Destination Decider Freebie!

Get your free Destination Decider now! With 10 categories from party holidays, to Christmas markets, there is something for everyone!

This guide will help you chose your next European holiday destination based on your budget.

Last updated on October 3rd, 2023 at 06:26 pm

Are you looking for a European Winter getaway? Then why not explore Dusseldorf in December? It has great Christmas markets and is a magical place to be as you stroll around the city enjoying some local German treats.

Go To:

Dates: 23rd November to 30th December 2023

There are 7 different Christmas markets located in Dusseldorf, so you will not be bored. I would recommend going for 2 days so you can take in all it has to offer. However, if you are living within 2 hours, a day trip is nice too.

I took a day trip from Eindhoven which was exactly 2 hours by train and it made for a perfect day out. If you are planning the same trip, I have detailed the route and the cheapest way to get train tickets here.

Each of the locations have a unique theme and the best option is to go to them all. Here are the list of locations:

1. Schadow Markt, Schadowstraße, 40212 Düsseldorf
2. Kö-Bogen-Markt, Kö-Bogen-Tunnel, 40212 Düsseldorf
3. Märchen Markt, Schadowplatz, 40212 Düsseldorf
4. Kö-Lichter-Markt – Königsallee, 40215 Düsseldorf
5. Altstadt Markt, Flinger Straße, 40213 Düsseldorf
6. Handwerker-Markt: Weihnachtsmarkt am alten Rathaus, Marktplatz 3, 40213 Düsseldorf
7. Benrather schloßalle, 100-108,40597, Dusseldorf

Assuming you are starting at Dusseldorf central station (Dusseldorf hbf), let me explain the best route to take.

Start off by going to the Schadow Markt which is a 14 minute walk from the station. Have a look around here before heading to Ko-Bogen Markt, just a 2 minute walk from Schadow Markt.

After Ko-Bogen, head towards Marchen Markt, which will take you 8 minutes to walk. Here you will find an abundance of stalls all in one square. Pick up some Christmas presents here as you choose between Christmas decorations, puzzles, jewellery and more. This market is right beside the Konigsallee. Along the Konigsallee, you will find the Ko-Lichter Markt. Stroll along the river to the end, admiring the stalls.

Just a 10 minute walk from here is the Alstadt Markt, located on a busy shopping street. When you are finished browsing this market, you will want to see the Handwerker Markt, situated in front of the city hall. Lastly, head down to the Burgplatz where you can find plenty of stalls selling nice snacks and gluhwein along a stunning old town façade.

Also, there is another Christmas market which is a 15 minutes train journey from the centre – it is located at Benrath castle. If you have time, go and visit this one too. It has a stunning backdrop of the castle. This market is open from Fridays to Sundays only from 18th November to 18th of December 2022.

Looking for the perfect activity to do in Dusseldorf in December? Then ice skating it is. There is a big ice rink on the Konigsallee where you can pay €8 to use the rink. If you need to rent ice skates it will cost an extra €5. There is no time limit so head on in and spend as long as you like skating around.

Located at Burgplatz overlooking the Rhine, you can ride on the big wheel for just €8. Get a birds eye view of the city and watch the boats sail along the river.

If you want to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city, why not sit back and relax on a boat? Cruise down the river Rhine on a festively decorated ship. Take in the old town views and soak up the festive atmosphere. Book your ticket here.

Buy Ticket for Boat Cruise Here!

I was surprised at these markets, that such a large portion of stalls were food stalls. There is a variety of snacks on offer, so no need to bring a packed lunch! Here are a list of the main offerings:

• Gluhwein – the staple of all Christmas markets, keep warm with a glass of mulled wine.
• Bratwurst – basically a big long sausage on a small bread roll (mind you don’t poke someone’s eye out).
• Currywurst – chopped bratwurst in a curry ketchup sauce.
• Reibekuchen – hash Brown like Potato Pancakes
• Mushrooms in a garlic sauce
• Flammkuchen – flatbread with cream sauce and toppings (which look like a pizza but not a pizza).
• Lebkuchenherzen – gingerbread heart cookies
• Waffles
• Crepes
• Churros

Visit the Rhine Tower and see the highlights of the city from the very top: the Media Harbour, the old town, Hofgarten, Königsallee and the river Rhine.

Book tickets to Rhine Tower Here!

Check out Königsallee, where you will find all the high end shops like Prada, Chanel, Cartier and more. Königsallee is located alongside a canal lined with trees and is a lovely area just to walk along.

Take a tour through the cities most famous breweries including im Füchschen, Zum Schlüsse, Brasserie Kürzer, and more whilst you taste the delicious local alt beer. If you are interested, then buy your tickets here.

