Why Rick Steves Cautions Travelers To Avoid Booking Hotels For One Night

When you book a multi-stop vacation, it can be tempting to get in as many cities and activities as you possibly can. You could pack your itinerary full using the city-per-day approach, where you book a different hotel each night and travel to each different city every day. This can be especially tempting while visiting Europe, a continent where you can traverse countries by train in a matter of hours. While this may feel productive, you may actually be wasting valuable vacation time by moving through your trip so quickly. In fact, travel expert Rick Steves has some advice on the subject.

In a blog post focusing on Europe itinerary tips, Steves suggests it is more time efficient for travelers planning to visit multiple cities to stay at least two nights in each city. "It can be worth taking a late-afternoon drive or train ride to settle into a town for two consecutive nights — and gain a full uninterrupted day for sightseeing," he says. This way, you actually have time to fit in your activities and must-see attractions into a day. It is one of the smart ways to visit attractions in Europe. When you spend your whole trip moving from place to place, then you're not actually getting time to settle in and explore.

When you plan a week-long city-hopping trip across Europe, pick two or three cities you really want to see, instead of packing your schedule with five city stops and busy travel days. Focusing on visiting fewer cities leaves you with more time to enjoy where you are. "Forget what you won't get to on this trip," Steves says. "If you worry about things that are just out of reach, you won't appreciate what's in your hand." This way, you avoid scheduling your itinerary too tightly, causing unnecessary stress to your travels. Plus, you don't need to worry about coordinating locomotive travel as much. No one wants to wake up every day just to go back to the airport for the third time in a row.

If there are nearby locations you'd really like to visit, being in one place longer can make that travel easier. "Depending on the distances involved," Steves says, "staying in a home base and making day trips can be more time-efficient than changing locations and hotels."

This approach to travel is also easier on your wallet. Instead of spending hundreds on trains, planes, and hotels, staying put for a few extra days means you spend less on travel expenses. When you spend at least two nights in each city, your itinerary and your wallet have more room to breathe, allowing you to see more sights and slow down enough to enjoy your trip. After all, vacation is supposed to be about kicking back and enjoying the journey.