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Long Weekends from the UK: Part One
Article by
Duncan Greenfield-Turk
The classic long weekend has never really resonated with us. A Friday evening flight out, one crazy Saturday cramming in as many things as possible, before oversleeping on Sunday and rushing to check out before flying home.
It’s about time there was a change. Let’s make long weekends special, and that starts with the timing: four days, minimum. Unconventional, that’s true. But wait until you see what you can do with those days.
And where you can go!
Ground Rules
The first one's simple: commit to a Thursday evening flight, even if it’s a late one. It unlocks the full four days instead of two and a half, and three of them are properly yours.
The second is the one that actually decides whether the trip is any good: picking the right time to go. High season exists because of school holidays and habit; it doesn’t always mean it’s the best time to visit somewhere.
So, we’ve paired our favourite places with our preferred time to go. Think of it as a cheat sheet you can come back to when you feel the need for a long weekend.
Paris, in March
That’s right. Paris in March. Spring is a popular option, and it’s also worth a visit then, but it's very over-booked. If you’re looking for something similar but with a calmer atmosphere, March is it.
It's a little colder too, and that's more of an advantage than you'd think. The light is long and clean, the gardens are only just turning, and the city is full of Parisians doing Parisian things.
But it is Paris, and the queues will still be there. But here’s a quick fix: Book a guided tour of the Louvre before you fly out. Since January this year, private tours with a licensed guide go in through the Passage Richelieu, a different door from the pyramid altogether. It’s a truly unique entry and something really worth the slightly higher price of admission through a tour. Aim for a morning slot as Richelieu closes earlier than the rest of the Louvre.
The rest of your long weekend should be spent like someone who lives in Paris: eat where the menu is only four lines long, enjoy a slow Sunday lunch, and wander the quiet streets before leaving.
Fly: One hour fifteen from London.
Best for: A great city working normally, in the weeks before the spring everybody else books.
Where to stay: Hotel de Crillon, A Rosewood Hotel, on the Place de la Concorde.
Book it
Montmartre Morning Walk: Artists, Hidden Stories & a Parisian Croissant
Two hours on the cobbles before the coaches arrive, ending at a panorama most people never find.
Prices and availability are shown on the operator's page.
Venice, in January
OK, this one might have you thinking we’re mad, but trust us, this might be the best one on the list.
Venice in summer is amazing, but it’s also a queue with a city attached. Venice in January is fog coming off the water at eight in the morning, your own footsteps in a square with nobody in it, and the light is extraordinary. Your photographs won't look like anyone else's.
Go before Carnevale rather than during it. If you can, take along a pair of wellington boots just in case. The city can flood and the water will come up over the stones. There will be raised walkways, but with the right boots and a warm winter coat, you’ll have the streets, and the cicchetti, to yourself.
We’d also recommend staying on the island and, if possible, on the Grand Canal. The Gritti Palace is one we’d never talk you out of: it’s a palazzo from 1475, and it’s been welcoming guests for hundreds of years.
Fly: Two hours from London.
Best for: Empty squares, extraordinary light, and a palazzo on the Grand Canal.
Where to stay: The Gritti Palace, on the Grand Canal.
Book it
Murano and Burano Islands, Small Group with Private Boat
Your own boat to the glass and the lace islands, with time to walk Murano's canals slowly rather than be marched.
Prices and availability are shown on the operator's page.
Copenhagen, in June
Some places you can avoid in high season, but Copenhagen isn’t one of those.
The city in June has around seventeen hours of daylight and has golden hours that seem to go on forever. The entire city shifts from winter to an outdoor place: harbour swimming in the middle of town, dinners that start after nine, and the cyclists still out at eleven.
You’re experiencing a city coming back alive after the long, dark winter months. It’s truly special. Some things are seasonal for a reason, and this is one of them. It’s worth paying high-season rates for a June weekend.
Fly: One hour fifty-five from London.
Best for: Seventeen hours of daylight and a city that spends all of them outdoors.
