rome or New York, I am obviously a tourist. I want to see the touristy things and make my own mind up. I don't think that's crazy or stupid, and I'm kind of sick of the trend where people make you feel like a loser for it. I get that if you revisit somewhere you will have these opinions and suggestions, and everyone is different. And I get that the pizza outside the Colosseum is more expensive and not as authentic as one in a little tavern 45 mins away... but it's outside the Colosseum. That's where I want to be.
DutchOvenDistributor@reddit
There is a happy medium: do tourist stuff one day and explore a random area the next day or whatever.
glitterswirl@reddit
When you're travelling/on holiday, time is also a limited resource. For some people it's a once-in-a-lifetime trip, or extremely occasional. So if you're seeing the Colosseum and have other spots you want to visit too, then you might not feel like trekking halfway across the city for some "hidden gem" eatery, because that takes time from something else you can do.
Like, if you're a super rich person or you go to New York City regularly, then yeah you can look for the obscure places. But if you know that you can only afford to go to NYC maybe once in your life, then this is likely your only chance to see the Statue of Liberty.
It's fine if some people want to eschew the touristy sites, but they don't get to decide where everyone else should go.
Ryanhussain14@reddit
This is a big one for me. I went to London recently and went to a sandwich stall I knew would be overpriced compared to quality because it was right next to Buckingham palace and I hadn't eaten breakfast and really needed the calories before walking to all the other popular tourist sites. Sometimes the "tourist traps" are really convenient and I don't mid paying the premium so I don't have to walk 20 minutes off course to a "hidden gem" that will eat up precious time I have on my trip.
glitterswirl@reddit
Exactly - sometimes it's more about convenience. You want food where you are, and are willing to pay the going rate in that location rather than going somewhere cheaper.
20 minutes can sound a short time to sacrifice... but once I went to Brighton and decided to take a ride up the BA360 donut tower. The sun can go down a lot in 20 minutes lol, it makes a difference!
ChallengingKumquat@reddit
I've seen both, and in a sense I think they weren't worth it (ESB was just an elevator ride; SoL was much smaller than I expected) but you have to do those things in order to verify for yourself that they weren't quite worth it. If I'd gone to New York and NOT seen those things, I'd have been kicking myself.
Indeeed, it was 2000 when I was there, and I only had time to visit two out of three of the ESB, SoL, or the World Trade Centre. I decided to see the ESB and SoL, and told myself I'd see the twin towers if I came to New York ever again. The following year, they were gone. So it definitely makes sense to see the touristy things when you get chance; you'd be a fool to go to Paris and just spend your time visiting local charcuteries and eating croissants, and not seeing any of the noteworthy sights.
Ryanhussain14@reddit
I'm going to have to disagree with you on ESB being overrated. I've been to multiple top floors of skyscrapers and ESB had distinct historical vibes combined with a view of New York that I still remember over a decade and a half later. Burj Khalifa was a skyscraper that was actually underwhelming.
No_Release2180@reddit
100%. I probably won't do ESB if I visit again, because I agree it's not that great. The view from Rockefeller is much better. But I would never suggest somebody skip it. Everyone who tells you to skip the big tourist places have also already had their chance to experience them and judge them for themselves, you'd miss out by not being able to tick them off amd decide which ones were worth it to you personally.
Thanatos971@reddit
I just dont get your logic here. You say its not great, the person you replying to says it wasn't great, the locals were saying it wasn't great, and you still seem to be of the mind that people should do it and you were happy you did? You just said it wasn't great!? You dont need to verify every little thing in life. That's one of the major benefits of being social creatures. Some Touristy things are good to see but dont go to the obvious letdown, especially when you were saying time was a factor.
For me I absolutely would go 45 min out of my way in Italy for perhaps the best pizza in my life and that I may ever have. I still dream of the donuts my Amish butcher made for us once. Gobexperience the unique and unforgettable, not the Touristy slob that you just shrug at after spending a hour or two.
treesofthemind@reddit
Yeah same
I’m going to Paris soon. Checking out the Louvre and Eiffel Tower for the first time, don’t really care if it’s touristy
imp0ppable@reddit
They are both worth doing although the queues are very bad at times.
treesofthemind@reddit
Yeah, I've prebooked tickets in advance
imp0ppable@reddit
Have fun then! BTW the mona lisa quite small
imp0ppable@reddit
You want to go up a skyscraper in a big city, Tokyo, Shanghai, London etc. The thing about the Empire State is it's best seen from Top of the Rock because if you're in the Empire State then you can't see it. So they were correct on that one IMO.
Statue of liberty is worth visiting but it's like the tower of pisa, do you really need to go up it?
Lambchops87@reddit
There's an element of luck as well that people don't appreciate when you have limited time as a tourist.
Unless you are a meticulous planner type with every piece laid out (rather you than me, I used to try that and find it infinitely more stressful) you are going to make some snap decisions based on y'know just being hungry.
First time I went to Rome the best pasta I had was relatively close to the Colliseum. Hadn't planned going there, but we were starving. Plenty of annoying buskers around but the food was superb.
Went to a pizza place near our accommodation the next evening. Locals were eating there, seemed like legit "local flavour" and the pizzas were shite.
For me there's an element of chance involved and the good memories are typically the ones that stay (apart from that shote pizza, my other half didn't let me hear the end of that one!).
MPHOLLI@reddit
Hate this so much. People recommend you do the exact things they did because it was so good, without realising that most of what makes it so good was unexpectedly discovering it. I'm not going to the specific comedy club in NYC, or steak restaurant in Dublin, or alpaca tour in Siberia you say was the best thing ever- I'm going to head out and have my own experience that they me good, may be shit.
Impressive-Hair2704@reddit
It’s also a question of time. If I’m in a city for one or two weeks I might not mind taking the metro or bus for some tiny museum/little known hidden gem. But if I’m there for a weekend that’s less likely to happen especially if it’s my first time visiting.
Maleficent_Owl_7001@reddit
I live here and I still buy mini empire state building souvenirs. They make me happy.
HarketSavoy@reddit
Sometimes the touristy bits are the best part. It might be the only time you visit. If you go again, you can see other parts. To be honest, pizza at the Colleseum sounds awesome. Who cares if it’s touristy, if it’s good. I live in a tourist town and sometimes it’s good vibe to wander around with the tourists.
HoundParty3218@reddit
There is a middle ground between paying crazy prices to eat bad food and wasting over an hour walking to/from a specific pizza restaurant. Eg. Think of how many awesome places are just off the Royal Mile or one street over. Usually you don't need to go far to find much better options.
If it's up to me, I only eat in/on/just outside a big attraction if I'm specifically there for the views/atmosphere and want to linger eg. The V&A cafe, London or St Marks Square, Venice. Or if the food is the attraction eg. Pastéis de Belém, Lisbon.
UltimateGammer@reddit
Spot on, the out of the way stuff really isn't as good if you don't have the backdrop of the touristy stuff to compare.
these_metal_hands@reddit
Pro tip - if you run a mediocre restaurant or cafe, these pages are a great place to pose as a local to drum up business from tourists.
ima_twee@reddit
Exhibit A: Angus Steakhouse, Leicester Square.
Odins_eye_4@reddit
When I die, I want my ashes to spread out all over the Angus Steakhouse premises
ima_twee@reddit
Which is only fair, considering what they do to the steaks.
Double_Collection155@reddit
I think there is some sort of hidden agenda against Angus Steakhouse. Like people are intentionally shitting on it online to try and make it less popular because the food is absolutely banging. Last time I had to queue for 4 hours for a table but it was well worth it. By far my favourite restaurant in London
-LargeHardOnCollider@reddit
That's different though. I literally called my first born son Angus because of how much their steak sandwich changed my life
ER1916@reddit
I called my first born ‘Steakhouse’ for the very same reason.
GreatChaosFudge@reddit
Coffee on keyboard moment.
GoHomeCryWantToDie@reddit
Wait till you hear about his daughter, Chicken and Mushroom Pot Noodle.
Accurate_Might_3430@reddit
That’s an exception, as it’s genuinely very good quality and authentic to the area.
kendoddsdadsdeaddog@reddit
You’re not wrong, that restaurant is fantastic. I recommend all visitors to London should go there
Amazing-Heron-105@reddit
Nice try, Angus steakhouse!
Pigeoncow@reddit
Their steak sandwich changed my life. I wish I could eat it every day.
PM_ME_VEG_PICS@reddit
I used to go to the Angus Steakhouse with my dad when I was a kid. This means that I have a weird soft spot for the place! I haven't been to one for many years though but just seeing it makes me feel nostalgic.
MagicBez@reddit
All true Londoners eat at Angus, usually for special events. Don't let the tourists find out about it or they'll ruin it for everyone
TrickyPG@reddit
Angus Steak House is so good, I divorced my wife after taking just one bite of their steak sandwich.
labdweller@reddit
My boss used to take clients to the Angus in Paddington.
Puzzleheaded_Gold698@reddit
Oh nice one. 😡
fartingbeagle@reddit
Caution: the letter G is not needed in the first word of the restaurant.
anomalous_cowherd@reddit
They sell hot dogs too?
ima_twee@reddit
Andouillette detected
LambonaHam@reddit
Exhibit B: Bude Tunnel
Radiant_Length_6564@reddit
There's been a flood of overblown reviews online for Angus Steakhouses to draw in the Tourists and away from the better restaurants
ima_twee@reddit
How dare you
reditcyclist@reddit
I'll not have a bad word said for this fine establishment. Should be Michelin starred.
AnotherDamnTransAlt@reddit
Surely if you run a local business, chances are high you are a local? You’re just hiding your affiliation with the business. It’s still advice from a real local!
these_metal_hands@reddit
It was a joke.
Some things, such as the difference between a 'local' and a 'business owner', and why a tourist might listen to the opinion of one over the other, were left out for brevity.
You are of course correct in what you are saying, and I'm glad you were able to find the core point intended with the use of the word 'pose': "You're just hiding your affiliation with the business".
AnotherDamnTransAlt@reddit
My comment was also a joke, or at least a bit tongue in cheek. Sorry if that didn’t come across.
these_metal_hands@reddit
I did not pick up on it being a joke, no. I thought you were being frustratingly pedantic. My bad hahaha
AnotherDamnTransAlt@reddit
To be fair, not an unreasonable assumption on Reddit.
RUPlayersSuck@reddit
Especially if you include one of those chalkboard memes about someone giving you crap reviews on TripAdvisor. 😁
misskittygirl13@reddit
Only the most local of locals drink in the queens in ilfracombe North Devon. Gotta have at least 5 generations in church yard to be welcome. A true hidden gem.
Emergency-Kale5033@reddit
So they can feel special / like all the others who ask the same question 🙄
UberMcWolf@reddit
There's loads of good reasons for this.
orange_fudge@reddit
DutchOvenDistributor@reddit
And Harry Potter merch
Lanthanidedeposit@reddit
Not always true - I have had a couple of recent trips which were full on tourist traps and really enjoyed them. There was that surface scum of the press the coin type crap but some of the places really lived up to the hype - yes Paris, I'm looking at you! And living in a major global destination it is fun to see how we measure up to other destinations.
Rgeneb1@reddit
I went to Tenerife for the first time last year and asked a few friends for areas you could buy authentic, local souvenirs. Got a few recommendations - every shop was full of stuff you could buy on AliExpress for a tenth of the cost. The global market has killed what used to be a fun experience, hunting for a souvenir or gift. You're right, everywhere is the same.
MATE_AS_IN_SHIPMATE@reddit
Same reason drivers went to avoid traffic.
Neddlings55@reddit
They know they are tourists. They just want to experience things without other tourists in a massive herd, and without shops that hike their prices up to fleece tourists.
OurSeepyD@reddit
And see what real life is like for the people that live there.
banwe11@reddit
Which in most cases is pretty mundane and the same as in most other places
EducationalWeek885@reddit
You think day to day life in say an island on Thailand is the same as living in a 3 bed semi in Newcastle?
banwe11@reddit
Ultimately yeah - get up, go to work, come home, cook, look after kids, do chores, scroll social media, etc, repeat.
MickIAC@reddit
Where I subscribe to this is, different people have different ways of community. I love just people watching in more residential parts of a cool area of a city. Seeing people chatting playing chess, seeing how they interact different from myself and my pals etc
Tay74@reddit
I mean, so what, so we send the people asking this about the UK to a fucking council estate, what are we doing?
clrthrn@reddit
Only the view changes.
NorthAstronaut@reddit
and the size of the spiders and snakes.
clrthrn@reddit
Which is why I am in here and not there!
Holska@reddit
It’s true, you can’t move for snakes in Newcastle
TheIllRip@reddit
U ok hun?
Randy_The_Guppy@reddit
Just me and the kids now.
Holska@reddit
Inbox me, babe. Can’t trust no one no more
EducationalWeek885@reddit
I feel really sorry for you if that is your life
HeartyBeast@reddit
Except you're on holiday - so no.
Tuxhorn@reddit
A weekday after 6pm is dead here in Denmark, even more so at 9pm.
9pm on a weekday in Korea is BUZZING with people all over.
Cultures can be extremely different :)
alvenestthol@reddit
When do we get up? Only one sleep during the night, or is there also another afternoon nap? Do we stay home after we wake up, or do we go somewhere immediately?
Is work something you "go to", or is it more akin to maintaining your home + food source, and indistinguishable from chores? What kind of work do you see while outside?
With what ingredients, methods, and how much time is spent on cooking vs. eating out? Street food or sit-down dining, what does the seating plan look like?
How many kids, if any? Are the kids indoors, outdoors, or working? Community child-rearing, babysitters, or only parents looking at their own kids?
Is social media really the only form of leisure? How many people are playing football/cricket/chess/other games outside, or inside?
not-much@reddit
Most of the Thai people who live in cities don't cook.
Captains_Parrot@reddit
As someone who lived on a tiny island in Thailand for 5 years. Day to day life is similar but there was much higher highs and much lower lows when they came.
I still had to work, pay bills and clean my 1 room flat. However my back garden was the beach, I actually enjoyed my job and every night I spent with my friends.
Tourists thought you were gods gift and would buy you dinner and drinks regularly. What they didn't know is your job paid so badly that half the time you wouldn't have eaten if they didn't treat you. They thought you lived in paradise but didn't realise you could be murdered if you pissed off the wrong person at the wrong time.
There were much higher highs and much lower lows but on a day to day basis you had the same life as back home with nicer weather and better views.
somajones@reddit
other than constantly cursing at all the stupid selfish tourists.
thpthpthp@reddit
That is legitimately what I want. Just a little bit of escapism from the place I'm used to. To live out a short fantasy where I am a different person in a different environment, appreciating all the little day-to-day norms that are different from my own.
