Traveling to a new destination for the first time generates excitement and brings endless possibilities. Exploring unfamiliar places expands perspectives and creates unforgettable memories.

For first-time travellers, proper planning, open-mindedness, and practical strategies can turn a good trip into a great one. Understanding how to make the most of every moment allows travellers to experience culture, connect with the locals, and avoid common mistakes when travelling.

Start with smart pre-trip research

Good preparation sets the stage for a smooth and enjoyable trip. Researching the destination provides valuable context that shapes the entire experience. Travellers should look into local customs, transportation options, cultural etiquette, and currency information. This knowledge eliminates surprises and builds confidence.

Learning key phrases in the local language shows respect and will improve your communication with the locals. Simple greetings or expressions of gratitude can open doors to warmer exchanges.

Checking visa requirements and travel advisories prevents last-minute issues that can delay or interrupt plans. Smart research creates a foundation that makes every day of the trip easier and more fulfilling.

Explore top attractions and hidden gems

A well-rounded attractions itinerary includes both famous landmarks and lesser-known spots. Popular sites give insight into the destination’s identity, while hidden gems offer unique, personal experiences away from crowds. Research helps identify which attractions deserve priority and which neighbourhoods or activities provide authentic local flavour. Travellers find inspiration when reading about travel hot spots in Europe, which offer a blend of history, culture, and scenic beauty. Planning visits to must-see locations while leaving space for spontaneous discoveries creates a balanced experience. Flexibility allows travellers to follow their curiosity while ensuring they do not miss iconic sites that define the place.

Discovering hidden gems can involve talking to locals, joining walking tours, or exploring neighbourhoods beyond typical tourist areas. These experiences often become the highlights of a trip because they reveal the heart of the destination in ways that guidebooks cannot replicate.

Plan transportation in advance

Efficient transportation planning saves time and reduces stress. Understanding how to navigate a new city or region before arrival allows travellers to focus on enjoying their surroundings. Options may include trains, buses, trams, ride-sharing services, or bike rentals, depending on the location.

Purchasing transit passes or downloading local transportation apps before traveling simplifies navigation. Clear plans for airport transfers, hotel check-ins, and key routes eliminate confusion. When transportation logistics run smoothly, travellers can devote more energy to exploration and connection.

Embrace local culture through food and activities

Experiencing a destination through its cuisine and cultural practices creates deeper connections. Sampling local dishes introduces flavours that reflect history, geography, and community traditions. Visiting local markets, family-run restaurants, or food festivals provides a more immersive experience than sticking to international chains.

Participating in cultural activities such as traditional dance performances, artisan workshops, or festivals gives travellers a sense of the community’s rhythm. These activities foster appreciation for local heritage and often create lasting memories that define the trip.

Build flexibility into your schedule

While structure supports a productive trip, flexibility leaves room for discovery. Overloading itineraries can lead to exhaustion and missed opportunities. Allowing unplanned moments makes the experience feel more personal and less rushed.

Wandering through a park, stopping at a local café, or joining an unexpected event can lead to memorable encounters. Balanced planning ensures travellers stay organised without sacrificing the joy of spontaneous adventure. Leaving gaps in the schedule gives room to adapt to changing weather, unexpected invitations, or newfound interests.

Prioritise safety and awareness

Safety plays a vital role in making any trip enjoyable. First-time travellers should stay aware of their surroundings, keep valuables secure, and research common scams or risks specific to the destination. Using hotel safes, carrying copies of important documents, and sharing itineraries with trusted contacts increase security.

Avoiding poorly lit or unfamiliar areas late at night, staying informed about local regulations, and using reliable transportation services further protect travellers. Make sure you have good medical coverage and travel insurance.

Choose accommodation that supports your goals

The right accommodation enhances convenience, comfort, and connection. Location matters as much as amenities. Staying in a central area reduces commuting time, allowing travellers to make the most of each day. Proximity to public transportation, restaurants, and attractions simplifies logistics.

