When three days is not enough time

When three days is not enough time -

For years I was able to explore destinations at my own pace. Two days, 2 Weeks, 2 months; it did not matter - I had as much time as I needed. From my perspective (still the same) if you are traveling, less is more. It is better to see less attraction and go deeper than cast a wide net and go flat. You get the people and get to know places better, and you will not rush to spend stress or a lot of money for transportation.

I understand the desire to overburden your itinerary if you have to travel is available each year only a few weeks. Who knows when you might be in order this way again? But I always advise against it, both on this page and in e-mail. You will spend a lot of time running around, traveling, packing and unpacking. Heck, I even tried to see most of Dublin within 24 hours, and that was just crazy.

In March I made my first visit to San Francisco as part of my book tour. I spent only 3.5 days in the city, and unlike most tours where I can stay as long as I want, I had to stuff everything in a very short time. I knew I would only scratch the surface, but something is better than nothing.

What did I learn from this experience?

Three days is not nearly enough.

I found myself to the operation of the major attractions to see fit in the best restaurants, always exhausted all these hills to walk up to fit in meet-ups, and overall just tired of always feeling as I had to drive around a city.

in just a few days to have tour was my own personal hell. Places are such a blur that you feel like you with only pictures instead of memories at the end of

I went to San Francisco with two realizations :. (1) I have to go there back what I of San Francisco looked short trip to experience than running around like a chicken was amazing, and (2) there must be a better way to cut off his head.

My trip to Lisbon of May, me the opportunity to find a better way. I had only three days and I was determined not to repeat my experience in San Francisco.

This time I have done it differently. This time I came up with a plan.

No, I do not regulate every second of every day. Traveling is about letting unfold and of course not happen you stiff your travel planning things. But I wanted to go from Lisbon away without an uncomfortable feeling or that I had not seen anything.

my After a general idea of ​​what I wanted to see and do before I went to prepare myself better left to organize visit and pace myself so I could time out and rewards must only with the flow. I missed a lot of things, the first time that I was in the city last year.

I decided that the first day I would wander downtown, visit the History Museum to see, and Se Cathedral and Saint Jorje Castle. On the second, I would go to the beach outside the city, and on the third, I would take offered a guided tour of the hostel, visit the observation tower, and explore a few other churches.

I thought the rough sketch would give me enough to fill every day.? - But not enough to make it to fully make

Thus, as it has worked

Although he sleep Super jetlag and through much of the first day, I found that by creating a framework allowing me most of my list, without feeling tick I was running around like crazy. I had to see what I still wanted to see the time to find during add in the local recommendations capable.

And while I, the order of all newly placed, when I came to the city to the days could explore in "bite-busting portions" I I found at a relaxed pace.

I applied the same strategy when I was a few days later, in Madrid, to the same effect. I had four days in the city, and I started with a plan. I have a list of everything I wanted every day went through this list to see, and then: botanical gardens, food tour, hiking, museums, nightlife, Cathedral and the Royal Palace. I do not have everything, but I found helped a list of creation, a pace that explore a huge and sprawling city in a few days seem less overwhelming.

So the takeaway? If you try to rediscover somewhere and have only a short time to see, it is best to go with a rough way to maximize your limited time. By doing preliminary planning, you can avoid feeling overwhelmed and instead actually enjoy concentrate your trip to see what you want, and finding the time still the road, take to be interesting places.

I ask a lot of emails for help with itineraries and hour after hour planning for travel, and I see a lot of people try to cram too much in a short time. In my experience, a framework for the trip but instead - and in the small details along the way filling - is a much more relaxing way not planning a trip, but also look your goal

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