You don’t need to take weeks off visiting faraway places to feel renewed. Even a well-planned long weekend can break the rhythm of routine and feel every bit as restorative as a full holiday – all without the cost or complexity.
And across Europe, extraordinary escapes are closer than you think. One weekend might unfold in a hidden hamlet in Corsica, another exploring one of the world’s smallest capitals in the Faroe Islands. Build them around bank holidays and stretch those flexible working hours and you might find you barely have to take time off at all.
Here we’ve selected 20 standout European long weekends – spanning wellness, city breaks, beaches and unexpected adventure – each designed to transform a few days into something truly memorable.
Pick your holiday:
Alternative city breaks
Jerez for foodies, Spain
Discover Jerez, Spain’s Gastronomic Capital for 2026, with food and wine expert Annie Manson. Famous for sherry, Moorish architecture and flamenco, this Andalusian city is now easily accessible via new direct UK flights. Travelling with Annie bags you exclusive access to the revered Palo Cortado sherry bodega, Michelin-starred dining invitations, and visits to Jerez’s new wave of winemakers.
How to do it: Annie B’s Jerez Food and Wine Tour costs £2,250pp based on two sharing, including four nights’ accommodation, meals, guiding and tuition. Tours start on June 1 and November 2, 2026. Direct flights to Jerez from London Stansted, Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds Bradford with Jet2 from £87pp.
Roman Nîmes by rail, France
Dubbed the most Roman city outside Italy, sunny Nîmes is one of France’s best breaks. With an amphitheatre second only to Rome, the Pont Du Gard aqueduct spanning the Gardon river and the glittering mosaics inside the Musée de la Romanité, it’s a time-travel city. Visit in summer, when the city is abuzz with painting and pottery workshops and markets perfect for picking up picnic supplies.
How to do it: Ffestiniog Travel (01766 512400) offers a four-day Nîmes City Break by Train from £1,380pp, based on two sharing. Includes first-class rail travel from London and three nights’ B&B accommodation.
Rivers and castles, Poland
Second (or third) time visitors to Poland should consider the vibrant port city of Gdańsk. As well as a guided walking tour of the colourful old town, you’ll set sail to the Westerplatte peninsula at the mouth of the river Vistula and visit the impressive Malbork Castle. Blending guided tours with free time, this whirlwind trip is the perfect city fix for solo travellers who prefer a bit of company.
How to do it: Solo Holidays (020 8951 2900) offers the three-night Gdańsk break from £1,182pp departing on September 11, 2026. Includes return flights, transfers, solo room, some meals and guide.
Stylish second city, Austria
Graz, Austria’s underrated second city, is now easily reached via a new direct flight from London Gatwick with British Airways. With a hybrid Alpine-Mediterranean character, it blends a Unesco-listed old town with a bold contemporary art scene. Known as Austria’s “Capital of Delight”, it celebrates slow food culture and hyper-local cuisine – from traditional inns to inventive fine dining. Beyond the city, Styria’s vineyards, wine routes and gentle hikes deliver easy-access nature.
How to do it: British Airways offers return flights to Graz from £165 in July 2026. Stay three nights at the centrally located NH Graz City from £243, booked direct.
Up-and-coming Tirana, Albania
Often described as a mash-up of Istanbul, Naples and a hint of Minsk, Albania’s capital punches above its weight with café culture, street art and a rising nightlife scene. This private guided tour uncovers Cold War secrets and key landmarks – from Skanderbeg Square to Dajti Mountain – and includes a day trip to the “city of a thousand windows”, Berat.
How to do it: Regent Holidays (0117 453 3001) offers the five-night Tirana Short Break from £1,370pp, including return flights, breakfast, five-star accommodation, private transfers and privately guided sightseeing.
Short beach breaks
North Sea views, the Netherlands
New for 2026, Landal’s luxury stilted beach houses are located directly on the soft sands of Petten aan Zee, an hour-and-a-half north of Amsterdam. Sleeping up to four people, these sea-view cabins are the ideal base to try kitesurfing, rent bikes to explore the nearby historic market towns of Alkmaar and Schagen, and take long beach walks to clear your head.
How to do it: A three-night stay at Landal Zeezigt (+31 88 205 9000) starts from £870, based on two sharing. The Eurostar from London St Pancras to Amsterdam costs from £170 return.
Set-jetting, Greece
The Peloponnese region of Messinia is set for the spotlight thanks to Christopher Nolan’s upcoming film Odyssey. Hotelier Costa Navarino is launching the Messinian Odyssey Trail, a six-stop journey linking myth, archaeology and filming sites, including the Palace of Nestor, Voidokilia Beach and Nestor’s Cave. Stay at their property, The Romanos, located just steps from a long unspoilt sandy beach and home to a lauded spa that uses ancient Greek health and beauty practices.
