City Breaks

[Dr Nowt]

I’ve very, very fortunately been gifted a European city break, all paid for (no Timothy Claypole with AIDS, this isn’t part of the Make A Wish Foundation). Weighing up where to go.

 

Been to the following, and don’t want to repeat on this trip:

 

Edinburgh

Glasgow

Dublin

Barcelona 

Sevilla 

Munich

Hamberg

Amsterdam

Bruges 

Venice 

Milan

Budapest

Sofia 

Prague 

Athens

Vienna

 

Ruling out Scandinavia, as don’t want to take the piss on price.

 

Ruling out Spain (really want to go to Madrid, Valencia and Córdoba), cos I went this year and have been there more than anywhere else.

 

Currently mulling over Florence/Rome/Porto. My partying days are over and I missed half a dozen opportunities to go to Berlin during them, so it always feels like the one that got away as I could never do that trip how I always wanted to. One day, but probably not for a while. On the other hand,  recently had two people tell me Kracow is sensational, so that’s in the back of my mind.

 

Anyone got any recommendations not mentioned/able to comment on good/bad experiences of the above few?

 

vlad, if you could make a witty yet cynical post about going abroad being for impressionable, naive people without any discernment/a fool and his money are soon parted, yadda yadda yadda, that would be hugely refreshing.

[Anubis]

How about Rhyl?

[Remmie]

As soon as I saw the thread title I thought Florence. But Lisbon, Krakow, Vilnius and Brussels are all fantastic. 

 

Florence is just stunning, all the buildings are beautiful, if you are into art and history there is plenty to see and it's a good base to explore further afield as well. Haven't been there for 13 years and have gone to maybe 75 cities (complete guess!) since and it still stands out. 

 

Lisbon has a great energy and vibe about it (yeah I just cringed at myself for describing it that way) with cobbled roads, bars that spill out onto the streets, lovely food and drink (I especially enjoyed the 1 euro cherry brandy they sell everywhere). 

 

Krakow is especially nice in the winter with a thick blanket of snow. Great nightlife as you've heard so be careful with the cheap but excellent vodka. Prague, Vienna, Krakow and Lviv are described as the 4 beautiful cities and you can see the are aesthetically similar. 

 

Vilnius is the quirkiest fun little capital that I just fell in love with. There is a place with a statue of the town drunk, you can get a stamp in your passport made from a potato representing a pretend country, see trees with jumpers knitted for them and a bicycle in a tree, all within a square kilometre. Slightly further is their most prized statue of Frank Zappa (who has no links with Lithuania) in some random car park. 

 

I'll admit Brussels is about 90% because of the beer, but it is very pretty and I rated it much higher than the vaunted Bruges. 

[Elite]

Widnes

[VladimirIlyich]

5 minutes ago, Dr Nowt said:

I’ve very, very fortunately been gifted a European city break, all paid for (no Timothy Claypole with AIDS, this isn’t part of the Make A Wish Foundation). Weighing up where to go.

 

Been to the following, and don’t want to repeat on this trip:

 

Edinburgh

Glasgow

Dublin

Barcelona 

Sevilla 

Munich

Hamberg

Amsterdam

Bruges 

Venice 

Milan

Budapest

Sofia 

Prague 

Athens

Vienna

 

Ruling out Scandinavia, as don’t want to take the piss on price.

 

Ruling out Spain (really want to go to Madrid, Valencia and Córdoba), cos I went this year and have been there more than anywhere else.

 

Currently mulling over Florence/Rome/Porto. My partying days are over and I missed half a dozen opportunities to go to Berlin during them, so it always feels like the one that got away as I could never do that trip how I always wanted to. One day, but probably not for a while. On the other hand,  recently had two people tell me Kracow is sensational, so that’s in the back of my mind.

 

Anyone got any recommendations not mentioned/able to comment on good/bad experiences of the above few?

 

vlad, if you could make a witty yet cynical post about going abroad being for impressionable, naive people without any discernment/a fool and his money are soon parted, yadda yadda yadda, that would be hugely refreshing.

I had no idea I'd even commented on these holiday threads before but I have been to Berlin several times during the early 2000s and really enjoyed them. I can recommend Berlin.

[Rushies tash]

Florence is a great place to visit, but you could do it in a day. The galleries alone are worth the trip. Paris is also amazing and I never get tired of going there. The Mrs loves Rome - I took her for her birthday and we spent the time looking at the touristy stuff and eating in little trattorias that we found off the main streets.

[ZonkoVille77]

Krakow is definitely one to consider as is Gdansk. Florence is also amazing and I'd love to go back someday. 

[Trumo]

33 minutes ago, Rushies tash said:

Florence is a great place to visit, but you could do it in a day. The galleries alone are worth the trip. Paris is also amazing and I never get tired of going there. The Mrs loves Rome - I took her for her birthday and we spent the time looking at the touristy stuff and eating in little trattorias that we found off the main streets.

 

Best way to do it. Those little trattorias have the best food in the city, and they're not expensive.

 

Milan is good too, but I'd say it's better if shopping is something you like to do. Lizzie, if you do decide on Milan, it's well worth taking an excursion up to Lake Como.

[Bjornebye]

Florence is the most beautiful City I have ever seen ever amen 

[stringvest]

Don’t get me posting pictures of Florence again.  Stig is right.  And if you do go there Ben, I’ll give you the name of the most beautiful hotel. 