Buy Ticket for Brewery Tour Here!

If it is a hostel or budget accommodation you are looking for, Backpackers Dusseldorf is a good option. Rated very good at 8.4 on hostelworld. It is around €30 for a 4 or 6 bed dorm and €80 for a twin room. Another plus is that free breakfast is included and it is only a 20 minute walk from the old town.

Book Backpackers Dusseldorf Here!

If it is something a bit more luxurious you are after, you should try Hotel Favor. Ideally located on the popular shopping street Koningsallee, it is a highly rated 4 star hotel. It has an 8.8 rating on booking.com. The price is roughly €210 per night for a double room.

• You can fly into Dusseldorf airport, which is a 20 minute drive from the centre of Dusseldorf.
• If you are coming by train, get the train to ‘Dusseldorf Hbf’ station where most markets are within walking distance.
• You can walk between all the Christmas markets.

I hope that you enjoyed this post about Dusseldorf in December. The Dusseldorf Christmas Markets are well worth a visit and there is plenty to do. If you found this post helpful, please share it with your friends and subscribe for more travel info.

Thanks for reading,

Lisa

• Don’t forget to get travel insurance before you set out on your adventure. Safety Wing is a great choice and so reasonable.
• If you are looking for accommodation, then Hostelworld or Booking.com are good options with plenty of accommodation choices.
• Looking to book tours, entry tickets and more, check out Get your Guide.
• Follow me on instagram @wandererlane 🙂 

Skip to content

Cookie Settings

Destination Decider Freebie!

Get your free Destination Decider now! With 10 categories from party holidays, to Christmas markets, there is something for everyone!

This guide will help you chose your next European holiday destination based on your budget.

Last updated on April 3rd, 2023 at 09:48 am

Do you want to experience 4 different countries in 7 days? This is the itinerary for you. It includes a 7 day road trip through Germany, Austria, Switzerland, but also, the sixth smallest country in the world, Liechtenstein! This is the perfect trip for you to make a good dent on your scratch map. The road trip begins and ends in Frankfurt.

Can’t get enough of Germany? Then why not consider Berlin? 3 Day Berlin Itinerary: The Best Spots in Berlin

Love to tour around, why not get in 3 of the most popular cities in Italy in 7 days with my 1 week Rome, Florence & Venice itinerary.

Or take a week to admire the stunning beaches, ancient sites and recreate scenes from Game of Thrones in Croatia with my 7 Day Split Croatia Itinerary

• In Germany, there were a lot of roadworks so there may be areas where you have to drive very slowly through. So account for these delays when you are getting to the next stop of the route. This website has an interactive map that shows where the roadworks are, for what distance and the speed limit you have to do.
• Munich is a nightmare to drive in so I would suggest parking on the outskirts of the City and getting public transport in.
• Research parking before you get to each place so you are not stressed about where to park when you get there.
• On the autobahn (motorway in Germany), there are certain sections where you can go as fast as you like, there is no speed limit. These areas are marked by a white sign with 4 black diagonal lines. So unless you have a powerful car, try keep to the slow lane because there will be cars zooming past so fast, you will barely see them.
• When entering Austria, you need a vignette for the windscreen of your car. You can buy this 10 day toll sticker for about €6 online or via petrol stations, newsagents or post offices. Find more information on the Austrian vignette toll sticker here.
• In Switzerland, you need to have a vignette too. Buy the one that lasts 1 year (that is the one you need) and it will cost about €35. You can buy it in petrol stations or online. Visit this website for more information on the Swiss vignette.

Autumn is the best time to do this trip. We went at the start of November and driving through the Black Forest was stunning with the multi-coloured leaves surrounding us.

What’s more, in some of the cities, they were starting to get ready for the Christmas festivities – setting up the Christmas markets and mulled wine could be bought everywhere or Gluhwein as they call it.

As well as this, driving to Austria was very scenic as the mountains were covered in snow.

Germany is quite cheap when you compare it to many of its western neighbours. I was delighted with myself when I could get a pretzel the size of my head for €1 for my breakfast and beer that was under €4. We found Austria cheap as well, similar to Germany. Here, I was drinking cocktails for €3.

But be mindful that Switzerland, on the other hand, is far more expensive. We went to an Irish pub and it was €30 for a burger, chips and a beer!! We only got one meal in Switzerland and waited until we were over the border in to Germany to get our breakfast the next morning.

