#city-breaks

Fjords, Bach, dark skies, Flemish masterpieces, Lyon’s bouchons and Valletta’s knights: six European breaks you can reach by Eurostar or a short flight, with honest costs in pounds.

Meet old friends in a Soho boozer and you’ll soon find the pub has held up better than any of you. Here’s how to get the most out of the reunion pint.

Hong Kong is famous for skyscrapers, but much of its land is hills, beaches and country parks. Here’s how to see the city by ferry, tram and on foot.

Hot springs in Bath, Riesling in Colmar or Silvaner on a Würzburg bridge: three small cities that look their best in autumn, and how to reach each by train from London.

A long weekend in Riga that starts in a food market built from zeppelin hangars, wanders through Europe’s finest Art Nouveau streets and ends with beer by the river.

Tallinn’s medieval Old Town gets the postcards, but a long weekend there is better spent in the harbour quarters, the 1928 public sauna and the craft breweries.

Baroque lanes, a KGB prison and a self-declared republic of artists. Why Vilnius suits a long weekend from the UK, with flights, rough costs and where to spend your time.

Venice in winter has fog, quiet canals, cheaper hotels and no day-tripper fee. Here’s when to go, what to pack, and how high water and new border checks affect British visitors.

Oktoberfest has a reputation for stag dos and spilt lager, but done properly it’s a brilliant slice of Bavarian life. Here’s when to go, how to book and what it costs.

Grave robbers, Gothic spires, very good whisky and a festival that takes over the whole city in August. How to do Edinburgh well, whether you come for the Fringe or avoid it.

Booking on a Tuesday or clearing your cookies won’t get you a cheaper flight. What actually moves the fare is when you book, when you travel and which UK airport you fly from.

Lyon has France’s best food city credentials, two rivers, Beaujolais and the Rhône on its doorstep and none of the Parisian swagger. Here’s how to do it properly from the UK.

Valencia is Spain’s third city and an easy direct flight from the UK. It has a beach on the tram line, a nine-kilometre park and the real paella.

Prague in April and May means orchards in blossom, castle gardens reopening, a world-class music festival and beer gardens with views. Here is how to do it properly.

Why April and May are the best time to visit Istanbul: tulips, Judas trees, spring artichokes and the cheapest intercontinental commute in the world, all about four hours from the UK.

Spring is the season for Dubrovnik. Walk the walls, hunt down the Game of Thrones locations and see the old Ragusa beneath the fan tourism, all before the summer crowds arrive.

March is Amsterdam’s quiet spell: Eurostar runs direct from St Pancras, the canals are calm and Keukenhof opens late in the month. Here’s how to time it.