by Mike Pickup
“What a difference a day makes, 24 little hours” sang Dinah Washington back in 1959, and this neatly sums up the latest travel trend: Extreme Day Trips (EDTs), which are rapidly growing in popularity. A day spent in another country can seem like a much longer break and it’s amazing how easy it is to get a complete change of scene and still be home in time for bed. Here are just a few examples.
Flying from Stansted
There’s loads to see and do in the twin city of Budapest. Hilly Buda and flat Pest are separated by the Danube and are linked by a number of bridges, the most famous being the Chain Bridge. It is twinned with an almost identical but smaller bridge in Marlow, Buckinghamshire as they were both designed by William Tierney Clark.
Celebrated for its natural hot springs and riverside Parliament building inspired by our own Palace of Westminster, the people are friendly and a day transport pass makes it easy to get around on the oldest underground railway in mainland Europe.
The 06.00 flight gets you in at 09:25 and you have plenty of time to soak up the sites and the famous spa baths before heading back on the 22:15 flight which lands at 23:50.
Flying from Luton
If you are a wine lover then where better to go than Porto, home of great food and Port wine. There’s much to see in the city centre including Azulejos, the famous Portuguese blue tiles which ordain the main railway station.
Cross the river Douro by cable car or the famous double-decker Louis I Bridge to the lively riverside area of Vila Nova de Gaia, home to famous Port Houses such as Fonseca, Warre, Graham’s Taylor’s, Sandeman and more. Most offer guided tours and tastings.
The 06:30 flight gets you into the Portuguese city at 08:55 and the return flight doesn’t leave until 21:00.
Flying from Gatwick
Fancy a bit of winter sunshine, then how about Malta. You can get eleven hours on this historic island, flying out 06.20 and back 22.15.
Enjoy the old capital, Mdina, and the other historical sites, or head for one of the blue flag beaches. With 300 days of sunshine you probably won’t need an umbrella.
Flying from Manchester
Amsterdam is a great day out from Manchester with a good choice of flights.
If you are looking to maximise your time there the first flight leaves at 07:05 and gets you into the airport at 09:25 with the last flight back leaving at 21:35.
The airport has a good train connection to the centre of the city, English is almost universally spoken and the city is easily explored on foot, although a canal tour of the city is highly recommended. If you want to visit Anne Frank’s house, best to book well in advance.
Flying from Edinburgh
Fancy a day in Paris? Then there’s a flight from Edinburgh to Paris, departing 06:00 and getting you into Paris CDG at 09:00. Enjoy the Eifel Tower, a cruise along the river Seine and great French cuisine before the return flight leaving 21:40 and arriving back in Edinburgh at 22:25.
Flying from Scotland
Usually the flight is just the means of getting there and back, but in one case it could be part of the reason for going. The world’s shortest scheduled flight is Loganair’s service from the island of Westray to neighbouring Papa Westray, officially just ninety seconds.
You can fly from Aberdeen, Inverness, Glasgow, Edinburgh or Dundee to Kirkwall in Orkney, itself a great place to visit. Then Loganair’s Island Saver Service allows passengers to fly from Kirkwall and visit Westray and Papa Westray before returning to Kirkwall.
While there, don’t miss the famous Italian Chapel. Made out of a Nissen hut it was constructed by Italian prisoners of war who were sent to Orkney to build the Churchill Barriers. It has been beautifully preserved and attracts visitors from around the world.
Planning your trip
The key to a successful trip is in the planning, and it’s not just about the flights. What do you want to see and what tours can you book? How far is it from the airport to your destination? What are the options and how much does it cost?
On this last point the nearest is Gibraltar with just a ten-minute walk to the beach, followed by Geneva and Pisa, just 4km bus rides away. Easy-peasy, or should that be easy-Pisa!
Next steps
To plan and book an extreme day trip, or if you are looking for something a little longer, call Silver Travel Advisor on 0800 412 5678.
Note: Flight information correct at time of publication (June 2025)
