Traveling to a new city can be an exciting and thrilling activity. Being in a new place, among new people, and witnessing a new culture opens up a new perspective to the world. But when you are in a new location, there are so many questions that you seek answers to. Like which places of interest should you visit? Which are the best places to sample the city’s traditional flavors? Where should you stay and shop? And so on.
Having said that, it is also important that you have enough time to do every little thing that you can to make it a wholesome experience. In such cases what do you do when you have only a day to explore a new city? Do you cut down on your itinerary or do you make a very selective list of things to do?
Here’s our easy but comprehensive guide on how you can maximize your experience of a city in a day.
Before you go
First and foremost, define what ‘the city’ means for you. Does it mean exploring its history, art, and architecture? Or do you want to know and learn about its people and their lives? Thus, you can define how you want your experience to be. And this needs to be done before you travel so you don’t waste any time sorting through options and wondering what to do first once you land. More so, when you have only 24 hours. Prepare yourself to miss out on a few things. You might want to do it all, but no matter how efficient you are, you cannot have enough of a place in limited hours.
Also, big cities are always eventful with some happenings or the others in culture, politics, or social scenes. Check for any big festival or a major political event happening during the time of your travel, so it doesn’t conflict with your plan to explore.
Find your key location
Every city has its own personality, energy, and defining elements. Choose your key locations well so they cover the underlying character of the city. Also depending on how big the place is, you might also need to focus your travel to a specific section/part of the city. For instance, if you are in a metro like Delhi or Mumbai, which are vast in both size and volume, you would need to define the areas that you would spend your day at. Otherwise, you might spend more time traveling from one point to another.
Think smart travel
They say when in a new place, do what the locals do. But they don’t say how you can do that when you have limited hours at your disposal. In such cases, ditch the local transportation and rent a local car with an experienced driver who can take you around your places of interest while you can travel without having to worry about missing a bus or finding a cab.
Find the right research resources
While the internet is overflowing with travel information, you need to fish through all of it so you the most realistic information. Search for regional blogs or personal travelogs which talk about customized travel and first-hand experiences. These are great resources to give you an in-depth understanding of the city, the best local joints, shops, eateries, etc. above and beyond the popular options. For example, the latest travel blog might tell you of a new restaurant or a store being opened, which might not be updated on review sites.
Opt for a city tour
This is one of the best ways to make the most of a city in a day. How about walking around and take a free tour in London and feel the city? There are plenty of tour packages and options based on various interests. For instance, there are heritage walks that take you through the historic sites, the significant architecture of the city, museums, etc. For the ones gastronomically inclined, there are food trails that you can join and explore the local flavors. For a city like Mumbai, you can also find a tour that lets you explore its entertainment industry and theaters. You can choose from a walking tour or a bus tour. Some cities like Chandigarh have the option of hop-on-hop-off buses that goes around the city all day through the important location. This doesn’t require you to join any tour group and yet you can manage to get an overview of the place. But this is an option in limited cities.
Key Takeaways
- Choose a way to travel that is easy at your disposal and comfortable to manage. If you are more than 4 people then book a comfortable Innova.
- When traveling in groups, always fix a meeting place at a prominent location, since groups tend to get dispersed.
- Explore local cuisines at local eateries rather than trying them at your hotel or other touristy restaurants.
- For a more holistic experience, book a homestay which lets you experience local people, local food, and is also easy on your budget.