18 Steps to Plan the Perfect Cultural Trip!

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Updated June 2024

Did you miss an important national holiday? Did you book tickets to the Picasso exhibition in advance? Travel planning is essential. No matter if you’re on your very first international trip, travelling solo or if you’re a frequent traveller, if you’re going to a European city or on a Mexican road trip; this list will help you in your travel planning and make sure you don’t miss out!   If you want to get the best out of any trip but especially a short city break there are (at last) 18 necessary steps, that will really pay off.  This travel checklist will help you avoid queues, bad food and secure a good night sleep! Every time, I’m planning, I go through all these steps in order to minimize the many things that could go wrong. You don’t have to do all the steps that I do, just research on the areas that matter to you.
When you have decided on a destination, use this list to make sure your next cultural trip will be epic with the…

18 STEPS TO THE PERFECT TRAVEL PLAN

1 TIMING

Note at the hotel in Tel Aviv
The first step to travel planning is not the plane ticket. It’s to make sure, you travel at the right time and the right season. Avoid rainy season in Asia, July and August in Southerne Europe and hurrican season in North America.
Cuba
Check the safety situation! You should of course read your foreign ministry’s travel advice on the relevant destination. But also keep in mind, that they focus only on the threats, so it often seems very dangerous to go anywhere. To compare the level of threats, try to read a safety guide to your own country. But of course be careful, don’t walk alone at night, don’t flash your wealth, avoid demonstrations and don’t criticize dictators. When we were in Zimbabwe, we were told that we would get shot, if we drove down the street where Mugabe lived. So we didn’t!

2 PLANE TICKETS

I usually search through Momondo. If all the good tickets are from 1 specific airline, I usually visit their website. Sometimes it’s cheaper sometimes it’s not! It might also be a good idea to be a reward member of your favourite airline. I’m member of Norwegian, SAS and Turkish Airlines Miles & Smiles. An important thing to remember when booking plane tickets, is to check how far the airport is from the city. In Stansted London it takes an hour and to Stockholm the express train is just as expensive as the flight (from Copenhagen anyway).

3 PASSPORT & VISA

Check when your passport expires! Many countries will require that your passport is valid up to 6 months after your return date – like Egypt. Check your passport well in advance just in case. As a Dane, my bordeaux passport gives me access to almost all countries, but many other passports will require a bit more paperwork beforehand. Check if you need a visa! If you’re a frequent DIY-traveller you know this, but many who are use to organized travel often forget this. Most countries will give you a tourist visa upon arrival. Some are free, but often you pay a small handling fee. But others you have too book in advance, and you can find the necessary information the respective embassies. The most difficult I have ever tried is the Russian visa: it can take several months, you need an invitation from the country, you have to give a fingerprint, and if you make a small mistake in the many-pages-formula – you have to start over! Other countries like Iran will not be happy, if you’ve just been in USA, so it might be easier to get a new passport. So find information on visa as soon as possible.
Despite my great passport, I once had a lot of trouble getting a visa to Kenya. It was supposed to be so easy online, but I couldn’t create an account making it impossible to apply. In the end, I had help from iVisa (affiliated link- you get a discount and I get a commission to travel for). It was A LOT MORE expensive, but without their help, we wouldn’t have been able to go.

4 HEALTH

Check if you need vaccinations! Even though COVID-19 might have slipped a bit in the background, you don’t want to catch anything. You should always have your basic vaccinations like Tetanus and hepatitis A and B, but often you need a few more if you’re a Westerner. Especially in Asia you might need yellow fever and typhoid. Some diseases cannot be vaccinated against like malaria (although it might be soon) – here you need nasty and expensive pills. Some vaccinations you need more than once, so make sure you know what you need well in advance of your trip.

Vietnam bites
For some travellers the medical standard of the country is also important. heck the medical standards! This is probably not something everyone does, but having a child with a heart condition and anxiety make us very aware of any country’s medical system –we actually prioritize our destinations after it. It’s not always obvious which countries offer the best service. I would rather go to a hospital in Cuba, Mexico, and Thailand than in Greece or Italy. But sometimes you still find yourselves many hours away from even the smallest city, so bring your own well packed first-aid kit just in case.