BlockedNetwkSecurity@reddit
only if you have depression
OurSeepyD@reddit
Food is typically very different
Serious_Escape_5438@reddit
Not in Edinburgh it's not.
OurSeepyD@reddit
Depends where you come from. If you're coming from Spain, or the US, or China, the food is going to be different.
Tourist hotspots will have overpriced "stereotypical" foods. Less touristy places will have fish and chips, pub food etc.
Serious_Escape_5438@reddit
Well I was assuming we were talking UK tourists, but regardless generally I find tourists are much more likely to want to eat local food. Locals in Edinburgh don't go out to restaurants to eat fish and chips, they'll get that in a chippy. If they're going out they don't want everyday local food. Obviously I appreciate that someone from China is going to find it very different, I don't think most Europeans or Americans would.
OurSeepyD@reddit
Yep and if I were a tourist from one of these countries, I'd prob want to go get a fish supper from the chippy. I'd want to try a steak and ale pie in the pub, or haggis if they've got it.
Serious_Escape_5438@reddit
Yes, and the pubs most likely to serve haggis are the ones catering to tourists.
phlummox@reddit
How much people drink may well be, though. Scots adults on average drink about 10 to 12 litres of pure alcohol per person annually, which puts them amongst the highest alcohol-consuming nations. It's certainly something I noticed when staying with friends there.
dr_wtf@reddit
You'll never live like common people.
You'll never do whatever common people do.
elimercer@reddit
And the crazy things they do.
publiusnaso@reddit
They can watch Trainspotting if they want to learn about real like in Edinburgh
OurSeepyD@reddit
Can't taste a battered mars bar through the TV though, can you?
crankyandhangry@reddit
Or a pizza crunch 😋
Icy-Initial2107@reddit
Or a munchy box.
gridlockmain1@reddit
Or a spoonful of smack
EducationalWeek885@reddit
But how do I get to experience that as a tourist?
TheShakyHandsMan@reddit
Wander down to Leith docks and see if you can find a Russian sailor.
vizard0@reddit
Leith is gentrified and I'm not sure how you'd find a dealer in Niddrie.
TheShakyHandsMan@reddit
It’s a reference to the film and books where they find a sailor selling 2kg of smack.
Chelseus@reddit
I was obsessed with Irvine Welsh as a teenager and picked Scotland to be an exchange student as a result. My host family was like “wtf??!” when this information came out but still dutifully took me to the place where Renton gets hit by a car in the Trainspotting 😹😹😹
publiusnaso@reddit
He’s an amazing author. I challenge anyone to write dialogue (whether Edinburgh, Glaswegian or Cockney) better than him.
OldGodsAndNew@reddit
That area of Edinburgh (Leith) is heavily gentrified now, it's like Scottish Shoreditch
Lanthanidedeposit@reddit
And enjoy the Glasgow "scenery"
NaomiOnions@reddit
I lived and worked in Polperro, Cornwall. American tourists thought it was a theme park.
Neddlings55@reddit
Not to mention actually converse and interact with locals rather than other tourists.
If i were to visit a foreign country/area, i want to meet the natives, not other holidaymakers/visitors.
Some of us want to be tourists, but not lumped in with the ones that are insufferable and entitled.
giuseppeh@reddit
You sound like exactly the kind of tourist I avoid
Neddlings55@reddit
Luckily for you i avoid towns and cities like the plague.
Serious_Escape_5438@reddit
Lol, as if the locals in a city full of tourist traps want to talk to you. They have their own lives to lead, they're not your entertainment.
SomeHSomeE@reddit
"I want to meet the natives" like you're doing some sort of national geographic research trip
Vegetable-Use-2392@reddit
Sound like someone entitled there yourself no?
lottesometimes@reddit
and when the tourists come the prices go up and locals are pushed out. Camden market, borough market are two examples that once served a local community that are now complete tourist traps. Can locals maybe have something that serves their community without pandering to tourism every time?
Serious_Escape_5438@reddit
Exactly, if locals tell the internet about their favourite places they'll soon be taken over.
SuccessfulTourniquet@reddit
There also economics behind this. Services catering to tourists are unlikely to need repeat business from that specific tourist. So they are incentived to lure new victims in, and then rip them off eg with terrible and overpriced food.
Non-touristy restaurants etc tend to be better, because they have to be to stay in business.
prictorian@reddit
Edinburgher here too. I usually just report those questions, or direct them to the Edinburgh hidden gems TripAdvisor page.
Kaiisim@reddit
Yup, and other tourists often have weird tastes, like visiting another country but wanting safe American food.
It's like going to Spain, the tourist places just do chips and burgers sometimes.
So some don't want that
Kharenis@reddit
Tbf I always try to get a McDonalds everywhere I go (once) because the menu varies so much per country. It's usually on the first day because we tend to arrive to places late.
Omg_stop@reddit
These are bots. They were posting the same comments in the town sub the day after a massive hurricane devastated the town I use to live in... it was global news and people died. "We're coming to X for our honeymoon in a month..." no, you aren't babe.
Stunning-Attitude366@reddit
I don’t think it’s unusual to want to visit places that locals know about so they don’t get the generic visit but get an actual feel for the place
Serious_Escape_5438@reddit
The reason areas are touristy is because they're nice. If no tourists go there it's probably because there's nothing interesting to see. Why would you travel to see the actual things locals do like go to the supermarket in a retail park and live in a new build estate?
brabrabra222@reddit
That's not true at all, maybe in small, flat, walkable cities. But something is uphill with no transport? Likely to be empty no matter how interesting it is. Something is away from other attractions? Also likely to be emptier than deserved.
Many tourists go for the most accessible low-hanging fruit. Even if it means standing in a queue for an hour, because that's better than walking 10 minutes uphill.
I live in Snowdonia and guess why Snowdon gets 95% of all visitors? Because it has a train up there. It doesn't make other mountains less interesting. Ok, as a hiker, I admit that most paths to Snowdon are quite rewarding and the views are great. But if someone (a fellow hiker or anyone willing to walk) asks me for hidden gems, I'll have several tips for them.
I was born in Prague and know that city really well. Also a ton of nice places that are visited much less than the major ones. I could tell you about a great place to get a beer on a sunny day that, for some reason, gets mostly locals and not that many tourists, even though it is a very short distance from a major tourist spot.
cine@reddit
This just doesn't apply to many places.
The reason why Leicester Square is touristy is absolutely not because it's nice?!
Serious_Escape_5438@reddit
Ok, well nice or famous or unique. And different from what you can find elsewhere, with something interesting to see. Why do you think people go there then?
giuseppeh@reddit
But the places locals know about are the same as everywhere else so it makes it pointless. Drive 10 mins into a York suburb and there are council estates identical to ones across the country
Stunning-Attitude366@reddit
Wow you’re all so negative. Fine, if that’s how you want to be
Plane-Physics2653@reddit
The tourist sites are what make a place unique. If I wanted a feel of a local park with kids syringing up in the corner, I would never leave home!
RRW2020@reddit
I don’t. The reason I went to Paris was to see the Eiffel Tower. And watch people eat snails in restaurants even if I’m too chicken to try them myself.
piss_guzzler5ever@reddit
If they’re American, a lot of US cities they may be used to traveling to tend to have a pretty inauthentic “tourist zone”, or museum district that they may be wanting to avoid. The same doesn’t really apply to many UK cities, as the equivalent may be an historic castle and cathedral.
elimercer@reddit
Princess St Edinburgh is a tourist zone.
blindoptimist13@reddit
Ah, I miss living in Edinburgh. What I don’t miss is walking home through crowds after work whilst the Fringe festival is on.
elimercer@reddit
I love Edinburgh castle but the streets around it are such a tourist trap with high prices and selling tartan tat from China. I think they are just wanting to avoid tourist traps most of which profits go outside the local area,
Duke-of-Glenmont@reddit
When I was in the Army we went to London, the first thing we did was go to a bar and asked “where do you guys go to eat and drink?” Once the women heard our American accents they just took us with them, it was a very blurry long weekend. But we didn’t do touristy things. And it was the 90’s, so not everyone hated us then.
ExtensionPort@reddit
I think avoiding tourist traps regarding food is a big one. Less so in the UK, but in Rome, Amsterdam, or anywhere else in Europe you can easily get bang average overpriced food - I’d rather go somewhere recommended by locals or others wanting to escape those bang average restaurants
Regarding sights/attractions there’s a big difference between missing out on the must-visit sights (silly) and dodging tourist traps. Big difference between avoiding a Ripley’s Believe It or Not and deciding against visiting a historic castle.
giuseppeh@reddit
It’s the same in York. Go on r/York and you’ll see it all the time.
It’s not like Rome or somewhere where there’s going to be some super authentic locals only restaurant and a special way of life. Whenever a local wants a nice meal they’ll go to most of the same restaurants tourists do, it’s part of why people move here.
‘Living like a local’ would mean making all your meals at home and maybe having a takeaway at the end of the week..?
cthulu_is_trans@reddit
I think for a lot of the places like Edinburgh and York where a main part of the tourist appeal is the architecture and vibes of the city, the answer to "how do I avoid the tourists" is just: explore at night.
My band played in York last month, came down from Glasgow for it, and afterwards me and our guitarist just wandered around the city from half 11 until like 1am because we had never been there before and exploring those super old streets mostly alone was really fucking cool? Just the two of us coming up onto the massive fucking cathedral which we had no idea existed and the way it was lit up was kinda breathtaking and would have been way less cool swarmed by tourists in broad daylight.
michaelisnotginger@reddit
well I was in York last week for a getaway; hadn't been back since I lived there 9 years ago. In the centre before 11 I had most of it to myself. And plenty of cafes and shops with locals if you knew where to go.
Impressive-Hair2704@reddit
Living like a local (doing laundry and answering emails)
apple_kicks@reddit
Probably more like ‘where do locals go for a treat’.
Maybe not even that. People overseas never know what true chippys are like or authentic smelly pub. They’re ordinary for us but exotic to tourists
giuseppeh@reddit
Indeed. I think people from abroad don’t realise the chippy 5 mins from the minster is broadly the same as the chippy 20 mins away
glitterswirl@reddit
Yep. Sitting at your local two-platform station looking up delay repay because your Northern train that only comes every half hour has been cancelled.
Serious_Escape_5438@reddit
Haha exactly. I also live in a tourist city and when people have asked for that I've told them I'm happy to give them a local experience of going to the supermarket for me, and coming home to cook and wash dishes then do my laundry for the week. Sometimes I might take my kid to McDonald's on the way home. And I do in fact live abroad, we also have things to do here.
Emotional-Price-4401@reddit
Because people have been conditioned to think 'touristy' stuff means fake or not authentic. So they think by asking 'anons' (to them) that they will somehow have the 'secret' place. What tourists who do this don't realize is locals dont want you in their space even tourists hate tourists.
Go do the tourist shit you are a tourist stop trying to invade the private spaces of the locals imo.
sillwuka@reddit
Some people want to see the quieter parts of the City and not have to wait in queues all day.
Mobile-Access-9693@reddit
I think it's because of the assumption that tourist traps are expensive and not necessarily good, especially compared to what locals normally do. Generally when I go to places I want to try the things locals do but there are some tourist things that are fun to try. I try it all
JoesRealAccount@reddit
Gotta try it all. Some touristy stuff attracts tourists because it's genuinely good not just because they are all being tricked.
Mobile-Access-9693@reddit
I agree with this. Basically, go away and do what you want to do while you're there. Have fun, that's the whole point
CanWeNapPlease@reddit
I was saying this to someone. You don't go to Stonehenge or Buckingham Palace because it's maybe cool but lasts all of 5 minutes and you might feel like it's a waste of time later (ahem, Stonehenge). You go to it because it's world renowned and you might never get to see it again.
Which is why foreign tourists SHOULD see the Colosseum, Tower of Pisa, Big Ben, NY Times Square, White House, Christ the Redeemer, Tian Tan Buddha, Pyramids, Machu Picchu etc. Most people will never see them a second time.
AuntRhubarb@reddit
Yet if it's summer, everyone wants to see the famous places, and you could piss away a whole day standing in lines and crowds, and have a fairly miserable experience. For some people, it's just not worth it.
FeatherlyFly@reddit
What's hard is that if you've never been someplace and only have a week there, it sucks to do too many things that looked good in a TikTok but sucked in person.
FeatherlyFly@reddit
And more specifically, the things the locals do for fun.
There's some overlap with the big tourist destinations, but around me, tourists and locals might go to a couple of big museums and that one street with all the shopping and food trucks, but it's mostly locals who go apple picking, who argue about where the best ice cream is, who rent paddle boats or kayaks from tiny marinas, and who go to the local beaches (which are worth an hour drive, but if you're gonna fly or even drive several hours, you can do better).
AwkwardWaltz3996@reddit
As a local in the city I live, I spend most days working and most evenings watching TV or playing games. If I want to do something fun with friends in the city then I go to the same places tourists. Tourist attractions are just "attractions". Would be silly to limit your target audience to people who don't live there when you're surrounded by a million people who do.
x3tx3t@reddit
Yeah I think it's a case of poor wording. I suspect people are often not actually asking what they should do, but if there is anything they shouldn't do.
Some attractions, restaurants, bars etc. are popular with tourists because they are genuinely worthwhile going to, but others prey on the naïvete of people who aren't local.
I went abroad for the first time I my early twenties, to a tourist town in Turkey. If it hadn't been for the fact that I went with my ex girlfriend (girlfriend at the time) who went there most years and knew what to avoid, I would have been absolutely fleeced out of my money.
We still did get the piss ripped out of us on a couple of occasions, including being tricked into paying £40 for two crepes with a spread of Nutella on them (still annoyed about it to this day), but it would have been a lot worse if I had went in totally blind.
No-Tailor-856@reddit
I went to Rome for 2 nights, last year (we only had one full day because of childcare). Because of that, we stayed in the Forum area and didn't see 'real' Rome. It definitely wasn't great and I have genuinely had better Italian food 5 minutes from my house than I did when I was there.
AnyOlUsername@reddit
Jokes on them, everything is expensive wherever you go now.
Fancy-Professor-7113@reddit
I live in London and this baffles me too. Like I'd tell you??
DenormalHuman@reddit
I dont like being a target for thieves and rip-off merchants.
Flavourifshrrp@reddit
Seeing the the bits the city your visiting is famous for is one thing but I personally don’t tend to eat or drink for example at these places as you pay a tourist tax. Basically you would be charged more because of where it is. If you find somewhere off the tourist track you can get lovely food and drink for cheaper and if the locals go there you know it must be good.
