#favoroute

Last week the guys from The Next Web featured Favoroute as one of the 5 startups that make globetrotting the world a hassle free affair. We couldn’t agree more and we are super proud to be listed as one of their 5 startups!

The author of the article, Sofie Bittner, explains: “I recently moved to Amsterdam to work for TNW and so far it has been an absolute blast. New city, culture, food and people – what else could any self-proclaimed globetrotter ask for?” As she starts talking about Favoroute, she continues:

“I moved to Amsterdam after previously having spent only about four hours in the city. Now that I have access 24/7 I want to explore the city without seeming like too much of a tourist. Favoroute is a wonderful solution for that. Their guides are not “one size fits all”, but rather written for specific travel styles. You don’t just get the obvious tips, but hidden spots curated by locals that give you a very personalized experience and will make you feel more like visiting an old friend than a foreign city.”

With 80 different Favoroute travel guides, written by local experts all around the world, Favoroute’s mission is to become the go-to travel guidebook platform in the world. Need a guide for your travels? Get in touch with one of our local experts! To test out our digital travel guides, you receive a Free Amsterdam City Guide with the local tips shared by the Favoroute Team, simply by downloading the Favoroute app.

Read the full article on The Next Web page or have a look below.

Cosmopolitan ran a start-up special in their June 2016 issue that featured female entrepreneurs addressing the fundamentals of the start-up process. Favoroute’s founder, Frederieke, covered “The real cost of a start-up”, where she outlined what costs you can reasonably expect to encounter in launching an innovative new business. From the domain name and hosting to an SEO-specialist, with design, accounting, legal and everything in between, Frederieke shows her smarts in the number side of things.

Here is the full outline of Frederieke’s feature in the Cosmopolitan start-up special:

Elsevier, a weekly opinion magazine that addresses issues concerned with the economy, science, politics, finance and culture, featured Frederieke in their “The person behind” feature in the July 30, 2016 issue. The interview asks where Frederieke got the idea from Favoroute from, how Favoroute works, what the business model is and what’s in store for the future. It’s harder than she initially thought, “something that seems very simple, is in fact, always complicated!”

Here is the interview:

The team behind the inspirational website Guts & Tales interviewed Favoroute founder Frederieke Wolter about her journey from a corporate career to being a start-up founder. The article addresses that initial leap of faith, the issue of funding and challenges faced throughout the entire process.

Discover what drives Frederieke and what motivates her to overcome the hurdles involved in a start-up. Some of her wisdom for the indecisive amongst us?

“In any given situation in life, make a choice of either doing it or leaving it. Don’t wait too long to make a decision.”

Don’t miss Frederieke’s 5 insider tips to help YOU take the leap.

Read the entire interview at Guts & Tales.

Going on vacation can sometimes be a hassle. Not to mention sometimes it doesn’t go right and the mood can be completely ruined. Getting away from the day to day and relaxing is the goal for most people going on vacation. Whether that time is spent hiking up rigorous mountains, laying on the beach or mingling with locals the following tips will help create the perfect stress-free trip!

Planning, planning and more planning

Plan your trip far in advance! Research was conducted at the Breda University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands on vacationers and it showed that people are happiest when they’re waiting and anticipating the trip they’ve booked. The excitement is the highest at that very moment in time. While you wait for the vacation you planned months in advance you’ll have plenty of time to look at what you want to do. Take your time doing it and make sure you don’t leave out anything! Create a list and plan, this will create more and more excitement for the oncoming vacation.

Leave work behind

Stop and smell the flowers! Start by making sure that you leave work behind completely. Even if you enjoy everything you do at work, give yourself some needed TLC. When you’re on vacation that’s exactly what it’s supposed to be. You don’t want to be caught working on your vacation when your goal was to relax and unwind. To feel like work is well taken care of, make sure that work has been delegated before you leave, and that you have a clear and thorough ‘away from office message.’ This will make you feel much more at ease knowing that people know of your absence and that business will continue on without you!

