If you want a wonderful European getaway, but don’t want to use up all your annual leave to travel, there are cities you can travel to in just one weekend. 

By taking what’s known as an extreme day trip, you can see the world without having to compromise your leave. 

Hadleigh Diamond, commercial director of Luxury Airport Transfer specialist SCS Chauffeurs,said “Extreme day trips are becoming a popular way to see key cities without having to take time off work, or fit travel around other responsibilities.”

One of these trips is to Italy’s jewel of Rome. It’s possible to fly out on a Friday evening after work and return Sunday evening without having to take any time off.

Skyscanner currently has flights from the UK to Rome in mid-January for as low as £27. 

The flight takes just two and a half hours and then it’s a simple 30-minute train from the airport into the centre. This means you can enjoy a late dinner and drinks before settling in for the night fresh to explore on Saturday. 

Rome is home to all kinds of incredible history such as the Colosseum where gladiators fought to the death, or the incredible work of art the Trevi Fountain.

It’s also famed for its wonderful culinary scene – the birthplace of the classics like carbonara and cacio e pepe. 

By flying to Rome, you can also see the microstate of the Vatican, a landlocked enclave within Rome – so you can tick two countries off the list with a single flight, in a single weekend.

The Vatican is the smallest independent state in the world and the home of the Roman Catholic Church.

It’s also home to the Sistine Chapel, as well as the Basilica of St Peter so its perfect for people who want to marvel at great arts and culture.