Itinerary (or lack thereof) Anxiety

Old Mar 4th, 2008, 05:30 AM
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Itinerary (or lack thereof) Anxiety

I have spent so much time planning the logistics of our upcoming trip (Paris and Rome) that I start to practically hyperventilate at the thought of planning each and every day ahead of time.

Is it reasonable to go there with just a vague plan of the biggies to be seen, and then just take the days as they come? Or will we just waste too much time figuring out what to do?

In other words, is it possible to have a non-itinerary itinerary?
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Old Mar 4th, 2008, 05:38 AM
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Yes. Here's how my wife and I make up our non-itinerary itinerary.

1. We each make a list of things to see/do divided into three catergories: First, if I don't see these sights, I will be upset about it for a long, long time and fell disappointed in the trip as a whole.
Next, things I'd like to see, but if I don't it won't cause me grief. Finally, nice to see if it happens to be on the way to something else I want to see.

2. We compare lists, and anything in the first category that we match on we loosely schedule for the first day or two of our visit based on location, opening times, etc. First category items we don't match on, we "schedule" for one of the afternoons early in our visit--we'll go to them individually and then meet somewhere at a mutually agreeable time. Category two items, we just pick up and schedule after we arrive at our destination--depending on weather, energy levels, etc. Third category items, if we happen to pass by them and time permits, we stop in.

I do mark them all out on a map so we know where everything is.
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Old Mar 4th, 2008, 05:44 AM
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absolutely. Just make sure you do pre-book the few places that require advance bookings -- like some museums/tours. Also have a general list of the opening hours/days for the places you want to see.

Most detailed itineraries fall apart about 3 hours into the first day anyway. Serendipity, bus/metro strikes, temporary security closures, traffic jams, a lingering meal -- and there goes the finely tuned plan out the window.

I really shake my head at the "10:30 arrive at xyz. 11:35 stop for lunch, 12:45 walk to abc, 1:30 see such-and-such" plans we see on here. Just doesn't work that way.
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Old Mar 4th, 2008, 05:49 AM
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I never make detailed itineraries. I get tickets for performances or reservations for things that need them. Those are the only things that are fixed on the schedule. Then we see how we feel each day and decide what to do.

I make sure I know what days (and hours) museums are open and closed. I have a list of concerts or performances that might be interesting but to which I have not purchased tickets. Then we play it by ear.
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Old Mar 4th, 2008, 06:21 AM
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Breathe in...breathe out. Now, that's better

Don't worry about an itinerary. I find that it is possible ot overplan, where you think: 10AM Louvre, 1-1:30 lunch at Chez Michel_Paris, 2PM Tuileries,etc...
And then what happens is you find that you want to stay longer at the Louvre, but that will mean you'll miss XXX...and you get stressed all over again.

There are several ways to plan your days. One is, before going, on the plane, or while there, is to decide what are your must sees, what to you is "Paris". This list should not be days and days of sites, but probably 4-5(?). Every day, go to see one on the list. You use the guidebooks to pick the best day to go, opening hours,etc. Afterwards, you wander that neighbourhood, you have lunch there, you may go see one or two other sites in the area, or, if you find that you have time left that day, maybe you go to another one of your 'tops'. The only item that is must see is your 'top'

Last time I went, I had some ideas of what I wanted to see. Every morning I went to my local cafe, had breakfast, read the paper, and decided what was in store for that day..couple of times it was a walking tour. I had a list to remind me of where and when the tours were, so hopped on metro and did the tour. Afterwards, lunch (either at a place I wanted to eat at off my resto list, or just by wandering). After lunch, I'd wander the neighbourhood, and usually had one other site to see. Back to hotel, out for dinner (using list or random again).

So , for example, I did a walking tour of the Marais one morning. Afterwards, lunch at Place des Vosges. I knew there was one rstaurant I wanted to try, but cound not find it, so went to another one with outdoor seating overlooking the square, Nice sunny day, so spent 1.5 hours there, taking in one of the most beautiful squares in Paris. I then went to the Carnavalet Museum in the afternoon to see the exhibits. My itinerary had one item, but I spent an enjoyable day in the Marais.

The one thing that gets lost in visits to Paris can be the thing that may turn out to be most memorable...sitting at a cafe just 'being in Paris' and wandering neighbourhoods discovering a small park, a farmer's market, an old vine covered building,etc..

Believe me, I've done both styles of planning.

Plan, but allow for randomness.
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Old Mar 4th, 2008, 06:27 AM
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I never have an itinerary but I do my homework. I know what days certain museums are open, I find out what exhibitions and/or concerts are on, and I make arrangements ot see friends. I usually have 1 must do a day and then play it by ear. I have a list of possibles and plug something in..or start in that direction, get distracted and have a wonderful time at the distraction!
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Old Mar 4th, 2008, 06:33 AM
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I love Jake1's suggestion of ranking the places you want to see. Also, Michael Paris's suggestion about visiting one "biggie" every day and then exploring in that area.
To me, planning is about knowledge, not regimentation.

The only things you must know (imho) are:
1. which places have closed days
2. general location of the things you want to see so you can group them together
3. which things require reservations or extra long time to see
4. and I get a little neurotic about public transportation, but that is just me.

You don't want to wake up every day and struggle to figure out what to do, nor do you want to have a timed itinerary--there is a happy medium, and it is best to find it with your personality and style in mind.



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Old Mar 4th, 2008, 06:41 AM
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I never plan itineraries for visits to cities. I don't even write down ideas. Herself and I have some (often very limited) conversation about what we are interested in seeing and doing, and off we go.