Also there are some places people may of been a few times before, it’s handy to get suggestions for places people hadn’t thought of before to see things they may of missed.
Nuthetes@reddit
"and if the locals go there you know it must be good."
Not true at all. I have travelled a lot. Mainly in Asia. And I have found that for the most part if the locals go there, it's because it's cheap. Quality is not a consideration at all. And that rings true for Japan (where I lived for a while), Taiwan (where I now live) Malaysia, Indonesia, Phillipines, Taiwan, Myanmar, Hong Kong etc---the locals go where it is cheap and serviceable. Basically our equivalent of going to Green King. You get an ok meal for a reasonable price.
Where you want to go if you want really good local food is where the locals go as a special treat/one-off occasion. The one that does national food but of a higher quality.
Flavourifshrrp@reddit
It’s either correct or it’s not?
You say it’s not where locals go and then it is where locals go?
It’s all about personal experience, your on hoilday if you don’t want to do that it’s cool if you do fine. It’s what I choose to do and I don’t tend to be disappointed much doing it.
Serious_Escape_5438@reddit
They're saying that just because it's full of locals doesn't mean it's good. That locals go to the cheap and convenient places most of the time, what you need to find is where they go for fancy meals. Like in the UK, wetherspoons and pizza express are packed, but it's not where you go for your wedding anniversary. The presence of locals in itself means nothing.
Flavourifshrrp@reddit
Thank you.
That’s a fair comment. To be honest though for example I won’t lie and say I have been to small areas a lot of the areas I have been is cities or large towns. For example I went to Prague and ended up walking for a while and finding an awesome cheap restaurant and while the staff couldn’t speak English we had a great time with great food at a decent price.
I am not saying everything I have said is correct or even an exact science but at the end of the day it’s worked for me and it saved me paying (for example) high prices at a restaurant for the same food just maybe served a bit more fancy.
Also when in Spain I asked a waiter where best to visit for some local food and he gave me a great place I wouldn’t have found on my own.
Theres no right or wrong, and just me personally I have found it much better going or at least asking what the locals like.
Nuthetes@reddit
Reading comprehension not your strong suit, buddy? Don't worry. You'll get there.
Flavourifshrrp@reddit
Not really being a dyslexic. But have a good bank holiday weekend and enjoy slating people you never met on reddit 👍
Serious_Escape_5438@reddit
It's Scotland, the local delicacies are macaroni pie and deep fried mars bars. The locals mostly eat in chain restaurants or chippies like the rest of the UK. There are no hidden gem restaurants with tables full of locals tucking into Scottish wild farmed salmon for cheap. The good restaurants in Edinburgh are expensive.
OldGodsAndNew@reddit
deep fried mars bar is a tourist trap in itself
punky63@reddit
Not many Scottish will be eating deep fried mars bars. I've only seen it once in my life, and that was in a touristy area.
Serious_Escape_5438@reddit
Yes, that's my point, if you want to eat like the locals you should go for pizza or curry or something.
glitterswirl@reddit
Chips and cheese and gravy after a night out.
Flavourifshrrp@reddit
So? There maybe different pubs/restaurants off the normal path that people don’t know about.
If outside of the UK people want to try local food, if it’s that then fine. I was in Wales recently, if you do some searches you can find amazing food places sometimes though you just need help getting them.
You think every single food restaurant is pricey? If they are fine, but some will be more pricey than others and if you can save money great. There must be at least one good restaurant that will be reasonable that people may not know about.
Also the OP is from Scotland but the question was more about why do people do it so it’s not just about Scotland it’s about why do people do it in general.
Serious_Escape_5438@reddit
Well I was responding about Edinburgh. I have lived in Edinburgh, like most cities the good restaurants are in the city centre, where tourists go, and yes, they're expensive because it's an expensive city. Just like everywhere else most places of a similar standard have similar prices. Why would you charge less when the restaurant down the road charges more? And if it does exist don't expect the locals to tell you and let them double their prices.
It's the same in most European cities though, I actually live in another one that's extremely touristy. There are very few cheap authentic places left because restaurants want to make more money. Eating out these days is expensive for locals too, the cheap places are cheap for a reason, either the food is bad or they're a grubby bar at the end of a metro line in a dodgy working class area or something. Do you really want to fly abroad to spend an hour travelling to eat some greasy tapas on plastic tables and chairs?
By all means look for slightly cheaper places, but you're probably not going to find some hidden gem that's both cheap and amazing.
Lanthanidedeposit@reddit
There is a difference between a restaurant experience and the every day eating on a trip. I remember several trips to outer parts of London to see football matches and coming across ordinary caffs at very good prices. One near Wembley even. I thought that was more miraculous than Hereford getting to play there.
Serious_Escape_5438@reddit
Sure, but if you're a tourist visiting for a short break you're probably not going to get the tube out there for a bacon sandwich.
Lanthanidedeposit@reddit
Of course not, but it is my lived experience as a tourist in London. OK I was a specialist tourist, one of about a million a year going that way, but it was quite the surprise.
donalmacc@reddit
I agree with everything you say except;
Hell yes. I worked for a company in barcelona and the quality of the "shitty tapas bars" on plastic chairs varied all the way from the microwaved special of frozen-on-the-inside-molten-on-the-outsside up to as good as some of the nice restaurants we ate at. The middle of the road tapas places were as good as, if not better than the middle of the road "nice" restaurants.
Serious_Escape_5438@reddit
Yes, they often are good quality, but if you've got 3 days to see a place you don't want to spend half of that trekking around finding them and sitting on public transport. And as you observe it's hit and miss as to whether they're good, you need someone to tell you which. Fine if you're going regularly with people who live there, otherwise it's a gamble.
Flavourifshrrp@reddit
Apologies if my posts come across as short or rude. I am interested in this subject but don’t have a lot of time to type well rounded long replies 👍
At the end of the day holidays are meant to be fun. Some people love eating in the tourist trap places, even I have done in when needs most. But they tend (imo) to cater for the people visiting rather than local food and drink. Also when I go somewhere I want to see the real area. Just as if i wanted to visit England I know of if I visit London the sights are great but it’s not the real England as to how the rest of the country is or lives etc. But if you (other people) prefer to eat in areas full of tourists then go for it, it’s your hoilday and money up to you.
I have lived in different areas and I have lived in a working class city and that has had things shutting down because of lack of footfall etc, so I would put up with the tourists if it meant more things open for me to explore and new places to try. In my mind if you move to certain areas then you have to expect that people will visit. Like when I lived in Torquay, rammed in the summer and no one about in the winter, it’s the way it always has been and probably also will be.
Serious_Escape_5438@reddit
Well, where I live the tourist traps are the ones doing local food. Local young people are much more likely to go for pizza or sushi or burgers or kebabs. They eat local food at home. Or for special occasion family meals out. It's not that I love eating in tourist traps, I'd avoid anywhere right in front of a major attraction normally. But I'm not kidding myself that I'm eating like a local because it's a few euros cheaper.
Alas_boris@reddit
You've just described Wetherspoons.
pint-of-dale@reddit
I recently took my sister to a Wetherspoons part way through a trip. She unironically loved it and we then had to start finding them along our adventures. To be fair, cheap drinks in lovely architectural settings wasn't a hard sell. We did seek out the ones with more interesting history, but you do get some high quality people watching included no matter the location!
On-Mute@reddit
No-one in their right mind goes to Wetherspoons because it's good.
OkSun8521@reddit
It's generally as good or better than the alternatives, but without ridiculous prices.
Obviously it's not the best restaurant in the world, but neither is the pub next door that sells the same stuff for triple the price.
No_Release2180@reddit
Yeah, I'd love to know what these "off the beaten track" cheaper food establishments are in the UK? I think this sentiment is true of some other places, but I don't think it is here.
Where do locals eat... pubs, chips shops, the local Indian? They may be great options for some tourists, but I think most would do better in the touristy places finding decent food.
donalmacc@reddit
Given OP started this talking about Edinburgh, the main "tourist trap" spots are Grassmarket and High Street. The highest rated place on Tripadvisor right now is "All Bar One in Edinburgh Airport". Nobody who lives here is visiting either of those spots for food.
gjiorkiie@reddit
I think for the UK you'll have to get out of London to find some nice country pubs with good food. Granted many will be shite but some are actually great.
Dynamite_Shovels@reddit
I think like a lot of other Western European countries our 'off the beaten track' places for food, for the most part, are definitely NOT in the main touristy places - but they are basically as expensive or moreso than the shit bars/cafes you'll find in the tourist areas.
So tourists would have it half right - to find good food you go at least a few streets away from the touristy places. But unlike a lot of places worldwide these places won't be secret cheap finds - you'll be paying a premium for it.
Flavourifshrrp@reddit
Nicely played. To be fair I do like Spoons, they serve most of the drinks the other pubs do, for cheaper than I would pay elsewhere so happy days.
Plane-Physics2653@reddit
Why shouldn't tourists pay a tourist tax markup given all the nuisance? I'm a tourist as well but living in places like Edinburgh must be such a massive pain.
crankyandhangry@reddit
In fairness, Edinburgh isn't overrun with tourists except during the Fringe Festival. Most of the time, they don't cause problems and are courteous. The tour guides here are good at managing them and keeping them quiet and unobstructive.
Lanthanidedeposit@reddit
Meanwhile on the buses....
Flavourifshrrp@reddit
Because tourists also bring money for the local encomany, and while places like Edinburgh wouldn’t collapse it doesn’t help with jobs and business restaurants, hotels, pubs etc staying open.
Some tourists now how to behave and if you live in certain areas you will know that it will be heavy footfall before you go.
Plane-Physics2653@reddit
Indeed, tourists help the economy so I'm happy to see them overcharged. I overpay all the time when I travel.
Lanthanidedeposit@reddit
Fed up with overpaying in my own city though.
Flavourifshrrp@reddit
Fair enough, good for you.
I would pefer to eat the food that the locals tend to eat, get the local atompshere and save some cash, but if you enjoy that you do you, life has enough troubles than where someone goes on hoilday 👍
Serious_Escape_5438@reddit
Locals don't generally have a special way to eat quality food that's magically cheaper. I mean sure the restaurant in front of a tourist attraction probably isn't the best and is overpriced, but in Europe certainly, good restaurants are expensive these days. If it's cheap it's for a reason. I live in a tourist city, locals eat a lot of burgers and kebabs if it's a quick meal. For nicer meals they expect to spend money, just like tourists.
Flavourifshrrp@reddit
I think people maybe getting confused.
I am not saying the food has to be amazing for free. But there maybe some unusual food, or even some common food that is well made, or maybe an unusual restaurant or any other reason….but i tend to use the rule if it’s used by a lot of locals the food will probably end up good.
Serious_Escape_5438@reddit
My local shopping centre has several chain restaurants where locals literally queue up to eat at the weekend. Locals aren't some kind of food guide, locals can have bad taste.
Flavourifshrrp@reddit
Fair enough. But I am from the UK and I believe you maybe as well, so we would probably know that.
If I went to a country outside the UK, let’s say France for example, I may not want to eat near the famous places I normally walk a little while away and find a local restaurant (that doesn’t appear to be a chain) and eat there as I assume it will be good.
If it’s not, these things happen and the drinks will of been cheaper so I won’t end up minding.
Serious_Escape_5438@reddit
I'm originally from the UK and now live in a very touristy city in Europe. Walking a short distance doesn't get you out of the tourist area, the locals these days mostly can't afford to live in the centre and everything is too expensive so they go to their local shopping centre.
Plane-Physics2653@reddit
But locals eat Wetherspoons and greasy curry from some filthy takeaway. Just like I do when I'm home!
Lanthanidedeposit@reddit
You do, in lots of places now. Like a lot of taxes they start off being low and acceptable but soon inflate into a major expense. Again Paris.
ConsiderationKooky14@reddit
Mainly on my part is your charged exuberant prices compared to naturalist of the country your visiting unlike if you come to the UK all the prices stay the same which I find odd when travelling to other countries.
Proper_Emu_2296@reddit
Well when I go to mainland Europe I am definitely a tourist but nor am I eating in a place sponsored by Coca Cola or whose menu only exists in picture form.
I imagine there is a Scottish equivalent…
djferris123@reddit
Yeah, I remember when I went to Brussels and the amount of shops selling Waffles for €8 and they were all sat out etc and we saw some Police officers go to a hole in the wall type place for a waffle so we got one and it was freshly made and it was half the cost!
This is what people mean when they say they don't want to go to the touristy bit
Iwantedalbino@reddit
Pro tip. If you are new to an area drive round between 6-8pm and clock where the police and paramedics are getting their takeaways from. Never let me down yet.
Serious_Escape_5438@reddit
In Spain you want to look in the mornings where they're getting their breakfast sandwiches.
clrthrn@reddit
I live in Amsterdam and all the locals just rip the piss out of the idiots standing in the TikTok food lines. No local is ever eating in those places because they are only there to part tourists from cash. Who spends €8-15 on a stale tiny chocolate covered stroopwaffel when you can get a giant fresh one for €3 at the normal market where locals get them. The fries place kills me too, employing bouncers for an overpriced chippy that no local would set foot in.
gjiorkiie@reddit
100% Most of central Amsterdam is a literal tourist trap. No local frequents those establishments. They're just there so high drunk tourists can get scammed 20 euros for a crepe or fries or something. If you're a tourist looking for good food in Amsterdam my advice is don't bother. this place is magnificent but food capital of the world it is not.
clrthrn@reddit
It's a food wasteland....and worse where I am out on the edges. The only legit places to eat in the centre are the two good Chinese restaurants on Zeedijk and Cafe de Jaren. Everything else is a trap inside the first two canals of the Grachtengordel.
gjiorkiie@reddit
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stamppot
When you realise this is their traditional food you understand why their food culture is like this. Funny thing is their produce is actually not bad so I cook great stuff at home but going out to eat is always done very strategically!
Vanzzer@reddit
So bangers and mash basicly? Oh no the horror!
gjiorkiie@reddit
I'm sorry to tell you this but UK cuisine also ain't high up on the world rankings.
Vanzzer@reddit
Theirs nothing wrong with uk food. Despite the terminally online opinions if some people (most of which have never set foot in the country).
My point was that duch food isn't that dissimilar and ergo not justified in mocking.
