Our starting point
With a short break, every hour and every unnecessary transfer matters.
Holiday type
City breaks
The right location, flight timing and length of stay for a few valuable days away.
Where we would start for city breaks
Kraków, Budapest, Prague, Amsterdam and Bruges are short flights from the north of England, and we have been to all five countries. New York and Bangkok are the long-haul cities we would start with. Most of the city guides include a plan for the days and the district we would stay in.
City We’ve been
Europe
Poland
Good-value cities, mountain breaks and a wider coastline than many visitors expect.
City We’ve been
Europe
Hungary
Budapest leads, with grand architecture, food and an easy short-break shape.
City We’ve been
Europe
Czech Republic
Prague leads, with an easy short-break shape and strong beer and architecture credentials.
City We’ve been
Europe
Netherlands
Easy city travel with Amsterdam as the obvious start and plenty beyond it.
City We’ve been
Europe
Belgium
Brussels, Bruges and events like Tomorrowland, all within easy reach of the UK.
City We’ve been
Europe
Germany
Cities, Christmas markets and countryside, with strong rail links between the stops that matter.
Beach and resort We’ve been
Europe
Malta
History, swimming, restaurants and easy short-break energy in a compact destination.
City We’ve been
Asia
Bangkok
A high-energy city that works brilliantly as the opening or closing chapter of Thailand.
City We’ve been
North America
New York
A city that works alone or as the opening chapter of a longer American trip.