r/Europetravel • u/TrampAbroad2000 • Oct 29 '25
Itineraries Day trips in Europe - dos and don'ts, and favorites
Day trips can be a great way to see more of Europe out of one or more "home bases," while reducing time spent on logistics like unpacking/packing and checking in/out of hotels. But after seeing a thread a few days ago about a day trip by car from Bern to Paris - 14 hours of driving roundtrip LOL - I thought it might be good to discuss what makes a good day trip and what doesn't (and also have a post I can just link to, next time a poster wants to make 4 day trips in a row). Here are my thoughts - what do you think?
- Don't overdo it. Don't spend more than half of your days in a location on day trips, and preferably not on consecutive days - it's too much time in transit and you'll tire yourself out.
- Keep travel times reasonable. For me, 1.5 hours each way, ideally by train, is the upper end of what I'd do for a day trip. Maybe a bit more in summer or less in winter. In some cases I may consider a longer day trip, but then it would be a one-off, definitely not several in a row. If traveling by car, add at least half an hour on each end for navigating and parking in city centers.
- Don't do it between two big cities. Day trips work best if the destination is a smaller city or town, where you can be at the main sights within minutes of walking off the train, and where most attractions are within a short walk of each other, no need to figure out transit systems. Every so often I see posts about doing a day trip between places like London and Paris or Madrid and Barcelona. It's not a good idea, because you spend so much time navigating big cities and orienting yourself in a new place, plus there's so much to see in a big city, that you're better off staying for at least a few nights.
- Look for destinations served by frequent and direct trains. Your day trip can turn into a disaster with train delays, cancellations, and missed transfers (hello, Deutsche Bahn), so look for direct trains, and ideally ones that run fairly frequently, hourly or every 2 hours. And don't take the last train of the day back to your base!
- Use regional trains when possible. This varies by country, but in general in Europe, express and high-speed trains can sell out or may be much more expensive if purchased on the day of travel, and you're often limited to the particular train you booked. Regional trains are cheaper, cannot sell out, generally cost the same regardless of when you buy the ticket, and usually you can take any train on that route that day (Spain is one big exception though). This gives you more flexibility if you'd like to spend more (or less) time at your destination than planned. There are often deals available that make them even cheaper, e.g., the Bayern-Ticket for regional trains in Bavaria.
- Get out into nature! Some natural attractions are surprisingly accessible, e.g., the Saxon Switzerland National Park from Dresden, or the Wachau Valley from Vienna. These can be a nice break from cities, churches, and museums.
- Pack a picnic! A day trip by train is the perfect time to enjoy a picnic with a view and maybe some beer or wine. Train stations usually have supermarkets nearby or in the station where you can pick up food and beverages.
What are your favorite day trips in Europe?
8
u/TrampAbroad2000 Oct 29 '25
Some of my favorite day trip bases:
- Utrecht, Netherlands (or almost anywhere in the Randstad region) - to Amsterdam, The Hague, Leiden, Delft, Haarlem, Rotterdam, Den Bosch
- Ghent, Belgium (or Antwerp) - to Bruges, Antwerp (or Ghent), Brussels (if you must)
- Bologna, Italy - to Parma, Modena, Ferrara, Ravenna, Florence, Verona
- Padova, Italy - to Venice, Bologna, Ferrara, Verona, Vicenza, Lake Garda
- Valladolid, Spain - easy access to the three great small cities of Castilla y Leon: Salamanca, Burgos, and Leon
1
u/Skiball23 Apr 02 '26
Going to Italy for the first time with my gf next week, do you think Amalfi coast is doable for a day trip from Naples? If not do you have any suggestions?
6
Oct 29 '25
[deleted]
1
u/TrampAbroad2000 Oct 29 '25
That's where the flexibility of regional trains can be really beneficial - just jump on the next train, not being tied to the one you booked.
2
u/Consistent-Law2649 Oct 29 '25
What doesn't make an optimal day trip in my view: 1) places that get very crowded with other day trippers, like Venice, and Cinque Terre. These can be nicer in the morning or evening hours and staying there optimizes that. 2) smaller towns where business and close down midday and 3) times when the weather will be at its worst midday.
2
u/TrampAbroad2000 Oct 29 '25
Indeed some places are overrun with day trippers, for example Toledo, Spain. By contrast, I was in Salamanca in June and was surprised how few tourists there were, a big reason is probably that it's just a bit too far for most people to day-trip from Madrid.
2
u/ConnectionMission782 Oct 30 '25
Too true. We did a day trip to Toledo and wandering around a bit off the main streets I thought I'd like to go back and stay overnight and wander around in the evening or early morning without the crowds
2
u/ThaddeusGriffin_ Based PT enjoyer Oct 29 '25
Great advice and something I’ve come to realise as well.
I’m going to Extremadura for a week in May, and originally had been looking at hopping place to place and changing hotel every couple of days.
Having looked at it rationally and assessed where I actually want to go, I’ve decided that I’m just going to stay in Caceres for the full week. No checking out/in, no left luggage places, and the flexibility to spend a day or two just relaxing and not doing anything much.
I have four day trips in mind, but I may or may not actually do them, depending on how the week goes. Trujillo and Merida are definite trips, and then will consider the other options at the time.
1
u/TrampAbroad2000 Oct 29 '25
Sounds like a great trip! I'm going to the same area soon - Caceres, Trujillo, Merida, and a hop across the border to Evora.
1
u/AussieKoala-2795 Drop bears expert Oct 30 '25
Stay in Merida. There's way more to do there especially if you like Roman ruins. Both Caceres and Trujillo can be seen as day trips but Merida requires more time. Walking cross the Roman bridge at dusk is lovely.
