How to Actually Sightsee: A Realistic Guide for Travellers Who Want More Than Just Ticking Boxes

In the age of Instagram checklists and whirlwind itineraries, sightseeing has become less about connection and more about collecting. But if you're looking to truly experience a place—to soak in the feeling of a street, to taste what locals eat, to actually remember what you saw a week later, you might need a different approach.

Here's how to actually sightsee, whether you're in Paris, Porto, or the peaks of Albania.

1. Don’t Try to See Everything

You’re not a tour group. You don’t need to hit every museum, every landmark, every recommended café. Choose fewer things, and do them better. One great museum visit where you take your time is worth more than five rushed ones where you barely remember the art. Prioritise what genuinely interests you, not what looks good on your feed.

2. Walk (or Cycle) the City

There is no better way to get the rhythm of a place than by walking it. Wander aimlessly. Take the long way around. If the city has a cycling culture, rent a bike and ride like a local. These moments between the “must-sees” are often the most memorable - a hidden courtyard, a family-run bakery, a surprise street musician.

3. Learn a Bit Before You Arrive

You don’t need a degree in art history to appreciate the Sistine Chapel, but knowing a little context helps. Watch a documentary, read a short history, or even a novel set in your destination. It gives depth to what you’re seeing and turns your trip from a photo collection into a story.

4. Let Yourself Be Bored (a Little)

Build in time to sit on a bench and just be there. No pressure, no agenda. Travel doesn’t need to be high-performance. Letting your mind slow down helps you absorb your surroundings and experience more, not less.

5. Use Local Guides (and Listen to Them)

Free walking tours, passionate locals offering Airbnb Experiences, or the waiter who recommends a place only locals go—these people are gold. Don’t treat them like trip advisors; ask questions, follow their detours. A local’s one-off tip can beat any blog post (yes, even this one).

6. Skip the Line. Or Don’t Go at All

Is it really worth spending three hours queuing for a cathedral when you could be strolling through a market or sitting by the river? Some major sights are worth the hype, others are best admired from outside. Be honest with yourself: if it doesn’t truly interest you, skip it.

7. Balance Big Hits with Small Corners

Yes, see the Eiffel Tower. But also make space for the lesser-known spots. Local parks, residential neighbourhoods, community markets - this is where the personality of a place lives. Alternate between famous icons and quiet finds.

8. Reflect

Take a few notes each day. Write a line about how a place made you feel. What surprised you? What will you tell your friends? This helps cement the experience in your memory and gives you more than a gallery of images to look back on.

In the End, Travel Is Personal

You don’t need to sightsee like a guidebook. You don’t need to prove you saw everything. What matters is that you experienced something real, at your own pace. The best trips aren’t the busiest ones; they’re the ones you felt fully present for.

So go ahead, walk slowly, sit often, listen more. And if that means missing a monument or two, trust that what you’re gaining is something richer.