How to Choose a (Perfect) Travel Destination

Even though there are so many opportunities where it is possible to travel these days, it is not always clear how to choose the perfect destination for the next trip.

Your travel bucket list may be full of “must visit” cities, but this year you have time just for one trip and you don’t know which one to choose.Or maybe you feel that you need to take a short break from your day-to-day routine, so, just yesterday, you made a resolute decision to leave everything behind for a while and just go somewhere, but you don’t really have any ideas where to go.

Whatever is true for you, you should just slow down for a moment and think about it. The following 6 tips will provide you with useful insight into the right decision-making when it comes to choosing the right destination for your vacation.

1. What’s your budget?

First of all, you need to set a budget. Though, most of us would like to live in 5* residences and dine at Michelin restaurants, only some of us can afford it. So, you should figure out how much exactly you are willing to spend on your trip.

You certainly don’t need loads of money to visit beautiful cities all around the world and have a great time in your destination. There are plenty of great places which are not so expensive and, at the same time, offer unforgettable possibilities. Your budget limitations shouldn’t, however, stop you from considering some countries. It is possible to visit France for the same price as visiting Ukraine. It is all about luxuries you can and can’t do without. While, for a certain sum of money, in Ukraine you can live like king, for the same amount of money in France you would have to deny yourself many delights.

Therefore, make sure you have clear preferences about the comfort you expect from your vacation and that you know how much you can spend. Also bear in mind that price level differs across the countries and that the lower price level of country in no case means fewer possibilities in how to enjoy your vacation.

2. Who are you travelling with?

Are you traveling solo, as a couple, with family, or with your friends? What kind of destination would be enjoyable for all your travel companions?

These are probably some of the most important questions you must ask yourself before going somewhere, since, not only does the destination have to be adjusted according to who you are traveling with, but also the activities you are planning to do there must be changed to please everyone.

The basic rule is that you can enjoy all kinds of trips as long as you are in great company. And when you are in such great company, you may try and enjoy new things you would have never imagined and, therefore, explore activities which will eventually enrich your life. So, the basic advice is, first, clarify who are you traveling with and then plan together what you want to experience and see.

3. How much time do you have?

Even though we all wish to have more time for our vacations, everything has to come to an end, and we have to return to our old lives and jobs.

You should, therefore, take into account how much time you have for your trip and what is possible to experience and see on the trip and accordingly adjust the activities that you would like to do.

4. Consider the size of the city and everything that comes with it

It is no surprise that you will find more in a city with over 1 million people than in one with barely 10, 000.

However, both cities may be equally romantic and both will have their special charm, culture and people. While Paris is great for all lovers thanks to the many romantic spots throughout the city and the wide range of possibilities of how to spend time with your partner, Ko Phi Phi offers lovely sandy beaches in breathtakingly beautiful sceneries that will inevitably make you fall in love with the place.

With different size of city also come different possibilities for spending time, dining, meeting other people, etc.

So, you should always consider what is your traveling style (discussed below), what you expect from your destination and how you want to spend the time. Since everyone loves something else, there is no general rule as to what is better and what is worse.

5. What is your traveling style? Consider your interests and determine your “must sees”

Before going somewhere, it is always good to ask yourself about the purpose of this action. When going to the shop, it is better to know upfront what you want to buy and where you want to buy it. Otherwise you may find yourself in a drugstore when wanting to buy some fresh fruit.

However trivial it may sound, when talking about shopping, many people don’t realise that the same principle applies also for travelling. It is important to ask oneself what the purpose of your trip is. Do you want to relax on the beach, or do you want to explore the history of a country and try its famous cuisine in a city renowned for its architecture? Or maybe you prefer hiking in the mountains? Do you want to face the unknown or do you want to stay in your comfort zone? And what are the necessary requirements for your next trip?

When you answer these types of questions, you may have a better notion about what you want to experience, and you may come up with something that wouldn’t come to your mind without giving it some proper thinking.

6. Use a tool to find and choose your travel destination

After all these steps, determining the purpose of your next trip, and identifying the requirements, you should have better idea about your next trip, but there is still one last step we highly recommend. You could use a tool that will allow you to filter destinations and find the place that matches your exact requirements.

Let’s say you love great spas and you want your next trip to be a romantic place in Southern Europe, with a great food, lovely beaches and full of history. But how many cities do you really know in Southern Europe? Couldn’t you miss some great places just because you know only the most renowned cities? Or let’s say you only want to go to world famous cities like Athens, Naples, Palma de Mallorca, Dubrovnik, etc. But then, how do you know which one to choose?

Our search tool suggests cities that are rated and ordered according to the criteria that you picked and allows you to see how well each city matches your preferences. You can, therefore, find a new perfect travel destination and find out which are the best just for you!