Dare to do different things

When on vacation dare to be different. Break the mold and do stuff you wouldn’t do in your day to day life and stay busy is the most important. Being busy isn’t necessarily a bad thing, if hiking through a rain forest is what you’ve always wanted to do, do it! Cross some things off of your bucket list. Did you want to explore and partake in cultural activities? Explore the catacombs of Paris? Enjoy the hot springs in the mountains of Japan? As Nike’s slogan says: “Just do it!” Don’t hold yourself back any longer, and enjoy the things you’ve always wanted to enjoy.

End on a high note

It’s been proven that ending your vacation on a high will make you feel a lot more satisfied than if the peak moment you experienced was halfway through the vacation. Make sure you plan something you really wanted to do toward the end of your trip. Even if it’s just a special dinner at a certain restaurant, scuba diving near coral reefs, or visiting a UNESCO World Heritage site, end your vacation with a bang!

After one of the hottest summers ever recorded, the temperatures are finally dropping, fall is here and winter is right around the corner. Many are rejoicing for the oncoming chilly winter days and what’s better than to celebrate this joyous occasion by spending it abroad in cities perfect during the winter time! These destinations throughout the world are some of the best winter locations that will give you an unforgettable experience, ranging from unique places to some more popular ones. Regardless of their popularity they will have you excited for your next winter escapade.

 1. Amsterdam, Netherlands

Amsterdam has an amazing atmosphere during the winter time, with the streets and canals aglow with warm lights it gives a romantic winter feel that you can’t get anywhere else. The streets lined with canal homes from hundreds of years ago, this charming city will sweep you off of your feet. Tour the canals in the winter time close to dusk and watch how the city lights up and comes alive. Around Christmas time the Christmas markets can be found walking down the main street in the city with lots of decorations around every corner lighting up Amsterdam. Here you can buy all kinds of delicious Dutch treats and other invaluable items that will make it a time to remember. Delicious Oliebollen, which are a staple for that time of the year, are a must-try while you’re in Amsterdam in the fall or winter. If you come a bit earlier you might be able to catch Sinterklaas!

2. Beijing, China

Beijing, a city where the past meets the future while people try to get from place to place in the present. This capital city is massive in size with plenty of things to offer those wanting just a taste of China. Nestled between mountains on three sides this city stretches as far as the eye can see, with the Forbidden City in the Middle. Beijing maintains all of its historic sites extremely well, the city itself is super clean and among these ancient cultural buildings are super high-tech ones that are a complete contrast. People hold onto old traditions and habits while adjusting to the present and the future of this magnificent city. Visit Jingshan Park in the morning, it’s located across from the Forbidden City, walk up the winding stairs up to the pavilion and feast your eyes on the entire city. The view is spectacular. In the morning you’ll catch the older population doing Tai Chi, dancing and exercising together. It’s a magnificent sight to behold. Treat all of your senses by putting Beijing on your travel agenda!

3. New York, USA

New York is known as the city that never sleeps, being extremely chaotic but in a controlled way. There are always so many things happening at once, which makes for a sharp contrast to the silent winter nights. The beautiful lights warm up the city as snow comes down and it’s a true sight to behold. You won’t get bored in New York during winter time with plenty to do and plenty of places to stay warm. Partake in anything from the Chinese New Year celebrations in China Town to the vibrant musicals and plays on broadway. Shop till you drop or get to know locals and the hidden gems of New York in Queens, Brooklyn or Harlem giving you a different side of New York.

4. Muscat, Oman

Dare to be different and head to Muscat for an amazing trip to the middle east! This unexplored country is still raw and has many hidden gems to offer. During the winter the temperature cools down immensely making it a comfortable moderate climate that’s warm during the day and cool at night; perfect for those who can’t stand the heat or the cold. Muscat is perfect for those who want to step outside of their comfort zone. Home to endless deserts, pristine beaches, deep canyons with waterfalls paired with ample cultural sights there is lots to do in this seaside city.

