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Part of the Royal Geographical Society collection, travel from top to toe and explore Italy’s famous landmarks. Visit iconic cities Venice, Florence and Rome and discover the hidden gems of Pompeii, Sicily and more.
Explore the awe-inspiring Rocky Mountains and the vibrant cities of Victoria and Vancouver on a holiday that’s packed full of magnificent sights and scenery.
From Tokyo to Kyoto, Osaka and beyond, discover the unforgettable highlights of Japan including an incredible high-speed ride on the Bullet Train.
If you’ve ever found yourself daydreaming over a cup of tea about the places you still want to visit, you’re not alone. Many of us reach a moment – often around retirement or after a life change – when we choose to make the most of our time with experiences that enrich us, broaden our outlook and give us stories to share. A travel bucket list doesn’t have to be a tick-box exercise. It’s a thoughtful plan for meaningful trips, taken at a pace that suits you, so you can make memories that last a lifetime.
This guide provides a straightforward approach to creating a travel bucket list that you’ll actually accomplish. Discover how to:
Decide what’s truly unmissable for you.
Prioritise trips with a simple 4C filter.
Map out a multi-year plan.
Factor in health, timing and budget.
Planning can often feel overwhelming and time-consuming, so we’ll show you how escorted tours with Travelsphere remove the hard work, allowing you to focus on enjoying the moments.
A strong travel bucket list starts with you – your interests, your pace, your sense of curiosity.
Start by deciding what “unmissable” means to you. Maybe you’re drawn to culture and history – ornate cathedrals, ancient sites and world-class museums. Perhaps nature and wildlife are your focus, with a safari or scenic walks to soak up a new landscape.
You might be inspired by food and drink, the aromas and flavours of different cultures, or the scenery that unfolds on a leisurely cruise.
Your bucket list doesn’t just have to be places. Add experiences that appeal, too – such as riding the Bernina Express through alpine passes, spotting the Big Five on an African game safari, wandering beneath the cherry blossoms on an escorted tour of Japan, or timing a trip around a festival that brings a city to life.
Consider mixing big experiences with more intimate moments, like a walking food tour of Athens or a local festival, so your list reflects both scale and soul.
To start creating your own bucket list, try this simple exercise:
Set a 15-minute timer.
Write down 10–20 travel ideas without editing or judging them.
Keep it personal – you don’t have to include what everyone else considers “unmissable” if it doesn’t particularly interest you.
Consider your budget, how you prefer to travel and how much time you can set aside.
Prioritise the ideas that you feel are the most achievable.
There are many ways to travel independently, but for many UK travellers, escorted touring is the most enjoyable route to achieving a travel bucket list – especially when you value depth, comfort and seeing sights off the beaten track.
The difference between seeing and truly understanding a place is often the person beside you, pointing out details you’d have otherwise missed. Our Holiday Directors and guides bring history to life, introduce you to local people and customs, and help you find the best places to visit for food and drinks.
Our itineraries perfectly balance guided excursions with free time, giving you space to linger in a favourite location or experience something new. You’ll stay in hand-picked accommodation and move easily from one highlight to the next.
Choose a tour style to suit your pace:
Our Relax & Explore tours have one or two bases with a balanced rhythm. All you have to do is unpack, explore at leisure and enjoy thoughtful day trips that match a more leisurely tempo.
If you have broader travel ambitions, our Great Adventures holidays offer the chance to cover more ground with a well-paced route that strings together several “must-see” experiences without feeling rushed.
There is a practical mnemonic you can use to help create your bucket. Look at each trip through four lenses – Calendar, Comfort, Cost, and Confidence – then move the best-fit options to the top and park the rest for later.
Calendar – When should you go? Seasons can make a significant difference, as a destination can feel completely different from one month to the next. Most destinations have a ‘best time to visit’, typically based on weather and activities, but don’t feel compelled to visit during those seasons. Shoulder season often brings fewer crowds, comfortable weather and better value.
Looking for inspiration? Think Croatian island hopping in the summer, an escorted tour in India from October to March or a US National Park tour in late Spring to early Autumn.
Comfort – Consider the length of flights, the altitude, climate, and walking demands. For a slower pace, rail tours offer scenic, low-stress travel and provide level access to major sights.
Cost – Budget may also be a factor in potential travel plans. A balance of long and short-haul trips throughout the year could help spread the costs, as well as examining the costs of inclusions, such as meals, excursions, and transfers.
Confidence – Travel requires some level of confidence. Guided tours could help you build this, offering easy ways to see the world and make new connections as you tick those trips off your bucket list.
A bucket list works best when it’s a living document.
Think in seasons and years, not decades. Here’s a sample three-year plan that balances variety, pace and budget – using Travelsphere’s tour styles and categories as inspiration.
