15 ambassadors' advice to travel to their country as a local

Travel as a local: ambassadors from all over the world give us their tips to know that seeing and doing in their country in less than 48 hours.

Do you want to travel to a new destination and do unusual things? This time, you will get out of the beaten paths to travel like a local! Here are fifteen country recommendations to visit from ambassadors’ point of view!

Italy

What? To travel like the Italians, sail on 70 km of waterways on the Brenta in the Venetian region, make a stop in Padua, then go live as a local around the flamboyant Lake Garda In Trentin. Do not forget to make a stopover in Castagneto Carducci (Toscane) where Giosuè Carducci lived. To the south, Rome and Naples.

What to see? If you get to Rome , the village of Tolfa, the ancient vestiges and the Norwegian-Italian Cultural Institute to travel as a local. In Naples, the ruins of Pompei and Vesuvius are essential. In the north, Mount Baldo at Lake Garda offers beautiful hikes, ending on the Euganéennes hills.

A cliché? The Italian is often stigmatized as bavard, dredger or machist, a fan of pizza and pasta.

Croatia

What? To discover Croatia as a local, you must taste the Malvasija wine, eat grilled fish with silver beet and potatoes, without missing the "Rožata". For dessert, order a lička pita. To digest, the "šljivovica", a plum liqueur, is a Balkan emblem.

What to see? If you manage to see Dubrovnik, Zadar, Zagreb, Plitvice, you will truly travel to Dubrovnik Croatia Like a local. A little more: stop in the village of Karlobag: small, but a popular atmosphere reigns and feels like a Croat.

A cliché? The Croatian is mistakenly catalogued as a remote, cold, reserved character.

The Netherlands

What? Drink a drink in a bar on Dam Square (Amsterdam) and visit Keukenhof to travel as a local, as if you live there. Taste the Dutch gastronomy (the "poffertjes", "krokets", "frkandels", " rijsttafel" and " stroopwafels").

What to see? First of all, visit Amsterdam: canals, cycling tours, the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum, the Ann Frank Museum. Then, The Hague and Rotterdam (the largest port in Europe).

A cliché? All Dutch people are not cannabis smokers or accustomed to the Red district of Amsterdam.

Mexico

What? To travel as a local, enjoy Mexican terraces and restaurants: pastor tacos, suadero, campechanos, popular markets of San Juan and Medellín, and enjoy a bottle of mezcal.

What to see? Of course, we think of Mexico, which focuses a breathtaking historical and cultural heritage: the “Zócalo”, the National Palace, the Alameda, the Chapultepec Castle, the Museum of Anthropology and History, the house of Frida Khalo and the Anahuacalli Museum of Diego Rivera in Coyoacá, Teotihuacán, the region of Oaxa and Tuluman.

A cliché? The Mexican, brin of straw to the mouth, sleeping under a cactus with a tequila by hand.

Hungary

What? We're thinking about partying Budapest : the premises are very welcoming. Taste the Hungarian goulash, the Wiener Schnitzel, the Hungarian ratatouille, the stuffed cabbage, the Dobos, and the Somlói galuska.

What to see? To explore Hungary as a local, you can take a walk in the centre of Budapest along the banks of the Danube, visit Parliament, the castle and settle on one of the many terraces in the Jewish quarter. Elsewhere, visit Sz entend, Visegrád and Tihany at Lake Balaton.

A cliché? The Hungarian would be xenophobic, anti-Semitic and remote. It is obviously false.

Costa Rica

What? Costa Rican landscapes are extremely varied: lush forests, natural reserves, tropical beaches (Guanacaste and Nicoya), Puerto Viejo, Montverde and the cloud forest, the Caribbean coast, the Arenal volcano. Don’t miss the capital, San José and its culinary treasures: rice, beans, chicken, meat, and fruit all year round.

What to see? In San José, put yourself in the diapason to live like a local: go out in peak hours, enjoy the terraces, go to the popular bars. Visit national theatre, cathedral, Amón district, national park, jade and gold museums, and national zoo.

A cliché? The Costa Rican is not necessarily an agricultural operator dealing with its bananas. The Costa Rican economy is also industrial, especially in medical services.

Austria

What? A Vienna We will undoubtedly make Schönbrunn Castle. Sachertorte, Linzer Torte, and Kaiserschmarrn and Wiener Schnitzel will be tasted in the many small cafes in the city. To the west, beautiful hikes are to be made in the alpine mountains.

What to see? In Austria, we like to stroll on the southeast shores of Lake Constance in Bregenz. From Innsbruck to Salzburg, the landscapes are beautiful and worth a visit. You must also visit the small town of Oberndorf.

A cliché? All Austrians are not passionate about skiing and classical music by Mozart. This country has many other diversity to offer.

