Best Day Trips Without a Car

Three years ago, I missed a train in Bologna, paid €40 for a "quick" taxi that took 50 minutes, and arrived in Modena just in time to watch the balsamic vinegar museum close. The tour I had booked for 11am started at 2pm. The operator told me, in perfect English, that this was "not their problem." I never got my money back.

That night, on a delayed regional train back to Florence, I started a spreadsheet. Every city within two hours of a major European hub. Every train I could actually catch. Every museum that opened when I needed it to. I wanted to know, before I booked, what would actually happen.

City Day Trips exists because most day trip guides are written by people who have never taken the 7:14 from Roma Termini. They paraphrase press releases. They copy departure times from websites without checking whether those times apply on a Sunday.

I do not accept free tours, free hotels, or sponsored placements. My only revenue is affiliate commission from Viator. If something better comes along, I will tell you.