Europe’s best alternative city breaks for 2026

Words: Elizabeth Winding 

It’s often the capitals that spring to mind when you’re planning a city break – and big-hitters such as Paris, Barcelona and Rome have earned their place in the canon. But it’s also worth giving less obvious candidates a shot: cities where the pace is more laidback and the prices more forgiving, where museums don’t come with a snaking queue and dinners don’t require a reservation. If you’re planning your next getaway, here are six smart swaps to consider. 

1. Instead of Lisbon… try Porto

Lisbon’s little sister, Porto, may be on a less grand scale, but there’s a definite family resemblance, from the trams and hills (bring trainers) to the azulejo-tiled façades. It’s a city that knows how to savour the simple things, from sipping port and watching the boats go by on the Douro River to lazing on the string of golden beaches just beyond the city: make for Matosinhos, then lunch on octopus rice at the no-frills Salta O Muro. There’s contemporary art at the Serralves Museum, great coffee at spots such as Protest Kitchen and innovative eateries like Cozinha das Flores, led by star chef Nuno Mendes. 

Where to stay: The Rebello is a chic hideaway in a cluster of converted warehouses, while the pared-back Tipografia do Conto has a small saltwater pool.   

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2. Instead of Rome… try Bologna 

Swap out Rome’s thronged piazzas for the quieter streets of Bologna, also crammed with statues, sights and endless opportunities for eating – not for nothing is it nicknamed ‘La Grassa’ (‘the fat one’). Stroll below handsome vaulted porticoes, wander into frescoed churches and explore the Quadrilatero, edged with wine shops and delis. Wherever you head, the food here is on another level, from tangles of tagliatelle al ragú to slices of mortadella. Book ahead at stalwarts such as Trattoria da Me, and never say no to a gelato, starting with the salted pistachio at Cremeria Santo Stefano.

Where to stay: The palatial Grand Hotel Majestic Già Baglioni is the city’s gilded grande dame, while the hospitable, sunshine-yellow Casa Bertagni is a more affordable stay.

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3. Instead of Vienna… try Graz 

Few cities can match Vienna’s Hapsburg grandeur, but Graz – Austria’s second largest city – has some epic architecture of its own. There’s the bold, biomorphic Kunsthaus, aka the ‘friendly alien’, the Baroque Schloss Eggenberg themed on cosmic order, and a Zaha Hadid-designed apartment block inspired by a mythical dog. What else does it offer for city breaks? Plenty, it turns out, from a glorious setting in the foothills of the Alps to a red-roofed, Unesco-listed Old Town and plentiful farm-to-fork dining at restaurants such as Der Steirer, fuelled by the region’s produce and excellent white wines. 

Where to stay: Hotel Das Weitzer has spacious rooms, a rooftop sauna and e-Vespas to hire, while the art-dotted Lendhotel has a more playful vibe. 

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4. Instead of Barcelona… try Valencia

There’s a new sense of energy in this chilled beachfront city, already luring digital nomads away from Barcelona. (You’ll find them in the buzzy Ruzafa neighbourhood, hanging out at Blackbird Café or pondering the pastries at Mòlt.) On the cultural scene, the Hortensia Herrero Art Centre is a recent addition, staging pieces by Anish Kapoor and co in a beautifully-restored Baroque palace, while the fine art museum is stocked with Goyas and El Grecos. In this famously sunny city, though, all roads lead to the sea: take your pick from its honey-hued beaches, which are more than a match for Barcelona’s.  

Where to stay: Join the cool kids in Ruzafa, with a stay at La Novieta, or check into the Art Deco Westin Valencia, close to the Turia Gardens. 

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5. Instead of Paris… try Lyon

While you won’t go hungry in Paris, Lyon is France’s true capital of gastronomy – a place with a passion for nose-to-tail eating and an almost mythical food market. Most trips here revolve around where to eat next, whether it’s a Michelin-starred address or a homely bouchon (Le Musée is a classic, for beef cheeks and a pichet of wine). Between meals, the city has plenty to offer, from exploring the old town’s traboules – covered passageways – to hitting Croix-Rousse’s boutiques. With quays to stroll, a hilltop Basilica and some world-class museums, frankly who needs Paris?

Where to stay: With crafted interiors, (very) fine dining and a serene pools, Villa Maïa is the last word in luxury, while OKKO Hotels Lyon Centre is a sleek, river-facing stay. 

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6. Instead of Stockholm… try Gothenburg 

Few cities in the world are more stylish than Stockholm, but Gothenburg has its own brand of effortless, west-coast cool. More manageable in scale, it has a cosier feel: this is the place to do fika like a local, at cafés such as Ahlströms Konditori. A trip here is not about ticking off big sights and museums, so take your time strolling by its Dutch-style canals, lunching on local seafood or wandering once-gritty Järntorget and Långgatorna, now peppered with record shops, lo-fi bars and eateries. Its archipelago, meanwhile, is easily reached by tram and ferry for lazy swims and hikes on quaint, car-free islands including Vrångö and Köpstadö.

Where to stay: Check into Jacy’z, a skyscraper-set ‘urban resort’ with a dizzying array of facilities, or hop on a ferry to the breezy, dock’s-edge Radisson Blu Riverside.  

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