What made you feel like you actually experienced a city, rather than just visited it?

Raf,

is there a particular reason this post is in Poland's forum?

To answer your question, I experience a city by learning it like the back of my palm when I plan to take my elderly mother with me. She has health challenges that need to be taken into consideration, so I have to mix tourist sigths, catering, and relax stops, learn the public transport routes, where disabled WC are, inspect menus at restaurants... I have a new profound respect for travel agents who do that for a living.

Fair question. I'm from Warsaw, so I guess I was mostly curious how people visiting Poland think about it. It could probably fit just about any country forum, though. :)

Your comment about travelling with your mother really resonated with me. It's something we still struggle with here. We've been asking the city and the Praga Południe district for decades to create a proper accessible route from the tram stop to the National Stadium. So far, without success. It's pretty frustrating that a modern European capital still can't solve something that seems so basic...

Maybe that's part of what makes a place feel real too - noticing not only what it does well, but also the little everyday things that don't work.

Raf,

in this case- hello from Vilnius :-)

I love Warsaw, and so does my mother. If to narrow my former reply to Warsaw, I experience it because I know what places I will revisit on my next hypothetical trip. Willanow Palace and park are my location-to-go all the time. I love the public transport in Warsaw. It is important to feel comfortable when travelling.

Hello from Warsaw!

I'm glad to hear that. Wilanów really is a wonderful place, especially the park. But you know there are even better parks in Warsaw, right? 😄 My favourite is Skaryszewski Park on the other side of the river. It has a waterfall, beautiful little bridges, lake where you can rent pedal boats and it's attached to Wedel Factory, where you can visit the chocolate museum.

But besides public transport (which is ok in Warsaw, I agree, with some exeptions) and places you revisit cos you like'em, what else makes you feel connected to a city? Is it the food, conversations with locals, stumbling across a great flea market... or something completely different?

I find it fascinating how differently people define what it means to really experience a city.

Welcome to the forum -
Raf, you might want to add that you "run a small project called (business name removed) where visitors spend an afternoon inside real Warsaw homes with the people who live there. It's more like being invited over than joining a tour, and for people looking for something a bit more personal, it often becomes one of the most memorable parts of their trip." (from a Reddit thread)

A reason for the question?

Thanks, Kate, for mentioning my little project. Although I have to admit, you were the first person in this thread to bring it up. :P

I genuinely didn't start this as a sneaky advertisement. I'm simply interested in what makes people feel they've actually experienced a city, because everyone seems to answer that question differently. That's exactly why I asked.

If anyone is ever curious about what I'm working on, I'm always happy to chat. But I'm just as happy hearing everyone's travel stories.

Kate out here doing Raf's advertising for him lol

I didn't see anything close to a breach of community guidelines in this thread. There's already several valued contributors to the forum who run businesses in the tourism industry with no conflict of interest. Give the guy a break.

Gerry, I've no issue either. It's fine to mine info on public forums. Someone upthread did ask if there was a particular reason for the question being asked in the Poland forum and, yes, there's a reason. As our new community member was OK with full disclosure on another social media site, it just may have been nice to do the same here?

Most members who have their own travel, blogs, tour companies, etc. note that on their profiles. Raf, maybe that's a good place to list yours too?
(Editing to add: I see you've just done that! Good job, and good luck with your project!)

Kate, all good :)

Raf, welcome.

Right back 'attcha, Gerry: all good. Thanks. :O)

I like visiting farmers markets, and other places that locals visit more than tourists. I like to visit department stores, pharmacies, and shops where they don't speak English. And, following Rick's suggestion, I like to get a haircut in a local barbershop. Maybe the general idea is I like to interact with people who are not part of the tourist industry.

My favorite experience was coming across a small church in Switzerland where a young quintet was giving a concert in the basement for a group of 20 or so non-tourists. Another was joining a protest in Piccadilly Circus, and a St Georges Day parade in a small town. So, unplanned events.

Going to supermarkets, preferably outside of the tourist area, and walking around looking at everything for sale and buying some random snacks that I have no idea what they are until later in the hotel room.

Stan and Mary, thanks so much for sharing your experiences.

Mary, I completely get the supermarket thing. I love buying random local snacks too, even if I have absolutely no idea what they are until I get back to where I'm staying.

Stan, I have to admit - you impressed me with the pharmacies. 😄 I've wandered into plenty of places over the years, but I don't remember visiting a pharmacy just to see what everyday life looks like there. I might have to borrow that idea on my next trip.

And I really like what you wrote about wanting to interact with people who aren't part of the tourist industry. It reminded me of Jack Kerouac's On the Road. He wrote about digging a place; not just seeing it, but soaking up its rhythm through ordinary people, chance encounters and whatever happens to unfold. I think that's the feeling many of us are actually chasing when we travel.

