The best way to explore a new place is to have a local at hand who knows all its secret little streets, delectable foods and urban legends that you won’t find in guidebooks. However, it’s not always the simplest thing to arrange, so we’ve prepared for you a detailed step-by-step action plan. As we have proven many times, the world lurks with free stuff if you only know where to find it. 

How to find a local guide for free in 7 simple steps:

1. Call a friend who lives there. This may seem obvious but it’s worth reminding that we have several hibernating friendships that may be brought back to life if you just send a quick message and ask a show you around the place you are visiting. 

2. Ask on social media. Maybe someone you know, knows a local (a friend of a friend of a friend…). Your social network expands further than you expect. Post your request on social media and see what’s going to happen.

3. Book a free walk with a local guide through Global Greeters – a website that brings together locals and tourists with similar interests; you can also volunteer as a tour guide for the city you live in).

4. Post in the group of the respective city on Couchsurfing.com. While Couchsurfing is usually used to find a free place to stay, the website has many more socializing options. You can see lists of locals and visitors to a particular city as well as people who are available to meet you for a beer, to visit the Cairo Museum with you or to show you around. The groups are another useful feature where you can discuss important issues or post a request to meet a local.

5. Post in the city groups on Facebook saying you are looking for a local to show you around and tell you stories. Search for groups like “[City] locals”, “[City] expats” or anything related. 

6. Many towns organize free guided tours through their information centers (check and book well in advance).

7. Join a free walking tour (they have these all around the world. Google “[City] free tour”). The tour is free but you are expected to leave a tip at the end if you enjoyed it. The great thing about free tours is that they tend to be general or specialized, like Free Food Tour, Free Street Art Tour, etc. 

Read more: 7 free travel tools you may not be using

If you like the idea, don’t forget that you can always become a volunteer guide for your own city!

Pin it to your Travel For Free board:

The post How to find local city guides for free in 7 easy steps appeared first on 203Challenges.

Imagine what life would be like if you had a mobile app just like Shazam but for works of art instead of music. Now stop imagining and download the Smartify App, which can help you recognize hundreds of paintings and sculptures around the world simply by pointing your phone camera at them.

What Smartify does for you:

1. Recognizes the work of art.

2. Tells you the story and context behind the painting, thus creating a meaningful relationship between humans and art.

3. Plays audio interviews with artists and art curators.

4. Suggests other highlights of the art venue you are currently visiting.

5. Lets you save your favorite works of art and all the information about them in a personal collection.

6. It’s available for both iOS and Android, smartphones and tablets.

7. It’s free!

Photo courtesy of Smartify

Some of the participating museums and galleries:

The National Gallery (London)

Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York)

The Rijksmuseum (Amsterdam)

Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia (Madrid)

Fondazione Musei Civici di Venezia (Doge’s Palace, Museo Correr etc) (Venice)

…and many more are signing up!

6 quick questions for the founders of Smartify App:

Smartify will change the way you travel by… making art instantly recognizable in the museums and art galleries you visit.

The idea behind Smartify was born when… the co-founders all realized it is the stories and context behind an artwork that make it relevant and build a deeper connection.

The best way to experience art in a truly meaningful way is to… visit the physical museum and spend time with the works.

What most people miss about museums and galleries is… the extra information.

Phones and museums can coexist peacefully if… we reframe smartphones as engagement rather than distraction. Smartphones should act as an extra layer of information and not get in the way of the artwork.

One travel challenge for everyone reading this:… how many of the world’s top 100 most visited museums can you visit?

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