Italy is a fantastic country to visit that is bursting with World Heritage Sites, incredible churches, cathedrals and architecture and some of the most famous artwork in the world. However, if you’re a solo traveller from another country or an expat, you may have been thinking it would be more enjoyable to visit the country with a travel partner that you can share your experiences with as you explore Italy together.
Picking the right travel partner is extremely important because if you’re not compatible, either in terms of your personalities or your interests, then it can end up being more of a headache than if you had just gone solo! Nonetheless, don’t be put off from taking a chance and teaming up with a travel partner to explore Italy together.
The following are some of things you should consider when you are looking for a travel partner a travel parting.
Travelling Alone Can Be More Expensive.
Travelling solo can often end up being a lot more expensive than going with a travel partner. This is because you can split the costs with your partner which halves the price of taxi rides, car rentals, saves money if you’re staying in a self catering apartment and in many other ways. Although this might not appear to be so at first glance it will actually save you a huge amount of money during the time in Italy.
What Type Of Travel Are You Planning To Do?
There’s many different ways that you can choose to explore Italy and so you need to make sure that you and your new travel partner have the same ideas about how to do so. For example, you could choose to rent a car so you can travel around under your own steam or, alternatively, you could join a guided tour with a group of other travellers.
The Italian public transport system is extremely good which means you can decide to rely on the trains and buses to get around but you do need to check with your travel partner if this would suit them too.
Do you want to party while you are in Italy, visiting nightclubs and bars, staying up til the early hours or do you want a more sedate tour where you focus on visiting the sites of cultural and historical significance? Deciding in advance will help you to choose the perfect travel partner for your Italian adventure!
Are You A Planner?
Some people love to have their travel itineraries carefully researched and laid out in advance while others prefer to travel in a more ad hoc way! You’ll have to be honest with yourself and your potential travel partner so that your time in the country together will be as harmonious as possible.
You Need To Agree On A Budget.
One of the most common reasons for arguments and disagreements between travel partners is the budget! It’s vital that you both agree to a rough budget for your holiday in Italy so that one partner doesn’t feel that they are paying for more than the other one.
It’s always going to be worth taking a little bit extra to what you have budgeted for just to be on the safe side, but nonetheless, getting a rough idea of your budget in advance will save you a lot of problems further down the road.
What Are Your Interests?
When it comes to choosing a travel partner, making sure that your interests align is going to be one of the most important things you can do! Do you want to visit Italy’s famous museums, galleries, churches and cathedrals or spend more time in the rural parts of the country, hiking, biking and swimming in lakes?
It’s probably a good idea for you to write down a list of the things that you definitely want to do and then compare notes with a potential travel partner before you agree to travel together! Of course, a potential travel partner is unlikely to agree with absolutely everything you want to do, and visa versa, so try to keep an open mind and be prepared to be surprised! Your travel partner may also come up with some ideas that you hadn’t thought of, however, if there’s something you definitely don’t want to do, such as hiking, then do say so in advance.
Are You Happy To Part Ways Sometimes?
When you’re travelling around Italy with your partner you may decide to spend a few days alone pursuing your own interests and then meet up later on. This is one way to avoid disputes about your itinerary and so you should always find out how they feel about spending a few days alone during your trip. Naturally, you can meet up a few days later in an agreed location and then continue your travels together, with new stories to tell each other about your time apart.
Travelling With Different Types Of People.
It’s not always essential to travel with someone who is very similar to you because sometimes differences in personalities can make an even more compatible combination! For example, if you’re a bit of an introvert then it might be a good idea to travel with someone who is more extroverted.
This way, the more extroverted partner can handle more of the arrangements and negotiations on the ground while the introverted one can handle map reading and online arrangements. Of course, you want to make sure that you do get along well but this doesn’t mean that you have to be carbon copies of one another!
Is Your Travel Partner Ready To Try Anything Once?
While you’re travelling with your partner it will be much easier to get along if they, and you, are willing to try anything once! This will make your adventures together more fun and allow a degree of spontaneity which can add the extra touch of magic to your time together.
Naturally, there will be limits to this; for example, someone who is afraid of heights may never be willing to go bungee jumping but in less extreme examples it’s usually worth being a bit more flexible and prepared to try anything at least once!
Does Your Travel Partner Have A Good Sense Of Humor?
One of the most important things to find in a potential travel partner is a good sense of humor! This means they are far less likely to get upset or overwhelmed if something goes wrong – which it’s bound to at some point – and will help you enjoy your time together that much more. For instance, there may be times when your plans are foiled by heavy rain, or other factors that cannot be controlled, and so being willing to laugh at the situation is a valuable asset in any travel partner.
What Are Your Travel Partner’s Dietary Requirements?
Eating is going to be one of the major pleasures of your trip to Italy, a country that is famed the world over for it’s superb cuisine. However, you really do need to find out if your travel partner has special dietary requirements which could be restrictive to your shared itinerary.
You should also discover if your travel partner is more of a ‘snacker’, eating small meals and bites throughout the day, or whether they are more of a strict ‘3 square meals’ a day type of person. The more you can learn about your travel partner’s dietary preferences and requirements the less unpleasant surprises you’ll get once you’re in Italy.
Is Your Travel Partner Trustworthy?
It’s essential that you can trust your travel partner and that you can rely on them to have your back while you’re in Italy. Of course, you hope nothing bad will happen while you’re in Italy and you won’t find yourself in trouble but if you do then you need to be able to trust each other completely!
You need to know that your travel partner won’t walk away from you in a large crowd, abandon you if they meet someone else along the way and look after your things in the hotel while you’re out running an errand. In most cases, a travel partner will be very reliable however you do need to trust your gut feelings and only travel with someone that you can really trust.
How Do You Find A Travel Partner?
Finding a travel partner to explore Italy with can be a little daunting but there are many ways that you can go about this. The first, and probably the easiest, way to start looking for a travel partner is to make use of your own social circles.
This way, they will already have been ‘vetted’ by your friends or family and you’ll have plenty of common ground to talk about and get to know each other over. Work mates, old college friends and friends of your family members is a good place to start asking. For example, you could post a message on Facebook or other social media explaining that you want to visit Italy but would prefer to go with a travel partner.
However, if asking around your own social networks doesn’t yield you the results that you were hoping for there are other ways to find a nice travel partner. There are several excellent websites that you can use to find other people who are looking for a travel partner. These are very intuitive to use and will quickly put you in touch with other like minded people who are planning a trip to Italy as well.
- Your Travel Mates: This is a great social platform where you can meet other people, share stories, tips and local knowledge while helping to build one of the world’s largest online travel communities. The platform is set up to help you find the perfect travel partner in a safe and supportive environment.
- GAFFL: The perfect place for you to find other travellers who want to explore Italy and are also looking for someone to share their experiences with. The platform has users from more than 150 countries around the world with its secure 3 step verification process the service is very safe to use.
Choosing A Travel Partner For Your Trip To Italy.
Travelling is one of life’s greatest joys but going solo can get lonely with no one to share your adventures with. However, there are many ways that you can go about finding the ideal partner to share your travels with to give your time away that extra element of fun, companionship and mutual support.
