What is cultural travel?
The concept of “cultural travel” is subjective and different people may interpret it in different ways.
Cultural travel to me refers to the kind of travel aimed at learning about another culture by interacting with its people and visiting its more significant places, those that speak about its history and the events that affected it and its people, the art that has reflected its reality, the scientific facts that define it and the different activities this culture offers as entertainment.
Thus, my general focus is on the cultural aspects of travel (defined as history, art, science and entertainment) rather than beaches, parties or extreme sports.
Is cultural travel better than other kinds of travel?
Not at all. Cultural travel is just one way (among many) to approach the travel experience and Cultural Travel Guide has been created to cater to those who enjoy this particular way of going on a trip, who feel safer and at peace with knowing that every step of their journey has already been planned and who appreciate a high level of detail in their guides.
If this doesn’t resonate with you , that’s ok! But Cultural Travel Guide may not be the right fit for you.
What products/services do you offer?
I have two offerings for you:
1. The pre-designed cultural travel itineraries which is a downloadable PDF document.
2. The personalized itinerary design consultancy service.
What is the difference between the pre-designed travel itineraries and the consultancy service?
Pre-designed cultural travel itineraries are created based on standard days (e.g. 3 days, a week) with a broad cultural mindset, covering the most important cultural sites for each particular city.
The consultancy service is a personalized service that designs the itinerary according to your particular needs like length of stay, budget, interests, passions, energy and pace.
Do the pre-designed itineraries include the same information as the consultancy service?
In general, yes. They will include daily step-by-step plans, play-by-play transportation from one attraction to the other, specific information for each attraction and more. They are sold as a single PDF file instead of a packet (maps, floorplans, etc) but it does mention links to that information where available.
For more information about what the consultancy packet includes, visit my consultancy page.
How much time in advance should I contact you to start planning my itinerary?
The ideal time frame to plan your trip would be six months. However, you can contact me up to one month prior to your trip, depending on how long your trip is and how flexible you are about your itinerary.
If you have less than a month, contact me to see how we can work together.
What if I want to make changes to the itinerary?
You can make as many changes to the itinerary as you wish while we are on the planning process.
Once you are on your trip, you are free to follow the itinerary to the letter, or move things around at your convenience. Even though the itineraries are organized in the most efficient way, knowing all the information about each site will allow you to make informed decisions on the spot, should you need to adjust as you go.
Are you a travel agent?
No, I am not. I do not do bookings of any kind and therefore I do not receive commissions for recommended services. I am an independent travel advisor specialized in detailed itinerary design and the fee you pay only covers my own time and expertise.
What’s the difference between an itinerary and a tour?
My itineraries are designed for the independent traveler who wants to travel at his/her own pace and by himself or his travel buddies. They are a set of step-by-step instructions presented in a PDF printable document, generally one or two pages per day. So you are always aware and in control of where you’re going and how to get there in the most efficient and safe way.
Tours, on the other hand, suppose the gathering of a group of people that go together on a pre-set package, generally in overcrowded buses. You need to be on time and obediently comply with the tours’ rules and plans.
Does the written itinerary I’ll get replace a guidebook?
It depends on how deep you need to go with the information for your trip. My itineraries are designed to give you just the right amount of information for each site. Not too little, not too much.
If you want to go deeper, then my itineraries are a great complement to any guidebook.
In any case my itineraries can be both printed or viewed in a mobile device.
What’s the return on investment?
Firstly, you save on time. Planning a trip anywhere is a time-consuming process. A two week trip can take up to six hours per day to plan, that would be 84 hours of planning instead of the 2 or 3 hours you’ll spend on Skype with me (if you choose the consultancy service) or the zero hours (if you buy a pre-designed itinerary). Do you have 84 hours to spare? How much is your time worth?
And secondly, achieving more during your trip because everything has been already planned. You won’t waste time deciding where to go next, or trying to figure out how to get from point A to point B, or finding out the museum you wanted to visit is closed today. How much is an hour of your trip and your peace of mind worth?
Do you offer on-trip assistance?
Yes. We can communicate via email or Skype to answer questions. However, know that you are going to execute your itinerary on your own.
Can you get me discounts on hotels, guides or attractions?
Not per se. However, I will always give you the best recommendation to get the most value out of your money, like discounted operating hours or city cards for attractions.
My personal opinion is that sometimes it’s better to spend a bit more, in order to stay closer to attractions, enjoy a better meal or visit a site when it is less crowded.
Have you visited these places yourself?
Many of them. Having visited the places does give me a bit more information when creating a new itinerary, however it’s not mandatory. Remember, when I started planning my own trips and those of my family, friends and later on, clients, I had not been to any of these places before.
I sometimes use the help of foreign advisors to confirm certain data and I use a very specific methodology to plan trips in a systematic way, which ensures that the itinerary is accurate.
What is your level of accuracy? Does everything go according to plan?
Sometimes things don’t go 100% according to plan (due to unforeseen circumstances), but generally 90-95% of the original plan is executed as it was originally laid out.
Nevertheless, both the pre-designed itineraries and the consultancy itinerary design service will provide the information necessary to move things around and make decisions on the go, if need be.
Where do you plan trips?
I am qualified to plan a trip anywhere. However, I have had experience especially with North America, Latin America and Europe.
Do you charge a consulting fee?
Yes. It is based on the number of days of your trip, which means that if for example your trip is one week, but only want help with two of those days, I will charge you a consulting fee for two days only. Go to my consultancy page for more information.
I’ve already designed my itinerary, would you review it for me?
Sure! Please contact me and I’ll send you a quotation for that service.
Do you design itineraries in other languages?
Yes, Spanish.
Why should I hire your consultancy service?
I will design a unique itinerary just for you, I will listen and find out what moves you and interest you, so that your trip is a reflection of you and the memorable experience you expect.
You will benefit from me having worked for multinational companies before and being a process and detail oriented person, who can manage a budget and create a unique procedure for your trip.
I have traveled to many places and I know the best ways to ensure that your trip is stress-free and how to tackle unexpected circumstances.
I work on fees instead of commissions because I don’t want to charge you extra to use the one hotel (restaurant, etc) that pays me money. I want your experience to be yours only.