There are so many hot places in the world worth seeing. But how do you find those lesser-known spots off the main tourist trails? This, among other things, is what we discuss with Łukasz Misza, the author of the travel portal zLukaszem.
Editor: You’ve traveled to many countries and create content from your trips for social media. So, can traveling be a way of life?
Łukasz Misza: For me and my wife, it certainly is. Not just because we run a travel portal, a YouTube channel, and social media profiles. Mostly, it’s about making travel a regular part of our lives. We don’t necessarily need to travel to the other side of the world. It’s more about constantly being on the move. On weekends, we just head off somewhere, sometimes rediscovering the city where we live, which can be fun too.
We’re definitely the type of travelers who like to be well-prepared for trips. We read about the places we visit, watch films, make detailed plans, and look for interesting facts. I remember, when preparing for our trip to Portugal, we became fascinated with the history of geographical discoveries—all those expeditions that set off from Lisbon into the unknown. We watched every available film on the topic. So even if we’re only somewhere for a few days, we end up living in that place for weeks in our minds. This is why travel can become part of life, and it certainly is for us. In fact, we always say that travel brought us together and continues to connect us.
And creating content for our site, social media, or YouTube makes travel feel even more real to us because we literally work on our projects every day.
Who usually chooses the places you visit – you or your wife, Marta?
Definitely Marta. In one of her previous jobs, she was responsible for finding cheap flights. It was the perfect job for her since it aligned with her passions—she loves doing that in her personal life too. She’ll find flights and then say, “Łukasz, there’s a cheap connection, look, let’s go!”
Here’s a fun fact: that’s how we ended up in Australia eight years ago. Marta found tickets at a price much lower than usual, which is rare because flights to Australia are generally expensive. A great offer came up, and without much hesitation, we bought the tickets. We were still students at the time, so we didn’t have a steady income, but we decided to work 20 hours a day in various bars to make the trip happen.
A few weeks later, I realized that Australia is famous not only for its beautiful Uluru and the Great Barrier Reef but also for its spiders, which I was terrified of (laughs). I’ve always suffered from arachnophobia, and this unexpected trip cured me of it. We figured, well, since we already have the tickets, I better get used to the spiders. In the end, there weren’t as many as people make it out to be…
But back to your question—I digressed a bit—it’s my wife who usually finds the places we visit.
Is it the same with finding information about those places? Does Marta do most of the research?
Not necessarily. Usually, once we know where we’re going, we start by watching YouTube videos—just general ones about the destination—to get an idea of where to begin further research. We’re about to head to Sicily, so let’s use that as an example.
We love southern Europe, especially Greece, but also Italy. However, we’ve never been to Sicily. After watching a few videos, we started reading articles and lists of the island’s hot spots. That’s where apps like GetFindia come in handy. With them, you can discover not just the major attractions but also local gems—less obvious locations. I also really enjoy using Google Maps. You can turn on the feature that shows photos of the area you’re exploring. And if you “scan” a section of the Map that seems non-touristy, you can uncover hidden treasures that aren’t mentioned in guidebooks.
Once you’re at your destination, do you gather information from locals?
Often, yes. We use Facebook groups, and in fact, we’ve set up four ourselves—on the USA, Mexico, Australia, and Peru. Even if it’s hard to find information directly from locals, these groups bring together thousands of travelers who have visited and are eager to share their experiences.
You’ve mentioned a few countries you’ve visited. Are any of them your favorites?
That’s a tricky question, and I’ve been asked it many times (laughs). I tend to think that, while we’ve seen quite a few places, it’s still just a fraction of what the world has to offer. So, it’s hard to point to one place and call it the best or my favorite without knowing the rest. But there are definitely two regions that I always talk about fondly and remember with great nostalgia.
