So, you have the destination. You booked the flight and the hotel. You know at least some sights or famous landmarks of the city, otherwise you probably wouldn’t have chosen it. But where to start with the rest? How to ensure you make the most out of the trip? To see everything worth seeing and avoid missing anything important?
The keyword is planning. Time-consuming, sometimes overwhelming, probably too intense planning. Why?
Because you get to know the city/country beforehand.
Because you can save money, time, and stress.
Because you can prioritize and thus personalize your trip.
Plan your vacation with the help of these 10 tips and I guarantee that you’ll be as prepared for your vacation as humanly possible.
How to plan a vacation
- Google is your place to start. When planning a trip, I always start with Google. Do an initial research of: “Best things/Top things to do in..” or “Hidden secrets of…”. Usually there is also a dedicated city tourism website, with abundant information. But ignore Trip Advisor, in my experience it’s not the best website to consult.
- Research other attractions. There is a difference between being a tourist and being a traveler. Visiting the most famous spots and sightseeing are just small parts of the exploration. Food, street culture, hidden gems, specific programs, lesser-known neighborhoods, city-specific modes of transport, language, getting to know the locals are all ways to get to know a foreign place and culture.
- Make a budget of the programs and related expenses. For anyone without an unlimited credit card, it’s worth checking out the prices of the various sights, programs, restaurants, and public transportation. I also always check out the city card as well as transport card options. The city card is, in my experience, not always a good value for money, as there are a lot more things included in than I would really want to see, thus it’s cheaper to buy individual tickets. But it’s best to evaluate it case by case. A multiple-day travel/public transport card can be a good option, if for nothing else, than for the comfort of having to buy it only once. But don’t buy it if you live in the city center and you don’t really plan on leaving it.
- Buy tickets in advance when you can. You can save precious vacation time by checking out advanced ticket booking. For the most popular sights, you might even have to book appointments.
- Research shopping areas. A must one for me. See the popular (or, for that matter, best-kept secrets) shopping areas, streets, department stores or specific stores. To avoid disappointing surprises, make note of opening times or day-offs.
- Do an Instagram research. I believe the travel planner benefits of Instagram are seriously underrated. Research the city hashtags or locations to discover hidden gems and must-see spots.
- Check the weather forecast. Always.
- Make a list of the things you want to see. After you gathered enough info, list everything that grabbed your interest and you would like to visit, see, or try. From programs, through restaurants or food, to shopping. Everything. Now, you have the master list and…
- Group sights and programs by location and day. For me that is the most logical and practical way to plan a visit. I pair days and neighborhoods, culture-heavy programs with lighter ones, shopping and walking around. Try to find a balance between the various activities.
- Don’t plan every second; leave time to just wander around. Despite what this post might suggest, I don’t plan every second of a vacation. You must leave time to get lost, to discover something that was not one the list, or to just sit in a park for hours watching people hurry by.
How do you plan your travels?
Couldn’t agree more, but..:) I have learnt to LOVE the planning process – not (only) because I am a control freak – and to feel as it is a kind of pre-holiday. My trick is dim light, chill music and aperol spritz.