5 WORD OF MOUTH

Me being interviewed about NYC

Ask friends who have been at your destination. They will know what you like, and even if you don’t agree with their preferences, you get a good idea of what it’s all about. And you know it’s been tested. If you don’t have any friend’s or don’t know anyone who’s been to places like Ulaanbataar, skip this one…

6 PLAN BY SoMe

Watch YouTube videos of the destination, if you don’t know it that well, to get an idea of the mood and the highlights. Lonely Planet has short videos of most destinations, but otherwise you’ll find plenty by googling it (too many). You can also head to Instagram for an overall idea. Find me on Instagram here. Try #visitistanbul or #angkor. Looking up hashtags will not only give you an idea on what to see, but also gives you a local insight into for example #paris. The unavoidable TripAdvisor can be avoided, but I find it useful for top sights like most popular museums. TripAdvisor is one of the best to get more honest opinions, but take it with a pinch of salt. Some people complain about weird things and some attractions rate themselves.

7 TRAVEL WEBSITES

If you don’t know anything about a destination, Lonely planet is my favourite, since they cover so many countries, give precise information and you can just buy a few chapters if you don’t need it all. Also the countries’ official tourist sites can be helpful.

For instance, Norway has guides on where to see the best Northern Lights. The official sites often use analytics and will guide you towards the most popular sights. They know the often asked question and difficulties and therefore cn give a great overview on temperatures, prices and so on. I have worked with both VisitCopenhagen and VisitDenmark, and they are only interested in you having a good time! 

Visit the UNESCO website for World Heritage sites in the area! Sometimes it’s a single building like Roskilde Cathedral in Denmark, other times it’s an area like in Amsterdam.

The travel magazines are generally too concerned about how it looks and less with cultures, but Wanderlust Travel Magazine does have some interesting features. My favourite is CultureTrip (no surprise). 

8 TRAVEL BLOGS

Of course, I have to recommend this!

Read different travel blogs on sights in the area, when you’re planning a trip. Travel websites are especially great if you want to go more local. And also, if you don’t have any travelling friends. Usually, bloggers will only recommend destinations and services, they’ve actually visited and actually liked. But make sure, they have same travel goal as yours (I don’t take advice from travellers, who guides you to the best adrenaline rushes or sailing trips).

One of my favourite travel blogs (now turned travel agency I think is Culture Trip. Blogs will turn op when you google a destination.

9 EVENTS

Day of the Dead in Mexico

Early in your travel planning, check for any fantastic celebrations, festivals or temporary exhibitions in the area. I usually see TimeOut or the largest museum’s websites.  This might give you the opportunity to see the erotic works by Picasso, that will never be exhibited back home (I saw it). We also planned our arrival in Mexico City according to the Day of the Dead celebrations.

Order concert or theatre tickets well in advance. We bought tickets to the Puccini Opera Festival in Tuscany first and then the trip later on. For the Salzburg Festspiele you have to be in really good time, for the New Year concert in Vienna you will put your name on a list in the beginning of the year and they draw lots, and for the Bayreuther Festspiele until recently you had to write a letter! At least 3 years in advance! The waiting list is still a couple of years I think. I think I will register now…
Chinese New Year in Battambang, Cambodia

Even if you are not seeing a play, you need to consider buying entrance tickets in advance as well. This is very important, since you don’t want to stand in front of the Uffizi Gallery in Florence or the Alhambra in Granada and not get in. (Yes, I know at least 2 travel parties, who missed “The Last Supper” in Milan.) Even the Catacombs in Paris have a 5 hours waiting line usually!

Check, if it’s cheaper to buy a city card. They often give free access to the major attractions and transport.

10 LAWS & TRADITION

Abu Dhabi

Before you start packing the small bikini, do some quick reading on the dresscode. Especially, if you’re a woman in a more conservative country than you live in. In Jordan we stayed at a hotel with a private beach, because the public beach was definitely not for small bikinis.  Always bring a scarf, so you quickly can cover shoulders, hair or knees for a church or a mosque without disrespect. To conservative countries I always bring a scarf and a hat and lose long-sleeved shirts – no matter how hot it is! While in Germany, you don’t need anything for the spa. Everyone is naked.

 

Kunming, China
Not only dresscodes can be different. Many countries have completely different ( and surprising) laws that are good to know in advance, since they might not come natural to someone from Scandinavia (in my case). Like stepping on money… In some countries it is forbidden to drink in public or show affection, and in others you can get a huge fine for peeing in public or throwing trash. And then there are the unwritten laws – like you don’t eat or drink in public during Ramadan or you don’t touch people’s heads! But weirdest: It is illegal in Britain to be drunk in an pub or handling salmon in a suspicious way!

