Travel Like a Gentleman, Not a Tourist

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Travel is an essential pursuit for any man who aspires to be a gentleman. 

But to simply go somewhere new does not always open you to the cultural riches of your chosen destination. 

You need to avoid making the same common mistakes that most tourists make, much to the annoyance of locals and other travelers. 

So in this article I will offer my suggestions on how you can avoid these mistakes, and instead, travel like a gentleman, enriching your mind with fruitful experiences.

Don’t follow the flock

The biggest mistake you can make is to follow the flock. 

To go where everyone else goes, at the same time as they go, is always an error.

In recent years, we’ve seen how beautiful destinations like Portofino, Mykonos, and Bali have turned into claustrophobic tourist traps, seasonally spoiled by swarms of newcomers

Don’t let crowds spoil your vacation (TikTok: @eliselifestyle)

Social media has surely contributed to the rise of “it-destinations.”

Before social media, you did not know where people outside of your circle of family and friends were vacationing.

But now, the place you spend your summer has become a status symbol, and taking a selfie on the Amalfi Coast is the new way of keeping up with the Joneses. 

Many of the most popular destinations are popular for a reason - they are beautiful, historic, and charming. 

But to experience them at their best, I encourage you to travel off-season. Not only will you have a more authentic experience, but you will save yourself money. 

And if you thought your friends were jealous of you leaving for the French Riviera in July, wait till they find out you are leaving behind the December snow of the Mid-West for a Mediterranean winter.

Avoid lingual limbo

Most tourists make the mistake of arriving at their chosen destination with a severely limited understanding of the local language. 

Although it is possible to ‘get by’ with English and Google Translate, it will tremendously handicap your ability to experience the culture.

From the time you book your trip to the day you leave the destination, I recommend you make it your hobby to learn the language. 

Just 20 to 30 minutes a day with effective learning methods will give you a grasp of sentence structure and the ability to speak and comprehend common phrases.

These days, learning a language has never been easier. The apps DuoLingo and Babbel are very popular, but I have found Michel Thomas Method to be the most effective.

It’s not very talked-about these days, but I used it before I traveled to Argentina last year and I found it massively useful. 

Argentina is a country where a relatively low percentage of the population speaks English, so if I didn’t have that, and a Spanish-speaking woman with me, I would struggle to experience the culture properly.

My relatively basic skills enabled me to have conversations with bartenders, taxi drivers, and understand what everyday life was like for the citizens of Buenos Aires.

At work in Buenos Aires, 2023

As you continue to travel over the years, you will find that your linguistic skills will improve and you can develop a working tool belt of the main modern languages to take with you anywhere.

A gentleman never underpacks

Europeans can spot an American tourist from a mile off - the uniform of shorts, T-Shirt, and baseball cap makes them stand out as clearly as their pearly white teeth. 

But to enjoy the delights of your chosen destination, you should look your best. 

This doesn’t necessarily mean you should assimilate the traditional cultural dress, but if you want to travel like a gentleman, you need to look like one. 

These days, lots of people aim to travel only with a carry-on. But the carry-on approach is highly overrated.

Pack too lightly, and you’re almost certain to be underdressed and underprepared for the experiences you will have. 

And with many airlines now making passengers check their carry-on bags at the gate, it's become quite a counterproductive strategy. 

There is nothing wrong with bringing a suitcase that is big and sturdy enough to carry all the clothes you will need to be a well-dressed man abroad. 

My suitcase of choice is the Check-In by Carl Friedrik.

Traveling in-style with my Carl Friedrik suitcase

Capture the moment

You may have expected me to say that tourists make the mistake of taking too many photos. 

At some summer destinations, the opportunities for iPhone photography has become one of the main attractions. 

And I agree, being overly concerned with your social media while on vacation is a way to spoil your enjoyment and to get on the nerves of everyone around you. 

But as men, I think we are often guilty of the opposite problem.

We don’t take enough photos. 

There are so many wonderful places I have been with some wonderful women, but all I have is my fading memory of those trips. 

I wish I had remembered to capture those memories with photos and videos, so I could look back fondly. 

I encourage you, take those photos for yourself, not for social media. 

The goal of a vacation is to enjoy it to its fullest, and create some small mementos along the way. 

To ensure you take just the right number of photos, I think it’s a wonderful idea to bring a disposable camera. 

As a child, I loved taking one of these on vacation and getting the photos developed after. 

You only get about 30 photos, so that’s just the right amount to capture your memories without it becoming a distraction.

And then you get the excitement of waiting until you get home to get the photos back, and even store them in an album.

Because, let’s be honest, nobody treasures and reminisces over their icloud collection like they do a book of physical photographs.

Plan in moderation

Finally, it is a mistake to either underplan, or overplan, your trip. 

A vacation should have the right balance of intention and spontaneity. 

You don’t want to return home regretting the things you did not do, but nor do you want to be left drained from the tyranny of your own itinerary. 

Plan just the right amount - not too much, not too little

Before traveling, I recommend researching heavily the attractions and restaurants you may wish to visit, and make reservations if necessary. 

But don’t confine yourself to a schedule for every waking hour of your trip. 

As a general rule, I think you should have no more than one or two pre-planned activities per day. 

That leaves ample time to discover new places and new experiences as you go. 

It is for this reason that I personally dislike organized, package trips. I prefer to create my own adventure, and I hate being told where to go and what to do. 

Conclusion

Gentlemen, I would love to hear from you in the comments.

What is one tip you have learned from your travels that helps you make the most of your vacations and excursions?

Do you have a favorite destination? Or is there an upcoming trip you are particularly looking forward to?

I will be jetting off to London in a few weeks, where I will be hosting a meet-up event at The King’s Head in Mayfair on Wednesday September 4th. It’s free to attend, and I hope to see you there.