Romerberg, Frankfurt

I think a good starting and ending point on the road trip through Germany, Austria & Switzerland is Frankfurt as it has a major international airport with flights arriving from all over the world (Frankfurt Airport or FRA), so it is a good option if you are coming by plane. This City is quite industrialised as it is a major financial hub and home to the European Central Bank.

In Frankfurt, we walked around the City, the old town and Romerberg was a really nice part of the City. As well as this, we climbed the main tower and got a 360 view over Frankfurt. But, I would suggest to spend no more than one day here.

• Hotel Miramar am Romer is a nice option which is about €80 per night for a double room. It is a 3 star hotel, located centrally.
• We stayed at Main Hotel Frankfurt City. It was €40 for the night for a double room and shared bathroom. If you are on a tight budget, this is fine. It was really basic, more like a hostel, than a hotel. It was nothing special and fairly old, but it did the job for 1 night.
• a&o Frankfurt Ostend hostel is an option which may be a good option for those travelling on their own. It is around €40 per night for a bed in a female or mixed 6 bed dorm. It is about 2.6km from city centre.

Book a&o Frankfurt Ostend Here!

Driving time: 2 hours 50 minutes

On day 2 of this 7 day itinerary, head to Nuremburg. We didn’t know much about it before going, but it was surprisingly nice. We paid a visit to the Nuremberg Castle and walked by the City Walls. The Lorzenkirche is a lovely church in the Centre and we had a browse around the market Square too.

• If you are looking for a hostel, the 5 reasons hostel is a good choice. It is located in the city centre and you can get a bed in a dorm for as little as €28 per night.
• We stayed at Ibis Hotel Nurnberg Alstadt. It was €59 for 1 night for a standard queen room. It was really nice and just a short walk from the town and all the main attractions.
• If you have more to spend then Park Inn by Radisson Nürnberg seems to be a good option. It is around €75 per night and has great reviews.

Book 5 Reasons Hostel Here! Evening sky in Munich

Driving time: 1 hour 55 minutes

Munich is known for its beer and Oktoberfest, the annual celebration. I remember looking up everywhere I went because the buildings were so big.

While we were in Munich, we went to see a Soccer match at the Allianz Arena. I have no interest in soccer and only went because I am a sound girlfriend, but the stadium was actually really cool. The outside of the stadium was lit up in red as we were entering and there was a great atmosphere inside.

• For a budget friendly hostel, you can stay at Jaegers Munich. You can get a bed in dorm for just €24 per night. The ratings are very good.
• Hotel Eder is a great mid range option, around €90 per night. The location is great, just a 3-minute walk from Munich Main train Station. The rankings are very good across the board, but especially good on value for money.
• If you are looking for a more high end place to stay with great reviews and central location, you can check out Hotel Concorde a 4 star hotel. A room here is about €200 per night.

Book Jaegers Munich Hostel Here! Schloss Neuschwanstein

Driving time: 1 hour 50 minutes

Stop at Schloss Neuschwanstein on you way to Innsbruck, you will not regret it. This castle was built in the 19th Century, based near the town of Fussen on the Austrian border with such beautiful surroundings.

Last updated on April 12th, 2023 at 10:46 am

I bring to you a 2 day Kuala Lumpur itinerary. We really enjoyed our visit to Kuala Lumpur. We found that it was a very diverse city with a mix of tropical rainforest, unique temples as well as some of the tallest buildings in the world. There was an eclectic mix of cultures on display which was enjoyable to experience.

If you happen to be flying long haul and Kuala Lumpur will be one of your lay overs, then make a day or 2 out of it and take some time to explore the city. What’s great too, is that it is quite a cheap city to visit. Read what to do on long flights for some handy tips.

The route of this 2 day Kuala Lumpur itinerary is built to be time efficient to prevent racing from one side of the city to the other. Use this guide to make the most of your 48 hours in Kuala Lumpur.

One tip before I get into it, is to be sure to download the app ‘Grab’ (similar to Uber) before you get to KL as this is much cheaper than getting taxi’s.

Go To:

• Day 1
• Day 2
• Accommodation

If you plan to explore more of Asia, I recently wrote posts on the following topics which you might find useful:

This Kuala Lumpur itinerary for 2 days starts off at the KL tower. You can go up to the observation deck where you can get a 360° view of the city from above. The cost is around €12/54RM. Tickets can be bought here. You can also get a ticket which is more expensive to see the sky deck – around €25.

KL Forest Eco Park

This is a lovely walk through the rainforest and I would highly recommend it. Why? Because it is like a little hidden rainforest in the middle of the city. You get to walk a rope bridge and spot some monkeys in the trees. It is right beside the KL tower and the ticket costs €8.70/40RM, which can be purchased on the way in. But, be sure to have cash as they do not accept card.

