What languages do you really need to get by in the world, pt. 1

In 2012 we took my grandfather to Italy. It was the first time in 20 years he went abroad, and first time ever that he traveled to a non-Russian speaking country. He did quite a bit of traveling when he was younger. This was back when the Soviet Union still bloomed, and all of the countries he visited were under the soviet occupation, thus at least partly Russian speaking. It came as a bit of a shock to him when he realized that the nice, Italian lady at the reception of one of our hotels really didn't speak a word of Russian. He turned to another employee, yet he couldn't help him either. 

His world is much bigger now but it took a couple of more trips to other countries in western Europe for him to realize (and admit) that Russian is currently not one of the major languages of western Europe. What languages do you need to get by in the world then? Here are a few of our observations, starting with Europe and the Americas.

Europe: English works in most of Europe with some exceptions like some French and German speaking regions as well as the Balkans. Even in Spain and Portugal, with very widely spoken languages of their own, you will be able to communicate in, at least some level of English. However, pay a visit to the French speaking areas in Belgium or France itself and you will most likely need to use your hands and toes to communicate. In countries such as Germany, Austria and Switzerland you might also need to grab that good old German phrase book, especially when traveling outside the capital areas. 

Eastern Europe has many Russian speakers and even though the Baltic citizens often prefer English, you can easily find Russian speakers in most businesses as about half of the population has Russian as the native language. Traveling south from Baltics to countries such as Poland, Czech Republic and Hungary you will be able to use your German, but English is very widely spoken as well. When you finally reach Balkans, you can use English which works fine in most regions but knowledge of Russian helps a lot. Countries like Romania and Bulgaria have surprisingly wide population of French and Italian speakers also, at least this is what we have noticed on our trips. Traveling in Macedonia, Montenegro and Turkey is much easier if you understand a bit of Russian. Speaking Russian in those regions will actually work in your benefit and probably even give you a small discount with your purchases!

Did you know that many people living in Kosovo speak English due to the presence of Nato troops in the region?

In Greece you’ll get by in English quite well, but also German is widely spoken, at least in most touristic areas.

All in all, Europe is incredibly multilingual and you will get by by speaking at least one of the following languages: English, German, French, Russian. However, Speaking either Spanish, Italian or Portuguese will also help you as these three languages are very similar - and widely spoken.

Central and South America, Caribbean: Spanish will get you furthest when traveling in this region. It is true that Portuguese is also very widely spoken, mainly in Brazil and touristic regions in Argentina but Spanish is the most common language used in majority of these countries. In the Caribbean and northeast regions of South America you can get by in Dutch, German and French but majority also speak Spanish and/or English. For example Aruba, Curacao and Bonaire are all Dutch (and/or Papiamento) speaking islands. French is spoken in Haiti, Guadeloupe and Martinique, Dominica and Saint Lucia as well as the French region of Saint Martin (aka Sint Maarten). 

Cuba, Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico have Spanish as the native language.

Brazil is an exception making Spanish speakers a minority! In Brazil you will need Portuguese but, German and Italian might help you also. By the borders you'll probably get by in Spanish, but don't count on it. Again, English is, of course, spoken is touristic areas but Brazilian is the biggest and most important language in this country. 

One of the surprising languages you’ll be able to use in Americas is German. Starting all the way from Mexico down to northeastern parts of Caribbean (some regions of Easter Islands)  and continuing all the way down to Brazil and Paraguay you should be able to use German, at least in some areas. Some schools and universities in Mexico actually offer German as one of the optional languages to study meaning you can choose either English or German. 

It is fascinating how much you learn about the different regions in the world only by knowing the locally spoken languages! Did you know that there used to be a small Courish settlement (Baltic tribe that used to live in parts of present day Latvia and Lithuania) in Tobago (Trinidad and Tobago of present day South-America) back in the 17th/18th century? Wonder what would have happened had the colony succeeded, and if we could add one of the Baltic languages to the list?

