The best trips sit between two failures: the overstuffed itinerary that leaves you exhausted, and the blank page that leaves you scrolling for ideas at breakfast. Here is the framework we use to land in the middle.
Pick three anchors
Choose the three experiences you would be sad to miss, such as a hike, a museum or a particular dinner. Book those first and let everything else fall around them.
- Book anchors with fixed dates, such as tours, tickets and restaurants.
- Leave at least one open day for every five travelling.
- Keep transfers under four hours on any day with an anchor.
Build in slack
Trains run late and weather changes. A single empty afternoon each week gives the trip room to breathe, and is often where the best stories come from.
The unplanned afternoon is the one you will still be talking about in ten years.Amelia Hart, founder
Sample two week pacing
| Days | Focus | Pace |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 3 | Arrive, adjust, easy city days | Gentle |
| 4 to 9 | Anchors and exploring | Full |
| 10 to 13 | Slow coast or countryside | Relaxed |
| 14 | Departure buffer | None |
Amelia Hart
Founder and travel designer. Amelia has planned more than 2,000 trips across 60 countries.