Category: Travel

Travelling to a brand new place can be daunting.

Travelling is such a beautiful thing, it’s the worst when we feel stressed, overwhelmed by options, or unsure of what to do.

But it doesn’t have to be daunting. It should invoke a sense of curiosity, freedom, and freshness. It should open your mind to new possibilities, new ways of thinking, and new cultures.

Here are a few ways to get the most out of travelling to a new place.

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Make Some Plans

Going into a new country, place, or region with no plans can be exciting. But it can also prevent you from seeing or experiencing the best things your destination has to offer.

When exploring a new place, make some plans to ensure you hit up the best places to stay, eat, shop, and visit. If you’re going to be in a place for a few days, a good rule of thumb is to plan about half of each day. 

But Don’t Over Plan

Under planning can leave you with regrets, but over planning can do the same. Be careful not to fill your schedule and put your travel into a box. In addition, making a checklist is one great option for vacations made easy. There are some fantastic guides and itineraries out there, but you never know when you may run across something new or hidden that no one has prepared you for.

When this happens, you don’t want a rigid itinerary that prevents you from taking advantage of an awesome opportunity. You want to be able to easily slide it into your day. So plan half of your days, but leave the other half of your schedule open for unplanned adventures unforeseen opportunities.

Seek Convenience

Take advantage of opportunities to save yourself time and hassle so you can get the most out of your trip. Some conveniences may cost money, but it will likely be worth it if it means more time exploring this new place.

Consider things like luggage storage, taxis, buses, staying near your activities, and international data plans. Doing things the hard way may put a few extra dollars in your pocket, but you can’t pay for an incredible experience.

Live in the Moment

Though it may be tempting to film or photograph every single moment of your adventure, try to soak up the moments by just being present. Pay attention to the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes of your destination.  Look for educational trips and tours to make the most of your experience.

Sometimes documenting every single moment can distract us from the beauty in front of us. Try to think more about what you want to get out of your trip rather than what you want others to see of your trip. As awesome as a great social media post may be, it can’t replace a killer memory.

Document Just a Little

Having said that, you do want to document some parts of your journey. Take a couple of photos in each location you visit, grab a few snippets of video, and do some journaling throughout your adventure to save some memories.

Your future self will thank you for capturing some of the moments. Just don’t go overboard and sacrifice your experience.

Wherever you go and whatever you do, soak it up.

In Rome, classical ruins and early Christian places of worship stand next to – or lie beneath – Renaissance palazzos and Baroque fountains. But there are also great neighbourhood trattorias, quirky shops and a buzzing aperitivo scene. The city’s mild Mediterranean climate is another persuasive draw for visitors from the cool north, but for many the main draw will always be the pulsating energy of a place which lives life as a form of theatre.

When to go

There’s no real off-season in the Eternal City. Spring and autumn are the busiest tourist seasons, with a peak at Easter as Vatican pilgrims swell visitor numbers. Winter – especially from mid-January into the first week of March – can be a great time to come if you’re lucky with the weather. Hotel rates are lower, you can pick up some cheap flight deals and restaurants are blissfully uncrowded. If you can take the heat, August (when most Romans head for the beach) is another good month to find offers on hotel rooms. The most perfect months, weatherwise, are probably April, May and October – and it’s also at this time of year that you’ll generally find the most pleasant temperature differential between balmy Rome and the cold north.

What to See

The best way to discover Rome is with a hop-on-hop-off city bus tour. See all of the city’s popular and iconic sights from an open top bus and jump off whenever you feel like it to do some exploring. With 12 central and popular stops around the city it’s the perfect way to plan your day and sit back and see the sights! Enjoy views of the Colosseum, St Peter’s Basilica and Circus Maximus and hop on and off to explore Rome at your leisure.

First departure: 09:00am (Termini Station), 09:30 (St. Peter basilica).

Last departure: 06:30pm (Termini Station), 06:45pm (St. Peter basilica).

Frequency: every 10/15 minutes

On board commentary available in: English, Spanish, German, Italian, French, Japanese, Russia

Visitor passes

The Roma Pass (romapass.it) discount card are available to purchase online or from tourist information offices, They gives free entry to two museums of your choice and reductions for many others, plus unlimited use of citywide public transport so are well worth the 30 odd Euros initial outlay.

Local laws & etiquette

Tipping: Italians tip very little; 5% is ample, and it’s often enough just to round the bill up to the nearest 5 or 10 euros.

Dress code in churches is: shoulders and midriffs covered and ‘modest’ dress or skirt length for women, while for men vests and really short shorts are frowned on – rigorously enforced in major basilicas like St Peter’s. Italians always say hello and goodbye in social situations – including when entering or leaving shops, bars etc. A simple ‘buon giorno’ in the morning or ‘buona sera’ in the afternoon or evening goes a long way. If somebody thanks you by saying ‘grazie’, it’s polite to say ‘prego’ (you’re welcome) in return.

The basics

Currency: Euro. Most cashpoint machines work with international cards, via the Cirrus circuit.

International dialing codes: dial 0039 06 for Rome numbers from abroad, 06 from inside Italy.

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