What makes a good three-day trip
On a long weekend, the city itself matters less than you'd think. What decides whether it feels like a proper break is how much time you lose getting there and getting around. A two-hour flight to an airport 15 minutes from the centre beats a slightly shorter flight to an airport an hour out, and a compact old town you can walk across beats a sprawling capital with a long sightseeing list.
So we've scored each city on four things:
- Journey time from London, door to door. Regional UK airports fly to most of these too.
- Airport transfer: how long from landing to your hotel, on public transport.
- Size: can you walk between the main sights, or do you need the metro all day?
- Fit: does three days cover the highlights without rushing, or leave you wishing you'd stayed longer?
Times below are typical. Check current timetables, because they change with the seasons.
The quick list
Lisbon: the best all-rounder
Flight: about 2 hours 45 minutes. Transfer: the airport is inside the city, around 20 minutes by metro or a short taxi ride.
Lisbon's airport is one of the closest to any capital in Europe, which buys you back half a day. Three days is enough for the old districts of Alfama and Baixa, a tram ride, the monuments at Belém and an evening in Bairro Alto, with time left for a half day in Sintra or on the beach at Cascais. The hills are steep, so pack shoes you can walk in.
Krakow: the most for your money
Flight: about 2 hours 20 minutes. Transfer: the airport train takes around 20 minutes to the main station, next to the old town.
Krakow's old town is compact, beautiful and almost entirely walkable, and prices are well below western Europe. Spend a day on the Market Square and Wawel Castle, a day in the Kazimierz district, and the third on a trip out: either the Wieliczka Salt Mine or Auschwitz-Birkenau, which needs booking ahead and most of a day. Doing both makes three days feel rushed, so pick one.
Copenhagen: easy and relaxed
Flight: about 1 hour 50 minutes. Transfer: the metro runs from the airport to the centre in around 15 minutes, day and night.
Copenhagen is flat, small and built for bikes, so you see a lot without trying. Three days covers Nyhavn, the palaces, Tivoli Gardens (open in summer, at Halloween and at Christmas) and a harbour swim or boat trip. It's expensive, which is the main reason it isn't top of the list. Our Copenhagen guide has the best months to go.
Paris, Amsterdam and Ghent: by train
If you live near London, the Eurostar beats flying for a short trip. There's no airport transfer at either end and you arrive in the middle of the city.
- [Paris](/destinations/paris): around 2 hours 20 minutes to Gare du Nord. Three days is just enough for one big museum, the Eiffel Tower area and wandering Le Marais and Montmartre. Book the museums ahead.
- [Amsterdam](/destinations/amsterdam): around 4 hours direct. That's longer than flying in theory, but similar door to door. Three days covers the canals, one or two museums and a bike ride out of the centre.
- [Ghent](/destinations/ghent): Eurostar to Brussels in about 2 hours, then about half an hour by train. Smaller and calmer than Bruges, with a medieval centre that's easy to see in two days, leaving a day for Bruges or Brussels.
Rome: worth it, with a plan
Flight: about 2 hours 30 minutes. Transfer: the Leonardo Express train takes around half an hour to Termini station.
Rome has more big sights than you can see in three days, so the trick is to choose. A realistic plan is the Colosseum and Forum on day one, the Vatican Museums and St Peter's on day two, and the Pantheon, Trevi Fountain and Trastevere on foot on day three. Book timed tickets for the Colosseum and the Vatican, or you'll lose hours in queues. Avoid August, when it's very hot and many restaurants close.
Porto, Gdańsk and Valencia: good value and a bit of sea
- [Porto](/destinations/porto): about 2 hours. The metro runs from the airport to the centre in around half an hour. A small, hilly, characterful city; three days covers the riverside, a port cellar tour and a day trip up the Douro valley.
- [Gdańsk](/destinations/gdansk): about 2 hours. A rebuilt old town on the Baltic with a fascinating modern history at the European Solidarity Centre. Add a half day at the beach at Sopot in summer.
- [Valencia](/destinations/valencia): about 2 hours 15 minutes. The metro reaches the centre in around 25 minutes. Combine the old town and the City of Arts and Sciences with a long lunch of paella by the beach.
Barcelona fits here too, with more to see but bigger crowds. See our Barcelona guide.
Tallinn and Ljubljana: small and quiet
For a smaller break with fewer crowds:
- [Tallinn](/destinations/tallinn): about 2 hours 45 minutes, and the airport is a short tram or taxi ride from the medieval old town. You can see the whole old town in a day, which leaves time for the harbour, the Kadriorg park and its palace, or a ferry to Helsinki.
- [Ljubljana](/destinations/ljubljana): about 2 hours. The airport is around half an hour out by shuttle. A small, green, car-free centre with Lake Bled an easy day trip.
Fewer airlines fly to both, so check routes from your nearest airport first.
Cities that need longer
Some cities are wonderful but don't suit three days. Berlin and Vienna are spread out, and you'll spend a lot of the trip on public transport between neighbourhoods; four or five days is better. And any city where your flight lands at a distant secondary airport, an hour or more from the centre, loses much of the first and last day to the transfer.
If you're flying from a regional airport, check what's direct before you fall for a city. Our guide to flights from Bristol is a good example of how much choice a regional airport can give you.
Choosing between them
Start with when you're going. Most of these cities are best in spring and early autumn; the city breaks page and each guide show the best months. Then think about what you want from the trip: food, sights, a slower pace or the cheapest weekend away.
If you're going with friends or family and everyone has a different favourite, put them all on a list and let everyone share out points. With somewhere🎉 the draw picks the winner, so no one has to give in. Read how it works.