How do you do your EU holidays?

[Jdjdj]

Do you have a rigid or "mostly full" of intinary of what you want to see and when you want to see?

Or do you prefer booking a few things but also spending time just wandering around?

We have a trip with family very soon, but I've been imagining a trip to Lisbon (never been) and just wandering around the streets and different neighbourhoods. I do this in London on warm days as well. Wander around and perhaps stumble across something I want to see more, perhaps go into a restaurant and enjoy the food. I've done this in London and walked through and seen beautiful houses, markets. Stopped by an art gallery and then had some good food as well.

It depends where - city breaks and short visits we generally plan quite carefully for entrances/food tours etc but I also like a wander!! Longer stays (gite, campsite etc) I research and go with ideas but it’s a lot looser planned!

I'd have a look in advance if there's anything in particular you want to do more to check if they have any days they're closed so you can factor that in if needed and loosely plan the rest.

I generally have three lists (I love a list!)

A list - the absolute must-sees/must dos
B list - stuff it would be nice to see or do if I can fit it in
C list - other ideas if everything on the first two lists gets ticked off (this has never happened!) or if I happen to be in the area anyway

I don't plan every day out, will usually just think about what to do the night before or in the morning.

I've been to Lisbon twice and it's a fantastic city for just wandering around.

I identify areas for a wander. After an epically bad trip where DH and I felt like we walked on motorways and slips roads and vehicle access roads and missed anything attractive!

Depends on the holiday.

If going somewhere where there is more to see than there is time, it tends to be very planned, so we can see as much as we want to.

If we are going somewhere very busy / popular / lots of 'must see places' then we do research beforehand to check opening times / length of queue usually.
We have also found that in some places buying tickets in advance can save you a fortune over buying 'at the door' as it were.

Some places we go just for a relax / some sun - in which case we don't plan anything, but may wander if we feel like it.

Some are in between..... we know we really want to see X, so make a booking but then decide to 'play it by ear' for the rest of the time there.

Some of it will depend on how large an area you are trying to cover - makes sense to go and see both things in the same part of the City or area on the same day rather than traveling there twice, and so forth.
Sometimes, going to Y only makes sense on 'Tuesday' as that is their market day.

I plan an itinerary but allow plenty of space in it for wandering and relaxing as well. So maybe two things a day max, but I don't want no plan at all.

OK I do not expect anyone else to work out their holidays this way, especially if you are with family but this is what DH and I do:

Read up about destination, get a feel for must-sees and how long each one takes to see
Plot it out on a spreadsheet, working out roughly what is on what day especially if some museums are shut at particular times/days
Try to work it out so you are seeing things in the same area on the same day
In a busy city book everything possible in advance to avoid queuing
Make sure the spreadsheet isn't so busy there's no time for spontaneity or just flopping about
Have ideas in advance about where to eat esp if there are local specialties that have to be in specific towns/restuarants or even specific days

Building the holiday spreadsheet is really enjoyable for us for getting excited about the holiday

This is my method also. Works well, as I'm a list person too.

Yes we spend a week or 8 days in each city (we're not beachy types), in an apartment, wander round all the back streets, particularly at night, Im obsessed with food and drink and so we search for unusual things or non touristy places, we usually have a few things that we have in mind that we would like to visit or look at but much of our time is spent exploring and finding things we didnt know where there anyway.

Generally the same as my non-EU holidays. Book flights and hotel. Plan what to do when we get there, if organised I'll buy a guidebook to read on the plane.

we usually choose a handful of places we definitely want to go, plan for 1-2 a day and then the rest we wander around etc. I’ll usually tag some places on google maps so I can check if we’re near anything Ive looked up