Kenneth Glad
A growing travel habit is reshaping how people think about short breaks. For some, a few hours abroad can be enough to make the journey worthwhile.
A short getaway no longer has to involve a weekend bag or an overnight stay. Some British travelers are using low-cost airfares to visit a European city for a few hours, then return before the day is over.
For people trying to stretch their travel budgets, cutting out a hotel bill can make a foreign city break feel far more reachable.
The approach also appeals to those who have limited vacation time but still want to experience a change of scenery without the planning and expense of a traditional holiday.
Copenhagen for a birthday
According to The Sun, Cassie Goodfellow from Bathgate marked her 40th birthday with a solo trip to Copenhagen after seeing the idea online.
Her return flights cost £63 (€74), and the paper writes that her total spending was about £160 (€187). Cassie said others questioned why she would travel abroad alone for such a brief visit.
“Most people thought I was a bit crazy,” Cassie told the newspaper.
“They couldn’t understand why I’d travel abroad for just a day or the fact I was doing it solo, But the memories and experience made it worthwhile,” she added.
Despite the reactions, Cassie said the trip gave her more than she expected from a short visit.
“I was surprised by how much I managed to fit into one day.”
Pisa in eight hours
Emily Benham from Essex also tried the trend with her daughter on a quick visit to Pisa.
The Sun reported that their flights cost £125 (€146) each and that the pair spent their time visiting the cathedral, eating pizza and walking through the city’s back streets.
“A highlight was seeing the Leaning Tower for the first time. It was breath-taking,” Emily said to the paper.
Emily has since booked another short overseas trip, this time to Frankfurt with her brother and sister, showing how the first experience encouraged her to plan another quick getaway.
Paris as a reset
Lisa Houston from Edinburgh began taking these trips after surprising her son with a day in Paris following his breakup.
She told The Sun that she wanted to give him something different to look forward to. During the trip, they saw major landmarks, took a Seine cruise and stopped at a café before returning to Scotland.
Since then, Lisa has visited Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Milan and Dublin in the same style, fitting travel around work, family and caring responsibilities.
One of her best bargains was a return flight to Copenhagen for just £34 (€40).
Fitting travel around daily life
Lisa has spent about £150 (€175) on many of her outings, including travel, food and activities.
Cassie said the experience showed her that a short visit abroad could still feel meaningful.
“There’s something exciting about proving you can have a meaningful travel experience in a single day,” Cassie told The Sun.
While these whirlwind trips may not replace longer vacations, supporters say they offer a cheaper way to see a new city without taking much time away from work or family.
Source: The Sun