Where to stay: Nimb Hotel, inside Tivoli.
Book it
The Beauty of Copenhagen by Bike Tour
Three hours on two wheels through Islands Brygge, which is the only honest way to see a city that cycles everywhere.
Prices and availability are shown on the operator's page.
Madeira, in May
If we want to, magical Madeira in May would be the type of alliteration we would strive for. And it truly is a magical month on this unique island.
Every spring Funchal covers itself in flowers, and the island's biggest event, the Festa da Flor, takes place. It always falls after Easter, so early May is a safe bet, but keep an eye on the dates before booking, or ask one of our advisors and we’ll help make sure you don’t miss it.
After the festival the island has plenty to enjoy. It’s a subtropical climate, and the walks through the laurel forest and up into the clouds make for a great day out. The water in May is still swimmable, although not to everyone’s standards!
If you’d prefer something a little different, come for New Year. You’ll need to plan in advance, but the Bay fireworks, a Guinness world record, are something quite special.
Fly: Four hours from London.
Best for: Flowers, mountain walking, and an island festival most people have never heard of.
Where to stay: Reid's Palace, A Belmond Hotel, above the bay at Funchal.
Book it
Private Guided Walk, Levada 25 Fontes
The best known of the levadas, ending at the cascades and lagoon it is named for, walked while the island is still in flower.
Prices and availability are shown on the operator's page.
Istanbul, in November
You could probably visit Istanbul at any time of year, and it would be amazing. We’ve picked November because the weather has turned and you’ll likely avoid the school holiday crowds, but if you told us you were going tomorrow, we’d give it a thumbs up.
While summer can be very hot and heaving with tourists, November cuts the queues with the heat. It's a month when the city resembles more of its natural self: fish sandwiches off the boats at Eminonu, tea on every corner, and a hammam at four in the afternoon.
Fly: Four hours from London.
Best for: Two continents, no queues, and the best ferry ride in Europe.
Where to stay: The Peninsula Istanbul, on the water at Karakoy.
Book it
Istanbul Culinary Tour: Local Tavern and Gourmet Street Foods
Eight people maximum, through the places off the tourist run, finishing in a meyhane rather than a restaurant.
Prices and availability are shown on the operator's page.
The Cote d'Azur, in early October
This was one of the more heated topics we’ve discussed. The Cote d’Azur is one of the most booked trips, and with good reason. It’s gorgeous. But that does come with negatives.
If you wait until the high season ends, you get the last gasp of the summer with the added bonus of the warmest sea temperatures and fewer crowds.
While you will still be sharing it with others, Cap Ferrat and the coastal path around it are more manageable, the corniche is drivable rather than a car park, and you can still enjoy a slow lunch outside.
One of our favourite addresses on that coast is the Grand-Hotel du Cap-Ferrat, but that comes with one caveat: It runs a season rather than a year. That means early October is your last chance.
Fly: Two hours to Nice from London.
Best for: The warmest sea of the year, with the summer crowds already gone.
Where to stay: Grand-Hotel du Cap-Ferrat, a Four Seasons Hotel.
Book it
Private Tour of the Trois Corniches from Nice
The three corniche roads driven properly, with the gardens of the Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild on Cap Ferrat and time for a long lunch outside.
Prices and availability are shown on the operator's page.
Time & Place
We’ve taken it upon ourselves to reinvent the long weekend, and we hope you’ll join us in pushing the agenda that four days away are always better than a couple!
While it might not be a full holiday, these short trips, a quick flight from London, give you the chance to experience more than one place throughout the year. If you’re feeling inspired, let us know and we’ll help you book the best four-day long weekend.
By the way, we couldn’t quite get all our favourites in one journal entry, so stay tuned for part two.
I’m Duncan Greenfield-Turk, and I’ve spent my life crafting extraordinary journeys that leave lasting impressions. Born in South Africa, my roots are steeped in diversity and adventure, and this inspires my approach to luxury travel design.
