Groups of more than three people move slowly, argue about restaurants, and end up doing the compromise version of everything. Splitting up is not a failure of group dynamics. It is the decision that makes the trip good.

The Case for Not Always Travelling as a Group

Four people with different interests in a city with three days: if you stay together, you average out everyone's preferences and end up with a watered-down version of the trip. If you split up for mornings and reconvene for lunch, each person gets a morning that actually reflects what they wanted to do.

The person who wants the contemporary art museum and the person who wants to sleep until 11am and have a long breakfast are both right. They just need different mornings. Give them different mornings.

The Morning Split as the Default Format

Split the morning, meet for lunch. This is the cleanest version. Agree a restaurant before everyone goes their separate ways, set a time (12:30 or 1pm), and each do whatever you want from 9am until then. Afternoons can be together or split again depending on the day and the group.

This works particularly well on day two, once everyone knows the city well enough to navigate independently.

Logistics That Make It Work

WhatsApp location sharing for the duration of the day removes the "where are you exactly" problem. Turn it on in the morning, leave it running, check it when you're approaching the meeting point.

Fixed meeting locations rather than approximate ones. "By the fountain in Piazza Navona" is better than "somewhere near the Pantheon." If you're in doubt, pin the exact location in WhatsApp before you split.

The Group Dinner as the Non-Negotiable Anchor

Same principle as travelling as a couple: book dinner before anyone leaves the hotel in the morning. Group dinner is the fixed point around which the day organises itself. It's also the moment the group debriefs, compares mornings, and makes the case for what everyone should see tomorrow.

Managing the Person Who Wants to Do Everything Together

This person exists in most groups. The move is not to argue the case for splitting up in the abstract. The move is to make the split-up concrete and easy: "I'm going to the Stedelijk for two hours this morning, want to come? If not, meet us at 1pm at this restaurant." Most of the time, once you make it easy and specific, they're fine.