Trip Ideas 20 One-week Vacations To Take Between Jobs By Erika Owen Erika Owen Instagram Website Erika Owen is a writer, editor, and author of three books. A self-proclaimed Iceland enthusiast who’s penned more than 350 travel stories, she's constantly on the search for the quirkiest and most beautiful corners of the world. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines Updated on November 10, 2022 Fact checked by Olivia Young Fact checked by Olivia Young Instagram Twitter Website Olivia Young is a freelance journalist, slow travel advocate, and UK expat. Her favorite travel days usually involve vegan food, wildlife sightings, and an occasional liability waiver. Travel + Leisure Fact Checking Process Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: cuellar/Getty Images Getting a new full-time gig is thrilling, and the very best way to start a new position is by taking enough time to reset. Our recommendation? Take a vacation. Planning a trip in between jobs can get a bit tricky — you don't want to take too much time off, and you don't want to start off your first day at the new gig still recovering from your adventure. And with so many destinations to choose from it can be overwhelming to find something that's going to refresh, reset, and revitalize you, making sure you're ready to take on your new tasks with enthusiasm. But don't worry; we're here to help. We pulled together 20 one-week trips for every kind of traveler, whether you're looking to spend some quality time with nature, buy a show-stopping work wardrobe, or eat your weight in local delicacies. We rounded up these international trips based on the sort of restorative, engaging activities the areas have on offer. 01 of 20 One Week in Patagonia Ronaldo Melo/Getty Images The most direct way to get to Torres del Paine is by catching a connecting flight to El Calafate from Buenos Aires. You can fly into Santiago, but you've got quite a drive ahead of you before you'll reach Torres del Paine National Park (read: about 34 hours). What To Do Torres del Paine is well worth the travel time. The area is incredibly diverse — you'll find glaciers, lakes, hiking, and desert all within a few hours of travel time. What to Expect for Airfare Peak season is between October and April, meaning airfare is going to be at its most expensive. Starting in April, a round-trip ticket will dip below $1,000. 02 of 20 One Week in Saint Petersburg Vincenzo Lombardo/Getty Images Now, you may want to plan a day trip or two, but Saint Petersburg is the perfect place to immerse yourself in another world — and pick up some major knowledge to drop in conversation with your new coworkers. May through October are the busiest months for travel to Russia, and you many not want to go in winter, when temperatures can dip below -50 degrees Fahrenheit. What To Do Things you absolutely cannot miss: Winter Palace, the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul, and The Stars of the White Nights (an international arts festival featuring ballet performances) if you're traveling from May to August. What to Expect for Airfare You can find airfare under $500 in October and November, and prices can reach upwards of $1,300 in the summer months. 03 of 20 One Week in Malta mkistryn/Getty Images If the beach is your ideal spot to unwind, consider Malta for your in-between jobs getaway. A trip to Malta will certainly set you back a bit, but the airfare is really the biggest cost. What to Do The food here is exceptional. Don't leave without trying the Lampuki Pie, Kapunata, or Bigilla, all local specialties. When you get tired of the beach (if that even happens at all), there's plenty to explore inland: the Megalithic Temples of Malta, the Blue Grotto, Ħaġar Qim (ancient ruins dating back to 2200 BC). History buffs, this is the place for you. What to Expect for Airfare Expect to spend upwards of $1,200 for a last-minute booking. If you manage to plan ahead a bit, airfare can drop to $600. 04 of 20 One Week in Split cuellar/Getty Images Most destinations on the Dalmatian Coast are mostly classified as summer vacation spots, but Split has a lot to offer during the winter months. What to Do Things not to miss: Diocletian's Palace, the historic port of Hvar, and the Croatian National Theater. Adventure travelers, there's plenty of sailing to be had while in Split. What to Expect for Airfare The best times to visit are during the shoulder months: March and November. Winter weather can be hard to predict, but you can look forward to a mild vacation no matter when you visit. When it comes to airfare, expect to shell out around $800 for a round-trip ticket right before or after peak season. 05 of 20 One Week in Paris Roger Coulam/Getty Images A week in Paris will fly by — there's enough culture, shopping, food, and monuments to be seen to send anyone's head spinning. What to Do Put these on your itinerary: there are all of the usual suspects (the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the Arc de Triomphe, and Disneyland Paris), but don't miss the Latin Quarter, the Catacombs, and the Champ de Mars. And the shopping — best to play it safe and bring an extra bag. What to Expect for Airfare Airfare dips to a low during the fall and winter months (aside from Christmas when the city is truly a sight to be seen), when you can grab a round-trip ticket for under $500. Airfare starts to climb come spring. 