Useful sites to plan your trip
I find it almost as exciting to plan a trip as the trip itself, how about you? Here are some sites that I always use that will help you to find the best flights, accommodation, restaurants and activities in your travel destination. Let´s start planning!
Skyscanner: This one is literally the first one I use, as many of my trips start when I find a bargain flight. It is really handy as it can compare which destination is cheaper if you have some dates in mind but you are not sure where to go. And in the same way, if you have a preferred destination and you are flexible in dates, it will show you when it is cheaper to go. You can also set alerts and be notified when the price of your wanted flights goes up or down.
Airbnb: This is the place to go for accommodation either if you are on a budget or if you want to find a really special place. I have nothing but wonderful experiences from my Airbnb stays. From a modern apartment in the hipster neighbourhood in Oslo to the cosiest Shepperds Hut in Wales. Click here for a discount for your first stay.
When I am looking for hotels I usually check Booking or Trivago. Both are similar regarding useful filters like distance from city centre, user ratings or breakfast included. A good idea is to select the hotel through these sites but then book directly in the hotel´s own site. The best price is guaranteed as in this way they do not pay any commission to third parties and they will also value you more as a customer.
TripAdvisor: I could spend all day reading reviews, some are really funny. So this site is great to find a good hotel and restaurant but also to check activities. I use it sometimes to decide which Free Tour to choose. It is also super helpful for business as it shows them how to improve their services.
Google Maps: I love creating lists when I am planning a new trip. Seeing the location of the places is really helpful to create an efficient itinerary, especially if you are like me and you want to squeeze everything in. I make sure to include restaurants close to the areas I will visit.
Monzo: This is an online bank that offers almost no commission when paying in foreign currency or withdrawing money abroad. You can also use it from home when buying flights or any other thing in a different currency. It is super easy to use and everything is made online. I rarely take cash when I travel as nowadays it is normally possible to pay by card everywhere or to find a cash machine easily.
Instagram: I always start following a few accounts of the cities and country that I will visit during my trip. This will not only discover you the best photo locations but also the best local food places and live music locations.
Culture Trip: Last but not least, my absolute favourite! This page is full of all type of travel-related articles, but what I find most useful is the city lists. You can check from the best cocktail bars to the best graffitis. When I am planning a trip I check all the lists available for the cities I will visit and I pin all the spots on the corresponding Google Maps List.