I usually start by shortlisting a few cities, and then see how much time and money traveling to the location will take. I also check the weather, and then pick the location.

After that, I watch different vlogs and ask for recommendations on Facebook groups. Once I have made a rough itinerary, I book a hotel or two that's in my budget, clean, and near the city centre (or in a pretty location). I usually prefer booking AirBnBs as I find them to be cleaner.

Once all bookings are done, I make semi-concrete itineraries, and then look into the transportation options available within the city. For restaurants and hidden gems, I rely on the internet and scour through reviews to figure out if the place is worth a visit or not.