Extreme day tripping has taken off in the UK, with thrifty travellers jetting to and from Ireland, Spain, Romania and more in just 24 hours.
Brits are catching early-morning flights from regional hubs such as Birmingham Airport, and side-stepping expensive accommodation costs by returning the same day.
In recent years an online community of ‘Extreme Day Trippers’ has flourished, particularly on Facebook, where groups are dedicated to sharing recommendations and deals for different locations. Google searches have also skyrocketed 1,182% in the past quarter.
It might sound like a cost and time-effective way to explore new shores, but there’s a dark side to this bargain travel trend.
11 hours in Pisa
Journalist Alexandra Meyer spent 11 hours in Pisa in December.
In total, including a £215.24 return flight, Alexandra and her friends spent £273.33 on travel and food.
Despite getting caught in a storm and missing out on some tours due to not booking tickets in advance, she says she had a blast.
‘It’s not something I could do regularly, the exhaustion lasted for days, but we loved it,’ she said.
Short-haul flights are highly polluting and exacerbate the overtourism challenges popular city break destinations such as Venice and Barcelona are now facing.
Critics say day-tripping contributes to environmental damage, but advocates insist it remains much less harmful than cruising, where larger numbers descend en masse.
Many people in the day-tripping Facebook groups say they are doing their best to offset their carbon footprint by donating to eco charities each time they fly.
Whatever your view, it looks like this latest travel trend is only starting to soar.
Examples of prices from Birmingham Airport include a £39 Friday fare to Dublin, Bucharest for £72, Santander for £27 and Barcelona for £33.
From London it can be a little more expensive, but you can nab same-day return flights to Berlin, Poland and Rome for around £50.
And the gag is, many of these day trips work out cheaper than the cost of a train ticket from London to Manchester.
Things to think about when booking an extreme day trip
- Optimal flight times – you’ll need to have enough time to enjoy your day, leaving early in the morning and returning late at night is best.
- Things to do – it’s often worth booking ahead, saving you money and ensuring your limited time is guaranteed to be jam-packed with excitement.
- Destination distance from airport – who wants to waste those precious hours on an airport shuttle from the suburbs?
- Cost of transport – this includes flights and getting to and from the airport, as well as transport during your trip (from taxis to buses or trains).
- Cost of food – factor this into your overall budget, and consider looking at affordable options so you have a plan of action before you go.
From Birmingham Airport
Birmingham to Paris
Fancy spending Valentine’s Day in the city of love? You can get a same-day return from Birmingham Airport to Paris on February 14 for a budget-friendly £78.
You’ll arrive in Paris Beauvais just after 8am and leave at 10.40pm, giving you plenty of time for romance.
Making time for airport security and passport control, plus the three-hour round trip to and from the airport, that should leave you around six hours to grab lunch and dinner in the French capital.
Flight: Birmingham to Paris, Friday February 14, £78
Time: Arrive 8.10am – Leave 10.40am
Airport to centre: Airport shuttle bus, 1.5 hours each way, £25 round trip
Cost of food: Depending on your tastes, you should expect to spend a total of £40 per person on breakfast, lunch and dinner in Paris, sans snacks.
What to do in Paris
Paris is big! If you only have a few hours to kill, we recommend choosing just a couple of things to do.
Check out a flea market
The Paris Flea Market, in Saint-Ouen, is open Monday to Friday and is one of the biggest in the world.
Check out the Eiffel Tower
You might as well, since it’s Valentine’s Day. It takes about an hour to get from Les Puces de Saint-Ouen to the Eiffel Tower on public transport. Alternatively, head to Montparnasse Tower, which is less crowded, cheaper, and offers a fantastic view of the city skyline (including the Eiffel Tower).
Take a ride down the Seine
Yes, it might feel like a tourist trap, but sailing down the Seine, especially after sunset, is the ideal way to end a romantic day trip to Paris.
Birmingham to Dublin
If you fancy staying closer to home, you can fly from Birmingham to Dublin for just £57 in early February.
Arriving at 9am and leaving at 9.30pm, you should get about nine hours to explore the city.
Flight: Birmingham to Dublin, Saturday February 1, £57
Time: Arrive 9.10am – Leave 9.40pm
Airport to centre: 30 minutes by bus, £14 round trip
Cost of food: You can expect to spend about £40 on breakfast, lunch and dinner in Dublin, plus £5 for a Guinness.
What to do in Dublin
Guinness Storehouse
You should give yourself around 90 minutes to explore the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin, so you have ample time to squeeze it in for a day trip (and if you needed an excuse, it was named the top attraction in Europe last year).
The Book of Kell’s Experience
Located in Trinity College Library, The Book of Kells is a ‘must see’ according to Erina on Trip Advisor. You can book a tour, which takes around 90 minutes, and see the rest of the library while you’re there.
From London Stansted
London to Berlin
You can get from London Stansted to Berlin and back for around £50 every Saturday in March.
The best flight we saw costs £51 and arrives in the German capital at 8.35am before carting you back to the Big Smoke at 9.15pm, so you’ll get more than 12 hours to explore the city.
Flight: London Stansted to Berlin Brandenburg, Saturday March 1, £57
Time: Arrive 8.35am – Leave 9.15pm
Airport to centre: 40-minute train, £8 round trip
Cost of food: You could spend around £50 per person on a full day of food in Berlin, but if you opt for kebabs and currywurst you can significantly lower that price.
What to do in Berlin
Berlin is huge and teeming with culture, so 12 hours still might not feel enough.
Explore Mitte
To make the most of your time in Berlin, hang around Mitte, the part of the city which is home it some of its most famous attractions such as The TV Tower, Berlin Cathedral, Museum Island, Brandenburg Gate and the Holocaust Memorial
Walk along the East Side Gallery
Stroll along the East Side Gallery towards Kreuzberg. This is the longest remaining section of the Berlin Wall and is adorned with amazing artwork.
It’s only about a mile long, so you can wander down in about 20 minutes then head into Kreuzberg, Berlin’s counterculture capital, where you can see Checkpoint Charlie, eat authentic Turkish food and drink in some legendary queer bars, like Möbel-Olfe.
London to Rome
You can also fly from London Stansted to Rome Ciampino on SaturdayFebruary 8 for just £48.
Arriving at 9.25am and leaving just before 8pm, you’ll have enough time to try some quality pizza or pasta and check out a couple of the main attractions.
Flight: London Stansted to Rome Campiano, Saturday February 8, £47
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Time: Arrive 9.25am – Leave 7.55pm
Airport to centre: 40-minute train or bus, £9-20 for a roundtrip
Cost of food: You’ll probably spend around £60 eating for a full day in Rome, especially if you’re around the tourist attractions.
What to do in Rome
Metro editor Claie Wilson did a whistle-stop tour of Rome this summer. While she had a little longer than seven hours to explore the romantic city, she offered some great tips.
Whizz around in a vintage Fiat 500
Claie took a rapid tour of the city in an old Fiat 500, stopping off at the Coliseum and the Aventine Keyhole. Here’s what she had to say:
‘Windows and roof down, the smell of petrol and the sound of the traffic all around us only added to the adventure, as we weaved in and out of the lanes, with our incredibly streetsmart driver, answering any question we had.’
Visit the Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill
While Vatican City is beautiful, you won’t want to rush it. Instead, spend three or so hours exploring the Colosseum and its neighbouring attractions.
We recommend doing this self-guided, as tours tend to take too much time.
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