Atlanta, Georgia is not an obvious city. Your store-bought guidebook is useless. Most likely the person behind the desk at your hotel is too. You are going to need a guide. Hi, I’m a 38-year-old native and I want you to love this city as much as I do. But first, a brief history.

CultureDude is an online platform that provides cultural tips and tricks to avoid awkward intercultural encounters.

Imagine this scenario: you are in Peru, and you’ve been invited to a friend’s house for dinner. Do you bring wine or something non-alcoholic? Once you have arrived, should you offer a hug, a handshake, or a peck on the cheek? Or perhaps you’re in Australia. Is it culturally appropriate to enjoy a relaxing moment in the sauna naked? Well, avoid unnecessary embarrassment (and possible arrest), as unlike in Finland, the answer is no, you should always wear an item of clothing when you visit a public sauna Down Under.

Life’s menu includes everything from protecting urban pollinators to Hungarian sausage for this urban ecologist.

As an urban ecologist who worked as a postdoc researcher at the University of Helsinki after completing his PhD in Hungary, Ferenc Vilisics’ range of interests has taken him from the field of biology to that of cooking, and back.

“Madrid is a city filled with life!” exclaims Madrilenian Javier Muro, recent graduate of the University of Turku.

The capital of Spain is also a city filled with options. “If you like the arts, you should go to the El Prado and Reina Sofía museums, it’s worth visiting both of them even if you don’t understand much about paintings,” says Muro. The cultural visit may continue with a stop by Almudena Cathedral, the most important religious and stunning building in Madrid. In front of the cathedral, you will find the Royal Palace built in 1764, former residence of the Spanish royal family, another must see of the culture and history of the city.

HELD every year on the last week of June, Helsinki Pride is the biggest GLBT event staged in Finland.

Once again offering a variety of parties, meetings and discussions, the core of the festival agenda is the free expression of one’s sexuality and gender, along with the promotion of rainbow subcultures. Things culminate on Sunday 29 June with the Pride Parade that makes its way through the city centre.