You have so many options to immerse yourself in a city when travelling, but the best way get a sense of a city's unique vibe - not to mention see its layout and boost your sense of direction - is to find a high viewing spot that overlooks most of the city.

Even if you plan your trip to avoid your destination's busy season, there are just some sites that are so popular they will always have a crowd. Take advantage of the natural thinning around lunchtime so at least you can see the sights with fewer people.

City passes aren't always a good deal, but they can be a stress-free, easy way to build a sightseeing itinerary if you're in a new, or busy tourist city and need help figuring out what you might want to see.

Web/iOS/Android: It's easy enough to find cool things to do in any number of popular cities. Often, though, those activities are at least a little touristy. WINGiT helps you explore a city like a local by telling you what's going on based on millions of social media posts.

Android/iOS: Lonely Planet is well known for their city guides, designed to help travellers around the globe make the most of their trips, and their new mobile app, Guides, brings all of that great information to your smartphone.