Once you have made a rough itinerary and you know the towns and cities you are going to visit, you need to decide what you're going to do there. I mostly figure out after I land in that city. It depends on how you arrive in the city. If you are arriving by flight, head to the travel desk or pick up brochures from the arrival hall. If you are arriving by train, almost the same. If you are arriving by car, then it is a bit tricky. You need to check online on sites such as Foursquare or Tripadvisor about the recommended places to visit.
Planning your own travel, also lets you choose what to do and what not. For example, I saved a whole afternoon just deciding not to go into the Colosseum in Rome and just walked around it a bit. I know it is crazy, but it depends on what you want to do, you want monuments or you want experiences. I mostly choose the latter. Go out and visit public parks, nice cafes, find cheap deals like aperetivo in Italy (which means buy a drink and eat all the food you want). In other words, just wander about, it is okay to get lost and not have a plan.
If I could spend a week in Paris, on my 2nd visit and still not be bored, there is so much. Doing 18 countries in 21 days? Are you aiming for a Guinness record or what? For me, anything less than 2-3 nights in a city is not worth at all. For you to soak in the energy of a city/town, it'll take more than 24 hours. You need to remember and cherish each town you visit. Give yourself time, soak in the nature, experience the calm or the chaos. Basically chill out, you are on vacation.
There will be 15 things on a must-do list, and you did 5. So what? You're not aiming for some distinction in a classroom test right? Do the 5 you chose properly. Don't rush to the next just because, you know, time is running out. You can always change plans at the last minute, when you are touring on your own. Some monument closes for the day just before you reached there. Chill. Pull out your phone, fire up foursquare, go to the nearest highest rated cafe or bar. Get talking with the bartender. Your plan for the evening is made.
It is these kind of experiences that you will remember. Not the 10 monuments in Rome that were a must-see. Let me know in the comments if you have done something off the beaten track and how you regretted it at first but now you don't.
Planning your own travel, also lets you choose what to do and what not. For example, I saved a whole afternoon just deciding not to go into the Colosseum in Rome and just walked around it a bit. I know it is crazy, but it depends on what you want to do, you want monuments or you want experiences. I mostly choose the latter. Go out and visit public parks, nice cafes, find cheap deals like aperetivo in Italy (which means buy a drink and eat all the food you want). In other words, just wander about, it is okay to get lost and not have a plan.
If I could spend a week in Paris, on my 2nd visit and still not be bored, there is so much. Doing 18 countries in 21 days? Are you aiming for a Guinness record or what? For me, anything less than 2-3 nights in a city is not worth at all. For you to soak in the energy of a city/town, it'll take more than 24 hours. You need to remember and cherish each town you visit. Give yourself time, soak in the nature, experience the calm or the chaos. Basically chill out, you are on vacation.
There will be 15 things on a must-do list, and you did 5. So what? You're not aiming for some distinction in a classroom test right? Do the 5 you chose properly. Don't rush to the next just because, you know, time is running out. You can always change plans at the last minute, when you are touring on your own. Some monument closes for the day just before you reached there. Chill. Pull out your phone, fire up foursquare, go to the nearest highest rated cafe or bar. Get talking with the bartender. Your plan for the evening is made.
It is these kind of experiences that you will remember. Not the 10 monuments in Rome that were a must-see. Let me know in the comments if you have done something off the beaten track and how you regretted it at first but now you don't.
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