For travellers seeking cultural immersion, guesthouses, homestays, or boutique hotels often provide opportunities to interact with locals. For those focused on relaxation, resorts or rural lodges may suit their goals better. Matching accommodation style to travel objectives improves the overall experience.

Pack thoughtfully for comfort and convenience

Packing affects mobility, comfort, and flexibility during the trip. First-time travellers should pack versatile clothing that suits the climate and cultural expectations of the destination. Choosing comfortable shoes, appropriate layers, and practical accessories ensures readiness for different scenarios.

Organizing luggage with packing cubes or compartments saves time during daily preparations. Including travel-sized toiletries, a power adapter, and a small first aid kit reduces the need for emergency purchases. Thoughtful packing enhances comfort while traveling and keeps focus on experiences rather than logistics.

Use technology wisely

Technology serves as a powerful tool when used strategically. Downloading offline maps, translation apps, and itinerary planners provides support without depending on constant internet access. Storing copies of travel documents in secure digital folders ensures quick retrieval if physical copies get lost.

Social media and travel platforms offer inspiration and guidance, but travellers should remember to engage with their surroundings directly rather than through screens. Technology should enhance the experience, not replace it.

Learn to pace yourself

Travel involves physical and mental energy. First-time travellers often try to see and do everything, which can lead to fatigue. Pacing ensures that energy levels remain steady throughout the trip. Mixing active days with slower ones keeps enthusiasm high and prevents burnout.

Taking breaks during busy sightseeing days allows time to absorb the environment rather than rushing from one activity to another. This approach leads to richer, more memorable experiences.

Reflect on each day’s experiences

Reflection deepens the impact of travel. Taking time each evening to jot down highlights, lessons learned, or surprising encounters helps solidify memories. Whether through journaling, photography, or conversations with companions, reflection turns fleeting moments into meaningful stories.

This practice enhances awareness and gratitude. It encourages travellers to notice details they might have overlooked and helps them carry insights forward into future adventures.

Traveling to a new destination for the first time represents an exciting opportunity to grow, explore, and connect. With careful research, balanced planning, cultural curiosity, and flexible scheduling, travellers can experience both iconic landmarks and hidden gems. Smart transportation choices, thoughtful packing, and safety awareness create a smooth foundation for adventure.

Embracing local culture through food and activities deepens understanding and enriches the journey. Reflection transforms experiences into lasting memories. First-time travellers who approach their journeys with preparation and openness unlock the full potential of their holiday destinations, returning home with stories, knowledge, and a renewed sense of wonder.

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The post First-time travellers: embrace your new holiday destination appeared first on Silver Magazine.

Skiing first time? Well yes, me too. I was never a what you might call a sporty kid. Netball was a no-no due to my challenged hand to eye co-ordination. I was always stuck in goal on the hockey field, decidedly ungainly in gait as I staggered around swaddled in thigh-high leg pads. My tennis style was described as ‘wild’ – and not in a good way.

Cross country runs were spent bunking off at a fellow failed jogger’s gaff who just happened to live en-route, and I distinctly recall being told by the games teacher that no athletics discipline would ever be ‘my sport’. I wasn’t fussed. I was good at other stuff, and positively distinction level when it came to sneaking a crafty fag behind the back of the bike sheds.

I distinctly recall being told by the games teacher that no athletics discipline would ever be ‘my sport’

There was, however, one sport that my teenage self always secretly longed to try. Skiing. To be honest, I think it had more to do with imagining myself hanging out with the beautiful people on some snow-capped mountain – 1970s and 80s Martini advert-style. That and the vision of a 19th century me channelling my own inner Anna Karenina. A vision moving silently across a moon-lit snowy landscape in a horse-drawn troika while swaddled in rugs and blankets.

Or in another incarnation, I resembled a nostalgic Christmas card as I perched, in full Edwardian period garb, primly on a sledge as I prepared to launch myself down a snow-covered mountain. And then there was all the yummy Alpine food to sample – fondue, raclette, goulash, and schnitzel with noodle.

