When you use a guide, you are limited by its content.

The advantage of using ChatGPT is that it can take you on any track you want.

It’s even possible to uncover hidden gems – if you ask the right questions.

Like finding pasta cooked by a “nonna” at an Italian restaurant frequented by locals, or getting a recommendation for brunch at E Pellicci in London – a fabulous place that might be obscure to tourists.

I used a chatbot to make a customized trip to Tuscany. Here’s what worked—and what didn’t.

Step 1: Get the lay of the land

First, get an overview of your goal:

  • asking specific questions
  • getting referrals with links
  • including places you don’t want to go

Make sure you stay within a single chat – information is stored and accumulated. I’ve had the best results when I break these requirements down like this:

“Can you give me the must-sees and hidden gems in Tuscany with a focus on physical activity, excluding Florence and Siena since I’ve already been there? Could you provide descriptions, websites, approximate prices and addresses?”

I also asked for historical context to supplement the overview.

“Can you provide a historical overview of Tuscany and list the best places to visit? Again including the website.”

From there, I could quickly scan designs and click on websites to find times, prices, and photos. I ignored the activities I did on my last visit, such as the wine and olive oil tastings.

Lisa Lucas is an American travel writer who lives in London.

Source: Lisa Lucas

ChatGPT recommended visiting the Terme di Saturnia hot springs, kayaking around the island of Elba, cycling in the Val d’Orcia, checking out the Renaissance hilltop town of Pienza, and going truffle hunting and pecorino tasting – all activities that interest me.

I then cut and pasted the physical addresses into a customized Google map to view the locations and see distance between points. This made it clear that I needed to focus my trip on southern Tuscany, which helped narrow down my search for accommodation.

Step 2: Finding a hotel

To find a place to stay, write a prompt that names the type of accommodation, amenities and price you want.

In a tourist region like Tuscany, the options and prices are wide. A house can cost $8,000 a night in high season, so it’s helpful to check the rates at the outset.

“Can you find a boutique hotel that was a former villa with a pool, a quality restaurant and a good view for less than $500 a night in August?”

Of the four results, three were spot on.

Step 3: Search for restaurants

Tuscany is famous for its food, but it has plenty of restaurants that cater to tourists. To uncover the true Tuscan experience, use challenges such as:

“Can you recommend authentic restaurants that the locals love and are known for their quality and taste near Val d’Orcia, with websites and reviews?”

ChatGPT understands queries about where locals like to eat, and you’ll get better results if you’re specific.

To find a “hidden gem” restaurant in Val d’Orcia, the more specific the question, the better, says travel writer Lisa Lucas.

Lanzellotto Antonello | Agf | Universal Images Group | Getty Images

I re-checked ChatGPT’s recommendations with popular review sites and found three restaurants with the type of comments that would lead me to book a table – such as “go multiple times”, “amazing view” and “lots of locals”.

ChatGPT limitations

Of course, there are limitations to using ChatGPT to plan a trip, namely:

  • The content is current until September 2021, although you can pay for plugins that contain additional information.
  • It may generate inaccurate information and websites. In France, he detected destinations available by boat from Nice, but recommended shipping companies that do not sail from Nice.
  • It is not good to line up an itinerary, especially in the city. Itineraries to cities like Paris or Rome tend to fly from one side to the other.

And key information can be left out. For London, she recommended visiting the Columbia Road Flower Market, but she didn’t mention that it was only open on Sundays.

There is no way to book tours right now. But in the future, who knows what is possible?

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