Gulbasaur@reddit
I've had very good Chinese food in Amsterdam. It was over twenty years ago, and the lady told us off for ordering too much (like one extra side). To me, that was a sign we'd made the right choice.
gjiorkiie@reddit
Rule of thumb for Chinese and French restaurants: the ruder the service the better the food
lost_send_berries@reddit
I approve this message. I paid €70 per person plus drinks at REM restaurant and the atmosphere reminded us mostly of a school disco. They even had the rotating ball with coloured plastic windows.
clrthrn@reddit
If you want good food in Amsterdam then Restaurant Kas or the Landmarkt at Schillingwoude are the places to be.
clrthrn@reddit
Yeah REM is on the Houthavens, a whole development designed to part rich people from their money. The Tommy Hilfiger/Calvin Klein EU HQ is 5 mins walk away and their execs are the target market.
Tenzil-k@reddit
It is. But there’s also wanting to differentiate yourself from the crowd and any negative aspects of tourism
I know a guy who used to literally take photos for fluff sponsored tourism articles that his wife wrote. Went loads of places on someone else’s money to drum up tourism. And you’ve never met a more ‘oh it was so great when I went there but it’s just too crowded with tourists now’ guy in the world. No self awareness just this massive need to let on that he’s not part of the common crowd.
He’s extreme but the idea of a place being packed with people who don’t know what they’re going and wants to see the same things as everyone else is pretty bad to everyone and everyone knows locals probably find those people annoying . And everyone resists saying and asking things they know are annoying so everyone tries to make out they’re different. Even though they aren’t.
I think you can either just avoid seeing the really well known things or just own the fact that you’re a tourist too. There’s not really a middle ground that isn’t transparent but people’s brains and identities don’t work like that so we are basically trying to apologise to locals for how busy tourism makes their lives while also being part of the problem.
Serious_Escape_5438@reddit
Locals don't mind tourists going to see all the famous sights. They'd prefer that than have them take over the rest of the city.
Tenzil-k@reddit
Yeah. And that’s the real problem with ‘recommend me the hidden gems’ thing. It totally gets wrong your position in this.
Mediocre_Sprinkles@reddit
I was in (I think) Icod de los Vinos in Tenerife to see the. If dragon tree. Did a big excursion around Tenerife on a bus. When we got there we were allowed to run around, be back at the bus in 2 hours.
Everyone went to the tourist restaurants next to the tree and the bus station, really expensive really touristy.
Me and my other half went to the main town. Found a tiny little cafe tucked away. Got their €8 sharing brunch. It was massive, 5 massive bread rolls, 5 different types of cheeses, huge meat platter, fresh fruit etc.
I'm a big eater but we were both absolutely stuffed it was amazing.
Serious_Escape_5438@reddit
That's not local though, locals don't eat brunch. It's still for tourists, just cheaper because it's a bit further away.
tmr89@reddit
Brussels is a shithole
IAmTheStoryMan@reddit
If you ever go again, the best cheap waffles are actually in the yellow vans that are parked at all the tourist spots. I guess as Brits we are conditioned against them because how expensive tourist trap icecream vans are here. But the ones in Brussels' vans are freshly made infront of you and only cost 2€ when I lived there last year. Not 10/10 waffles but maybe 8/10 for a 10/10 price so averages to a 9/10 overall.
batikfins@reddit
This is usually my rule but in Strasbourg I chose on purpose to sit in the square next to the cathedral in a historic building to enjoy the vibes, tourist trap be damned. The food actually rocked and the service was great. Makes me wonder if I’ve been wrong this whole time and should just go whole hog on tourist mode.
Serious_Escape_5438@reddit
That's the thing, sometimes you do want to enjoy the vibe and not sit in a grubby cafe down a dark side street. And locals also like to go to places with nice views, so particularly in places like that where locals aren't vastly poorer than the tourists there are often excellent restaurants in prime locations.
cine@reddit
That's why it's nice to ask locals to figure out what the good spots are that have good food and nice surroundings and aren't tourist traps.
I can't speak for Edinburgh but where I've lived there are plenty of nice restaurants where locals go that are outside of the immediate tourist zone.
batikfins@reddit
More than once I’ve asked locals for recommendations and they’ve sent me to incredibly mediocre places that I strongly suspect were owned by their mates haha
Serious_Escape_5438@reddit
Locals don't have some special foodie genes just because they live somewhere. They like what they know, and maybe they don't go out often and don't know every restaurant in the city.
Serious_Escape_5438@reddit
They don't want to tell you though, because then they'll become tourist traps.
Smidday90@reddit
Tacky tourist shops with the Mc”insert American name here” clan tea towels
kingsindian9@reddit
Im thinking the same but from London. A lot of the tourist areas here are just littered with American candy stores. If I went t9 Madrid and saw those I'd think this isnt the Madrid I want to see.
kirkbywool@reddit
Tbf thats just uk in general. American candy, vapes and mobile epairs as they are all fronts
Flibertygibbert@reddit
Memories of taking my mother in law to the Edinburgh Woollen Mill in the neighbouring Borders town!
MiL liked the regular EWM clothing there (she was addicted to pleated skirts & polyester blouses 😂) but enjoyed watching the coach trip visitors buying "their" clan tartan stuff.
reengineered_dodo@reddit
Tourist spots are good for the actual attractions like historic buildings, cathedrals, museums etc, but the area around them rarely feels genuine and more like a strange theme park version of the city selling tourist tat and overpriced mediocre food claiming to be "genuine authentic".
People want to travel not just to see the sights but to also get a real feel for the actual area and not the fake artificial version tailored to tourists
Serious_Escape_5438@reddit
Well, if you're a tourist you're a tourist. The actual area is touristy, that's the real version. Often locals have been pushed out to much less attractive areas and also go to the tourist areas for leisure.
smackdealer1@reddit
Yeah it's called the royal mile. Never eat there. Never shop there.
Serious_Escape_5438@reddit
Some of the best restaurants have coca cola signs or chairs or whatever, that's where actual locals go for cheap and good meals generally, rather than fancy places with hipster decor. Not necessarily beside a tourist attraction but in general, sometimes they just concentrate on the food and use the free tables.
Phenomenomix@reddit
For our honeymoon we stayed in a nice hotel in a small village in Tuscany, the best bar we found was on the corner of the main street it was covered in Amstel advertising and all the seats were those terrible plastic garden chairs. But the pints were cheap, all the locals were friendly and in a mix of broken Italian and English they recommended some of the best restaurants in the local area
clrthrn@reddit
My local Indian restaurant has half the sign missing and chipped tables but the curry is worth crawling over broken glass for.
WhalingSmithers00@reddit
It's normally chains here in the tourist areas
Extreme_Question2814@reddit
There’s a nice new cafe at Peterborough cathedral tbh I recommend it
IlIlllIIIIlIllllllll@reddit
cause i hate crowds and pickpockets.
anonoaw@reddit
Honestly I never understand it. As a tourist, I want to do all the touristy things. That’s the whole point of visiting other places, to see the cool stuff they have.
When it comes to restaurants yes you can likely get better food in non touristy places, and I usually try to have like one meal somewhere like that. But other than that I’m prioritising convenience. I don’t want to spend half my time trekking to a hidden place when I can get a perfectly fine meal in the places I already am.
silverblossum@reddit
Nearly all of the best meals of my life have been at restaurants off the beaten track in places I've visited!
anonoaw@reddit
And that’s great! But when I’m visiting new places, eating the best meal of my life isn’t my priority. I get that other people have different priorities, but it’s bizarre that they act snobby about people who are happy to see the sights and eat a fine meal.
silverblossum@reddit
Ok, I haven't struck this snobbiness. Is this on Reddit?
glitterswirl@reddit
Especially when you're not likely to be able to go back. For some people, this really is their once-in-a-lifetime chance to see something, and they don't want to miss, say, a trip to the Colosseum or seeing the Statue of Liberty because they spent a load of time wandering past a bunch of perfectly adequate food options in search of a "hidden gem".
pharmamess@reddit
That's you. Some people are a little more adventurous.
anonoaw@reddit
I know it’s me.
pharmamess@reddit
Yeah but you didn't know that I knew it's you.
LavenderClouds6@reddit
They're not pretending they aren't tourists. Main tourist spots are the busiest ones, and often can be overpriced as the store owners know a lot if tourists will be there and spend.
A lot of tourists only go to the known/popular sights, so miss out on others which are equally or more beautiful just cause they arent the famous ones. Theres nothing wrong with someone wanting to visit more sights, and with less crowds
geeered@reddit
Because I don't want overpriced generic chain restaurants to eat in, or shop at generic generic chains.
I like high quality food, but also when abroad I often like to find somewhere that that locals would eat on their lunch break, rather than providing for-toursist menus. Fine if that matches both too, but often the touristy ones aren't either.
I wouldn't have minded seeing some of the generic touristy attractions walking around Verona, but not the massive queues, so mostly avoided them. And was happy that we were the only people speaking English in the excellent Pizzeria we found outside the main city.
Nuthetes@reddit
" I often like to find somewhere that that locals would eat on their lunch break,"
And where the locals eat on their lunch break is the Japanese or Malaysian or Indonesian equivalent of Wetherspoons or Green King. Somewhere cheap.
I have travelled alot, and "eat where the locals eat" boils down to whatever is the cheapest in the area but reasonably tasty... a Greene King basically.
SomeHSomeE@reddit
I'm local to my area and I have a Tesco meal deal for my lunch break
geeered@reddit
When abroad I regularly get a self contained AirBnb and shop at local shops and supermarkets. Maybe not a sandwich meal deal, but say some food from the delicounter, a better ready meal etc.
I pretty much never by supermarket meal deals in the UK either.
WorcsBloke@reddit
The truth is that in most British towns of any size, the place the locals go tends to be Wetherspoons. I do it myself. Some of those are hidden gems in terms of architecture and history - the Commercial Rooms in Bristol for example still had gas lighting.
If you really want to see "the real X" then get on a bus – a local bus, not a tourist one. But your "authentic" experience will probably include stopping in the Asda car park!
Nuthetes@reddit
There are a few places which the locals may go too which aren't nationally known.
A museum not far from me which is on the site of a garden centre has a fantastic art collection, including a Michaelangelo. Yet it just seems to be the place where you go to the garden centre and farm shop and then nip in to see just because it's there. I don't think it is nationally known or anything like that.
Lanthanidedeposit@reddit
As a tourist, the likes of 'spoons would interest me.
WorcsBloke@reddit
They're incredibly handy if you just want a quick pizza or coffee, or if you have a family as they're so much cheaper than most places now.
Bigbesss@reddit
Cup of coffee from a normal Cafe: £2
Cup of coffee from a tourist Cafe: £10
d3gu@reddit
Because plenty of people want to go and experience local stuff, but others want to go and have an 'traditional tourist experience'.
Eg. Someone going to London may want to do all the tourist stuff like Tower of London, the London eye, changing of the guard etc but other people may want to go and hang out and experience local nightlife or culture.
Kibby9331@reddit
Boring generic tourist crap, nothing locals actually like, as someone who lives in a tourist town ask a local what's good to do/eat locally.
Mistressofthisdress@reddit
Tourist/Backpacker here! I stumbled through Glasgow for 6 days. First day I just walked up to an older busker having a break. Asking about any decent places for live music. Ended up in a Blues Bar at night. Stumbled into an Hindu ceremony by accident near Kelvin Grove and got invited. Went sunbathing on top of the Necropolis, having a beer with a strager. And so on.
I had such a blast, never made it to Edinburgh. Maybe next time for a daytrip. Met many great people. :)
Nuthetes@reddit
"having a beer with a strager."
Thrilling. That's sure better than going to see Stirling Castle or Holyrood Palace.
Nervous_Yard7034@reddit
But why? They're tourists.
The tapas you eat in Edinburgh isn't going to be that different to the tapas you eat in Birmingham, so you might as well stay in Birmingham.
Kibby9331@reddit
Completely understand but some tourist spots tbh are just.... Crap, OK so yes they are for tourists buuuut at the same time the spots that the locals go to are usually much better value for money and are usually more chill and you can get a better vibe of the town. Source:I live in a coastal tourist town.
Nervous_Yard7034@reddit
I know, I know, but I'm kind of questioning the point of tourism.
A lot of people are going to places for a nice time. However, the difference between going to Prague, eating in some nice restaurants, visiting museums and having a coffee in the old town and travelling to your nearest city centre and doing the same often isn't that great.
The other issue is the "where the locals go" is often complete cobblers. The locals go to McDonald's and Wetherspoon's. They rarely go to the nice restaurants. In fact, most people in these cities are tourists - either for a weekend or a few years. The locals have been priced out and are now living 10 miles out of the city in a suburban town.
Source: I grew up in a seaside tourist town (Brighton) I live in a university tourist town (Cambridge) and I've also lived in a couple of tourist towns on the continent (Verona, Tallinn).
Ultimate_os@reddit
I'm guessing it is because they are aware tourists are ripped off frequently and don't get the authentic experience. And they don't want to look like tourists because tourists look uncultured. 😅
Midnight7000@reddit
Another Redditor showing that they can't understand the basics of human behaviour.
Darkus185@reddit
Yeah it’s like when I go to the Netherlands I hang out in Amersfoort instead of Amsterdam, and guess what, it’s not full of tourists.
Chai_Is_Tea@reddit
I found the Fish and Chips in Edinburgh really mediocre.
callisstaa@reddit
Because locals usually know better places than tripadvisor etc and asking people who actually live in a city what is worth seeing is better than just googling it.
I also live in a ‘touristy’ city outside the UK and there are a ton of amazing places that are lesser known and therefore quieter and cheaper to visit.
Also that’s not all people are looking for. A lot of people fully intend to see the tourist traps but also they want to see the authentic side of the city.
johnno88888@reddit
I’d rather go to places in large cities that aren’t full of me! Like Times Square in NYC, hate it. Piccadilly Circus in London, hate it.
Navy pier in Chicago, hate it.
But then I rather know and find out that I dislike it and move on to discover other places
PetersMapProject@reddit
A lot of people don't understand the difference between a tourist trap, and a place that is touristy because it is good.
If they want an authentic, locals only, untouristy experience then I am sending them to a Wetherspoons, Greggs and suburbia. But I doubt they will thank me for that.
Of course there are some places that are good but so overrun by tourists that they become unenjoyable (parts of Kyoto spring to mind).
CaptainVXR@reddit
If they're after cheap eats, they might thank you for Gregg's and Wetherspoons. Sometimes I might want 100 Montaditos in Spain, O'Tacos in France, a Żabka hot dog in Poland and so on. I ain't got the budget or desire to have 3 gourmet meals per day every day on holiday!
Grenache@reddit
Sending them to a Spoons is hilarious because you're exactly right. Genuine local experience. Can't argue with their breakfasts and free refillable coffee though :D.