Tip: Make the most of TripAdvisor

TripAdvisor has improved tremendously in the recent years and also the user base has grown all over the world amongst both, the clients and the service providers. Also, it has turned from a true tourist database into a traveller guide site and is able to help almost any traveler anywhere in the world and includes even the most remote destinations.


TripAdvisor is not based on facts, it's based on personal experiences

Just like with everything else in life, always do your research, trust your own instinct and form your own opinion. TripAdvisor is a collection of peoples opinions and experiences that always depend on their personal point of view, previous life experiences, origin, mood, you name it!

Keep an eye on the location of the reviewer, the age and even family status. A review written by a dad with 4 kids might not be the best source for information if you are searching for a hotel for a wild bachelorette party. Also, travelers from US prefer (and are more used to) larger room sizes than Europeans. The room that Europeans  may call large or of decent size is often on the smaller side for someone from the US.

Looking at the Traveler Type you get a pretty good overview of the average visitor profile of the hotel. Like this hotel below is popular among couples, business travelers and friends. Might not be the number one option for large families but ideal for a weekend getaway with you loved one!

Never trust reviewers with just a few (1-3) reviews

Many hotels, restaurants and tourist service providers rate themselves or ask their friends and family to review them. Many create fake profiles and rate their business excellent to get the rating higher. Most of them are everything but excellent!

See a review with less than 4 reviews? We suggest you skip reading the review or, at least, stay alert when reading!

Found a TripAdvisor listing with lots and lots of reviews that don't seem authentic? It's a huge red flag and the place should be avoided. Move along, there's plenty more to choose from!

Review reading order for hotels/accommodation:

Hotels or other accommodation often has a huge amount of reviews. The overall rating can be high so don't get stuck only on the rating.

1. read reviews on several pages (flip back at least 2-3 pages). No need to read them all but do browse back to older reviews and read here and there if you don't have time to check them all

2. always check the reviewer and their number of reviews on the left of the review

3. take a look at the date of the review

4. always look at the pictures taken by visitors

Rule of the thumb is never to book hotels with a ranking less than 4/5. Certificate of excellence is brilliant (but doesn't tell the whole truth). Always check the negative reviews!

Best combination is this: Great rating, a decent number of reviews and no Poor or Terrible ratings at all! This is The Augustin in Brussels, by the way! They've really done well and probably have a Certificate of Excellence coming their way this year!

Always read negative reviews (but don't make up your mind solely based on them)

Always read the negative reviews when booking a hotel. It might not be important when booking a restaurant but when it comes to accommodation, this is what you must always do! Does the hotel have a history of stealing or burglary at hotel premises or even worse, from the room or the safe? Be cautious! If you find reviews like this, just move on and never book at that hotel. There's plenty to choose from anyway!

No stealing or anything alarming like that and overall rating reflects your needs and expectations? Looks promising! Go back to all reviews, flip through few more and make up your mind. Don't let the negative reviews affect you (unless they mention stealing or frauds), it's important to form a realistic expectation before booking. 


Booking accommodation on TripAdvisor?

To get the best price, cross-check the prices on a couple of different price comparison sites. TripAdvisor is currently making it's way to the top of our list as one of the best price comparisoon sites as it lists the most popular (more importantly, most reliable!) international booking sites . Also, you can list hotels to fit your needs by filtering hotels by your preferences. They have lots of different filtering options from the price, hotel class/ rating, style, brand/chain, location, amenities and so on. We love centrally located luxury hotels with a pool and that's the filtering we often use. TripAdvisor has saved our filtering options and uses analytics to gather information from our profile and the hotels we've visited before meaning that every time we search for a hotel we can sort it either by our preferences, ranking, price etc. 

However, never rely on just one source. Also check HotelsCombined.com or Trivago.com, to mention a few.

Destination pages (written by travellers)

Destination pages have recently had a facelift that made a huge difference! The pages are very easy to read and browse through, also it's easy to search for specific information and if you have the patience to scroll all the way down, you see an overview of airfares for the next three months!