[Rico1304]

1 hour ago, ZonkoVille77 said:

Krakow is definitely one to consider as is Gdansk. Florence is also amazing and I'd love to go back someday. 

Rome is my incredible. 

 

Went to Gdansk with work this year and it’s stunning.  Not sure if there’s enough for a weekend but there’s a beach resort a bit further down the coast.  Stayed in a lovely hotel for about £60 a night compared to £400 a night in Rome.  Don’t let your missus book the hotel.  

[Carvalho Diablo]

Another vote for Florence, and it's only an easy 45 minutes from Pisa on the train.

[SasaS]

This went E. M. Forster quickly. The Eeenglish and their Firenze.

[Remmie]

Yeah Gdansk is boss as well, was fucking windy when I went but not too many tourists. All of Poland is great, Zakopane is completely the other side of the country and is cracking as well. They sell barbecued cheese and mulled wine everywhere, very scenic and loads of lovely cheap chalets to stay in. 

 

Pisa has been mentioned but I thought it was shite, though man made sites aren't really my thing. 

[RedKnight]

Went to Berlin at the start of the month for some of the Christmas markets and it's an amazing city. Clean, relatively cheap and loads of stuff to do. In fact the three days I had there wasn't nearly enough as I didn't get a chance to travel further over to east Berlin and see the old Stasi headquarters.

 

Considering Krakow mainly because I'd like to visit Auschwitz and Florence for the arl culture next.

[Dr Nowt]

46 minutes ago, stringvest said:

Don’t get me posting pictures of Florence again.  Stig is right.  And if you do go there Ben, I’ll give you the name of the most beautiful hotel. 

Chuck it over mate, it’s looking like the hot favourite. 

 

Was already top of my list.

[Bjornebye]

39 minutes ago, Carvalho Diablo said:

Another vote for Florence, and it's only an easy 45 minutes from Pisa on the train.

Pisa is a shithole. Once you've seen the leaning tower and that square you've seen it all. The town itself is a hovel. Handy if you wanna buy a pair of jarg sunglasses though. 

[Dr Nowt]

2 hours ago, Remmie said:

As soon as I saw the thread title I thought Florence. But Lisbon, Krakow, Vilnius and Brussels are all fantastic. 

 

Florence is just stunning, all the buildings are beautiful, if you are into art and history there is plenty to see and it's a good base to explore further afield as well. Haven't been there for 13 years and have gone to maybe 75 cities (complete guess!) since and it still stands out. 

 

Lisbon has a great energy and vibe about it (yeah I just cringed at myself for describing it that way) with cobbled roads, bars that spill out onto the streets, lovely food and drink (I especially enjoyed the 1 euro cherry brandy they sell everywhere). 

 

Krakow is especially nice in the winter with a thick blanket of snow. Great nightlife as you've heard so be careful with the cheap but excellent vodka. Prague, Vienna, Krakow and Lviv are described as the 4 beautiful cities and you can see the are aesthetically similar. 

 

Vilnius is the quirkiest fun little capital that I just fell in love with. There is a place with a statue of the town drunk, you can get a stamp in your passport made from a potato representing a pretend country, see trees with jumpers knitted for them and a bicycle in a tree, all within a square kilometre. Slightly further is their most prized statue of Frank Zappa (who has no links with Lithuania) in some random car park. 

 

I'll admit Brussels is about 90% because of the beer, but it is very pretty and I rated it much higher than the vaunted Bruges. 

Nice one Rem. 

 

Not been to Portugal at all, so both Porto and Lisbon have great appeal.  May go on the list for next summer.

 

As for Krakow in winter, I’m definitely thinking the likes of there, Berlin as RedKnight just has and Brussels/a second trip to

Bruges for future December trips. Some places I think can only be more picturesque at that time of year.

[Carvalho Diablo]

15 minutes ago, Bjornebye said:

Pisa is a shithole. Once you've seen the leaning tower and that square you've seen it all. The town itself is a hovel. Handy if you wanna buy a pair of jarg sunglasses though. 

Was a nice little afternoon out though I thought, like I said, just a short train ride there and back.

[M_B]

Rome, Florence and Krakow are all great. Depends on what you are into really. Rome for history, Florence for Art and Krakow cause it's a beautiful place and a bit different. I'd avoid Rome and Florence at peak season though.

[Bjornebye]

6 minutes ago, Carvalho Diablo said:

Was a nice little afternoon out though I thought, like I said, just a short train ride there and back.

Yeah happy to have seen it but glad we didn't book a room there and just drove through it with a quick stop ff 

[Lee909]

Munich

Somewhere around 13th March

 

[VladimirIlyich]

Daughter and her boyfriend have been to Riga,Krakow and Bratislava and seemed to like all three.

[Remmie]

1 minute ago, VladimirIlyich said:

Daughter and her boyfriend have been to Riga,Krakow and Bratislava and seemed to like all three.

Krakow> Riga> Bratislava. 

[El Rojo]

Florence is beautiful but is - unsurprisingly - completely overcrowded with other tourists. 

 

Lisbon is a great shout for something a little different.

 

San Sebastian is fantastic - different enough to the rest of Spain to merit consideration.

 

And I hear Wigan is beautiful in Spring.