WHAT could be better than spending the day sightseeing in a new city, only to come home to your comfy bed that very same evening?
Extreme day-tripping blew up as a trend in 2025, and if you’ve never given it a go – now’s the time.
Day trips abroad from the UK have never been more doable, with more and more European routes becoming available with budget airlines.
And with flights starting from £14.99 one-way, it can cost less to hop over to another country for the day than it can to go out for dinner.
Here’s our Sun Travel team’s top picks for 24-hour day trips, and the best things to see and do there to make the most of your time.
Paris
If there’s ever an opportunity to travel by Eurostar, I’ll take it.
That’s partly why Paris is one of my favourite day trips.
If you live within an hour’s train ride of London, the Eurostar is certainly the most convenient way of travel.
Plus, there’s something rather glamorous about starting your day sipping tea in the calm of a train carriage before arriving into the beating heart of Paris just 2.5 hours later.
I never tire of the bucket-list landmarks, but there’s one I’d recommend above the others – and that’s the Basilica du Sacré-Cœur, perched on the city’s highest hill, in Montmartre .
If you’re tight for cash, don’t worry about going inside. It’s worth venturing here just for the free view, which I’d argue beats the one from the top of the Eiffel Tower.
You can catch a funicular to the hill’s peak, or challenge yourself to take the stairs.
Just avoid the main set and look for the ones on the far left, to avoid the crowds and street sellers trying to flog overpriced souvenirs.
Once you’ve taken a snap, the rest of this typically French district is well worth exploring.
Dart down one of the many narrow alleyways. The further you wander from the church, the more local it gets – think proper bistros, and cafes selling good, strong coffee.
– Assistant Travel Editor, Sophie Swietochowski
Milan
Just two hours from the UK and one that nearly always has the cheap £14.99 Ryanair flights, Milan is an easy one to do for the day.
However, remember that Ryanair flies to Milan Malepenisa, not Milane Linate (which takes around 50 minutes to the city centre rather than 10 minutes.).
Instead, hop on the 6:45am easyJet flight from London Gatwick that gets you in at around 9:45am, just in time for brunch.
Get a pastry to go from Marchesi 1824, one of the city’s oldest bakeries for a classic breakfast of a cappuccino and croissant.
Take it with you before a shopping spree at Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, the historic shopping centre now home to beautiful designer boutiques.
While Milan is famous for its saffron risotto, a stop at a pizza bar is a must.
I recommend Pizza AM where you even get free mini starters and prosecco.
Squeeze in a quick visit of the famous Duomo di Milano as well as the Santa Maria delle Grazie, home to the famous Last Supper artwork, and it will be time to head back to the airport.
Although if you have time, you could always squeeze in a quick TikTok-famous Negroni Sbagliato at Bar Basso.
One of the latest flights you can get back is with ITA Airways, so you can leave at 9pm and be back in the UK just before 10pm.
– Deputy Travel Editor, Kara Godfrey
Copenhagen
My recent trip to the Danish capital city of Copenhagen was a dream with such short flights and a vibrant city – it got me thinking, you could definitely head there and back in a day if you wanted to.
Ryanair offers morning flights leaving the UK at 7.15am on Saturday mornings from London Stansted meaning you get into the city at 10.10am.
From the airport to the city is a short drive, so jump into a taxi and head straight to the city.
Head to Strøget for a bite to eat at Holms Bakery, and then gander around the shops.
From there you’ll be able to see the pretty canals and the huge palaces, or head to Tivoli Gardens to have a go on some of the rides.
You can’t leave without seeing Nyhavn. It’s the district famous for having huge colourful buildings – and it’s on the back of most Copenhagen postcards.
The houses sit right on the waterfront where there are plenty of bars which is the perfect spot to stop for a cocktail before heading back to the airport.
You can catch a flight with Ryanair at 8.40pm and land back in the UK at 9.35pm.
– Travel Reporter, Alice Penwill
Dublin
Hopping over to Dublin for a day has got to be as easy as it gets when it comes to booking a cheeky 24-hour day trip.
Flights are super cheap and frequent with Ryanair, as little as £15 one-way from Stansted or £16 from Manchester.
The 1hr25 minute flight from London goes so fast that cabin crew barely have time to push the trolley down the aisle before you’ve landed.
Once you’re there and ready to begin sightseeing, the city is bursting with things to see and do – a lot of which are free.
Stroll through Trinity College to admire its historic campus, which is also home to the Book of Kells – the famous 9th century manuscript.
If you’ve never done Temple Bar, you’ve got to make a pit stop to grab a pint in the iconic Dublin pub (just one though – drinks are much cheaper if you walk a few blocks away!)
And to get away from the touristy spots, hop on a DART train to Dublin’s seaside spots, like Howth or Sandycove, for beautiful rugged coastlines with breath-taking walks and popular swimming spots.
But my absolute favourite thing to do in Dublin is grab a cheap bag of oats from Dunnes, and head to Stephen’s Green to feed the friendly swans and ducks that roam the winding river.
And if you’re on the first flight out and last one back of the day – there’s no reason why you couldn’t tick all of these off in one go!
– Travel Writer, Jenna Stevens
Wimereux
I first travelled to Wimereux, a seaside town 30 minutes drive from Calais on the Opal Coast when I was 20 years old with my mum.
She travels on the Channel Tunnel to France every year to stock up on her favourite items from French supermarkets, then heads over to Wimereux for some beach time and a delicious dinner.
Two decades on, it is still one of my favourite places to visit in France.
The promenade along the seafront is quaint and distinctly French – we sun ourselves and have a glass of wine before hopping back in the car home.
– Head of Travel – Digital, Caroline McGuire
Tirana
The capital of Albania, Tirana, is a destination to watch.
With super cheap flights and everything being affordable once you get there, it is a great option for an extreme day trip.
It takes just under three hours to get there, so I opted to get an early morning flight to maximise my day in the city.
Once you arrive at the airport, there are coaches outside that cost a couple of quid and take you direct to the city, which is about half an hour away.
After hopping off of the coach, you will be in the middle of the city and all the top things to see and do are within walking distance.
In Skanderbeg Square, the main plaza of the city, you are able to see some fascinating architecture.
Tirana has a real mix of buildings, including mosques, Soviet buildings and traditional villas.
– Travel Reporter, Cyann Fielding