Year | Headline Trips | Inspiring Escapes |
|---|---|---|
1 | Amalfi Coast – Enjoy the sights with day trips to Capri and Pompeii or Andalucia – Explore white villages, Moorish palaces and tapas trails | Discover Malta – Enjoy the best of the stunning island on this relaxing tour. or Lisbon – Visit historic towns and spectacular Sintra |
2 | Japan – See everything from Mount Fuji to Osaka or Go Beyond the Golden Triangle – See Delhi, Agra, Jaipur and Ranthambore | The Pyrenees – Take unforgettable journeys by train through the mountains dividing Spain and France or Switzerland – See untouched Alpine landscapes |
3 | South Africa – Adventure through the savannah on safari or Jordan – Discover its ancient, well-preserved wonders | Crete – Explore the island’s beautiful wild nature or Savouring Bordeaux & the Dordogne – Taste delicious local wines and enjoy the stunning scenery of southwestern France. |
A little planning can go a long way – think ahead to help make your adventures as fulfilling and exciting as you hope.
Getting the timing right could make the difference between your trip being the relaxing getaway you need and being distracted by the bustle of noisy crowds.
Book early for peak seasons and iconic events, such as cherry blossom time in Japan or Christmas breaks. If you value space and milder weather, consider travelling in the shoulder seasons for comfort and value.
Everyone moves at a different pace, so match your trip to your needs. Our daily itineraries provide you with advance notice about things like walking demands, stairs, and early starts.
On Travelsphere guided trips, you can expect hand-picked hotels, comfortable coaches with planned comfort stops, and luggage handling. If you have specific mobility or health considerations, speak to our helpful advisors to discover what may work for you.
Set your expectations early. When travelling, you may want to balance cost with comfort. Our team is with you every step of the way so you can enjoy a holiday of a lifetime. After each day, you’ll return to the accommodation we’ve carefully chosen as the best fit for your stay.
With 60+ years of touring expertise, ATOL and ABTA protection, and consistently high Trustpilot reviews, Travelsphere offers clear service, secure payments and guaranteed departures. Part of our book with confidence guarantee is that all inclusions – meals, transfers and excursions – are transparent, helping you compare trips.
Consider your impact on the planet as you turn your bucket list into reality. Choosing expert-led, group activities could help lighten your carbon footprint while directing your spending where it matters most. Our trips support local communities and Planeterra projects through locally owned stays, community-run experiences and ethical guiding.
Not sure where to begin with your bucket list? Browse our list of ideas for a taste of what you could experience...
Switzerland’s Bernina Express and Glacier routes sweep over high alpine passes and along mirror-still lakes, with castle-topped ridge lines framed by panoramic windows. Move at an unhurried pace – step from station to square, enjoy Swiss cuisine and watch light drift across glaciers and meadows.
Linked by Habsburg history, Budapest, Vienna and Prague offer riverside walks, grand architecture and classic café culture in three distinct styles. Bathe in Budapest’s thermal spas by the Danube, savour Vienna’s opera houses, palaces and coffee-and-cake ritual and wander Prague’s cobbled lanes from the Charles Bridge to the castle before a hearty Czech supper.
On Sardinia’s Emerald Coast, turquoise bays meet medieval lanes and elegant promenades. Drift between boat trips, gentle coastal walks and shaded terraces, soaking in the soft morning glow and relaxing during warm evenings.
Begin in Peru by watching the sunrise at Machu Picchu and spending quiet hours in the Sacred Valley, then cross to Bolivia’s horizon-blurring Uyuni salt flats. Follow rainforest trails at Iguazú Falls and finish in lively Rio de Janeiro.
Istanbul anchors your days with Hagia Sophia’s domes and the bustle of the Grand Bazaar, while Cappadocia glows at dawn over fairy-chimney valleys. Along the Aegean, enjoy Greco-Roman sites and evenings of delicious mezze.
Wildlife often makes an entry on a travel bucket list – Big Five safaris at first light, whale-watching on breezy shores and wetlands alive with birdlife. Guided wildlife touring adds to the experience, allowing you to see and learn more. Observe the orangutans on our Best of Borneo tour, or safari through India on The Tiger Trail.
Give yourself the gift of travel with a festive trip such as Christmas in Sorrento or Andalucia. In Spring, Japan’s cherry blossom wraps parks and temples in a soft pink hue. You could also enjoy New England, Canada & New York in the Fall, when the changing leaves turn the trees copper and gold.
Travelsphere can help you tick off experiences and adventures on your bucket list. Let us take you on great adventures, to tour iconic cities or give you a much-needed opportunity to relax and explore.
Simply choose the pace that suits you and start planning. Our friendly team of travel experts is here to answer any questions you may have.
