Extreme day trips have become all the rage recently, with flights from the UK to all over Europe for as little as £40 return. You have the opportunity to explore another city, dine on delicious local cuisine, and experience a different culture for less than a train ticket to another part of the UK.
When it comes to booking an extreme day trip I tend to look at locations with flight times of less than 2hrs. This gives you enough time to land and get into the other country, explore the city, and fly back to the UK with a decent amount of time in the city. The best flight timings and prices, in my experience, are from Stansted airport but this method will help you find flights from anywhere in the world.
I’ve heard of people using Google flights but I prefer SkyScanner. The best results for me, have been on the SkyScanner app.
Steps to Find Flights
- Open the SkyScanner App
- Go to Flights
- Make sure Return is selected
- Put in your departure airport
- In the second box “Where to?” Select or type in “Everywhere”
- Next select your date and click it twice (once for outbound, once for inbound)
- Click continue
- Then “Search”
Use the filters at the top of the page to select “Cheapest flights” or “Direct Flights.” You’ll now have a list of low cost countries to visit on the date you chose.
Finding your extreme day trip:
- Select the country you want to visit
- Then select the city
- CHECK FLIGHT TIMES (You’re looking for an early morning departure 8/9am, don’t forget travel time to the airport. Then a late return 9/10pm)
- Be flexible. It’ll take a little time to find a city or a few options
- Consider the costs of where you’re going. Oslo, Norway and Basel, Switzerland are far more expensive than Bratislava, Slovakia or Krakow, Poland.
- Once you’ve found a city that meets flight requirements, you’ll need to check the weather, and travel times into the city. If it’s a 1hr bus ride each way that’s probably not a good idea. A 15 minute train (like Geneva) is perfect. I would try to go with trains over buses as they’re more reliable, especially in rush hour. One accident on the roads with a bus or taxi and you’re done for.
- Book your flights and travel to the airport
- Research the city and build your itinerary
- Have fun!! Remember it’s cheapest if you only take a day bag, and no liquids over 100ml or sharp objects
Recently I’ve done a day trip in Geneva and found day trips to Bratislava, Slovakia and Verona, Italy. They’re great fun, just make sure to plan ahead.
