When you’re planning a holiday, deciding how long to go for can be a balancing act – too short and you might feel like you have unfinished business, too long and you might find yourself getting restless. So, how long do you really need?
According to a 2012 study published in the Journal of Happiness Studies, the sweet spot for travel is 8 days, which strikes the perfect balance between giving you enough time to unwind, explore and recharge, without feeling like you’re overstaying or getting overwhelmed.
By day 8, most people feel relaxed and satisfied, and have had enough time to make meaningful memories. That said, 8 days might not be long enough for trips further afield, when you lose days to flights and jet lag, so it’s not a perfect science.
Really there’s no single perfect length for a holiday due to the number of variables to consider. However, the good news is that, there’s a perfect trip waiting for you, regardless of how long you have for your holiday.
Short stays are perfect for a quick reset and lend themselves very well to city breaks, or rural escapes close to home.
A short break is just enough time for a refreshing change of scenery, and, on a city break it’s amazing how much you can see in a couple of days with careful planning.
One week is the most common length of time taken for holidays, mainly because it’s often the length of time people can easily book off work.
A week allows you to travel slightly further away and offers enough time to include both sightseeing and relaxation in your itinerary.
Northern Island is situated in the Northeast section of the island of Ireland, but is part of the UK. It currently has an open border with Ireland which is part of the European Union.
Belfast is the main city in Northern Ireland, and is the perfect jumping off point for a trip up the pretty coastline to the famous natural wonder that is the Giant’s Causeway and the well-known Bushmills whiskey Distillery.
For those with more time for their travels, longer stays are a great opportunity for extended adventures or travels much further away from home.
Whether it’s a road trip across multiple countries or regions, or a stay much further away from home on a long-haul journey, a longer trip can be fully immersive and allow you to truly get under the surface of a place.
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