Dominican Republic

What? To live as a local, we recommend catamaran on Saona Island and swim in crystal clear waters. Go to the bay of Palmar de Ocoa to savour country wines. Biking around the streets of the capital by stopping in the many small cafes. At nightfall, party while dancing on traditional music by the beaches.

What to see? From Punta Cana to Santo Domingo to the tropical beaches of the north, this country has a wide variety of things to see. To travel as a local in the Dominican Republic, visit the Bay of Ocoa, and write cultural sites and local shops.

A cliché? The hospitality and the apparent relaxation of the premises does not mean that they do not work: they work hard all day!

Norway

What? To make a local, don’t miss a drink at the edge of the fjord at the Oslo Opera. Swimming in Sørenga, and leaving for Bergen by train. Take a walk to the historic district to admire a splendid view of Bergen, the fjord and the mountains. On the palate, taste with seafood (saumon or shrimp), with the "gitost" used for the Norwegian "matpakke" sandwich, taken by the locals.

What to see? In Norway, it is the nature that must be contemplated to live in the open air, like a local. By visiting Oslo , you must see its Opera, Munch Museum, Vigeland Park, Fram Museum, Astrup Fearnley Museum.

A cliché? Norwegians are said to be cold and remote. We just need to get to know each other.

Ecuador

What? To enjoy the delicacies of Ecuador as a local, go for a coffee with « bolones verdes », taste the shrimp ceviche, the « locro », the « seco de gallina », fruit and cocoa ice.

What to see? In Quito, it is the old town that must be explored, as well as the “Mitad del Mundo”. Go to the subtropical forest of Mindo Valley and Guayaquil.

A cliché? The Ecuadorian is not a man dressed in beard puns, playing flute all day...

Finland

What? ♪ Finland , taste the intense taste of local and wild food if you want to travel there like a local: fish, reindeer, berries and mushrooms. Take a look at the best restaurants in the Helsinki region, go to the islands surrounding the capital, admire the old town of Porvoo and the Nuuksio National Park in Espoo.

What to see? First, visit the capital in an unusual way, like a local: raise your eyes on the architecture of Jugend, on the style of the buildings of Jätkäsaari and Kalasatama. The Suimenlinna fortress is also to be seen. In Helsinki, don’t miss seeing the old market hall of Helsinki, Tori Korttelit and its design district.

A cliché? The Finns are said to be introverted. It’s cultural. For the rest, they are kind and welcoming.

Canada

What? Shopping in Montreal on Rue Sainte-Catherine, party on Rue Saint-Denis, have a drink in a bar on an ice hockey night. Taste the incontournable of Quebec: the poutine!

What to see? For two days Canada , Montreal is a city of choice: cosmopolitan, welcoming, bilingual, a mosaic of cultures. See the paved streets of the historic city centre, Notre-Dame Basilica, Mont-Royal Park and photograph skyscrapers: real urban walks like a local.

A cliché? The Canadian, hand axe, lumber shirt on the back, boots in the snow cutting wood to face the winter.

Philippines

What? To travel as a local on this magnificent archipelago of 7,000 islands, you have to flee Manila: go to the Visayas, Cebu, the island of Negros, Malapascua and Siquijor and its heavenly beaches. Do not miss the "lechon" (from grilled pork) and the "sutokil".

What to see? Traveling as a local implies being in contact with the locals: go to Luzon see the rice fields, do the Twin Lakes (Negros) and party in Dumaguete. In Manila, go to the bars where the Philippine go to discover the city as a local (while staying vigilant).

A cliché? The goodness and good mood of the Filipinos. We underestimate their seriousness and commitment to social relations.

New Zealand

What? On this small country, travel as a local while admiring the diversity of breathtaking natural landscapes, enjoy artistic and cultural infrastructure, taste meat, seafood and New Zealand wines.

What to see? Between the two islands of the country, the cities are modern: Auckland Wellington, Christchurch. Go to the Milford Sound on the South Island, go to Kahurangi National Park, and Taupo Lake on the North Island.

A cliché? In the collective imagination, it is the country in the corner at the bottom right of the planisphere: the end of the world!

Guatemala

What? In Guatemala, the best restaurants are located in Antigua Guatemala: test the “Parrillada Chapina”, black beans, rice, guacamole and “Ka’ik”.

What to see? "old Guatemala" is an immanquable. Alongside Antigua, visit Lake Atitlán, discover the remains and Maya culture, survey the volcanoes – active – Pacaya and the Fuego Volcano.

A cliché? Guatemala would be a tropical country. However, on the high plateaus inside the land, frosts are recurring between December and February.

Main photo credit: Flickr – Simon Matzinger