Raf,

"I'm glad to hear that. Wilanów really is a wonderful place, especially the park. But you know there are even better parks in Warsaw, right? 😄"

What is the one with the Eternal Fire called? Planty? I like it very much.

"But besides public transport (which is ok in Warsaw, I agree, with some exeptions) and places you revisit cos you like'em, what else makes you feel connected to a city? Is it the food, conversations with locals, stumbling across a great flea market... or something completely different?"

With respect, Polish food is not to my liking. It is good, but not amazing. I am from Lithuania, so we eat a lot of the same food anyway. I don't like meeting locals, I like to keep myself to myself when I travel, and I know it is diferent for many forum users. I don't like markets, and I'd rather see a museum than a flea market.

Kootah, no, that's the Saxon Garden (Ogród Saski). Planty is the famous park that circles Old Town in Kraków.

And with all due respect... I have to defend Warsaw's food scene. I don't just mean traditional Polish food (although I'm a huge pierogi fan and recommend them to everyone). I mean food from all over the world. Warsaw has an incredible restaurant scene these days. From tiny places to world class restaurants. I honestly think it's one of the city's biggest strengths. Next time you're in Warsaw, let me know. I'll be happy to point you towards a few places that might change your mind.

Since you prefer museums over markets, I think Warsaw has a lot to offer too, as you probably know. If you haven't been already, I'd recommend the Copernicus Science Centre - one of the best interactive museums in Europe, the Warsaw Uprising Museum, and the National Museum. Which ones have you already been to?

Raf,

I am the kind of traveller that will eat local food when travelling, so that would be Polish food in Poland. I thank you for your kind intention to recommend other food, though, but I don't think that is what I will need. I also eat at fast food places.

"Since you prefer museums over markets, I think Warsaw has a lot to offer too, as you probably know. If you haven't been already, I'd recommend the Copernicus Science Centre - one of the best interactive museums in Europe, the Warsaw Uprising Museum, and the National Museum. Which ones have you already been to?"

Copernicus was a disappointment. Science is just not my thing. Also, it is usually mobbed by school groups. I liked my time in Chopin's Musuem, Royal Palace, Uprising Museum, Polin Musuem, Wilanow Palace, Lazienki Palace, panorama on "Stalin's fist".

The obvious one-local grocery stores

I also eat at fast food places.

This made me think of how my husband and I typically end up eating at McDonald's once or twice on a trip (I rarely eat it in the US). It started out as a convenience, but has turned into a sort of fun adventure because they all differ in some ways, yet so much the same in other ways. Going in and playing around with the touch screen menus and being amused at differences has become something we do each trip now. In Scotland there was a side of cucumber sticks on offer; In Budapest we chuckled at the funnily named (to us) "Pork McFarm"; In Montreal there was poutine and a meatless Big Mac that didn't have a veggie patty, but was a Big Mac without the meat removed, so essentially a tower of bread and sauce and lettuce; And on my upcoming Krakow trip I already see that there's a McDonald's near our hotel and we will get there late and will be too tired to care, so I know we'll end up there on night one looking for McPerogi.

Mary,

I will draw a line at McPerogi :-)

I like to go to McDonald's because they are a chain and I know that I will get sstandard service, which is good to know as I am not the type to experiment with food on a trip. McDonald's was our lifesaver in Oslo, we ate there every day because we, honestly, were too broke for Scandinavia. Fond memories of the trip, through.

Kootah, wow... you really take museums seriously. You've seen most of Warsaw's highlights already - respect! I'm a little sad you didn't enjoy the Copernicus Science Centre, but de gustibus non est disputandum. If you ever come back, I recomend visiting the Warsaw Pinball Museum. It's the second largest in Europe (after Budapest), and every machine is on free play (after you pay for entrance of course).

Cala... obvious is obvious! Sth else?

Mary, that's interesting. Personally, I'd rather go to Italian restaurant in Vienna or Vietnamese street food in Prague rather than McDonald's. But I completely get the fun of checking out the local menus. As far as I know, Poland's signature McDonald's item is the WieśMac, and sometimes then they also serve chanterelle mushrooms or oscypek (a traditional smoked mountain cheese). Those seasonal specials are really good. Bon appetit!

I'm really enjoying these replies. Anyone else? What made you feel like you actually experienced a city, rather than just visited it?

