Another way to get more out of your sightseeing is to tap into the people dimension of Europe.

When I'm thinking of everybody's travels and who's having great trips and so on.

Common denominator good travel is how many people do you connect with?

If I'm writing a guidebook, leading a tour, or making a TV show, it's all about my desire to connect people with people.

So important.

A great way to do that is to be out strolling with the locals when they're doing their paseo or their passeggiata.

When I check into a hotel, I always ask, how do I get the Wi-Fi? And where do people stroll tonight?

It's really important, where do they stroll?

Circled on the map, because that's where I want to go before I turn in for the day.

Something else that really helps you in your travels is to be a cultural chameleon. I just am so interested in becoming a temporary local.

I mean, a lot of people say you go local, right?

Well, to be a temporary local, examples... chocolate.

A lot of people say chocolate’s to die for.

Well, that's silliness, except for in Belgium.

So I get really into chocolate in Belgium, and I make a point to go to the best little chocolateria. And I meet the woman whose family has been making this for generations.

And I get to know her. I try all the goodies. I spend some money buying a sampling of it all, and I have the best.

And when I'm in Belgium, I'm a connoisseur of chocolate.

In this hemisphere, I don't get tea. I don't think I've ever brewed a proper pot of tea here. But when I'm in England, a spot of tea feels just right. You know?

It's just something I want to have after a long day of sightseeing. Yes.

When I'm in Scotland, then it's whiskey. All right?

I don't drink whiskey here, but in Scotland, I have a little flask of whisky. And every night I have a wee dram.

It's just the natural thing. It's not, I'm not calculating it. It's just what I feel like doing.

In Tuscany, I have full-bodied red wine.

In Czech Republic, I have the best beer in Europe.

I never go home in Seattle after a long day of work and crave a nice cloudy glass of ouzo. But I don't let a sun go down on the Greek islands without a nice cloudy glass of ouzo. Ouzo doesn't even taste very good on this side of the Atlantic. But I love it when I'm in Greece. I honestly do. And there, you know. I mean, can you imagine here with a half an octopus on your table there and the sun going down, you are just surrounded by Greece.

And that is something we can all do. Find ways to become a temporary local in your travels.