06 of 20 One Week in Madeira, Portugal Mauricio Abreu/Getty Images One week immersed in the island lifestyle will leave you feeling refreshed and ready to take on a new job. Madeira — an archipelago of four islands off the northwest coast of Africa — is for anyone looking to completely relax seaside. What to Do Paraglide at Madeira, drink wine at Funchal, and go hiking in Machico. Oh, and spend entire days lounging at the islands' many beaches. What to Expect for Airfare For the best airfare deals, look to visit during the off-season (between September and early December, and late January through April) and you can catch airfare as low as $700 round-trip. 07 of 20 One Week in Ljubljana, Slovenia Glenn Van Der Knijff/Getty Images Ljubljana — Slovenia's capital city — is the perfect place for nature lovers who also want to do a bit of shopping, sightseeing, and castle-spotting. What to Do The Triple Bridge and Tivoli Park are two incredibly scenic destinations you've likely seen on Instagram. While both are worth a visit, make sure and take in the views at the Ljubljana Castle, take a hike up Mount Saint Mary, and pay a visit to the Railroad Museum. Also consider taking a day trip to Lake Bled, a 45-minute drive from Ljubljana, where you can find more castles and watersports or travel 40 minutes southwest to Postojna Cave for some exploring. What to Expect for Airfare November and January are the best times to visit, if you're on a budget, considering you can find round-trip airfare for right around $600. Go during prime time (August) and you'll pay almost three times as much. 08 of 20 One Week in Iceland birdigol/Getty Images Iceland's Ring Road makes it easy to navigate a week-long journey through this ethereal destination. The entire highway loops around the coast of the country, meaning you can check out the black sand beaches, mountains, and national parks in the span of a couple of days. What To Do You'll find waterfalls around every corner in Iceland, and the homes are photo-worthy too, tucked as they are under towering mountains or in the middle of vast fields of volcanic rock. Don't miss snorkeling between two tectonic plates at Thingvellir National Park, seeing the northern lights at Ion Hotel, riding an Icelandic horse outside of Reykjavík, and trying some of the local delicacies (puffin and fish stew). What to Expect for Airfare Summertime (May through August) is tourist high-time, and airfare can be more than $1,000. Go during the off-season (October-March) and you can catch a killer deal: $500 round-trip and under. 09 of 20 One Week in Granada, Spain Manfred Gottschalk/Getty Images The history in Granada is palpable — every building, landmark, and street has a story. Plan on taking a couple of day trips if you're looking to spend a full week in this southern city: we suggest Seville, Málaga, or Madrid, if you're looking for a couple of days away. What To Do The Alhambra is No. 1 on most travelers' lists when heading to Granada — and for good reason. The Moorish complex is an Instagram story waiting to happen. Also make sure to eat plenty of tapas, visit the gardens of Generalife, hike the Sierra Nevada, and catch a soccer game at Nuevo Estadio de Los Cármenes. What to Expect for Airfare You can get a round-trip ticket for around $600 during the off-season (July through December). Once peak season hits (January through April), airfare skyrockets to more than $1,000. Be warned: October through December can get quite rainy. 10 of 20 One Week in Bali i'am/Getty Images Bali (officially one of the world's best islands) is all about the beaches, so if lounging on the sand for seven days is just what you need, look to this Indonesian island. What to Do There are a lot of meditation and yoga retreats that take place on Bali. Aside from the beaches, make sure to explore the local markets in resort towns like Seminyak, Sanur, and Nusa Dua, and go bird watching at West Bali National Park. What to Expect for Airfare The dry season — April to October — is the best time to visit, but it'll cost you: airfare can creep to over $2,000. The rainy season (October to March) is great for deals (think: less than $1,000 round-trip), but you'll most likely have to deal with intense rainfall. 11 of 20 One Week in Berlin Richard Silver Photo/Getty Images While you could easily spend an entire week getting to know Germany's capital (and it's amazing nightlife), there are plenty of day trip opportunities, too: the beach region of Wannsee, Spreewald (a town featuring a series of canals), and historic Dresden, to name a few. What to Do Berlin is perhaps best known for its arts scene, which was heavily influenced by the creation (and demolition) of the Berlin Wall. There are galleries all around the city. You also can't miss the the Brandenburg Gate, Grunewald Forest, and the Wall's famous Checkpoint Charlie. If you're down for a night spent dancing, hit up Tresor or Berghain. What to Expect for Airfare Winter can be rough with its freezing temperatures, but if you're willing to bring an extra suitcase for winter layers, you can catch a real deal (sub-$500 round-trip). You can find the best weather May through September, but airfare upwards of $1,000. 12 of 20 One Week in Amsterdam Rachel Lewis/Getty Images There's more than enough in Amsterdam to fill seven days, including some 8,000 beautiful buildings constructed before the 19th century. What to Do The best things to do in Amsterdam include Hortus Botanicus (one of the world's oldest botanical gardens), Our Lord in the Attic Museum (a canal house with a secret chapel inside), the 45-hectare Vondelpark, and the Anne Frank House. What to Expect with Airfare Summertime (June through August) is tourist season, meaning airfare is at its highest (around $1,200). You'll find mild weather and better deals if you visit between September and November (airfare sits around $600). 