Explore the Bukit Bintang area where you will find high end malls and fashion boutiques, a 19 minute walk from the eco park. Then go for a stroll down Changkat bukit bintang where you can admire some cool street art. Also pass through Jalan Alor food street, which would be a good place to stop for a bite to eat.

Just a 5 minute walk from Bukit Bintang is Plaza Low Yat. If you are looking to buy some tech stuff then this is the place to go. It has at least 6 floors full of tech stores and great prices. I bought a phone cover for €10 for my one plus and we got a laptop cover for €6.

Tip: Don’t be afraid to haggle to get a better price either.

Berjaya Times Square

Continue to walk another 5 minutes and you will arrive at Berjaya Times Square. Check out the Theme Park which is located on the top floor of a shopping center. A rollercoaster in a shopping centre is something you don’t see often and is worth a look. Go for a ride on it if you are brave enough…

Saloma Bridge

A 35 minute walk or a short grab is the Saloma Bridge. It is something that many recommend to go see, which is why I will include it here. But it is not a must see if you are stuck for time.

Only 10 minutes walking from Saloma Bridge is Suria KLCC. Take a walk through the shopping centre of the Petronas towers. It has a whopping 6 floors full of well known brands. Then get something to eat in the food court, where the food is fairly cheap.

Petronas Towers

After you have some food got, take a walk out to see the Petronas twin towers (the world’s largest twin towers) and take a few photos. Then have a stroll around the KLCC park, just outside the shopping centre at the lake side.

If you want to go up the twin towers, you can buy tickets here for €22. Be sure to book well in advance, like 2 weeks or more, as they book out.

Then head back to the fountains to watch the light show which are on at 8pm, 9pm and 10pm daily.

Batu Caves

Start off your morning, by taking a visit out to the Batu caves. This was definitely one of the highlights for me in Kuala Lumpur.

As you enter, you are met with a massive statue of Murugan, a hindu God, standing 142 feet in height and 272 colorful steps that lead into the cave. At the top, you will be met by macaques (monkeys) who will be looking for food off you. Be sure to hold onto your belongings tight as they are known to steal things off you.

To add to the experience, we went to the caves during Thaipusam, a hindu celebration of Lord Murugan. It was extremely crowded when we arrived. Some taking part pierce themselves with spikes, carry pots of milk on their head and so on. What’s more, they had walked 15km from Kuala Lumpur to the Batu caves by the time we arrived, and mostly barefoot. It takes place every January or February during the full moon. It is certainly a unique experience, if you wish to travel here around that time. Read more about it here.

The caves are about a 20 minute drive from the Petronas towers – you can get a grab which will cost about €5.50 to go out.

Or another option which might be a good choice if you are staying close to KLCC, you can get two trains from KLCC that is half the price (about €2.60 each way) but it takes far longer to get there (about 1 hour).

Make sure you have your return trip from the caves back to the centre organised before you leave. The trains that run from the Batu caves back to the centre do not go that often. Also there is no wi-fi at the caves to order a grab. So my suggestion is if you have no data, either pre-book a grab back to the centre before you leave your accommodation or arrange it so you are just in time for one of the return trains.

Tip: Don’t forget to cover your knees or you won’t be let in – wear pants or bring a sarong to wrap around you when your there. If you forget, don’t worry you can buy one there for about €3.

Botanical Gardens KL

Then go for a walk around the Botanical gardens for a break away from the business of the city. It is free to enter and a nice place to admire some nature.

Sultan Adbul Samad Building

Next pay a visit to independence square or Merdeka square as you will find it called on google maps. This square is situated in front of the Sultan Adbul Samad Building. From here, walk over the river of life where you will see the Jamek Mosque, one of the oldest in Kuala Lumpur. After this, continue to walk down the river until you get to the central market.

This market is a centre for Malaysian culture, arts and crafts. It is full of stalls selling jewellery, clothes, ornaments and much more. It is a nice place to wander through and find some unique malaysian souvenirs.

Entrance to Chinatown KL

From the central market, walk down past the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple, one of the oldest in KL. Then, make your way to Petaling Street or Chinatown where you should wander through the stalls where vendors gather daily to sell everything from clothes and bags to trinkets and toys. Haggle with them to get some money off.

Just a short walk from Chinatown is Kwai Chai Hong (little ghost lane), where you will find plenty of colorful murals, so get out the camera and take a few photos. There is also some nice cafes and restaurants around here so it is a good place to get something to eat and take a break. We ate at the Hungry Tapir, which is a plant based restaurant and it was delicious!

