When planning a city trip there are many different factors to consider, such as transport, accommodation, food and recreation. Here are a few things to consider when planning a weekend getaway in Europe.
Travel dates and duration
Factors such as your estimated budget, places you intend to visit and your work calendar will determine your travel dates and the length of time you plan to stay.
For a weekend getaway, you will likely spend at most three days in the city you intend to visit. The cost of flying to Europe is likely to be lower in the off-peak season, such as autumn, although it does depend on where you hope to go. For example, an autumn trip to a popular summer season city such as Madrid or Paris is likely to be more budget friendly.
If you want to travel when the weather is great and favourable, it’s worth doing a check for offers and discounts. If you book in advance, you could get some attractive discounts on your tickets and accommodation. You can also find amazing travel packages from various agencies that cater for your entire travel.
Decide on transport mode
The mode of transport is vital when planning for a getaway trip to a city in Europe. If the city is far away from your home, you can book a flight earlier in advance to get good discounts. Thanks to an improved European interconnected transport network, you can opt to use a train.
A flight will get you there faster, but a train will allow you to enjoy the scenery before arriving. You can also decide to drive to your preferred city. You will spend more time on the road if you are driving but the journey, including and stop-overs, could be part of the trip.
Find the best means of transport to travel around the city for the best experiences. You can hire a car to drive around or get a local taxi to help you tour the city.
Where to buy tickets
You can buy tickets online through the Omio app. This app has great offers and useful add-ons to make your travel seamless and affordable. You can track your journey in real-time, making the app a useful travel companion in Europe.
It also has useful add-ons that help you book accommodation directly from the app. You get accommodation suggestions based on your respective destinations. Other useful information from the app includes recommendations on the popular sites you can visit while in a particular city.
Travel documents
Once you have decided which city to visit, you need to have your travel documents in order. There are a few cities that you can visit without a visa, but you need to confirm that before setting off for your journey.
Check your passport validity. Even without a visa requirement, you still need a valid passport with at least six months of validity. If you do not have a passport, start your application for the same early in advance of your travel date.
It can take about three to eight weeks to get one depending on your country’s immigration department. If you need a Schengen visa to visit Europe, you must start your application ahead of your planned travel date. It takes approximately two to four months to present your application and get a positive response from the respective embassy.
Accommodation
You could leave accommodation to last-minute chance, or identify where you will sleep before arriving at your destination. Depending on your preference and budget, you can book a hotel or an Airbnb.
The chances are that if you are heading for a city trip, you’ll be keen to be as close to the city centre as possible. Note that it is likely that the further you are from the centre the lower the prices of accommodation will be.
Best cities for a weekend break in Europe
There are a lot of amazing cities that you can visit in Europe. You could travel from London to Rome by train thanks to the continent’s modern transport network. The road network is also well developed to drive from the British island to the mainland. While in Rome, visit the colosseum to experience the history of the Romans and their empire. There are also plenty of museums within the city. Other top cities include Venice, Barcelona, Dublin and Edinburgh.