13 of 20 One Week in Kos, Greece dinosmichail/Getty Images Kos is all about the beaches, so if you're looking to completely disconnect with a drink in hand and your toes in the sand, this is your place. What to Do Aside from having some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, Kos is home to spectacular hiking. Check out Paleo Pili if you're looking for a relatively easy climb with great scenery waiting for you at the end. What to Expect for Airfare There are times of the year that airfare can spike to more than $3,000 for a round-trip ticket (June, July, and August). Look to visit in early spring (April, May) or fall (September, October) when you can catch airfare around $800. 14 of 20 One Week in Kraków Maria Swärd/Getty Images In Kraków, you can experience relatively untouched medieval architecture firsthand. The well-preserved "Old Town" is circled by more modern destinations, making it the perfect stop for a traveler who wants the best of both worlds. What to Do The cathedrals and castles in Kraków are best seen in person — the architecture and history can't be topped. Taking a bicycle tour through Tyniec, a historic village on the Vistula River known for its famous Benedictine abbey, is sure to be an unforgettable experience. What to Expect for Airfare Fall and spring are the best times to visit — the weather is delightful and the crowds of tourists are nowhere to be found. If you're lucky, you can find round-trip tickets for under $600. The summer is festival season in Kraków, but airfare will set you back more than $1,000. 15 of 20 One Week in Hanoi, Vietnam Beyond Neon via Flickr [CC BY 2.0] Aside from the amazing food that's around every corner in Hanoi, there are plenty of temples, waterways, and museums to explore. What to Do In between eating the amazing street food, take a nighttime cruise along Hạ Long Bay, rent a motorcycle, and check out the local markets. What to Expect for Airfare Hanoi has four solid seasons — spring, summer, fall, and winter — so make sure and consider the temperature and weather when planning a trip. As expected, winter is when you'll find deals on airfare (between November and February you can get a round-trip ticket for less than $900) and summer is the most expensive time to travel to Hanoi (expect to pay upward of $1,400 if you're going June through August). 16 of 20 One Week in Santorini Matteo Colombo/Getty images There's a reason Santorini landed on our World's Best Islands list. But don't just listen to us — see it for yourself. What to Do Make sure to fit in a couple of volcano hikes, the famous blue-roofed buildings in Oia, and the island's "secret" hot springs. What to Expect for Airfare Santorini is busiest during the summer, so shoot for early fall to get the best deals (under $600, sometimes). Go during peak season and expect to pay close to $1,400. 17 of 20 One Week in Milan Cultura RM Exclusive/Anthony Charles/Getty Images Milan is a great place to shop, sure, but it's also an amazing place for architecture and design nerds. You can spend an entire week exploring the frescoes, piazzas, and archways. What to Do Don't miss the Milan Cathedral, shopping at the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II (which is one of the world's oldest shopping centers), and the Santa Maria delle Grazie, which is home to Da Vinci's "The Last Supper." What to Expect for Airfare April, May, September, and October are the best months to visit Milan on a budget, when airfare is around $600. 18 of 20 One Week in Sibiu, Romania Walter Bibikow/Getty Images Located about four hours northwest of Bucharest, this is another destination where you'll want to plan some day trips. The affordable hotels make it the perfect home base for unwinding after long days exploring. What to Do Sibiu is a preserved medieval town, meaning the history is going to be the highlight of your visit. Don't miss the Bridge of Lies — built in 1859 and once thought to collapse as soon as anyone on it tells a lie — the ASTRA National Museum Complex, and the "Large Square," which gets particularly gorgeous when it's lit up at night. What to Expect for Airfare Know that it can get quite hot here during the summer — the best season to visit is fall. Airfare will dip to $700, which compared to high-season prices (upwards of $2,000 for a round-trip ticket), is not so bad. 19 of 20 One Week in Tokyo greenbalbo/Getty Images The long flight is well-worth the ability to explore Tokyo, though one week is almost not enough time to fully experience it. What to Do Temples, temples, temples. And when you get tired of visiting temples, take a break to check out a few Shinto shrines. And, of course, the shopping and food is unreal. Make sure to visit the Toyosu fish market. What to Expect for Airfare We suggest visiting Tokyo between September and November in order to catch the stunning fall colors. You can also catch airfare for $900 around this time. During high season, expect to shell out up to $2,000. 20 of 20 One Week in Turin, Italy AGF/Getty Images Turin — the capital city of Piedmont in northern Italy — is most known for its cuisine and baroque buildings. What to Do You've got to see the Residences of the Royal House of Savoy, which is one of the area's UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Catch a soccer game at the Allianz Stadium, spend an afternoon in the Piazza Castello, and hit up the Museo Egizio, which features ancient Egyptian relics. What to Expect for Airfare Tourist season is in full swing during July and August, so consider March, April, and May, when airfare dips below $700. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit