Do you find city breaks a bit boring ?

[LardLizard]

Can’t decide if I like them or not really !!

Love a city break, favourite kind of holiday. I'm the kind of person that goes on holiday with an itinerary though

No! I can't find them boring when there is so much to do in a city - museums, galleries, churches and cathedrals, palaces, interesting little shops, bars, restaurants, architecture, parks, wandering cobbled streets. You can learn so much and have a brilliant time eating and drinking too. Maybe you haven't picked the right city to have a city break in.

I love them, but then I dislike beaches, am not particularly into ‘adventure’ or ‘activity’ type holidays, and my idea of a nice break is wandering around new places, looking at interesting things and stopping for good food and drinks, with some good company.

I think I used to like them more than I do now. I have favourite cities but I I have realised that unless there is something very unique about the museums, churches, galleries etc. they all morph into one after a while.
I now tend to combine a city stay with a stay on the coast or in the countryside which works well for us. I also have given myself permission not to cram in a full itinerary of guide book 'must sees' and only go to something if it really want to see it, not just to tick it off. Good restaurants and access to a good pool and spa (preferably with thermal mineral water) essential!

Last city I went to was Barcelona which I did really like also went onto the coast after
Thinking about booking Venice but not sure

Hell no!

We have two year old twins and the thing I miss most is a lovely city break. We didn’t go away too often so when we did we really splurged - I researched restaurants and things to do, we always had a good plan of where to go and what to see, no time to be bored! Only problem is we would come home exhausted.

You absolutely must go to Venice, it’s beyond beautiful. If the beach is important to you, you could stay on the lido which has beaches, and get a short but lovely vaporetto ride over to the main island each day.

Just got back from Berlin with DH & DS. Had an absolutely fab time.
city breaks work for us because we love history, languages, and lots of walking or cycling.
If you're just wandering the shops then city breaks are maybe not for you.

Love city breaks and find lying on the beach a bit boring.

City breaks are fantastic. I'm not a fan of the beach holiday or sunbathing.

Depends where you go and what you find interesting! And IME, you'll get more out of a city (probably applies to any sort of travel) if you've put some effort in beforehand. For instance, I'm sure we'd have enjoyed Florence anyway, but it was greatly enhanced but watching a series of lectures on it beforehand (part of a Great Courses series).

Venice is fabulous but go out of season. We went late feb (it was the school half term and DD was off on school ski trip, ideal might be a little later).

I live in the bloody desolation that is the countryside. I have to be dragged home, kicking and screaming, from city breaks.

I like a city break and I also like activity holidays but a bit of beach time also is nice to have on holiday. I love swimming in the sea so anywhere where you can go for a wander round a city, get a nice lunch and then spend a couple of hours on the beach/in the sea works for me.

These threads always bring out the 'I'm far too interesting to go on a beach holiday' people, but it doesn't have to be all or nothing. There are plenty of interesting cities on or near the coast where you can combine interesting sight seeing with a bit of relaxation and swimming, eg Malaga, Palma, Barcelona, Cadiz, Valetta to name a few.

Some people also have very busy, tiring, stressful lives, so would look for a break from that so might not want to spend their holiday walking around a large and busy city, hence the attraction of laying down and reading a book in the sun for hours at a time.

Love city breaks. Would hate a week in the Caribbean!

I love beaches (especially if I can do water sports) but I reckon city sight seeing is better done in somewhat cooler weather not summer - more comfortable to walk around, less crowded, shorter queues and usually lower prices so you can get a better hotel or longer stay.

Not boring at all, but generally rather exhausting!! But looking back I am so glad I have visited almost all the great cities of Europe (and a few beyond).

Lardlizard go to Venice when the Lent carnival is on!! It's truly magical, people walking around in masks and elaborate costumes. You would never be bored!

Oh I’m definitely not ‘too interesting’ to go on a beach holiday, I just hate sand . And sunbathing, as I have to plaster myself in factor 50 anyway. And I’m crap at water sports. Having said that I love Valencia as it combines a city break with a wander down the beach and sea front restaurants.

Especially love a city break for a long weekend or something, but for the main holiday, it would be something we dip in and out of (eg this summer we were in France, spent a few days in Avignon, and explored the area around and other towns, then spent some time in the country, again doing the odd trip into local towns / cities). When it's hot, you definitely need to be able to retreat to a cool oasis on a city break.

I love them, and I live in a major city break destination
I always google things to do in the area and then plan a rough itinerary
Soak up the atmosphere and enjoy waking up somewhere different

I live in the bloody desolation that is the countryside. I have to be dragged home, kicking and screaming, from city breaks.

Are you me? 😂

I have actual pangs for tall buildings, city lights, and smog, sirens! ....I LOVE a city break...hustle bustle LIFE!

love it all...falling into a restaurant and getting a table, without it being a three act performance and rigmarole have you not booked? and then having to make polite conversation with folks you sort of know. None of that in the city....just the two of us!

adore sitting in a coffee shop watching the world go by

enjoy going into a museum, for a dose of culture and the gift shop and cafe

like PP I have to be dragged kicking and screaming back home.....although I do love the dark and the stars here!

My preferred holiday tbh. Depends on the city though, for example Paris or Venice is great, but I’ve learnt to go at a slower pace and not necessarily try and fit in all ‘the sights’ which can be exhausting.

Love city breaks. A lot of friends can't understand my desire for a city break over a spa break though, when we are deciding what to do for a weekend away.

I don’t like city breaks , too tiring