Recommended European Short Breaks | Vital Football

Recommended European Short Breaks

B

berksimps

Vital Football Hero
Thought folks might have been to some towns and cities they have enjoyed and pass on a few ideas to others.

Will start with our recent driving holiday tour to Austria. Not everyone’s cup of tea as there was no resting or hanging about. For us the scenery and Alpine roads and walks were the motivation. The Grossglockner and Silvretta Pass surpassed expectations.

However, and getting back to the point: Salzburg and Innsbruck are beautiful Places to visit. Full of character, super clean, good food, stunning views. We didn’t have time, or inclination, for the many museums and galleries. Best to stay in Salzburg, where an energetic walk or the funicular railway leads to the medieval hilltop Hohensalzburg Castle which is unmissable.
 
Last edited:
Lisbon is a great city, clean and safe for a capital. Not too expensive either. Lots of public transport options, train along the coast to Estoril area is always worth doing.
 
We’ve enjoyed city breaks in Prague, Budapest and Berlin, the latter for the Christmas Markets, I think six or seven of them in Berlin, all very enjoyable. I’d also recommend Bruges, that one by Eurostar via Brussels, renowned for its chocolate and breweries ( beware the strong beer which almost put paid to our evening meal after a lunchtime tour) Very friendly too. Venice is also worth a visit
Currently planning a pre Christmas visit to Copenhagen which we’ve fancied for a while and want to visit the Tivoli Gardens ( more Christmas markets 🙄)
Lisbon/Porto still on my todo list
 
I'm going left field from the European theme of the thread and throwing in a wild card as an alternative. It's the mid 90's since we did this location but flights were affordable and I hope nothing has changed with regard to the experience it offers now:

Toronto, *clean, safe, friendly, and surprisingly doable in spite of it being across the pond. If you have 4 or 5 days opportunity go for it.

Stacks to do - good restaurants, theatres, gigs, shopping (for those that like that sort of thing) ML Baseball/Ice hockey depending on time of year (I did Bluejays in the Skydome for about a fiver back in the day), CN Tower (stand on the glass viewing panel if you dare!), a step onto Lake Ontario Island where there are loads of activities going on, music etc. From memory it was only about an hour to Niagara Falls from the airport as well, and the Canadian side is way more attractive than the US side.

I've not done New York, but I know a few that have done both and without fail Toronto wins hands down for them. Typical comments along the lines of New York was good but Toronto had everything it had to offer without the arse holes and scum thrown in.

*As aforementioned mid 90's since last visit.

Edit - Don't forget to claim loads of tax back either so keep your receipts and get the form. It took a few weeks for it come through but it was a significant saving.
 
Last edited:
I went to Turin last year (cheap flight into Milan and then train) to take in a juve game and I just loved the city. Actually quite quiet, cool architecture, amazing food. Very good film museum if you're into that kind of thing. Also went to a subbuteo shop and he was a crazy passionate subbuteo guy and dug out a Lincoln team. Like it a lot and can also go up to aosta and the alps.

Feel like it's not super touristy compared to Milan.

I also love Ljubljana for a short (pretty cheap) city break, with a trip to Lake Bled. Had to fly from Luton or Stansted last time though.
 
Last edited:
Nice idea for a thread!

Went to Naples earlier this year and wasn’t disappointed, the place absolutely crackles with energy (although it probably helped that we went a few weeks after Napoli won the Scudetto).

Aside from the obvious ones where you’re pretty much guaranteed to have a good time (Berlin, Glasgow, Lisbon), I was pleasantly surprised by Palermo. I thought it’d be little more than a jumping off point for the rest of Sicily but it has a fascinating history in its own right. Also some nice City beaches like Mondello.

Bilbao and San Sebastián well worth a visit just for the pintxos - Bilbao particularly still feels like a working town not overrun with tourists.

Also can’t not mention Dublin for sentimental reasons. The place has changed a lot over the years, and not always for the better (‘the grey unyielding concrete has made a city of my town’), but the people and the craic stay the same.
 
Eweimps said:
We’ve enjoyed city breaks in Prague, Budapest and Berlin, the latter for the Christmas Markets, I think six or seven of them in Berlin, all very enjoyable. I’d also recommend Bruges, that one by Eurostar via Brussels, renowned for its chocolate and breweries ( beware the strong beer which almost put paid to our evening meal after a lunchtime tour) Very friendly too. Venice is also worth a visit
Currently planning a pre Christmas visit to Copenhagen which we’ve fancied for a while and want to visit the Tivoli Gardens ( more Christmas markets 🙄)
Lisbon/Porto still on my todo list
Click to expand...
Agree with Bruges for a weekend. We've been three times and have driven each time - think I'd probably use the railways now though! (Used railway from there to have a day in Brussels on one trip)
 
berksimps said:
Thought folks might have been to some towns and cities they have enjoyed and pass on a few ideas to others.

Will start with our recent driving holiday tour to Austria. Not everyone’s cup of tea as there was no resting or hanging about. For us the scenery and Alpine roads and walks were the motivation. The Grossglockner and Silvretta Pass surpassed expectations.

However, and getting back to the point: Salzburg and Innsbruck are beautiful Places to visit. Full of character, super clean, good food, stunning views. We didn’t have time, or inclination, for the many museums and galleries. Best to stay in Salzburg, where an energetic walk or the funicular railway leads to the medieval hilltop Hohensalzburg Castle which is unmissable.
Click to expand...

Yes, would like to go again - went on a tour of Europe with an older relative in mid 60s, and camped in Brenner Pass for a few days. Visited Innsbruch and area - infrastructure from '64 winter olympics very much in evidence - seeing the gradient of the bobsleigh track was incredible!.
 
