December 22nd 2023.
City breaks can be a little bit draining - but they don't have to be. Many people see holidays as a time to relax, recharge and recuperate, but I often find that city breaks leave me feeling the complete opposite. With just three or four days to explore, these quick trips can be characterised by franticness, excitement and, sometimes, stress. That's why when I visited Paris – the French capital – for a second time earlier this year, I was determined to come out the other side feeling refreshed.
I decided I was going to slow down and take some time to truly enjoy the city and all it had to offer. If you, like me, often feel exhausted by European city breaks, here's what my Paris trip taught me on how to break the cycle:
Stay away from the hustle and bustle
Our accommodation, Hotel Cabane, proved to be the perfect option for such a break. The three-star hotel is nestled in the city’s 14th arrondissement, a bustling area teeming with fruit stalls, cafes and restaurants. It also harbours an extremely well kept secret: an actual cabin called ‘La Cabane’. The cabin is made out of French timber and features a private garden, a high-end shower, a king-sized bed and a flat screen TV. French doors flood the cabin with natural light and the toilet opens and closes automatically, creating a real air of tranquillity and seclusion. We got to enjoy our breakfast on our private terrace each morning too, which really helped with the stress-free holiday mantra.
Make a loose plan
I visited Paris with my friend, Becky and, to my delight, she was very much on the same page as me: slow, steady and extremely relaxed. We knew we wanted to tick the Eiffel Tower off the list, obviously, but we also chose two other activities and kept our plan light and flexible so that we could change it up if we felt that was necessary.
Don’t rush
City breaks can feel go, go, go, but it’s important not to let the anxiety that you might be missing something great takeover. We only had one full day in Paris, but instead of hurrying past in a bid to do everything, we allowed ourselves to wander up and down the stalls of the antiques market, picking up jewellery, old lighters and other treasures as we went. To think, we’d have missed it if we had abided by our previous schedule.
Wake up early
When you’re on a short city break, it’s important to make the most of all of your time. That means waking up early so that we could actually seize the day. This minimised rushing and allowed us to go with the flow much more easily.
Forget FOMO
Fear Of Missing Out… the curse of a generation. When you’re visiting a city for the first time, it can be tempting to do every single thing, lest you feel the all-familiar dread of FOMO. But it’s important to remember that you can always go back, and you can still have just as much of a good time doing just a handful of those touristy activities.
Feed your body and your soul
One of my favourite things about travelling is trying all the amazing foods a different country has to offer. We ate mindfully — starting when we were hungry, stopping when we were full — and merrily, choosing the foods we knew would make us feel the happiest. We also spent 20 minutes writing in my journal while by the lake in the park, taking a deep breath and feeling the most relaxed I’d felt in months.
So, if you want to take a mindful trip to Paris, here's where to go and what to see:
• Wandering around Bois de Boulogne Royal Park
• Having a mooch at the friendly antiques market, Marché aux Puces de la Porte de Vanves
• Visiting the Eiffel Tower for a photo op
To get to Paris from London, flights start from £52 return in January on Skyscanner, while Eurostar return tickets start from £39 each way. Hotel Cabane's Cabin is £120 for one night.
It's possible to take a relaxing and stress-free city break. By staying away from the hustle and bustle, making a loose plan, not rushing and feeding your body and soul, you can truly enjoy the city and come out the other side feeling refreshed.
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