With most people limited by set holiday allocations each year, we’re always looking for ways to see and do more in less time. This time, the focus is on how you could explore more places during one weekend in Europe.

Whether you want to follow your taste buds on a foodie, cultural trip, or hit the city and then wrap up warm on a wilderness adventure – we help you to make it happen and explore more for your next weekend in Europe!

Weekend in Europe option 1: For sightseeing, sunshine and wine

London > Paris > Loire Valley

Hop on the Eurostar at St Pancras station and you’ll soon be whizzing your way to beautiful Paris. Take the train on Friday evening or first-thing Saturday to make the most of your chance to see the French slice of Europe during your weekend break. Wait to breakfast when you arrive. France is one of the world’s biggest food locations – it’s the country where many of the globe’s top chefs have trained, and it’s got so much to savour. Whether you want a low-key croissant and coffee or something more filling (try the Croque Monsieur), make time to enjoy it, but don’t get too full. Long lunches are tradition here, so you’ll want to be ready to slow down, break bread and tuck into a host of cheeses, charcuterie and red wine early afternoon.

Walk off your meal along any number of Paris’s iconic streets – you could visit the Champs Elysees and Arc de Triomphe or head for the Eiffel Tower or Notre Dame. As the evening draws in, it’s time to hit the road again.

Spend roughly three hours cruising west and you’ll reach Angers. As well as boasting a riverside Loire Valley location, Angers is a hotspot for wineries. These are where your second day of the weekend break will be spent, wandering the vineyards, relaxing, and savouring the variety of wines on offer.

Make sure you know what not to miss while you visit – these 10 dishes from European countries are next-level for flavour! Spoiler: the list includes the dish you can’t leave France without eating!

Weekend breaks Europe

Weekend in Europe option 2: For city, snow and scenery

London > Norway

A quick flight of around two hours will deliver you to Norway, a land of impressive scenery and snowy wildernesses further north. Make the city of Oslo your first stop on arrival from London. It’s worth taking a few hours to explore and recharge in one of the many restaurants, experiencing the history and culture of the capital. You could visit the scenic Oslo fjord, take a city tour or dive into one of many museums.

Next, it’s time to head north. If your weekend breaks are planned for summer, you’ll be blessed with almost never-ending daylight for your journey, whereas in winter you’ll be cocooned in the dark, so it’s worth heading to your next stop early.

Spend your first night in your wilderness location of choice, relaxing in a hot tub before a day of outdoor pursuits beckons. Whether you fancy husky sledding or hiking, or just want a chance to see the Northern Lights, you’ll be in your element here. Choose a cosy end to the day with a (rather expensive) steaming mug of cocoa and a luxurious night in a hotel, lodge or perhaps even a glass-roofed suite, so you’ll be ready to catch the aurora borealis if and when they appear…

Planning your trip to Norway around Easter? You won’t believe their surprising Easter tradition

Weekend in Europe

Do you have more time on your hands? These five ways to travel the continent without flying will inspire you and you might just get a new perspective of a place you’ve loved for years.

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25 COMMENTS

  1. Thanks for the tips! I would love to go to Norway. I also wish I lived in Europe so I could make weekend trips like this:( Living in the US, my Europe trips have to be at least a week long to make the flights worth it. Love your page!

  2. Beautiful! My daughter keeps asking us to take her to Paris. Oh the faith of a child. Hopefully we can send her there when she’s older.

  3. Hey girl, thanks for your personal insights! Your Europe weekend options are really helpful if you don’t have a lot of time traveling and thinking about itineraries. Great inspiration! 🙂

  4. Great post! I love living in the U.K. and being able to get to so many different places in Europe for inexpensive flights and other travel options. Norway is also on my travel list! ☺️

  5. I did London to Norway 2 years ago in March because my husband and I were flying to Bangkok and flights were really cheap from Norway. We decided to stay for a few days as Norway had always been on my bucket list and I was so surprised at how different the weather was considering the short flight from London to Norway. Norway was covered in beautiful snow!

  6. I agree, going to Norway is such an inexpensive and short trip from the UK. It is absolutely beautiful, a total immersion in a Scandinavian set of cultures and mindset. I’d love to go back sometime soon!

  7. I’ve been to France, but not yet to the Loire Valley. This is a great suggestion for a weekend break, and I’ll definitely be adding it to the list. Norway’s another place I’ve yet to visit, so I’d love to jump on the plane and see the glorious landscape. Some lovely suggestions here!

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