Most office goers on a vacation don’t have the luxury to spend weeks at the same destination. There’s always a lot to explore and very little time. Whether you are staying in a city for a few days or a while, here are some travel tips and tricks that would help any traveller get the best out of his or her vacation. Some of these travel hacks might sound basic and obvious, but trust us people do ignore them.
Need tips and tricks on how to plan your first Euro Trip, read : How to plan your first Euro Trip on a budget in 8 easy steps.
# Travel tip 1 : Download offline maps
Always download offline maps of the cities you are visiting. Google Maps has downloadable maps for all the major destinations around the world. This travel tip would be of great help during times when you don’t have internet connectivity. This would also help when you are travelling as a couple or in a group or as a family as not everyone would take international sim cards.
# Travel tip 2 : Download travel apps
Downloading relevant apps for public transport, translation etc. always helps in elevating your travel experiences.
# Travel tip 3 : Research things to do
A little research about the place would orient you before your arrival. This would also help you utilise your few days of travel more efficiently. You’ll also be aware of prevalent scams in the city you are visiting.
Travel tip 4 : Mark places on Google Maps
Mark all the places that interest you on Google Maps. This would not only help you plan your day better but it can help you in accessing information at any point during your trip even when you don’t get network connectivity.
We personally find marking places to see and eat on Google Maps super helpful. There is so much information available online today that the whole idea of researching beforehand can be overwhelming and confusing. Every individual travelling has different preferences and his recommendations would be dependent on what he likes and dislikes.
Pro Travel Tip : If you have pre-marked places on Google Maps then you won’t be wasting much time on deciding where to eat or what to see next. For instance, if you are hungry while sightseeing you don’t have to waste time and travel halfway across the city to eat at one particular restaurant. By just referencing your pre-marked places you can see what is closest to you.
# Travel tip 5 : Focused sightseeing
You don’t have to see every possible place in a city. Focus more on things that interest you. If you are not into museums then it doesn’t make sense to spend hours circling around them just to tick them off from your places visited list. We very strongly feel that to get the best out of your vacation time, you should spend the majority of your time in doing things that you enjoy.
# Travel tip 6: Plan your route
When heading out for the day make a rough route that suits you. This would help in optimising your day.
# Travel tip 7 : Get lost at times
Don’t plan each step of your trip beforehand. Always keep some room to explore the unexplored, getting lost and trust us they will turn out to be amongst your best memories.
# Travel tip 8: Keep some free time
If you like people watching then keep some free time to just observe the city. We often sit at a place and watch the world go past us. It’s like watching a street play where the cultural context keeps changing depending on where you are in the world.
# Travel tip 9 : Use public transport
If a city offers good public transport then avoid cabs as far as possible. Depending on how much you plan to cover in a day you can choose between a public transport day pass or individual tickets. If transport is expensive in bigger cities, then it might make more sense to buy a full day or multiple day transport passes.
We covered Budapest in one day by efficiently using a 24 hour public transport pass.
# Travel tip 10 : Identity proof
You don’t have to roam around with your passport all the time, but you must carry some identity proof with you and a copy of your passport.
# Travel tip 11 : Be flexible to save money
To save money be flexible with your destinations while planning your trip. Rather than choosing a destination and then booking tickets, try planning your next vacation around cheap flight tickets.
For some money saving ticket booking hacks read : Tricks and tips to book cheap flight tickets to Europe
# Travel tip 12 : Luggage
Travel light as far as possible. We all want to carry our best clothes for a vacation. Trust us you don’t need all those clothes. Especially when you are covering multiple cities, carrying heavy luggage around is a task. Just try packing minimally for one trip and you’ll realize the difference.