Little India was recommended also but we did not get a chance to visit. It is a 32 minute walk from Kwai Chai Hong or you can get a tram from Pasar Seni, just a 4 minute walk from Kwai Chai Hong. Also you could opt for a grab.

Thean Hou Temple is another place we did not get to see and is suggested by others to visit. It is a 22 minute walk from Little India. There does not seem to be options for public transport so you could get a grab which would be very cheap if you do not fancy the walk.

View from Heli Lounge Bar, KL

The last thing to do on the 2 day Kuala Lumpur itinerary is to pay a visit to the Heli Lounge Bar. It is used as a Helicopter pad by day and a restaurant by night. You get great views of the city from here including the Petronas towers and the Merdeka 118 (the second tallest building in the world). It costs 100RM/€22 to enter and you get 2 free drinks with that.

We stayed at Mingle Highstreet Hostel and it was perfect for what we wanted. It was located about half way between KL eco forest and independence square. It was a basic accommodation, clean rooms, good air conditioning and a good atmosphere.

They held social events there too meaning it is good for meeting people. Plus, it is close to a really nice cafe ‘Lokl Coffee Co‘. There was shared toilets and showers. The only con is that it was a bit loud at night but it didn’t keep us up, and they provide ear plugs if you ask too.

For accommodation more high end, have a look at MOV hotel Kuala Lumpur. This 4 star hotel is well rated and you can get a double room for as little 200RM/€44 per night. It is located on Bukit Bintang, a great location, just a 15 minute walk from the Petronas Towers.

That is all for this post. I hope you enjoyed this 2 day Kuala Lumpur itinerary and have the best 48 hours in KL. Share this with your travel friends, plus don’t forget to subscribe for the latest.

Thanks for reading,

Lisa

• Don’t forget to get travel insurance before you set out on your adventure. Safety Wing is a great choice and so reasonable.
• If you are looking for accommodation, then Hostelworld or Booking.com are good options with plenty of accommodation choices.
• Looking to book tours, entry tickets and more, check out Get your Guide.
• Follow me on instagram @wandererlane 🙂 

Last updated on November 9th, 2023 at 09:24 pm

Vientiane, the capital of Laos is a popular stop off on the backpacker trail. Most people don’t spend too long here, just a few days maximum. Check out this guide to 1 day in Vientiane if you’re short on time, but still want to experience the best of Vientiane.

Go To:

For more Laos inspiration, check out my recent blog posts:

We stayed at Nana Backpackers in Vientiane and it was a really nice hostel. I would say it was the nicest hostel that we have stayed at so far and I would definitely recommend. The rooms were super clean, had air conditioning, there was a really nice pool and a good atmosphere. It also offered free whiskey and vodka in the evening, if it takes your fancy 😉 We got the private double room, which was €24 per night. Dorm rooms are available for as little as €5 per night.

Lao Poet Hotel is another option if you are looking for something more luxurious. It is a 4 star hotel with a pool and a central location. It has great reviews and is rated 8.7 on booking.com. Rooms cost about €80 per night.

You can rent a scooter for between 100k – 150k kip per day. This is how we chose to get around and is probably the cheapest option. Your accommodation may offer scooter rental or many places in the city offer this service too.

Tuk-Tuk is a more expensive option – it would probably cost around 350k to 450k kip return from Buddha Park alone. If you do choose this option, ensure you make a deal with the driver before you go & don’t pay until you are back in case you get stranded.

You can get to Buddha Park by public bus from Talat Sao bus station, just a 20 minute walk from Nana backpacker Hostel. The number 14 bus leaves every 15 or 20 minutes, taking about 40 minutes, It costs less than €1 for a one way ticket.

It is possible to walk to the other 3 destinations, if you prefer to explore the city by foot. Patuxay Monument is 26 minutes of a walk from the hostel, then it is aother 32 minutes to Pha That Luang. The Cope visitor centre is 31 minutes from the hostel.

Loca is a taxi app that is used in Vientiane – it is a more expensive option than a scooter and is worth pricing before you go as prices vary.

If you don’t fancy exploring by yourself and don’t mind having a time limit, you can go on a guided tour. In Nana backpackers hostel, you can join a tour that takes you to Buddha Park, Patuxay Monument & Pha That Luang. The cost is $10 and it runs twice daily.

Victory Monument, 1 day in Vientiane

Start off your 24 hours in Vientiane by grabbing some breakfast. If you want some vegan, healthy options – look no further than Coco & Co, vegan café. It offers really tasty smoothie bowls & other great options. Plus, it offers plant based milk for your coffee or tea. It was my first choice for breakfast in Vientiane.