For more specific questions, check out Forum and post your own questions.

Also, browse through the travel guides written by fellow travellers for 3/5/7 day guides, arrival info, shopping guides and more.

Why the #1 restaurant in town is not the best place to go

The top-on-the list restaurant rarely is that good. It is, however, ok in price, located near touristic hotspots and have something for everyone. The best restaurants are often on page 2 and 3 (depends on the size of the destination). Want to take it to another level? Search for restaurants with top reviews in the local language!

In the picture below I'm on page 2 and all of these restaurants have the Certificate of Excellence which definitely makes it very promising!

A stay to remember, Bosnian National Monument Muslibegovic House ***

Destination: Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Time of travel: August 2015
Duration: 2 days (1 night) in Mostar, total of 16 days
Travel plan: 4 days in Pula, Croatia. 2 days in Mostar, BiH. 1 day in Split, Croatia. 3 days in Petrovac, Montenegro, 1 day in Pluzine, Montenegro, 3 days in Sarajevo,  BiH, 2 days in Zagreb, Croatia

There probably isn’t a better way to experience a historic town than to spend a night in a hotel following the same, historic style of the destination itself. In summer 2015 we explored the beautiful city of Mostar in Bosnia & Herzegovina and stayed in the gorgeous Muslibegovic house which is also a museum during daytime so even if you only happen to drop by while driving to other destinations, you can always pay a visit and look around the museum areas. The house used to belong to a noble Muslibegovic family in the 17th century and is today considered one of the most significant examples of residential architecture of the Ottoman period Herzegovina (source: Wikipedia) thus is a must see for a history buff!


We had a great one night stay at this hotel. Mostar is a small town and two days is enough to explore it thoroughly. However, even though it’s small in size, it shouldn’t be left as just another town you’re passing by as it is a truly beautiful place to visit. Mostar was badly damaged by the bombings during the recent war in former Yugoslavia yet the old bridge and its surroundings have been beautifully restored in 2004.

The hotel has 12 beautiful, very traditionally styled rooms with modern bathrooms. You walk in to a beautiful front yard with plants and flowers, continue to the lobby where you'll find lots of magazines and books introducing the surroundings. Across the yard is an entrance to the breakfast area where you can eat in or outside. Breakfast is included in the room price. Since we're living in the 21st century, there's also free wifi. The location is great, it’s only a short walk from the Old Bridge. The owners were incredibly warm and welcoming, trying to make sure you have all you need during your stay. We were a little sad to leave after one night and could have easily stayed at least a couple of days more even though the city itself was already thoroughly explored.

For more information: http://www.muslibegovichouse.com

Caribbean dream, Las Terrenas, Dominican Republic

Destination: Las Terrenas, Dominican Republic
Time of travel: December 2013
Duration: 7 days
Travel plan: 7 days in Las Terrenas, two full days in capital Santo Domingo, 6 days in New York during the New Years celebrations.

Las Terranas is currently still one of the less-touristic tourist destinations of the Dominican Republic. The village is small and you only have a handful of hotels. Further away there are large holiday resorts for pretty much every taste but in the village itself only a few smaller hotels. The situation is gradually changing and new hotels and resorts are being built as we speak.

Why Las Terrenas?

If you are looking for a tranquil beach holiday with long beaches, clean waters and a glimpse of the local lifestyle, Las Terrenas is the place to visit. The nature is stunning and you'll surely see some wildlife including whales if you're there in the right season. It's relatively quiet although you do have some night life there in the restaurants and bars by the sea. We also found the village quite safe and didn't feel threatened at any point even though you do have armed guards with rifles at hotels during the night. 

How to reach?

