Sometimes, you can’t leisurely explore a city, instead you may need to jam as much as you can into a short space of time. I will be giving you my top tips of how to do just that, leaving you feeling like you have really seen a city in just a few hours.
Walking Tours
My absolute favourite thing to do when I’m in a new place is take a free walking tour, they are usually between 1-2 hours and you just have to tip at the end. They show you all of the main sites and give you so much history and local stories you wouldn’t find anywhere else. They are also a great opportunity to ask for recommendations on things to see or places to eat. When your short on time, this is a spectacular way to see the main highlights and learn a lot about a city in just a couple of hours.
Walking vs Public Transport
Whilst you may instinctively think that taking public transport would be quicker and allow to you see more of a place, I disagree. Sometimes for shorter distances, the waiting for public transport and finding the right stations takes just as long as walking. Furthermore, by walking between spots, you get to enjoy the city- I always feel I’ve seen more of a city after I’ve spent time walking around it. For longer distances, public transport is best but for the shorter distances, I recommend walking. On this note, I suggest staying as close to the centre as possible to reduce time taken to get from where you’re staying to what you want to see.
Grab Quick Meals
Whilst some can, I can’t function without three meals a day, however, when I’m travelling, I don’t want to waste time sitting down for breakfast, lunch and dinner, it can also be quite expensive. To save time, I always grab breakfast at a bakery and eat it while walking around. You can also get lunch at bakeries or even a simple sandwich from a supermarket saves time and money. For dinner, I do often like to go out and try the local food, but to save time, I recommend always researching restaurants beforehand and booking a table.
Have a Plan
With so much to do and so little time, having a plan ahead of time of what specifically you want to see each day can help you make the most of it. My top tip here would be to plan all the things you want to do and see where they are all located and group them based on location for different days- this saves going back and forth. With little time, you won’t be able to see everything so it’s important you prioritise and are realistic about the amount you can do. Finally, booking tickets in advance for museums and other activities can save time queuing up for them and will ensure you get to see them.
Arrive early, leave late
To try and maximise the amount of time you have somewhere, take the earliest flight out, which is sometimes the cheapest one too and then fly back as late as possible. I have done my fair share of 5 or 6 am flights and while rough at first, a little afternoon nap will fix you up. If you can’t check-in till late, you can often drop your bags and then explore till check-in and the same applies when checking out. However, if you are doing a trip to multiple places, it won’t be possible to do this but do keep in mind doing it where possible. I would also recommend waking up early to make the most of the day, whilst it can be quite intense as it’s a short period you can crash when you get home. Booking activities like a walking tour for early in the morning can force you to get up.