Work backwards from check-in
Start with the time you can actually enter your accommodation. Add the airport transfer, baggage collection and any waiting time. Now mark the meals that fall inside that window. A flight that lands at lunchtime does not necessarily leave time to shop before an afternoon activity or early shop closure.
Give each meal a primary plan
Write one short line for each meal: place or food, timing and the remaining question. For example, your evening plan might be to shop near the apartment after check-in, while breakfast uses food you have already organised. This is an itinerary exercise, not a requirement to choose every meal of the holiday in advance.
- During the transfer: what food will be accessible?
- After check-in: is there time to shop or prepare something?
- First evening: which arrangement still needs a reply?
- Next morning: what can you organise the night before?
Reconfirm the meal, not just the reservation
For a restaurant plan, explain your allergies to the staff serving you and ask about ingredients and preparation. FARE recommends that conversation even when you have already researched the venue. A reservation confirms a table; it does not confirm a particular meal’s suitability.[1]
Keep the earlier reply available so the staff can see the exact question. If the menu or team has changed, return to the unanswered details rather than assuming the earlier arrangement still applies.
Write the delayed-arrival version
Imagine landing three hours later. Which shop is now closed? Does the accommodation still have someone available? Can the planned food be accessed without a kitchen? Write an alternative that changes as few decisions as possible.
Save the addresses in the local writing system where useful and download the route. Add a clear point at which you switch to the backup, such as missing a shop’s closing time. Leave the first evening light enough to accommodate that change. Once the essentials are settled, the rest of the trip can become more spontaneous; the first day does not need to carry your entire sightseeing wishlist.
Take it with you
Your takeaway checklist
- Map landing time through to check-in.
- Name a plan for each meal in that window.
- Record the unanswered food questions.
- Write an alternative for a late arrival.
Sources & references
Source pages checked 13 September 2026. Confirm current provider policies and country requirements before travelling.