Cities are tiring places, but they’re also exciting and fun places too. Culture, history, shopping, sport, nature, attractions, cuisine, entertainment, these are all things that cities are brimming with, and finding the time to experience everything a particular city has to offer can be an exhausting thing indeed!
In order to enjoy a city as much as possible during a short break, it’s important to make use of a few handy tips, so you get as much out of your time there as possible, without needing another holiday afterwards to recover!
Do a little research
Researching your city online a little before you go is the best way to know that you will get around all your areas of interest. Not everything in a city will call to you, but certain things will, so obviously you want to spend your time exploring those, rather than the other bits you’re not so bothered about. Draw up a short list of what you want to see, and make sure you target your time towards those parts.
Stay central
You might find hotels and guest houses on the outskirts of a city cheaper, but you’re going to waste time and money commuting in and out of the city, so it’s really a bit of false economy. Staying central may cost a little more at the booking stage, but it will mean that you’re right in the heart of the action on day one, without having to navigate the public transport system in a city you’re not familiar with, or somewhere you may not speak the language.
Use the hop on and off tourist bus
Don’t be afraid to be a total and utter tourist! Most large cities have a hop on and off tourist bus which goes around the major sights, usually with a bit of audio commentary to help you learn more. This is a good way to see a lot during a short space of time, so it’s certainly worth doing. A good tip is to go around once, to get a feel for what you want to explore more, and then on the second attempt, get off at those places you identified.
Pre-book tables at popular restaurants and tickets for attractions
Pre-booking saves time and money, and in the case of attractions, you might find that you get a discount for booking online. Many famous restaurants in big cities get booked up well ahead of time, so if there is somewhere you’re dead-set on going, give them a call or email well beforehand.
Make peace with the fact you can’t see everything
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, you need to make peace with this fact. If you’re set on seeing every single corner of a city then you’re going to be disappointed, because a long weekend will not allow you to do that. If you really enjoy it that much, you can always go back.
Sophia
