Does anyone do day to European cities?

[LizzyIzzyLou]

If so, where do you go?
How much does it cost in travel roughly?
And is it worth all the travel?

Trying to persuade DH to be more adventurous with our day trips this summer

I've done day trips Liverpool/Dublin and Liverpool/Amsterdam using easyjet. I've done these in school term time on a weekday, so flights have cost around £35 inc. taxes (but this was a couple of years ago). I would get the first flight of the day there and last flight back so plenty of time in the city. But this was only workable when DS was of pushchair age, so could sleep if knackered by the change in routine/early flight.

One important thing to bear in mind is distance from airport to centre in destination city. Amsterdam Schipol to central station has v. frequent trains, and only takes about 20 minutes. Dublin to centre has regular buses, takes about 30 minutes. But the budget flight Stockholm airports take more like 1.5 boring hours each way to the city!

I hadnt considered that TotalChaos, thats a very good point.

We live in the South East so would be able to take advantage of the Eurostar and ferries, that might help

bearing in mind check-in times and heightened security over the years at airports, eurostar and ferries might be less stressful options.

Also, very true.

I'll have to do sokme research before approaching DH

Very feasible to do Paris or Brussels from London (or Lille for that matter) with the Eurostar. I know at this end there's a promo 80 euros return at the moment. Brussels is 1.5 hours from St Pancras. It used to take that to get to London from SE Kent!

That is quick Porto, whats Lille like?

I do European day trips for work - it's very tiring as to make any sort of day of it, you have to get up very early, and get back very late. You also spend a lot of the day hanging around, especially it you have to fly out of one of the big airports.

Thats DH's point CMOT

We did Paris for a day last year. It was tiring but a lot of fun. I think you have to be realistic about what you can achieve - our train was delayed on the way back so getting home at 11pm was exhausting and the train we were supposed to catch would have been better.

If you live anywhere near Eurostar, I'd say it's worth it. The train journey is fairly painless and really not much further than anywhere you'd have to drive.

Info here I've only every been in the winter for the Xmas market (which is fab) but there are lots of nice shops and restaurants. Haven't done any of the touristy things though.

Have done Paris as a daytrip on the Eurostar, thats easy peasy and painless.

Have done Germany as daytrips for work (I fly out of Heathrow) and that is also fairly painless. Basically though, you get there in time for lunch and only have the afternoon and early evening there. If you want/need to get there for the morning as well you have to get up early for a 6 or 7am flight.

It can be a long day, and it helps for it to be easy for you to get to the airport/train station too.

Any of the Eurostar destinations are v. easy though - Paris, Lille, Brussels

Thanks everyone

I'llwork out costs and times and try to pursuade DH

I once went to Amsterdam for the day. It was a 45 minute flight from Leeds and as I was only living a few minutes from the airport at that time it really didn't seem that bad.

there was a lot of waiting around and bearing in mind you've got to commute from the airport to the city centre etc I think train (if you're down south) would be the better option.