An Amsterdam canal with boats and historic waterfront buildings
Photo: Airam Dato-on / Pexels
TRAVEL NOTES

The details make the difference.

Planning a city break or a day at a famous sight? Find advice on getting around, what to bring and the details worth checking before you go.

Start planning

Before you go

Guides for every destination →

Ornate upper floors of the Martinelli Building in central São Paulo

Martinelli, Farol and choosing a downtown view

Central São Paulo offers two very different skyline visits: Martinelli’s guided heritage route and Farol Santander’s ticketed cultural building. Book one main view, look at the other tower from street level and leave time to understand the buildings around them.

The decorated façade of São Paulo’s Municipal Theatre

Municipal Theatre, the Viaduto do Chá and a pernil stop

Use the Municipal Theatre as the main cultural stop, the Viaduto do Chá for the surrounding cityscape and Estadão for a specific lunch. The interior tour needs its own booking; the outdoor route still makes sense when you only have time for the façade.

MASP’s red concrete support and suspended glass galleries on Avenida Paulista

Paulista, MASP and a proper museum lunch

Build a Paulista day around MASP rather than collecting every cultural building on the avenue. Look at the red-supported museum from the street, spend time with the art, then make lunch part of the outing at A Baianeira in the newer neighbouring building.

Sarandë’s curved bay and hillside buildings at dusk

A first weekend in Sarandë: bay walk, Lëkurësi and Butrint

Plan two days in Sarandë with a central archaeology walk, a hilltop viewpoint and a deliberate choice of Butrint or a coastal outing.

Small boats on clear water beside the shore and wooded islands of Ksamil

Ksamil from Sarandë: a shore day and an optional mussel-farm outing

Plan a separate Ksamil day with realistic beach access, island-view expectations and an optional food-focused visit on Butrint Lake.

Coastal panorama from the hills above Sarandë towards the Ionian Sea

Lëkurësi Castle: plan the view, sunset and return journey

Visit Lëkurësi above Sarandë for the coastal panorama, with a clear distinction between public sightseeing, restaurant tables and organised sunset outings.

Boats and waterfront buildings along Sarandë’s bay in evening light

Sarandë’s waterfront and synagogue: a short city walk

Pair a manageable bay walk with Sarandë’s central synagogue remains and a portside meal, without turning the outing into a beach-and-excursion checklist.

An archival view of floating restaurant structures on the Mekong at Savannakhet; current businesses may differ.

Savannakhet food stops: a market morning and Mekong evening

Split Savannakhet’s food outing between a morning market and a later old-town meal. Savanxay, a café pause and Laochaleun Square offer different settings without a long walk through the hottest hours.

Colourful naga guardians beside the temple steps at Wat Sainyaphum in Savannakhet.

A Savannakhet old-town walk: murals, cinema façades and naga guardians

Follow Savannakhet’s old street grid from the church area to its cinema façades, temple courtyard and Mekong edge. Use the tourism-office map and shorten the walk around heat, rain or worship.

Gardens and architecture of the Royal Alcázar in Seville

Before visiting Seville's Royal Alcázar

The Royal Alcázar is a visit to plan deliberately, with room for its buildings and gardens. Organise your booking and comfortable clothing first, then use the official visitor information to confirm entry requirements for your date.