Tip: USE-IT City Maps

In a world where everything has become digitised, we sometimes long for a paper and a pencil... Or a good old travel map. Do we really want to take out that iPad in the sizzling heat and touch an unreadable screen with our sweaty hands? Nope: maps are really most useful in paper form! And when these guides can be as interactive as their digital counterparts, you know you can leave that tablet home next time.

A while ago, my friend Marlou introduced me to USE-IT: quirky (often hand-drawn) maps of European cities made by young locals you can print yourself or get at a local tourist office for free. I was hooked on the concept straight away: whilst popular guides like Lonely Planet tend to draw me to well-known attractions, USE-IT provided me with a totally new outlook on the concept 'sightseeing'. Rather than focusing on popular highlights of a city, the maps give you a range of tips that fall outside the scope of regular tourist guides... and do so in a hilarious way!

Just to give you a few examples: USE-IT Bratislava's first tip to all travellers is NEVER to buy food at the train station, while the creative brains behind Charleroi's guide advise you to climb up a pile of coal for a unique experience. The locals in Dresden encourage tourists join the Currywurst Competition; USE-IT Vienna has set out a "Too Much History Walk"... Fun tips accompanied by funny drawings and colourful street maps, made by local artists!

Another good thing to note is that USE-IT is sponsored by local councils and does not accept sponsored listings placements. Whenever you visit a place mentioned in a guide, you know locals genuinely like this place. No hidden tourist traps, which can only be a good thing!

USE-IT currently provides maps for 26 different – often lesser known – cities, but the maps are gaining ground elsewhere. Young people all over Europe are starting up their own USE-ITs with help of local funding, which should only be encouraged in my opinion. Not only do these guides shed a light on unexplored sights of a city, they also help youngsters to engage with their surroundings and help restore pride in a community.

Have you ever used a USE-IT map? Did you like it? Leave a comment below!