Planning a Successful City Break

<contributed post> Summer is drawing to an end and many of us have enjoyed our summer breaks. Of course, many of us will have opted for beach breaks. There’s not much better for escaping the stress and mundane routine of work, responsibilities and other elements of day to day life than heading away to the beach, lounging by the pool, reading a book by the sea and really letting your hair down. Of course, this isn’t the only getaway that you can look forward to though. If you’re considering having another break at some point throughout the rest of the year, you may find that a city break could be the perfect option now that you’ve ticked of your rest and recuperation needs. City breaks entail heading to, well, another city, somewhere else in the world. You could stick to the country you live in, heading to the capital or another popular destination. You could try visiting a city overseas. Whatever you choose, the information below should help to guide you in the right direction when it comes to planning every element of your getaway to perfection!

Choosing a City

First and foremost, you’re going to need to focus on choosing a city. This is what will allow you to prepare the rest of your trip, from flights to accommodation to packing. There are, needless to say, countless cities around the world to choose from – and each will have its own perks and drawbacks. You may want to choose somewhere that shares the same language as your own to simplify things while you’re away. You may base your choice on a specific site you want to visit or tourist attraction. You may want to try a specific cuisine. You may want to experience a specific culture. Take your time to browse a few different options and determine what will best suit your needs. Look up the weather and climate in the destination you’re considering, as some parts of the year will be preferable, while others may be better avoided. Look up key holidays and events in your potential destinations, as you may find that prices rise and drop around these. You should also look at vaccination requirements for specific destinations. Some will require vaccines or testing related to Covid-19 and some will have other vaccine requirements, meaning you may need to determine whether you want – and have time – to get vaccinated or not before you’re planning on heading away.

Check Your Passport

Many of us haven’t travelled for a while due to the pandemic. Make sure to check your passport and ensure that it is in date. You should also check the requirements of your chosen destination, as all destinations require your passport to be valid throughout the duration of your trip and some places will require your passport to be valid for a specific period following your trip. Make sure to renew in plenty of time if you need to.

Flights

If you’re heading overseas, or if you’re heading somewhere nationally that is still long distance, you are going to need to look into flights. Finding the best price option is simple nowadays, with many sites out there ready to find the best route and deal for the best price. You may want a direct flight, which is likely to cost a little more but offers convenience. You may want to save money and are happy to undertake a number of transfers and catch connecting flights in exchange for the saving. Make sure that your flight offers a sufficient luggage allowance.

Insurance

You’re going to need insurance while you’re away. This is non-negotiable. Travel insurance covers a number of things, ranging from medical care to luggage protection and reimbursement for delayed or cancelled flights. Different policies have different premiums and cover different amounts. Make sure to properly look into what best suits your needs before settling on any individual policy. Sometimes, it is best to fork out a little more for better cover.

Hotels and Airbnbs

Next, you’re going to need to decide where to stay. There are plenty of accommodation choices out there, ranging from hotels to airbnbs, hostels, B&Bs and more. Consider what best suits your needs. If you’re planning on dining out for each meal, a hotel will be great. If you’d rather have access to home comforts, such as a kitchen and laundry facilities, or if you’re travelling with children and want to have separate rooms, an airbnb may be better.

Packing

Start packing well in advance of your trip. You don’t want to find that you’re missing something to need to buy something last minute. Different people will want to pack different things, but it’s recommended that you pack plenty of clothes, good walking shoes if you plan to walk around a lot, sunglasses, a sunhat and bags for different plans. You should also make sure that you pack all of the toiletries you need, ranging from shampoo and conditioner to shower gel, face wash, a toothbrush and toothpaste, a hairbrush and anything else that you might use as part of your daily routine. There are lightweight, travel size bottles of all of these items should you want to keep things lighter and within your luggage allowance.

Leave On Time

Right now, airports are a little chaotic. Many are struggling for staff since the pandemic, or as a result of staff being ill and unable to come into work. You should do what you can to get to the airport as early as possible. This will give you plenty of time to check in, check your bags, pass through security and get through passport control. If possible, get to the airport around three hours before your flight is due to depart. Have all necessary documentation to hand and ready to present, including boarding passes and travel vaccination certificates.

Sure, planning a city break can feel like you’re taking on a lot, but it will prove more than worth your efforts in the end. Hopefully, some of the advice above will help to guide you on the way to a successful and memorable trip!

Title image – Photo by Andrea Piacquadio: https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-drinking-wine-761854/