Inspiration for a long European weekend, end of Jan/start of Feb?

[InDreamsHeCame]

Looking for some ideas, please.

For a couple who are able-bodied, happy to get around on foot and public transport. Flying from Dublin. Either a three or four night trip. Looking for a city break with nice food and sights. Like a bit of luxury so somewhere with good hotels, cocktail bars etc. Not overly tied on budget (can stick to three nights for an expensive spot, if needed).

Ruling a few places out as we’ve been to within the last couple of years and not looking at going back just yet-
Reykjavik
Lucerne
Geneva
Innsbruck
Vienna
Bologna
Florence
Milan
Rome
Berlin
Munich
Brugge
Copenhagen
Lund
Malmo
London
Oslo

Really loved Brugge when we went at the end of January in 2024 but it’s a small city so don’t want to go back again so soon. But somewhere with that vibe would be lovely- small, picturesque, cosy.

If anyone has been to Luxembourg, would you recommend? If so, what parts?

All ideas appreciated!

I love Budapest. Feels cozy, loads of good places to eat and drink (if you like wine and a bit of quirk seek out Doblo, it's gorgeous), very affordable without feeling "cheap", we stayed in a nice spa hotel. Lots of places to go and things to see, very beautiful, easy to navigate on foot or nice cheap Bolt cars basically everywhere.

We go at least once a year now and it hasn't got old yet!

Ooh, haven’t been to Budapest in a long time. Love a bit of cold weather too and late Jan wouldn’t be an issue.

If you don’t mind sharing, @JudgeBread(great username, btw!), what hotel did you stay in?

Bordeaux is lovely. Like a French version of Winchester. Gorgeous buildings and lots of fantastic eating with wine. Theres also a great rugby stadium 30 mins walk out of town.

Bordeaux is lovely. Like a French version of Winchester. Gorgeous buildings and lots of fantastic eating with wine. Theres also a great rugby stadium 30 mins walk out of town.

My sister suggested Annency and tbh it does look gorgeous.
Lucca is superb and you could pop to Pisa too
Rome never fails to enchant

Gdansk is lovely. Vilnius is also worth a visit.

Have you considered Poland? Krakow is beautiful but a bit ruined by the British stag dos in the summer (😢) but probably lovely in winter! Wrocław and Poznan are smaller, less touristic, and lovely.

I think the Budapest suggestion is a good one too!

Also Lisbon - obviously not small, but very fun and will be a lot more chilled out of season.

Malaga- the 'city' not the multiple resorts along the coast. Easy to walk around, good food, museums and more. 1 memorable day trip was getting the train to Rhonda to see the famous bridge. I'm not from sort of bridge spotter weirdo, but we had one of the best meals I've ever had in Rhonda and it was nice to do something different.
1st time we went, we stayed at this hotel. Very central and nice rooms. We were out nearly every day and evening with a friend that lived locally, so barely used any of the hotel facilities. https://www.nh-hotels.com/en/hotel/nh-malaga?campid=8435708&utm_campaign=nh_hotel&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_id=22343106421&utm_source_platform=sa360&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22343106421&gbraid=0AAAAAD5GqPBvQDaaJUe5splYakoHgQH_a&gclid=Cj0KCQiAiebIBhDmARIsAE8PGNJsI5IiCUWGfVtwzdiPAYdv68Abp_Isbxr6l_wlz-8mP9mW5SyvjY0aAniXEALw_wcB

The next times we went, we always stayed here https://www.santacruz-apartments.com/index.php?lng=en Having an apartment meant we could eat out, but also bring snacks back to the room or have breakfast in if we fancied it. This place was right near the amazing fruit/veg market.

Budapest- we went last year and stayed here https://urbanrent.hu/budapest/elisabeth-downtown-apartments/en Again, it was an apartment but we went to the Gellert hot springs one day, and another, had a massage just down the road. I didn't care that the accommodation itself didn't have spa type facilities.

Prague and/or Cesky Krumlov- I went to Prague years ago and can't recall the hotel but we walked everywhere to see the sights. 1 day trip via train was to the Sedlec Ossuary which was fascinating but might smaller than you'd imagine. After returning to the UK, multiple people said we should have gone to Cesky Krumlov, and the photos do look lovely.

Rethymon, Crete- Our hotel there was fine, but not amazing and I can't recall the name now. Easy to walk all around the town and great good. We did a day trip via local coach and bus to Heraklion to see Knossos and the museum.

We live in one of the places on your ‘already been’ list, in the middle of Europe, and I would really want to go way north (cold, crisp, snowy) or way south (not so cold, sunny!) at that time of year. Sicily perhaps, then drive to Syracuse. We’re going to Puglia for New Year, flights to Bari. You haven’t mentioned Barcelona - that has everything for a short trip. Palma is a lovely little capital of Mallorca. In the north I loved both Oslo and Bergen for a cosy feeling, but Tromso is also lovely apparently (if rather dark at that time of year). Or Helsinki?

Budapest. Went last weekend of January. Thermal baths are a must!

Also been to Luxembourg City but not at that time of year so can't comment.

I immediately thought Budapest. Or Brussels.

I think pp’s suggestion of Sicily is a great one - I’d probably choose Palermo but haven’t been there myself.

Stockholm is glorious.

I love Barcelona but it’s not small, picturesque and cosy!

Madrid. Stay at the Palace and walk straight out the door to the Prado and the Thyssen-Bornemisza.

I have never even heard of Annency, I’m going to check it out.

We really liked Valletta this autumn, not sure what the weather would be like in Jan/Feb. It's very easy to get round Malta by bus or taxi and there's a lot to see, from prehistoric sites to cathedrals and the bars on the steps are lovely.

I love Lucca and Annecy. Annecy is rammed in the summer but will be beautiful in the winter. Also loved Helsinki in the winter.

We did Venice in January and it was perfect! Lovely atmosphere that time of year and really quiet so we could enjoy it properly

Venice can get floods in the winter which can be an issue.

For January I’d go somewhere very hot in the summer! So Madrid or Seville. Puglia deserves much longer! Lisbon would be worth looking at. Cannot say I thought Budapest was great but it depends what you want.

Tallinn? Great food and drink.

Not exactly what you are looking for but we ended up in Barcelona one January and it was lovely. Really sunny and pleasant enough to sit outside (with coats on). And far far less busy than in warmer months

Polish cities (Gdansk, Krakow in particular) are a good shout but can be bitterly cold. Less so these days probably.

Ps Luxembourg is very dull and expensive I’d avoid

I also second Madrid or Valletta.

Two amazing places!

Seville is lovely in February