Like many great ideas, Spotted by Locals was conceived after a few beers. Dutch couple Sanne and Bart van Poll were on a city break to Brussels in 2007, and abandoned their customary guidebook in favour of tips gleaned from a Belgian blogger whose jib they like the sound of. "We went to the bars and restaurants he frequents, and walked around in the hidden local neighbourhood that was certainly not in our paper guide," says Bart. And in one of said bars, they came up with the idea that would imminently lead to both of them quitting their day jobs.
Spotted by Locals is a network of European city blogs written by over 80 local bloggers who Sanne and Bart have met personally since coming up with the idea. Each city blog is manned by a number of enthusiastic local "spotters", ranging from 18-year old Czech medicine students to 60-year old Belgian retirees. As the bloggers are all writing in second (or third) languages, the prose can occasionally be a little clunky, but therein lies its beauty: authentically local, on-the-ground advice. And, like all good blog content, the focus is on keeping up. "All tips are always up-to-date. Our Spotters only write about places they visit regularly, and update the information in the article frequently." Two years into the project, which hopes to build on its current collection of 20 destinations across the continent, Spotted by Locals is receiving recognition from a rather unlikely source - the blog network is nominated for two categories in the forthcoming Lonely Planet blog awards, hosted by surely the world's best-known "paper guide".
We've picked some of our favourite entries from across the Spotted by Locals network.

Antje Øklesund live music venue, Berlin's secret gig venue

On Rigaer Strasse watch out for the Lidl supermarket. Exactly opposite you will find a wide open gate, enter it into the backyard and go through, sticking to the right. There is no sign anywhere saying this ruin-like, run-down little building that might have been an old workshop is the Antje Øklesund. Inside you will get the special feeling, a special atmosphere that can only be created in these seemingly unfinished places ... you walk between old brick stone walls that are used as an exhibition space for photography work. As the makers understand it, here everything and everyone is part of the art. It seems the makers want to leave its underground reputation behind and establish the AØ in the Berlin club scene. That might be a pity, but nevertheless you still get mostly unknown bands - local or not - that try to build up a fan base and hence give all their energy to satisfy the audience.

• Herrmann Königs, Berlin spotter
Rigaer Strasse 71, antjeoeklesund.de

Hrelić Flea Market - Zagreb's bric-a-brac Mecca

It took me a while to find enough courage to grapple with this place because it's just so vast and rich in details and experiences. The area is divided into three main parts. It all started with used cars some four decades ago and soon it attracted everything else that goes with the lifestyle - this is the largest car and motorcycle fair in Croatia. Then there's the stalls selling various clothes and random hardware. Then there's the rest. Name 10 things that pop into your mind. They've got them. Everything, from pins to tractors, from CDs to porcelain dolls, from used electromotors to old unopened letters, from furry muffs to VHS porn. This is the most interesting part of the fair, since you can see the cross-section of Croatian society haggling for books, records or so-out-of-fashion-that-they're-fashionable-again garments.

• Krunoslav Koprivnjak, Zagreb spotter
Sajmišna cesta

Spica- Ljubljana's floating barge bars

The lazy Ljubljanica River rolls through the city, but before it enters it from the south, the river's path is divided, where you'll find some simple barges serving as bars. There are three bars, but we call this place "Spica", which means spike, and if seen from above it actually looks like a land spike that points into the water. I've known this place since forever and was always visiting it because this green oasis makes a perfect getaway from the urban hustle and bustle. The bars serve simple drinks you can drink either on the wooden benches on the shore or on the boat, or on deck chairs on the top of one of the barges. They also serve typical Balkan cevapcici; thumb-shaped grilled minced meat served on a plate with flatbread (lepinja), chopped fresh onions, kaymak and ajvar, which is a relish made mainly with red peppers, eggplant, garlic and chilli.

• Tjaša Janovljak, Ljubljana spotter.
Privoz, in the Rudnik area.

Museu Efémero - Lisbon's virtual street art museum

The Museu Efémero (ephemeral museum) is the first street art/open air museum in the world and was designed in a joint venture between the Pampero Foundation and MAL Movimento Acorda Lisboa to catalogue and distinguish the best street art - in the form of stickers, graffiti, murals, panels and some tags - that exists in several districts of Lisbon: Bairro Alto, Bica and Príncipe. The museum has no real location - the original concept consists of a downloadable map podcast audioguide available on the website, with the location and explication of the art work that the visitor should see throughout the streets of the neighbourhood. The pieces are marked with a tag and a number shown in the audioguide.