Party_Chance_9124@reddit
I do find it both cute and exasperating when I see posts asking for recommendations on where to get the ‘best beans on toast’, ‘best fry-up’, or where to find an authentic London pub for a pint. These are not gourmet experiences!! Facking anywhere
Gloomy-Insurance-739@reddit
Who doesn't love a Toby carvery.
theLuminescentlion@reddit
Common American tourist destinations have evolved to completely rely and run based on the tourists. It is impossible to get any feel for the area and it feels incredibly soulless.
Strict_Candle_4666@reddit
There are different types of tourists. There are those who want to go to all the famous places and/or just get their photo taken or There are tourists who want to try to blend in as much as possible.
Outrageous-Level192@reddit
It's jist a performative social media thing. I personally think if you go to Rome and don't see the Colosseum to go visit some "hidden gem", you're a right plonker.
mrdibby@reddit
yes but after you tick such sight-seeing boxes you want to walk around hand have food and a drink and maybe a dance where locals enjoy rather than a bunch of tourists who will give you no impression on the people of the locality
also places like Rome are exceptional in terms of "you have to see___". other very touristy cities that don't really have great "sights" (like Amsterdam for example), you're better off knowing where locals prefer
CaptainVXR@reddit
Depends on the touristy thing. The Sagrada Familia is well worth seeing, it's an amazing building even though I hate tourist crowds. Mannekin pis, however, is just a small statue.
But also more for food, pints, coffees and so on, I'd prefer to avoid overpriced tourist traps. In Morocco especially, I was warned that restaurants on tourist squares are notorious for things like food poisoning. Has some fantastic food in a back street, thanks to a local tour guide's recommendation (he probably got a small commission but it was legit amazing).
Some places that attract tourists can still be legitimately good, however. If somewhere has a mix of locals and tourists, it's often a very good sign, for example The Raven in Bath.
pnlrogue1@reddit
Hey neighbour!
You know how the Royal Mile is full of shops that you don't visit? Tourist shop, tourist shop, posh whiskey shop, tourist shop, over-the-top kilt shop, tourist shop, overpriced restaurant, tourist shop? If you went to Madrid, would you want to hang around in a place that sells cheap paella from frozen pre-mix at over-the-top prices, or would you rather go somewhere where locals go because it's cooked the way grandma used to cook it with 'proper' chorizo? Why wouldn't tourists want to go and find hand-made haggis instead of mass-produced stuff and frozen neeps and tatties? Would you want to poke around in tourist shops or go and see the city museum, where schools take kids to learn about local history?
That's why people want to avoid the tourist areas. Obviously you can't completely avoid them if you want to see the Castle or Palace, but the Meadows is beautiful and only a short walk from Grey Friars and The Mile and it's 'proper' Edinburgh where you can see what the city and it's people are really like. Same with Holyrood Park if you discount Arthur's Seat and the Salisbury Crags. The National Museum caters to all but isn't such a tourist hotspot and has real history.
g0_west@reddit
Surely you can answer this yourself. If you come to London do you want to go Aberdeen Steakhouse or would you rather I recommend you a good local Vietnamese place I know? Obviously you'd rather have the nicer thing than just go to the cheap mass produced tourist trap stuff.
justinhammerpants@reddit
I love when people say this because I tell them I go to Asda or sometimes if I’m feeling fancy I’ll treat myself to an M&S dine in meal.
baxty23@reddit
I live in Edinburgh and when asked “but where do the locals go” my answer is usually “not Edinburgh, it’s full of tourists”.
They never seem keen to jump on a 26 bus to Musselburgh though.
local-quintus@reddit
I think this is the thing that is missed by people a lot of the time. If you’re going somewhere with tourism as a substantial or primary portion of the economy the local culture has already been crowded out by things catering to tourists and what they want because nothing else can make as much money.
YouSayWotNow@reddit
Because they haven't yet understood that those touristy places as popular for really good reason. Sure, it's valid not to like crowds but the most globally appealing tourist places are obviously going to have huge crowds.
Because they want to think of themselves as somehow apart from the rest of the crowd, and bleat on about hidden gems, off the beaten path, or living as the locals do -- OK then, come do my rush hour commute for me, do my boring as fuck job for the day, come home and sort out dinner and worry about bills
Warm_Consequence5788@reddit
As a fellow resident of Edinburgh, I would like for us to keep something's for ourselves. So much of the city is overtaken by tourists. Most of us have several air bnbs in our stair. I'd like them to stick to the tourist areas so we have somewhere we can go to escape it.
Hot_Bet_5415@reddit
Because they all think they’re edgy and cool and haven’t seen the irony that as they look down on tourists, they themselves are one.
AwkwardWaltz3996@reddit
It's our exceptionalism culture. We aren't happy just being tourists, we need to be the best tourists who got to see the real place rather than the tourist places the other tourists see.
It's also where the snobbery of looking down on things like Butlins, or a messy night out drinking comes from. Was it the apex of sophistication and intellectualness? No. And that's ok because you enjoyed it.
And this is all further fed by media. We focus so much on doing that we can't just be. We are human beings, not human doings. If we allowed for that imperfection and tackiness we'd be a lot happier
Sirlacker@reddit
Because shit quality and over priced businesses set up shop in all the hot spots. It's easy money. You don't need to provide quality, you get the footfall, and you get people buying from your business who were never going to return again anyway, so it doesn't ultimately matter if they don't rate whatever it is you sold.
When you leave a touristy area, you get businesses that are geared towards the locals. Ones that have to provide decent goods and services in order to stay in business. The ones where they do get repeat customers.
That's why tourists want to get away from the tourist spots and find "hidden gems". They want the culture and experience of what it's actually like, not what big business and the board of tourism want you to see.
strawbebbymilkshake@reddit
Why do people want to avoid busy, overpriced and inauthentic experiences when on holiday? Are they stupid?
Serious_Escape_5438@reddit
What else are you going to do? Go to the supermarket? That's what locals do.
apple_kicks@reddit
I do this. Italy has amazing supermarkets. Tomatoes are a tourist attraction in their own
Serious_Escape_5438@reddit
The best tomatoes aren't in the supermarkets. But yes I'm not saying you shouldn't go to the supermarket, just that you probably want to do other things too.
Pigeoncow@reddit
I love going to the supermarket while on holiday.
Ok_Analyst_5640@reddit
Same here. Doesn't feel like I'm getting ripped off for food.
Serious_Escape_5438@reddit
Sure, to wander round and buy snacks. Not to buy washing powder and basic groceries for a week's meals. And you're not going to spend the week doing it.
Pigeoncow@reddit
I was specifically requested by my mum to buy laundry detergent while on holiday once because the UK doesn't have the kind she used growing up. After buying it and having a sniff, I did have to admit it was quite nice and definitely different from anything sold in the UK.
Of course I wouldn't have gone if not requested and personally I couldn't care what my laundry smells like, but it does show there's value in even seemingly mundane things like that.
Serious_Escape_5438@reddit
Haha, that's sweet. Not that there's no value in mundane things, but most of us aren't going to spend money to travel and not see anything famous.
Pigeoncow@reddit
I think a good holiday is a mix of both! I intersperse the landmarks with everyday stuff like that. It may not be as "efficient" as some people's itineraries but feels a little bit more authentic.
Snatchematician@reddit
Me too, but on the other hand no supermarket has ever been described as a hidden gem.
Apart_Bit_6846@reddit
Unironically a very interesting cultural experience, and required if you're in self-catered accommodation.
strawbebbymilkshake@reddit
Do you think locals never go out for food or entertainment? Like, ever?
CommonAware6@reddit
But is our daily life really better than tourist stuff?
I go to Edinburgh very frequently and for food, I usually just grab something from Tesco. Entertainment is things like minigolf or bowling. Sure everyone is different but I dont imagine thats going to be popular with tourists when there's a castle, cathedral, museums etc
Serious_Escape_5438@reddit
In my touristy city the locals go out to the multiplex cinema and McDonald's or for pizza or kebab. If that's what you want to do on holiday go ahead, I don't.
cine@reddit
Well that's depressing. Sorry your city sucks, but not every city is like that?
Also, many chain restaurants are great fun for tourists. Tourists love trying Nando's. I make sure to go to Ichiran whenever I'm in Japan, In-n-out in California, etc. I even love trying out unique McDonalds menu items in different countries.
Just because a chain is super boring to you, doesn't mean tourists can't enjoy it.
Serious_Escape_5438@reddit
The city doesn't suck. I'm just saying we live in the 21st century in a globalised world. People aren't doing folk dances at the weekend. And yes, chains can be interesting, but I don't think that's what people are meaning when they say they want to go where the locals do. That's my whole point, people are saying they don't want to eat at chains, but the locals are eating there too. I do too sometimes, if it's convenient, but in a touristy area, I don't travel out to a residential sunburb just to do that.
Plodo99@reddit
Go to a more local neighbourhood.
Do you hand out in Trafalgar Square every time you’re in London?
Serious_Escape_5438@reddit
No, but I also don't get the tube out to zone 3.
Plodo99@reddit
You should try it next time then, Richmond, Dulwich, Hampstead, Greenwich
A lot of nice spots and doesn’t take too long to get outside zone 2
Serious_Escape_5438@reddit
I used to live in London and have been to all those places lots of times. If I was there for 3 days for the first time I'd want to see the famous things.
Plodo99@reddit
Hope you enjoyed the supermarkets
RUPlayersSuck@reddit
Nobody wants to go to touristy areas...they're always full of tourists...who are super annoying! 😆
But then again, aren't touristy areas that way because thats where all the interesting stuff is?
The only reason you'd want to see non-touristy areas is if you just want peace and quiet and maybe some nice unspoilt scenery.
Dizzy_Blacksmith8593@reddit
Tourist areas = higher prices, lower quality.
HeartyBeast@reddit
It's not that complex. People (some) visit places because they want to get a genuine sense of the place
Over-exploited destinations don't give you that - they give you a plasticised, stereotypical, manufactured environment.
You're more likely to be ripped off
It's likely to be busy and unpleasant
NO_FIX_AUTOCORRECT@reddit
In the tourist areas, they are pandering to you. So it is not an authentic travel experience. Plus there's lots of other tourists there. It kinda breaks your immersion.
A good example is this
But now, the touristy restaurants in Rome make Americanized fettuccini Alfredo.
So if i can't even have authentic food how can i be sure that any part of the experience is authentic
GingerPrince72@reddit
Is this a serious question? They want to avoid tourist traps, disneyfication and see the normal city without being fleeced. Obviously
GoHomeCryWantToDie@reddit
Our biggest tourist traps are now Glen Coe and Skye. At least Edinburgh was designed for people.
Shawn_The_Sheep777@reddit
On a visit to Rome we couldn’t get in the Vatican because somebody was wearing shorts. Instead we walked along some of the backstreets, went to cafes only used by the locals etc. we actually got a feel for the place rather than only seeing tourist traps. It was a great experience.
Outrageous-Level192@reddit
What a shame to miss out on so much history and art just for the sake of not wearing long trousers.
PetersMapProject@reddit
I went to the famous and very beautiful Blue Mosque in Istanbul.
I had had the foresight to dress appropriately and wear a headscarf, but very kindly for those people who hadn't, the mosque provided cover-ups for free, for both men and women.
I watched a woman queue up to get in, get to the bit where they were doling out cover ups, and then walk back down the queue shouting "no no no no no" because she refused to cover her head to enter a mosque.
Some people are ridiculous.
glitterswirl@reddit
It's weird to me when people want to visit places of worship as a tourist but not respect that it is actually, a place of worship. It's not a cutesy Disney castle; it has historic, architectural, religious and cultural significance. And people get all shocked-Pikachu that there are expectations of modesty because a mosque/cathedral etc isn't just an art installation to use as a backdrop for their Instagram posts.
paulmclaughlin@reddit
It's been decades since I was there, but the Duomo in Florence used to insist on women having their shoulders covered. They had sheets of tissue paper to use if they were wearing strappy tops.
Shawn_The_Sheep777@reddit
There’s a lot more history and art in Rome than just the Vatican. Visiting The Pantheon alone was more than worth the cost of our visit. Most amazing, atmospheric building I have ever seen.
Outrageous-Level192@reddit
Of course, still a missed opportunity.
giuseppeh@reddit
You got a feel for… central Rome
Shawn_The_Sheep777@reddit
Obviously we saw some of the sights as well
BusyAioli6851@reddit
I love being a tourist. When I’m in a new city I will be at the touristy areas. Of course I’ll try see other less touristy areas but funnily enough if I’m in Paris for the first time you’ll catch me up that tower.
Repulsive-Youth-2631@reddit
Financial exploitation nothing else.
Petrichor_ness@reddit
North East Highlands checking in here - yup!
There seems to be an unspoken agreement on the local FB pages that when visitors are looking for the best places to walk their dogs 'off the beaten track' we send them to the more popular places and keep our local quiet spots to ourselves, coastal, cliffs, boggy/tidal etc that can be dangerous if you don't know what you're doing.
To them, even our more popular spots are pretty quiet and they get the views they really wanted (that we can get anytime) and we keep our spots for those of us who understand the area.
Diligent-Coffee4986@reddit
I visited Kyoto a while ago on a Saturday and the pavements were so full of tourists it was hard to walk. If you wanted to go to a resturant on the main steet you'd be queuing for over an hour and then overpaying for mediocre food adjusted to appeal to tourists (I ended up just eating at the convinience store). A lot of people want to avoid annoying experiences like that. To be fair that's one of the few experiences I've had where I was actually annoyed by too many tourists as a tourist, I usually don't mind, although it's also just nice to go to quieter areas with less tourists sometimes. Though I think Japan is one of the more extreme, in certain places at certain times of year (it's very quiet in winter and not bad in autumn, and outside the big tourist places).
Maleficent_Owl_7001@reddit
Well it is Edinburgh. Aren't you over run with 130th generation Scottish Americans?
PKblaze@reddit
People want an authentic experience rather than one tailored to tourists, that's all there is to it really.
IMO the best option is to just avoid the main cities and go for somewhere smaller.
lost-in-midgard@reddit
Yeah. The touristy parts are appealing to tourists for a reason - they're on average the best or most appealing things to see or experience in a given location. So these asks always fall flat, for me.
carlovski99@reddit
I've said this multiple times to people asking about visiting the UK. You are a tourist, do touristy stuff. Same as I do when I visit other countries. Tower of London is more interesting and fun than a wetherspoons in Streatham. There is nothing wrong with using a tourist bus.
Food and drink is a bit of an exception, touristy places can be terrible and a rip off (though less so here than in Venice etc). But even then - there is value in somewhere you know will have a menu in your language and someone who understands you if your language skills aren't great. You might pay a premium for that, and that is fine. Though don't do what my GF did on a hen do in Lisbon and end up in Pizza Hut, there has to be a better option!
