Many people might just associate travel with holidays, and getting away from it all for a week or two to relax somewhere nice, or do something exhilarating. However, all travel, however big or small, is inherently decided by an ideology about why we want to travel. This is different for everyone, and some people may have a solid understanding of why they want to travel, for others they might not be able to quite put their finger on it; they just know they love it.

When it comes to travel, the possibilities are endless. With 197 countries and over 10,000 cities in the world, there are a whole host of places to try, and experiences to be had. But as well as the destination, the type of holiday can really affect the experience you have. Most people are accustomed to weekend breaks, or short stay holidays of about a week. These usually consist of staying in the same location, often a city, for a few days (usually over the weekend), and exploring this area and sometimes attractions around it.

Inevitably, the first part of any holiday is the planning stage. For some people, this can be an exciting time to explore their options and see what different countries and locations have to offer, but for others this is a drag they just want to get out the way and get going with their holiday. Although everyone ‘plans’ their holiday to a certain extent (such as the flights you take, where you stay and which country you go to) there is a variety of different approaches beyond this.

For the final stretch of our holiday, we left Rome and headed south to the stunning and historic Amalfi Coast. A land of history, culture and breathtaking views, this oft forgotten part of southern Italy is the perfect place to unwind by the beach, especially after a packed few days exploring Rome. The Amalfi coast is perhaps most famous for Pompeii; the ancient town that in 79 AD was destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius; and Naples, the bustling and vibrant city that has risen from the ashes of this destruction to become one of the most exciting cities in modern Europe.

Following on from our trip to San Marino, we decided to go further down the Italian peninsula to Rome, the capital and largest city in Italy. Traditionally called the Caput Mundie, meaning the capital of the world, Rome used to be the heart of the world’s most powerful empire. Controlling significant amounts of land in Europe, Africa and Asia, at its height Rome really was the centre of the world. Although these days are long gone, the remanence of this grandeur remains in Rome’s stunning architecture, culture, and history-soaked streets.

Last year, the summer of 2022, seemed to be the first time since Covid that travel was easy and accessible without regulations. Having just completed my first year of university, my partner and I decided to make the most of this new freedom and explore Italy. But instead of a city break, like I explored last time with Amsterdam, we decided to do more of a road trip around Italy. However, instead of using cars, we used entirely public transport to get between the four main locations we visited.

Backpacking is a low-cost way of travelling which includes visiting many different locations in one trip whilst carrying around your possessions with you and staying in accommodation such as cheap hostels and lodges. It’s a unique way of travelling that is mainly done independently and by people aged 20 to 25 who make up about 2/3 of the people who go backpacking and can be a great way to experience many different cultures.

The interrail is a unique way to travel around the continent of Europe, it’s a train pass that allows you to travel using almost all trains in Europe which allows you to see the entire continent using just one method of transport. The pass covers 33 countries giving you the availability to choose between 3000 different destinations by simply showing your pass on your phone and hopping on the train. The interrail can be a more cost-effective and efficient way to travel for someone who wants to experience a lot and see numerous different locations.

Even though beach holidays and travelling in the summer months are the way most people travel, planning a trip during Winter and going to countries of colder climates have so much to offer. Travelling at this time of year also comes with the added benefits of airports being less busy and flights sometimes cheaper which helps to escape the poor English weather and experience a true winter.

The amount of people taking a gap year to travel is increasing, research by Teachingabroad showed that 56% of students that take a gap year travel during that time. A gap year is normally taken before a major change in life such as going to university, starting a new job or having a baby but anyone should consider time to travel at any stage of their life.