I have planned action-filled weekends, multiple days exploring many of the biggest cities around the world, country-wide road trips, and more. If you can think of a length of holiday, I have probably created an itinerary for it! My favourites have included a week-long climbing trip around Tasmania, Australia, a two week road trip around Iceland, and two days in Vienna, Austria.

One of my favourite parts of the holiday and travel planning process is working on an itinerary. I find the research inspiring and I get so excited for upcoming trips when I see my plans laid out! So rather than trusting a stranger to plan the ins and outs of your next adventure or using a generic itinerary, try following this guide to create your own personalised travel itinerary.

These tips work whether you are starting to plan with a set number of days in mind, or if you want to create the perfect itinerary and let it dictate the amount of time needed.

Researching

• Start by learning about your destination/s. Take to books and the internet, or have a chat with friends who have been there. Use a variety of articles for your research, such as a blog post on the best food and drinks of the area, a list of the top things to do, and an article on the history of the place you are going as this can detail points of interest. Take note of what interests you the most - I like to include a wide variety of activities and sights to get the most in-depth appreciation of a place as possible however this really is your chance to personalise your plan.

• Once you have a list of the activities and places where you want to go, check the location of each activity on a map. You want to group activities that are close by into the same day. This will also show you how much travel time you need to factor in to your itinerary

• As you start to make your plan more specific, ask yourself “What are my specific needs each day?” You might be working while traveling, in which case certain times of the day need to be kept clear for work. You might be an avid foodie who wants to factor in cafes, restaurants and all of your meal times to avoid missing out on the best bites a destination has to offer, or maybe your goal is to learn about new cultures.

Consider before shying away from tourist attractions

• I get it, sometimes you want to holiday to get away from it all. I love those kinds of holidays as well, and as someone who spends most of their life traveling I definitely need a break from crowds from time to time. But before you dismiss any activities in your destination for being “too touristy”, consider how you will feel if you miss out. This might be your only chance in this destination, so you might decide that dealing with crowds is worth it. The best thing you can do in this situation is consider the environmental impact and your personal feelings towards the attraction, and make an informed decision.

• Sometimes an area is popular with very good reason - the Eiffel Tower was extremely busy when we visited but I had no regrets when looking out over the city.

• For some activities that attract a lot of tourists, a way to appreciate them without being swarmed by crowds is to visit during quiet times, such as early in the morning or later in the evening. This is especially the case for destinations in nature - start your hike before most people wake up and you will have the paths to yourself (while being safe of course!).

The lower shopping area and walking paths around Fushimi Inari Shrine were absolutely packed with tourists when we arrived, but the further we walked the quieter it became.

Don’t forget the rest days

• Remember not to overdo it! Everyone’s pace and energy levels are different, so make sure to cater for your own personal needs (or the needs of those traveling with you). For longer itineraries it can be a good idea to factor in rest days (its better to decide in the moment that you don’t need a rest than to finish your holiday exhausted), and you don’t want to pack too much activity in a single day. Not only can this get tiring, but it means removing the option to stay longer at a particular location or take your time where you feel the desire to linger. When I created a one week itinerary for Tokyo, Japan, I let excitement get the best of me and in the end I had to miss out on a day of activities to squeeze in some rest and recovery. While I can now happily say I walked over 100km in Tokyo, at the time exhaustion was trying to take me over!

• Resting doesn’t have to mean doing nothing, either. Maybe there’s a park, beach or cafe at your destination where you can relax for a while. When visiting cities I love a long sit at a cafe with a coffee and sometimes a book, somewhere with a view so that I can watch the world and the people go by.

Relaxing my legs while enjoying an amazing lunch in Prague? Yes please!

Piece this all together and you have your own personalised itinerary! Based on your personality this can be a free-form guide, daily lists, or an itinerary complete with the time of day for each task.