I think that one of the best ways to get to know a certain city is by getting to know the people who live there. Because it is usually the people who create the spirit and the atmosphere of a place. So staying with locals for a couple of days is a pretty good way of exploring new cultures and seeing the world from a different prospective.

Music that makes you dance. Movies that make you think about life. Books that put me in other people's shoes and help me see the world from a different side.