Sometimes organising a trip on your own can be quite complex. You don’t know where to start, there’s a lot of options and you get overwhelmed. Don’t worry, I am here to help! These are my hand-picked companies I personally use and trust – I don’t recommend anything I don’t use! Moreover, if you make your reservations using these links, you may get discounts (you don’t pay more) and I will earn a small commission to continue writing for you. Thank you in advance for supporting my work.
Discounts and Travel Links
This is my selection of discounts for your travels and digital nomad life. Here I offer discounts on travel insurance, eSIM, tours, stays, rent a car as well as gear.
FLIGHTS, TRANSPORT & ACCOMMODATION
Flight Search
- Google Flights – Best for visualising prices across dates on a calendar view. I always start my search here. You can search by multi-cities (one way and return) which is cool if you want to find the cheapest option.
- Skyscanner – I have been using Skyscanner for over 10 years as my go-to search and comparison engine for booking flights online. The platform is intuitive, offering filters for flight times, connections, stopovers. There is no better tool on the market for combining filters to find the cheapest flights, which is why I recommend it.
When using this link you can find and book your flight cheaper.
Transport
Trains, buses, ferries, cars. These are the services I rely on to get around once I land.
Best for Europe – Trains, Buses & Flights
- Omio – Compare and book trains, buses and flights across Europe in one search. Omio let’s you compare prices and travel times between two points across different operators, making it easy to find the best schedules and fares.
I highly recommend Omio and – don’t forget to use my link and enter code APPDEAL7 for a 7% discount.
- Flixbus – Affordable, punctual, reliable bus travel across Europe. I use it a lot.
Car Hire
- DiscoverCars – World’s #1 car rental comparison and booking site. 24/7 support. I recommend you always book with full-coverage insurance as it covers broken windshield.
Rent your car and get full coverage insurance through my Discover Cars link — don’t skip the insurance, I never do.
- Rentalcars.com – One of the highest-rated car rental comparison platforms, also part of Booking.com, so you get even a better deal. I’ve been using it since 2018 and fully recommend it. I worked at this company for 3 years so I couldn’t recommend enough – they have a 24/7 support in multiple languages and usually replace a car or supplier in no time when you have last-minute issues.
Accommodation
From boutique hotels to budget hostels, these platforms cover every style of stay.
Most-used Hotels & Stays
- Booking.com – My go-to for hotel searches around the world. They have over 2.5 million+ properties in 220+ countries—including hotels, apartments, hostels, villas. Free cancellation on most bookings. I am Genius Level 3 which gives you up to 20% discount. The Genius program rewards you the more you book — here’s a quick breakdown:
- Level 1 (new account): up to 10% off
- Level 2 (5 stays in 2 years): up to 15% off + free room upgrades
- Level 3 (15 stays in 2 years): up to 20% off + free breakfast, upgrades, priority support & free cancellation
Use my Booking.com link to start earning your Genius benefits.
- Hostelworld – The best platform for finding hostels – plus an active travel community.
Homes & Apartments
- Airbnb – Perfect for longer stays, travelling with friends or when you want a local feel.
TOURS & ACTIVITIES
Time to find amazing things to do. Here are my top suggestions when booking tours, transfers and monuments.
- Get Your Guide – I’ve been using GetYourGuide for over 10 years to book tours, day trips, transfers, and skip-the-line monument tickets — always with great results. The platform’s review system makes it easy to find the best experiences and providers wherever you travel.
Use my GetYourGuide link and get 10% off your first booking.
TRAVEL INSURANCE & CARDS
Travel Insurance
A good travel insurance plan can cover things like lost luggage, theft, flight cancellations, emergency medical care. Don’t travel without it!
- IATI Insurance – Great for solo travellers, digital nomads and Portuguese/Spanish-speaking market.
Cards
Spend abroad without the bad exchange rates and hidden bank fees. These cards changed how I manage money on the road – and I’d recommend all three
- Revolut – Best-all-rounder, free plan works for most travellers, widely used. Premium plans include travel insurance, discounts etc…
- Wise – Essential for digital nomads receiving income in multiple currencies.
- N26 – European licensed bank, premium plan include Allianz Travel Insurance which is a nice extra selling point.
STAY CONNECTED
- Airalo – Buy a local eSIM before you land – install it in minutes. Covers 190+countries.
- NordVPN – Essential for working remotely from cafes, hostels and hotels. Keeps your data private on public WI-FI and lets you access content from back home. One of the most trusted VPNs on the market.
TRAVEL GEAR
I’ve refined my packing list over years of travel. Here’s where I shop and my full packing guides if you want to go deeper.
- Loop Earplugs – 10% off with code AFF-THEALCHEMIST – A non-negotiable in my travel kit. Loop Earplugs blocks out noise on long flights, in busy hostels, and anywhere you need to sleep or focus. I use the Loop Quiet 2 for flights and sleeping.
- Decathlon – Europe’s largest sporting goods retailer, operating in 70+countries. You can buy travel gadgets, bags, and so on.
- Amazon – My go-to for travel accessories, bags, and tech gear. Check my curated guides for exactly what I bring on every trip.