a travel blog by renata green
Zurich was one of the very first cities for which I compiled an itinerary in my 24 Hours in… series. This is because the series was born out of necessity, due to the long hours I had to waste unproductively at layover airports on flights. So why not transform them into a short mini-vacation?
Zurich, along with cities like Amsterdam, Paris, and Lisbon, is one of the airports where I most frequently change planes. Consequently, it immediately made the list.
This Way to the Whole Story ->I always try to book the cheapest flights. This often involves at least one layover, frequently lasting several hours. Hence, my many long layovers in major hub cities like Paris, London, Lisbon, and others have inspired my series 24 Hours in…. There, I offer fellow travellers suggestions on how to transform those unproductive hours into a mini-vacation.
Now, Basel’s airport isn’t one of the most frequented hubs. Nevertheless, due to the city’s location at the tripoint of Germany, France, and Switzerland in the heart of Europe, it often lies on the globetrotter’s route, especially if you travel by train or long-distance bus across the continent. And also my road trip through Europe brought me back to Basel – and enabled me to put together this 24-hour itinerary for this often underrated and overlooked art hub.
This Way to the Whole Story ->Latvia’s national airline, AirBaltic, often offers convenient connections including a stopover in Riga. That’s perfect for getting a profound glimpse of the city on the way to your final destination. And with my guide to 24 hours in Riga, I help you turn a pitstop into a real travel highlight.
Explore the charming Old Town with its medieval alleys, cafés, and Art Nouveau façades, or take a stroll along the banks of the Daugava River before visiting the Central Market for some authentic Latvian delights.
This Way to the Whole Story ->Even if you have only around 24 hours, a stopover in Vilnius is an excellent opportunity to get to know Lithuania’s charming capital.
The city offers a fascinating blend of history, culture, and architecture. From the medieval Old Town district to modern art galleries and cozy cafés, Vilnius is compact and diverse, ideal for a short but worthwhile tour of discovery.
This Way to the Whole Story ->Paris’ Charles de Gaulle Airport is the third-busiest hub in Europe after London and Istanbul. Therefore, chances are that you have a connection that you probably don’t want to spend sitting on an uncomfortable metal chair, munching on overpriced sandwiches. And this is exactly where this post comes to the rescue: It is designed to transform a dull layover into a short, meticulously planned extra vacation of up to 24 hours in Paris.
Now, you might think that 24 hours are far too few to explore the so-called city of lights. Of course, you are absolutely right, but this applies to almost every popular stopover destination. However, if you follow my itineraries, you’ll be surprised how much you get to see and experience the proverbial savoir vivre.
This Way to the Whole Story ->Are you heading to the Atlantic coast to take on those giant waves? Or do you want to enjoy an extensive wine tasting in the vineyards and chateaux around Saint-Émilion? Whatever the reason for your visit to this region of France, you’ll hardly be able to avoid at least a pit stop in the proverbial Pearl of the Southwest. I’m talking, of course, about Bordeaux, the charming wine capital of France. And that’s a good thing, because the city is definitely worth a visit, and with my guide for up to 24 hours, you’ll be able to make the most of Bordeaux.
Normally, I would foresee at least two to three days in Bordeaux, even more if you really want to immerse yourself in the French savoir-vivre with leisurely strolls through the picturesque streets and plenty of breaks in cozy cafés. But sometimes, time is limited. Even more so, it should be used to its full potential, and below, you’ll find a perfectly designed itinerary.
This Way to the Whole Story ->Did you know that there are five international airports in the Czech Republic? No? Me neither. Obviously, despite the other four, the busiest hub by far is the Václav Havel Airport, located 15 kilometers west of Prague’s city center. And even though this airport isn’t one of Europe’s most important hubs, you may well find yourself having a layover there.
Actually, that’s what happened to me on my way from Dubrovnik to Hamburg, for example.
Or perhaps you want to visit one of the beautiful towns in the Czech Republic, like, for instance, Děčín. If you land in Prague, you might want to spare a few hours or even a night to explore the city.
Whatever the reason for your short stay might be, my post 24 hours in Prague will help you make the most of it!
This is a completely revised, updated, and expanded edition of one of my first 24 hours in… posts. This series was created because, like most travelers, I’m always on the hunt for the cheapest flights possible. The downside is that this often includes connecting flights and, especially on transatlantic flights, I have a longer stopover in a city. Instead of killing time at the airport in annoyance, I venture to the center and this way, enjoy an extra city break. Funnily enough, my first two visits to Lisbon were stopovers: once on the return flight from Miami and the second time on the outbound flight to Santiago, the capital of Cape Verde. This inspired me to summarize in a short guide what you can see and do in Lisbon in 24 hours.
By the way, I now deliberately postpone connecting flights to include short stays like this when my schedule allows it. Hence, I recently booked the flights on my flight to the Azores so that I could spend time in Porto on the outward flight and in Lisbon on the return flight.
I hope I can inspire you to make a virtue out of a supposed necessity.
Although Porto is certainly not a major hub, it’s still Portugal’s second-largest airport with many connections all over Europe and also to remote Portuguese territories such as the Azores. Since Porto is such a mesmerizing city full of beauty and wonders, you shouldn’t miss the opportunity to get a taste of the city during a short visit – I’m sure you’ll come back soon for more. But now I’ll show you how you can have a perfect stay of up to 24 hours in Porto.
