We will be in Switzerland and Italy for Two weeks, do we need to have all reservations in place for hotels or can we wing it as we go and find places to stay? We don’t have a route planned.
Posted by
Italy
3812 posts
When? In August when most italians take their summer vacations? Or in the second half of September when Schools are open again?
And Where? On the Seaside? The Big 3? The Hill towns in Central Italy ? The unspoiled Adriatic coast or the overrun Amalfi Coast?
You can't really expect there is a single answer that is correct for any month and any place?
You can Forget to find a bed anywhere in tourist-Tuscany between April 25 and August 16 in 2023, whereas you could wing it in Puglia in late September / early October.
Posted by
la la land...
1037 posts
"Winging it" was possible back in the day before the internet, but no longer. Too many people traveling these days, and with the proliferation of online reservation booking platforms, that is the way it is done now.
Posted by
496 posts
I understand the “winging it”….but the pent up travel demand for these countries will make that very difficult. Maybe hostels…or camping…if lucky last minute hotel room cancelations? You would just have to be very flexible and willing to take what’s available. Most of us going have had places booked many months ago! Wish you well!
Posted by
Sacramento, California U.S.A.
10634 posts
Without more specifics such as when and where it is impossible to answer your question.
Posted by
seattle
2144 posts
What time of year. We “winged it” last year in November, but will say several it took over a hour to search online for for an available place. Onthe other hand, we also got incredible places.
Posted by
27 posts
My two cents: Yes.
Pent up demand is real - not alarmist babble - and while you can easily pivot to picnic or grab a panini for a meal, not having somewhere to sleep is not so easily overcome. You don't mention how many are traveling, but an attempt to do this for a party of two is not a good idea right now - and the prospects are worse if you're trying to house even more.
I would also be deeply concerned about losing my precious travel time in a place while scrambling to find somewhere to sleep.
I understand the desire to freely roam, but I think time is the most valuable vacation commodity and going sans lodging reservations is a fast pass to wasting that precious resource with the added kicker of a host of other undesirable consequences.
Posted by
la la land...
1037 posts
I would also be deeply concerned about losing my precious travel time in a place while scrambling to find somewhere to sleep.
Even "back in the day", like in the 80s or early 90s, the general recommendation was to at least book your first and last night lodging. I remember on my first trip, solo, to Europe, in the early 80s during the shoulder season of May, with a rail pass in hand, I booked my first night(s) hotel, and my last night's hotel. I took pot luck on whatever I could find on my journey, but back then, every city and town of a certain size had a tourist information (TI) office usually at or adjacent to the rail station, and the TI was a great resource for booking a room. I used that method wherever possible.
There was one exception - I also pre-booked a room in Switzerland, in Murren, simply because it would have been very inconvenient to have to backtrack down the mountain to Interlaken or wherever if I could not find a place to stay.
I have booked all hotels for trips to Europe since sometime in the 90s, mainly because I would be with my family, and I did not want to be hunting for accommodations for 4 people...moat of those trips were during the high season - the summer - and I did not risk it.