City Break Bug

(Brat) Summer is officially over, and so is the obsession with week-long summer vacations. The autumnal months are welcoming in those cozy weekends away in a new city that are trending on social media now. Is it FOMO, or is it the corporate world leaving us with just the weekend to enjoy? Either way, a quick pit stop to tick off a location on your bucket list is always a good idea.

Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen Street Style in NYC. Photo by Ulra Rees via Vogue

I spent an evening in London recently—albeit not a ‘city break’ per se, but definitely a city experience—and traveled predominantly via the underground. It was midnight (like, pitch black, everyone should be asleep midnight) and still, there was only standing room for most of the journey. I knew London would be busy and I’ve been countless times, but coming from a small town where the streets are pretty much desolate after 8 PM, this was a crazy culture shock. It inspired me to travel to cities further; if a city in my home country can wow me that much, I’m sure Italy, France, Spain, and everywhere else on my bucket list can. The only way to learn is to do. Here’s a select few of the reasons we might be more inclined to a quick trip away than a long vacation these days:

Well Rounded

Visiting a new place is probably the finest way to immerse yourself in new cultures—food, music, fashion, and ways of life. You could end up going home with a new dish added to your mental cookbook, garments from a cool designer you’ve never heard of, and a million memories. And, on a city break, you can fit multiple locations into one weekend, making learning efficient whilst not interfering with our shrinking attention spans.

Rome is acclaimed for its history and architecture; a cultural hotspot perfect for ‘booktok’ girls and history lovers. A city break here is ideal for embracing the arts...and pasta and gelato on tap. One of the most famous attractions and authentic scenes in Rome is the Colosseum. It was first opened as the Flavian Amphitheatre after almost ten years of construction in 80 AD. Historically used for combat and animal fights, a symbol of Rome’s long and thunderous history. But, after 400 years of brutality in Ancient Rome fashion, the Flavian Amphitheatre was forsaken and used for building materials. Today it is a perfect tourist attraction, and—provided you’re in your adventurous era—is a great educational location. It’s also beautiful and would enchant any Instagram feed.

The holiday season is also a fantastic excuse to have a few days away from normality and venture to a new city and learn how they celebrate the festive time of year. Christmas markets, frosty weather, hot chocolates, and winter outfits. Bliss. Copenhagen is a fan favorite already across TikTok this year, with videos going viral every day of the picturesque architecture and overall Christmassy vibe (it's in Denmark so snow is sort of expected). Some unique activities to try in Copenhagen include ice swimming (if you’re up for an ice dip in an already freezing atmosphere), and Broens Ice Rink, which also has food stalls for you to try local Danish food.

Dollar Signs.

Get in loser. Maybe you’re not into history and architecture—maybe adding a new city to your hippocampal volume could be influenced by shopping abilities instead...how many times have you seen something trending online and it’s not available in your local store? Venturing to a metropolitan world is likely to highlight all the clothing items that have been sitting in your wishlist for months. Especially somewhere like London, where the stores have at least four floors of garms on show. Understandably easier said than done—but try not to go too crazy...you don’t want your suitcase to be too heavy for the inevitable flight home. The allure of locations like Champs-Élysées, Oxford Street, Rodeo Drive, and the like attracts hundreds of us to a new modern climate. Slaying that plane runway.

Retail therapy is better when it’s French, perhaps. Luckily, Paris is the hotspot for shopping with your loved ones. One of the most well-known shopping destinations in the city of love is Avenue des Champs-Élysées; no stranger to luxury brands. Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Sandro are a small handful of the endless locations. Even if designer is not your style, a new environment can still be inspiring. Also...who says no to a girls shopping trip?! Paris is easily one of the most popular city break destinations, it has just enough ‘lore’ that you can spend a weekend there enchanted but not too overwhelmed. It can be pretty easy to get to as well—of course depending on where you’re venturing from—via train. From London to Gare du Nord it’s around a three-hour train ride. So tempting to just go every weekend tbh.

YOLO

To me, waiting all year for summer for one week away out of the entire year and waiting for that special occasion to wear your favorite new dress are silly concepts. Life is the special occasion, and it’s easy to fly away with all the fast-paced, busy aspects. Remembering to land in a calm (well, as calm as a major city gets) environment every now and then can be really good for mental health. A few weekend-long breaks throughout the year as opposed to just one vacation is becoming the preferred getaway option, it makes sense. If you’re a thrill-seeker and like the buzz of a vacation, New York is perfect for a jam-packed trip.

Realistically you’re probably not gonna fit ALL of New York City into a weekend, but you can definitely make a good impression and get that assured Times Square pic. The big (apple) attractions you’re most likely to explore could be: Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building, catching a show on Broadway, a cute hot girl walk around Central Park, and many, many more. New York is rich with history, educational opportunities, but also fun. Everyone’s idea of a worthwhile vacation is different, and NYC has something for everyone.

In the same realm, FOMO makes us feel that we have to constantly travel to all of these trending places or we are doing something ‘wrong’. Whether we want to admit it or not, society can have an impact—perhaps explaining the increase in city break travel guides on TikTok. It's definitely exciting. I see Emma Chamberlain in NYC, I want to go to NYC. I see Milan Fashion Week trending, I want to go to Milan Fashion Week. And so on. However you like to vacation, doing a quick Friday-Sunday city trip with friends and loved ones should be considered. Although I would find it difficult to shrink my wardrobe down to a weekend-acceptable amount of clothes as a chronic overpacker. See you in Paris!