08/02/2025
It goes without saying that all the big cities and prime tourist attractions of the world are bursting at the seams during the busy northern hemisphere summer season, which now seems to extend from May right through to late October. However, we Kiwi travellers are renowned for taking flight to far-flung parts of the globe. Therefore, I believe you need to be prepared for what you will find, particularly if you have not been abroad in recent times.
In Europe, Asia, or the Americas, you may be shocked and aghast at how truly suffocating the crush of tourist humanity can be. Given my occupation, this is not news to me, and for those that book with me, we have this conversation at the outset.
For example, if you just rock up without due diligence and careful prep work, your dream holiday could easily end in tears. Too many people make the mistake of flying into a foreign city and only start planning their day after they wake up the next morning. This is courting disaster in Europe over summer. We all expect the big-ticket, must-do sites such as the Louvre, Acropolis, Vatican, and Santorini to be swamped with people. But the days of arranging tickets on arrival are long gone in most cases. All the top-shelf stuff in Europe, the crème de la crème attractions, are now, without exception, capacity limited. Unless you purchase tickets in advance, you simply won’t be able to climb the Eiffel Tower or wander the halls of the Vatican.
My next suggestion is one too few people stop to consider carefully enough—if at all. Do you really need to be herded up the Empire State Building in New York City? Or do you really want to just see it? There are plenty of other vantage points, or even take the High Line Walk before, say, 11 am when the crowds are less, and you get some truly wonderful cityscape sights from there, and it's free.
Or perhaps that visit to the Louvre to see the Mona Lisa because it used to be the test screen on your TV back in the 1970s-1980s? I have been to Paris many times and only recently went to see the lady with the funny smile. Don’t get me wrong, she is quite the painting, and I do get all the romanticism and hype around her. Plus, I got lucky and got close to her, so I can now say I have seen her. But what was disappointing was being corralled into a room with hundreds of other people, all with their phones out and held high, taking photos and videos while you try to focus in the midst of all this bedlam on what is a rather small portrait. To me, this devalues what should be a sublime and almost religious experience overall.
My tip for Paris would be to go to the Musee d’Orsay. While it's still busy, you get bang for your buck with so many paintings on display by the masters. Or try the Rodin Museum. It's actually my favourite— I adore the Thinker sculpture.
That’s why my biggest tip for a successful sojourn is to have a good hard think about what you want from your big trip. And just as importantly, what you don’t. If you hate crowds, standing in line, or being in a rugby scrum, let’s think about your priorities and get those key activities prebooked so you don’t miss out, allowing you to really get the most out of your time in a city. You’ll have a much better day and a much better holiday if we find a balance of experiences that focus on things that interest you rather than simply blindly wandering around Europe as a pro forma tourist the whole time.
So, when in Rome, let’s have a game plan. Let’s plan to see the spectacular Vatican and museum first thing in the morning and be done by late morning, so you can relax and wander the streets of Rome, enjoying all the pasta, wine, and gelato at your own pace. This way, you can truly enjoy your Roman holiday
What brings me joy in my job is that I want you to have the most epic experience of a lifetime. So, with a little planning and consideration, your journey will be filled with unforgettable moments and memories to cherish forever."
Have a great day everyone
Nicky
(This is one for the archives, when my boys were small, but its one of my favourite family photos....along with them playing touch rugby under the Eiffel Tower )