Eoin who is not into smoothie bowls (or any healthy food) was a fan of Sinouk Coffee, they offer great coffee and nice sandwich options too.

Make your way to the COPE Visitor Centre to learn about the history of the bombing in Laos and how it has affected and still affects the local people. Also learn how the work of COPE has helped improve the quality of life for those affected. It is free to enter with a donation box inside. I think everyone should visit, I thought it was very interesting and answered many questions I had from my previous 2 weeks in Laos about the bombings. The opening hours are 8:30 am to 4pm daily. Just a 7 minute drive from Nanas backpacker hostel.

Next, take a trip out to Buddha Park, a 33 minute drive from the Cope Visitor Centre. Here, you could spend an hour or so walking around the park, looking at the many statues. If you are into photography, you will get some very cool photos. It is 40,000 kip each to enter.

Pha That Luang is a 31 minute drive from Buddha Park back towards the centre of Vientiane. If you are keen to visit some temples, then this is a great option being the most important national monument in Laos. The entrance fee is 30,000 kip.

Victory Monument or the Patuxay Monument on Google Maps is just 6 minutes from Pha That Luang. This victory gate is dedicated to the 1940s fight for independence from the French, so is an important monument in the city. It is free to walk around the monument. If you wish to walk to the top for some nice views, you can do so for a small fee of 5,000 kip. The fountains are sometimes in action in the evening which makes the experience even better and you can see the monument light up as it gets dark.

Now after your busy day, you should have built up a nice appetite! I would suggest Sticky Fingers for nice dinner food. It is an 8 minute drive from Patuxay Monument and a 3 minute walk from Nana backpackers. They have a lot of Western options and the food is very tasty.

The Greenhouse is a good option if you are looking for healthy food & vegan options. They offers sandwiches, burgers and more.

I hope you enjoyed this guide to 1 day in Vientiane. If you have any questions, feel free to comment below. Also, don’t forget to subscribe for more.

Thanks for reading,

Lisa

• Don’t forget to get travel insurance before you set out on your adventure. Safety Wing is a great choice and so reasonable.
• If you are looking for accommodation, then Hostelworld or Booking.com are good options with plenty of accommodation choices.
• Looking to book tours, entry tickets and more, check out Get your Guide.
• Follow me on instagram @wandererlane 🙂 

Last updated on April 11th, 2023 at 04:06 pm

Planning to travel abroad? In this post, I will go through my essential holiday planning tools that I use and find helpful when planning trips abroad. I will keep adding to this list if I come across new ones. But for now here is the list of travel planning resources.

Go To:

If you are spending some time in the Netherlands, take a read of these 18 useful apps to use in the Netherlands

The first holiday planning tool you need is one place to store all your travel information – a trip planner. The last thing you need is to be wondering if you booked accommodation and searching through emails for details of what you booked and where the location is, or trying to find rental car information when you are in another country and have no internet. Trust me I have been there.

That is why I have created a trip planning and budget google sheets template. This travel planning sheet is a one stop shop for all your trip information. It has details of flights, accommodation, rental car, your trip itinerary, packing checklist, expense tracker, a breakdown of your costs which you can track against your budget and more. It can be used as a group and for multiple destinations. You can purchase it here for the price of a beer. It has been my go-to while on my travels.

Holiday cost calculator & tip planner

Google some itinerary’s for the destination you are going to and go down a few results beyond the ads and big companies trying to sell you tours, until you reach some real people giving their honest experience. Here you can get some great tips and advice for your travels. Be sure to check out the other posts on my budget travel blog too.

Have a browse on tiktok, instagram, Pinterest or youtube for some ideas. For example if you are going to Rome for a weekend, search for ‘How to spend 3 days in Rome‘ to give you quick inspiration into where you should go.

Make sure you have travel insurance. I use safety wing – the reason I like this one is that it is only €40 per month and you can stop it whenever you like. You can use it for a defined duration also. Sign up here.

Travel cards are very useful, making it much more affordable to send money and withdraw money abroad. It is also great for safety reasons. You can top up your travel card every few days from your main bank account so you never have too much money in it in case it gets skimmed.

I use Revolut and I find it great for using abroad – there are no fees on card payments and you can withdraw up to €200 per month with no fees.

You can also turn on and off certain features such as online transactions, swipe payments, ATM withdrawals and contactless for extra security. Wise is another popular travel card.

Skyscanner and Google flights are a great starting point for looking up prices – when are the cheapest dates and what are the cheapest airlines for example. You can also set price alerts on Skyscanner and it notifies you when prices increase or decrease for your route. You can also set your destination to everywhere to see where the cheapest place to fly is.

