We all know how the hordes descend on Barcelona, Rome and Paris at any time of the year. But it’s entirely possible to get that cultural fix with the crowds that turn up at lesser-known cities. Here are ten urban escapes that fit the bill…
BORDEAUX, FRANCE
A bit of gastronomy? Yes! Southwestern Bordeaux offers delicious food, great wines and more cultural attractions – more than 350 – than you can fit into a weekend. It’s cheap to get to, thanks to easyJet and Ryanair flights.
Enjoy grandiose architecture in the city’s squares and the shopping boulevard Rue Sainte-Catherine is ideal for a buoy. Need a photo to send to those at home? Go to La Grosse Cloche, Bordeaux’s beloved 7,750 kg city clock.
Don’t miss: Drink in the knowledge at La Cite du Vin, a museum dedicated to Bordeaux’s greatest export.
Discuss it: Three nights at the four-star Hotel de Seze and flights from £739pp B&B (kirkerholidays.com).
VALLETTA, MALTA
Small but mighty, the Maltese capital has historical sites in spades with St John’s Co-Cathedral and the 16th century Grand Master’s Palace among its landmarks. Malta also boasts an average of 300 days of sunshine per year.
Don’t miss: An explosion of modernity at City Gate, produced by the Italian architect Renzo Piano in 2011.
Discuss it: Doubles at five-star Iniala Harbor House Malta from £341 B&B (inialamalta.com); return London-Malta flights from £103 (kmmaltairlines.com).
ZURICH, SWITZERLAND
Dismiss Switzerland’s largest city as a ‘business’ destination at your peril (and don’t let the suits have all the fun either). This German-speaking metropolis, at the easy-on-the-eye spot where Lake Zurich flows into the Limmat River, serves up crowd attractions like the Lindt and Fifa museums and beautiful architecture like the university library. Who can resist bircher muesli for breakfast and Geschnetzeltes, veal with rosti potatoes, for dinner?
Don’t miss: A bit of couture (window) shopping on the posh Bahnhofstrasse.
Discuss it: Doubles at the four-star 25 Hours Hotel from £168 (25hours-hotels.com); return flights to Zurich from £90 (ba.com).
CORK, IRELAND
Dubbed Ireland’s ‘real capital’, Cork packs a punch when it comes to vintage pubs, galleries and exuberant revelry – just without the 24/7 tourist crowds. Cork City Gaol offers a stark snapshot of what incarcerated Corkonians once faced, St Fin Barre Cathedral has gargoyles galore and the Franciscan Well Brewery celebrates the links with Ireland’s amber nectar.
Don’t miss: A gourmet sausage from O’Flynn’s at the city’s 18th century English market.
Discuss it: Double at the Montenotte Hotel from £182 B&B (themontenottehotel.com); return flights to Cork from £124 (aerlingus.com).
THESSALONIKI, GREECE
Athens wins the tourist dollar, but Greece’s second city has a lot to shout about. Thessaloniki – where a shiny new, long-awaited 13-stop metro opened last week – is bustling and beats its old sister hands down on gastronomy.
Don’t miss: Climb the 96 steps of the sturdy 15th century White Tower for a 360-degree view.
Discuss it: Three nights at the five-star Met Hotel from £469pp B&B including flights (olympicholidays.com).
SAN SEBASTIAN, SPAIN
How to win the late-in-the-year solar lottery and eat like royalty? Elevate San Sebastian, the Basque region’s gourmet showpiece. Michelin-starred restaurants cluster around the golden La Concha bay, but a simple San Miguel and pintxos – local tapas – are equally inviting. Those crowds? They are 70 minutes away in Bilbao, where you will fly.
Don’t miss: Take the 1912 cog cable up to Mount Igueldo for views of the bay.
Discuss it: Doubles at five-star Nobu San Sebastian from £338 B&B (sansebastian.nobuhotels.com); return flights to Bilbao from £69 (vueling.com).
LJUBLJANA, SLOVENIA
Flights to Slovenia’s photogenic capital plummet as summer unfolds and Ljubljana’s old town – easy to negotiate and pedestrian-friendly – is full of understated elegance. Through it, the Ljubljanica river, crossed with decorated bridges, with Triple Bridge is its choice. Cycle or walk along its banks or save your legs and book a boat tour.
Don’t miss: The city’s optimum view is found if you ride the cable car up to the 16th century hill on the Ljubljana Castle.
Discuss it: A four-day guided tour including transfers and accommodation costs from £689pp B&B (untravelledpaths.com); return flights to Ljubljana from £51 (easyjet.com).
GHENT, BELGIUM
If you can easily access Kent’s ferry terminals, Ghent is a winning city break. Take a cheap low-season cruise to Dunkirk and you’re just over an hour’s drive from this Flemish beauty. Belgium’s walkable oldest city is much less busy than Bruges, but has similar appeal with cobbled streets, gabled houses, narrow waterways and cozy bars.
Don’t miss: Time travel at 12th century Gravensteen Castle, complete with moat, towers and arrow slits.
Discuss it: Doubles at the five-star 1898 The Post from £249 (1898thepost.com); return Dover-to-Dunkirk crossings from £159 (dfds.com).
KRAKOW, POLAND
Much of the action in Poland’s one-time royal capital is focused on Rynek Glowny, one of Europe’s largest market squares. Home to the magnificent St Mary’s Basilica and Renaissance shopping centre, the Cloth Hall, this is where you’ll head for a short, sharp espresso in the morning and a short, sharp ‘vodka’ shot come evening.
Don’t miss: A warm plate of pierogi, Krakow’s beloved stuffed dumplings.
Discuss it: Double at the five-star Hotel Copernicus from £150 (relaischateaux.com); return flights to Krakow from £32 (wizzair.com).
BRINDISI, ITALY
Ryanair flies into Brindisi all year round with the bulk of tourists driving away to see Puglia’s rural charm. Brindisi, slow and very valuable, is made for lazy wanderings and lazy lunches. Get lost among ornate palazzos and churches, take a portside walk and end the day with a plate of orecchiette pasta and a bottle of Primitivo.
Don’t miss: The one surviving Roman column marking the end of the ancient Appian Way.
Discuss it: Double at the four-star Grande Albergo Internazionale from £91 B&B (booking.com); return flights to Brindisi from £44 (ryanair.com).
