FOMO (the fear of missing out) is a dangerous thing. It can lead to ill-advised, action-packed itineraries through Europe’s busiest cities. It can lead to snapping views rather than savouring them; spending hours navigating the local underground system to reach an obscure museum, when you could be enjoying an aperitivo on a sunlit rooftop; traipsing through an old town in the pouring rain, soaked through and shivering.
That’s why, when time is of the essence, it’s sometimes wise to avoid the most famous city breaks – Paris, Berlin and Barcelona, for example – in favour of smaller places, where you can stroll between manageable attractions, rain rarely stops play and there’s no danger of leaving after a couple of days feeling you’ve barely scratched the surface.
Below, we’ve rounded up 15 of the best places for a brief European city break, factoring in walkability, distance from the airport or station, and a few other crucial considerations – ranked from “perfectly suitable” to “downright superb”.
15. Copenhagen, Denmark
Flight time from UK: 1hr 50
A flight time of less than two hours makes the Danish capital a good choice for a quick getaway. A 15-minute metro ride from the airport, the rest of the city is easily explored on the same system (or by bike; just learn the local rules to avoid Danish road rage from fellow pedallers). The underground links attractions including the paintbox-coloured waterfront at Nyhavn, Amalienborg Palace and the bizarre commune at Freetown Christiania. And, though even early spring weather can be bitingly brutal, you’ll find fun if you’re the sort who enjoys hunkering down with cake in cafes and wrapping up to explore the Tivoli Gardens by fairy light (in other words, a whole lot of hygge).
14. Dublin, Ireland
Flight time from UK: 1hr 25
Dublin is easy to fly to (so easy, in fact, that it’s popular with the extreme day-tripping crowd): it’s when you try to get out of the airport that things get complicated. Expensive taxis and plenty of traffic mean you’re better off taking the 30-minute shuttle bus. Things improve in the centre: compact and walkable, it straddles the River Liffey in a flurry of bar-packed lanes and shopping streets, though with few official attractions, things get booked up in advance (reservations are a must for the Guinness Storehouse and the Book of Kells Experience). Less touristy neighbourhoods – including cool Phibsborough and Stoneybatter – are a quick hop by bus: it’s in these that you’ll find a more genuine welcome when sheltering from the inevitable rain.
13. Munich, Germany
Flight time from UK: 2hr
You could tie yourself in knots attempting to see all the sights of Berlin in a couple of days – so, with half the population and a third of the area, Munich is a better bet, despite the fact that the centre is a 45-minute train journey from the airport. A mix of indoor and outdoor attractions means it works in any weather. Outside Germany, the city may be best known for rowdy Oktoberfest, but – if beer doesn’t float your boat – there’s plenty more to do, including wandering the Altstadt towards the brilliantly OTT interiors of Residenz Munich, once home to Ludwig I. No trip to Munich would be complete without a hint of hops, though: luckily, Hofbräuhaus, another of Ludwig’s grand plans, is just a seven-minute walk away.
12. Valletta, Malta
Flight time from UK: 3hr 15
Bubbling under since forever in tourist terms, Malta’s miniature capital was once a Baroque big hitter, and history lurks around every cobbled corner. Built by the Knights of St John, the EU’s smallest city is easy to explore on foot, stopping off beneath the gilded splendour of St John’s Cathedral, in the shady colonnades of the Grand Master’s Palace and among the palms of the Barrakka Gardens. When you’ve done all that, hop between the island’s “Three Cities” by water taxi, lunching in the ancient port of Vittoriosa. Then it’s a quick, 15-minute taxi ride back to the airport.
11. Palma, Majorca
Flight time from UK: 2hr 20
A weekend of sun, shopping and superb food awaits just a €5 bus journey from Palma airport. Mild winters and milder springs mean it’s just as good out of season (sometimes better, as less tourist traffic allows strolls through the pedestrianised Historic Centre and morning coffees in the Placa Major without dirty looks from disgruntled locals). If it’s shorter on sites than others on the list, that just means you can relax guilt-free – though do stop off at the sea-view cathedral, Es Baluard Contemporary Art Museum and 14th-century Gothic Castell de Bellver. There’s more walking to be done along the pedestrian lane of the Paseo Maritimo, which leads to the golden sweep of sand at Can Pere Antoni.
10. Vienna, Austria
Flight time from UK: 2hr 10
Surveying the grand, wedding-cake tiers of the Ringstrasse, the cold lines of Vienna’s airport seem like a distant memory, despite being a mere 15 minutes away by train. In this most genteel of cities, it’s easy to slip into the high life straight away. Take an aperitif in the opulent lobby of the Vienna State Opera House, admire the jewel-encrusted crowns at the Hofburg Palace and explore the concept stores of Burggasse – all within easy walking distance of one another. There’s a strong cultural element to any break here: the MuseumsQuartier houses some of the best exhibitions in Europe. Come summer, river and lake beaches add to the list of attractions.
9. Lille, France
Eurostar time from UK: 1hr 22
Swapping Paris for Lille cuts the Eurostar journey by almost an hour – in fact, from London, it’s quicker to get to Lille than Birmingham. And though there’ll be no starlit mooching under the Eiffel Tower, this city has plenty of romantic je ne sais quoi – with the added bonus that the train station is just 10 minutes’ walk from the centre. Start in the Old Town, finishing up at the former stock exchange of the Vieille Bourse, where book stalls now cram the courtyard, get a feel for local life in the buzzy, covered market of Wazemmes, and wander the vast halls of classical statues, ancient artefacts and priceless paintings at the Palais des Beaux-Arts.