You can reach Las Terrenas in a couple of different ways. We chose the most local-friendly way which was the bus. It took us a couple of hours to drive from Santo Domingo to a town nearby called Sanchez and from there we took a taxi across the peninsula to Las Terrenas. Many hotels offer a private shuttle that will pick you up from the airport and drive you all the way to the hotel for only about 150-200e (one way, per car) but for a more authentic experience, take the Caribe bus.

Bus to Las Terrenas

I won't type in very specific directions as they tend to change and recommend to google "caribe bus from santo domingo to samana". This is quite a popular topic on travel sites and you'll find lots of up-to-date information. You can (and should) also visit the website of Caribe bus, www.caribetours.com.do/site/portada/ . It's in Spanish but we managed to reserve tickets without problems. Take a taxi from the airport to the bus station. Make sure you use a legal taxi! The address of the bus station is Caribe Tours, Esq. Leopoldo Navarro, Av. 27 de Febrero, Santo Domingo. There is another bus stop by the highway which is closer to the airport that many travellers mention on travel forums. It's not really a station or even a proper bus stop, more like a road side hut that looks a little creepy. It might work if you don't have a lot of luggage but for an easier and safer journey, just go to the station. You need tickets from Santo Domingo to Sanchez. Please note that reserving the bus ticket in advance is highly recommended and the last bus departs at 16.30. Ask the driver to help you get off at Sanchez as they don't have announcements on the bus. They do, however, have aircon and toilets. From Sanchez you need to arrange yourself a taxi either yourself or via your hotel. There are lots of men with cars offering taxi services as soon as the bus arrives to Sanchez, the prices are relatively high but you should be able to haggle it to around 7-15 euro's.

Caution

A word of caution is in place. Santo Domingo is not a safe place to stroll around as a tourist so be careful and find yourself a safe taxi, don't walk around with your luggage and don't spend time at the bus station in the dark. On our way back from Las Terrenas the locals actually arranged a taxi for us on their own suggestion to take us from where the bus left us to the hotel and repeatedly forbid us from taking a taxi from one of the guys luring for tourists. Use your hotel, fellow travellers or TripAdvisor (or equivalent) for arrangements.

Finally at Las Terrenas

People at Las Terrenas are very warm and kind, helping you as much as they can. Most of the businesses are family owned which shows in the service level and their smiles. Many people speak English.

No need to worry about your weight on this trip. You don't need to starve but it's not like you want to sit in the restaurant for hours. Cuisine is not what makes the village popular. However, the rum cocktails are so you can expect a boozy holiday if that's what you're into. We had the most incredible cocktails here!

We definitely recommend traveling around the area. You can choose from renting a car, a buggy, a bike or a motorcycle. For us it was a buggy that took us around the village, the nearby towns and the beaches. The general condition of roads is ok but you do have lots of road lids that are either partly or completely detached so keep your eyes on the road!

During our stay the weather was nice but being in the Caribbean, you do get showers every day so be prepared for an afternoon rain (that sometimes resembles a monsoon..).

We stayed at Albachiara hotel which served our needs perfectly. We had a great large apartment with complimentary water and a huge terrace, a fantastic place to spend afternoons reading and sipping rum after a dip in the sea or the hotel pool. Breakfast served at the hotel was absolutely great and the hotel location is perfect, right across the beach yet in the very center of the town.
You'll need cash for food and travel, be aware that you don't have ATM's on every corner and need to go to a bank to exchange money (don't forget your passport!).

Bunny at the Albachiara hotel

All in all, Las Terrenas was a great holiday destination and definitely worth the trip. You've got sea, sun, peace and quiet - and some delicious cocktails! We'd go back there anytime, maybe in January - March as that's the season when the whales migrate through the area. 

Where to Stay:

Albachiara Hotel

Calle 27 de Febrero | Camino Playa de Popy, Las Terrenas

Where to Eat:

Boulangerie Francaise - for pastries, coffee and bread

Calle Principe | Plaza Taina, Las Terrenas

Casa Azul - for pizza

Calle Libertad | Frente a la Policia, Las Terrenas

Porto - for lounging by the sea with food and drinks

Balcones del Atlantico, Las Terrenas

There's some other places also, which we unfortunately forgot to write down. However, for drinks you should be safe just about anywhere by the sea along the Pueblo de Los Pescadores.

