Don’t try to see all of a city in one visit

There’s a kind of rebellion in refusing to “do” a city in a weekend. Guidebooks and algorithms will try to convince you otherwise—offering lists that promise to compress centuries of current and historical culture into 48 hours. But cities are living systems, shaped by layered histories, and everyday life.

Every city has its own calendar—festivals, harvests, closures, migrations. The same street can feel entirely different in spring than in winter. A summer visit might reveal open-air concerts and rooftop gardens, while an autumn one might offer misty mornings and chestnut vendors.

Trying to see everything in one go, regardless of the season, flattens these rhythms. It turns a city into a checklist, rather than a conversation.

The soul of a city isn’t always in its landmarks or emblems either. It’s in the way locals queue (or don’t), the sun slicing through two streets, the graffiti, the different food stuffs on sale at different times of the year. These are things you notice when you slow down. When you return. When you walk the same street at different times of day.

Cultural awareness for me isn’t just about knowing the history, it’s also about noticing the now.

We’re not a template. We have our own distinct interests, our own story. What draws our attention might not be what’s trending—and that’s the point. A top-ten list can’t possibly reflect the full range of what we’re drawn to, so why let it set the agenda?

Choosing not to see everything is an act of independence. It’s a way of saying: I don’t need to consume this city. I want to leave space for curiosity, for return.

It’s also a way of resisting the pressure to “perform” travel—to prove you’ve been somewhere by ticking off its top ten. Instead, seek out alternative, current, left-of-centre experiences that speak to personal interests and feel novel to the senses.

So don’t try to see all of a city in one visit.

And if you return, you’ll find it has too.