How to Plan the Perfect Travel Itinerary for Any Destination

Our step-by-step guide on how to plan the perfect travel itinerary for any destination.

After making the hardest decision of any trip (where to go!), you can get on with the fun part of trip planning – crafting the perfect itinerary.

We’ve planned countless itineraries during our years of travelling the globe and this guide will help you avoid stress and common mistakes. It will help you create a practical, enjoyable itinerary that works for your travel style, pace, and budget.

Before you start: Browse our destination guides for sample itineraries and day-by-day trip ideas around the world. We also have podcast episodes by travel experts packed with itinerary tips!

How to Plan the Perfect Travel Itinerary

Step 1: Determine How Many Full Days You Have 

Start with your total time away from home and subtract travel days. Essential things to consider include:

• Are you arriving after a long-haul flight? Then we recommend building in rest time rather than launching into your sightseeing as soon as you land.
• Don’t forget to factor in time zone changes or feeling tired after late-night arrivals or an early get up. 
• If you’re away for an extended period, don’t forget to include rest days or downtime. Not only are these rest periods essential in a packed schedule, you’ll also need time for shopping or laundry. 

Step 2: Identify Your Priorities

What are the absolute must-sees or must-dos? Don’t try to do everything, it’s impossible and will just lead to stress and burn out. 

It’s also important to remember that you don’t have to do the most popular attractions if you’re not interested in them! Do what interests you and you’ll have more energy and enthusiasm for your trip. 

• Make a short list of must do highlights
• Consider what each person in your group wants to get out of the trip. Try to include something for everyone and spread these throughout the trip.
• Balance iconic sights with local experiences. Local experiences are often the most memorable part of a trip. 

Step 3: Group Sights by Area or Theme

It’s a good idea to group sights together, especially if you are staying in mega cities such as London or Tokyo. Grouping sights together in the same area saves travel time, costs and energy! 

• Use Google Maps to cluster attractions by location
• You can also group attractions by theme such as food, history, nature or shopping.

Need help? Our destination articles include mapped highlights and themed recommendations.

Step 4: Build a Rough Outline

Planning a rough outline will help you to pace your trip and to plan other aspects such as accommodation, dining and nightly entertainment. 

• Decide where you’ll sleep each night
• Plan 2–3 activities per day maximum (maybe less if you’re travelling as a group or with kids)
• Include free time, meals, and flexibility. 

Step 5: Factor in Travel Time

It’s essential to include travel time into your itinerary. If you’re flying or taking a train make sure you factor in check in and waiting times. Add extra time for traffic delays if driving or taking a bus or taxi. 

• Use Google Maps to calculate estimated travel times
• Avoid too many one-night stops – moving every night eats up time and energy
• Add buffer time in case of delays or cancellations 

Step 6: Book Accommodation 

Once you know your itinerary, you can book accommodation for each of your stops. We recommend booking accommodation in advance, especially if travelling in peak season. 

• Check cancellation policies – you may pay extra to get free cancellation but it’ll give you ultimate flexibility
• Save the accommodation address and contact details in an organised trip planner or app such as Tripit. Make sure you give a copy to a family member or friend before you depart
• Note check-in/check-out times when planning daily activities

Step 7: Pre-Book Essentials

It’s not essential to pre-book every attraction you want to visit but to avoid disappointment we recommend booking your must-do’s. Things to consider are:

• Save time and avoid queues by purchasing skip-the-line tickets
• Make tour reservations early as all tours have a cap on numbers
• Don’t forget to book popular restaurants or theatre shows in advance

Browse more: Our guides often highlight recommended experiences you can book in advance.

Step 8: Create Your Final Itinerary

Once you have your rough outline and your accommodation is booked, you can create your final, detailed itinerary – just don’t forget to plan in some downtime!

• Use Google Sheets, Notion, or a printable planner to keep your plans organised and accessible
• Make sure your plans include the day and date, location, accommodation details, key activities, rough timings, transport details and any relevant booking references for that day. 
• We recommend keeping both a digital and paper copy of your itinerary
• Don’t be afraid to revisit your itinerary closer to your trip; even the best itineraries will need tweaks. 

Final Tip: Keep It Flexible

A well-planned itinerary gives you freedom to explore without stress. Knowing what you are doing each day will save you time and energy each morning of your trip. 

However, we can’t emphasise enough how important it is to leave room in your packed schedule to be spontaneous. You may want to follow up on a tip from a local or another traveller or just sit back, rest and soak up the atmosphere of your new surroundings. 

Want more support? Our podcast episodes and trip planning guides can help you fine-tune your itinerary before you go.