I think my biggest fear when I’m traveling is to not “get it”. To travel all over the world, looking for the next tourist attraction, without really understanding what it’s all about.
Sure, many historical places are in danger now of being mere tourist attractions, but that’s exactly my point!
Traveling just to fill out the checklist of places to see is an empty experience, in my opinion.
Seeing more than a tourist attraction
Travel is about changing one’s view of the world, understanding other cultures, learning the whys of our differences and bringing tolerance.
That’s why it is critical for me to do your homework and really have all the relevant information before making a trip.
Believe me, it’s one thing to see the swirl of colors in a Van Gogh painting. It’s another to see it from the perspective of a person with a mental illness and trying to figure out what he was trying to convey.
I’d much rather visit fewer places, but really getting them and learning from them. Which is why I generally don’t go on tours.
I’ve developed a methodology to cover all the bases when it comes to choosing what you want to see and make the most of your trip, turning it into a life-changing experience.
For the purposes of explaining my method, I’m going to use some examples from Paris and other major cities.
1. History or significance
First of all, make a general research online about the most important tourist attractions in the city or town you’re planning to visit.
Filter the ones that you are more interested in. Pick one by one and do some Google research on it.
Most likely the first result is a Wikipedia page which (tongue-in-cheek) is a good general resource to get an idea of what a place is about.
Let’s say for example you’re planning on visiting La Conciergerie in Paris.
The entry in Wikipedia will give you all the general information about the history like how it was a prison during the French Revolution.
How this was the last place prisoners saw before heading to be executed on the guillotine at some square in Paris.
Next, look for the place’s website, in this case, the website for The Centre Des Monuments Natioaux and its daughter site for La Conciergerie.
You can find here even more relevant information. And lastly, go to other resources online and learn as much as you need to to be satisfied with your knowledge of the place.
2. Location and how to get there
On the official website look for the link called “Visit” or “Visiting us” or “Plan your visit”. It usually contains the practicalities of going to see the place.
Here, find the precise address and look it up in Google Maps. I like to draw directions against the place I’m staying.
You can also find instructions about the metro or buses lines to get there, with timelines. This will help you start to estimate how long it’ll take to get there.
3. Opening hours
Next you need to find out when the attraction is open. Most museums close one day of the week for maintenance.
For example, when in Paris, the Louvre Museum is closed on Tuesdays while D’Orsay Museum closes on Mondays.
So you can switch and visit them both when they’re open.
Also, museums and other attractions have some days with extended hours. In the case of the D’Orsay Museum it’s open until 9:45 pm on Thursdays (and it’s also less crowded).
The Louvre Museum is open until 9:45 pm on Wednesdays and Fridays, but beware that it is closed on January 1st, May 1st and December 25th, no matter what day of the week it is.
4. Fees, city passes and discounts
Check for entrance fees on the attraction’s website, that’s pretty straightforward.
But also, check on the website if maybe there are discount days or free days. The Louvre is free for everybody on the first Sunday of each month and on July 14th.
Other attractions have a free day every month sponsored by a company. Just remember that the attraction may be over-crowded on free days.
If you’re traveling with children or you are a senior over 60, you may be eligible for discounted fees.
Take into consideration that some special exhibitions will usually cost extra. You need to review the website for all the details.
But that’s not all! Many major cities offer city passes for cultural attractions.
In Paris the best one is the Paris Museum Pass which offers discounted prices or free entrance to a whole bunch of historical and cultural places.
Generally speaking you buy a city pass according to the days of your visit. You can buy a one day city pass, up to seven days usually.
Of course, the seven day pass will give you the best value. Plus, sometimes they allow you to skip the lines by having a preferential line or no line for the pass holder at all!
Another option is to buy joint tickets for several attractions at one, if offered. For example in Rome, the ticket you buy for the Colosseum is valid for you to use at the Roman Forum and the Palatine Hill.
5. Collection
Some places, especially big museums, display their collections in sections or zones. You need to research thoroughly to select the things you do want to see.
Trying to see The Louvre in one day is a mission impossible. It can’t be done.
So you really need to understand how the collection is laid out, see what’s in the permanent exhibition and see what’s temporary and then decide.
Maybe you’re more into dinosaurs than into mammals. So you’d probably rather visit the dinosaur exhibit at the American Museum of Natural History in New York and leave the mammal exhibit for the end or if you have some spare time.
6. Map and strategy
Once you’ve decided what it is you definitely want to see, you need to create a strategy to see it, especially if this is a huge world famous site like the Louvre.
You might go as far as identifying with detail which are the objects or exhibits that attract the most crowds and then check those out first.
At the Louvre go check out the Mona Lisa first. Be there at the time the doors open and run (if you have to) to see her before everybody gets there.
Find out when your favorite attractions are less crowded.
And then follow your strategy from then on. The idea is to cover everything you want to see in the amount of time allocated so that you don’t miss out.
If you don’t, well, you can always come back!
7. Audioguides, apps or free guided tours
Before you leave for your trip, load up your iPod with audioguides!
Many of them are free, some you have to pay for, but they’re a fantastic and easy way to learn about a place without having to break a sweat!
You can research them online or look them up as podcasts in iTunes.
There are also iPhone apps for nearly every city in the world. Consult them to find out concise and relevant information about the places you want to visit.
They even come in handy when choosing the things you want to see, where they are located and more!
And finally, there’s always information about free walking tours, or free guided tours in museums that you can take advantage of! Be on the lookout for those!
Where did spontaneity go?
These are the tools I use when I’m planning a trip. I apologize to all of you spontaneous people who like to travel, there is a place for you too…
Me? I like to plan, I enjoy planning and watch everything unfold in the way I’ve foreseen it.
I’m not crazy about surprises and things going wrong at the last minute. But I know, I am certain, there are others like me out there…
Still, don’t let our organizational skills and controlling mind get in the way of us experiencing the culture, the new encounters with new and interesting people.
Remember, understanding the past is about understanding the people of the present.
Let’s enjoy the moment (as we’ve planned it, haha) and come back home with a heart and mind full of fantastic stories to tell!
How about you? Do you like to plan your trips to this much detail?
Would you like some help with that?
Share your comments in the field below or join the conversation in Facebook!
I could have written this nice piece myself for I work exactly like this when making programmes for my Dutch clients visiting the UK!
They just follow my suggestions and will enjoy their visits tremendously because they have got all the background information and practical details they need, don’t lose time with wandering about the streets without purpose etc.etc.
Hi, Tina! Thanks for your comment! Yeah, this is definitely the approach I have with my clients as well. Of course, it’s not for everybody, but I do find that the experience is so much more meaningful, memorable and unforgettable. Not only that, people become multipliers of information when they get back home, something that I believe is key in the betterment of our world.