The first is Australia, not because of the spiders (laughs), but because we had these incredible expectations for Australia’s nature, and it truly delivered. The landscapes, the wildlife, everything was beyond our dreams. What surprised us the most, though, and what makes me long for Australia, is the indescribable sense of freedom. The vast, endless landscapes that stretch for hundreds of kilometers—it’s hard to put into words. Even now, when I talk about Australia, I feel that sense of freedom again.
The second place is California. I studied American studies and have always been fascinated by the U.S.—its culture, history, and of course, its travel opportunities. I think California is like a world in miniature, or at least America in miniature. It’s a place with giant metropolises we know from Hollywood films, but also ghost towns. It has beaches, deserts, glaciers, mountains, lakes, forests, and the tallest trees in the world—giant sequoias. Absolutely everything. Every 100 kilometers on the road can offer completely contrasting views and experiences.
As you mentioned, California is full of contrasts, with urbanized spaces on one side and natural environments on the other. Are there any particular spots in California that you remember fondly?
There’s one spot I remember very fondly on a personal level because that’s where I proposed to my wife, but I’ll get to that in a moment… Objectively speaking, one place that stands out is Route 66. I mean the original road, not the highway that replaced it and essentially killed it. The historic Route 66 is something I’d recommend to everyone. While it stretches beyond California, from Chicago to its western terminus in California, you only need to drive the section from the Grand Canyon to Los Angeles. Even that short trip gives you a taste of everything I mentioned earlier.
You’ve got Los Angeles—a massive city by the ocean, full of palm trees and that eternal vacation vibe. Then there are deserts, Joshua trees, rock formations, mountains, and plenty of charming small towns along the way with quirky museums, restaurants, and attractions. I still need to add some of those hot spots to GetFindia! You know, you’re driving along and suddenly see something as unusual as a colorful forest made from glass bottles (Elmer’s Bottle Tree Ranch). There are so many quirky places like that along Route 66. Another cool spot is the town of Oatman in Arizona, which used to serve local mines, not just for gold. And surprise—it still does! It’s a typical western town with wooden buildings, saloon doors, and all. But it’s not a museum or a preserved village—it’s a living town where time seems to have stood still. The donkeys roaming freely through the streets add an extra touch to the experience.
Regular travel leads to exciting stories. Can you share one of your adventures?
Indeed, there have been many adventures—some more amusing, others less so. One that comes to mind right now, though it’s not exactly funny, is when I ended up in a Bolivian hospital for a day because I overestimated my abilities. While climbing one of the mountains, I developed altitude sickness. But there are more pleasant stories as well.
Let me tell you about my proposal. Proposals are one of those moments that stay with you for a lifetime. I decided to propose in San Francisco, on one of the hills north of the Golden Gate Strait, with a view of the city and the famous, illuminated bridge. I had everything perfectly planned, and I’m proud of myself for keeping it a secret from my now-wife until the very last moment. We climbed the hill, aiming for the proposal to take place at sunset. But after that, we had to return to the city. So, we happily made our way back to the Golden Gate Bridge, as it was the only way to get to downtown San Francisco. And then, a surprise… It turned out that the bridge closes to pedestrians after sunset. That was the one thing I hadn’t foreseen (laughs).
When we reached the bridge, we were met with a heavy gate blocking the entrance. But that’s just the beginning of the story. Imagine our surprise when the gate spoke to us! There must have been a camera, and a microphone and speaker hidden somewhere. We were informed that we couldn’t pass. Naturally, we explained that we had nowhere else to go and no way to leave the area. I don’t remember how long the conversation lasted, but eventually, they told us that, as an exception, they would open the gate. The only condition: we had to walk straight ahead, quickly, without stopping for even a second.
And that’s exactly what happened. The gate opened, and we started walking quickly across the Golden Gate Bridge… and that’s a moment we’ll never forget. Imagine having the entire illuminated city within arm’s reach, no other pedestrians in sight—it’s just you and your fiancée. On the iconic Golden Gate Bridge, a symbol of the USA, which we recognize from countless photos, films, postcards, and games. Then, it turned out that security guards on the other side were driving toward us in little golf carts. We met them halfway across the bridge, and they told us we could hop on the cart’s trailer. That’s how we covered the second half of the bridge. It was an incredible experience we’ll never forget.