8. Turin, Italy
Flight time from UK: 1hr 55
Famous as the home of Fiat, tiny Turin is a surprisingly beguiling mix of coffee houses, world-class museums and fantastic restaurants packed into a bijou centre by the River Po (walking the length of it takes about 45 minutes). One trademark feature is its 17th-century porticos, perfect for walks in all weathers. Although early spring can be chilly, locals don fur coats and sunglasses to look chic while sipping Turin’s famous Bicerin (a drink of espresso, chocolate and cream) on pavement terraces. Go out of season and it’s quiet too – meaning no queues for the city’s two must-dos, the Egizio archaeological museum and the National Museum of Cinema, in the eccentrically turreted Mole Antonelliana.
7. Brussels, Belgium
Flight time from UK: 1hr 5 (or 1hr 53 by train)
It might not top lists of Europe’s most exciting weekend breaks but, for a brisk trip, this walkable city makes sense. The Eurostar’s big bonus is, of course, that it drops you right in the city centre – but if you do choose to fly, Brussels airport is just 20 minutes from the centre by train. And though it doesn’t shout about it, Brussels has a lot going for it – from the 17th-century Grande Place to the whimsical Horta Museum, where Art Nouveau architect Victor Horta once lived, and the halls of the European Parliament. Wandering between the sites is easy, as are stop-offs for Belgium’s famous crepes, frites and beer. For something a little more elevated, head for La Quincaillerie, an institution set in an old ironmongers and known for its shellfish.
6. Lisbon, Portugal
Flight time from UK: 2hr 50
Too far north to guarantee heat, this city nevertheless offers reliably decent spring weather thanks to its 300 sunny days per year. You’ll need strong thighs to tackle its hills on foot, though – luckily, a good tram, bus system and metro are covered by the Lisboa Card (the metro also whisks you from the airport in 20 minutes). The card also grants access to 50 attractions, including the Moorish Castelo de São Jorge, the Museu do Fado (dedicated to the region’s haunting music) and the viewing platform of the Rua Augusta’s triumphal arch. Even if all you want to do is mooch and munch on great food (in which case, catch the ferry to Atira-te ao Rio on the Tagus), there’s fun to be had.
5. Pisa, Italy
Flight time from UK: 2hr 10
Italy gives whole sections of its cities over to La Passegiata, the evening stroll beloved of bambini and nonni alike. Among its most impressive pedestrianised areas is Pisa’s Centro Storico, accessed in five minutes by the Pisamover shuttle from the airport followed by a 20-minute walk, surrounded by medieval walls (also strollable) and bisected by the River Arno. The Leaning Tower is by no means its only attraction. Beyond the Unesco-listed Piazza dei Miracoli, there’s a half-century old Botanic Garden, the Piazza dei Cavalieri (once the headquarters of the Knights of Santo Stefano, who defended Tuscany from Turkish pirates), and a daily food market in the evocative Piazza delle Vettovaglie. Even the local H&M sits in a palace adorned with stained glass and frescoes.
4. Zurich, Switzerland
Flight time from UK: 1hr 45
You know you’re in Switzerland as soon as you board the spotlessly swish double-decker train that sweeps you from the airport to the city centre in as little as 10 minutes. This is a place where everything runs efficiently – ideal for those short on time. The centre is easily criss-crossed by foot or tram, but, though it’s home to less than half a million people, Zurich has plenty of big-city attractions. Access to 22 museums is free with a 24-hour, 29 CHF (£28) Zürich Card, which also includes local transport. The weather can be brutal even in spring, but they’re used to snow here, so you can wrap up warm for drinks on heated terraces and trips on the lake. Meanwhile, in summer, you can swim in one of 40 lakeside badis.
3. Malaga, Spain
Flight time from UK: 2hr 50
Often overshadowed by big-hitters such as Barcelona and Madrid, Picasso’s place of birth is better than both for a brief break. A 12-minute, €1.80 train trip gets you from the airport to a balmy city centre that only sees 20 inches of rain per year. In this climate, mixing beaches with sightseeing means that even the briefest of visits will feel relaxed. And it’s not all sun and sangria – beyond the city’s sands at La Malagueta, this regional capital’s sites include a walkable Old Town (the best place to stay), a fortress and castle that’s less busy than Granada’s Alhambra, and the excellent Picasso Museum.
2. Rome, Italy
Flight time from UK: 2hr 40
The Italian capital makes the grade because its compact historic centre is surprisingly easy to navigate on foot, once you’ve made the 30-minute train journey from the airport. Nowhere conforms better to the cliché of living museum: stroll for 30 minutes between the Pantheon and Colosseum, for example, and you can trace a route that passes the Capitoline Museums, the 12th-century Santa Maria in Aracoeli Basilica and the Roman Forum along the way. Rome sometimes gets a bad reputation for service, but there’s a mostly warm welcome in its myriad pizzerias and gelaterias. In a city this big, it’s easy to escape the tourist traps too (try Maio at the top of the Rinascente department store for fantastic pasta with views to match, perfect on one of the city’s eight drier months).
1. Girona, Spain
Flight time from UK: 2hr 5
Barcelona is busy and, if you’ve only two days to spare, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Instead, try its friendlier little sister to the north. It’s a breezy 15-minute bus ride from its own airport and delivers quite possibly the best city break in Europe. Barcelona may have ten times more people, but Girona still packs a punch sites-wise, with its ancient Arab baths, Gothic Cathedral and Jewish Quarter (all of which might look familiar to Game of Thrones fans). For less serious city breakers, there are walks along the banks of the River Onyar for views of Old Town terraces, then long nights over dinner, embracing a vibrant food scene that’s beginning to rival San Sebastián’s.