As well as all the excitement of the holiday season, this time of year is when we reflect back on the year coming to a close and all the fun adventures we’ve had. There is nothing like travel for giving us unique stories to share around the table with family and friends, and some of the best tales come from the unexpected things that happen. It is easy to over-plan travel, designing detailed itineraries and following mapped-out routes, but we have learned that embracing the joy of getting lost tends to lead to the most rewarding experiences.
Here are our top 3 tips for more enjoyable travel adventures:
1. Don’t Plan Too Much in Advance
When you’re planning trips it is easy to look at a long list of all the amazing sights and things to do in your destination, and then try to pack them into a week. Itinerary planning that gives you 1.5 hours in one museum, then 15 minutes to take a taxi somewhere else where you have allowed 2 hours, then lunch and so on looks fine on paper. However when you reach your destination, all those time restrictions become tough to manage and lead to you running around all week.
Yes, some attractions need pre-booking, but don’t over-do it. Book one sight maximum per day if there are places on your must-see list, but leave the rest of the day free. You may find yourself getting lost in an art gallery, or loved a historic garden so much you wanted to go back around it. Your tour guide may suggest somewhere else to visit that you didn’t know about, or you might simply want to sit in a cafe and sip coffee watching the world go by.
If your travel itinerary has room to be flexible then you can adjust to your own pace and interests.
2. Allow More Time For Eating and Drinking
As well as not over-planning your days, give yourself more time than you think you’ll need for meals, drinks and breaks.
Time limits encourage people to choose the convenient option. If you’re not in a hurry, you can walk further away from the major sites and look for more authentic dining options – whether for a sit-down meal or a quick sandwich. Trying different food is a huge part of travel for us, so it is worth taking the time to find great options rather than settling.
3. Walk as Much as You Can
It is often necessary to take local public transport or taxis, depending on where you are exploring. However, if you have the chance and ability to go on foot, take it.
Some of our favorite memories of things we’ve done or tried are those that we happened upon while strolling around. The best granita and brioche in Sicily, stunning city views in Lisbon, a cosy tea-room in London and the most incredible ceramic store in Istanbul are just some of the places we would not otherwise have found.
We also find that walking around towns and cities gives us much more of an insight into local life and the people who live there. Getting lost a little away from the main things to do is so valuable and one that we encourage all our guests to do when they join our tours.
The joy of getting lost is knowing that you have had a special experience, outside of the guide books and top 10 lists of things to do, that will likely be one of the more lasting memories from your adventures. We hope you have plenty of memories to share over the holidays, but if you’d like to create some new ones, join us next year in one of our exciting upcoming trips.
