Haven’t decided yet on the destination for your next city break? Take a look at the rest of the Top 10 city break ideas for a great summer vacation to see if any of these amazing cities tempt you!
6. Rotterdam, Holland
The port city of Rotterdam is the best choice if you want to avoid the big crowds, since most people tend to opt for Amsterdam when it comes to the Dutch experience.
Check out the great museums here, such as Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, Nederlands Fotomuseum, Maritime Museum, Natuurhistorisch Museum, Oorlogs Verzets Museum and many others, look for the monuments (the City Hall, the Erasmus Statue, De Verwoeste Stad Statue and Sylvette by Pablo Picasso. The windmills are also a very interesting thing to see and there are a few zoos and botanical gardens that are worth a visit. A tour of the historical churches are also a great completion to the Rotterdam experience.
Some great ways to spend time here are going to the musical venues and festivals or, if you’re a “water-enthusiast”, you can get into some water sports or yachting, since Rotterdam has a lot of waterways and lakes.
7. Boston, USA
Being the birthplace of the American Revolution, Boston has a lot of historical sites, along a 4 km red-lined route, called the Freedom Trail.
Visit some of the greatest museums (the Boston Athenæum, the Museum of Fine Arts, the The Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments, Harvard Art Museum, Harvard Museum of Natural History, the Institute of Contemporary Art, the Museum of Science, the New England Aquarium and many, many others. Check out the galleries too, the events (June: Boston Pride, The Fourth of July: Independence Day, Late August: The Feast of St. Anthony), the numerous activities (like taking a walk through the Boston Harbor Islands State Park, the Boston Common and Public Garden, seeing a performance of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, watch a preview of a Broadway show at the Theater District wtc) and the sport related spots.
8. Lyon, France
Lyon is a vibrant metropolis which makes the most out of its unique architectural, cultural and gastronomic heritage.
The highlights here are the view from Fourvière basilica, and the basilica itself, the streets and traboules in Vieux Lyon, St Jean cathedral, the traboules in Croix-Rousse, Musées Gadagne, Parc de la Tête d’Or, Musée urbain Tony Garnier and Etats-Unis neighbourhood, St Irénée church, Montée du Gourguillon, St Georges neighbourhood, Place Sathonay, St Bruno church, Parc de Gerland and the Gratte-ciel neighbourhood in Villeurbanne.
A very interesting sight is Musée de Confluences, which has been built to resemble a floating crystal cloud.
You should also check out the Festival of Lights, the Nuits de Fourvière festival, Nuits sonores and The Biennals.
There are a lot of other great museums, parks and gardens to see too. Every part of this amazing city is worth a visit because of its cultural richness and amazing scenery.
9. Bristol, UK
Besides the multitude of tourist attractions, Bristol also hosts a lot of amazing festivals and events, such as the celebration of the maritime history of the city with a weekend of arts, dance, music, boats, food and a circus (all for free), the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta (four days for free; more than 100 balloons rise to the skies) and Shaun In the City (70 giant sculpures of the animated sheep on show and lots of interactive events).
10. Ljubljana, Slovenia
The Slovenian capital is the greatest example of how much of an influence neighbouring cultures can have on a city. With architectural, culinary and cultural influences from Austria, Hungary, Italy and the Balkans, Ljubljana is a very fascinating city to explore on foot. Take the cable car to the city’s dramatic castle and enjoy a stroll along the Ljubljana River.
Check out the Triple Bridge (Tromostovje), Old Town, Zmajski Most (Dragon Bridge), the Square of the Republic, the Roman Ruins, the Tivoli Park, Ljubljana Zoo, University Botanic gardens Ljubljana and many other great sights.
Pick your favourite destination and look for the perfect hotel discount booking for you and your family and/or friends. Check out the available flights towards the city that you chose and enjoy the greatest summer city break!