Help! I need the slopes

I could have hit the snows in my 20s, 30s, 40s… but life always got in the way, somehow. And besides, whenever I thought about a winter holiday, sunshine always won over snow. But then, at the end of last year, I happened to watch the Beatles’ film Help. The sight of the Fab Four, or rather their stunt doubles, swooping down the oh-so-picturesque Austrian Alps to the strains of Ticket to Ride picqued my interest enough to finally try the ski and snow thing.

I read up on where Help was filmed, and discovered to my delight that you could stay in the hotel in the ski resort where John, Paul, George and Ringo had performed an impromptu gig for a crew member’s birthday party. Their only ever gig in Austria, incidentally, almost 60 years ago… Well, it was a done deal!

Summer travel more your thing? Read – Jacqui’s Cyprus trip honouring her mum

The Alpine comforts

While my retro ‘rubber’ soul longed to stay at the Marrietta (the name of the hotel where the Fab Four performed) circa mid 1960s, my 2024 body was highly delighted that in the early 2020s the hostelry had been extensively modernised, having been taken over by the Croatian-based company Valamar group and renamed ‘Places’.

No doubt the Marrietta was the place to be in its prime, but as we approach the end of the first quarter of the 21st century, Places ticks all the right modernist, style, and creature comfort boxes. The interior has been redesigned with a vibrant yet minimalist aesthetic. It feels luxurious but in a chic, funky kinda way. However, it’s touching that Places hasn’t forgotten its unique place in music history. There are several signed photos of the Beatles, in situ on the snowy set, in the lobby. Even more impressive is the fact that the drum kit actually used by Ringo Starr for the concert is on display in a corridor behind the lobby, along with more fascinating mop-top memorabilia.

When it comes to the bedrooms, think traditional alpine with a modern twist that feels like a warm cuddle. And, should you be in the mood for rather more than a hug, the complimentary pleasure boxes containing condoms and lubricant could well come in handy. On the other hand, should you be sharing the bed with a snorer, the complimentary earplugs will come as a godsend!

Not just a snowy landscape

Obertauern, which lies 5,708ft above sea level and is 55 miles south of Salzburg, is the winter holiday resort with the best snow record in Austria. But the skiing, the frolicking amidst the flurries, could wait. I wanted to explore Places.

There’s a stunning, subterranean indoor pool – kidney shaped rather than rectangular. Fine with me. I wasn’t planning on doing any laps. We’re talking serious unwind time, here. The lights are low, with loungers positioned on several levels. Plus, there are star-shaped floating bean bags! A first for me. Nearby is the stunning spa area and sauna, and the massage I treated myself to certainly didn’t disappoint.

The hotel boasts a trendy lounge and bar, think posh private members’ club vibe, and probably the smartest self-service restaurant I’ve ever been in. Guests are able to eat as much as they like in the evenings. Meat dishes, fish, salads, fab veggie options including gourmet handmade pizzas.

Opt for the ‘Places Flexi’ package and dinner is free, with each person given a 30-euro (£26) allowance a day to spend on food and drink at the bar as an alternative. Payment is made via wrist-worn electronic ‘watches’, which also open bedrooms and doors to various public spaces. Hi-tech or what?

But Place’s ‘piece de resistance’ is to be found on its top floor. There’s a seriously fun 400-sq-m (4,305-sq-ft) top-floor gaming area complete with a soft-play complex and all manner of computer games and consuls. Next door is a rooftop bar with jaw-dropping valley views. I enjoyed a Campari-spritz on the balcony while taking in the vista, warmed by a table-top open fire. Now, that was a Martini moment for sure.

So. . . what about the skiing?

Well, I got myself decked out at the Freudenaus Sport Rental next door to the hotel. Skis, helmet, sticks, ski boots… you know the drill. Except that, er, I didn’t. Not really. In all my ski-land visualisations, I’d never pictured myself actually skiing. The nuts-and-bolts stuff. And if I’d thought hockey goal keeping garb was stagger-worthy, blimey, I didn’t know the half of it. Give me thigh-high, Michelin man-like leg pads over ski boots any day! Clomping about, I felt like a clone of Frankenstein – and that was just outside the hotel.

