Weekend Getaway

Some of us do it more often, others do it less, but we all do weekend trips to visit a new country or a city from time to time.

Because of the weekend trips short term nature, we don’t always go into full depth, when considering the efficient utilization of time and costs for it.

At least this was the case with us until the moment when we had 12 straight weekends on the go. No, it’s not a typo – twelve. Working Monday till Friday, travelling for the weekend. Repeat. This is how three months of our life looked like.

And it was only during this time that we realized the importance of planning, both: timewise and pricewise. In the lines below we have tried to summarize the main points, which need to be considered when planning your weekend trips.

Where to go for a weekend trip?

The destination of course is entirely up to your preference. The only thing, which we advise you to  take into account is that you should have a direct flight option. The flight duration shouldn’t be longer than 2.5-3 hours. Anything longer than this requires longer time than just a weekend.

Friday vs. Saturday morning

Travelling Friday means that you are at the airport around the end of the working day.

Late afternoon and evening flights are often subject to delays.

The airlines plan the flights to take maximum utility from a single aircraft. This means that one particular machine should make as many courses within a day as possible. Naturally small delays can accumulate during the day and result in a bigger delay for the late flights. For you this means additional waiting time on the airport and delayed arrival to your destination.

On the contrary morning flights are as a rule on time.

If you choose Friday departure for your weekend trips, the arrival will be usually already after what is considered a normal sightseeing time. However, you will be able to get some good rest, night sleep and start the Saturday with plenty of power for exploration and adventures.

Arriving Saturday morning might require an early wake up and might take from your sightseeing energy. Still, it is always possible to catch up with sleeping during the flight.

Another point is the transfer from airport. It might not be a straightforward thing to take care of, if you arrive very late in the evening. Make sure you check all possible transfer options and always be ready with a contingency plan.

Main advantage of arriving on Saturday morning is that you will save costs for one night of accommodation. In many cases this could make significant difference.

Our advice:

Arriving Friday is always better option, because you will be fresh and ready to explore on Saturday morning.
However, if you have a suitable Saturday morning flight option and the budget is a concern, then go ahead and travel Saturday morning!
Some of the above laid thoughts can be also extrapolated when considering the return flight: Sunday vs. Monday morning.
Our advice is that you go with a Sunday evening flight option with the following distinct advantages:

• You don’t pay for additional night of accommodation
• No  need to take clothes for Monday (save from baggage capacity)
• You will be on time at the office.

Still, if being late on Monday isn’t an issue and there is a significant price advantage of flying Monday, then this is your option.

How to choose accommodation?

For a short getaway the key consideration is the LOCATION. You are searching for a place with a convenient connection to the airport and very close proximity to the city center or important sightseeing locations.

Our tip: look around the Central Train Station. They provide the combination of close-to-center location and convenient airport transport.

What to take with me?

You go for two days: as basic equipment you don’t need anything more than toothbrush, toothpaste, underwear, second pair of clothes. Shower gel and shampoo are usually provided by your hotel. You might even consider not taking your flip flops. A dedicated article regarding essentials needed for a longer trip is to follow.

Of course, you need to check the weather conditions and you have to take into account any additional items that you might need, e.g. suncare.

In our case we don’t need more than a small backpack or a messenger bag (32x46x22 cm for example). This gives you further flexibility as you can take the bag with you during sightseeing and still feel comfortable.

Intensive sightseeing vs. relaxed walk tour during weekend trips

It should be a healthy combination of both. Rushing through as many places of interest as possible usually results in unnecessary stress and no sufficient time to reflect on what you see. On the other hand if you just go for a relaxed tour – you are likely to miss key part of the spirit of the respective place.

Our advice: combination between both.

You can find here more ideas for weekend escapes. If you are more interested in long haul flights, we also have tips for their planning.