Don't make your departure schedule too tight as buses don't run very often or they get cancelled frequently. 

Merry X-Mas from Las Terrenas!

Tallinn? What's that?

Having lived abroad majority of my life and currently being ever further than ever before I have gained some perpective when it comes to my home country Estonia. While people living far from the Baltics often ask "Estonia? What's that?" there's also equally large amount of those who know the country very well and can easily point it out on a map. Quite often these incredibly knowledgeable folks can be found in surprising locations such as Bosnia, Hawaii and Taiwan - not exactly neighbouring countries!

I could write a praising post on the tech development and innovations or the rich history, years under the soviet occupation and current era of innovation but I won't. You can read about it elsewhere. Instead, I'll share everyday tips on why Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, should be your next destination for a weekend away.

Medieval Tallinn

Tallinn is small yet has something for everyone. A must see location is, of course, the medieval old town (UNESCO heritage site) that has been an important trading hub since the 13th century. Walk along the city walls, step inside one of the museums or cafes built literally into the walls or one of the towers and inhale all of the history! Join a walking tour and get to know the stories and the tales of those who used to walk the cobbled streets of this enchanting city.

Tasty Tallinn

My most favorite activity in Tallinn is enjoying all of the cafe's, restaurants and bars. The quality is incredible and you can choose a place to get a drink at pretty much any theme you can come up with. New places arise constantly so there's always something new to try. Compared with many other cities in the region, Tallinn is a very energetic and bustling city - a little like Berlin.




Indulging Tallinn

Visiting a spa is quite a popular activity among both, the locals and the tourists. The city of Pärnu as well as the islands have some of the best spa's but also Tallinn has it's share. Not into getting in your swimsuit? Well, get a haircut or a facial instead. Tallinn has definitely one of the best, if not the best beauty professionals in Europe when it comes to hair, skin treatments, make-up, nails, you name it. Especially local ladies love to look beautiful on a daily basis and are frequent users of the beauty services making the quality of beauty treatments high and the prices low.

Green Tallinn

With nice weather, summer or winter, you should visit the Kadriorg Park, have a picnic surrounded by the beautiful nature, visit the art museum KUMU (you really should!), view the presidential palace or have a run around the park all the way to the direction of Pirita while enjoying the fresh sea breeze. You can also rent a bike and cycle to Kadriorg and Pirita. Pirita beach is absolutely beautiful, surrounded by a forest of pine trees, nearby the beautiful St. Birgitta's Convent ruins dating back to 1407. Traveling during hot summer days? You must spend a day at the beach! While it doesn't sound like the number one activity to come to mind when thinking of the northern regions, the water is surprisingly warm during the summer months, especially August. On the opposite direction, also on the shore, you have the young Kalamaja district. Haven't been there myself but it definitely has people talking so it must be good!




Other suggestions

Planning a trip in the late July? Visit the annual Öölaulupidu, Night Song Festival. It's an annual song festival where you can enjoy traditional music performances by local musicians. It's quite a cool event even if you don't understand a word of it. Check Google for dates and more information.

Shopping is always a success in Tallinn. You should try local brands such as Ivo Nikkolo, Baltman, Monton and lots of smaller boutiques you can find spread out across the city centre. Visit visitestonia.com for more information, http://www.visitestonia.com/en//things-to-see-do/interests-lifestyle/shopping/design.

For some great reading to better understand Estonia and its history I recommend one of the amazing bestsellers written by an incredible author Sofi Oksanen.

While in the area, you should take a ferry to Helsinki and spend a day or two. Consider continuing to Turku for a day followed by a trip to Stockholm either by sea or air and spend a couple of days in the beautiful Swedish capital. Visiting these three/four cities really gives you a great understanding of the differences of the countries, the cultures and the richness of the region.