I can understand wanting to find the 'hidden gem' and I do it myself sometimes (owner of a great cheese and wine place we found in Barcelona literally said to us, how did you find us, lovely to have you here but we don't get many tourists) but mostly I'm being a tourist wanker.
cine@reddit
There is such a middle ground between Tower of London and Wetherspoons in Streatham though.
For example there is great food to be had in Spitalfields or Shoreditch, a short walk from Tower. Places where locals love to eat too. That's the kind of suggestion you might get from asking a local.
carlovski99@reddit
Yeah, that was a bit hyperbolic!
Top_Bodybuilder4729@reddit
The thing is, it's really not that hard to find "Hidden gems" if you put any effort whatsoever in to things. My general things are:
Buy a guidebook, read the list of things. The obvious ones are there, but it's also got loads of decent recommendations for stuff that's off the beaten path as it were. This is a highly reliable method.
Go somewhere random, visit the tourist information (or email them), ask for what's worth visiting in that area. This works well anywhere that has a tourist information office, which accounts for most towns & cities in Europe of any note.
Look on a map, see what looks vaguely interesting, search for pictures online, go there if you like the look of it, This works well for more rural places.
It's really not rocket science. What doesn't work is the zero effort stuff where you're saying "I want to go to Edinburgh and The High Lands and Inverness and Skye and I have 3 days to do the lot", and imagining you're going to get some kind of mad hidden gem type place in all of that.
Asking reddit does actually work well for questions you can't find the answers to with a quick internet search. Got some really excellent answers to a couple of questions before (around the reliability of the bus services on Uist, and whether it was worth learning any basic Romansh phrases if I was visiting a specific part of eastern Switzerland (to be a polite tourist!) or if German was the first language for most people there ... quick answers to those were "Good but the ferries don't always play ball" and "Only in certain valleys")
Zealousideal_Fold_60@reddit
its like car drivers complaining about the traffic...
geeered@reddit
It's like car drivers using waze/google maps to find the route with the least traffic so they have a nicer drive rather. Yes, there will be a load of other people on that route, but not nearly as many as in the 3 mile tailback from an accident you're avoiding.
Lanthanidedeposit@reddit
That's where maps win. You pick a route and there is no guarantee that everyone else will pick the same one.
geeered@reddit
I'd say that's exactly where they lose - because the paper maps don't tell you about the 3 mile tail back in two junctions time on the motorway.
And the GPS based apps have data from other people using the apps to know if an alternate route is going to be slower than other routes.
It also has live road closures, road works etc which are missing from paper maps.
Lanthanidedeposit@reddit
I'm on memory only when on the motorway due to driving and not being able to stop to look at phones or maps. The info can still get through thanks to the variable signs, radio or general knowledge that at certain times certain bits of road become car parks.
Merlisch@reddit
A tourist is a tourist but it's obviously detrimental to the overall experience if there are too many tourists. Therefore it is imperative, for the successful tourism experience, to avoid areas frequented by tourists as otherwise the whole point of tourism, which is to experience a formerly unknown culture or area, has been replaced by familiarity.
glasgowgeg@reddit
They don't want to go to the generic-y places, they want to go to something that's a bit different.
Like if someone was asking for recommendations in Edinburgh, I wouldn't tell them to go to the Royal Mile because it's all overpriced shite and tat shops.
OddPerspective9833@reddit
Tourists want an authentic experience. They're not there to see other tourists. It's a catch-22 but it's not a mystery
PsychologySpecific16@reddit
When another trip to Japan is was very challenging to find things to do that weren't the same 10 or 20 things that all travel bloggers or youtubers haven't covered in depth already.
Despite the fact that there is so much more to do. So for me, it's new experiences.
One of the best things we did was go to a local gig in the arse end of nowwhere. It felt authentic, we were the only non-Japanese there.
Also tourist areas or attractions can be a but naff
Top_Bodybuilder4729@reddit
I mean, you could point them to Niddrie or Wester Hailes, I'd guess they don't have so many tourists :)
No_real_beliefs@reddit
I visited Ostia Antica when I was in Rome. It was great, bigger than Pompeii but hardly any tourists because a. Its not as famous as Pompeii and b. Its 25 minutes outside of Rome. I travel a lot and everywhere I go there are tourist traps rammed with crowds and “second tier” locations that are slightly off the beaten path. I do visit the main attractions and put up with the crowds but its always a pleasure to visit the lesser attractions
IndividualScheme5974@reddit
I think other commenters are nailing the desire to be different-motivations, but I think travelers are also kind of...shamed, a bit? For doing the tourist things, as it means you didn't see the "real" London/Edinburgh/[city]/[country].
apple_kicks@reddit
Tbf if i hear someone visited London and ate at planet Hollywood and visited m&m world it feels like they missed so much better stuff
HalfFaust@reddit
Yeah, I've seen plenty of cases of locals complaining about/shaming tourists. The behaviour described in this post generally comes from a desire to not be one of those tourists.
Suitable_Size6972@reddit
Pursuit of the authentic
Suspicious-Movie4993@reddit
They are tourists who want to do things cheaply, they don’t want to pay ‘tourist’ prices, that’s what they mean.
TheAireon@reddit
I think some people confuse touristy areas and places for tourist traps. They're not one and the same in my opinion.
The city I come from (Lisbon) has plenty of both. There are places full of tourists that are 100% worth visiting but near every place of interest is also tons of tourist trap shops and restaurants that should be avoided.
eviemaria@reddit
It's like people who complain about being stuck in traffic when they ARE the traffic
CollThom@reddit
Send them to Pilton, Niddrie, Wester Hailes etc for a taste of authentic Edinburgh.
Silver_Wind_1@reddit
The answer is not to go to Edinburgh or London (or Paris or Tokyo etc). Visit other parts of the country instead!
CarpeCyprinidae@reddit
if everyone who intended to go to Bibury, Bourton-on-the-water or Middleton ("Cotswolds") for "authentic English country living" actually went to Amersham, Latimer and Berkhamsted ("Chiltens") they'd experience much of the same qualities with no tourists to be seen
That said as a Chilterns resident I'm sorta glad the Cotswolds takes the strain for us
Silver_Wind_1@reddit
I know what you mean. The Lake District pulls in so many people (for good reason) it leaves the Cheviot Hills all to me, especially on a weekday. I can walk for hours and pass nobody, pure bliss
Ok_Analyst_5640@reddit
North Pennines and Northern end of the Yorkshire Dales for me. Similarly dramatic scenery but not packed like the lakes.
Similar with Eyri - there's a lot of North Wales that's similarly beautiful mountains but not in a tourist trap national park.
Rude-Patient5266@reddit
“You’re not stuck in traffic, you are the traffic”
Yes, but that doesn’t mean I want to be stuck in traffic.
Altruistic-Cost-4532@reddit
Because if I want visit Somerset and get a feel for what it's like I'm not booking a week in Butlins.
buginarugsnug@reddit
Everyone wants to BE a tourist but no-one wants to FEEL LIKE a tourist.
pmacule@reddit
Winchburgh! They'll love it.
FireWhiskey5000@reddit
There’s a certain type of tourist who feels that the touristy areas aren’t very authentic. It’s a bit like going to a theme park, but one whose theme is Edinburgh. It’s busy, noisy and over priced. They want to see the more “authentic” and “real” side of the city, not just the bit that’s catering cor (mindless?) tourists.
Lanthanidedeposit@reddit
Easy in Edinburgh which has a short, limited beaten track.
finemayday@reddit
My favourite thing to do if I have a spare day on holiday, is put my phone in my bag (away), and old school roam with a paper map. You just go opposite of the crowd and either end up in the most beautiful of places or scariest of places. Sometimes it feels like wow I just discovered this, only to find out it’s a huge tourist attraction, but the joy is in the exploration and ‘discovery’ and that feeling of I may be lost, but that’s ok, grab a coffee and ask the waiter where to from here.
Lanthanidedeposit@reddit
Try and find orienteering maps online - many cities have hosted events. Edinburgh is well catered for
https://www.euoc.routegadget.co.uk/rg2/ and the most famous urban race is held in Venice every November, easy to find a Venice map.
Walk a bit of one of the courses, as far as you are concerned it will be a random walk. You will find things. Not just cities, but villages too - a lot of Italian villages have been mapped.
alivingstereo@reddit
Because, unfortunately, there are some establishments that are done specifically to cater for the tourist audience. I don't mind going to touristy museums or attractions, but I do get bothered when I go to a restaurant designed for tourists.
Look, I'm from a touristy city in Brazil and ever now and then other Brazilians friend mention how food in my city is amazing and how 'the restaurant X' makes the best one. However, we all know in my city that this 'restaurant X' only makes food for tourists, which means they add less spice, less flavour, and make things more palatable for other Brazilian audiences. When someone asks me for a non-touristy restaurant recommendation, I will definitely NOT recommend 'restaurant X' because it's bland and only tourists like it there.
Relevant-Bullfrog215@reddit
Same as people in cars complaining about 'the traffic', when they *are* the traffic.
Seriously though, there are tourists and Tourists. When I'm on holiday I prefer a bit more authentic an experience, I don't want to spend my time around other foreigners or, god forbid. fucking influencers. Barcelona was unbearable for it. You couldn't just walk around and enjoy the beauty of Park Guell without tripping over tripods, ring lights and fucking diffusion panels ffs.
Empty-Yesterday5904@reddit
Well people want to meet the real locals and have real everyday interactions to see what it's like IMHO. I just tell them to go to some pubs on Leith Walk.
Lanthanidedeposit@reddit
Given the quality of some of the cafes on Leith Walk, and the interesting shops - that is exactly the sort of place I want to find when I am touristing elsewhere.
MyDarlingArmadillo@reddit
It's like they actually want to see the glory of Niddrie.
Just stick to the touristy bits. Going outside them for food is probably cheaper and better though.
Lanthanidedeposit@reddit
Not quite as far as Niddrie, but Craigmillar is worth some of their time. Walk through the woods to Craigmillar Castle. Smell the glory of Nairn's oatcake bakery.
nrsys@reddit
There is the standard cycle that most tourist destinations go through - initially unheard of places, unique and charming in whatever way makes them special, with small shops, serving locals and only really existing because they are good enough to keep the discerning locals happy.
Over time people discover this place, and they get busier. Because they are busier, there is now money to be made, so shops start opening up to sell whatever the local speciality is, but rather than being the local shop that trades on quality, they are now operating as the tourist shops, trading on the local reputation - great for tourists who want to experience the local speciality, but not good enough for the locals to patronise them.
So when you travel somewhere, it can be worth stepping away from the tourist areas to find the better experience for certain products and experiences.
If you were to go to Edinburgh for example, a lot of Edinburgh is pretty fixed and full of tourists - the castle for example is overrun with tourists, but there is no alternative, and it is well worth following the crowd and visiting. Having a walk down the royal mile, visiting the gardens and museums and so on are all worth doing, touristy or not. Go to Barcelona and even the most jaded tourist will probably see the appeal in the Sagrada Familia or Park Guell...
But I also wouldn't stop off on the Royal Mile and expect an authentic highland wear shop, or a real pub - those places will absolutely be catering for the tourists, and walking a short distance away will find you the more authentic pubs and restaurants the locals actually eat at, rather than the obvious places with the tourist tax.
The art is in being self aware and a smart tourist who knows when to pay the tourist tax for the experience, and when to dig a little deeper.
The challenge will always be finding these spots, and that needs luck or local knowledge, because as soon as you start reading about where the best local spots are, everyone else goes there too and the same starts happening all over again.
Superb-Ad-8823@reddit
We live in Fife and rarely go to Edinburgh as it's a pain in the arse. Always stappit fu wi tourists whatever time of year.
Lanthanidedeposit@reddit
We live in Edinburgh and rarely go to St Andrews as it's a pain in the arse. Always stappit fu wi tourists whatever time of year.
(Disclaimer - St Andrews is nowhere near as strappit as Edinburgh and is wonderful. In Fife see also North Queensferry, Dunfermline, Culross, Falkland and the East Neuk villages. Even Glenrothes has interesting sculptures.
ArgyllLassie@reddit
Good point.
Mickleborough@reddit
They want to be the only tourist in the village.
My local laundromat has no tourists.
blue_rizla@reddit
It’s a misguided thought that the “tourist traps” must not be good. But it’s not New York or Las Vegas, in London or Edinburgh, the things that people come to see aren’t there because they’re for tourists, they’re there because they’re old and impressive. The reason it attracts tourists is because there’s so much history and they are *worth* seeing.
Lanthanidedeposit@reddit
Plenty to see in Edinburgh outwith the usual grammer spots. Like many similar cities, just walking around is rewarding. I am still finding interesting things in closes* that I have neither not visited before or rarely visited - (*alleyways off the Royal Mile)
Wandering around a strange city or even a familiar one with an orienteering map is often rewarding. I still get a full on tourism experience in Edinburgh doing this and I live a short bus trip away from the centre.
lovesorangesoda636@reddit
I always take those requests as "I want to see the sights but please god not another tartan tat shop".
joehonestjoe@reddit
I visit tourist attractions obviously but I also walk around and try to get off the beaten path a bit. I don't like being around tourists all day. I'm a wanderer by nature
I don't generally like eating near tourist places as you seem to pay twice as much for half the experience.
Puzzleheaded_Gold698@reddit
They just want to feel the real city. Like a local would. If you can throw in a few of those hidden gems while you're at it then all the better.
WelshBluebird1@reddit
It isnt that they don't think they are tourists, its that they want to experience real places there and not the tourist traps.
ForwardLavishness379@reddit
The irony is that "hidden gems" are just tourist traps waiting to happen once enough people post about them on social media. It’s like everyone wants an authentic local experience, but they forget that being a tourist is part of the experience itself. Just embrace the chaos, eat the overpriced pizza near the castle, and enjoy the city for what it is.
ambadawn@reddit
Partly to avoid being ripped off on mediocre food.
gridlockmain1@reddit
It doesn’t mean they don’t think they are tourists but when you go somewhere as a tourist (unless we’re talking like Disneyland) you want to experience something particular to that place not just be surrounded by by other tourists. Plus you might prefer it generally not to be busy.
It’s like being in a traffic jam. Yes of course you are partially responsible for the jam’s existence but you’d still rather not be stuck in it.
Commercial-Pear-543@reddit
They’re trying to avoid tourist traps. Cheap experience for premium cost.