Prep for your skiing trip with a quality pair of waterproof boots. Like these tactical boots which are even up to military standard!

I had a lesson on the nursery slopes with an instructor from the Obertauern Frau Holle ski school – he was very patient but by the end of the session, he gave me a broken English echo of my school games’ teacher’s words. Skiing clearly wasn’t ‘quite my sport’.

Alison (far right) and friends before heading down the slopes

The sledging fantasy

So let’s try sledging or sledding. Arranged by the uber efficient Valdermar folk, I pitched up at dusk at the Gnadenalm Alpine experience, about six km from Obertauern.  The toboggan taxi – a snowmobile with old-fashioned wooden toboggans attached to the side – zipped us up to the top of a mountain. At least it felt like the top to me, and the start of the flood-lit 1.5km long run. We were dropped off with the sledges. ‘Now what?’ I said, somewhat naively. ‘You go down,’ came the reply. As the driver sped away, there was no option but to follow his instructions. Reader, it was the ride of my life. Scary, yes, but incredibly exhilarating.

Zooming down snow-covered peaks and mounds, I felt more Bond girl in the Spy Who Loved Me than lady on front of an Edwardian Christmas card. But no matter. I had a real sense of achievement on reaching the bottom. My Anna Karenina fantasy followed as I climbed aboard the troika or carriage, attached to two massive cart horses, and made myself comfortable against the cushions and under the blankets. Sleigh bells rang out as we wended our way across the snow-covered countryside by moonlight while sipping on shots of Schnapps. It was possibly one of the most romantic moments of my life!

Great grub, to top it all off

It had been an incredible evening but it wasn’t over yet. A full-on Alpine feast comprising of fondue, raclette and cheese dumplings followed at the Restaurant Wirtshaus Gnadenalmin, the most Heidi-esque eaterie imaginable. All roaring fires, pine wood panelling, red and white check cushions and table cloths, and heart-shaped dining chairs.

Skiing may not be for me but this trip made me realise that I have fallen for the snow in a big way. Next visit I intend to channel Julie Christie in Dr Zhivago – but I guess I’ll need to find my Omar Shariff first.

Going on your own Alpine adventure

Getting There

Wizz Air – return flights in January 2025 from London airports to Salzburg from £57.00
Easy Jet – return flights in January 2025 from London airports to Salzburg from £54.00
British Airways – return flights in January 2025 from London airports to Salzburg from £139.00

Taxi transfer from Salzburg to Obertauern – approximately €165.00, good value if there’s four of you

Accommodation

Places by Valamar – from €316.00 per night/double room

Ski Stuff

Ski Equipment Hire from Silver Ski Equipment

Boots – €27 per day
Helmet – €16.20 per day
Skis and sticks – €34.50 per day

Ski pass – €65 per day

Ski lesson for beginners at the Obertauern Frau Holle ski school – €121.50 per day, €252.00 for three days

Carriage Ride and Sledding

One hour carriage ride for four people – €90

Toboggan rental: € 9 per toboggan
Toboggan taxi: € 8 per ride & person

Alison James

The post Winter wonderland – skiing for the first time appeared first on Silver Magazine.

Bonding holidays – or to use the ghastly term being bandied about; holibonds – are one-on-one trips, mostly for family members, who want to improve a relationship. This kind of bonding activity is on the rise, and can involve a parent and child, grandparent and grandchild, grown children and their elderly parents… you get the idea.

Perhaps fueled in part by promises made in lockdown (when this is all over, etc), travel is huge again and destined to be even huger next year. But this kind of holibonding is a new concept that’s catching on in a big way. Forming new memories, perhaps to replace the bad, by holidaying with a loved one can be the best therapy.

Jacqui on bonding holidays

“With trips like this – a 12-day bucket-list adventure to Peru with my eldest daughter Ruby – it’s the memories that are most important.

“The two nights in Lima, the five-day cruise down the Amazon, the climb up Machu Picchu were all thrilling at the time. But two months later, it’s the little things; shared moments, facial expressions, silliness, laughter, re-bonding, that have stayed with me.