Porto, Portugal

Destination: Porto, Portugal
Time of travel: July 2012
Duration: 14 days
Travel plan: 7 days in Porto with day trips to nearby towns, overnight trip to Santiago de Compostela via Vigo (Spain), 6 days on the island of Madeira. Beginning and end of trip from Porto.

Porto is a great base to explore northern Portugal, including Douro valley and all the vineyards as well as north-west part of Spain. Porto itself is amazing also; you can easily take a weekend trip to explore the city without paying a small fortune.

The climate in Porto is not even nearly as hot as it can get in Lisbon due to it's location by the Atlantic ocean. Makes it even nicer to explore the city by foot. While Porto might not be the best beach destination due to the winds and chilly water, it is however, great for history, food, shopping, architecture and more.


Why should you travel to Porto instead of a more popular city in Europe?

Porto is very authentic, to us it seems like the most authentic Portugal. It is somewhat touristic with the Port wine tastings but that's about as touristic as it gets - which isn't that much at all!

The city is very beautiful and if you've been to Lisbon before, you will surely love Porto! Due to it's long and rich history, the city is full of beautiful architecture, museums and sights. 

The cost of the trip will most likely be a fraction of what you need to pay for pretty much any other European city destination including flights, hotel and food. From further parts of Europe flying can be pricey, though. In that case we recommend a longer trip. 

Port wine at Graham's

Talking about food, Porto is a great food destination. In our experience the food was even better than in the capital itself! Try the espresso and one (or many) of the amazing savory pasties, Pasteis de Nata (of course!), or the sandwich everyone, especially the locals are boasting about, called Francesinha. However, be aware that it's important to pick a really good restaurant to try the sandwich, if it's not well made you'll probably hate it, like we did at first because it was cold and mushy. The meat and the fish is, however, the best! Try the Espetadas, meat skewers as well as the Bacalhau, the cod. 

Porto is known for it's excellent seafood

Few tips for port wine tastings:

- Do 2 or max. 3 tastings a day, otherwise you'll be quite tipsy by the end of the day
- Walk up the hill to the more authentic, traditional wineries
- no need to pre-book a tour, just walk in. You might have to wait for a while in case you’re interested in a tour around the winery also (recommended!) but you can taste some port while waiting.

Visit at least the following wineries

- Caves Croft, Rua Barão de Forrester, 412, 4400-034, Vila Nova de Gaia

- Caves Sandeman, Largo Miguel Bombarda, 3 , 4400-222, Vila Nova de Gaia

- Caves Grahams, R. Rei Ramiro 514, 4400 Vila Nova de Gaia

During a longer trip you can easily have your base in Porto and travel around the surrounding areas especially by car as car rental is very cheap and the service is great. Being located in the North of Portugal, you can explore the beautiful yet windy coast and it's beaches, the nearby towns and villages that will blow you away in their beauty, drive up to the Douro valley for the wines and take a trip to Spain to visit the famous Santiago de Compostela which is only 2,5h drive away from Porto.

Bewildered horses in the mountains somewhere near the borders of Portugal and Spain

right across the ancient Via Nova Romana.

Great places to visit nearby in Portugal are Guimaraes, Braga and Coimbra.

You can also easily fly to Azores or Madeira.

Ponto da Rosto, Madeira, Portugal

We go on and on about combining destinations and Porto is one of the greatest destinations for a multi-location trip. Have a 2 week holiday? Book 5 days in one city, 6 in another one and three in the third one. It's cost efficient, you see more and this will make the holiday feel much longer than staying in one place.

On the cost efficiency I have a good example here;

From central Europe you can fly to Porto for 50-150 euro's, from Nordics and Baltics 200-350.

You can combine this and fly to one of the Portuguese islands for about 40-70€ (Transavia, Ryanair) and 90-120€ (TAP Portugal), which is a great deal! There are several airlines flying daily to Madeira and Azores from Porto.