1
u/ThaddeusGriffin_ Based PT enjoyer Oct 30 '25
Thanks and I really appreciate the advice but this is the problem with all the differing opinions in travel subs I think. I’ve had the exact opposite advice from someone else!
I’ll consider it though and make a decision nearer the time.
1
u/TrampAbroad2000 Oct 30 '25
My impression is that, Roman ruins aside, Merida the city is not as attractive as Caceres and Trujillo. With a week, maybe split it between Merida and either of the other two cities, esp. if you want time to linger with the Roman monuments.
1
u/thatsplatgal Oct 29 '25
Puglia, Italy is perfect for this as the whole region is just little day trips and nothing is too far from each other. I can hit a town in the morning and another in the afternoon.
1
u/TrampAbroad2000 Oct 29 '25
Do you have a favorite base for Puglia? Bari?
2
u/thatsplatgal Oct 30 '25
It’s a big region so you really need more than one if you want to explore it all. Good bases would be Bari, Conversano, Locorotondro, Cisternino, Ostuni (although I find this better as a day trip), Lecce for southern Salento
Otranto and Gallipoli are great for exploring the coast line if you don’t want to stay in Lecce.
1
u/fouhay Oct 29 '25
I can't name a favourite day trip per se, but the ones we've enjoyed the most involved taking a local bus to a nearby town. Usually there is some scenery along the way and the town that is the destination is more "local" than where we are staying.
e.g. stayed for a week in La Rochelle, caught a local bus out to Ile de Re and had a great morning wandering around St Martin de Re (in early March so very quiet)
1
u/Choice-Ad2412 Oct 30 '25
Does anyone know if Salzburg be a good day trip from Munich? Planning a trip for next year.
3
u/TrampAbroad2000 Oct 30 '25
It's on the longer side but it's ok as long as you're not doing a bunch of these in a row.
Get the Bayern-Ticket - it's best for a daytrip on this route esp. for multiple people (32 euros plus 10 for each additional person). https://int.bahn.de/en/offers/regional/regional-day-ticket-bavaria That works out o be much cheaper than the express trains, which are only about 10 minutes faster on this route.
1
u/minncare Oct 30 '25
It’s perfect! I went for the Christmas Markets in 2022. Stayed in Munich and did a day trip to Salzburg. The train was about 1.5 hours. Was able to spend the whole day there, enjoyed the market and explored the city on foot for hours before heading back. Would recommend.
1
1
u/BerryOk1477 Oct 30 '25 edited Oct 30 '25
Salzburg is easy to reach from munich..it's a 2 hrs train ride. Train at least every hour.
Nürnberg can be reached as a day trip.
Some Bus tour operators like "Berr Reisen" offer day trips from Munich to Venice/Italy . Costs around 80 Euros. Dep around 6am from Munich. Very picturesque rider over the Alpes with castles left and right Arrives in Venice around 2pm, depending on the traffic. Gives around 8 hrs in Venice, including the warm and picturesque evening hours. Dep from Venice around 10pm. Arrives in Munich the next morning at 6am. Saves you the expensive night in a hotel.
Here is a list of their day trips from Munich. Many destinations, like Hallstatt and Bad Ischl are easier to reach as direct organized bus tour. It's in German, use the translation function of your browser.
https://www.berr-reisen.de/reisewelten/tagesfahrten/
There is also a dense scheduled bus network from flixbus. But you have to organize the trip yourself. Berr and other companies are bus tour operators. The bus and other travelers and driver stay with you the whole round trip. Might give some a piece of mind. But you are on yourself checking out the city.
From Vienna/Austria day trips to Budapest or Bratislava are possible by train.
1
1
u/TrampAbroad2000 Oct 30 '25 edited Oct 30 '25
Munich-Venice would be my idea of a terrible day trip. Too much travel time for too little time on the ground, and no the return by night bus doesn't save you the expensive night in a hotel so much as it saves you a night of sleep and guarantees you'll be a zombie the next day. This is a false economy.
1
u/AdorableAardvark1061 Oct 30 '25
Just do it! A week ago wife and I completed a day trip from Prague to Dresden by train. Train took a little over two hours to get there. Visited the historic Green Vault in the Royal Palace. Fyi the historic Green Vault is separate from the new Green Vault and requires its own timed entry ticket. It was definitely worth the price of admission. The train was modern, clean, comfortable, and had a dinning car!
13
u/wareagle1993 Oct 29 '25
Belgium is great for day trips because the country is small and well served by train networks. I think you can buy a local rail pass that gives you 10 train rides anywhere in the country for like 100 Euro. Pick a central location like Ghent to stay in and Antwerp, Brussels, Brugge, Ypres, Leuven, etc. are all easily accessible. Same goes for other small countries.
I'm a fan of the hub and spoke model. I sort of developed my own personal guide that I call the "four rules of four" for extended European travel:
(1) if you want to visit a place stay at least FOUR nights. If you can't imagine spending that much time somewhere then do it as a day trip or omit from your itinerary.
(2) if you are re-locating to multiple cities then make sure they are no more than FOUR hours apart by train, bus, boat or plane. Plan a logical road map of destinations.
(3) if you are taking day trips from a home base make sure you spend no more than FOUR hours on transit total - so keep day trip destinations within a two hour range. You don't want to spend all day in transit.
(4) don't plan any more than FOUR things to see or do in any one day - museums, monuments, etc.
I will say one downside to day tripping is fatigue. Sometimes you just want to head back to the hotel and crash into bed to take an afternoon siesta before rallying and hitting the evening plans. You can't really do that on a day trip - you just have to keep ploughing along.
With crowds and expenses exploding, I'm also starting to wonder if staying in a small town outside the major cities and commuting in as day trippers is a better option too. I guess reverse day tripping.