It’s the same anywhere. You’ll do it on holiday too, just maybe not with a direct call out online (I typically go through restaurant reviews to avoid tourist traps when I’m abroad.)
Asuperniceguy2@reddit
My wife and I went to Paris once and ignored all the touristy places until the last day where we went full tourist. It was by far the best day. Turns out the tourism industry actually knows what people like.
QuantitySharp2662@reddit
What hidden gems does Edinburgh have ? Everybody associates the place with tourism and trainspotting, and I'm not talking about the delightful hobby of watching trains.
Dingy them. Next time somebody asks a daft question just dingy them. Turn away and just slowly walk and break into a jog and then a full on sprint.
IhaveaDoberman@reddit
Most people asking this genuinely, are fully aware they are tourists, they're probably greatly experienced tourists. Who when they visit somewhere, they want to get a feeling for the place itself. Not just do the main attractions and then fall in line for the surrounding tourist trap places.
When I went to Rome, of course we did the main things, Coliseum, Pantheon, Palatine hill, Spanish steps, Trevi fountain etc.
But we also made sure to venture out a bit more, went to the catacombs, the baths of Caracalla. We went off the main thoroughfares when looking for places to eat.
And one of the best things we saw, was going on the metro out to the Mausoleum of Santa Costanza. A beautifully preserved 4th century Church. Simply because my dad, a man who crosses his fingers when entering a Church, saw something about it on a BBC four programme.
ShabbatShalom666@reddit
What a stupid problem post. Are you being purposely dense?
IainMCool@reddit
Like car drivers moaning about traffic. You are traffic!
Jacktheforkie@reddit
I’m planning a visit soon, want to ride an HST
Silent-Tea4500@reddit
I was in Paris recently and if you're in the touristy areas the restaurants are shit, the prices are shit, the shops are full of shit
Why would I want to go to Paris to sit in chain restaurants & irish pubs, buying fridge magnets and little keychains of the Eiffel tower?
Not everyone visiting a city is a big annoying family group with hiking backpacks and cameras, it's weird to gatekeep an entire city lmao
TrinityTosser@reddit
Do you not think it's weird to think that residents should be expected to be happy to have every area of our home city invaded by tourists (many of whom behave disrespectfully)? We have a population of 500,000 and receive over 2,500,000 international visitors a year. We're swamped and are entitled to not have our quality of life reduced by huge numbers of tourists.
Silent-Tea4500@reddit
TrinityTosser@reddit
It's not just large groups, it's the sheer overall volume of visitors.
Cultural_Wallaby_550@reddit
Overcrowding- at peak times, major attractions can be so crowded it’s hard to enjoy your visit and it takes most of the day to visit one place.
Pricing - restaurants, souvenir shops and tours can be overpriced and poor quality
Inauthenticity - crowded expensive places catering to tourists are avoided by locals so you don’t really get to interact with locals or experience a slice of their everyday life
terryjuicelawson@reddit
I do get the idea as how many of us have been to a European city and seen the main strip and people selling fake tat, scammers, crappy restaurants with pictures on the menu with grinning men trying to persuade you inside. But without guidance you can be clueless where to actually go to escape it. It is easy when you know a place. But we aren't as bad with all that as many countries in the first place.
TrinityTosser@reddit
On r/Edinburgh we now have a pinned thread for tourist questions and remove them from the main sub. We also have filters set up for certain phrases such as "hidden gems" that moves the question to the mod queue for review. Source: I'm a mod.
The one thing that annoys me is people asking for hotel recommendations. Why would locals know that? We have homes in the city, we don't stay in the hotels here.
Lanthanidedeposit@reddit
From experiences at home. One reason is expense. There is the "Edinburgh Tax" on just about everything there - go elsewhere and prices drop.
Significant_Tree8407@reddit
The reason places are “touristy” is because these areas are avoided by the locals. I live in Cornwall where every seaside town is touristy, nice to visit but a nightmare to live in during “the season”
TrinityTosser@reddit
Problem is there isn't an off season in Edinburgh, we're swamped with tourists all year round.
nosoyrubio@reddit
Ridiculous post.
People want to see local life, not generic tourist life. It's pretty straightforward.
ooooomikeooooo@reddit
If you consider a restaurant as an example. You pay a certain price for a meal and that price is determined by the food and the location. The best food you pay a premium and the best location (proximity to tourist attraction) you pay a premium. Some people would rather eat the best food and some people would rather have the best location and there's sometimes a good balance between the two. Locals generally don't bother with the premium locations because they've seen it all before so the places they would eat tend to be the better food. Nobody asks the alternative, for the best location, because that's already obvious. A lot of people are happy to see the sites and then leave the tourist area for better food which is why they ask.
There are usually places that serve the best food in the best location but you're paying double premium then and it's super expensive.
Teembeau@reddit
What people mean is the tacky, artificial, overtouristed places that have been ruined by tourism. There are places like Bourton-on-the-Water where the place now exists mostly to serve tourists. It's full of the sort of fancy tourist shops that you don't get in a normal English village or small town. At which point, you're not experiencing the English countryside.
ChallengingKumquat@reddit
Sometimes, a place of interest is ruined (or the experience is made worse) by hoardes of people. When I visited the Grand Canyon, there were viewpoints that were absolutely heaving, and it detracted from the wonder, to hear Americans hollering and yelling to each other right next to something so amazing. But, when we drove a mile or two down the road, we had a near-identical view, but we were just by ourselves, and we were able to take in the wonder without people livestreaming and shouting and guffawing and taking selfies and yelling and acting like they're the centre of the universe.
Just because I want to see amazing buildings or natural wonders doesn't mean I want to be surrounded by people shouting and livestreaming and guffawing. In fact, i often choose to visit places during off-peak times of day or year just to avoid these loud, obnoxious fuckwits.
Atompunk78@reddit
Same as why drivers want to avoid the traffic lmao
kernowgringo@reddit
It's funny on the Cornwall sub as a lot of them are tourists or just people who like the area and maybe visited once but don't live here, so they always just recommend eachother the same places in some kind of tourism death spiral. It's nice to know where they all like going and then avoid those places.
Rosetti@reddit
Just because I want to drive somewhere, that doesn't mean I want to be in traffic.
Think-Ladder7925@reddit
For me it boils down to average. Of course I’ll still go and see the major parts of any city, but on average the tourist traps attract a certain type of person, they are a certain price, and a certain level of crowded.
For me I just want to avoid.
Moppo_@reddit
I expect they want to see the place instead of a mass of people.
Sad-Grade6972@reddit
Sometimes, in places that attract visitors, the residents can be a bit churlish about outsiders, eg. You can see x,y,z, but keep out of my local. Invariably, this is not likely to be the feeling of whatever business it may be, as all extra income is likely to be welcomed, but some locals, rather. This is probably a whole sub topic, but I think if you want the income that tourism brings, it doesn't do to get too League of Gentlemen about outsiders. I think for a lot of visitors to areas, they perhaps want to see some of what's well known, and for good reason, but also like to experience places equally enjoyable but not widely advertised. As far as eating and drinking goes, if you stick to the establishments set up for tourists, perhaps next to some famous landmark, often you receive something underwhelming, with a generic welcome and a higher price. As a pub and beer lover, I find the Good Beer Guide invaluable when visiting anywhere unfamiliar, and have found some wonderful, friendly pubs with great beer that way. Otherwise, if you just pick any random pub in a well visited area, you're just likely to encounter boring pubco beer selections, often at an inflated price, and also miss out on seeing some lovely pubs.
smushs88@reddit
Makes sense, I know when I’ve gone abroad I’ve looked for highly rated places off the main squares etc.
Even then I’d consider the ask for hidden gems or tips to be about saving cash - so an example here is tourists all flocking to throw £25 to go up to the shard viewing platform when you can book to go up to the sky garden (yes obvious not quite as tall) for free.
Whilst the sky garden is still a ‘tourist’ attraction I’m saving myself a fair wedge by going up there as opposed to the shard etc.
Caddy666@reddit
"'Cause everybody hates a tourist" - Jarvis Cocker
BungadinRidesAgain@reddit
Tell 'em if they want to act like locals then to sink a load of pints at spoons, get a takeaway and mong out in front of telly.
blackberry_sorbet@reddit
Because a lot of them believe "I'm not like those other idiotic tourists. I bet everyone thinks I'm a local!". So they feel entitled to the best spots in the city where they can 'blend in'.
Even though they always stick out like a sore thumb to actual locals.
sneijder@reddit
They’re too thick to realise all the tourist traps are empty from 2-3pm onwards.
Pre-internet we’d trog around Thailand with the Lonely Planet all descending on the same recommended guest house, not realising we were the tourists … now an Instagram reel tells you about Robin Hoods bay. daily.
IkeTurn@reddit
Maybe they mean they don't want to go to places everybody else goes to ? Fun fact: when I go on holiday I go to a small village that hardly anybody else goes to. And every year the guys at the local pub without fail say 'oh look troubles back' 😄
Dazz316@reddit
Necause they don't want the touristy crap, they want the real deal. I also live in Edinburgh, and while the best sights to see are often in the tourist spots up the mile. Sure you want to head to the Mile for the Castle, the museums, Whiskey Experience is fun, down to the palace and off for other nearby things. But a lot of the shit overpriced eateries are on the Mile as while we know not to eat there, the tourists don't and they can charge high prices for cheaper food.
The want to try genuine local food that people eat and not be charged extortionately for it.
Jimmy-The-Perv@reddit
We went there a while ago, and I decided to keep my mouth shut when I saw an American buying a bottle of Talisker on the Mile for £130.
"That's £45 in Tesco...." I whispered to my wife.
spubbbba@reddit
I suspect part of it is to see if there are any fun places to go that are not obvious.
Tourists don't need to be told about Edinburgh Castle, Holyrood Palace, Arthur's Seat or the Camera Obscura as those are already well advertised. But locals might have some suggestions of other places, even a nice park, pub or shopping district can be a fun afternoon.
Littleleicesterfoxy@reddit
As a Brit if I’m travelling to Greece or wherever I’ll look for the non-touristy bits so I don’t have to put up with English people on holiday loudly ordering chips and Stella who I came on holiday specifically to get away from
Jimmy-The-Perv@reddit
I do that when I'm on holiday. Its because I can't abide the fact civilization just gets completely disregarded when lots of non-locals get together.
For example, we did Lake Garda a couple of years ago and one day got a ferry up to Malcesine. Full of Germans on their motorbikes, who - once they are out of their own country - are absolute fucking barbarians. A few of them couldn't be arsed queuing in the traffic their brethren had caused, so just fucked off on the path on their motorbikes, screaming something at a 6 year old in German (I'm assuming it was along the lines of "get out of the way!").
Or when we went to Crete and visited Knossos. I wanted a decent look round the throne room, so tactfully peeled away during the talk just before the throne room, so I'd be front of the queue. Anyway, was shoved out of the way by some Russians as soon as the tour guide had finished talking.
Or when we went to the Three Sisters in the Blue Mountains. A couple of Chinese tourists already at the viewpoint taking a few pictures, no biggie. Anyway, as soon as she was done, she got a different phone from a friend and proceeded to take all the same selfies she has just taken for the next 5 minutes. Little bit annoying, but continue waiting in the queue for our turn. Then, when she was done, she got yet another different phone and proceeded to spend 5 minutes taking all the same selfies.....
I realise these are all anecdotal, but I've had enough experiences around barbarous tourists that we now just go on holiday to places off the tourist radar, or if its somewhere popular, we will try and find places to experience the "proper" destination. For example, once we got the Star Ferry from Kowloon (on the lower deck like proper Hong Kongers. Interestingly, the lower deck entrance was hidden round the corner from the ramp to the upper deck), over to Causeway Bay. Still busy, but not full of cretin tourists like Victoria Peak.
underwater-sunlight@reddit
Every high street has a Starbucks and McDonald's. Its a fair assumption that the busier touristy areas price for tourism and not regular to day visitors. Every tour guide shows the touristy places, you have often seen enough of them without needing to go. The joy of finding a hidden gem somewhere.
We went to Rome years ago, did the obvious touristy stuff. Spanish steps, trevi fountain, colloseum and the Vatican. The day before the Vatican trip, we wandered into a church while looking for a nice restaurant we found on TripAdvisor to scout it for that evening and the church was beautiful to the point that we regretted paying to do the Vatican tour
Prestigious_Emu6039@reddit
A great hidden gem in Edinburgh is the botanical gardens
Emotional-Touch7243@reddit
Honestly I think people mostly just want recommendations that feel personal instead of Googling “Top 10 Things To Do In Edinburgh” like everybody else. But there’s a difference between touristy and worth seeing. Some famous places are famous for a reason.
Serious_Escape_5438@reddit
If locals give all their personal recommendations they'll soon be on Google, and become tourist traps.
DickBrownballs@reddit
I think there's a balance here. Obviously lots of touristy places are touristy for a reason - they're the main attractions of a place and what people go to see. But equally, how often do you see people complaining that tourists don't get a real feel for a place because they "only do the touristy stuff"? It happens all the time. Wanting to get a feel for what a place is like to locals by going to the regular, less hyped places is just sensible isn't it, when so much stuff aimed at tourists is a mediocre rip off.
Honestly, I think this question is pretty obvious.
MrJohz@reddit
Yeah, the mix is important. On my most recent holiday, we did a handful of cities around Europe and saw plenty of the big tourist sights, and that was great (mostly, some exceptions). But also some of the nicest times we had were in quiet parks or restaurants or cafes where basically everyone else was local and we could relax and enjoy our surroundings.
I don't think the person asking the question wants to know what the average person in Edinburgh eats for a Tuesday dinner so they can be as "authentic" as possible, they just want to know if there are other options beyond the classic tourist areas that are worth trying out.
AveragelyBrilliant@reddit
Hidden gems become extremely popular gems and then gems that are no longer accessible or desirable to those few that experienced them before they became popular. Pretty soon, the locusts move on and the cycle is complete.
Bullfinch88@reddit
The Devil's Pulpit (aka Finnich Glen) is a prime example. Growing up, it was a little-known local curiosity. Occasionally you'd hear that someone's brother and their friends had gone for a wee explore and it was quite cool. Nothing more.
After Outlander, it has been totally ruined. Double-yellow lines all over the place, people parking on verges, litter, human waste, mountain rescue getting called out, roads getting clogged up, stone-staking insta-wanks and all the rest of it. I mean it is a beautiful natural place to visit, but man. The shine has certainly been worn off from that particular gem.
Mother-Market-4056@reddit
The touristy places more often than not are not a great example of the country you're in or going to, and I like to see what the country is actually like. No snobbery to it. I've been to Cancun but I don't really go around claiming that I've been to Mexico because I've been on what was effectively one street in a place built for tourism.
