Wanderlust World Wanderlust World Select the country or countries where you plan to go sightseeing. Obtain travel guidebooks about those locations or search online travel guides. Talk to friends or colleagues who have visited those locations to get their recommendations. You may choose to consult a travel agent who specializes in the region you plan to visit.
Identify your "must-see" destinations for each city you will visit. These may include traditional tourist sites, such as the Eiffel Tower in Paris or the Kremlin in Moscow. However, your "must-see" sites may be very different -- if you are a sports buff, perhaps you want to see Olympics locations. Gourmet cooks may opt for cooking classes, kitchenware stores and specialty restaurants.
Prioritize your list of sightseeing locations in each city or country. Locate them on a map to make sure you group sites that are close to each other for one day rather than wasting time going back and forth across town.
Study the travel guides to determine how much time you will need for each location or activity on your list. Be alert to seasonal or date limitations that may impact your plans. For example, if you are a theater buff traveling to London hoping to see several plays in one weekend, you should be aware that most theaters are "dark" on Sundays, meaning no performances are scheduled. If you only have three days in Paris, you cannot attend a five-day cooking class. Major museums in Washington D.C have extended Thursday evening hours during the summer, but not during the school year.
Make advance reservations whenever possible for special exhibits, classes, popular plays or other special events. Request written or electronic confirmation of all reservations and keep these with you when traveling.
Build extra time into your itinerary for meals, shopping in the museum gift shop, finding a restroom and recovering from jet lag. If possible, allow yourself some flexibility to take advantage of unplanned opportunities. If you've scheduled only enough time at the Louvre in Paris to see the Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo, you might have to skip a special unpublicized exhibit by a favorite artist. Advance efforts to get tickets to a sold-out opera in Milan may have been unsuccessful, but your Milan hotel concierge may be able to get last-minute tickets for you, so don't over-schedule every evening.
Make travel reservations once you have determined what you want to do and how long you will need at each destination. If you are experienced with travel arrangements, you may choose to do your own reservations. If you are a novice traveler or going to someplace where travel may be complicated by politics, terrain or language barriers, using a reputable travel agent may be best. If you are traveling to overseas locations requiring passports, visas or medical clearance, apply well in advance of your trip.