A Weekend Away Without an Itinerary

No reservations to rush to, no endless lists of things to see. Just a couple of days somewhere different.

When was the last time you went somewhere without planning every detail? No colour-coded itinerary, no restaurant bookings made three weeks in advance and no carefully calculated route to make sure you squeeze in every attraction before heading home. Just a destination, somewhere to stay and a couple of days to do whatever takes your fancy.

It sounds simple enough, but we've become rather good at turning holidays into projects.

Before we've even packed our bags, we've researched the best places for breakfast, saved twenty cafés on Google Maps and watched enough travel videos to feel as though we've already visited. By the time we arrive, there's a whole list of things we're supposed to do. And while there's nothing wrong with a little preparation, sometimes it's nice to leave a few things to chance.

The problem with trying to see everything

We've all been there. You arrive in a new city on Friday afternoon, excited to explore. By Saturday morning, you're already checking the time because you've got three places to visit before lunch. There's a museum you feel you ought to see, a famous bakery you've saved on Instagram and a restaurant on the other side of town that apparently serves the best pasta in the city. Before you know it, your relaxing weekend has become a race against the clock.

You might come home with plenty of photographs, but have you actually had time to enjoy where you've been?

Somewhere along the way, we started measuring a successful trip by how much we managed to fit into it. Perhaps it's worth trying something different.

Start with a destination, not a list

The beauty of a weekend without an itinerary is that you don't need to go anywhere particularly exotic.

A nearby city you've never properly explored. A small coastal town. Somewhere in the countryside with good walking routes and a pub that serves a decent Sunday lunch. You could even revisit a place you've been before.

In fact, returning somewhere familiar can be especially enjoyable when you don't feel the need to see all the usual sights.

Book somewhere comfortable to stay, work out how you're getting there and leave the rest fairly open.

You might want to research one or two practical things beforehand, particularly if you're arriving late or travelling somewhere with limited transport. But you don't need to know where you'll be having coffee at precisely 10.30 on Saturday morning. You can decide that when Saturday morning arrives.

Let the day unfold

Imagine waking up on a Saturday with absolutely nowhere you need to be. You get dressed, head outside and start walking. Perhaps you find a little café tucked away on a side street. The coffee looks good, there's a table by the window and the pastries are still warm. So you go in.

You stay longer than you intended because nobody's waiting for you and there's no next stop to get to.

Afterwards, you wander through a few streets, stop to look in a bookshop and eventually find yourself somewhere you hadn't planned to visit. It might not be the most famous part of town. But it could easily become your favourite.

That's the lovely thing about leaving space in your day. You get to follow your curiosity rather than a schedule.

Get a little lost

We're so used to knowing exactly where we're going. Google Maps tells us which street to turn down, how long the walk will take and whether there's a faster route. It's incredibly useful, of course, especially somewhere unfamiliar.

But there's also a pleasure in occasionally putting your phone away and seeing where a street leads.

Take the longer route back to your hotel. Turn down a road because the buildings look interesting, or follow the sound of a busy market. You might discover a quiet square, a beautiful old building or a shop you would never have found otherwise.

Naturally, a little common sense goes a long way. Keep track of where you are, particularly after dark or in an unfamiliar area. But during the day, in a place that's comfortable to explore on foot, allowing yourself to wander can be one of the nicest ways to get to know somewhere.

Eat where you fancy

Food is one of our favourite parts of travelling. And we're certainly not suggesting you should avoid researching restaurants altogether. If there's somewhere you've always wanted to eat, make the reservation. But not every meal needs to be planned in advance.

Sometimes it's more enjoyable to walk past a restaurant, glance at the menu and decide it looks like somewhere you'd like to spend the next hour. You might end up having an ordinary lunch in an extraordinary setting.

Or discover a tiny family-run place where the food is so good you find yourself talking about it weeks later.

We particularly like the idea of choosing a café simply because it looks inviting.

A good table, a decent coffee and a little people-watching can be an afternoon well spent.

Make room for doing very little

A weekend away doesn't have to mean being out from morning until night. If you find a beautiful park, sit down for a while. If the weather turns, find somewhere cosy and wait for the rain to pass. And if you fancy heading back to your hotel for an afternoon nap, why not?

There's a strange tendency to feel guilty about resting when we've paid to go somewhere. As though every hour spent relaxing is an hour wasted. But the whole point of getting away is to enjoy yourself.

Sometimes that means exploring until your feet ache. Other times, it means spending an hour reading by a window with a cup of tea. Neither is a better way to travel.

Keep the practical things simple

Travelling without an itinerary doesn't mean abandoning all common sense. A few things are worth arranging before you leave. Book your accommodation, check your transport and make sure you know how to get back if you're exploring somewhere unfamiliar.

It's also sensible to check opening days for anything you'd be genuinely disappointed to miss. Some attractions require advance tickets, and certain restaurants book up weeks ahead. The idea isn't to make life unnecessarily difficult. It's simply to avoid filling every available hour before you've even arrived.

Pack light if you can, particularly for a short trip. A small suitcase or weekend bag with a few comfortable outfits is usually plenty. And perhaps leave some space for a book you find in a little independent shop, or something you pick up at a local market.

Come home with stories, not a checklist

The funny thing about travelling is that the moments we remember most fondly are often the ones we never planned. The unexpected conversation with a stranger. A tiny café you stumbled upon after taking the wrong turning. Or an afternoon spent sitting by the water, watching boats come and go.

They're rarely the moments that make it onto a carefully organised itinerary. And perhaps that's why they're so memorable. Of course, some trips need planning. If you've travelled halfway around the world to see something you've dreamed about for years, you probably don't want to leave everything to chance. But a weekend away is different.

It's a chance to escape the usual routine for a couple of days, enjoy somewhere new and return home feeling a little more refreshed. So next time you're thinking about a short break, try resisting the urge to plan every detail.

Choose somewhere that appeals to you, pack a bag and go. You can work out the rest when you get there.

And who knows? The best part of the weekend might be something you didn't even know was there.