Travel is about connection. Whether you’re traveling solo, with family, or adding a few days of “bleisure” to the end of a conference , that connection is fostered by the people you meet along the way. As Shakespeare famously said, “What is a city but its people?” For travelers, there’s no better way to connect with locals and experience the go-to spots in their city than with Airbnb Experiences – the platform connecting travelers with local hosts to serve as their on-the-ground guide to a destination’s coolest experiences.
We hope you fall in love with the transformative power of people-led travel experiences! Matador Network partnered with Airbnb to produce this content and may collect a small commission from the links on this page.
How does Airbnb Experiences work?
In essence, Airbnb Experiences is a “three-tricks-in-one-box” tool to adventure in destinations around the globe. Much like Airbnb itself, the platform lists available tours hosted by local residents – only this time it’s for cool things to do rather than epic places to stay. This provides an authentic experience to the traveler while putting their dollar into the pocket of a local host proud and excited to show what their city has to offer.
Second, Airbnb Experiences acts as a filter, certifying only validated local hosts and experiences and then making it easy for travelers to find the type of experience they’re looking for. Want to take a cooking class? That will be taught by a local homegrown chef who’s mastered the tastes of their region. Looking to trek towards the sunrise over a pristine vista? Airbnb Experiences can connect you with a local hiking guide that knows the perfect route.
Finally, because everyone on the platform is verified, Airbnb Experiences helps to establish that most essential of elements between traveler and host: trust. By booking through the platform, you can arrive knowing you’ll have not only a qualified host but a friend with whom to share the memory. The experiences below highlight the meaningful connections Airbnb Experiences can bring to your next trip.
Check out the best of Airbnb Experiences
Rome: Handmade pasta with grandma
Everyone should experience pasta made by an Italian “nonna.” Being involved in making that pasta – and gaining the knowledge to attempt it back home – is the sauce atop the dish at the “Handmade pasta with grandma” experience near Rome. You’ll learn how to prepare handmade pasta with someone who has spent their life doing just that using fresh ingredients using an heirloom recipe. You’ll meet the hosts in the quaint village of Palombara Sabina, where you’ll tour the streets en route to grandma’s kitchen. On the menu are ravioli, fettuccine and farfalle. The kitchen is located in the community’s historic wine press, which you’ll learn about as you get your hands down into the flour. The nonnas promise you’ll be in a “food coma” by the end – and it may take an extra glass of wine to recover. The tour is available in 12 languages.
Price: From $106 per person
New York: NYC Graffiti Chronicles
Art tells the story of a city like nothing else can. In New York City, that story is painted across buildings and alleyways, documenting generations of ups and downs, twists and turns, across the diverse history of the country’s largest city. No one in NYC is more qualified to provide context to the city’s street art scene than the man dubbed “Inkhead,” who leads the “NYC Graffiti Chronicles” experience. Over 90 minutes, he’ll walk you through the city’s Lower East Side, explaining the history behind the graffiti and the artists – and writers – who inspired it. You’ll learn how NYC street artists inspired a global movement, and how the expressions have evolved over the decades into the vibrant modern art now presented on the city’s building. And, in true NYC fashion, the tour concludes with a stop into Scarr’s Pizza, one of the city’s top pizzerias, for a slice.
Price: From $36 per person
London: Explore Hackney with an artist
The city across the pond has a thriving art scene as well, with Hackney being a hub. The “Explore Hackney with an artist” experience brings you into the life of Hannah, a local painter, as she moves with the rhythms of one of London’s most vibrant artists neighborhoods. You’ll visit her studio inside an artists’ collective, get into the theory and technique behind her work, and experience the creation of a piece in action. The tour includes a visit to a sandwich shop and a record store, and a cafe where local artists congregate. Hannah encourages you to meet other locals as you make your way through the neighborhood – and with the intimacy this tour provides, you’d be hard-pressed not to.
Price: From $48 per person
Paris: Louvre detective experience for families
The connections brought through art are often better experienced by the entire family. In Paris, the “Louvre detective experience for families” experience provides a unique way to tour the world’s most famous art museum. Spanning more than 5,000 years of history, the collections inside the Louvre are a lot to take in, especially for little ones – but this tour turns the museum into a treasure hunt of historical proportions. Your family will uncover secrets hidden in the Mona Lisa and other famous pieces. As you move through the museum, Cecilia, the host, will explain the art along with the history of the Louvre itself – did you know that prior to becoming a museum, the building was a palace hosting kings and queens? Your kiddos are sure to fall in love with European art and the gracious host over the course of the three-hour tour.
Price: From $78 per person
Mexico: Tacos and secret bars of Oaxaca
No city in the world is better for eaters and appreciators of fine spirits than Oaxaca, Mexico. The city’s cuisine is unique from the northern parts of Mexico, heavier on flavors like mole and ingredients like a Oaxacan cheese called quesillo, for example. The “Mexico Tacos and secret bars of Oaxaca” experience is designed to connect you to the city’s cuisine and people. Gerardo will guide you to a collection of local taquerias that represent the city’s culinary legacy at its best, and conclude the tour with beers at his favorite local bar. The experience starts at the Conzati Garden near the city center and tours the Jalatlaco and Ex Marquesado neighborhoods, each located on different sides of the Zócalo, the square in the heart of the city. Until you try authentic Oaxacan cuisine, you’ve never had tacos like this before – and Gerardo is the perfect companion to uncover the complexity of the flavors.
Price: From $41 per person
Nashville: Line dance lessons
Of course, connecting with locals can involve more than tasting, smelling, and looking. In Nashville, it’s all about dancing – and you’ve never had a dance partner quite like Tessa. The “Line dance lessons” experience starts with the basics of an easy dance – where you’ll familiarize yourself with the moves and rhythm of line dancing in the heart of Nashville’s legendary Broadway district. You’ll then progress to an intermediate dance that will prepare you to hit the venues throughout the district later that night. The coolest part of this experience is that you’ll meet not only Tessa but other travelers looking to hone some basic line dancing skills, and this means less intimidation as a beginner (and maybe even a partner to hit the dance floor with later on).
Price: From $40 per person