Top 5 travel mistakes
06 Jun 2014
How exciting! You’re planning to go on a fabulous holiday.
But before you confirm any bookings or sign up for any tours, make sure you read our list of things to avoid when travelling. From overscheduling yourself and booking the wrong accommodation to choosing to forego travel insurance, we’ve covered some of the most common mistakes by holidaymakers here.
1. Too many cities, too little time
Are you planning to fly into Venice for a couple of days, zip over to Florence, catch a train down to Rome and then speed over to the Amalfi Coast all within less than two weeks? While it’s exciting to discover new places, make sure you give yourself enough time to soak up each town you visit and actually remember the amazing buildings and landmarks that you see on your trip.
Don’t forget that it often takes a day to travel from one place to another, too. It would be wise to schedule this time into your itinerary beforehand, so you’re not caught with too little time in each location.
2. Not enough time to relax
One day, you’re climbing up a mountain. The next, you’re on a boat cruising down a river and after that, you plan to spend several hours in a museum. Immersing yourself in the culture of another country is fascinating, but throwing yourself into each and every activity can quickly become exhausting. Worst case scenario, you’ll actually wear yourself out while on holiday. Make sure you schedule some time in to kick back and relax, whether it’s sipping a cocktail by the pool or indulging in a leisurely stroll through the beautiful botanical gardens.
3. Not booking travel insurance
Travel insurance may not be the most fun thing to organise when it comes to booking a holiday, but for just a little bit of money, it can certainly get you out of sticky situations. From injuring yourself on your trip to losing your luggage or being delayed at the airport for hours on end, booking travel insurance should be high on your to-do list before you depart.
4. Sticking to the travel guide
By all means, travel guides are a great way to help you plan your trip and help you know where to go while you’re on holiday. But don’t be scared to throw caution to the wind, venture out on your own and travel off the beaten track. Sometimes the very best experiences can be found in the most surprising places, where tourists rarely go.
5. Underestimating the distance between your accommodation and the city centre
So you found a hotel online that’s at a fantastic price, but what you don’t realise until you arrive is that it actually takes several modes of transport to get to the centre of the city, where the action really happens. Don’t be sucked in by the cheap prices of accommodation, or you’ll find that you’ve wasted your time and money while on holiday.
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