What do you do when you’re exploring a new city?
If you’re anything like me, you arrive wide-eyed, ready to conquer, and ready to discover every nook and cranny, every “local” hang out. I want to know where the real Parisians, the real Amsterdam-ians, and the real Peruvians go for their good times. I didn’t travel halfway around the world to sit next to some silly Fraternity brother in a tourist bar situated by the oldest church in the world.
But, until recently, finding these local hangouts was quite difficult. Which is why, I always grab a USE-IT map—a map that declared itself “tourist info for young people.” (Plus, its free, non-commercial, super up-to-date, featuring no marketing and no TRENDS! It illustrated the amazing heartbeat of the city around me through the eyes of young travelers and locals LIKE me.)
According to the USE-IT website, each of their map locations has its own independent, local initiative. The initial map was created in Copenhagen all the way back in the self-purported “hippie times,” in 1971. After that, USE-IT Europe sort of spread like wild fire, through Belgium, the Netherlands, to Norway, and NOW even to Barcelona (my favorite!). Sure, the Parisians haven’t caught on. Perhaps the je-ne-sais-quois about the city raises an eyebrow at delivering such close-held information to tourists.
Because of the Glories of the USE-IT Bruges Map, I was able to discover:
How to act like a local. I learned to say the word “bear,” which, apparently, means “cool” in Bruges land. (So close to “beer,” which is no surprise given Belgium’s understood love of beer.)
Where to party. For the weekend, it was all about HET ENTREPOT, where dubstep and dancing thrived (before late-night, ever-important Belgian fries, of course.) For the weekday, it was a “Posh Cocktail Place” called GROOT VLAENDEREN.
How to have an adventure. On my third day, I rented a bicycle and grabbed a picnic lunch. (So European of me, no?) After a thirty-minute bicycle ride along the canal, I stopped for a short drink before proceeding the extra forty-five all the way to the coast! I longed to see the ocean, and it did not disappoint! (My legs were tired, but I needed the exercise after all that Belgian beer!)
Where to catch some culture. It’s true that museums make up a bit of your European adventure. In Bruges, I sauntered off to see Michelangelo’s “Madonna with Child,” which I didn’t actually know was in Bruges before I grabbed the USE-IT map!
Where to eat! Eating the local food is one of the most essential parts of traveling for me. And the USE-IT map did NOT disappoint, taking me along the curving streets to Nicky’s ‘T GANZESPEL. (I know; I can’t pronounce anything, either.) The soup was divine; the meatballs were hearty and joyous.
The USE-IT map has the ability to truly enrich your stay in thirty different European cities: from Antwerp to Oslo (and beyond!). Keep your eyes pealed for these suckers, and get your mind ready for some serious eating, drinking, partying, and ADVENTURE in whichever USE-IT European city you choose!
- Safe Travels!
xoxo
Allison Krupp
Guest Writer for "The Chica Travelista"
If you’re anything like me, you arrive wide-eyed, ready to conquer, and ready to discover every nook and cranny, every “local” hang out. I want to know where the real Parisians, the real Amsterdam-ians, and the real Peruvians go for their good times. I didn’t travel halfway around the world to sit next to some silly Fraternity brother in a tourist bar situated by the oldest church in the world.
But, until recently, finding these local hangouts was quite difficult. Which is why, I always grab a USE-IT map—a map that declared itself “tourist info for young people.” (Plus, its free, non-commercial, super up-to-date, featuring no marketing and no TRENDS! It illustrated the amazing heartbeat of the city around me through the eyes of young travelers and locals LIKE me.)
According to the USE-IT website, each of their map locations has its own independent, local initiative. The initial map was created in Copenhagen all the way back in the self-purported “hippie times,” in 1971. After that, USE-IT Europe sort of spread like wild fire, through Belgium, the Netherlands, to Norway, and NOW even to Barcelona (my favorite!). Sure, the Parisians haven’t caught on. Perhaps the je-ne-sais-quois about the city raises an eyebrow at delivering such close-held information to tourists.
Because of the Glories of the USE-IT Bruges Map, I was able to discover:
How to act like a local. I learned to say the word “bear,” which, apparently, means “cool” in Bruges land. (So close to “beer,” which is no surprise given Belgium’s understood love of beer.)
Where to party. For the weekend, it was all about HET ENTREPOT, where dubstep and dancing thrived (before late-night, ever-important Belgian fries, of course.) For the weekday, it was a “Posh Cocktail Place” called GROOT VLAENDEREN.
How to have an adventure. On my third day, I rented a bicycle and grabbed a picnic lunch. (So European of me, no?) After a thirty-minute bicycle ride along the canal, I stopped for a short drink before proceeding the extra forty-five all the way to the coast! I longed to see the ocean, and it did not disappoint! (My legs were tired, but I needed the exercise after all that Belgian beer!)
Where to catch some culture. It’s true that museums make up a bit of your European adventure. In Bruges, I sauntered off to see Michelangelo’s “Madonna with Child,” which I didn’t actually know was in Bruges before I grabbed the USE-IT map!
Where to eat! Eating the local food is one of the most essential parts of traveling for me. And the USE-IT map did NOT disappoint, taking me along the curving streets to Nicky’s ‘T GANZESPEL. (I know; I can’t pronounce anything, either.) The soup was divine; the meatballs were hearty and joyous.
The USE-IT map has the ability to truly enrich your stay in thirty different European cities: from Antwerp to Oslo (and beyond!). Keep your eyes pealed for these suckers, and get your mind ready for some serious eating, drinking, partying, and ADVENTURE in whichever USE-IT European city you choose!
- Safe Travels!
xoxo
Allison Krupp
Guest Writer for "The Chica Travelista"