Kootah - by the "panorama from Stalin's Fist" you mean the observation deck on the 30th floor of the Palace of Culture and Science, right? But where did you pick up that nickname? Hehehe. I've honestly never heard anyone here would call it that. Warsaw Locals would say Pekin (from PKiN - Pałac Kultury i Nauki), simply the Palace or Patyk ("the Stick"). But never "Stalin's Fist"! It's a new one for me!

Jagodzilla, I sense that you are implying that "experiencing" is better than "visiting," or that "feeling" is better than just "seeing."

For me, one isn't necessarily better than the other. In fact, I would say you can't experience or feel or understand a place unless you visit it and see it. Yes, there is a deeper, more immersive aspect that you can only get by doing things other than going to museums, cathedrals, and castles, or taking guided tours. But in some places, my strongest memories and most powerful experiences were in museums or cathedrals or castles. And in some places, it was the tour guide who made a place come to life.

I think there are three things that can make a visit to a city more immersive: more days, visiting on your own (not with a tour group), and staying in an apartment rather than a hotel. But sometimes those three things are not possible or practical.

Lane - I'm not saying that one is better. I'm saying it's different.

Personally, I've never been on an all-inclusive holiday in a hotel ( there's still time for that) but I'm not claiming it's a bad way to travel. I think it's great that people travel and get to know other countries, other cultures, local people, local customs and way of life. I see that as something valuable. And each of us has memories connected with the countries that we visited. I'm not judging those memories as better or worse. I'm just simply asking what (in your own view) creates that feeling that you really experienced a place. That's all.

And "you can't experience or feel or understand a place unless you visit it and see it." - 100% agreed! - conditio sine qua non :)

Have a nice day, Lane!

Raf,

Yes, that's the building. We call an identical building in Riga, Latvia (like the one in Warsaw) "Stalin's fist" because of the history, period, regime when they were built.

Interesting to see this question in the Poland forum, as my single most meaningful travel experience was Birkenau. Auschwitz was informative and chilling; Birkenau was horrifying and brought me face to face with human evil in a way no other place could.

I absolutely loved Gdańsk and Kraków, too. Lovely people, great beer, delicious and comforting food. And sorry, jagodzilla, but did not enjoy Warsaw at all.

"And sorry, jagodzilla, but did not enjoy Warsaw at all" - that's OK. I feel you. I was born in Warsaw but it doesn't mean I love her unconditionally. Warsaw is not an easy city to like. She is spread out and somewhat hidden; you need to know what you want to see or experience and have the right knowledge of where to find it. Gdańsk and Kraków are beautiful and much easier to fall in love with at first sight. I like them very much, too.

But I really do like this part of Warsaw where I decided to live - the right-bank side, next to Park Skaryszewski and the chocolate factory, where you can sometimes smell the notes of roasted cocoa, vanilla, caramel, and buttery cream drifting through the streets.
It’s real magic, like a child's dream come true. :)

Jagodzilla, I sense that you are implying that "experiencing" is
better than "visiting," or that "feeling" is better than just
"seeing."

I have learned that most of the time my assumptions are incorrect so I try and phrase it as a question.

As for the OPs question. Definitions are difficult. I can only put trips into three categories. Those I wish i hadn't done. Only 2 to date and to avoid negativity I will skip naming them. Those that were interesting or very interesting which is 98% of my trips; and those that had a moment or a stop that moved me in a way that left me feeling changed, or left me knowing i will relive parts of the trip in my mind the rest of my life. It coukd be as simple as a red balloon. Those include a rare moment in Ulcinj, dinner on the bay in Perast, the lights of Budapest , a Sarajevo restaurant, beside tge river in Kljuc, Maidan in Kyiv, the Odesa coast and the Ukrainian Carpathians (this week).

Mr É 🇺🇸 🇺🇦 🇭🇺 - Wow! You’re quite the traveler. Did you manage to visit the Merry Cemetery, necropolis in Săpânța, northern Romania, just about 2 km from the Ukrainian border? I've been there years ago and it was one of those unforgettable moments you’re talking about. I highly recommend.

And if you don't mind me asking, I'd really love to hear a little more about those moments. What was it about them that made them feel so special to you? Was it the place itself, the people, the circumstances, sth unexpected or maybe sth that's difficult to put into words?

Wow! You’re quite the traveler.

No, I am no traveler, just an old goat farmer tourist.

One of the most memorable for me was traveling through northern Pakistan and spending time with local communities along the way. Sharing tea with people in small mountain villages, eating simple local meals, and hearing their stories gave me a much deeper connection to the place than simply visiting a viewpoint ever could. During a trekking journey around Nanga Parbat, those small interactions with local people and the trekking team became some of the moments I remembered most.

I think that's what makes slow and authentic travel so special you don't just see a destination, you experience how people actually live there.