Breaking the Rules: Don't Sightsee
Monumentitis (n.) the condition caused by repeated exposure to the cultural and historical artifacts of a place one is visiting; usually accompanied by sore feet, sweaty armpits, and a generally unpleasant attitude.
Before you get a case of monumentitus or if you're currently suffering from one, heed our warning "don't sightsee." Sightseeing is defined as "the act of visiting famous or interesting sites" some definitions go so far to say that sightseeing can only be done on a motor coach with a guide with these places of interest are decided for you. You don't have to stop visiting monuments and museums entirely, in order to avoid monumentitus you've just got to change your approach.
Take the time to find out what you're interested in.
It's easy to avoid this step, we leave it until the last minute and then we go to the "experts" to tell us what should be a "place of interest." Never rely on a guidebook or even a friend alone to tell you what it is you "need" to see. Guidebooks are targeted to the lowest common denominator or what's going to make the most people happy. Friends, even well intentioned ones, while great resources don't know the inner workings of your brain. Do your research with the aid of these resources, but also do a bit of soul searching. What is that you want to get out of a trip? If you're like me, I've always got a running tab of art that I haven't yet seen in person instead of in a textbook. If I head to a city, I'll make a list of what it is that I haven't seen yet, in addition to those things that are merited culturally relevant. I like to mix a bit of the "must sees" with "me sees." This doesn't need to be relegated to arts and history; restaurants, shopping and even a park are all great things to add to your list. And don't fall prey to being stuck to your personalized agenda, in reality, you can't see everything, and there's nothing better than an unexpected diversion.
Make time to see things
We always start our visit in a place with the mantra you will go back. It has served us well. Gone are the days of trying to cram in entirely too much. You've got to give yourself the time to enjoy, experience, and not just check that place off your list as "been there, seen that." Even if we don't actually ever return, at least our time spent was memorable and enjoyable.
How To Cure
What do you do if you find yourself with a major case of monumentitis? Stop and retreat. Find the nearest park and people watch, grab a bench and write in your journal, or pick up some light reading and retreat to a cafe for the afternoon. Give yourself an afternoon or an entire day off and see a neighborhood through its own eyes, head back to that tourist site tomorrow or skip it all together, no one will ever know.
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Great advice! Sightseeing itineraries are like suitcases. You should always make your wish list, and then remove at least one thing. Maybe more.
You are very right, but guidebooks can be an important jumping off point. One of my favorite moments in Chile was spending a lazy afternoon in Vicuna, hometown of Chilean poet Gabriela Mistral. Very much not a "monument" but a real living breathing place. On the other hand, we would never have known about such an out of the way treasure without consulting our guidebook.
It's true and sometimes the things that you would have never imagined, sought out, or even picked for yourself end up being a favorite memory or visit. I guess I'd add having an open mind and a try anything attitude is also a good mantra for when you're "sightseeing." We don't always know ourselves as well as we think. :)
Monumentitis - love this! We've all been through it. Retreating to the nearest park, cafe or food market is how I recover and regain strength.
Very wise to start with the idea that you can always return, that these sights are not going to disappear when you leave the city/country. Even we need to remind ourselves of that when we're planning itineraries through a country - sometimes just just can't do it all.
Have to agree with this one. We became castled out in Europe and templed out in Asia. It's so much better to go with the understanding that you can't conquer a place, but instead enjoy the places you visit without feeling as though you're just ticking items off a list. Why not have a reason to come back anyway!
Enjoyed the article
Rich at WorldRamblers
Travel on a theme, and make that theme yours...otherwise you're just repeating someone else's travels. Mix some green in with your gray, city, countryside...as you mention a neighbourhood or 2, talk to someone if you can, you'll remember that more than castle #43.
When I travel, I don't "sightsee" like everyone else. If the tourists ae heading one way, I head the opposite way. My favorite kinds of "sightseeing" incude: visiting cemeteries (they often tell the history of the area you are visiting), going grocery shopping, volunteering at local organizations, visiting a friend of a friend in a third world hospital, skipping the tourist bars and going to the local bars (busting out a karaoke song in the local language will win you new friends immediatly), basically doing things that weave you into the fabric of local life is better than any tourist attraction.
great insights and advice.
Sight-seeeing can be great, like shopping, but sometimes you just don't want to buy something, you just wanna explore.
"Guidebooks are targeted to the lowest common denominator or what's going to make the most people happy. Friends, even well intentioned ones, while great resources don't know the inner workings of your brain."
This is so true! Travelling is most of the times more about learning about yourself than other cultures, cause you get a pretty strong mirror right up your face.
Nice article!
I'm the one in the photo but I don't suffer from monumentitis hehehe When I travel, I always explore the place with a native friend... If I'm passing through a famous place, I stop, take a picture, and keep walking. :)
So glad you found our site...I love that photo of you and I don't know if it was the look on your face or the looming building in the background, but it illustrated my idea of monumentitis perfectly. Glad you travel with a local instead. :)