Count the invisible parts
A transfer begins before a vehicle leaves. Packing, finding breakfast, settling a bill and reaching the departure point all compete with the day. After arrival, the process starts again in reverse. Write those tasks into the plan before declaring an afternoon free.
Choose a purpose for each base
Give every overnight stay a reason that cannot be met as well elsewhere. If two stops promise the same experience, compare them honestly and keep one. Variety is useful when it changes the trip, not just the hotel key.
Spend the saved day deliberately
An open day does not have to become an expensive excursion. It can be a second visit to a place that interested you, a long lunch or a rest. These choices are editorial preferences, not claims that one pace suits everyone.
A practical edit
Take a seven-day plan with three bases. Remove the middle stay and give its nights to the first or last. Compare the revised transport cost and usable time. Keep the original only if the middle destination has a clear purpose worth that cost.