How to Plan a Unique European Trip | The Travel Speakeasy Method

Trip PlanningTravel Itinerary
Written By Jen Perry

Travel, for me, was never meant to be rushed or checklist-driven. It’s something you feel – in the music, in the light, in the food – something local you didn’t plan to find.

That’s why I created what I call The 5 Senses Travel Method – a way of exploring that blends self-guided discovery with thoughtfully chosen experiences.

I don’t believe you need to book a tour or excursion for everything. In fact, some of the most meaningful moments happen when you wander.

But there are times when the right experience – the right guide, the right access – transforms a place entirely.

The Travel Speakeasy Approach

Self Guided Exploration

My guides and scavenger hunts are designed for travelers who want freedom – to move slowly, notice more, and experience a place through their own lens.

These are:

  • Walkable

  • Flexible

  • Affordable

  • Designed around atmosphere, culture, and hidden details

👉Explore My City Guides

👉Try a Scavenger Hunt Experience

When I Choose a Tour

I recommend tours very intentionally – not as a replacement for exploring, but as an enhancement.

The right tour gives you:

  • Access you wouldn’t have on your own

  • Context the deepens what you’re seeing

  • A more refined, immersive experience

Explore Through The 5 Senses Method

Structure like this:

Sound

  • Live music

  • Cultural storytelling tours

  • Local guides

Taste

  • Food tours

  • Wine tastings

  • Aperitivo culture

Sight

  • Museums

  • Architecture tours

  • Historic access tours (skip-the-line)

Touch (Movement/Feeling)

  • Walking/hiking tours

  • Boat/Water experiences

  • Biking tours

Smell

  • Perfumerie tours

  • Tea rituals/Wineries

  • Outdoor Markets

My Trusted Tour Partners

Premium Experiences (Highly Curated)

Liv Tours

If I’m booking a guided experience in Europe, this is where I start. Their tours feel more intimate, thoughtful, and elevated than most –less rushed, more immersive.

Ideal for:

  • Vatican/Rome

  • Paris Landmarks

  • Florence tours

  • Venice tours

👉Explore Liv Tours Experiences

Flexible & Affordable Options

Viator + GetYourGuide

These are excellent for flexibility – especially when you want to:

  • Book last minute

  • Compare options

  • Fill in gaps in your itinerary

  • Alternatives to more expensive Cruise excursions (just watch your boarding times!)

👉Browse Tours on Viator

👉Find Experiences on GetYourGuide

Deep Cultural Travel

Untold Italy

For Italy, this is one of my favorite resources. It’s less about “tourism” and more about understanding how Italy actually works – culturally, regionally, and experientially.

👉Explore Untold Italy Experiences

How I Recommend Planning Your Trip

The best trips are layered – not overbooked.

 

Example Structure:

Day in Europe:



Travel doesn’t have to be expensive to be meaningful – but the right experiences, chosen well, can elevate everything.

 

Here’s an example of how I structured a trip through Italy using my method – blending self-guided discovery with a few carefully chosen experiences:

 
 

The Itinerary:

I booked my flights using American Airlines points and American Express – nearly free, aside from a small fee.

Instead of a hotel, we stayed in a simple apartment in Arona on Lake Maggiore, using Expedia points – about $75 per night.

One afternoon, I booked a small, affordable experience- a Borromean Islands boat tour through GetYourGuide – about $20 per person. It was simple, easy, and added just enough structure to the day without taking it over.

The rest of the time was ours – finding dinner, and listening to live jazz in a little corner of Arona.

We rented a car and made our way down to Naples – completely self-guided – stopping along the way to explore hidden gems.

But then, I chose one moment to elevate the experience.

Through Untold Italy, I booked a private cooking class and wine tasting in Capri, with olive oil tasting and even a professional photographer to document the experience.

It was around $500 – and completely worth it!



The Philosophy

That’s the balance I always come back to:

Most of my travel is slow, self-guided, and inexpensive – built around wandering, atmosphere, and discovery.

(I have never been drawn to crowds, so it seems to work out.)

But I choose a few moments – very intentionally – to invest in something more elevated.

Not everything needs a tour. But the right experience, at the right time, can change how you remember a place entirely.



→Recreate This Style of Travel:



Happy Travels!

~Jen

The Travel Speakeasy

Jen Perry https://www.artofinjectionaesthetics.com
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