So summer is coming, and all travel lovers have one thing in mind:"Where will be my summer destination?".

The way to prepare for a trip has changed over the years. Before people used to go to travel agencies (some still do) to book their trip and plan their travel itinerary. Everything will be booked for them from the moment they leave until the moment they come back home. 

Nowadays, with Internet we have got more freedom to do everything on our own online from our phones, tablets or laptops. We might not know everything about the country destination, but someone has certainly already traveled there and written about it. Travel blogs in my opinion are today's travel guides.

You might think that in the end they all look and talk about the same thing. Sure they might talk about the same destinations, BUT we are all different people and experience things differently. Therefore, one country review can totally be different from one blogger to another. There are also so many online tools and apps available to get ready for a trip. Here is how I do it.

Find the inspiration and the destination?      

I follow many travel bloggers with who I share the same interests. I would check through their Instagram feeds, but also use Pinterest or read travel articles usually to find the inspiration. When I have the destination in mind, I would usually type the country or city name in Instagram, Pinterest and google search engines to paint a picture. It is also a great way to find some hidden gems where people have been, out of the touristic areas.

But you can also reach out to your connections using Facebook. If you are lucky to have friends living abroad or who have traveled abroad, do not hesitate to ask them for some advice and tips. That could save you a fair amount of time.

When is the best time to go?                

It is important to know what will be the weather like when you pick your destination and period of travel. Some places like Asia or Australia might be worthy to travel while winter in Europe. It is also good to know the political situation at the moment you travel to your destination. Applications like Packpoint or travel butler are great to help you organize your check list.

How can I book the cheapest tickets?           

Be on the alert and be ready to buy the tickets as soon as you find a good deal. You can read one of my previous blog post about how to find cheap deals online. I would usually use Skyscanner or Kayak but also use the application hopper. I started using Hopper just recently and I just love it, by setting up the period you wish to travel, it will find you the best deals at the moment of your search and will still look for better deals later on and send you notifications once it found one. Plus it is FREE!

What type of accommodation do I want?      

It depends on the nature of the travel and if I am traveling alone or not. But usually, I would pick hostels rather than hotels. Hostels are great to meet up new travelers, get good tips from the locals about what to see and do and they also organize events like pub crawls or happy hours to get to know other  travelers. I would usually book a hotel the last night of my trip as a treat: comfy beds and pillows, continental breakfast to be well rested before my flight back home.

If I travel with a group of friends, either hostels or Airbnb. hostels for the same reasons as previously and Airbnb to feel like home even when traveling and sometimes the properties offered are just amazing and the hosts are also very helpful and do not hesitate to give advice and tips.

What do I want to see and do?                            

We all have an idea of what we want to see as soon as we pick our travel destination, at least the main tourist activities. Travel Advisor is a great source of inspiration for things to do and see. I also use google a lot. have you heard about the new Google travel planner  ? If not, try it out, it is a great tool to start planning your next trip.

Also focus on your personal interests, I enjoy photography and being active while my holidays (walking, hiking, snorkling). So I try to plan my activities according to my interests and not only as per what the travel agencies offer.

What to pack?

I recently partnered with Rebateszone to create this infographic on the topic "Packing Tips: How To Pack The Right Way". It gives you some great tips on what essential items to bring with you when you travel. So, read through and master the art of packing.

Hope that this article helped you and provided you with some tips to better plan your trip like a millennial today! Internet is a goldmine of information and you could spend hours or days to plan a trip, so make Internet work for you. ;)

Safe travels!