FORGET garden centres, DIY jobs and lazy weekends at home – a growing number of Brits are flying to European cities for just a few hours before heading home the very same day.
Called “extreme day tripping,” the new trend is thanks to cheap return flights costing less than a meal out.
These adventurous travellers manage to squeeze in croissants in Paris, canal cruises in Amsterdam and pizza in Milan without booking a hotel room.
Lisa Houston, from Edinburgh, caught the extreme day trip bug after taking her son to Paris in January.
“My son had recently split up from his girlfriend and I wanted to give him something completely different to look forward to,” she said.
“He hadn’t been abroad since he was seven, so I surprised him with a day trip to Paris.
“We saw Les Invalides: Napoleon’s Tomb, sailed down the Seine, ate croissants in a little Parisian cafe and stood gazing at the Eiffel Tower. He absolutely loved it.”
The pair flew out at 7am and returned home the same evening.
“The flights were about £100 each, but you can often get them much cheaper,” Lisa said. “It was enough time to enjoy the city without feeling rushed.”
The trip sparked a love for Lisa and has since ticked off Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Milan and Dublin, with Barcelona, Paris and Poland still to come later this year.
One of her biggest bargains was Copenhagen, where she managed to secure return flights for just £34.
After spotting photos of the colourful waterfront district of Nyhavn on Instagram, Lisa booked the trip and spent the day exploring the Danish capital.
“By lunchtime I was sitting outside a cafe with Nyhavn behind me,” she said.
Despite the early starts – often leaving home before 3am to catch the first flight – Lisa insists it’s worth every minute.
“I treat the whole day as the adventure, not just being in the destination,” she said.
Like other Extreme Day Trippers, Lisa gets some inspiration from a Facebook Group of like-minded people but said the appeal fitting in holidays around busy schedules.
“I’ve got a busy job, a granddaughter living with me, elderly parents and caring responsibilities,” she said.
“Sometimes I just need a day that’s all about me. Telling people that I’m ‘off to Paris to have lunch’ is my vibe these days.”
She estimates most of her trips cost around £150 in total, including flights, food and attractions.
“I think it’s brilliant value for money – in a couple of hours you’re somewhere you’ve never been before, seeing things you’ve only dreamed of. That’s priceless.”
Another Extreme Day Tripper is Emily Benham from Essex, who recently flew to Pisa with her daughter for the day.
“We left home at 4am and arrived in Pisa at 11am,” she said.
“Our flights were £125 each – I would have preferred them to be £75 or under as I think part of the fun is keeping it as cheap as possible but my daughter chose the destination and it was worth it.”
“A highlight was seeing the Leaning Tower for the first time. It was breath-taking.”
The pair spent eight hours exploring the city, visiting the cathedral, eating pizza and wandering the back streets before heading home that evening.
“It was my first extreme day trip and I’ve already booked another one to Frankfurt with my brother and sister,” she said.
For Cassie Goodfellow, from Bathgate, an extreme day trip was the perfect way to celebrate turning 40.
After spotting inspiration online, she booked a return flight to Copenhagen and spent 12 hours exploring the city solo.
“Most people thought I was a bit crazy,” she admitted.
“They couldn’t understand why I’d travel abroad for just a day or the fact I was doing it solo, But the memories and experience made it worthwhile.”
Flights cost just £63 return, while her total spend for the day came to around £160.
“The highlight was wandering Copenhagen’s beautiful streets and landmarks,” she said.
“I was surprised by how much I managed to fit into one day.”
Looking back, she says it was one of the best things she has ever done.
“There’s something exciting about proving you can have a meaningful travel experience in a single day,” she said.
“I’m already thinking about where to go next.”