Itinerary Info: How to Understand and Experience Each Route
Quick Guide to Using Google Maps & Turplan360 Tables
Our itineraries are created by integrating Google Maps with the 📊 Turplan360 Tables: a visual tool to help you navigate and a structured system to efficiently organize times, distances, and stops.
📌 No need to read everything; you can consult only the sections that interest you by clicking the items in the index.
- Where to Start
- Skip Stops Without Getting Lost
- Real Times and Distance Accuracy
- Itinerary Table vs Navigator
- Practical Tips
Map Block
The Map Block you see below corresponds to the first route of the “Trieste in 3 Days” itinerary, which we will use as an example on this page.
All Tourplan360 routes follow this structure: Route Title, Google Maps Map 📍, and Route Map Box.
Let’s see in detail how to read them.
TRIESTE IN 3 DAYS > 1 DAY
- Open Route Map📍
- Distance: 2,6* km on foot
- Time: 0,37* min on foot
- Visit duration: 5 hours
- Stops: 10 main (X→I-X*) + 0 secondary
- Cattedrale di San Giusto (X) → Museo d’Antichità “J.J. Winckelmann” (A) → Basilica di San Silvestro (B) → Arco di Riccardo (C) → Museo Joyce (D) → Basilica paleocristiana Madonna del Mare (E) → Museo Civico Sartorio (F) → Museo Revoltella (G) → Acquario Marino di Trieste (H) → Civico Museo d’Arte Orientale (I-X*) 🧩
- For days, times, prices and other info see Itinerary Table 📊
* These values may differ from those shown on Google Maps, as they are continuously recalculated in real time. See also Itinerary Info and Navigator + See here for Shared Stop 🧩
ROUTE TITLE
Route Title (in this case: Trieste in 3 Days > Day 1) on colored background (red): the background matches the one used in the tables that title and detail the same route, helping users visually associate the two tools. This is especially useful for multi-map tours, like in this Trieste example, which supports 3 different Google Maps/Table routes: red for day 1, green for day 2, and yellow for day 3.
GOOGLE MAPS MAP
Thanks to Google Maps, users immediately see the route with stops, distance, time, and travel mode, along with an aerial overview in relief or satellite view. The map can be consulted even without enabling the phone’s geolocation. Once enabled, simply click “other options” to open the screen and start navigation.
ROUTE MAP BOX
This box contains all the essential information for the route, such as:
- Route Map clickable here too, to open the itinerary in Google Maps Navigator.
- Mode, distance, travel time: sometimes these values—especially for car routes where traffic affects times—may differ from those shown on Google Maps as it is always recalculated in real time.
- Visit Duration: 5 hours; this is the sum of the estimated visit times listed in the table for each attraction in the itinerary (here, the first day of the 3-day Trieste tour has an estimated 5-hour visit).
- Main and Secondary Stops: shows the total number of attractions in the itinerary, from the starting stop X to the final stop I and related sub-stops (see details in Itinerary Table 📊).
- Main Stops Sequence: allows you to see at a glance the order of the main stops along the route (here: Cattedrale di San Giusto (X) → Museo d’Antichità “J.J. Winckelmann” (A) → Basilica di San Silvestro (B) → Arco di Riccardo (C) → etc.), consistent with the Google Maps route and Table.
📊 Itinerary Table
📌 To see the explanation of each data column in the table, click on its title (e.g. Attraction Index, Ratings, Hours, etc.) at the top.
Tourplan360 itineraries are designed following a precise criterion: to minimize distances between attractions and organize the day logically based on the opening hours of the main monuments and museums.
The sequence of stops is therefore structured to allow a smooth visit from morning to evening, alternating attractions with specific opening hours and places that are always accessible such as squares, parks, and viewpoints of the destination. Let’s look in more detail, using the Trieste in 3 days itinerary as an example:
⏳ Caricamento tabella in corso…
ROUTE TITLE ROW
This row is always placed below the name of the destination, in this case Trieste. As shown in the table, the route title has a red background, consistent with the Route Title in the Map Block. Scrolling to the right, we find the following data:
- Route type, linear as in this case, but it could also be circular or wedge-shaped.
- Then we reach the link ➡️ that opens the itinerary on Google Maps.
- Immediately after, still on a red background, a number is shown—5 in this case (5 hours)—which indicates the total estimated visit time of the itinerary (this is the same number shown in the Map Block > Visit Duration). As already explained, this number is simply the sum of the estimated visit times for all the attractions in the itinerary, clearly displayed in bold in the same column. The numbers shown in red (excluded from the total) instead indicate the distribution of visit hours across the different days of the multi-map tour.
- Movement Block – This is followed by 4 values indicating: P on foot, travel time 0.37 minutes, distance 2.6 km in C, which stands for City Center or Historic Center.
ATTRACTION ROWS
By Attraction Rows we mean all the rows dedicated to each attraction in the itinerary, such as Cattedrale di San Giusto, Museo d’Antichità “J.J. Winckelmann”, Basilica di San Silvestro, etc. After the first columns dedicated to Ratings, Organizations, Categories, Types, and Wikipedia links, we move into the core itinerary data:
As in the previous case, each attraction also has its own Google Maps ➡️ link. However, this link does not open the itinerary, but rather the specific Google Maps location related to the selected attraction.
