Hey Shyworld, I’m Claire—one of Dove’s oldest friends (26 years and counting!). This summer, we traveled through Europe together, exploring 4 countries in 3 weeks, making unforgettable memories, and learning a few lessons along the way. We truly had the trip of a lifetime and I’m so excited she has asked me to share some of our tips for planning the perfect trip with you. So, here are 10 things we learned to help you travel smoother and make the most of every moment.

For the Best Experience

Know your travel style and make sure it aligns with your travel partner’s

There are many types of travelers—some prefer to relax on a beach with a book and drink in hand, while others hit the ground running, reaching 20k steps a day to see as much as possible. And, of course, many of us fall somewhere in between.

The key to a great trip though is knowing the kind of experience you want and making sure you and your travel partner(s) are on the same page about a few important things. You don’t have to be identical in your travel styles, but certain things should align:

Do you have a similar budget in mind?
Are your interests and ideal activities compatible?
What do you prioritize when traveling—fine dining, aesthetic accommodations, more elaborate excursions or shopping?
Are you an early riser or a night owl?
Do you prefer a carefully planned itinerary or a more spontaneous approach to travel?

Being clear on these details ahead of time can make all the difference in ensuring a smooth, enjoyable trip.

2. Set a Budget that you can track!

Flights, hotels, meals, transportation, admission fees, and souvenirs all add up quickly. Having a final number in mind when planning your trip will help keep you on track.

We spent time in 6 different cities each with a different price tag. From the beginning, we agreed there were certain experiences we were willing to spend more money on. If we splurged on accommodations in one city, we balanced it out by choosing something more budget-friendly in the next. We called this the “High-Low” budget, but I’m sure there’s an actual term for this in an economics textbook. It helped us to afford some of the more expensive things on our wish list like a boutique ecotourism hotel in Majorca and gorgeous Airbnb in Paris.

It’s also important to keep in mind that some cities like London and Paris are inherently more expensive than others. Knowing this ahead of time will save you the unpleasant surprises and emergency trips to the ATM.

Lastly, a budget only works if you track your spending. We used an Excel file during the planning stage to log major costs and simple budgeting apps on our phones while traveling to keep track of daily expenses.

3. Stay in Central Locations

Whether booking a budget friendly trip or splurging, finding a hotel, Airbnb or hostel in the center of things is key. During our trip, we stayed in six different cities, and looking back, our most seamless experiences were when we stayed in areas that were walkable and well-connected to public transportation.

Staying in a walkable location not only saves you money on transportation but also maximizes your time for exploring. When you’re just steps away from the top attractions, restaurants, and transit hubs, you can spend less time commuting and more time actually enjoying the city you’re in. It’s also much easier to pop back to your hotel to freshen up for your dinner reservations or take a quick phone break when you’re not factoring a commute back and forth into your itinerary.

4. Pack Light

If your itinerary includes multiple flights, sticking to a carry-on only can save both time and money. Many of Europe’s streets are also cobblestone and depending on the accommodations you’ve booked there may or may not be an elevator to get you to the 5th floor (think Airbnb apartment in Paris), so having as light of a suitcase or backpack as possible can make all the difference.

As someone who has been known to pack way too much, I found the best way to minimize items was to pack my most versatile basics and dress outfits up with accessories which don’t take up as much space in your bag. Dove went a step further and had outfits planned and photos saved in her phone. If you're traveling for an extended period, doing laundry can help you pack even lighter. Booking an Airbnb with a washing machine is ideal, but if that’s not an option, laundromats are far more common in Europe than in North America – I went to one down the street from our apartment in Paris and it was a pretty smooth experience.

Building The Perfect Itinerary:

5. Make a Google Map Wishlist

This is probably my favorite tip! Planning and curating all of the places you want to see in each city is one of the most exciting parts leading up to a trip. I love saving different restaurants, cafés and shops that I’ve seen on Insta and Pinterest to a Google Map and creating a wish list of places to go in each city. Getting a feel for where everything falls on the map can help you create an efficient route, so you can hit all of the places you want to see without unnecessary back-tracking. The best part of google maps is you can share them. Dove and I created shared maps for each city, making it easy to plan together and keep track of our favorites. This is also helpful once you’re actually there and are trying to get directions from one place to the next, since its already conveniently saved on your phone.

6. Try not to over plan/overpack your itinerary

As I mentioned before, when planning out which days will be dedicated to certain activities it makes the most sense to see the things that are near each other on the same day. To keep things manageable, I like to try focussing on one area/neighbourhood per day - maximum two if there is not much ground to cover. Avoiding an overly packed schedule helps ensure you don’t feel rushed and leaves room for spontaneity, allowing you to discover unexpected gems along the way.

This approach is also helpful when deciding how many days to spend in each city. My only real regret on this trip was not allowing enough time in Majorca, which obviously isn’t the end of the world, but an experience that taught me, building some extra time into your itinerary for unforeseen delays and to explore things once you are there is so valuable.

When building an itinerary, it’s also nice to separate out the places and things you feel you must-see from those that would be nice to visit but are not essential. This way, if time runs short, you can adjust without stress.

7. Book All of Your Major Activities and Restaurants in Advance

Popular attractions and restaurants in major European cities often book up quickly, especially in peak season. If there’s a specific tour, museum, or restaurant you don’t want to miss out on, reserve it ahead of time. Many top-rated restaurants require reservations weeks (or even months) in advance, so planning ahead ensures you get a seat at the places you’re excited for. Lines can also eat up a lot of your time. While they’re sometimes unavoidable, having tickets booked in advance at least saves you from waiting in an extra line.

While you’re There:

8. Take Public Transit

Public transit in major European cities is fast, affordable, and easy to navigate—often quicker than driving or taking a taxi. Most cities have well-connected metro, tram, and bus systems that run frequently, making it easy to get around. Many places also offer multi-day passes that are more cost-effective than buying single tickets each time, and some even have contactless payment options, so you can simply tap your credit card or phone to ride.

We used Uber or Bolt (a European Uber-like app with nice sign up deals) in certain situations, primarily for airport transfers at odd hours, but otherwise relied mainly on walking or public transit to get around once in the city.

9. Ask locals for their favorite things to do

Dove and I would always ask our uber drivers or waiters their favorite spots to go in their cities and it never disappointed! Everyone we encountered were so friendly and genuinely proud to share their perspectives as a local. We got some amazing recommendations and tips that we wouldn’t have come across otherwise.

10. Stay flexible and enjoy the journey

Having an itinerary helps organize your trip and ensures you hit all the must-see spots, but some of the best moments happen when you simply go with the flow. Most of our best memories weren’t from meticulously planned activities but from wandering the streets of Paris, stumbling upon live music in Lisbon, and having grocery store picnics in bed in Spain.

Travel also comes with its fair share of surprises. Maybe your only pair of sunglasses get crushed at airport security, you catch a cold in Barcelona, or a flight delay turns into an unexpected overnight airport stay. Plans for a beach day might get interrupted by thunder and lightning, Ryanair will probably insist your bag is too big, or you might even leave your wallet and passport in an Uber. And yes—all of these actually happened to us!

The key is to embrace the unexpected, knowing that even the mishaps become part of the adventure. One day, these things will be the stories you laugh about the most

Savor the experience, stay present, and most importantly—have fun!

Love,
Claire <3 (check out her instagram)

love you so much and cherish our friendship forever truly! can’t wait for more travel and adventures together coming soon. Claire and I are also both huge advocates for mental health and I commend her for always being there for me. - dove