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Extreme Day Trips: One Day, One Passport, Endless Possibilities

Mike Pickup

May 30, 2025
6 min read

EXTREME DAY TRIPS

Often a day out in a totally different environment feels like a much longer break, so welcome to Extreme Day Trips. The idea behind EDTs is to spend as much of the day as possible in a different country and still make it home in time for bed, so here are a few examples of what you can do.

Stansted

There’s loads to see and do in the twin cities of Buda and Pest. Hilly Buda and flat Pest are separated by the Danube and are linked by a number of bridges, the most famous being the Chain Bridge. It is twinned with an almost identical but smaller bridge in Marlow, Buckinghamshire, as they were both designed by William Tierney Clark. Celebrated for its natural hot springs and riverside Parliament building inspired by our own Palace of Westminster, the people are friendly and a day transport pass makes it easy to get around on the oldest underground railway in mainland Europe. The 06:00 flight gets you in at 09:25 and you have plenty of time to soak up the sights and the famous Spa baths before heading back on the 22:15 flight which lands at 23:50.

Image 3 Budapest Spa copy — Budapest Spa

Cruising the River Rhône

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Luxury Train Journeys

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Luton

How about a day in Prague, often rated one of Europe’s cheapest capitals? Take the 06:00 and arrive at 09:00, then you have most of the day to explore this compact city before heading back to the airport for the 17:00 return flight. Don’t miss the Charles Bridge, historic town square and stunning astronomical clock, all within easy walking distance.

If you are a wine lover then where better to go than Porto, home of great food and Port wine. There’s much to see in the city centre including Azulejos, the famous Portuguese blue tiles which adorn the main railway station. Cross the river Douro by cable car or the famous double-decker Louis I Bridge to the lively riverside area of Vila Nova de Gaia, home to famous Port Houses such as Fonseca, Warre, Graham’s, Taylor’s, Sandeman and more. Most offer guided tours and tastings. The 06:30 flight gets you into the Portuguese city at 08:55 and the return flight doesn’t leave until 21:00.

Image 5 Azulejos in Porto railway station copy — Azulejos in Porto railway station

Gatwick

Fancy a bit of winter sunshine? Then how about Malta. You can get up to eleven hours on this historic island, flying out 06:20 and back 22:15. Enjoy the old capital, Mdina, and the other historical sites, or head for one of the blue flag beaches. With 300 days of sunshine you probably won’t need an umbrella.

Another warm destination is Madeira, whose Funchal airport requires special training for pilots. Approaching the airport, you will be able to see into the windows of the hillside homes that surround it. The coastal promenade is very popular with visitors, including passengers on the many cruise ships that call there, and the numerous fascinating and diverse museums include CR7, dedicated to Funchal’s famous footballer Cristiano Ronaldo.

Heathrow

Amsterdam is a great day out with a good choice of flights lasting just over one hour. If you are looking to maximise your time there, the first flight leaves before 07:00 and gets you into the airport at 09:25 with the last flight back leaving at 21:35. The airport has a good train connection to the centre of the city, English is almost universally spoken, and the city is easily explored on foot, although a canal boat tour of the city is highly recommended. If you want to visit Anne Frank’s house, best to book well in advance.

Dublin is another easy flight from Heathrow. Catch the 06:15 and you’ll land at 07:40, in time for a hearty breakfast before exploring this great city. Don’t miss the Oscar Wilde statue in Merrion Park and the Little Museum of Dublin, a fun-filled museum crammed with modern artefacts including author Maeve Binchy’s typewriter and a room dedicated to the pop band U2. Pay a visit to the statue of Molly Malone then head for a great lunch at the Wine Cellar in Fallon & Byrne. The last flight back doesn’t leave until after 20:00 so you’ll have plenty of time to soak up the atmosphere and perhaps a glass of Guinness.

Image 11 Molly Malone copy — Molly Malone

Planning your trip

The key to successful extreme day trips is in the planning, and it’s not just about the flights. What do you want to see and what tours can you book? How far is it from the airport to your destination? What are the options and how much does it cost? On this last point, the nearest is Gibraltar with just a ten-minute walk, followed by Geneva and Pisa, just 4km bus rides away. Easy-peasy, or should that be easy-Pisa!

To check flight times, Skyscanner www.skyscanner.net allows you to search for the best flights to any destination across a whole month. The destination airport will have a website showing the options available for getting into the town centre and the tourist board will have a note of popular places to visit, bookable city tours and so on. Best of all, there is also a dedicated Extreme Day Trips website offering suggestions, flight details and help with planning. Check out www.extremedaytrips.com

Think big. Travel light. And remember – sometimes the best adventures don’t need an overnight bag.

Got a favourite day trip of your own? Or a destination we’ve missed? Tell us your travel tricks or tag us in your next #ExtremeDayTrip.

We’ll be sharing more routes, tips, and inspiration – so follow EyeOnLondon and come along for the ride.

[Image Credits: Mike Pickup]