Some people believe that they just can’t afford to take a vacation. When you factor in lost income, or the holiday time you’re taking, plus flights, accommodation, food, and tours, a long holiday can quickly add up. Plus it can also sometimes take months of planning, and the stress can make it simply not worth it.

Instead of planning a big holiday, why not switch to smaller city breaks scattered through the year? These are the perfect way to refresh yourself without needing to sacrifice time at work or spend too much money.

A city break may be just a few days, but because you’re only staying for a short period of time, you can spend a little extra money, and stay somewhere central, cutting down on the time you’ll spend on public transport or in a taxi while you try to get to the main tourist spots.coast-690074_1280By just going over a weekend you can completely detach from work, focusing on exploring a new city, and enjoying all it has to offer. Consider staying at a nice hotel, getting up early and enjoying a local breakfast, before heading out to see the sights before it gets too hot.

Then take a long lunch (maybe with a glass of local wine or two), followed by a nap or a museum visit where it’s nice and cool. The afternoon can be spent visiting a local market or simply wandering the streets with a camera, before getting changed and enjoying a relaxed dinner.

Next it’s time to visit the local hot spots. Whether you’re into clubbing or a few quiet drinks and some loud music, you’re bound to find something which suits your needs. The next day can be a sleep in, followed by a relaxing brunch and an afternoon of exploring any sights which you missed. Then you can jump on a plane, and be home in time for a late dinner and early night before work the next day.
evening-56232_640If you’d like to take a city break, it’s crucial that you do your planning. Grab a guide book, or spend some time reading some travel blogs and research the best places to go and things to do. Because you’ll only have a few days in the city you’ll want to know where to go so you can begin exploring the moment you touch down.

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The best idea is to design your itinerary around your interests. If you have an interest in shopping until you drop, or trying all the best restaurants, you can adjust your itinerary accordingly And if you simply want to relax and have a no pressure weekend, you can “wing it” and see as little or as much as you want.

One thing that’s great about city breaks is you can explore a few different countries a year. If you book in advance (or even last minute) you can often find cheap flights or package options, making it an even more economical way to travel.