Layovers: Making The Most Of A Short Time In A Great City

by Summer Corbitt, Director of Business Development, American Society of Travel Advisors

It is a generally understood rule that you cannot count a country on your list of places visited if you haven’t been outside of the airport. Thanks to an upcoming trip that takes me through South Korea on a layover, I reached out to my network of knowledgeable travel advisors to get their advice on what to do.

This developed into a much bigger conversation of the best layovers around the world and what to do if you don’t want to waste a minute. Long-layovers don’t have to be boring or inconvenient. Instead, think of them like speed-dating a city!

For consistency, let’s keep the parameters to a 12-hour layover in the daytime, arriving back to the airport 1.5 to 2 hours before your f light. Remember, we won’t have bags to check, so we can live on the edge!

DUBAI

Dubai is a common layover for long-haul flights. If you are overnighting and flying Emirates, they have a wonderful program that will provide you a hotel if your layover is more than 12 hours. If you are in business class or higher, they even provide a car service. But, for most of us that are not flying fancy and want to explore the destination instead of taking a nap, there are several options for private tours that take you to the main sites of the city.

GETTING THERE: Hire a private car ahead of time or take the Dubai Metro from the airport to the Dubai Mall.

WHAT TO DO: Ok, normally I wouldn’t recommend mall food, but Dubai Mall is one of the largest in the world and is an attraction all on its own with every food option your heart desires. After lunch, walk around the seemingly infinite shops or take in the Dubai fountains music and light show at 1:30pm next door. This will also put you right at the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building. From here, you can meet a guide for a four-hour tour that starts with tickets to the top of the Burj Khalifa. After witnessing the epitome of modern architecture, you can then experience the old-world charm of the Dubai Gold and Spice Souks. More city highlights will also take you to the impressive manmade Palm Island, the famous sail-shaped Burj Al-Arab hotel, and end by admiring mega-yachts near Jumeirah Beach.

SEOUL

As I was doing some extra research for this layover itinerary, I met a frequenter of Seoul who informed me that when you arrive at the airport there is a tourist counter that offers custom tours based on how many hours you will be in the city. Brilliant idea, but, since I can’t verify this option yet, we’ll stick to our own itinerary. This one is going to be a bit adventurous as we are not going to do any guided tours and it will be a lot of walking!

GETTING THERE: Take the 45-minute AREX express train from the airport to Seoul Station.

WHAT TO DO: While many visitors go directly to the major shopping districts like Myeongdong Dongdaemun, we are working with a likely already stuffed carry-on, so let’s opt for the historical and cultural route. A short taxi ride from the train station will take you to Gwanghwamun Square, right in the middle of the city. The square is home to large statues of important figures in Korean history and the Gyeongbokgung Palace, originally built in 1395. You can catch the Royal Guard Changing Ceremony at the palace for free on weekdays at 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM (except Tuesdays), as well as various free guided tours of the palace. From here, a 15-minute walk will transport you back in time to the Bukchon Hanok Village. You will have the chance to see what residential architecture looked like centuries ago.

Another 15-minute walk is the quiet and quaint area of Insadong. Known for its art, coffee shops, and tea houses, it’s a great place to take a mid-day break, rest your feet, and get a shot of caffeine to carry you through the rest of the day. Top off this self-guided tour with some modernity by taking in the panoramic views of the city’s skyline from the N Seoul Tower. The tower is only minutes away from Seoul Station to catch your train back to the airport.

ICELAND

This is such a popular layover that Iceland Air actually offers up to 3-day layovers as an option! If it were me, I would take the 3-day option, rent a car, and explore the entire south of Iceland, my personal favorite area of the country. But we will stick to our 12-hour rule and give you the highlights.

GETTING THERE: There are multiple airport shuttle options from Keflavik Airport to Downtown Reykjavik that take about 45 minutes. Most afternoon tours start at noon, so grab a bite to eat on your way out of the airport. It’s not glamourous, but we have a lot to see people!

WHAT TO DO: From the nation’s Capital you can join a 6-hour tour of the famous Golden Circle that takes you to three iconic locations in Iceland. Geysir geothermal area is home to Great Geysir and Strokkur Geysir. While Great Geysir is relatively dormant, with the exception of high volcanic activity, Strokkur geyser erupts every 6–10 minutes, shooting hot water as high as 130 feet into the air. Iceland is known for its many waterfalls, and one of the most famous is Gullfoss Waterfall. Raging water plunges down two different levels, falling a total of 105 ft, often making shimmering rainbows in its spray. Thingvellir National Park is uniquely known for the point where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates meet, the only place in the world where the Mid-Atlantic Ridge is visible on land.

Heading back towards the airport directly from the end of your tour in Reykjavik, you’ll have just enough time to make it to the famous Blue Lagoon for a couple of hours before it closes at 9pm. While it is charming at night, if you are visiting in the summer, you will still have almost full daylight as the sun is bright and shining for most of the day and “night.” Soak in natural hot springs of creamy blue water and grab dinner at the facility. You also have the luxury of a refreshing shower before heading back to the airport.

AMSTERDAM

Tours are definitely the most efficient way to see a city in a small amount of time, but Amsterdam is a place I don’t think a tour is necessary. Every street brings a new surprise, full of restaurants, shops, and cafes (both the standard and the not-so standard).

GETTING THERE: By far the easiest option is to take the train in. The train from Amsterdam Airport to the City Center takes just 15 minutes and trains depart every 10-15 minutes, 24 hours a day.

WHAT TO DO: There are restaurants to pop into every 20 feet, but for a unique experience, book High Tea at Sofitel Legend The Grand Amsterdam. They have an actual tea sommelier and serve a new set of savory and sweet treats with every tea course. High Tea isn’t served until 3pm, so grab some street food to hold you over until then, it’s worth the wait! Walk off all those pastries and tea cakes by exploring the city at your leisure. Be sure to hit up the Iconic “I Am Amsterdam” photo op, Vondelpark, Dam Square, and the floating flower market. The Anne Frank House and Van Gogh Museum are also worth a visit but will require booking tickets well in advance. For dinner, book a 2-hour, 3-course, boat cruise through the canals of the city. It’s a great way to see a large part of the city by night and get a literal glimpse into the lives of local Amsterdammmers, as their apartments line the canals and they don’t seem to bother with curtains.

SEATTLE

We can’t neglect a popular U.S. layover that also doubles as a great itinerary for those heading on or returning from a cruise.

GETTING THERE: Tram, Taxi/Uber, or Shuttle.

WHAT TO DO: Wake yourself up from your flight with a cup of coffee at the Original Starbucks. There will be a line out the door, but it’s well worth it to see the impressive building and preserved history of the coffee house. You will be right by the iconic Pike’s Place Market, so do something fun for lunch and take a 2-hour chef-guided food tour through the market. Experience treats like tacos, chowder, truffles, cheeses, and chocolates. The tour will often include a stop at the oldest spice store in Pike Place Market, Seattle Market Spice. From Pike’s Place Market there are many attractions you can see on foot or car, like the Space Needle or the Freemont Troll Sculpture, but why not see the city from a different viewpoint aboard a 19th Century Schooner on beautiful Puget Sound?Grab dinner with a view of the Sound you just sailed on before heading back to the airport.