For the American, it is a concept not even worth considering. You could never explore more than one region of the country over the span of a few days, even if you did have inexhaustible funds and an iron cast resistance to the unpleasantness of air travel. The sheer width of the country alone makes cross-national traveling over a short period of time impossible.
In Europe, however, where countries bump against each other with proximity similar to that of states in the U.S., it is far simpler to cover a large portion of territory over a small amount of time, even the length of a day. In fact, there are many places within Europe that recognize the brevity of their tourists’ stays and (to a certain degree) cater to the “all in a day” mindset. Five great day-trips in Europe are thus listed below.
1. LONDON. If you come to Europe at all, the UK should be your first destination. London itself is much bigger than a single day will allow you to appreciate, but you can do quite a bit with Heathrow or Gatwick (or even Stansted in desperate situations) acting as your origin. You might be tempted to visit only the most famous tourist sites (namely Buckingham Palace, House of Commons, Big Ben, Parliament Square, etc), but you might find your time better invested in a day in Camden Market. The region is festering with small knick-knack shops and the sort of colorful characters this shopping attracts. You can buy things relatively cheaply, also, if you barter with the street vendors of Camden Lock, so you’ll have just enough left after the bus ticket to buy some traditional fish and chips from one of the myriad of such places speckling the sidewalk.
2. NICE, FRANCE. It may seem like an inappropriate choice, given the dazzling reputation of romantic Paris, but you may very well find the sedated splendor of Nice to be more to your liking. The city itself boasts all the cultural wonders that westerners have come to associate with France (i.e. fabulous cafes and restaurants, museums, and art galleries) without the crowded sidewalks and overly “touristed” regions of Paris. In Nice, you can walk amongst people actually speaking French rather than eavesdropping on the American couple to your left and the two backpackers from Britain on your right. Finally, due to its location slightly north of Paris, it is a closer hop from London and has warmer weather.
3. OSLO, NORWAY. Any country that is rated as first on the Human Development Index (HDI) deserves a second glance. Oslo, though small (about 500,000 people), nonetheless features a maze of shops and region-specific thrills, such as Holmenkollen, a massive ski-jump on the hillside overlooking the city. Also, due to its somewhat smaller population, you don’t have to worry too much about getting caught in traffic jams on the sidewalk or in the streets. Finally, most residents of the city speak English quite well. Don’t forget to see a football (American soccer) game… listening to the Norwegians call each other “farmers” with such vigor is consistently amusing.
4. AMSTERDAM. After all the times your mother told you not to go, you could hardly resist coming here. The city is renowned for the prevalence of sex, drugs, and general liberalism, but it also features some of the most colorful cultural exhibits Europe has to offer. Current features include an exhibit of Anne Frank, canal tours (strikingly reminiscent of Venice) and the “Heineken Experience,” an ode the famous brand of beer.
5. SARDINIA. Getting to Sardinia will obviously require air transportation, which could make it more expensive than some of the previously mentioned ventures. However, a visit to the island, located in the middle of the Western Mediterranean, holds a richness of history more apparent than in other European history. The country features the sunny, tropical beaches you might expect of its geographic location. Local food tradition includes world-renowned (and distributed) wine and cheese.
Though Europe might be best experienced through timely exploration, it certainly can be abbreviated into a series of cultural day trips. Five great day-trips are thus London, Nice, Oslo, Amsterdam, and Sardinia. The inclusions of a few are obvious; others hold a more subtle attraction. Regardless, all are valuable and all can be “tasted” in a twelve-hour opening.
