How To Make 24 Hours In A City Work For You Posted Aug 3, 2024
Sometimes you’ll have to take the bull by the horns when you want to visit somewhere. As much as it might be nice to have more time to see a place, if you’ve only got 24 hours, why waste it? Why not book a trip somewhere you wouldn’t otherwise go and enjoy yourself? Although that might not seem like a lot of time, the fact is that if you prepare and use the time wisely, it can be just right. With that in mind, here’s how to make 24 hours in a city work for you.
Research And Plan Ahead
Before you even step one foot in your chosen city, you’re going to need to spend some time researching it and planning for what you want to do - if you don’t, you’re going to waste time figuring it all out when you arrive.
Take a look at the attractions on offer, the local places to eat with good ratings, and even consider your transport options - if you can work everything out in advance, make bookings, and have an itinerary, you’re going to get a lot more done.
It’s true that travel can definitely be made more fun and exciting when you don’t plan everything out ahead of time, but that’s not going to work when you’ve only got a day to see and do as much as possible, which is why, ideally, you’ll want to plan each hour out so you know where you have to be, how you’ll get there, and what you’ll do once you’re there.
Pack Light
When you’ve only got 24 hours to explore a new place, packing light is absolutely essential, otherwise you’ll find you’re uncomfortable and everything takes longer when you’ve got a big bag to drag around with you. The best option is a small backpack that has all your essentials in it, like a change of clothes, toiletries, water, a phone charger, and so on.
If you’ve only got a big bag, or you’re stopping off in the city after another trip, or you don’t even want to carry your small bag around with you, then you can use luggage storage, which is generally available at train stations, for example. Doing that means your stuff will be safe and you can go back to it whenever you want to, so it’s something to consider in your plans if need be.
Arrive Early
Not everyone is an early bird, but if you’ve only got 24 little hours to enjoy in a city, you’ll want to make the most of them by getting there early - not only will you get more done, but you’ll also arrive at at least some of the places on your itinerary before the crowds get there later in the day, making it more enjoyable and quicker too.
Before you get started, it’s a good idea to have a good breakfast and fuel up for the day ahead, which is sure to be a busy one. Scope out a local cafe or bakery and enjoy some local delicacies before hitting the city and seeing what you can see and do.
Guided Tours
It can certainly be tempting to do things by yourself and go from place to place alone, or with a friend if you’re traveling together, but something that can actually help a lot when you’ve only got a short time in a city is to join a guided tour. These can be booked in advance or on the day, so the choice is yours, but there are some great benefits to trying one.
If you pick a walking tour, for example, you’ll be taken to all kinds of attractions, many of which will be on your must-see list anyway, and you’ll get information about them and anything else of interest you might see along the way. It’s the ideal way to get as much done as you can and learn as you go, and you’ll probably save time too, giving you a chance to do more during the day once the tour has finished.
Souvenir Shopping
Do you really have time for souvenir shopping when you’ve only got 24 hours to explore a city? Well, that’s down to you - do you have time in your itinerary? Ideally, you’ll make time because buying a few little things to remind you of your day can be a fun thing to do, and as long as you don’t take too long to choose (you can shop at home, but you can’t see all the sights), it’s an ideal way to round off the day.