“On our first day in Lima, we went for lunch at a fantastic restaurant and had the best margaritas ever. On the walk back to the hotel, we got the giggles. Then on a main avenue, we spotted a purple blossom tree shedding its petals. We ran towards it, singing Prince’s ‘Purple Rain’, then after a bit of a dance, skipped back to our hotel, still in fits of laughter. By the time we reached our room, we were nearly hysterical. It’s a special moment like this that you can’t really explain to anyone else: it’s just between the two of you and it’s yours for evermore.

Jacqui Deevoy at a fantastic restaurant

“Holidaying with your children when they’re actually children is an entirely different experience to travelling with them as adults. It’d be strange if it wasn’t! And I wondered how my trip with my now grown-up first-born would pan out.

“Ruby was conceived when I was a very immature 25 after a whirlwind romance. Our first holiday together abroad was in 1989 when she was 11 months old. We flew with her dad and four friends (two child-free couples) to Barbados. What do I remember from that ten-day trip?

“Well, the flight was memorable: Ruby was an early walker and wasn’t happy about being confined to my lap for ten hours. So, in order to stop the wailing, her dad and I had to accompany her as she tottered up and down the aisle. She pooed seven times, and threw up four times during that flight.

Holidaying with your children when they’re actually children is an entirely different experience to travelling with them as adults

“I have no memories of the accommodation, the scenery or the beach. But I do remember the scent of coriander as we strolled along a dusty road, Ruby in my arms with her singing (in the way only an 11-month-old can) a song that I knew to be Lisa Stansfield’s ‘Been Around The World’…

“I remember me and her dad dragging her pushchair (with Ruby in it) across sandy beaches, unable to keep up with the two child-free and seemingly carefree couples, feeling collectively like the unpopular kid on the school trip… always left behind. I also have a memory of carrying her on my hip into the sea. Her tiny toes barely touched the water but she was petrified. I felt her pain and quickly retreated.

“Funny what sticks in your mind – even without photos.

“Our relationship during her formative years was unusual. She was a strident little girl and often scolded me. I thought it was funny at the time, but looking back, maybe I needed scolding.

“During her teens, I wasn’t there for her as much as I should have been. I had three younger children by then and saw Ruby as more adult than she was. I didn’t think she needed me as much as she probably did, and I was often distracted and didn’t watch over her the way other mothers might have watched over their teenage daughters. We never fell out, but we definitely grew apart.

“It was the same for me and my mum. She was often emotionally distant – detached even – and, whilst I’m not blaming her, as my role model, I realise now that I definitely picked up some of those traits. Nothing to be proud of, I know, but part of my history nonetheless.

I’m not fond of making excuses for my not-so-great characteristics but I like to give reasons for them.

“Earlier this year, I suggested to all four of my adult children that we go on holiday together. Three declined; Ruby said yes. As a destination, we decided on a once-in-lifetime holiday in Peru.

“The out-of-this-world trip included a visit to the lively capital city Lima, a five-day cruise down the awe-inspiring Amazon, and an exhausting but exhilarating climb up Machu Picchu. Plus two nights in high-altitude Cusco, staying in stunning hotels, eating food we’d never had before (cherimoya – Peruvian custard apples, which American writer Mark Twain called “the most delicious fruit known to men”) and crossing paths with some of the purest-souled people we’d ever met. It was truly extraordinary.

“I took a LOT of photos. What I remember most, however, is one of the moments I didn’t catch on camera. It’s not the rare and very memorable sighting of pink dolphins; it’s not meeting the curious inhabitants of residing in a village on the banks of the Amazon; neither is it the spectacular view from Machu Picchu… It’s the absolutely unforgettable memory of dancing around that blossom tree in Lima, violet petals falling softly and my beautiful, happy, adult daughter singing and laughing in the purple rain.”

Another article you may like: Year round bliss: sailing from the Uk to Mexico

Ruby on bonding holidays

“A message popped up on my family WhatsApp group. “I want to create new memories, to replace the bad. Can we all go on a trip together?”