Flights from further Europe to the islands are about a double in cost. It really pays off to combine!

Tip: 5 steps of planning the perfect weekend getaway

Even though the best holiday is never overly planned and definitely not scheduled, sometimes it's essential to ensure an easy going trip by writing down a schedule to follow. One of these times is during short weekend trips. You'll know in advance when and where you must be and when it's time to leave. Many people seem to think that it's not worth it to fly somewhere just for the weekend but we'll ensure you, with these tips it'll be easy, comfortable and effortless.

Try it once and you'll love it forever!


Weekend trips are perfect to visit your favourite cities again and again, especially those within a 1-3h travel time. There's no need to take days off if you travel after work on Friday afternoon or take a couple of hours off.

            

1. Plan your Airport -- Hotel transportation (at location) ahead

Plan and schedule your travel from the airport to the hotel (and back) in advance for both ways, leave some time for cancellations, delays and traffic & plan your trip in between the transportation schedule. Choose the best option for your hotel. Make sure you do your homework here and compare several options!

Sometimes, when you're short on time, it actually becomes smarter to pay a little extra for a taxi than using public transportation.

Also, always Google the best options (especially bus companies offering Airport Shuttle) and check options on Google Maps and Rome2Rio.

Tips to pick the best transport options to and from the airport:

- Ask your hotel

- Google (always!)

- Google Maps

- Rome2Rio

- WikiTravel

2. Book a hotel close to transportation options and your plans

Needless to stay, hotel location is the key. It has to be close to everything you'll need; transportation, sightseeing/events and restaurants.

Most central location to sights is not always the best as you need to be centrally located for your plans. If you need to be able to travel to several locations in the city, stay near the central station, that's often a great option.

3. Find and book restaurants in advance

When your time is limited, it's better to know where you're going! Find restaurants nearby your hotel or event, and book in advance! You'll have a table waiting for you at the time most convenient to fit your plans. Depending on the restaurant, give yourself 1-3 hours time to enjoy your meal.

We absolutely love the Browse Nearby feature on TripAdvisor. We always find great restaurants just around the corner from our plans.

4. What to plan

There are a few things you need to work out:

- How to travel from and to the airport (also have a plan b, just in case)
- Number of pre-planned taxi company or a general taxi number

- Hotel address and phone number

- Addresses and the time of your restaurant reservations
- Phone numbers of the restaurants in case you're running late or need to call for directions

- Transportation to and from your plans/destinations during the stay

- Other things you need to remember, buy or take a long

- Make a schedule

Here's a schedule sample; as you can see, not too strict, not too planned.

Highlight critical points, such as the time when you need to get on your way.

morning - 16.00 sights, shopping
16.00 - 17.45 lunch / dinner at restaurant XX (500m from the hotel)

17:50 Leave restaurant now
18.00 - 19.15 getting ready for the concert at the hotel

19.30 Leave hotel now
19.45 Get a subway to concert now
20.45 concert

Find and print routes from hotel to all your destinations or mark them on your map in advance. This will save you loads of time.

Although planning too much might leave you feeling rushed, a little planning here and there will make it much smoother! Don't make the schedule too tight, it's a weekend after all!

5. Take it to another level

For those who like to take it on a completely different level, check out my travel plan (click on the thumbnail of the text file) for a weekend in Rome a couple of weeks ago. It's all on one A4 sheet with the schedules, addresses and even a map of some of the locations near the hotel with walking times from hotel. Make it a 2-sided print and carry it with you. If the place you're visiting is small enough, you can even print the city map.

The map has our hotel, the restaurants, an important bus stop to reach the Palalottomatica where the concert was at and finally the Termini station where we were supposed to catch a bus to the airport. We didn't make it on the bus and ended up taking the taxi.

Always have a plan B when it comes to transportation. And always Google the shuttle services to avoid unpleasant surprises.