When you have to fly outbound on Friday, and then come back on Sunday, you only really get one day to explore your destination.
One full day on an excursion certainly is not enough time to see all that you want and absorb everything you have done. However, after two independent excursions I’ve learned how to pack a lot of activities into one day to make the short amount of time worthwhile. With one day, you can do enough to get a cultural sampling of the destination that will certainly fulfill your curiosity and make your short trip worthwhile.
For my one full day in Edinburgh, I visited the delicious café Black Medicine. It’s quite popular in Edinburgh, but not as famous as Elephant House (where J.K. Rowling conceived Harry Potter,) that I visited later in the day. Next I walked to the Old Calton Burial Ground where philosopher David Hume and publisher William Blackwood are buried. Following the cemetery I hiked Calton Hill where there are replicas of Ancient Greek ruins as well as astounding views of the city. After Calton Hill I went to the famous Edinbugh Castle. £14 later it was time for hike number two of the day to the top of Arthur’s seat. This may have been more like a climb rather than a hike. So after the climb it was time for some pub fare (fish and chips!) at a classic, cozy Scottish pub. And naturally after visiting one pub for quite a while, it was time to move on to a pub-crawl in the Grassmarket district that is popular with University of Edinburgh students. Then as the bars were closing, I made my way back to the hostel to pack my stuff and then head to the airport for a 7am flight back to Germany.
In Rome, I was able to visit many famous sites as well as eat much more then enough classic Italian food. That, is what I call success. First activity of the day was a tour of the Coliseum, followed by a tour of Palentine Hill. Next was a gelato stop. Then we traveled to the other side of the city to enter Vatican City where I marveled St. Paul’s Basilica. I then made my way back toward the City Center (Termini) and saw the Spanish Steps. After the Steps, I made a wish at the Trevi Fountain and walked through Church decorated with bones-yes, human bones. And of course, I sat for an Italian meal of pasta, wine, cannolis, and cappuccinos. But I wasn’t going to end my day with dinner. My friends and I searched and went into any bar that didn’t have a dress code. However, we didn’t stay long at any place because we refused to pay a “sitting fee”, literally, a fee to sit down.
So although the time is so limited on excursions, you can easily make the most out of a day in Edinburgh, Rome, or anywhere.