• Rafael Vieira, Lisbon spotter
Bairro Alto, Bica and Principe Real districts, museuefemero.com

The Dove - London's riverside hideaway

Just a 10-minute walk from the maelstrom of central Hammersmith, The Dove is tucked away in a narrow passage on the banks of the River Thames. The small, 17th-century building is reminiscent of a country cottage, serving hearty food, and ales from the local Chiswick Fullers brewery. Step through the old, dark front door into a warm and inviting bar no bigger than a front room panelled in lustrous, dark wood. Head up a few gently creaking steps into the main dining area, minding your head on the low wood beams that truss the ceiling. In winter two roaring fires will be nurtured by local river-folk, walkers, a dog or two, and the few lucky tourists who will have stumbled upon this gem. Summer is equally tranquil; a conservatory to the rear opens out to a terrace overlooking the sparkling river, the opposite bank lined with lush, green trees.

• Ben Pendrey, London spotter
The Dove, 19 Upper Mall

Cinemanita - Amsterdam's squatters' cinema

Monday night is film night in De Nieuwe Anita, a cozy little bar that used to be run by squatters. The movies are presented by an American dude named Jeffrey Babcock, who's been a part of the sub-cultural scene of Amsterdam for quite some time. Not only does he select those hidden, twisted gems that you would not find yourself, he also drags you into the world of the filmmaker, by mixing factual information with juicy details about the often quite eccentric lives of the directors. The intimate interior has the look and feel of a living room; it has the right atmosphere to contemplate the movie you have seen, and to let your mind slowly wander back to reality. Cinemanita takes place every Monday night at 8.30pm. Be there at least half an hour in advance, as the seats are usually quickly filled.

• Bart Verbunt, Amsterdam spotter
111 Frederik Hendrikstraat, denieuweanita.nl

La Clota - Barcelona's forgotten district

Situated uptown between the Vall d'hebron and Horta, you will find this small neighbourhood, very different from the rest of Barcelona. In fact, you don't feel you are in a big city but more probably in a small village somewhere in the Catalan countryside. No big buildings, not even a store, just a small bar hidden between two trees. Everywhere are stone houses with their gardens, orange and lemon trees and vegetable-gardens. Everything is slow-paced, quiet and peaceful. You can listen to the chirping of the birds, even the smell is different. It's an excellent place to stroll around if you want to escape from the crowded centre or just to get the feeling to be on vacation in the countryside.

• Sonia Martinez Argüelo, Barcelona spotter
Vall d'Hebron subway

Sorolla Museum - Madrid's best-kept museum secret

Verging on being my favourite place on Earth, this museum is a true gem. You might not know the artist Joaqu'n Sorolla, but you've probably seen his paintings in a museum or two. He was one of the many Spanish artists who fell under the beautiful spell of the Alhambra in Granada, and while constructing his house (which is now the museum), he included various reminders of the Alhambra, even designing the garden with a mini version of one of the main fountains. The house itself is set up to display not only his artwork, but also the artwork of his friends and the decor which he either designed or painted. Of note is the dining room decor which features painted angelic versions of his wife and children floating on clouds. His studio is the central focus of the house with a high ceiling and light from almost all sides - it's easy to see how he was so inspired to paint.

• Nikko Hinderstein, Madrid spotter
General Martinez Campos 37, museosorolla.mcu.es

Stockholm archipelago - empty winter wonderland

The Swedish landscape has extremely beautiful lakes, forests and mountains that are used by most Swedes all year round. Even inside Stockholm it is possible to find a green park or a peaceful lake where one can relax. But one of the many things that make this city special is the archipelago, which is just a short boat trip east out of town. Even though it is very popular among locals during summertime (as the temperature of the Baltic Sea allows summer baths), the archipelago can also be rather spectacular during the winter season when the 24,000 islands are empty. Most of the boats leave from the centre of town and the islands are just around one hour away. Take a newspaper, a book and your camera, head out for a day to an empty island of your choice and enjoy a delicious meal at one of the great restaurants before coming back. But if you have the time for it, try staying an extra day at one of the beautiful inns opened during all the winter.

• Vasco Castro, Stockholm spotter
Boats depart from Strömkajen

La Cotoletteria - traditional Milanese veal

If you are looking for a restaurant with a long menu, this is not the place for you, since it serves just "cotoletta" and a few more dishes. It's a very informal place ... on a quiet street surrounded by pubs. The recipe of "cotoletta alla milanese" (literally "chop from Milan" - it is one of the typical dishes of the city) is really simple: a thin slice of veal dropped in whipped raw egg, rolled in bread crumbs and finally deep fried. There are 15 "cotolette" listed on the menu: from the plain one (the Classica) to the margherita, served with tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese as if it was a pizza. Side dishes are included and you can choose between salad, grilled vegetables and fries. A tip: ask for lemon and squeeze it on the cotoletta, it makes the meat tastier. Try also the "Fritto di fiori di zucca", deep fried zucchini flowers. They are simply amazing!

• Alessandra Nigro, Milan spotter
11 Corso Garibaldi, lacotoletteria.com