As someone who likes to have a good leisurely snooze of a morning, I’ve found that staying more than a single day in different places while travelling is kind of a necessity if I want to actually see everything – rising at noon like some kind of confused vampiric beast does not compute with the idea of a regimented tour.
Sure, I could get up early and adventure around all day long, but not only is that NOT ME, but it’s also a damn shame. The idea that we gotta rush around and cram everything into one big day of travel with more to absorb than a single paper towel at a rager? Mates, that’s just not cricket.
Travelling should be done at the pace that suits YOU, you adventurous little butterfly. And frankly, some places simply demand that you bestow upon them the attention that more than one day can afford. It is paramount. Critical. Abso-bloody-lutely necessary.
These red hot locales are some of the places that you’re defs gonna want to meander around for longer than 24 hours – especially if, like me, you’re not a fan of this rude ‘morning’ business.
1. Dubrovnik
Ask anyone that’s recently been to Europe and we pretty much guarantee you that they’ll have Dubrovnik as one of their favourite destinations. It’s practically law – I don’t make the rules. This city is so well-loved that you’ve gotta dedicate at LEAST two days to it.
There are 1,940 metres of city walls for you to clamber all over and find yourself a perfect perch to park your bum and watch an 11/10 sunset, plus there’s the beaches and if you’re a big ol’ Game of Thrones fan (present and accounted for), a mega walking tour of all the filming locations.
2. Florence
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Ah, Florence. A city so pretty you could name your firstborn after it (I’m not even kidding right now, Florence is one of 2018’s top baby names). It’s the renaissance capital, filled to the brim with all things art, culture, couture and enough delicious spaghetti that you’ll be rolling meatballs towards your lover with your nose a lá Lady and the Tramp.
There’s a lot of wandering to do around these streets, and the markets are an absolute must. Oh and did we mention that gelato originated in Florence? Okay, so for science’s sake, you need to taste test every single gelato vendor in Florence just to prove that the OG is the best. It’s evidence.
3. Berlin
Alright history buffs. Berlin is the place for you and you’re gonna need pleeeenty of time to take it all in. In historical locations alone you’ve gotta tick off the Berlin Wall, Checkpoint Charlie, the Brandenburg Gate and the Reichstag building – not to mention having regular food breaks and dedicating enough time to each to fully take it in.
Plus, if we’re being honest here, Berlin’s nightlife is actually next level, so you’re gonna need an extra day or two just to recover. We vote sleeping til noon and chowing down on some much needed afternoon breakfast – and yes, we recognise that breakfast is TECHNICALLY meant to be in the morning but hush.
4. Amsterdam
View this post on InstagramWould you go on this swing over Amsterdam?! ???? ????by Trip Leader @carolyn.travels #topdecker
There are many, ahem, reasons that you’ll need extra time in Amsterdam (we don’t judge, okay). But really, the main reason is that there’s a lot to see and the best way to see it is either on foot or on a bike. Sure it’ll take you a little longer to get around and see the sights, but it’s the best way to do it by far.
While you’re rolling around, meandering through the paths, you can pop in at the Anne Frank House, Van Gogh Museum or Rijksmuseum – and then if your legs are feeling murderous after the workout you’ve put them through, you can have a cheeky canal cruise to roam the waters too. And then, well… Have an extra spicy night.
5. Paris
Together in Paris, the city of love. Excuse me while I indulge all my Parisian fantasies and my obsession with Anastasia (film and musical, definitely a soundtrack for your trip). The thing about Paris is that although you can totally manage to see all the big sights in two days, if you really want to experience the vibe of the city you’ve got to take your time.
The Parisian way isn’t to rush things – you’re gonna want to indulge. Go to a swanky, sensual cabaret one night and out on the town the next. Embrace the laissez-faire attitude and spend an entirely bloody afternoon chomping on macaroons in the middle of the Champs-Elysées. C’est magnifique, mates.
6. Mykonos
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For a relatively small city in comparison to the others on this list, Mykonos has a bloody huge personality and you’re definitely going to want to dedicate a couple of sun-drenched days here. The windmills and beaches are the obvious first stop, but once you’ve tackled the main attractions you can start focusing on the rest.
Mykonos is known for being a party city, so go out on your first night so that you have ample time to recover – and if recovering means spending an afternoon lying on the beach or lazily having a seafood lunch while an unfairly attractive waiter dotes on you, then who am I to say no? I am only human, after all.
In all seriousness though, in the words of Ron Swanson: “Never half-ass two things. Whole ass one thing.” Translation? Don’t squeeze two giant destinations into the time you should rightfully be dedicating to just one – do it properly, you won’t regret it.
Best part? All of these red hot destinations have been extended to at least two or three days on a bunch of Topdeck trips (The Continental, Euro City Trail and European Promenade), so you can still have your whirlwind tour without sacrificing time in the cities that demand it.
If you whack the Topdeck travel app on your phone it’ll even give you a buncha ideas for things to do in the extended time that you’ve got there, with sneaky pin drops marking where your Trip Leader reckons you’ll have a ridiculously good time so that you’re getting the best advice even on your free days.
So slow it down, friends. Embrace your inner sloth and make your movements deliberate AF, giving each destination the devotion that frankly they deserve.