Booking through the airline is the safest in terms of customer service. Overall, airlines tend to have much better customer service than booking through an agency.

If you are a regular flyer, then you should sign up to the best airline loyalty program that suits you. Pick the one that you think you will fly with the most. For every flight you are on, you will earn miles that you can use to make a future flight cheaper.

Depending on the program you chose, there are other benefits too. For example, you can earn miles by booking accommodation etc. If you are not doing it now, you should start. It is free money that can make future flights much cheaper.

Hostelworld is great for the budget traveller, looking for cheap hostels around the world. Ensure ratings and reviews are positive before booking.

Booking.com is brilliant too – the more often you use it and leave reviews you can become a genius level 1,2 or 3. This means that you can get discounts on certain accommodation up to 20% depending on the level your at and other benefits such as free breakfast.

Airbnb is another great site for accommodation. I found my latest homestay in Bali on it and for certain accommodation, the longer you book, the more discount you get on it, That is why I like Airbnb for renting long term.

Couchsurfing is also an option for budget travellers – you can get in touch with other travellers to find free accommodation in different cities.

Roomer is an app where people who buy non – refundable reservations & for some reason cant make use of it, sell their booking at discounted prices. If you want to go somewhere last minute, check here to see if something that suits is available.

Exchange your skills for accommodation around the world by using Worldpackers. Whether it is work in a hostel or teaching English, you will get something in return – usually accommodation and a meal but it varies depending on the host.

Get your Guide is a great service that offers multiple tours and entry tickets all in the one place. It offers multiple day tours, day trips, entry tickets to museums, boat trips, you name it. Type in the destination you are going to and browse what’s available, picking what you prefer most.

Get your guide app

Free walking tours are a great way to see a city. We used Sandemans free tours in Berlin and I would highly recommend, they also have tours in many other cities including New York, Paris, Amsterdam and more. There are also many other companies that organise free tours such as guru walk and more. Note that a tip is expected at the end.

Looking for the best option to travel from one place to another? Then use Rome2Rio to see your options. It includes flights, bus, trains etc.

Next on the list of holiday planning tools is 12GoAsia. It is the Rome2Rio of Asia, laying out the different options of getting from place to place. It is a good starting point to check transport options and prices.

I used omio for booking trains in Europe. It is also used in the US and Canada. It is a useful one stop shop to check your train options and purchase the one that suits you best.

Uber is like a taxi but much cheaper. Just download the app and input your destination to order one. It is used in many European countries, parts of the UK, Canada, US and more.

Gojek and Grab are like the Asian version of Uber. You can order a car ride, scooter ride or even order food. It is really cheap and a great service.

Imoova is an agent for car rental & campervan rental companies that need vehicles relocated from one location to another. This means that you can rent vehicles for really great prices. It operates in Australia, New Zealand, the USA, Canada, Europe & the UK.

Google maps is used to navigate the route to take from place to place. Without it, I would be lost many times.

Another great feature of Google Maps is that you can create lists. Say you are heading to Dubrovnik and you are looking up where to go – save each place to your Dubrovnik list. When you are finished, open maps and plan your itinerary based on what is near each other. It is visually really helpful – do all the things in the one area on the same day for more efficient use of your time.

Google Maps – blue pins are from my Bali list

Maps.me is a tool where you can download a map of a particular area so you can use it offline. It is very useful if you will be going somewhere you have no internet.

What 3 words is another navigation tool for finding people or places by sharing their location in the form of 3 words. Every 3 metres square on the planet has a unique 3 words so that it makes it easy to navigate to a precise location. It can be used offline too.

Next on the list of holiday planning tools is Airalo. If you prefer not to get a physical sim, you can opt to get an e-sim. It will be more expensive but is a handy alternative if you do not want multiple physical sims on the go.

Airalo has e-sims for 190+ countries worldwide. There are also other providers that offer e-sims such as flexiroam etc. Shop around and see who offers the best deal for your destination and duration.

If you are vegan or vegetarian and are somewhere new not knowing where to eat, then the happy cow app will be very helpful. You can click on vegetarian and it will find all the veggie options nearby.

When picking somewhere to eat, I would often look at the google maps reviews to assess it. But also many restaurants now, you can view the menu on google maps to see what’s on offer and if it suits your budget or not.

Duolingo is a handy free app to use to learn new languages. Pick a language you want to learn and come back and do a bit in your own time.

Download the Google Translate app to translate languages easily. You can take a picture of text or type it and it translates instantly. You can download the language to use it offline too.

It was extremely helpful when I lived in the Netherlands and got Dutch letters in the post or was trying to find washing powder in the supermarket.