Such a romantic story, so it’s fair to say that travel has literally brought you together.
Absolutely. Travel brought us together back in high school. We went on our first trip to Sweden for a city break, and we weren’t even a couple back then. We were just school friends, and… Marta found cheap tickets! That was the first trip we shared memories of. It was during that trip that we realized we really enjoyed traveling together. Today, we’re married, and travel is almost always the number one topic in our home—where to next and when.
But of course, life isn’t just about travel. What are your other interests? I’m passionate about music. I love listening to it, but I also play the bass and electric guitar, and for the past few years, I’ve also been playing drums. I try to stay very active in that field. I really love rock, in the broadest sense. I enjoy both the lighter, more melodic California-style rock and the heavier stuff, depending on my mood. It’s not something you’d see from our profiles or website, which are 100% focused on travel, but music is my biggest passion in life. And it’s always with me, even on trips, because I often combine the two. When Marta and I were recently in Kenya, I made it a point to discover local bands. To this day, I have dozens of folk songs I discovered there saved on my Spotify. I also often bring back exotic instruments from my travels.
I have to ask: are you more of a Metallica or Megadeth fan? Metallica. Is that a good or bad thing? (laughs)
Every answer is a good answer (laughs). I’d like to continue the music thread – what are your favorite bands? Who would you recommend? That’s a tough question. As a teenager, I got into a California band called Blink-182 thanks to my cousin. They’re a rock band, but very melodic—more on the pop side, with humorous lyrics that just make you smile. Their music grows on you the more you listen, and you start to see the deeper meanings behind their seemingly simple songs. Recently, the guys got back together in their original lineup after many years apart. Last year, I went to their concerts, and I even met guitarist Tom and bassist Mark on a bridge in Copenhagen! I got to high-five Mark and take a photo, which I proudly posted on Instagram.
I also love more punk and metal sounds. One of my favorite heavier bands is System of a Down. Even with their intensity, they’re still very melodic and draw loosely from Armenian folk music. Marta and I really want to see them live, as well as Pearl Jam. We still regret not going to see Pearl Jam when they played in Kraków a few years ago.
Lately, I’ve been really into American emo/rock bands from the Midwest, which almost no one seems to listen to. But they’re often phenomenal—amazingly creative, original, and emotional, blending styles and moods within the same song. If any readers are interested, feel free to reach out—I’d be happy to share some band names. One of the better-known ones is Tiny Moving Parts, and their concert in a tiny club in Warsaw was the best show I’ve ever been to. I dream of seeing one of these niche bands live in the U.S. They don’t have the big media machines funded by labels and producers behind them. It’s usually just a group of friends who meet after work to record songs, and they do it with such quality that even popular bands could envy their sound!
I can tell you that we also listen to System of a Down in the office! Now, relating back to this topic, I wanted to ask: What can people find in Findia? What spots have you added?
There are tons of cool spots in GetFindia. It’s incredible how quickly and smoothly you’ve built such a strong community. I wish you nothing but success because this app truly deserves to be on every traveler’s phone.
I’ve added many spots to the app, like the sacred Aboriginal mountain Uluru. I’m not sure if this is still the case, but at one point, it was the furthest location from your office in Poznań. I’m glad it was featured in your stories!
You’ve added spots from Poland, Australia, the United States, and other countries across various continents. So, it’s safe to say that you and Marta have explored almost every corner of the world, at least in part.
In a very small part, but yes, it’s true. One of our dreams is to eventually make it to Antarctica since it’s the most unexplored and inaccessible of all the continents. It’s the one missing from our collection (laughs), and we’ll definitely try to get there.