Best European city breaks: 15 weekend cities

A European city break doesn't need much: two to four days, a short flight or a good train connection, and a city that fits what you are after. We picked 15 cities that work especially well for a long weekend and sorted them by what matters to you: art and history, good food, the sea, a small budget or Christmas atmosphere. For almost all of them we have ready-made plans you can open in YesTrip.

The 15 cities compared

Flight times: typical direct flights from London, rounded. Paris and Amsterdam are also easy to reach by Eurostar.

1. Paris Culture
2. Rome Culture
3. Florence Art
4. Amsterdam Museums
5. Lisbon Food
6. Porto Food
7. Seville Tapas
8. Copenhagen Food
9. Barcelona Beach
10. Valencia Beach
11. Dubrovnik Sea
12. Budapest Budget
13. Kraków Budget
14. Prague Budget
15. Vienna Advent

Base map: Natural Earth

For culture: Paris, Rome, Florence, Amsterdam

Paris is the classic: the Louvre, the Musée d'Orsay, Notre-Dame, Montmartre – and one neighbourhood after another to explore on foot. For a first visit, three to four days is right, because the museums alone take time. Rome is Europe's largest open-air museum: the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, the Pantheon and the Vatican with St Peter's. Plan the big sights for the mornings and keep the afternoons for walks through Trastevere and the old town.

Paris trip planDay by day, with map and tips Rome trip planDay by day, with map and tips

Florence is smaller and compact: the cathedral, the Uffizi and the Ponte Vecchio are close together, and two to three days are enough. The evening view over the city from Piazzale Michelangelo is part of the trip. Amsterdam combines great museums such as the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum with walks along the canals – and from London it is a short flight or a direct Eurostar ride.

Florence trip planDay by day, with map and tips

For food: Lisbon, Porto, Seville, Copenhagen

Lisbon is best explored by eating: pastéis de nata, fresh fish, small taverns in the Alfama. Add the viewpoints over the rooftops and the old trams. Porto is smaller and calmer, known for the port wine cellars across the Douro in Vila Nova de Gaia and the riverside Ribeira district. Seville is the city of tapas bars – and at its best in spring, when the orange trees blossom; in high summer it gets very hot. Copenhagen is known for New Nordic cuisine and design, but also has a simple side: street food, bakeries and the colourful houses along Nyhavn.

Lisbon trip planDay by day, with map and tips Porto trip planDay by day, with map and tips

For city and sea: Barcelona, Valencia, Dubrovnik

If you want culture and a beach, Barcelona is the place: the Sagrada Família and Park Güell in the morning, the beach at Barceloneta in the afternoon. Valencia is more relaxed, with the City of Arts and Sciences, the park in the old bed of the Turia river and long beaches; it is also the home of paella. Dubrovnik is a walled old town right on the Adriatic – walk the city walls early in the morning, before it gets crowded and hot. Swimming season runs from June to September; spring and autumn are quieter.

Barcelona trip planDay by day, with map and tips Dubrovnik trip planDay by day, with map and tips

On a small budget: Budapest, Kraków, Prague

In Central and Eastern Europe your money goes much further than in Paris or Copenhagen. Budapest has its parliament on the Danube, the castle on Buda hill and thermal baths such as the Széchenyi Baths. Kraków has one of the largest medieval market squares in Europe, Wawel Castle and the Jewish quarter of Kazimierz; many visitors combine the trip with the Auschwitz-Birkenau memorial. Prague is the busiest of the three: Charles Bridge, the castle and the Old Town Square are at their most beautiful early in the morning.

Budapest trip planDay by day, with map and tips Kraków trip planDay by day, with map and tips

For Christmas markets: Vienna and more

Before Christmas, Vienna is special: the market in front of the City Hall is the best known, and there are smaller ones at Spittelberg and in front of Schönbrunn Palace. In between, warm up in one of the traditional coffee houses. Prague and Budapest also have large Christmas markets, and in Copenhagen the Tivoli amusement park is decorated for the season.

Vienna trip planDay by day, with map and tips

How to choose the right city

• How much time do you have? For two days, compact cities such as Florence, Porto, Prague or Dubrovnik work well. Paris, Rome, Lisbon and Barcelona need three to four.
• When are you travelling? Southern Europe is ideal in spring and autumn and often very hot in midsummer. Copenhagen, Amsterdam and Vienna are most pleasant from May to September, and before Christmas for the markets.
• How are you getting there? With under two hours in the air, even a short weekend is worth it. To Paris and Amsterdam the train is a good alternative.

How YesTrip helps

Pick one of the cities and your dates in YesTrip and you get a day-by-day plan with a map that groups the sights by neighbourhood, so distances stay short. You also see the forecast for your travel days and get a packing list that matches the weather. For many cities there are ready-made weekend plans you can take over and adapt. Travelling as a group? Share the trip and keep track of shared expenses.