Extreme day tripping becomes Europe’s hottest travel phenomenon

Make the most of things

Imagine waking up in London at 4 a.m. on a Saturday, rushing to Luton airport to catch a flight to Kaunas, Lithuania, and three hours later, you get a crash course in the history and culture of the Grand Duchy. Explore the area’s pagan roots at the Devils’ Museum, see medieval Kaunas Castle and visit Lithuania’s oldest church clock tower at Pažaislis Monastery. Grab lunch and some retail therapy at the Akropolis, learn about the region’s Soviet history at the 9th Fort Museum and stroll through the VDU Botanical Garden. Then you catch a flight home to sleep in your own bed. All for about £100 or $130.

That may sound fantastical, but it’s just one example of the hottest European travel trend this year — extreme day tripping. It’s low cost, has lots of adventure and doesn’t even cost you vacation days if you time it right.

While extreme day trippers, or EDTs, come in all ages, Gen Z and millennials appear to be the main drivers. This is not a huge surprise, given those generations’ desire to make memories rather than accumulate material things. Whether they post them on Instagram or TikTok, unique, shareable experiences are the goal. Doing it in a limited time frame is just a bonus. Most start with locations they can get to in an hour or less, but extreme day trippers now revel in the challenge of farther and farther away.

History of extreme day tripping

Day trips are nothing new. The difference is the distance and the challenge of just how much you can pack into a day. Extreme day trips started becoming popular in the U.K. in 2019 but stalled during the pandemic lockdowns.

However, when revenge travel roared back post-Covid, extreme day trips were the perfect plan for many. EDTs began popping up all over social media, spreading the idea like wildfire. It also didn’t hurt that plane fares started dropping while hotel rates spiraled upward.

A proliferation of discount airlines and more options on the traditional air carriers increased the possibilities of day trips. Increased possibilities also brought an exciting challenge to extreme day trippers — how far can you go? The farthest edges of the continent are now within reach, and some push the envelope to Eurasia, the Middle East and parts of Africa. Some EDTs have ventured even as far as New York City from Europe, they can enjoy Chick-fil-A nuggets in Times Square at lunchtime and be home the same night.

Thrillist reports Americans are now also getting into the swing of things. The goal: see how far they can venture from sea to shining sea.

Filling a need

It may be tempting to write extreme day tripping off as just the latest fad in the travel industry or suspect there is some larger corporate hand at work. But all the signs point to this being an organically grown phenomenon that’s not slowing down any time soon.

Take the Extreme Day Trips Facebook group, which was started in 2022 by an active day tripper, it continues to grow by one to 2,000 people a week. Members of the group network and connect, sometimes arranging meetups. They share their favorite extreme day trips and offer suggestions for making the most of your trip. One member even published a popular book that helps people get started.

That’s not to say Trip Advisor, Holiday Pirates and other major travel portals aren’t making an impact. Several have added pages catering to extreme day trippers or offering a plan to navigate while in a particular city. But these pale in comparison to sites launched by actual extreme day trippers. These sites curate specific EDTs, offer planning tools and have sign-ups for airport alerts and newsletters.

Part of the nature of EDTs is to get to your destination as fast as possible. And in many cases, that means taking flights cheaper and faster than traveling by car or rail, which raises a concern for some.

One major criticism points out significantly higher flight emissions, especially two in one day. Some extreme day trippers shrug that off, noting the planes would be flying anyway — and more passengers often mean a more efficient flight. Some extreme day trippers — particularly the diehards — will look for ways to offset the added carbon footprint. This can be done by buying CE credits, looking for the most efficient flights or planting a tree after every jaunt.

Where to go?

For those new to extreme day tripping, obviously, one of your first questions will be which destination should I start with? Those in the know recommend starting not too far from home so you get the adventure without too much stress. According to Not Just Travel, the most popular EDT locations include Spain, Belgium, Netherlands, Billund, Denmark, and Paris, France.

A quick easy two-hour flight from the United Kingdom takes an extreme day tripper to Barcelona where you can visit the largest unfinished Catholic church in the world, La Sagrada Família. Snack on some authentic tapas, then wander down the very touristy Las Ramblas and see a historic opera house, the Canaletes Fountain, and various markets and notable monuments.

Ever wanted to see the majesty of Italy’s Lake Como from the sky? Start by sampling the truest form of espresso in the shadow of the Gothic Renaissance Como Cathedral. A short walk lands you at the base of the Como-Brunate Funicular, a stunning ride with panoramic views of the coastal area followed by lasagna for lunch. Wander through the botanical gardens, and see waterfalls and mountain views most tourists miss.

Paris is likely the most well-known destination, even for casual travelers. While you can’t do everything in the city in one day, you can hit quite a few of the best spots, including the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame Cathedral and the Louvre. Throw in the famous Shakespeare and Company bookstore, the Arc de Triomphe and the Sacré-Cœur and Montmartre Basilica or Sainte Chapelle.

Alone or with family

Got a sweet tooth? Why not jet over to Belgium and enjoy the best chocolates in the world? Admire the 102-meter tall Atomium, built for the 1958 World’s Fair, or venture inside to learn about the history of the hope it represents. And before you head home, see La Grand-Place, a UNESCO world heritage site that dates back to at least the 12th century.

Sure, you can visit one of the 11 Legoland parks across the globe. Or you can stop by the original, in Billund, Denmark, the homeland of LEGO. Then walk 900 meters, or half a mile past the LEGO Campus to the nearby Home of the Brick. The LEGO House contains company headquarters and more than 25 million bricks in an additional creativity-laden interactive experience.

Adapt and go

These are all examples. Experts say the key to making the most of an extreme day trip is to plan ahead but leave plenty of flexibility for last-minute changes. And if you can’t fit it all in, you can always plan another trip for the following month at these prices.

Mandy Applegate is the creator behind Splash of Taste and seven other high-profile food and travel blogs. She’s also co-founder of Food Drink Life Inc., the unique and highly rewarding collaborative blogger project. Her articles appear frequently on major online news sites and she always has her eyes open to spot the next big trend.

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