Here’s My Trick For Deciding How Long To Spend In Every Place I Visit

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Let’s talk travel planning 101. How do you know how long to spend in any given destination? You’ll hear differing opinions on just about every spot around the world, and the cold, hard truth is that it’s different for everyone. One person might enjoy 15 days in Venice, while another person might just want a peek at the canals. If you want to get really specific, no one can really answer the question for you. But there’s a method to the madness of narrowing down the whole wide world into manageable trips.

Here’s how I decide how long to spend in every destination on my travel list in a few easy steps — and it all comes down to a three-day rule.

The Three-Day Baseline

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If you’ll be in transit to a destination for more than four hours, I’d suggest beginning your planning with three days.

Want to know the nerdy math that explains why? If you depart on the morning of Day 1, you’ll reach your destination midday and have half a day and a night to enjoy. Day 2 is your only sleep-to-sleep day to explore without worrying about unpacking and packing up again or getting to and from the train station or airport. On Day 3, you only have until the afternoon to explore before you have to head out.

If you’re flying around the world, you’ll need more time. I aim for five days for anything with an entire day spent traveling because five days break down into a full day of travel, three full days in your destination and another full day of travel to get back home.

No matter where you’re going, three days on the ground is where you want to begin.

Touristing vs. Hanging Out

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When you’re traveling to see the tourist sights in cities around the world, how much time you need depends on the city size. You’ll never be able to see everything in Rome or Buenos Aires in one trip, but if you have a full three days to explore, you’ll get a good taste.

But if you want to simply hang out in the city, you’ll need more time. And take it from a go-go-go traveler, some of the best travel memories come from slowing things down. For the big cities, you can hit the generally accepted must-sees and spend a couple afternoons in cozy cafes in a week (five days, not counting travel).

Day Trips

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If you want to do any day trips from a city home-away-from-home base, you gotta give yourself an entire extra day. I know, it’s tempting to think a short day tour can fit into a day packed with all sorts of other sightseeing. Think Versailles from Paris or Plitvice National Park from Split, Croatia.

It will not be a fun day if you’re worried about fitting everything in. Imagine standing at the most beautiful waterfall you’ve ever seen and worrying about catching a bus back to the city to get to a museum before it closes. No, thank you. Day trips, yes. Day trips where you cram enough activities for three days into one, not so much.

Outdoor Adventures

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For beach outings, give yourself an entire day. You probably won’t be making it to an art gallery when you’re salty and sandy and in desperate need of a shower. The same goes for a long hike or kayaking trip. Between the physical exhaustion and time in the sun, you’ll likely be too pooped to hit the town hard anyway.

Skipping the cities altogether? Planning for a nature trek is easier since most hiking trails have estimates for how long it takes to cover the mileage. Whether you’re doing a selection of day hikes or a long-distance adventure, you’ll want a little bit of buffer time to rest your muscles. I’d suggest taking it slow one day for every three you’re climbing mountains.

You Know Your Taste

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Some people aren’t as taken by Sydney as they are by the Outback. That’s totally cool. Grab some avo toast and a latte, take a photo of the opera house, and then head onward to your next destination. Trust your travel gut. Start with three days, but add time for anywhere that makes you feel all sorts of travel butterflies while you’re planning.