The last of the holiday planning resources is Polarsteps, which is like a travel log that tracks where you travel and you can add photos along the way.

People can follow you on it to keep up to date with your travels. Or you can use it to look back later on after your travels.

Polarsteps app

I hope you enjoyed these holiday planning tools & resources. Bookmark this page and refer back to it when needed. Send it to your travel lover friends so they don’t miss out either.

Thanks for reading,

Lisa

• Don’t forget to get travel insurance before you set out on your adventure. Safety Wing is a great choice and so reasonable.
• If you are looking for accommodation, then Hostelworld or Booking.com are good options with plenty of accommodation choices.
• Looking to book tours, entry tickets and more, check out Get your Guide.
• Follow me on instagram @wandererlane 🙂 

Last updated on April 3rd, 2023 at 10:12 am

This post is dedicated to be a simple ski trip packing list for females. It explains exactly what is needed and some budget friendly tips, especially for those first-time skiers. These quantities are applicable for a trip of 7 days, tweak where necessary for a longer or shorter trip.

If you like this packing list, I have another for your summer holiday in Europe: Packing List for Women

• Ski Gloves
• Ski Jacket – one with a snow skirt is best as it prevents snow going up your back
• Ski Pants – hi – fit with shoulder straps is best, also helps to keep out snow
• Ski Goggles
• Base layers: 2 pairs of leggings, 3-4 tops
• 1-2 fleeces
• Snood or face mask
• Warm hairband or Woolly hat
• Underwear – 7 pairs
• 3-5 pairs of Ski socks (hand wash when necessary), 6 regular socks
• Backpack
• Sunscreen
• Lip balm with sun protection

Many people decide to rent the following items at the Ski destination so you may not need to bring them:

Wear sunscreen on you face and lips every day. I didn’t bring any and my lips were suffering for at least a month after.

One ski suit or jacket and pants is enough for the trip. So if you are crying at the thought of forking out more money on an extra pair, don’t bother. But if you want to bring more, you can and will have space with the checked in bag.

For the base layer, sports leggings and long sleeved sports tops will do the trick (which will probably already be in your wardrobe). You do not need base layers specific to skiing.

Detergent can be bought in the supermarket when you arrive and socks and snoods etc can be hand washed in the sink in the evening. Then let them dry over night on the radiator or if there is a heated towel rail. The snoods dry quickly and were dry the following morning.

Bring a small backpack with you for your days skiing so you can carry around water and some snacks.

With the Après ski, there is no dress code – you don’t even have to change your clothes after the day of skiing if you don’t want. You can just roll straight in off the slopes for a burger and a beer. There is definitely no need to bring your fancy clothes and spend 2 hours getting ready. But I suggest bringing some options for the evening, if you would like to freshen up before heading out for the night.

• 1 pair of Jeans
• 3-4 warm tops
• Coat
• Ski boots or runners
• 1 pair of pyjamas
• 1 swimsuit in case there is jacuzzi near you or at your accommodation

• Skincare – Moisturisers, face creams, face wash
• Toothbrush, Toothpaste
• Deodorant, Perfume
• Shampoo, Conditioner, Body-wash
• Dry shampoo
• Make-up, Make-up Remover
• Hairbrush, hair ties and hair clips
• Feminine Products

• Passport
• Boarding Pass
• COVID documents if required by the country – PCR/antigen test results, COVID locator form, Proof of vaccination etc
• Wallet/Purse (cash and/or card)
• Reservations (hard copy or on your phone)
• Ski Pass

Do your research on the travel adapter that is needed. You can check by country here.

• Phone
• Camera (plus equipment if needed)
• Chargers
• Portable Charger
• Travel Adapter
• Headphones
• Kindle/e-book or normal book

• Water Bottle
• Sunglasses
• Glasses/Contact lenses
• Tablets, medicine, vitamins

• Equipment as mentioned above (skis, poles, helmet, boots)
• Pass for ski lift
• Ski Lessons
• Accommodation
• Travel Insurance
• Transport (flights, transfer to and from airport etc)

I hope this ski trip packing list for females was helpful. Share this with your fellow skiers so they don’t forget anything. Let me know in the comments if I left something out and subscribe for more.

Thanks for reading,

Lisa

• Don’t forget to get travel insurance before you set out on your adventure. Safety Wing is a great choice and so reasonable.
• If you are looking for accommodation, then Hostelworld or Booking.com are good options with plenty of accommodation choices.
• Looking to book tours, entry tickets and more, check out Get your Guide.
• Follow me on instagram @wandererlane 🙂