If you’re working a full-time job and regularly escape on a weekend break to maintain some level of sanity, I hear ya. Sometimes it’s just not feasible to take a week off at a time. Sometimes you just need a change of scenery over the weekend to enter a new work week with a clear head. Or a cloudy head if you’ve hit those German beers too hard…but I digress.
I absolutely adore weekend city breaks as they’re a fantastic way to forget about any stresses at home and dive into a different culture for a few fun-filled days. But, with only a couple of days to explore a new place, how do you make the most of it?
Well, without further ado, here are my top 5 tried and tested tips to maximise time on your weekend away:
1. Pay a little extra for an early outbound flight and a late inbound flight
Ok, I know the sound of your alarm rudely waking you up while the stars are still out is slightly hideous, but hear me out.
I always try to book a flight that departs before 8am. This means I’m a bit groggy, have sore eyes and am drowning in coffee by the time the flight departs, but it also means arriving to the destination airport before lunch. Assuming you’re only taking a short flight, of course. If you’re not, you’ve stumbled at the first hurdle.
This is about how to maximise time on your weekend away, not how to spend half your time at 35,000 feet.
Arriving in the morning allows you almost the full day to explore. Throw your bags down at your hotel and head straight out. Sneak in an extra caffeine hit if you need to. An early flight = extra hours to discover your new surroundings.
Same goes for the late inbound flight. Booking a flight home that departs after 5pm allows you to spend your last day climbing to the top of that cathedral you were dying to visit or gawping at the artefacts in that museum you’d read about. You might get home a little tired and you might spend your next day at work yawning more than usual, but it’s totally worth it!
Even better than an early Friday flight – fly out after work on a Thursday!
If you’re planning a weekend getaway, chances are your idea is to leave on a Friday. Friday to Monday is the standard choice for most. If you’ve already got big plans for the Thursday evening (Thirsty Thursday, anyone?!) then stick to the early departure. If you don’t, then what are you waiting for? Get on a flight on the Thursday evening after work!
Whilst you may end up arriving super late at your destination, you can get straight into bed and wake up bright and early already there. Big win. Also, flights are typically cheaper on a Thursday night than a Friday morning, so there’s another win.
2. Pay extra to stay in a more central location
Don’t worry, not all of these tips will involve you forking out a few extra hard-earned pennies! This one’s worth it though and I try to do this every time.
It’s tempting to save £50 and stay in that cute suburban apartment you spied online, but if it happens to be in not-so-easy reach of the city’s transport links, it’s not worth it. Remember, you’re only away for a few days. Needing to walk 15 minutes to the nearest bus stop or metro station and then spending 20 minutes travelling into the centre is just too much time out of your weekend. Consider that you’ll probably be doing this journey at least twice a day.
I much prefer splurging a little bit more and being based within walking distance of the centre or, failing that, within just a couple of stops on the metro.
Remember – this post isn’t about having the cheapest weekend possible, it’s about maximising time and getting the most out of your precious few days away.
3. Get up early every day
I’m not talking 6am. It’s a holiday, after all. But if you can be out of your accommodation by 9am each morning you’ll have more time to pack in more sights! This will give you hours of wandering, shopping and sightseeing even before lunch.
Bonus (if you’re travelling to a European city): continental breakfasts of coffee and croissants are so worth the wakeup call. Even just the smell of a bakery is worth it.
Plus, a lot of the main tourist attractions in big cities are emptiest first thing in the morning. Whip your camera out and get that Insta-worthy shot without the bustling midday crowds.
4. Research your destination in advance
Don’t get me wrong, I am all for spontaneity and finding hidden gems and am in no way suggesting you be militant in your planning. But, some research on the sights you want to see, restaurants you want to eat in, bars you’d like to hit up and events you want to attend will save you a lot of time when you arrive. Add them to a list of must-sees.
Once you’re there you’ll already have a list of places right at the top of your priority list and will carve out time to see them.
Have a loose itinerary planned out before you go and you’ll pack a lot more in.
5. Pack snacks in your case before you go
This may not seem like a time-saving tip but it is. Kinda. It’s something I do for almost every weekend break away. Probably because a lot of them are mum and daughter trips and let’s get real, mums love packing snacks.
Having a few cereal bars or a bag of mixed nuts can prevent you getting hangry while you’re heading from one sight to another. Being able to grab a quick snack from your bag is much quicker than choosing which café to sit in.
Side note: people watching from a café in a main square is one of my favourite city break activities. But this is about time saving tips for when you’re cramming in a cheeky weekend away and seeing as much of the destination as possible, not slurping smoothies. Alas.
So, there you have it. My top 5 tips to help you maximise time on your weekend away.
Got your own time-saving tips to help fellow travellers? Share them in the comments!
No Comments