Travel & Hotspots

What to do if it just rains during your city trip

only rains

Yes. There you are with your good behavior. A few days of fun city tripping in Paris, Berlin, Antwerp, or anywhere else. But instead of strolling and fluttering, it’s non-stop pouring rain. Buckets from the sky. Or that annoying drizzle that ensures that wherever you go, you arrive completely soaked. What do you do then?

When I was on my last trip in Sri Lanka and Thailand, I also couldn't completely escape the rain. In both countries, I spent several days in pouring rain, and being on a tropical island in the rain is just as annoying as a city trip in the rain. But you can survive it, and quite well.

Tip 1

The classic: go to a huge department store and never come out again. In that respect, New York is the best city to be in the rain, although Paris also does its best. A decent department store has several dining options and maybe even a spa or hair salon. You start in the basement and only go outside again when you’ve ‘done’ every corner of every floor. You’ll be busy for a while, and before you know it, the sun is shining outside again.

Tip 2

This is somewhat dependent on the city you’re in, but in Paris, they don’t care much about environmental issues, so there’s a hefty battery of patio heaters above every terrace. If you park yourself there, under such a heater and with a warm coat, you really don’t have to leave. You’re dry, you’re warm, you let the table fill up with wines, cheeses, and bread – you really won’t care about the rain anymore.

Tip 3

Since I’ve been accompanied by an extremely cute little MacBook during my trips, I always have a laptop with me. It’s mainly intended for working everywhere, but in case of rain, it’s also a damn nice thing to watch a movie or series on. Before I went on my trip in December, I loaded two seasons of The Walking Dead onto it, and they came in very handy when I was in Tangalle, a tiny beach town in Sri Lanka, sitting in my wooden beach hut all day during a massive thunderstorm. While the island was almost being blown away, I was lying in bed, extremely satisfied, binge-watching my series. So: take a laptop (or iPad) with you, load a few movies or series onto it, and nothing can happen to you.

Tip 4

I’m not the biggest fan of museums, but they are an ideal activity to do in the rain. Just ask Google if there are any special museums with collections that appeal to you more (maybe there’s a fashion exhibition somewhere) and go there for a day. This way, you stay dry and do something cultural, that’s win-win.

Tip 5

Every city has a spa, a sauna, or something like that. Treat yourself to a whole day of pampering in steam rooms, get manicures, pedicures, you name it. There’s nothing to experience outside anyway, so make the most of it.

Actually quite ideal suddenly, a day in the rain.