Stopover advice
 

I just recently re-discovered this board, and it is a wealth of information!

I was hoping to get advice on an overnight stopover - if people routinely do this, or does it end up being more trouble than it is worth by the time you go to/from the airports?

I would be flying home from Venice & will connect through either London or Madrid next November. I was thinking I could fly into one of those cities in the AM, and then spend the day there & leave the following afternoon. I know I wouldn't see much - but I don't get across the Atlantic too often!

Just looking for feedback from others who have thought about this. Thanks!

My personal opinion is that I'd rather spend the time in my primary destination(s). I'm not opposed to 1-night stops (in fact, I often plan them), but it can take a quite a lot of time to clear customs and security and make the trips to and from the airport. I would find it frustrating to "lose" that much time on my vacation - time I could be spending elsewhere!

I'm not opposed to the stopover idea, but Q for you is:

How many days will you be in Venice, and does leaving Venice a day earlier make you miss something in Venice?

I can't speak for connecting via Madrid, but I've done connection thru London before. Like you've said, it's a big city and you wouldn't see much, but still worth going IMO.

Just be aware that prices are sky high in London, and even just getting to/from the airport can be expensive (depends on which one). But then, you're coming from Venice, which itself is one the most rip-off expensvie cities! At least you can find bargains in London. :p

i have done this type of itinerary on purpose when prices are tempting. i consider it another mini vacation.

madrid will be cheaper than london if that means anything.

Thanks for the replies. I'm leaving Venice on Sat morning no matter what - so I could either fly directly home on Sat, or spend the night in London or Madrid Sat night & fly home on Sunday. So I wouldn't lose any of my vacation time in Italy. It's tempting to see another city - even if it is for 1 day! I have been to London before - but I'd love to go back. Never been to Madrid.

Heathrow is a zoo ... so I'd probably connect in Madrid.

I am not familiar to traveling into or out of London but I found Madrid's new terminal 4 very efficient and we were in our hotel less than an hour after we landed there from Rome.

If your flight is in the AM you could do a couple of things in Madrid in one day. The Prado museum is open until 7 PM. You could also go to Plaza Mayor and have dinner or tapas later in the day.

Thanks for the advice on London & Madrid. Sounds like Madrid might be the better option if I stopover - it sounds like less hassle & more doable. I found a flight that arrives in Madrid at 10:30am from Venice. Then leaving at noon the next day - so hopefully I could see a little of the city.

I don't know where you home destination is, but I intentionally do one night stopovers if I can before flying home because we're in Seattle and the flight from anywhere in Europe is a bear, but it's less of a bear if I can break it up and make it a little shorter.

As others have said, Heathrow is a nightmare while the Madrid airport is great, however, depending on where you live, it might be better to do an overnight in Amsterdam--that airport is easy as well. Depends.

But yes, to answer your initial question--I do 1 night stands whenever I can (just don't tell DH :D)