Top 5 European city breaks

Living in Europe means there are endless possibilities for city breaks (when COVID is over!) But which one would you choose? I’ve been fortunate enough to visit a wealth of cities across Europe since my teenage years from girly getaways in Paris to interrailing around Italy. Here I’ve summarised my top 5 cities for a European city break – I hope you enjoy it!

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1. Krakow, Poland

Krakow is at the top of my list for many reasons, but firstly because it exceeded all of my expectations. It was an extremely cheap getaway, the weather was gorgeous (in August) and there is so much to do there!

In Krakow you have the perfect opportunity to explore history, visit museums, wander the old town streets, and drink vodka until your heart’s content.

To find out more about Krakow you can read my travel guide: 3 days in Krakow. 

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2. Paris, France

Paris is always a good idea… I’ve visited Paris a few times already with family trips to Disneyland and even one day trips to Paris with the school, but I got a taste for what Paris was like on the way back from my interrail journey when we stopped over in Paris for 24 hours. This was nowhere near enough time to see everything we wanted to so I knew I had to go back.

I went back to Paris this year, and it was actually my last trip before lockdown came into place. There’s just something about being in Paris that makes it so special. It’s a gorgeous city with amazing food, people and just generally a great aura. It’s not the cheapest city in Europe, but it’s definitely a special place worth spending money on! 

Want to know more about my recent trip to Paris? You can read my travel diary here. 

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3. Edinburgh, Scotland

I’ve only travelled to Scotland once when I was too young to remember, and after hearing such great things about the city I knew I wanted to go back. Edinburgh is truly a magical place, especially at Christmas when the Princes Street Gardens are transformed into a huge Christmas Market.

Edinburgh is split into the New Town and the Old Town, both with amazing things to see, places to eat and bars to drink in. There’s loads to do and if you’re based in the UK, it’s incredibly easy to get to via plane or train. 

If you’re planning a trip to Edinburgh you might find my City Guide to Edinburgh particularly useful!

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4. Florence, Italy 

Before I did my interrail trip across Europe, I had never visited Italy for a holiday. Once I visited Florence, I fell in love with Italy. Florence is the most gorgeous city with beautiful sights, history, food and drinks. I loved Florence so much that I went back for a second time the following year. 

There’s so much to do in Florence that you can’t do it all in one weekend, and it’s probably a place I will continue to visit throughout my lifetime. Florence’s central location also makes it easy to travel from to other Italian cities, for example, on my second trip we also visited Pisa (worth a visit but not as good as Florence!)

To find out more about Florence, visit my travel diary for when I visited Florence with my nan!

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5. Sorrento, Italy

Another Italian favourite has got to be Sorrento in Italy, but this is probably considered more of a coastal town than a city. However, what makes this place so special is that it is gorgeous within its own rights, but it’s also so close to the Amalfi Coast making it the perfect base for exploring!

Other places close to Sorrento include Capri, Naples and Pompeii, so realistically you could spend a week in Sorrento seeing all of the nearby sights. What’s more, it’s cheaper to stay in Sorrento than any of these places, making it an affordable option too.

Want to know more about Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast? Check out my travel guide here. 

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So, that’s my ultimate top 5 European cities, but of course there are many, many more that I loved visiting including the likes of Budapest, Berlin, Rome, Bath, and of course my home town London. What’s your favourite European city? Let me know in the comments!