How to do it: Scott Dunn (020 4600 5375) offers a three-night stay at The Romanos from £1,200pp on a B&B basis, including return flights from London and private transfers.
Switzerland’s only beachside hotel
Stay at Hotel Eden Roc Ascona, Switzerland’s only true beach resort, set on Lake Maggiore. Fresh from a major renovation, it features 46 new suites and an exclusive beach club overlooking a palm-lined private shore. Dive into watersports – from wakeboarding to paddle-boarding and luxe water bikes – while children enjoy a superb kids’ club. Additional perks include a Michelin-starred restaurant, vast spa and an “outdoor butler” to arrange every detail.
How to do it: Hotel Eden Roc Ascona offers standard doubles from £429 per night, based on two sharing, including breakfast and spa access. Easyjet flies from London Luton to Zurich from £88. SBB trains connect Zurich to Locarno and the property can arrange transfers from there.
A hidden hamlet, Corsica
Travellers are tiring of crowded Ibiza and Santorini. For more space and soul, try Corsica. Just minutes from the coast, in the protected Ortolo Valley, A Mandria di Murtoli is a wonderfully secluded hamlet of restored sheepfolds and barns set amid olive groves. With just 10 rooms – some with private pools – it blends raw stone, private terraces with seasonal dining, wild beaches and horse rides. Nearby, the medieval town of Sartène completes this quietly spectacular Mediterranean escape.
How to do it: A Mandria di Murtoli (+33 4 95 71 7180) has double rooms from £364 per night in September. Easyjet flies from London Gatwick to Figari from £135.
Quick adventures
Summer in the Arctic, Svalbard
Hate hot weather? Some 650 miles shy of the North Pole, Svalbard opens up for high-Arctic adventure in summer. This four-day escape delivers glacier hikes, fjord kayaking among towering ice, chances to spot polar bear and walrus, plus an expert-led “Arctic Wilderness Evening” on Breinosa mountain to spot reindeer under the glow of the midnight sun.
How to do it: Best Served Scandinavia (0207 664 2241) offers the three-night Svalbard Summer Adventure from £1,060pp, including flights and four-star accommodation on a B&B basis.
Volcanic La Garrotxa, Spain
Hidden in Catalonia, La Garrotxa is Spain’s largest volcanic region – wild, green and blissfully off-radar. Trails thread through beech forests, medieval villages and the lava-sculpted landscapes of La Garrotxa Volcanic Zone Natural Park, home to 38 dormant volcanic cones. Base yourself at Off Grid Girona, a restored 17th-century masia with a yoga studio, pool, bike workshop and a resident chef serving seasonal feasts at a convivial communal table.
How to do it: Off Grid Girona (+34 872 453 391) has doubles from £130 per night, based on two sharing on a B&B basis. Ryanair flies from Manchester to Girona from £80 return.
Surf’s up, Portugal
Portugal continues to deliver bang for your buck. In the Algarve, just an hour from Faro, Soul & Surf’s just-opened camp blends waves with wellbeing. Start with a takeaway pastel de nata before early surf sessions, then return for a relaxed garden lunch. Afternoons invite poolside lounging, massages or “Soul of Surfing” workshops that teach ocean literacy. As evening falls, unwind with sunset yoga before a communal dinner of seasonal dishes.
How to do it: Soul & Surf (open Apr-Nov) offers a four-night weekend from £780pp, based on two sharing, including full board and activities. Ryanair flies from Edinburgh to Faro from £111 return. Soul & Surf can arrange transfers from there.
Remote highlands escape, Iceland
Marooned in Iceland’s remote Central Highlands, Kerlingarfjöll Highland Base delivers raw wilderness within a protected reserve. Operated by Blue Lagoon Iceland, this eco-conscious Nordic retreat lets nature lead. Winter offers skiing through steaming valleys, snowmobiling and views of the northern lights from mineral pools. Come summer, mountain bike under the midnight sun and hike in every direction.
How to do it: Kerlingarfjöll Highland Base (+354 571 1200) offers standard family or twin rooms from £326 per night, with lodges starting at £713 and huts for two at £145. Icelandair flies direct from London Heathrow to Reykjavík from £266 return. Highland Base can arrange transfers.
One of the world’s tiniest capitals, Faroe Islands
Atlantic Airways resumes its direct flight from London Gatwick to the Faroes from late May to late August. Tórshavn, the village-sized capital, delivers culture, cafés and craft shops. Dive into local life at its museums and the Nordic House, then wander Tinganes for turf roofs and one of the world’s oldest parliaments in a red cottage. Dine on fermented lamb and ultra-fresh seafood and day-trip the wild “Golden Circle” to Fossá, or try a heimablídni supper.
