Get well prepared for a city trip

Today, there are incredibly cheap airfares and a vast range of accommodation alternatives that allow you to travel within your budget. You want to be well prepared for the trip as you will be miles away from home. Things to do in Amsterdam explains how: 

Have a rough idea 
It is important to have a rough idea of where you are going and the exact places you want to visit. For example, if you are planning to buy the Heineken experience tickets in Amsterdam, you want to discover other areas you can visit during the vacation. The Amsterdam Dungeon, for example, makes a great tour for those who love history. It explains the early life of the city in an eighty-minute interactive trip. You also want to catch a movie at the Tuschinski Theater, which was constructed in 1921. Make a list of must-sees for the place you intend to visit; travel guides make excellent starting points. 

Additionally, get your visa ready beforehand by checking if the destination country requires you to apply before or after arrival. An overall health checkup and the routine vaccines come in handy before boarding the plane. Some countries need visitors to make specific shots before entering their territories. 

Highlights and hidden secrets  
Unless you have friends, family or acquaintances residing where you intend to visit, it can be challenging to discover all the hidden secrets of the city. Sure, the locals come in handy, but there is no guarantee that they will be interested in helping you. Thanks to technology, tourists can use apps that help them discover the city faster. Spotted by Locals is one such app that provides recommendations from residents about where to eat, shop and get entertained. The app operates offline, so you don't have to worry about data usage or the availability of network coverage. The advice on each section is brief and detailed, and you can use a nearby tab to scope out places wherever you are. Cool Cousin is another perfect app for travellers, offering access to contributors in more than 40 large cities in the world. The user adds the contributors or cousins who seem to have similar tastes to their networks. After each add, the cousin's recommendations are added to the user's map and broken down into useful categories such as the outdoors, places to visit, food and nightlife. 

Smart and cheap

Travelling is about experiences, but it doesn't mean you should travel broke. Study the place you want to visit and identify ways to discover all the stunning places without breaking the bank. Travelling cheap isn't about reducing costs but getting the most out of what you spend. Here are tips to help you travel smart and cheap: 

Heineken Experience
It is a self-guided tour through the former Heineken brewery. Interactive exhibits are used to enlighten visitors about the history of the famous Heineken Pilsner and the brewing process. You also learn how malted barley is turned into the most delicious Holland beer. The name Heineken is visible as you approach the Bierbrouwerij building, a former working brewery until 1988. After the 2008 renovations, the place transformed into four levels of interactive exhibits though most of Heineken's interior remained preserved. The Old Brew Room shows how barley is boiled while the Stable Walk displays magnificent Clydesdales (horses towing wooden carts of beer around Amsterdam). You also get to ride the 4-D roller-coaster movie where visitors can pour and package their Heineken. The tour concludes at a Tasting Bar where visitors sample fresh Heineken with friends as several free beers are offered for each visitor to make your Heineken Experience tickets worth it. This two-hour tour is heightened at the disco area where visitors can dance while wearing some of Heineken's merchandise that is sold at the shop.