“It was from my mum.

“As is the case for so many parent-child relationships, we’d been through our fair share of struggles. Younger than me, my three siblings were clearly still struggling to make peace with the past. This became evident as the replies came in politely, but nonetheless painfully, rejecting our mother’s request.

“For me though, now in my mid 30s having done years of therapy and with a seven year old of my own, my perspective has shifted. Yes, there are many aspects of our relationship and my childhood that have been hard to work through. But I also see things from her side now. How incredibly difficult it must have been to have a teenager and three under-5s, while working and traversing abuse and breakups. I also see how fast life goes by, and how precious our time together is. So while the others said no, I agreed. “I’d love to!” I typed.

“Fast forward two months and we’re on a plane to a very unexpected destination. Far from our initial ideas of lounging on a deckchair in some sunny resort, we decided to grab life by the horns and go for a bucket list trip of a lifetime, to Peru.

I also see how fast life goes by… So while the others said no, I agreed. “I’d love to!” I typed.

“This was no ordinary holiday. We’d booked with Original Travel for a mind-blowing tour, down into the depths of the Amazon jungle for a luxury (but sustainable) 5-day river boat cruise, up to the Sacred Valley to stay in the foothills of the Andean mountains, and of course to see one of the Seven Wonders of the world, Machu Picchu.

“Settling down for our 11-hour flight to Lima, I made a decision, and it felt like my mum did too. We were going to have open, honest and difficult conversations, and it was all going to be ok. Challenging moments between us would arise, but we could let them wash over and past us. This journey was all about re-connection, and, as mum had suggested, making new memories to carry. And that’s exactly what we did.

“In Lima, one of Peru’s historical capitals, we wandered around exotic tree lined streets, ate amazing Peruvian chocolate, visited a local market packed with gorgeous handicrafts, and tucked in to a meal of sea bass overlooking the vast ocean, with the best mescal margarita I’ve ever tasted in hand. We flew down to the rainforest for a 5-day river cruise. We whizzed down the waterways, with trees looming on each side, birds calling and a sky above us that seemed so much bigger than any sky I’d ever seen. My mum and I beamed at each other as the wind whipped our hair and the spray splashed our faces.

Jacqui Deevoy and Ruby Deevoy with their Peruvian chocolate

“Next was Cusco, The Sacred Valley, and Machu Picchu, all featuring a drastic change in landscape and experience as we took in the 360 panorama of the towering, rugged peaks of the Andes. A visit to Ollantaytambo took us up our first Incan sun temple, in preparation for the awe-inspiring Machu Picchu, and also introduced us to the colourful life of those who lived there.

“Aptly, it was Mother’s Day in Peru, and celebrations were happening everywhere, with mothers, children, grandmothers and great grandmothers all gathering together to dance, eat and enjoy being with each other, just as my mum and I did the same.

“Landing home, it didn’t take long for life to resume as normal. Childcare duties, house upkeep and work replaced the once in a lifetime experience we had been so immersed in. But the memories are there to stay, a perfect and powerful start to putting the past to bed, and creating a connected, loving future together.”

We booked our tailor-made trip to Peru with Original Travel 

020 3582 4990.

Instagram: @originaltravel.

Price £8,000 based on two sharing and including return international and domestic flights, private transfers, private tours throughout and 11 nights’ accommodation (six nights B & B, one night half-board and four nights full-board onboard the Aria Amazon).

Thanks to Berghaus, Cotswold Outdoor Clothing, Marriott Hotel Heathrow, and Aqua Expeditions

Jacqui Deevoy

Jacqui Deevoy has been a freelance journalist for over three decades, starting out on teenage magazines, then later working for women’s magazines worldwide, and national newspapers including the Daily Mail, the Mirror, Express and Telegraph. These days, as well as writing for magazines, papers and websites, she produces documentaries and hosts a Monday night talk show for Unprecedented TV.

The post Holibonds: a bonding holiday for people who’ve drifted apart appeared first on Silver Magazine.