How to do it: Regent Holidays (0117 453 3001) offers a four-day Short Break to Tórshavn from £870pp sharing, including return international flights, B&B accommodation and transfers. Atlantic Airways offers direct flights between Edinburgh and the Faroe Islands (March-December) on Mondays and Thursdays as well as seasonal flights from London Gatwick (late May-late August) on Tuesdays and Saturdays.
Luxury getaways
La Dolce Vita Orient Express, Italy
Europe’s newest luxury rail icon, La Dolce Vita Orient Express, sweeps you across Italy in cinematic style. On a four-day return from Rome via Tuscany, begin with the Trevi Fountain and Spanish Steps before boarding 1960s-inspired glamour. Expect chef-led dining and sommelier-paired wines as you glide to Montalcino. Tour a prestigious winery, then return for music, aperitivi and refined dining as Italy’s landscapes unfurl beyond the window.
How to do it: The Luxury Holiday Company (020 4587 0257) offers a four-day Rome and Tuscany trip from £3,765pp in August, including all transfers, two nights’ B&B accommodation in Rome, a night on La Dolce Vita Orient Express including meals and a tasting at a winery in Torrenieri. Ryanair flies direct from London Stansted to Rome from £90 return.
Adults-only escape, Finland
Opening on July 1, 2026, in Saimaa Lakeland, this boutique, adults-only manor retreat redefines slow luxury for those seeking a total reset. Just 11 spacious suites blend high-end comfort with sustainable design, while full-board dining celebrates hyper-seasonal, local ingredients. Days unfold with forest foraging, smoke sauna rituals, lake cruises and wild berry picking, or paddle-boarding straight from the estate. Optional add-ons include horse riding, and bear and seal watching.
How to do it: Regent Holidays (0117 453 3001) four-day Luxury Escape at Kotona Manor costs from £5,495pp, including return flights to Kuopio via Helsinki, private transfers, full-board accommodation and a host of experiences.
Backstage palace pass, Italy
Uncover Venice’s secrets on this “golden key” expert-led tour that grants access to some of the city’s best-preserved palaces, including those that are still privately owned and open only by special arrangement. Glide along the Grand Canal by gondola and experience an exclusive, after-hours visit to St Mark’s Basilica.
How to do it: Martin Randall (0208 742 3355) offers a five-day Venetian Palaces tour from £3,230pp, based on two sharing, on November 6-10, 2026 and selected dates in 2027. Includes flights, accommodation, some meals, admissions, the services of the lecturer, tour manager and local guide; a vaporetto pass; and airport transfers.
Wellness breaks
Athlete-grade retreat, Spain
Set in the foothills of the Pyrenees and surrounded by pine forests on Spain’s Costa Brava, Camiral regularly hosts England’s national football and rugby teams for training camps. Now, its wellness centre offers athlete-grade recovery technologies – such as cryotherapy and hyperbaric oxygen therapy – to mere mortals. Its Longevity Programme serves up antioxidant-rich nutrition, targeted massage, Reformer Pilates and technologies that help support circulation, skin quality and cellular repair to get you glowing.
How to do it: Camiral (+34 972 472 249) offers a four-day Longevity & Vitality Programme break from £1,106pp, based on two adults sharing, including most meals, a yoga session and daily spa treatments. Ryanair flies direct from Bournemouth to Girona-Costa Brava Airport from £44 return.
Farm stay, Portugal
Reconnect to the land at Quinta Camarena, a peaceful eco-retreat with garden plots, yoga, sauna and pool, near Cercal in south-west Portugal. Founded by creative duo Vera and Cam, it champions seasonal, local food – think daily menus shaped by nearby farmers, not staged farm activities. Join cheese or jam workshops, visit markets and artisans, or take cooking classes. Surf beaches lie 15 minutes away and the region is ripe for hiking too.
How to do it: Quinta Camarena (+351 936 324 070) offers a three-night Sustainable Food and Wine Stay from £825pp. Easyjet flies direct from London Luton to Lisbon from £120. The hotel can provide a transfer.
Next-gen wellness on Boka Bay, Montenegro
Set on Montenegro’s coast near Tivat, Siro Boka Place is a next-gen wellness hotel where sleep tech meets adventure. Expect temperature-controlled mattresses, meditation playlists and in-room recovery kits. A cutting-edge Fitness and Recovery Lab pairs holistic therapies with a 25m pool. Extras include canyoning through Nevidio Canyon to paddle-boarding on Rijeka Crnojevića. Easy access comes thanks to new seasonal flights from British Airways.
How to do it: EasyJet holidays (0330 912 6593) offers a four-night stay at Siro Boka Place from £903pp on a B&B basis, including return flights from London Gatwick to Tivat.