Three cities you can genuinely get to for 2–3 days without losing half your Friday to connections or blowing the budget on flights. Lisbon by the water, Prague in its historic centre and Kraków with the Polish złoty on your side — pick one to match your mood.
Lisbon is one of the rare European cities where three days still won't feel like enough: trams climbing the hills, pastéis de nata in neighbouring Belém, and the Atlantic just a stone's throw away. The full picture is in our Lisbon guide. The cheapest way to arrive is by overnight bus — you save on a night's accommodation and wake up already in the city. Sintra is best visited on a small group tour: the castles are scattered across the hills and without a guide you lose half a day just on logistics.
Prague is made for a short break: the compact old town can be walked in a day, and the second day is free for breweries and less touristy neighbourhoods — Žižkov and Holešovice. Route details and where to stay are in the Prague guide. From Berlin, Vienna and Warsaw there are direct trains from neighbouring capitals, often cheaper than flying when booked a few weeks ahead.
Kraków is the most affordable of the three: the złoty goes further than the euro, café meals on the Main Market Square cost next to nothing, and hostels in the historic centre match the standard of decent hotels elsewhere. The full itinerary is in the Kraków guide. If you're going for three days, Auschwitz and Wieliczka must be booked in advance — in season, tickets sell out within a week.
These are just some of the ideas. All guides and routes on the blog → To stay up to date — the Friday digest on the homepage.