A city break is a trip taken to a city just to relax or just for pleasure. There are over eight hundred cities in Europe where you can do that. This means you have a lot of options to choose from. In this post, you will find a list of best city break destination in Europe base on a survey from Which?. Although London, Paris and Rome are the 3 most visited cities in Europe, they did not make the list of the best city break destination in Europe.
10 best city break destination in Europe
1. Kraków, Poland
On the southern side of Poland is Kraków, one of the ancient cities in the country. Top cultural attractions in Kraków are – Market Square, The Sukiennice (shopping centre), Wawel Castle (earlier home of Polish kings), Planty Park, Barbikan (red brick medieval fortification), Saint Florian’s gate, Saint Mary’s Basilica, Kościuszko Mound (you can view the beautiful city from its top), Florianska street (beer and souvenir place), The Dragon’s Den and many more. Book a hotel in Krakow
Transportation within Kraków is made easy through the public transport system. You can get an affordable public transport ticket of Stefa (zone) 1. This ticket will allow you transport within the city of Kraków at a cheaper cost. If you like to try local foods, we recommend you try pierogies, kielbasa, zapiekanka and bigos.
2. Seville, Spain
Looking for a gateway into the past? Look no further, Seville is the right place. The city is the capital of Andalusia and it is packed with cultural attractions. Top of the cultural attractions are – The Catheral (world’s largest Gothic cathedral), Royal Alcazar palace, Casa de Pilatos, Plaza Espana, Maria Luisa Park, Bullring, Torre de Oro (Tower of gold), Triana, Santa Cruz (an old Jewish neighbourhood) and Las Setas (also called the Mushrooms). Book a hotel in Seville
You can use the tram, the metro and boat for transport in Seville. The best option is to buy a tourist card which will allow you to make unlimited tram trips within the city at 5€ each day. And for food lovers try stewed rabo or cola de toro, secreto iberico, carrillada de cerco, espinacas con garbanzos and Montadito de Pringa.
3. València, Spain
València is a popular tourist destination due to its medieval richness and awesome architecture. Top cultural attractions that you will find in València are: Torres de Serranos, Catedral de Santa Maria, Plaza de la Reina (main tourist hub), Central market, La Lonja dela Seda (medieval silk market) and City of Arts and Sciences. Book a hotel in València
For transportation with València, you can use the tram, metro, taxi or a tourist bus. Tickets may be bought before your journey. Foods you may want to try out when you visit- Paella, Fideuà, All I pebre, Arros abanda and Esgarraet.
4. Berlin, Germany
Your next city break destination could be Berlin, Germany. It is rated number 4 of the best city break destination in Europe. And that’s because it has historic, awesome sights tourist long to explore. Here are some of the historic sights – Pergamon museum, the Bode Museum (for sculpture and Byzantine art), the Brandenburg Gate, Berlin wall memorial, Charlottenburg palace and park, The Gendarmenmarkt, German historic museum and the Berlin cathedral church. Book a hotel in Berlin
Berlin provides an awesome public transport that covers all part of the city. You can use the underground transport system called U-Bahn or S-Bahn, buses or trams. Berlin welcome card is available for tourists who plan to use the public transport with attractive discounts. The foodies can try Currywurst, Spätzle, Königsberger Klopse, Schnitzel and Maultaschen.
5. Amsterdam, Netherlands
Amsterdam is the capital of the Netherlands. It has many attractive sights for tourists. And if you love to explore the Vernice of the north, you are welcome to Amsterdam. In Amsterdam, you will find these tourist attractions – Rijksmuseum (collection of awesome masterpieces), Stedelijk Museum (exhibiting artworks of popular artists), Vondelpark, Artis Amsterdam royal zoo, EYE film museum, The Oude Kerk, Van Gogh museum, Ons’ Heer Lieve op Solder (Our Lord in the Attic), Anne Frank Huis, Dam square and Begijnhof. Book a hotel in Amsterdam
Public transport in Amsterdam is managed by GVB. Tourists can either use the trams, metros or buses or mix them depending on where you intend to visit in the city. With Iamsterdam city card, tourists can use the public transport system and also visit many tourist attractions. Popular foods in Amsterdam are Kroket, Stroopwafel, Speculaas, Bitterballen and Rijsttafel.
6. Budapest, Hungary
Budapest is rated one of the best city break destinations in Europe majorly for the tourist attractions, the luxurious accommodation and the ease of moving around the city. It is the capital and the biggest city in Hungary. Top cultural attractions to look out for in Budapest are – St Stephen’s Basilica, Buda Castle, Dohány street synagogue, Hungarian State Opera House, Vajdahunyad castle, Heroes’ Square, Fisherman’s bastion and Great market hall. Book a hotel in Budapest
Movement in the city is convenient and fast. You can use the tram, metro, suburban or trolleybus. And if you are considering travelling through different part of the city during your visit, buying a travel card will be more valuable. If you want to try some foods in Budapest, check out Gulyás, Lángos, Kürtőskalács, Kolbász and Töltött káposzta.
