Generally speaking, you need a minimum of three days when visiting a new city. It’s just enough time to scout out a favorite restaurant, find the best must-see attractions, pin down a couple of great boutiques, and check out a lesser-visited, local-feeling neighborhood. In my mind, it’s the only way to truly get a sense of the destination—to know a place rather than see it.
But there are exceptions. On a recent trip to Africa, I spent only one night in Zambia: I wanted to see Victoria Falls, and there’s little else to do in the vicinity if you’re not keen on bungee jumping at one of the world’s largest crevices. Earlier this year, I had only two days to spend in Zurich before a ski trip, which proved to be plenty of time for this beautiful, immensely walkable, yet diminutive capital. Within a few blocks of a new boutique hotel in the center of town called the Marktgasse is an incredible bakery with a local crowd, a stunningly arranged shop filled with gourmet gift-ables, and a stuck-in-time tavern for traditional fondue.
It didn’t take much longer to see the clock tower of St. Peter’s, wander down the sweetly cobbled Augustinergasse, and window shop along the watch-lover’s Mecca of Bahnhofstrasse, which leads to the city’s most famous chocolatier. By the third morning, hopping the train to St. Moritz signaled no lost opportunity.
With that in mind, here are eight easily accessible cities that can be explored meaningfully in as little as a night’s stay—all vetted by some of the world’s leading travel specialists. Tack them onto a work trip or use them as inspiration for the next free weekend on your calendar.
Ljubljana
Central Europe travel specialist Nathalie Nagy, of ProTravel, ranks Slovenia’s capital as a top destination for quick trips, partly because the city is so compact and walkable. “It’s an easy, 1.5-hour drive or train ride from Zagreb—close to Austria, the Istrian Peninsula, and Italy,” she says, which makes it a sort of “cultural crossroads.” Even better, it’s characterized by “charming red-tiled roofs, curving narrow streets, lovely Baroque architecture, and whimsical bridges that connect the two sides of the city over the Ljubljanica River,” says Nagy.
It’s not a city for five-star hotels—not yet, anyway—so stay in Hotel Cubo, the best boutique option. Or book an Airbnb, then organize your itinerary around these exemplary restaurants. Food, after all, is the best way to explore the cultural fusions that makes Slovenia so special.
Stockholm
Jack Ezon of Ovation Vacations says “Stockholm’s sophisticated music, shopping, art, and museums are overshadowed only by its eclectic nightlife.” It’s true: The city that birthed Spotify has all sorts of quirky bars such as Gondolen, set in a cantilevered space that hovers over the archipelago, and Grill, whose eight rooms are reimagined by interior designers every season.
Be sure to survey the city’s more traditional side during the day: The old city of Gamla Stan is where Nobel prizes are awarded each year, bakeries everywhere peddle a cardamom-infused pastry called kardemummabullar that is like a cinnamon bun on steroids, and the shellfish at Lisa Elmqvist’s stall in the Ostermalms Saluhall market is mind-bogglingly fresh and flavorful.