About This Site

"Lived by locals" refers to the everyday rhythms that structure life in a place—meal times, errands, social obligations, pauses, and routines that are easy to miss when moving quickly.

This site documents those rhythms. It focuses on daily life rather than attractions, and on cadence rather than highlights. The aim is to understand how a place works when it is not being performed.

The author also designs and hosts small-group cultural travel experiences informed by these observations. This site is not promotional; it exists to document and understand everyday context.

About the Author

Michael documents daily life as it is lived rather than visited, with particular attention to rhythm, timing, and shared routines. He also designs and hosts small-group cultural travel experiences informed by these observations. This site is not promotional; it exists to understand everyday context.

What This Site Covers

• Daily Life — What locals actually do, how days are structured, the rhythm of ordinary routines
• Food Rituals — Meals as social structure, not just cuisine. Pace, presence, and shared eating
• Cultural Insights — What outsiders often misunderstand and why
• Regional Identity — What makes each place distinct, beyond tourist narratives

Why It Matters

Travel often focuses on highlights—the landmarks, the famous restaurants, the must-see attractions. But understanding a place means understanding how it works when no one is performing for visitors. What time do people actually eat dinner? How do neighbors greet each other? When does the town quiet down, and why?

These rhythms are what travelers rarely access but often sense they're missing. This site attempts to make them visible.

Background

Michael has spent over 20 years observing and participating in daily life across Italy, Portugal, Spain, Croatia, Argentina, and Uruguay. His work with Culture Discovery Vacations involves designing travel experiences that prioritize immersion over sightseeing—small groups, local families, unhurried days. This approach has earned recognition including induction into the TripAdvisor Hall of Fame and a Magellan Gold Award for Service.

This site distills those observations into stories that help readers understand the texture of daily life in places they may dream about visiting.