Many of us know the big named cities in lots of countries: Paris, Rome, Tokyo, London, New York, the list goes on. These are heavily traveled cities and for good reason; they are all amazing! But, this post is about those smaller cities, towns, and villages just outside of those major cities. If you’re based in a big city and spending a few days, here are some ideas for great day trips (or overnights) nearby those major spots.
If you’re visiting Amsterdam,Netherlands try: Haarlem
Haarlem, Netherlands is the definition of a gem of a town. You can take the train there from Amsterdam in 12-15 minutes. It is as if someone took Amsterdam, shrunk it down, and took away the weed and the red-light district. Haarlem has great food, lots of history, absolutely wonderful people, beautiful scenery, great drinks, and just an excellent vibe. From Haarlem, you are also a bike ride away from the famous tulip fields of Lisse and the Keukenhof. This is one of the places we have stayed where we really felt we could live. We actually stayed in the most lovely accommodation here as well, I highly recommend it for the lovely setting, the amazing hosts, and the personal attention you get.
I wrote a whole post about my love for Haarlem here.
If you’re visiting Rome, Italy try: Sperlonga
Sperlonga, Italy was a complete surprise. I was traveling through Italy in the summer with a girlfriend, and I knew it was going to be tremendously hot in Rome. So, I googled beaches close to Rome… enter Sperlonga. Another amazingly adorable town that just doesn’t quite seem real. The town is full of kitschy little designs and beautiful art all throughout the streets. This is not a town made for your average American tourist, it seemed more like a place Italians go to vacation. There was much less English spoken here, however locals seemed thrilled to have us. Everyone was exceptionally kind and helpful. The view of the town from down on the beach is incredible. The food was wonderful and hanging on the beach for the day was glorious, we loved everything about this special town and would definitely venture back one day.
If you’re visiting Lisbon, Portugal try: Sintra
This one might be a little more obvious, as Sintra is a common day trip for people from Lisbon. But going to Sintra is a must when visiting Lisbon, and staying over is even better since there is so much to see and do. Sintra has it all: the amazing Pena Palace, The Quinta da Regaleria, The Moorish Castle, the National Palace, and the town itself are all incredible sights to see. The food is great, and the sunset (if you stay over) looking up over the castle and palace is a fairytale sight. Don’t skip Sintra if you have the time!
We also stayed over in Sintra (which I highly recommend) and we LOVED our spot here. It was so charming and had views over so many of the famous sites.
Check out my post about what to do in Sintra here!
If you’re visiting Bern, Switzerland try: Gruyere
I’ll start by admitting that I love cheese. And Gruyere is a cheese that comes from the town of Gruyere, which is only about an hour by train from the larger town of Bern, Switzerland. This was an awesome little day trip to make. It was easy to convince my husband to go to Gruyere because it also has a castle! Castles and cheese make for a perfect day. You can pop off the train, check out the town, see the castle, tour the cheese factory (and taste the cheese), and be back in Bern in time for dinner.
If you’re visiting Nice, France try: Eze
Eze is an incredible hilltop medieval village that overlooks the Mediterranean Sea in the south of France. Though small, it is a really neat place to stop and see. We took the train from Nice, but quickly realized the bus was actually a better choice since it runs direct from Nice to Eze. The views are amazing and a large part of the appeal of this area. The streets are narrow and make you feel like you’ve gone back in time. There are lots of little shops and places to stop in and things to check out. All in all, a wonderful stop for lunch or dinner and a visit to the town if you’re visiting nearby Nice.
If you’re visiting Paris, France try: Reims
This is a wonderful day trip from Paris that many people love to make. We stayed overnight and it was worth the stay. In Reims, you can champagne-taste at some of the most amazing places in France. This town is the home of Veuve Clicquot, Champagne Pommery, Champagne Tattinger, Ruinart, and many other amazing and historic champagne houses. The city has a beautiful cathedral and is great for walking around and exploring. It is an excellent trip from Paris.
If you are looking for more information about this trip check out my blog post here.
If you’re visiting Venice, Italy try: Burano
There is nothing I love more than bright colors. I love the rainbow, I love a row of colorful houses, a colorful street, rainbow brite, etc. Burano encapsulates all of this, it is an entire brightly colored island in the lagoon of Venice, where all of the houses are painted in amazing rainbow colors. Like Venice, it is filled with beautiful canals and great food options, but is known for its lace. You can take a group tour to see this island, but if you want to make it really easy you can take a water bus here on your own. I prefer the water bus because it allows you to see Burano on your own time and enjoy it for as long as you want before heading back to Venice.
If you’re visiting Florence, Italy try: San Gimignano
There are arguably tons of small gems hidden outside Florence, Italy. I am simply writing about San Gimignano because it is a favorite of mine. The towers of the town are an impressive sight to see and the history behind them is even more interesting. The town is full of great shopping, great food (including the World’s Best Gelato!), beautiful streets, and incredible views of the surrounding Tuscan countryside. It is definitely worth a day trip, and if I were to go back I would likely stay a night.
I have a post about towns in Tuscany with some more detailed info here.
If you’re visiting Athens, Greece try: Alimos
Similar to wanting to find a beach during summer in Rome, I knew that Athens in the summer would be a scorcher. We had already been to Athens before and seen the main sights (obviously, if you have not, I wouldn’t skip that!), but if you’ve been before and are looking for a day to get away from all that heat, Alimos was a great stop. We enjoyed the beach for the day, we took a taxi to explore Vouliagmeni Lake (click here to read more), and we had some really nice dinners! This is a great little escape to stay the night or spend the day in the ocean during the daily heat of summer in Athens.
If you’re visiting Split, Croatia try: Trojir
We were surprised by how much we enjoyed Trogir. We hadn’t researched this town as much before visiting. The old town was awesome and full of squares, alleys, and tons of outdoor dining. You could also walk or drive to a huge strip of beaches to enjoy the day. The market had some amazing cheeses and we made a great picnic during our time here. We loved all of the food, the people were so friendly and welcoming, and there seemed to be a lot of action here! We would highly recommend at least a night here.