1. Pack simply. Most people, myself included, have to learn the hard way before they follow this advice. But do yourself a favor and take it from me — you need to take very little. On my first trip to Europe, my friend and I each took two checked bags and a carry-on. We were going to need so many things! We hauled those heavy bags through airports, into taxis, through train stations, and up stairs, only to take home a lot of things we never even used. You will want to spend your time exploring a new culture, not worrying about your things constantly. There is so much freedom and so little back pain when you have only one bag to worry about.
2. Book accommodations with washing machines. When you pack only 3 outfits (per my #1 tip), this allows you to wash a load every evening and therefore never run out of clothes. Dryers are not as common outside of North America, but most places have indoor drying racks that make drying your clothes a breeze (pun intended).
3. Go with people you love. “A simple meal with love is better than a feast where there is hatred.” Proverbs 15:17 CEV Solomon said it best, of course, but allow me to elaborate. I would rather be shivering in the rain eating greasy takeaway with someone who is a kindred spirit, than be at an Italian vineyard on a beautiful day eating freshly made pasta with someone who is not. You would too. On any trip, the Who is more important than the Where or the How. 
4. Don’t stress about the weather. Embrace the place you’re going to visit, and don’t expect constant balmy weather. Take your umbrella and walk in the rain. Stop at a cafe and catch up on your travel journal. Try new food. Visit an art museum.
5. Plan to walk. Wear comfortable shoes and walk as much as you can. Before you hop on a train or Uber, check to see if it might be faster to walk. It is cheaper! Walking also takes you to beautiful places you would miss if you were driving. You will become familiar with the area and feel like a local. You can change your route at any time to go through a pretty alley, stop at a market, or cross a bridge for no explicable reason. My favorite part of walking is that it makes me hungry. It’s always so sad to be in a new place and not be hungry enough to try every bit of the local fare.
6. Buy an eSIM. To use my phone plan internationally it costs over $10 a day, but with Airalo (https://airalo.go.link/gEp4z) I can typically purchase an international data plan for $10-$15 for a month. An eSIM can be installed before you leave and will be working immediately when you get to your destination. That being said, I also recommend that you
7. Download offline maps. Select the area you’ll be in on Google Maps or Apple Maps and download the map of this area for offline use. That way, if your service isn’t working and you don’t have WiFi, you can still get directions.
8. Decide to laugh. When the meal you ordered isn’t what you expected, a bus you were depending on won’t show up, or you can’t figure out how to flush the toilet, don’t get irritable! It’s a waste of time (and rude) to complain about the “dumb” ways other countries operate. You chose to be there and you are the guest. Whenever problems and disappointments come up, take a deep breath— and laugh!
9. Take care of your health. Drink lots of water, wear sunscreen, and try to get to bed early so you can
10. Get up early! Spots are usually popular for good reason. However, their beauty is often greatly diminished by throngs of tourists. My favorite solution is to beat them there! One evening in Rome, after we had a nice dinner, we decided to walk down to see Trevi Fountain lit up. We could see the fountain but it was so crowded we couldn’t get close. (It was, however, highly entertaining to watch the people who did manage make their way to the front. They didn’t take time to enjoy the beautiful art, but instead posed for a picture to prove they were there. After the inevitable and garish flash, their mission was accomplished and they would wade back out through the crowd.) Our apartment wasn’t far away so we decided to get up early the next morning and come back. It was still dark and the fountain was still lit up. There were less than 10 people there and we had a grand time. Afterwards we went to a lovely little cafe to have breakfast and had a great conversation with the owners. Did we feel like waking up? No, but we were so glad we did and you will be too.

These are the first 10 travel tips that came to mind, but I have more where those came from. Subscribe! 😉