According to new travel site SideStory, there is no better way to uncover a destination and enrich a journey than by spending a few hours with locals who are at the heart of a city’s creative community. Its USP? A selection of intimate, tailored tours conducted by a pool of insiders ranging from street artists and photographers to fashion stylists, foodies, and coffee gurus. London is the first city to be rolled out with other capitals in Europe and North America in the pipeline. Says co-founder Rachael Moloney, the former editor of the Wallpaper City Guides, “We were keen to tap into the creative energy that London is celebrated for and share this aspect of the city with travelers directly.” On offer are unexpected experiences—among them, bar dining, exploring urban graffiti, learning about monochrome photography, deciphering contemporary art, and going behind the scenes with heritage brands such as Asprey and Lock & Co. Hatters—all under the casually informative guidance of creative-industry experts. One could, for example, join art critic Joshua White for an exclusive introduction to Frieze London (Oct. 14–17), or explore the emerging shopping mecca of Marylebone Village with fashion stylist Hannah Teare. The half-day tours are designed for groups of no more than four people, which makes for a more personal and rewarding travel experience. The aim, says Moloney, is “for both the traveler and the insider to come away from their trip with lots of interesting conversations and stories to remember.” —Daven Wu

This article originally appeared in the October/November print issue of DestinAsian magazine (“Inside Story”)