5. Torres del Paine, Chile

Have you ever wanted to see a glacier? Well, they are plentiful in Chile and you can cruise down rivers while admiring the imposing glaciers. Since glaciers are disappearing, this experience will leave an impression for years to come. Not only does Torres del Paine have majestic glaciers, there are plenty of possibilities to hike through beautiful mountains, stroll through national parks, sail boats on the waterways and admire the wildlife. While exploring Torres del Paine and embracing the breathtaking nature this country has, you might encounter some of the inhabitants of Chile; condors, pumas and guanacos. This picturesque country is bucket list worthy on so many levels!

Last weekend Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad (AD) published a large news spread in their weekend magazine about ‘the new travel guides’ and their features. And the good news is… Favoroute is one of the examples given! With 9 features, they explain the new characteristics of the travel guide 2.0: 

1. No lugging around

The new travel guides are weightless and can be brought along on a phone and/or tablet. What used to be a cumbersome additional weight in travel luggage is now available in the convenience of our pockets. Nowadays, mobile devices are ubiquitous – they’re often considered a fifth limb! Consequently, travellers not only have their guidebooks with them during their trip, but with them always. In addition to a reduced physical burden, users can research, read and enjoy their guide book at their convenience and leisure, whenever and wherever they like – the commute home from work just got that much more inspiring with a Favoroute guidebook always available to browse through! 

2. Zooming in

Online travel guides are interactive with the availability of (Google) maps, which makes it easier to zoom in on a location on the map. Whilst hard copy guides may have a variety of maps from a country, to a specific region, down to neighbourhoods within a city, the new online travel guides have the precious functionality of being able to zoom in on entire maps where users see useful for their own purposes.  Favoroute knows just how much we all appreciate a good map and allows users to browse and zoom to their heart’s desire. 

3. Lower price

Since all the travel guides are digital and online, the price of the guides is lower compared to traditional printed guidebooks, such as Lonely Planet or Columbus. Digital materials allow costs such as printing to be avoided entirely and these savings are directly passed on to valued customers. With no overhead costs such as retail locations, warehouses and traditional logistical expenses, customers can be offered a fantastic price! The lower price however, has no impact on the quality – at Favoroute we make sure of it!

4. Interactive

With maps, photos, audio options and even videos, the new travel guides are more interactive than the standard printed guidebooks by a mile. Links taking users to related pages and more in-depth information allow for a fully rounded experience, engaging them and giving them a truly wholesome product. Want to find out more about that point of interest in your Favoroute guide? Click on it to discover photos and all the details! 

5. Geolocation

Find the best given tips easily on a zoomable and interactive map. You don’t need to be afraid of roaming costs, at Favoroute most of the guidebooks also work offline! Geolocation lets users see points of interest in their area as well as their own location on a map. Not only this, it can also give users information relevant to their real-time position so they can find out more about sights nearby, public transport available and where to grab a bite to eat. The usefulness of geolocation cannot be overstated for those in entirely unfamiliar environments and especially for those lacking a good sense of direction! 

6. The additional step

Some of the guidebook apps even go the extra mile and add some augmented reality to their guides. Examples include receiving a notification you’re close to a nice recommended spot, or you can use your phone’s camera to find out additional information about what you see in front of you! This truly immerses users in the environment around them like never before. 

7. Up-to-date

Online guidebooks have the possibility to be continually updated, unlike traditional print books with reprints too few and far between. Authors can easily access their guides to add new openings, events and tips as they develop, or remove spots that are no longer open for business. There’s nothing more frustrating for users who plan their visit only to be met with disappointment when they discover a tip is no longer relevant. Often, a guide can be the basis upon which someone plans their trips, so it’s of vital importance that all tips and advice are up-to-date and of good quality. At Favoroute, we pride ourselves on ensuring all our guides are up-to-date!

8. Personal

Print guides – in the pursuit of serving a large market in one offering – often lack the tailoring that online guidebooks have the freedom to explore in depth. Favoroute furthers this element of personalisation by allowing users to search via their own preferred travel style. Whether they are going travelling with the sole purpose of wining and dining like a king or if they’re looking for the route for their next road trip of a lifetime, the app allows users to easily find guides for a range of locations that suit their personal tastes. 

