Filling in your free time is one of my favorite things to do after I’ve booked our trip. There is always so much to see and do and I would absolutely hate to miss something fantastic just because I didn’t know it was there.
Most trips will already have pre-arranged ports of call or excursions, but most will allow some free time for you to plan your own schedule, be it shopping or sitting with a cappuccino, people-watching in the main square.
I usually start by googling Top 10 Things to do lists for the city or area I will be visiting. I confirm this using several sources including Eyewitness travel books, which have blown up 3D drawings of all of the major sights. I also cross reference this information with how close I am to the sight, the hours it is open, how much it costs and how long it will take to experience it. All of this information is available online and also in the book. However, I like to check the actual website of the place I am thinking about visiting to make sure the information I have is correct, I have found museums closed for repair and exhibitions with very limited hours that may have been a problem if I hadn’t double checked. Yes, this is a lot of work, but worth it to make the best use of my limited free time.
If you don’t want to go to all of that work, instead ask your tour guide or concierge what they would do on their day off or what sights they can recommend. However, depending on the popularity of the sight, you may end up waiting in a long line if you don’t book ahead.
Mom and I like to go for a massage after a long flight to help us shake off jet lag. We have experienced massages in many different countries and relish it. Maybe instead of taking an afternoon nap or hustling to yet another museum, book a massage close by. A luxurious choice that you will remember well after your trip. There are some baths that are world renown such as those in Budapest and Iceland. Add one to your free day…you won’t regret it!
Another thing we like to do is just sit in the square and drink a cup of cappuccino and have a sweetie or maybe go to an afternoon tea for some real decadence. All part of treating ourselves that makes the trip more memorable and fun. Besides, Mom has a sweet tooth!
If you don’t want to coordinate an effort on your free day, take a look at Viator or a similar website day trip platform. Always wanted to go to Salzburg? There’s a day trip out of Vienna for that. Always wanted to eat in Chinatown or Little Italy in New York City. There’s a tour for that. Go to the website and do a search for the city you will be in and check out the options. Make sure to read the reviews and especially the pickup points. Go for the tours that have a great deal of consistently great reviews. I usually book these about a month or so in advance as some are very popular. Most will give you up until a day or two beforehand to cancel with a full refund but check the fine print to be sure. Most also will require a credit card to hold your space but will actually charge you a day or two before.
And sometimes a free afternoon is just for you to wander aimlessly and get lost. We’ve had some lovely experiences just doing nothing. For instance, we had been touring India for about three and a half weeks and had ended our trip in Delhi. We had seen plenty of forts and other marvelous historical areas, so our guide decided he would take us somewhere that was off the beaten tourist path. We ended up going to a lovely park and having chai with the park attendant and some local folks. Just sitting and talking with the guide translating for an hour or so. It was memorable in its simplicity and allowed a window into local life.