7. Munich, Germany
Munich won’t bother you much with crowds and boisterousness. So, if you don’t like the urban boisterousness, then Munich is a good choice. The city also has a good rating for the ease of moving around the city and for its cultural attractions. Among the cultural attractions are – St Peter’s Church, Marienplatz, Theatinerkirche (Theatine Church), Glyptothek Museum, Hofbräuhaus (a beer hall), Residenz, Nymphenburg Palace, NS-Dokumentationzentrum, Museum Brandhorst and Asam church. Book a hotel in Munich
Just like you have it in Berlin, Munich provides awesome public transport within the city. You can also use the underground transport system called U-Bahn or S-Bahn, buses or trams. As a tourist, you can also get some discount on some tourist attraction when you use the city tour card or Munich card. The foodies can try Spätzle, Schnitzel, Weisswurst, Schweinshaxe, Jian Bing and Schmalznudel.
8. Venice, Italy
Talk of the historic attractions of a city surrounded by water, talk of Venice. Venice is a beautiful city with historic buildings and arts. Some of the historic attractions in Venice are – St. Mark’s Basilica, St. Mark’s square, Canale Grande (Grand canal), Scuola Grande di San Rocco, Palazzo Rezzonico, Ponte di Rialto (Rialto bridge), Gallerie dell’Accademia (Fine arts museum), Palazzo Ducale, Santa Maria dei Miracoli, Peggy Guggenheim collection, Lido and Ca’ d’Oro. Book a hotel in Venice
Vernice is a walkable and the major means of transportation is through public transport on water called Vaporetto boat. You will also find bus transportation in some places. We advise you to use the travel card to travel around Venice. Local foods you will find in Venice are Cicchetti, Baccalà Mantecato, Buranelli, Sarde in Saor and Polenta e Schie.
9. Verona, Italy
Do you remember the city of Romeo and Juliet? Yea, that’s Verona. With less than 300,000 population, you won’t have to worry about too much noise and crowd. Verona is one of the provincial capitals of the region of Veneto. Popular tourist attractions in the city are – Piazza dei Signori, Piazza delle Erbe, Verona arena, Teatro Romano, Torre dei Lamberti, Juliet’s balcony, Castelvecchio, Giardino Giusti and Castel St Pietro. Book a hotel in Verona
You can cover Verona on foot; alternatively, you can use the urban bus station. If you plan to visit other cities, you can use the bus or the train station. Foods you can try in Verona are – Pandoro, Gnocchi, Polenta gialla, Pastissada de caval, Risotto al tastasal and Baci di Giulietta.
10. Bordeaux, France
Apart from Bordeaux being popular for its wine activities, it also has some attractions that make it one of the best city break destination in Europe. Some of the historic attractions that drive tourists to Bordeaux are – Cathédrale Saint-André (Cathedral of Saint Andrew), Basilique Saint-Michel, Basilique Saint-Seurin, Place de la Bourse, Musée des Beaux-Arts, Musée d’Aquitaine (Museum of Aquitaine), Le Grand Théâtre, Abbaye de la Sauve-Majeure and Grosse Cloche. Book a hotel in Bordeaux
You can transport within the city of Bordeaux using a bus, tram or bike. Local cuisine you may want to try when you visit Bordeaux are – Entrecote Bordelaise, Canele and Gateau des Rois
Factors to consider in choosing a city break destination in Europe
Cultural attractions
Europe is splashed with a lot of cultural attractions. Many cities in Europe retained their historic appeal while keeping up with modern ornateness. Some of these cities have UNESCO World Heritage sites in them. In fact, Europe is believed to have more than 400 UNESCO World Heritage sites. That’s a lot to explore as a tourist. When choosing the best city break destination in Europe, you have to put this into consideration. There are also tour guides who can take you to popular attractions, museums and parks.
Value for your money
You or someone else has to spend for your vacation. Whether your budget is in the hundreds or in the thousands, you don’t want to spend and not get to enjoy what you paid. The money spent should yield back fulfilment of the goal a tourist sets to achieve with his or her travel.
Accommodation
This is important for the comfortable stay of a tourist. What are the facilities offered by the hotel or Airbnb? How close are they to cultural attractions? How affordable are the hotels? These are questions to consider. Tourists may want to consider cities with luxurious yet affordable hotels and with close proximity to cultural attractions.
Food and drink
A tourist has to consider the food and drink he or she will have access to during his or her city break destination in Europe. There are lots of local foods you will love to try out too. For those who have some allergies, make sure to find out what ingredients are used.
Transport ease
Most cities in Europe offer you the ease of travel. Whether it is from the airport to your hotel or from the hotel to the cultural centres, you need to consider available means of transport for the city you will like to visit and the cost.
Conclusion
Now that we have provided you with a list of the best cities for your city break destination in Europe, you can decide which of them you will be visiting. The choice of cities is based on tourist review of the cultural attractions, ease of transportation, accommodation, food and drink and shopping. It is important to get information about airports and hotels before travel. Have you visited any of these cities? Let us hear what you think about them in the comment section. Are you planning to visit any of them? Let us know which and why you will like to visit.
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