9. Feel like a local 

With guides written by locals in cities and towns all over the world, guidebooks are no longer solely the realm of professional travel journalists. Local expertise and tips give readers the most authentic experience and the chance to visit destinations from the perspective of someone who was born and bred in that place, a once rare – but forever valuable – opportunity that is now becoming accessible to more and more people. Gone are the days when you might struggle to interact with the locals, with Favoroute you now have one who has written you a personal guide in your pocket!

To get on board with travel guides 2.0 check out Favoroute and discover your next destination like never before!

Italy is famous for destinations such as Rome, Venice and Florence and rightly so – these cities are obscenely wealthy in history, culture and sights but with great riches comes an even greater number of tourists. Amongst the crowds it can be hard to feel the authentic soul of this iconic country but as soon as you step foot in these destinations, you’ll be soaked from head to toe in the unparalleled charm of Italy.

  1. Porto Rotondo – Sardinia

Porto Rotondo exhibits the sophistication of Italian vacationing at its finest. Crystal clear water, refined boutiques and glamorous bars dotted around the port combine to make for the perfect luxurious getaway. Take a leisurely stroll and eye the extravagant boats or kick back in style with your afternoon spritz.

  2. Lake Braies/Pragser Wildsee – Trentino-South Tyrol

A breathtaking setting for a romantic rowing boat trip or an enjoyable hike, Lake Braies, otherwise known as the Pragser Wildsee, is a majestically coloured turquoise jewel set in the stunning surrounds of the Dolomites. This fairytale location shows its colours off the most in summertime, but is also striking covered in snow and ice.

  3. Procida Island – Campania

The baby sister of Capri and Ischia, Procida is a charming little fishing village defined by her pastel coloured buildings that are seemingly stacked on top of one another. After laying eyes on this unbeatable beauty, words aren’t needed to describe why the island was chosen as a setting for numerous books and movies including The Talented Mr Ripley.

  4. Lecco – Lombardy

Lake Como is synonymous with luxury villas and unmatchable beauty and most visitors flock straight to it’s namesake town. The lake in fact forks in two and an alternative destination, Lecco, can be found at the tip of the eastern prong. Quieter and arguably more picturesque than its famous neighbour, Lecco also offers exceptional hiking routes and a charming town centre.

    5. Val Gardena – South Tyrol

The valley of Val Gardena is set amongst a range of magnificent mountains. The region has a range of activities on offer from hiking to paragliding but, without a doubt, snow sports reign supreme. Some interesting side notes: woodcarving is the local craft and inhabitants speak Ladin.

Photo by Robert J Heath

  6. Montepulciano – Tuscany

Perched on a hill, this enchanting town offers unhindered views of the picturesque Tuscan countryside. Montepulciano boasts medieval and Renaissance castles and churches and treats visitors to the typical enchanting atmosphere of the famous region. With a glass of Vino Nobile in hand, soak up the golden hues of the setting Tuscan sun.

  7. Otranto – Puglia

Puglia is full to the brim with hidden surprises, especially in Salento, the heel of the boot. Otranto is a captivating, white-washed town set on the Adriatic. Get lost in the winding paths of the historic centre, discover the medieval castle and its towers and take a walk along the gorgeous promenade.  With the sky and sea taking on the most brilliant shades of blue, Otranto is a relaxing gem not to be missed.

Photo by @martistokes

  8. Agropoli – Campania

Boasting an archaeological area, medieval monuments and a bewitching old town, Agropoli is a sublime alternative destination for those heading to Campania. Perched atop a promontory, Agropoli gives visitors unsurpassable panoramas of the Tyrrhenian Sea.

  9. Arona – Piedmont

Set on the picturesque Lake Maggiore, Arona is an excellent choice for ultimate relaxation. With majestic villas and perfectly manicured gardens, Arona exhibits the offerings of an ideal lakeside town.