The Best Day Trips out of European Cities by Daniel Scott
Featured Hotel in London
Radisson Edwardian Hampshire
See all hotels in London >
“When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford.”
What celebrated wit Samuel Johnson said in the eighteenth century is as true today as it was then. In fact, it could easily apply to any great European city. Paris, Rome, Venice…so much to see, so little time.
But after days of sightseeing in any major tourist centre, it is always refreshing to head off on a day trip out of town. So, what are some escapes that will add flavour to your visit to Europe’s most popular cities?
London
Day Trip: Windsor-On-Thames
Many visitors to London make visiting Windsor a priority because of the magnificent eleventh century castle, which crowns the hill above the town. Now fully restored after the 1992 fire, the Queen’s favourite residence is utterly compelling, from the grand State rooms which host banquets for visiting dignitaries through its priceless collection of paintings to the intricate Queen Mary’s Doll’s House.
But there is much more to see in this historic riverside town. Just outside the Castle gates you’ll find both the cobbled Church Street, where Charles II’s mistress Nell Gwynne lived and the tree-lined Long Walk stretching away through the enormous Windsor Great Park.
An open-top bus tour, leaving regularly from Castle Hill, stops at another 10 Windsor attractions, including the Christopher Wren designed Guildhall and Eton College, founded in 1440, where Prince William and Harry were educated.
But the most relaxing things to do around Windsor revolve around the river Thames. You can take a short boat trip upriver or walk along the towpath – it doesn’t take long to get into open countryside. Afterwards, reward yourselves with a meal or a drink at a riverside restaurant or pub, especially appealing on summer evenings.
Want to stay the night? See our listings for luxury hotels in London.
Paris
Day Trip: Reims
As the largest city in the Champagne region, a day-trip to Reims is a sure way to add fizz to your time in the French capital. In fact, many top Champagne houses, including Krug and Taittinger are found here. Tours of their cellars, located among the labyrinthine tunnels beneath the city – originally dug by the Romans – give a fascinating insight into the history and process of Champagne-making, and a chance to taste some bubbly.
But it might be best to leave the cellar tours until you have visited Reims’ other attractions. Prime among these is the city’s Gothic cathedral, where 25 of France’s monarchs were crowned. The scale of this edifice, begun in the 12th century and taking over 100 years to complete, is astounding and the sculptural work on its façade and beautiful stained glass windows inside no less impressive.
Reim’s other highlights include the Palais du Tau, beside the cathedral, housing religious relics and tapestries, the eleventh century Basilica of St-Remi and the Salle de Reddition, where the Germans surrendered to Eisenhower in 1945.
Book a stay at one of our many luxury hotels in Paris.
Rome
Day Trip: Orvieto
Perched high on an Umbrian hill, Orvieto is the ideal escape from the summer heat of Rome. It is traffic free, has its attractions within easy reach and many lively restaurants at which to enjoy lunch and a glass of cold Orvieto wine.
The town’s main drawcard – the Gothic Duomo – is visible for kilometers around. But it is only when you are standing in front of its colourful façade that you can take in its true magnificence. Nor will you ever forget the bizarre Signorelli frescoes - depicting Armageddon – inside.
Even more startling are the caves and tunnels dug beneath the town, dating back to Etruscan times, which you can visit on regular Underground tours. Another compelling subterranean experience is climbing down the 62m deep St Patrick’s well. Built in 1537 and featuring double spiral stairs leading to its water source below, this was an engineering feat way ahead of its time.
Venice
Day Trip: Treviso
With the nickname “Little Venice” you’d expect water to play a prominent part in Treviso and it does, with many small waterways flowing through it. These canals, some with antique waterwheels, and the town’s arcaded walkways make the centre a joy to stroll around.
There’s plenty to see here too, from the dramatic Duomo with its no less than seven domes and the Gothic San Nicolo church, with its fourteenth-century frescoes, to the central Piazza del Signori, framed by the Palazzo della Prefettura and Treviso’s Bell Tower.
Like most Italians, Trevisians are serious about their food and the busy fish market (Tuesday-Saturday mornings), is a great place to people watch. You should also make time for a lingering al-fresco lunch beside a canal and a glass of local wine in a town square bar.
Madrid
Day Trip: Toledo
Standing high above the Tagus River, which encircles much of it like a moat, Toledo has been designated a Unesco World Heritage city. A model of Medieval religious tolerance under Moorish rule, it later became synonymous with Spanish intolerance, with the Jewish population forced out. It was also briefly the seat of the Spanish court in the sixteenth century.
Toledo’s attractions include its 1000 year old Alcazar (fort) overlooking the town, and its cathedral, with its carved choir stalls and walls dripping with paintings by El Greco and Caravaggio. You can see more of El Greco’s work at Santo Tomé church and in the El Greco museum.
Toledo encourages a reflective pace so make time for a “cortado” (short coffee with milk) at an outdoor café and to stroll along the city ramparts and among the maze of steep alleyways in its old quarter.
...Or stay the night at one of our luxury hotels in Madrid.