The great bonus about getting older and having no kids in tow or to worry about work is the advantage of taking short breaks in UK, Europe or Worldwide..

I've found discount sites such as Groupon and if eligible Bluelight, Forces discount give some good deals.
 
My favourite City break is Vienna. Loads to see and do. Thoroughly recommend it. Have been twice and still haven't seen everything there is to see. The only down side is the cuisine which is pretty naff.
Went to Bruges for a day about 20 years ago whilst staying in Ashford in Kent. As others have said, Bruge is a lovely place. Got the train from Ashford to Dover, the Sea Cat catamaran ferry from Dover to Ostend and a train from Ostend to Bruges. Still had plenty of time to look around before the Sea Cat back to Dover. Sadly, you cant do that journey anymore.
Spent a month travelling around Europe by train after finishing Polytechnic many years ago. One of my favourite places visited was Florence. From what I hear it is very popular now, but was a lot quieter then.
For sheer quirkiness, Gibraltar is worth a visit. A real odd mixture of Britain and Southern Europe!
 
Sigiriya said:
My favourite City break is Vienna. Loads to see and do. Thoroughly recommend it. Have been twice and still haven't seen everything there is to see. The only down side is the cuisine which is pretty naff.
Went to Bruges for a day about 20 years ago whilst staying in Ashford in Kent. As others have said, Bruge is a lovely place. Got the train from Ashford to Dover, the Sea Cat catamaran ferry from Dover to Ostend and a train from Ostend to Bruges. Still had plenty of time to look around before the Sea Cat back to Dover. Sadly, you cant do that journey anymore.
Spent a month travelling around Europe by train after finishing Polytechnic many years ago. One of my favourite places visited was Florence. From what I hear it is very popular now, but was a lot quieter then.
For sheer quirkiness, Gibraltar is worth a visit. A real odd mixture of Britain and Southern Europe!
Click to expand...
I'm clearly missing out on Vienna and must do something about it judging by the comments on here. My parents swore by it and my daughter stayed with her Austrian friend there last year as well and they all loved the place.
 
Sigiriya said:
My favourite City break is Vienna. Loads to see and do. Thoroughly recommend it. Have been twice and still haven't seen everything there is to see. The only down side is the cuisine which is pretty naff.
Went to Bruges for a day about 20 years ago whilst staying in Ashford in Kent. As others have said, Bruge is a lovely place. Got the train from Ashford to Dover, the Sea Cat catamaran ferry from Dover to Ostend and a train from Ostend to Bruges. Still had plenty of time to look around before the Sea Cat back to Dover. Sadly, you cant do that journey anymore.
Spent a month travelling around Europe by train after finishing Polytechnic many years ago. One of my favourite places visited was Florence. From what I hear it is very popular now, but was a lot quieter then.
For sheer quirkiness, Gibraltar is worth a visit. A real odd mixture of Britain and Southern Europe!
Click to expand...
We went between xmas and new year - really great place i know what you mean we were there for several days and only scratched the surface. We had a central hotel not far from the main train station so walked everywhere - even better there was a beer vending machine outside our room door! Great food and Drink friendly people too.
 
stokeimp said:
Agree with Bruges for a weekend. We've been three times and have driven each time - think I'd probably use the railways now though! (Used railway from there to have a day in Brussels on one trip)
Click to expand...

I can remember going there in late teens - the hot choc in the main square was very nice but cost an arm and leg! We did a boat trip too if memory serves lots of lace makers too.
 
bristolimp said:
I can remember going there in late teens - the hot choc in the main square was very nice but cost an arm and leg! We did a boat trip too if memory serves lots of lace makers too.
Click to expand...
A couple of ironies/anecdotes from Bruges

The menus at restaurants were almost like a book, but were presented in a plethora of languages, highlighting how international it is as a destination. But ironically, on one visit, a busker walked along outside the retaurant, with his wife collecting, singing Streets of London; and on our first visit we ended up dancing in the square to a chap on a massive organ singing New York New York!!

And referring lace makers, we went into a shop to buy some lace. My wife had her hair tied back and at the time had gold rim glasses, so could look a bit severe. The shopkeeper gave her change, but on checking, my wife found it was short, and challenged the shopkeeper. Oh, you're English, she said, sorry, I thought you were German.
 
stokeimp said:
A couple of ironies/anecdotes from Bruges

The menus at restaurants were almost like a book, but were presented in a plethora of languages, highlighting how international it is as a destination. But ironically, on one visit, a busker walked along outside the retaurant, with his wife collecting, singing Streets of London; and on our first visit we ended up dancing in the square to a chap on a massive organ singing New York New York!!

And referring lace makers, we went into a shop to buy some lace. My wife had her hair tied back and at the time had gold rim glasses, so could look a bit severe. The shopkeeper gave her change, but on checking, my wife found it was short, and challenged the shopkeeper. Oh, you're English, she said, sorry, I thought you were German.
Click to expand...
good job they didn't think you were American - they would have your paints down.

we were in Venice - another nice place but watch out for the traps the main one being st marks square "café Europe" ouch. we are where the locals ate and it was fine. we were in a bar watching life go by and there were about 4 prices - the American price the German price every other tourist price and the local price. it was so funny as this local guy wanders (must have been 80 with rags as clothes) up orders a drink the puts some coins on the counter - the lady pours him the largest glass of wine I have ever seen and pushes the coins back at him -this was just after she had relieved a yank of his notes for similar drink! we stayed in a lovely hotel you can get the vaporetto for 5 Euro from the airport - we overhead some loud yank telling the owner of the hotel he had just paid 150 bucks for the same journey in a private water taxi
 
You must log in or register to reply here.