Friends in all the right places

When traveling to a foreign city, we almost always start with a food or bike tour. This strategy is twofold: it gives us the lay of the land and taps us into our guide’s knowledge of the city and its culture—a local baptism, if you will. While the primary activity might be food or cycling, we usually talk about everything, including the good and the bad: work life, politics, education, and daily life. Choose small group tours (no more than 6-8 people) if you can swing it. The intimate size favors casual back-and-forth conversations, and barriers break down quickly.

Who you pick matters. There’s no end to social influencers and their top-ten lists. I’m leery of guides who seem to be doing it just for the like-and-share ratings, so I spend a decent amount of time researching people who feel deep-rooted in their community.

Zuzi and Jan, who run Taste of Prague, became an indispensable resource during our stay in the Czech Republic. They gave up high-profile careers to follow their passion, and it shows. I admire their approach to life, food, and culture and still reach out to them whenever we travel to a new country. My questions are simple: 1) Have you ever traveled to ______ and 2) What do you recommend?

They’ve never failed to respond. Sometimes, it’s a “no, but we’d like to go there one day,” sometimes, it’s a “yes, check our social feeds/blogs/etc.” I duly pin their recos into my maps for future reference and would trust their advice without hesitation. So, if you ever find yourself heading to Prague, give them a shout. You won’t regret it.