Having just returned from a long weekend in Europe, it dawned on me that I think this is the first time we’ve done that in a true 3-day weekend and not taking an extra day or two on the end of it. Over Labor Day this weekend though we squeezed in a trip to Amsterdam leaving Friday night and arriving home Monday which was a true long weekend in Europe without taking any vacation days. A lot of people might be wondering how to do a long weekend in Europe and I’m here to share my tips.
We booked this trip super last minute as a celebration of some big professional milestones this Summer and for Nick and I to just really spend time together someplace unique with no emails, no work calls, just enjoying each other’s company. Though as we wandered the canals of Amsterdam this weekend I got to thinking what makes a long weekend in Europe successful and how to do it to your best advantage. So here’s how to do a long weekend in Europe and make it work!
1. Book direct flights.
To make the most of your time wherever you’re headed, for a quick weekend, booking direct flights makes all the difference. We flew Seattle to Amsterdam on the way (opting for better flight times out of Seattle) and direct Amsterdam to Portland on the way home, which made all the difference. It cut out all that extra time that you’d spend transferring through multiple airports and it’s one of the reasons we chose Amsterdam for this quick weekend. Book direct flights to wherever you’re headed.
2. Stick to one destination.
For a quick long weekend getaway in Europe, stick with one destination. Don’t try to fit in visits to a whole bunch of different places (even though it’s tempting). Pick 1 city or 1 destination and stay there.
3. Pick a destination that you’ve visited before.
To really make the most of your time, it helps to pick a place you’ve visited before, even if for just a short time. We were in Amsterdam last October for a couple days, so we knew the layout of the city and had a good idea of what our time there would be like. It’s harder to do a quick long weekend escape to someplace you’ve never been since you’ll spend so much more time trying to get your bearings.
4. Just wander.
Usually when we travel we have an itinerary for each day which gives us an idea of what we’re doing or where we’re heading. For a long weekend getaway, just wander. Throw the itinerary out the window and just take it all in around you. To make the most of your short time in a destination, just wander.
5. Stay close to the city center.
Picking a place to stay for a quick long weekend getaway to Europe is really important. The location where you base yourself in a destination will allow you to see the most you can, so base yourself in the city center, close to where you’ll be exploring so that you don’t waste time in transit.
Cynthia says
Interesting tips. I have to say, I was completely in awe of the fact that you literally went to Europe just for the weekend! I don’t think I would even ride the 8 hrs on the bus and back to my favorite city in the world just for a 3 days. (I’ve done it once before and it felt too short!) But, sounds like you fly more often and I guess it’s just a big deal to do that, which is honestly fascinating to someone who is not quite as frequent of a flyer, like myself.
Casey says
Yea, it’s definitely different for each person, but we felt like we had plenty of time (especially in a city we’ve been numerous times before). I also think as you said, I fly a lot (and often for work which are super quick turn arounds) so for me, flying 9 hours isn’t a big deal. It also helped that on the way over it was an overnight flight, which meant we were just sleeping!
Cynthia says
True- an overnight flight probably helped a lot! Usually I’m so excited even on a red-eye that it’s hard to sleep, haha.
Casey says
Haha! Yea, I’ve gotten pretty good at sleeping on planes over the years!
Emily of Em Busy Living says
Are you able to sleep easily on the plane? I know you’re well practiced in flying, so I’m sure you can, but I just can’t imagine how tired I would be to do this so quickly! Do you adjust to the time difference easily, or do you even try?
Casey says
Yes, I do sleep on the plane. Not a full flight usually but I usually can get at least 4-5 hours on a long haul flight. To be honest, we weren’t tired at all this weekend. We slept on the way there, then napped for an hour or so when we arrived and then headed out to explore! We didn’t have any issue adjusting this trip to the time change as we arrived mid day, so we were good to go for the remainder of the day and then slept all night Amsterdam time. I did take a Melatonin just to make sure I slept through the night, but as long as you acclimate yourself immediately, it’s not as hard as it sounds!
Kaelene @ Unlocking Kiki says
I think it is amazing that you guys did a weekend trip to Europe! Shows that it is possible!
Casey says
Totally… it’s actually not nearly as hard as you think!
Mia says
yes indeed number 2 definitely hard to stick to but a very good advice!
Casey says
Yes! But super important if you only have a little bit of time!
Kelley @ Move By Yourself says
This is my dream to one day be able to casually say “I’m heading off to Paris for a long weekend” no big deal.
Casey says
It’s totally possible! It’s easier if you have direct connections (believe me I would have totally done Paris this weekend if we had a direct!), but time-wise, it’s totally feasible!
Macy Volpe says
I can’t wait to be able to do this! The International wing at BWI airport is expanding and I am so looking forward to weekend trips to Europe.
Casey says
Oh nice! Yea, it’s totally doable with more direct flights being offered from airports and such. And from the East Coast, it’s even easier and quicker and usually cheaper! 🙂
Rachel @ STCL says
That’s so awesome! I’d love to be able to jet off to Europe for the weekend!
Casey says
It’s totally doable! Finding direct flights somewhere is the key! 🙂
Mere Salazar says
My worry about traveling to Europe for a short trip would be jet lag!!! Never been, but hoping to head to that side of the world in the future!
Casey says
Yea I was a little worried about that too but picking good flight times helps a lot with that! We arrived mid day so we were excited when we got there and wanted to head out and explore. By the time we got tired, it was pretty much their night. l also recommend taking melatonin to help sleep through the night!