If you are like me and you book the cheapest flights then this means you may have at least one connection in either your home country, the place you are visiting, or in a whole other country entirely! I have always counted these connections as places I have visited. I never have actually been to the Netherlands, Iceland, or Japan, but I have been to their airports and some of them so many times that I feel like I have actually visited these places.
Why do I say this? Even though you aren’t getting out of the airport, I still think there is a lot you can take in there. You can still experience some aspects of the culture even if you aren’t seeing any of the sights. Here is how I have done this and how you can too, so that you can say you actually visited these places!
Try the Local Cuisine
One of the easiest ways to experience the local culture on a layover is with food. Research the country ahead of time so you know what you want to get! If you have enough time during you layover to get a meal, then go for it! I have had currywursts at airports in Germany. If you don’t have enough time for a meal then get a snack. This is something I always do on my layovers. In Iceland I always get Skyr. In the Netherlands I always get Stroopwaffels. In London I get Jaffa Cakes and Digestives. This is the simplest way to get a cultural experience during your layover. Food is one of the biggest reflections of culture and lets be honest, youa re probably hungry anyway!
Go for a Walk
Airports are really good about trying to get their airports to reflect their culture. If time, as well as the airport layout allows for walking around the airport, I highly encourage you to do so. The chances are you won’t see much beautiful scenery, but you won’t know for sure unless you explore the different views that the airport allows. You may also come across representations of the local culture. You may notice in different shops or restaurants the local music being played. While in Europe this may be very similar music to being played at home, but in Latin America and Asia you may hear the local language in their popular music. In airports you will often find art by local artists. I know my own home airport MSP commissions a lot of local artists to create its murals and I can guarantee you will see this in other airports as well. Some bigger airports may even have an exhibit of some kind, so get off your gate seat and explore the airport. You never know what you will find.
Visit the Shops with Local Crafts and Goods
I believe that airport souvenir shops are 9 out of 10 times the worst because its the most touristy souvenirs you will find and the prices are also very high, but I think you could still find some unique goods in airport shops. I wouldn’t recommend getting a sweatshirt or anything like that at your layover airport, but I think you should check out some of these stores to see what makes this place so special. You will see lots of Guinness merch in Dublin airport and local knitwear in Keflavik. The culture is reflected in this merchandise even if it is a bit dramatized and stereotyped for the average tourist. If you could find a shop with local goods rather than the typical souvenir shop with magnets and t-shirts then that is even better. Walk around some of these shops to see what makes this place unique.
Chat with the Locals
This is something I am not good at. When I am traveling by myself I never talk to anyone at the airport or on the plane. I am an introvert and like to do my own thing, so I treat others the same. I don’t want to be a bother. If I were an extrovert though, I would like to be better at meeting people at the airport. I think this is a unique way to learn about the local culture as well. While airports have people from all over the world traveling to hundreds of different destinations, you will still find many of the locals traveling from here as it may be their home airport. You can also count on the fact that the majority of workers here will be locals. They of course have a job to do, but just starting a friendly conversation when checking out at a store or when approaching the gate desk will open things up to experiencing the friendliness of the local culture and maybe you will learn a thing or two. On my first trip to Europe we had a connection in Amsterdam and I will never forget the passport control officer asking my if I had any Dutch because my last name “Steen” is a Dutch word. It is actually Norwegian, but I got to learn a bit about Dutch because of a friendly encounter and a conversation with a local.
Seek Out the Culture
I like to embrace the culture of where I am visiting no matter what. If I am going to Ireland again suddenly I am watching a bunch of Irish movies again. Going to Italy I was reading a bunch of books set in Italy. If you are having trouble encountering the culture on your layover, maybe you just need to seek it out yourself. Watch a movie from your layover destination on Netflix (you’ll always get more options when it switches over to a new country) while you are waiting for your next flight or buy a book or magazine in one of the stores. Find a Spotify playlist with music in the language of your destination. There is so much you can do for yourself to feel like you are truly visiting this place and not just stopping by.
While these are things you don’t have to do while traveling I think they make your layover experience so much more exciting, especially if you call yourself a traveler and love learning about the world and experiencing other cultures.
I hope you found these tips useful. To see more of my travel tips check out my tips page or to find more travel inspiration check out my blog page!
The Journal of Wanderlust 