11 PLAN DISTANCES & TRANSPORTATTION

Check distances! When travelling for a long time check how much time it takes to go a certain distance. I underestimated the time it took the bus to travel 100 km in Mexico, and therefore we had to travel almost everyday to get from A to B. For short city breaks check if you can walk around and place your accommodation accordingly.

Distance is of course very important, when travelling in a group. Whether it’s you entire family-in-laws or a professional museum group, you have to think this through. But also with kids and as a female solo traveller, make sure your now selected sights are actually reachable in a safe and managable way.

Angkor, Cambodia

The activities in one day should preferrably be in the same area. Especially, when travelling with children. Don’t worry you’ll still get plenty of miles. For instance Versailles, the new Arc de Triomphe and the Louvre are not next to each other. A compulsive organizer like me use apps like the offline Maps.me, where I – in advance-  highlight sights and restaurants, so I can easily find a place for lunch nearby a sight.

Taking the train between the cities in Tuscany, Italy

Carefully planning distances is an even bigger issue. Rome2Rio is a good alternative to Google Maps to see how you get from Copenhagen to Munich and how much time it takes by train, bus, taxi and so on. If you are travelling in Europe by train, the site Omio easily shows routes and ticket prices. Sometimes it’s cheaper to buy the ticket to and from the airport beforehand – like in Stockholm and London. It might also be free with a tourist city card.

Remember, that driving 100 km can be quite different, when going on a clear freeway in Germany than taking a narrow, one-car-only serpentine road in the Chinese mountains. You always underestimate how much time it takes! Like I did in Mexico, and we had to take a plane…

12 BOOK A PLACE TO STAY

Should you chose a hotel, an apartment or and AiRBnB? If you travel with people, who don’t eat breakfast at the same time or children, an apartment is a good idea. For me silence is a great deal. For some it’s elevators. Find out what’s important for you and search on hotels.com or booking.com or airnbnb.com or hostel.com. If you’re into luxury look at small luxury hotels of the world. Think about: • hotel, apartment or hostel • breakfast • 1 or 2 beds or separate rooms • balcony • view • rooftop • bar or restaurant on side • top floor for view or bottom for easy access • elevator or stairs
pera palace hotel in istanbul
From Pera Palace in Istanbul
When I travel solo, I would usually choose a more upscale hotel with staff so there’s always someone to help. I also usually write the hotel in advance to let them know, that I prefer a quiet room at the top. You don’t always get it, but you’ll never get it if you don’t ask! For example: I was in Paris and everybody was complaining about the noise from the outside, but we were the only ones who got a quieter room, because I had written 2 weeks in advance.

13 OPENING HOURS

When I’m Rome and want to visit the Vatican Museum or MoMA, I don’t go early in the morning as the guidebooks say. Because I’m asleep… It’s way better to arrive 1.5 hours before closing time. Plan the trip so you take the least visited attractions on Sundays for instance, and not do what me and my sister are going to and visiting Versailles midday Sunday.

Try avoiding churches on Sundays and mosques on Fridays.

From a beach holiday in Vietnam

Always remember to double-check opening hours. There might be some weird holidays or a royal visit. As mentioned before, we went to Mexico City for Day of the Dead, but forgot that it means most of the attractions are closed for the holiday. But it can also be good thing: when in Athens on Independence Day March 25 – the Acropolis Museum gave us free entrance.

I also try to get a return ticket Monday morning – instead of Sunday evening – on long weekend trips. It’s not only cheaper, but you also don’t risk walking around in a closed city with your bag all Sunday just waiting for the plane. And since many leave on Sundays, you might see fewer other travellers. 

14 FOOD

Eleven Madison Park

As we say in Denmark: without food or drink, the hero is no good (it rhymes in Danish).

Food is of course not just food. Food is edible cultural heritage! Hence, it does matter where you eat. When planning, you can look for the oldest restaurants, or new ones in old, historical buildings, like a breakfast diner in an old factory or Parisian cafes, where the French philosophers use to sit and think. Especially, when I travel solo I have a place booked that’s close to my hotel and looks casual.