Pigeoncow@reddit
When I go to touristy places I get the same feeling as when I'm in the airport. I'll go and look at the landmarks but food and "vibes" are always better outside of such areas.
Ruadhan2300@reddit
Because the problem with Touristy Areas, is that they all are basically the same veneer of kitsch on top of whatever is cliche about the country/city/whatever.
They aren't the "Real ExperienceTM" and so for some people they're just not good enough.
badger906@reddit
Hey! I like to pretend I’m an Edinburgh local! I’m there all the time lol despite living in Cambridgeshire. It’s my happy place.
Rowanx3@reddit
I like to travel to learn about culture, tourists destinations are usually what that country wants you to see and don’t reflect daily life. I still enjoy tourist locations, but one thing i like about going to spain with my boyfriend who lived in Spain for a while is going to Spanish markets away from tourist areas and cooking fish thats not available to the same degree in the uk and participating in siestas and going out at 9-2am.
Its the same as when people post to this sub asking where to go outside of london and everyone replying york or bath saying its more typically british and authentic than london. We’re recommending it to them so they don’t just experience what they’re typically encouraged or expected to see. A lot of London tourism revolves around stereotypes where as we recommend the other places for a bit more authenticity.
ARobertNotABob@reddit
MainCharacter syndrome.
DevilsAdvocate1662@reddit
"touristy areas" exploit tourists by inflating prices
unfit-calligraphy@reddit
As a fellow Edinburgh person I’m glad we have touristy areas to keep all the Americans penned in.
Icy-Belt-8519@reddit
Cause it's quirky and wanna be different
Im from the middle of England, if I wasn't a tourist the amount of stuff I'd have missed, yes Im going to jump off a big ass bridge, go snowboarding, go see a highland cow on a quad, go to the lochs, but I mean if they wanna go round tesco leave um to it 😂 though I was a tourist in tesco when I saw the amount of iron bru! 🤯
BeardedBaldMan@reddit
I moved abroad and you see it on the country specific subs "I want to do what locals do".
Why? I work, take my children to school and shop in the supermarket. You're not coming around to my garden for beer & sausages unless you're going to help mow the lawn or do some weeding.
Serious_Escape_5438@reddit
Same, what locals do everywhere is mostly boring. Lots of them have bad taste in food too. I live in Spain and someone online once got really angry when I said that actually Spanish people go to McDonald's and chain restaurants. They insisted it must be just tourists, but my local shopping centres with chains are absolutely packed every weekend with locals eating shitty food. Being local doesn't mean exquisite taste.
BeardedBaldMan@reddit
The other one is when people visit and they want restaurant recommendations and are annoyed as you recommend another country's food.
Sorry, but I don't want what I eat at home in a restaurant and that Italian place is really good.
KeyPhilosopher8629@reddit
They all have the idea of britain from TV shows and think that everyone lives in a stately home and goes to the tower of london each day while the entire population dines at the ritz. Was very funny introducing my aussie family to meal deals and then subsequently complaining about the lack thereof every time I go back
yearsofpractice@reddit
Because every single human that has ever existed thinks they - alone - are the most special unique little flower that has ever ever existed.
BillyJoeDubuluw@reddit
It’s always made me chuckle…
“Okay, we will skip the castle then mate, do you fancy a pub that’s a bit like the one where the tourist gets twatted in Trainspotting?” 😂
Don’t get me wrong, I’ve gone off the beaten track myself for cheaper food and drinks, but it’s the tourists who profess to be snubbing the whole thing who leave me wondering “why would you bother at all?”…
mmoonbelly@reddit
Love the small touch in that scene with the barman trying on the red jacket. 😀
AbbreviationsHot7662@reddit
I don’t know but I live in London and I wouldn’t publicise my local caf or pub or park that I like going to (not that many tourists would be particularly interested in going to Peckham but still).
I avoid central London like the plague precisely cos of the crowds. It does make it easy though as Western Zone 1 is basically the tourist containment area.
Huilang_@reddit
Ok, I'll explain.
I'm Italian and come from one of the most touristy places on earth. Like literally imagine a holiday destination, that's it. A lot of the "touristy stuff" and the "good stuff a local would choose" overlap, obviously. For instance, I've found myself, as an adult, having a drink in a nice cafe in front of the cathedral, fully knowing I'm paying a 200% premium for the location - however I am then looking straight at the cathedral while enjoying my drink. Growing up, when I had no money, I'd avoid those places like the plague and instead go to a hole in the wall somewhere else with my mates but then I didn't sit and look at the cathedral, if that makes sense. Just a very different experience.
However, and that's where the "avoid touristy places" point comes in, there are plenty of crap places that have a massive footfall simply due to their convenient location. The main example I can use is ice cream (or "gelato" for those who think it's a different thing). As the granddaughter of a gelataio, I have always known to avoid places where the ice cream leaves the container (i.e. sits on top of it, like a massive colourful mountain topped with fruits etc - looks very pretty, but it's wrong) - those places make up 99% of the ice cream shops on the main street. Turn a corner, and you'll find a proper ice cream shop that sells proper ice cream. A tourist asking for the "non-touristy" tips may simply want to be told about the place around the corner, which by the way deserves to get the footfall a lot more than the one on the high street.
That said, I'll never understand tourists who like to pretend they're not tourists. I travel all the time, speak several languages, can seamlessly integrate into many different places but I don't mind being called a tourist since that's who I am. But I'm well-behaved, respectful, knowledgeable and discerning. I can only assume tourists who ask for the non touristy bits don't actually want to be sent down a dark alley to a crack den, they simply want to avoid being "that kind of tourist" or being mistaken for an idiotic lout who climbs on fountains or writes their name on ruins.
ConstantineGSB@reddit
Simple really, they don't want to experience the oversaturated parts of the city rarely used by locals, they want the authenticity of what the locals experience day to day.
It'd be like going to China and exclusively going to restaurants that give you a knife and fork instead of chopsticks, the food might be good but its not what the locals are doing.
Excellent-Ruin6779@reddit
They want the "local experience"
Which is bs. I've been to London plenty of times. Mostly east and like the docklands area as I know people there. Didn't do much exploring because, well we broke. But it wasn't until I went as a tourist with local friends rather than those I know in London that I really learnt to love the place. It's an amazing walking city, especially around Marble Arch and Leicester Square. Don't even need to spend a penny.
I've been fortunate enough to have gone to some nice cities, the broke tourist experience in London still tops the list. Fuck the local experience, I have that in my local area. Give me the tourist stuff.
crankyandhangry@reddit
There are a few reasons. One is Main Character Syndrome; they think they're exceptional and not like the other tourists. Related to this is a one-up-manship: they want to take pictures in places other tourists dont usually go to they can say they've had an even better holiday than everyone else and feel special.
Some are just being pragmatic. They want to make the best of their limited time and not waste it seeing things that will be a let-down. They want the real advice like "everyone will tell you to see X but actually it's a bit shit. Unless youre here for two weeks, skip it." Also many don't want to eat in extremely overpriced places, which is fair. Like I might say that everywhere in the city centre is expensive but you'll have to go further out than Haymarket to avoid those prices; just avoid The Royal Mile for the worst of it; Lothian Road has a lot of nice places to eat.
Some want to actually get a local's perspective and I think that's good. Like I'd tell people "if you're really into castles, get a combi ticket for Edinburgh Castle and Craigmillar Castle. Take a packed lunch the second day and have a picnic in Craigmillar park coz it's really pretty.". The latter really is a hidden gem that a lot of tourists miss because it's about 30 mins on a bus, but it's very much worth it. For people who like walking and on a low budget, I'd say to do Arthur's Seat obviously but also the Innocent Railway, Colinton Tunnel, walk the canal and Water of Leith, maybe take a trip out to Silverknowes. Now that we have the Voi electric bike scheme, I'd quite recommend it for doing the Roseburn Path and through Victoria Park, but tell people to stay off them in the city centre. You can actually get tailored advice to your likes by asking locals.
Finally, I imagine it makes people feel kind of special to get a recommendation from a local and follow through. Even if it's totally mediocre and normal, like "oh, you should get an ice cream from Mary's Milk Bar" (I'm not a fan) or "get a fried pizza supper or pizza crunch supper" (massive fan), it gives a sense of connection to the locals. It's builds excitement for something mundane. And that's fine I think, nothing wrong with that.
MassivBereavement@reddit
People want to feel edgy and superior. They'd rather miss the good stuff to 'do what the locals do'. Even though the locals live their life and go to work, ie what the tourist would be doing at home. I went to Rome this month and the tourist attractions are heaving with people.. because they are breathtaking and tell the history of Europe. Its hilarious to me that people would try to avoid the tourist stuff when they've gone to a tourist destination, its a tourist destination for a reason
Immediate_Web_5385@reddit
The bullshit sense of ‘snobbery’
I.e I’m a ‘traveller’ not a tourist
I go where the locals go etc etc bullshit
‘Tourist’ places are popular cos they’re nice
There’s no ‘hidden’ gems anymore. It’s 2026 with instagram / thick tock, not 1996 with a lonely planet guidebook
Xenozip3371Alpha@reddit
Pfft, no.
The Touristy areas of London are full of cheap shit and expensive food.
If they base their thoughts of British food on London's touristy areas, no wonder they think our food's shit.
auntie_eggma@reddit
Looolll no.
NoFewSatan@reddit
This is not necessarily true.
ohsaycanyourock@reddit
Reddit is full of hipsters, I wouldn't take that as the average opinion. Whenever I plan a holiday the first thing I do is look up top tourist attractions - that's what I'm there for!
Nicktrains22@reddit
To use Edinburgh as an example, it's not that they don't want to go to the castle or climb Arthur's seat, it's more that they want to avoid standing around for half an hour to get a seat at say the greyfriars bobby pub or buying an overpriced ticket to Mary king's close when they could be doing the real historic treats of the city. Now to be fair even the tourist traps in Edinburgh are pretty decent, so it's not as big a problem as elsewhere.
silverblossum@reddit
I often ask this, get great recommendations and don't find many tourists have turned up to the places I'm willing to go.
poutinewharf@reddit
I do that to a degree, but a big part of it is I don’t want to go to places I wouldn’t go to at home. That’s not me avoiding the local culture, it’s me avoiding the mass push that is city centre industry. Treating it more like “what would I do if I had a full free day in Leeds?”
I want a nice little coffee shop that uses local beans and they know their stuff. I want local beer, I want the small indie bookshop.
My move has been to do a bit of research and find a place that fits the bill. From there I’ll often just ask the staff “where do you blank?”
I’m lucky that I’ve lived all across Canada and have been in the UK for a number of years, so I’ve had a lot of opportunities to visit new cities
xmastreee@reddit
Send them to Diggers for a pint of heavy. Or is that too touristy these days? (It's been a while)
smellthecoffeebeans@reddit
Mostly just for food because you will get charged an arm and a leg, and the quality may not be good
Serious_Escape_5438@reddit
As if they'd enjoy wandering around housing estates or something.
unethical_badger@reddit
Edinburgh’s a mixed bag, I think. Went last month, and much as the castle, Royal Mile etc were great, I could’ve done without the signs every five steps for ‘Princess Diana Tartan.’
JavaRuby2000@reddit
Because other tourists put them down and say they are not a "real traveller" if they only visit the touristy areas. People always want to shit on others idea of a good time.
TheMarvelMunchkin@reddit
I know - I once saw a comedian saying direct them to the optician and the big Tesco
One thing is to avoid the tourist traps - but the actual “city highlights” or what the city is well known, is well known for a reason
I get if you’re on a long (multi week) holiday you do actually need to do non touristy things, yes you sometimes need to find a place to do your laundry, and you may discover you forgot to bring enough medicine and need to go and see a doctor, or you may even have a complex glasses prescription and your glasses break and you need to find an optician
But it’s really people trying to hard to be “unique”
Easy-Plant-8783@reddit
It's all over the world, I was going to Vietnam so I went on the Vietnam sub and it's all about avoiding tourists, the same in Thailand sub and Sydney sub.
I don't understand this hidden gems thing either.
BalthazarOfTheOrions@reddit
It's not about thinking you're not a tourist. It's about not wanting the cheap tatty things that locals (justifiably in most cases) try to peddle on to the tourists.
When I travel I don't want to see a gilded false version of a place, I want to know what a place is like. Take Finland for example. The touristy offers around Lapland leave out so much of what is actually really nice about Finland and Finnish winters, so if my friends are going to Finland I can, as a local, tell them what to look for because it's ten times better.
Nikkotak@reddit
To avoid paying inflated prices for everything. I don’t appreciate being charged £10 for a tiny ice cream etc
Asher-D@reddit
Probably to avoid being charged more because they're a tourist or because they want their expiernce to be unique and special.
JoeDaStudd@reddit
Because the heavily tourist areas are only good out of season or early morning.\ If you go when it's heaving you'll see more of the people than the actual attraction.
Additionally the businesses in the high tourist areas cater for the tourists and know they can charge crazy prices. This means poor quality generic food/products with a crazy markup and you'll likely have to struggle through crowds to use the business.
Don't get me wrong some people love being part of a crowd and buzz of a busy area. However reddits democratic (leans heavy introvert and neuro divergent) so they don't want crowds and busy.
KrytenLister@reddit
Just a bit of a delusional arrogance thing.
All lot of that type don’t think of themselves as just everyday tourists. They want to be world travellers, believing they’re part of some sort of authentic cultural experience normal tourists will never experience.
In reality, they’re pretty much always just seeing the standard tourist version of whatever they think they’ve discovered that nobody else has.
Not to shit on all tourists, I love travelling. I’ve been all over the world. I’m a tourist though. I don’t pretend I’m anything special while I’m doing it.
iffyClyro@reddit
I used to speak to a lot of tourists and from my perspective they just wanted to try and have a unique experience.
I’d advise them to still do the tourist stuff but also get a train out of Edinburgh and visit the likes of Dunfermline or if they had a car Kinross.
Depending on where they’re coming from it might the their one and only chance to see beyond Edinburgh.
xycm2012@reddit
Probably wanting to avoid tat like the tartan shops and chain restaurants.
jrbp@reddit
Some people don't like big crowds
VardaElentari86@reddit
Yeh, this is why I ignore these questions when they come up in the Edinburgh subs!
Some areas are bad enough already
Standard-Spite-6885@reddit
If they're younger, they're looking for social media content
If they're older, they're looking for a place that does live music
If you can't tell, they're crowd sourcing to write a BuzzFeed article
PoolRamen@reddit
The Quest for Individuality
(which all end up the same)
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