The biggest annual media event in Europe, the International Journalism Festival, will be live in 2 weeks. Last year's programme had more than 200 sessions and nearly 500 speakers, all set in the historic centre of Perugia, Italy. How do you survive the festival and make the most of it?

If I could give just one piece of advice for people going to Perugia this April, it would be this: get comfortable shoes.

Not to mention a pack of plasters because the hills of Perugia won't be treating you gently. We've all seen pictures and movies of picturesque Italian towns, but walking around as a tourist and running around as a media festival attendee are two different things. The workout you'll be doing will involve moving between stages within a 10-minute break, and if you don't live in the very centre, climbing stairs will be the best workout you'll ever have.

Now that I've warned you about the most important thing, let's talk about more serious topics. I'd narrow it down to this.

Outline your priorities

You won't make it to all the sessions you highlighted in your calendar. Just accept this. It doesn't matter how good your planning is. Getting from one venue to another takes time, especially waiting in entrance queues. Embrace it, cross out at least a quarter of your plans, and focus on your priorities.

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