Other things to do are try out the arena in any city. Some aren't the best fighters, but they are an extra body in the field and because they're companions instead of regular troops, they never die, just get knocked unconscious. Some of them will join you for free (Firentis, Jeremus, Borcha and Ymira to name a few).
If you don't mind spending the time, you can go to each city and check the tavern for the special named companions.