I always include places serving local dishes like lambs head in Morocco or spiders in Cambodia. In the restaurant above we had sparkling wine from the New York are. And it was superb!

fish on grill
Laos

Especially when planning a tight schedule or a group tour, you need to make sure that the last museum of the day is in a cool neighbourhood. Then you can chill with a drink, before you have a great dinner. Like in Riga, when you wanna visit the Holocaust Museum or see the view from the Science Academy around lunch time, so you can eat in the interesting Central Market. If you’re travelling with children, you might eat in or go to the nearest place they like. When I travel with my sister one of the best restaurants in the world is usually booked.

Because there is no time to waste with so much to see and so little time to do it…

15 MONEY

Not all countries use credit cards as the most common form of payment as we do in Denmark. Even though after COVID a lot more do. This will affect the amount of money needed. Some currencies can be exchanged at home, while others are only available in the relevant country. That’s why I still have 200 Moroccan Dirham… You will never go wrong with two credit cards (in case one gets stolen) and at least some euro or dollars or pounds. I’ve tried have on several occasions having my MasterCard blocked when travelling, since the company thought it was stolen, so now I always use it in the airport.
From Pixabay. Not all countries in Europe use the Euro!
Notice many countries use online payment apps. In Denmark, we use Mobilepay and many uses Applepay. In many African countries, they have their own and it can be worth it to look into it in advance. In Kenya, everything (even museum tickets!) is paid this way which gave a lot of troubles. One of my absolutely best travel tips, when you’re travelling as a group of friends or family is a moneysharing app. In Denmark, everyone uses Weshare, but an only slighter poorer version is Splitwise. It’s a lifesaver. You enter your respectively expenses and the currency and if it’s to be split evenly. At the end of the trip, it calculates who owes whom.

16 TRAVEL TECH

Uzbekistan

Check the outlets! We bring more and more electronic devices on our travels, and if you want them to work make sure you have the right plug. The two legged pluck is the most common, but otherwise you can get all-round adapters in airports and travel shops. I have a phone service that allows use in 75 countries so far. For countries outside of my range I buy an e-sim. In Kenya, we bought from Safaricom, but for my next trip to India, I will try Airelo.

Masai Mara, Kenya
Obviously, If you are like me, you need a camera. I have my iPhone 13 pro, a compact camera and a Canon eos M50. We made the huge mistake of borrowing a bird-freak-friend’s crazy zoo lens without checking if it was compatible. It was not. And we couldn’t find an adapter at the airport or in the capital, so we ended spending a fortune in Nairobi on a different adapter and a zoom lens. Because you can’t go on a safari without a good zoom lens. The phone is NOT enough. If I’m travelling without my sister, I also bring a selfie stick, because otherwise none of the pictures will be with me in it. I also always bring an extra battery for the camera and a powerbank.

17 BE REALISTIC

Lisbon, Portugal
You really wanna see the cultural palace, the castle, the Polin Museum, the Uprising Museum, the Neon museum and also go to a Milk Bar, join a communist firetruck tour and then eat local food and learn about vodka – when in Warsaw. But unless you’re planning to move there, – you can’t! I’ve learned to prioritize the hard way from travelling with an unstoppable mother. I also keep reminding myself that sometimes just sitting in a park gives the best feel of the city. This happened to me, when I was in New York and my back started hurting. I had to sit down on a bench in Washington Square reading the Beat poets all day and ended up in a art performance with a stranger. This cultural experience I couldn’t have planned!
Some types of travelling requires a bit more planning:

TRAVEL PLAN WITH KIDS

Obviously my son

If you’re bringing a kid, it will destroy everything if you don’t plan accordingly. Make sure to have enough time to take a detour or a break.

When visiting a big city, check to see if the museums have a children’s education pack like a treasure hunt or find the 10 details. Sometimes you can also find kids activities on the museum’s webpage. If you already know the place well, try letting them decide what to see. You’ll experience the art quite differently. This will make your life easier! If that doesn’t work, we just let him sit with music, like we did with this one, when seeing Casper David Friedrich in Alte Nationalgalerie in Berlin. You can’t expect them to enjoy everything you do.

Wadi Rum in Jordan
If on the other hand, you are outside of a city somewhere you can climb is great. Or try to be an explorer – like the time my son and I staged a gladiator fight in an arena in Turkey. If you like me have a sensitive kid, use these Travel Tips for a Ski Trip With an Autistic Child

If you need inspiration on where to go for cultural experiences, go to Where To Travel in 2024! or Top 10 UNESCO World Heritage sites in Europe!

Let me know if I missed anything?

 

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