💡 As often happens, users use these links to customize their itinerary.
TRIESTE IN 3 DAYS > DAY 2
📌 See stop details in Itinerary Table
STOPS COLUMN
For explanations about the Stops Column, please refer to the detailed section in Attractions Table Legend > Stops. However, here we take the opportunity to clarify some important concepts:
- Each itinerary can include up to 10 main stops (X, A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I), since Google Maps does not allow more than 10 waypoints.
- ⚠️ Attention: the starting stop X and the final stop I are a convention used only within the table. Google Maps, in fact, does not assign any letter to starting and ending points.
- Shared Stops 🧩: due to the 10-stop limit imposed by Google Maps, for multi-map tours like this one, the walking routes for the first and second day are connected, allowing users to maintain continuity if they wish to skip one or more stops and merge the two routes.
- Therefore, in the table, shared stops are always marked with a purple background cell and the label X-I or I-X depending on their position. In Google Maps, shared stops are repeated to link the routes, meaning that the final stop of one itinerary is also the starting point of the next.
For the Movement Block columns (see details 🔗) mentioned above, and the Notes columns (see details 🔗), please refer to the Attractions Table Legend.
MONTHS, DAYS, HOURS COLUMNS
For the Months, Days, and Attraction Opening Hours columns, please refer to the dedicated sections in Attractions Table Legend > Calendar Columns. Here, however, we clarify another key aspect for fully understanding the itineraries.
- As mentioned earlier, although the stop sequence is carefully designed to ensure a smooth visit based on attraction schedules, extraordinary closures, public holidays, or seasonal changes may affect opening hours.
- For this reason, it is always recommended to check updated information (via the ➡️ Google Maps link in the table) before your visit. This allows users to easily adapt the itinerary without missing the most important stops.
Navigator
📌 Some of the content in this section has already been covered in previous sections.
Every day, about one in four people on the planet use Google Maps to navigate their movements. For this reason, all Tourplan360 itineraries are developed based on this satellite navigator.
If you were redirected to this Navigator section, we reiterate below 3 key points discussed above:
- The maps associated with each route are already set with the main stops in the correct order, allowing simple and immediate navigation along the entire itinerary.
- It is important to note that Google Maps allows a maximum of 10 stops per single route. For this reason, in multi-map tours, itineraries may be divided into multiple connected parts (see Shared Stops 🧩).
- Thanks to the Tourplan360 Table system, each route is designed to ensure continuity of movement: even skipping one or more stops, it will always be possible to continue without interruption following the logic of the route (see Itinerary Table).
TRIESTE IN 3 DAYS > DAY 3
📌 See stop details in Itinerary Table
WHERE TO START
💡 You can start from any point of the route, but …
- Recommended Starting Point – When opening a route map on Google Maps, it is natural to begin from the point closest to your location. However, to best follow the route logic, we recommend starting from the first stop listed in the table (point X or I-X/X-I).
- What happens if I start from another point – You can start from any point of the route without compromising the experience. In this case, just locate the nearest stop on the map and continue following the logical order of the subsequent stops.
SKIP STOPS WITHOUT GETTING LOST
💡 If you skip some stops, nothing serious happens
- Routes are flexible – Tourplan360 itineraries are designed to be flexible: it is not necessary to follow every single stop rigidly. If you decide to skip one or more stops, the route remains valid and easily navigable.
- Connect the shared stops – This is possible thanks to the linear structure of the itineraries and the shared stops 🧩 system, which links the different points of the route. In this way, even if you modify the journey, it is always possible to maintain continuity without interruptions.
REAL TIMES AND DISTANCE ACCURACY
💡Times and distances may vary
- Time and Distance Calculation – The times and distances indicated in the itineraries are calculated in real time by Google Maps. Travel times are estimated based on the preset mode, e.g., walking or driving, while distances refer to the actual route to be traveled (not a straight line).
- Time and Distance Variations – It is important to consider that times and distances can vary due to different factors, such as traffic or possible detours for restricted areas due to construction or other reasons.
💡In Tourplan360 itineraries, Google Maps and the table serve two different but complementary functions.
- The Google Maps navigator is the operational tool: it guides you step by step along the route, helping you move easily from one stop to the next.
- The itinerary table, instead, provides strategic control of the entire route: it allows you to have a complete overview of the stops, times, distances, and to better organize your visit.
PRACTICAL TIPS
💡 Small tips to get a great result
To best follow the itineraries during your visit, it is important to use your smartphone effectively, especially when using the Google Maps navigator.
- Battery: make sure you have enough charge before starting the route. Continuous use of the navigator can quickly drain the battery, so having a power bank can be useful.
- Disconnect the Geolocator: when visiting attractions such as museums, disconnect the geolocator but keep the Google Maps itinerary screen open. This will prevent unnecessary battery consumption. At the end of the visit, restart the phone’s geolocator and continue with the itinerary.
- Connection: ensure you have a stable data connection. In some areas, especially abroad or in less covered zones, navigation may be slower.
- Offline mode: you can download Google Maps in advance, allowing you to consult the maps even without an internet connection.
- Zoom and orientation: use zoom to better view individual stops and orient yourself on the map to correctly follow the route, especially in historic centers with narrow streets.
These tips allow you to follow the itinerary more smoothly, avoiding interruptions and improving the overall experience during your visit.