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Original poster

What's the best European city break you've been on?

257 replies

gretagreengrapes · 13/10/2020 11:14

I love a weekend away exploring, obviously not at the moment. Our last trip was to Paris in January this year. We've also been to Vienna, Copenhagen & Barcelona.

Where are some great cities you've visited in Europe and why? How long did you go for? Did you travel as a couple or a family?

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TOFO1965 · 15/10/2020 20:38

Florence and Vienna. I knew I’d love Florence, but Vienna surprised me, a wonderful city. And Lisbon!

Millie2013 · 15/10/2020 20:39

We loved Verona

Winederlust · 15/10/2020 20:46

Rome is overall the best city I've been to, closely followed by Lisbon. Prague is probably the prettiest, and I also enjoyed Valencia.
Love a city break Grin
Porto and Krakow are next on my list I think!

happytoday73 · 15/10/2020 20:49

For me it would be between Rome, Lisbon (if include sinatra) and krakow.

I personally preferred krakow to Prague and Budapest.

Gdansk and local area was a surprising hit.
Loads of people rave over Copenhagen... I liked it but nothing more than that.

Beach11 · 15/10/2020 20:51

Rome, Berlin, Granada,

Beach11 · 15/10/2020 20:51

Porto

thecatsatonthewall · 15/10/2020 20:57

Paris can still surprise and Stockholm is very pretty, we took a ferry from Stockholm to St Petersburg in December, early 90s, amazing city, so cold, ice everywhere...
I bought a book of Nazi Stamps in a market stall, looks very authentic! lol!

AnathemaPulsifer · 15/10/2020 20:59

Krakow and Venice were my two favourites. And the ruins in Rome were incredible.

Elsiebear90 · 15/10/2020 21:10

Rome by far is the best city I’ve ever been to, followed by Paris and Barcelona.

I found Reykjavik too small (although loved Iceland over all), same for Copenhagen, Stockholm and Amsterdam. I like to cram a lot in and go for four days at a time when I do city breaks and I ran out of things to do in those cities after two days. Budapest I liked, but expected more after how people raved about it to me, also, was not a fan of the food.

Debradoyourecall · 15/10/2020 22:31

For something a bit different, I’m not sure if anyone has mentioned Tirana (capital of Albania) yet.

I found the noise of it overwhelming at first (and I had come from London). A fascinating history, beautiful countryside and castles you can do day trips to. Everything was extremely cheap. You could say the city was a work in progress when I went - huge holes in the pavements, construction work everywhere.

ICouldHaveCheckedFirst · 15/10/2020 23:27

Budapest. DH & I spent 9 days there and it wasn't long enough!

Wormwoodgal · 15/10/2020 23:37

As well as the many gorgeous places already mentioned I love Ravenna (mosaics, museums, food, wine, buildings, people) and Leiden (especially the poems on the walls). Dublin is great too!

ApplesinmyPocket · 15/10/2020 23:43

I love Lisbon so much, but went to Porto last year and think I loved it even more... they are both wonderful cities

Porto is hilly, be warned! but in particular is very much its own place... full of culture and history and fabulous shops but so tucked away and so far from the Algarve -which I also love - it just has so much identity of its own, very far from giving the feel of 'just for tourists'...

KoalaRabbit · 16/10/2020 00:02

3 nights over Christmas day one year we went to Rovaniemi (Lapland) and that was really magical - snow everywhere, santa arriving on a sleigh in snow with reindeer and fireworks and lovely meal. Husky sledging, reindeer sledging, snow mobiles, elf workshop, going into Artic circle. Our hotel had a children's indoor climbing frame and a 25 metre indoor pool with jacuzzi parts of pool. Went back there in summer and also had a lovely time and saw bears in the wild, lots of reindeer including white ones, summer toboganning, white water rafting but that was more rural than city based.

PickleC · 16/10/2020 00:16

Really enjoyed Tallinn - small enough to easily walk around but large enough to fill a weekend. With option of a ferry across to Helsinki, though visited them separately so can't comment on how easy that would be.

And can't say enough nice things about Norway. Oslo itself a lovely city but get out and see the countryside with something like the Norway in a nutshell tour or train across to Bergen. Yes its a bit pricey and you have to take a chance on the weather but the scenery is ridiculously beautiful, transport works so well, its a dream for seafood/fish and there are so many parts of the country to rave about.

SabrinaThwaite · 16/10/2020 07:03

We did a long weekend in Stavanger to take in Constitution Day (it’s a big thing). If you plan will you can take the ferry to the bottom of Preikestolen and hike up it, otherwise the fjord boat trip (which takes you past the bottom of Preikestolen) is good. As always in Norway, don’t look at the prices though!

Deathraystare · 16/10/2020 09:29

Not been on many city breaks but did go to Venice which I liked and Barcelona which I loved and would love to go back there.

OperationallySound · 16/10/2020 11:11

@SabrinaThwaite

We did a long weekend in Stavanger to take in Constitution Day (it’s a big thing). If you plan will you can take the ferry to the bottom of Preikestolen and hike up it, otherwise the fjord boat trip (which takes you past the bottom of Preikestolen) is good. As always in Norway, don’t look at the prices though!
Stavanger sounds great, you've set me thinking... Thank you Smile
SabrinaThwaite · 16/10/2020 13:49

It’s not a huge place, there’s a small old town, an oil museum, a fancy concert centre and a harbour, but it’s all very walkable.

This is Preikestolen (we didn’t get organised enough to do the hike, but the fjord trip was fun, especially when we pulled in to feed the wild goats on a seemingly vertical cliff).

What's the best European city break you've been on?
thismeansnothing · 16/10/2020 13:58

I loved Prague. Went with DH 4.5 years ago for our 5th wedding anniversary. Went for three nights but with the flight times ended up being 4 days. It was fab and I'd love to go back and see (and drink) more

KoalaRabbit · 16/10/2020 17:42

We went to Alesund in Norway and that was very beautiful and excellent location for fjord trips. Food prices were astronomical though and weather very mixed in late August. Think mid July to mid August is better for weather but still variable.

theliverpoolone · 16/10/2020 18:03

My favourites would be Tallinn, Rome, Florence, Naples (although I know lots of people hate Naples), Vienna (although have only been at Christmas market season), Krakow, Ljubljana, Marrakesh (I know not Europe but its not too far to travel).

Least favourites are Berlin and Paris.

Was choosing between Lisbon and Porto for me and dd and then lockdown happened, so hopefully we'll get to one if them eventually.

Winederlust · 16/10/2020 20:02

Can't believe I forgot about Bruges...my DH proposed to me there! It's small but lovely, but bring the painkillers for the inevitable hangover from the 9%+ beers!

I also enjoyed Reykjavik. It is expensive but worth it imo. I'd love to go back to Iceland in summer.

MrJollyLivesNextDoor · 16/10/2020 20:12

Krakow!

Mistigri · 16/10/2020 20:21

Seville.

Small enough that you can walk everywhere, hardly any cars in the centre, and you can easily take a train to visit other tourist sites in the area.

Kids were about 12 and 14 at the time and loved it too.

We went in late February and the weather was perfect - sunny and 20 degrees most days.

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