Each evening when we are there, we make a plan for what we would like to do the following day (this involves making ourselves aware of opening times/days for some attractions). Whether we keep to the plan depends on the capriciousness of the day.
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Old Mar 4th, 2008, 07:09 AM
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Yes, I always skip those posts with detailed itineraries for one city. Before we go, I make a list of possibilities with opening days and hours. We pick according to how we feel and what the weather's like. Rain-->museums, sun-->picnic, and so on.
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Old Mar 4th, 2008, 07:12 AM
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I never plan itineraries (and I've stumbled around Europe five trips to date). Heck sometimes I don't even get a guidebook.

When you arrive in a city (I did this in Paris) just pick up a free map from your hotel lobby. Each day over breakfast, or sometimes the night before, we picked a couple things we wanted to do the next day. Piece of cake.

The only time this does not work is if you just HAVE to do some specific thing. Then you might want to check days and hours of operation and if you need a ticket or reservation in advance. We had no "must dos" on our agenda.

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Old Mar 4th, 2008, 07:45 AM
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I combine a few ideas already mentioned. I have a list of my personal "must sees" (those things I want to see, not those that everyone says you need to see in that city). Anything else is gravy. I take the time to figure out either just visually on a map or group on a piece of paper things that are nearby the things I have identifed as must-sees. This works out especially well in Rome and Paris.

So if you're at Invalides and look at your list and see that the Rodin Museum and the Eiffel Tower are quite nearby, why not try to see them then while you're there, if you want to? I definitely don't set things out day by day unless I have to book ahead, because that's too structured and it can change due to weather, whim, sleeping later, etc.
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Old Mar 4th, 2008, 09:10 AM
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Chiming in on the "don't worry about your daily itinerary". Paris and Rome are incredible cities - there is so much to see there you won't see it all in one trip. You may not even see the one very special thing that you think you want to see/do. But your trip will be fabulous anyway.

Okay - that's the reassuring part. Here is what we do. We skim our guidebooks ahead of time, really just to get even more excited about our trip than we already are! I do pick one thing to do upon arrival and it is almost always a variation on "walk around" and it seems we always see one big sight - i.e. Eiffel Tower, Colesseum.

Back for a rest, nice dinner, and that is when the guidebook comes out. A plan is made for the next day including a general idea of transportation. I can honestly say that I was not disappointed that during our trip to Venice we were unable to get inside St. Mark's. The lines were too long so we rode the vaporetto, saw Doge's palace, "got lost", and had the best time. Guess we'll have to return.
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Old Mar 4th, 2008, 09:37 AM
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Here's another person who has a non-itinerary itinerary.

We will develop a short list of "must-sees," and a longer list of possibilities. Those FEW places where we have to book ahead, we'll do that in advance. We try to avoid that as much as possible, so that we have more freedom to do what we want. For example, one our last visit to Rome of 5 nights, 4 days, we booked one walking tour of the Palatine Hill/Forum/Colosseum in advance, and one tour of the Vatican Museums. And usually in Paris, we don't book anything in advance.

I do note closing days of places that we might visit, as well as what they're near. Usually I have a general idea of what we MIGHT do on a given day, but it's not set in stone. If we wake up and it's a beautiful day, we're much more likely to do a walking tour from a book than we are to go to a museum. If it's cold and rainy, we'll probably choose museums and churches.

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Old Mar 4th, 2008, 09:42 AM
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I also don't plan each and every day ahead of time.

If I'm traveling alone, during the planning phase of my trip I make a list of the "must sees" that I truly do not want to miss. I then more or less plan one "big" must each day, and then fill around with activities that are possibilities depending on how much time the "big" item took.

If I'm traveling with someone else, we each make a list of things we want to do or see, and then combine and tweak it so both of us get to see most of what we wish. It's not unusual also for us to go separate ways for a day either.

I only spend half a day on a must see, the rest of the day for me is just finding serendipity in wandering around and seeing what I stumble across. Sometimes it's sitting on a park bench or in a cafe the rest of the afternoon and watching the world go by.

I never see everything I originally plan to. And sometimes I love something so much I go back again.
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Old Mar 4th, 2008, 10:41 AM
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Hi S,

Even those of us who do plan every day in detail realize that the plan won't be followed.

You need do no more than one morning must see and one afternoon must see.

Let serendipity take care of the rest.

Enjoy your visit.

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Old Mar 4th, 2008, 10:53 AM
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Agreed with the others - from personal experience. The first time we went to Paris, the metro was on strike, the museums were on strike, and it was raining. The only museum we could get into was the Carnavalet.

It was wonderful!

The next time, we got a three-day pass and saw (in consecutive days) the Louvre, the Orsay, and the Cluny. Trip sorta feel flat.

So I say, let serendipity guide you and have a great time!

PS The only museum I am guessing you'd need to reserve is the Borghese Gallery in Rome; we couldn't get in there and wished we had been able too. Oh well, next time.
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Old Mar 4th, 2008, 11:43 AM
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In cities like Paris and Rome it works well for us to pick a few must see destinations then try to develop a sense of other interesting things to see in the same general area. Walking tours in guides like the Michelin green or DK eyewitness books help us appreciate things along the way.
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Old Mar 4th, 2008, 03:40 PM
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OK, I'm feeling much better now. I am totally a sit-in-a-cafe, watch-the-people-go-by type of person, and the absolute best moment I had on my last, brief trip to Paris was when I stumbled onto one of the most beautiful residential streets I have ever seen.

I was really hoping to do more of the same this time, but am overwhelmed by all the things I "must see!"

After reading your replies, I made a reservation for the Vatican/Sistine (mostly to skip the lines) and am planning to get a musuem pass for Paris. Other than that, I'm going to wake up and take me wherever my little feets want to go.

Thanks again for your fabulous advice, all!

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