Best city break destinations for 2024

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Fashions might come and go, however the city break stays perennially well-liked, giving travellers the prospect to take in tradition, historical past and structure, and dive into an unfamiliar foods and drinks scene – all with out having to take greater than a few days of annual go away.

There are thriving metropolises to find, nonetheless faraway you fancy reserving a visit, from home breaks proper on the doorstep to European capitals, from Asian mega-cities to American city destinations.

While some cities are all the time value visiting, others actually come into their very own after they’ve acquired one thing to shout about – whether or not it’s gaining a title like European Capital of Culture, internet hosting a significant sporting occasion, or welcoming a brand new world-class exhibition.

Need inspiration to select your subsequent getaway? The Independent’s journey crew has rounded up the cities we’re most enthusiastic about probably visiting in 2024, from outdated favourites to new up-and-comers.

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Tirana, Albania

All flight paths – nicely, seven of them – result in Mother Teresa worldwide airport this summer time. The Albanian capital will probably be extraordinarily nicely linked with the UK. Flights between Luton and Tirana are promoting for below £50 return in May, on the a number of every day departures on Wizz Air. Ryanair will compete to the Albanian capital from 5 UK airports – Birmingham, Bristol, Manchester, Edinburgh and London Stansted – whereas British Airways continues to function from London Heathrow. The customer will probably be greeted warmly on this Adriatic nation, which is lastly a pressure on the European tourism scene. Tirana is a cheery muddle: quasi-Parisian boulevards, tangled Balkan backstreets and brutal socialist modernism. The Twenty first-century capital is buzzing with building work on new services together with the InterContinental Hotel overlooking Skanderbeg Square within the coronary heart of the city. Many cheap choices can be found; I paid £35 final month for an excellent room (with breakfast) on the Hotel Idea. Much awaits the curious customer, together with a former nuclear bunker turned museum that lifts the lid on the acute hard-line communism that turned Albania right into a European model of North Korea for a long time. Simon Calder, journey correspondent

Bradford, UK

I do know, I do know – the considered Bradford might not instantly conjure up a picture of a glamorous getaway. But the West Yorkshire city is gearing up for a stint as UK Capital of Culture in 2025 and, as such, is already enhancing its providing for guests in 2024. Key to this renaissance is Bradford Live, a challenge that can see the magnificent artwork deco constructing previously generally known as the Bradford Odeon, initially constructed within the Thirties, restored to its former glory. This new leisure hub is predicted to draw 300,000 guests a 12 months with a calendar of greater than 200 music, comedy and household leisure occasions yearly. The city’s Bradford Literature Festival, working from 28 June-7 July, may also have a good time its 10-year anniversary in 2024. Helen Coffey, journey editor

Izmir, Turkey

I’ve sailed over to Bodrum’s whitewashed homes, partied late into the night time in Antalya, and marvelled on the stunning medley of structure in Istanbul. Now it’s time to show my consideration to Izmir, on the west coast of Turkey that reaches furthest into Europe and is lapped by the shimmering Aegean waters that fill its namesake bay. This 12 months will probably be even simpler to achieve the nation’s third-largest city, with new weekly British Airways routes from London Heathrow starting on 18 May – it’s slightly below 4 hours within the air from the UK capital to Adnan Menderes airport. What awaits are fascinating ruins (Izmir was the Greek city of Smyrna, so go to the vaulted chambers of the agora), maze-like bazaars, and strolls alongside the promenade. An ideal “alternative” vacation spot if you need coastal sunshine with out being surrounded by holidaymakers. Benjamin Parker, deputy journey editor

Derry/Londonderry, Northern Ireland

The northwestern-most city within the UK is completely different in so some ways. A wall wraps proper across the core of Derry/Londonderry, correctly known as to respect sectarian sensibilities. The generally used impartial time period “the city on the Foyle” hints on the excellent pure environment. Over the centuries it has usually been a scene of tragedy. But a quarter-century on for the reason that Good Friday Agreement, and ultimately it’s being recognised as an outstanding short-break location. As a part of the peace course of, in 2003 the outdated Ebrington Barracks got to the individuals. Tens of thousands and thousands of kilos of funding has created a cultural and leisure area like no different within the UK. And from this 12 months Ryanair will fly you to City of Derry airport from Birmingham in addition to Manchester. SC

Berlin, Germany

The German capital has lengthy been a agency city break favorite, because of its compelling mix of a hard-to-beat nightlife scene, world-class museums and galleries, bang-on-trend eating choices and sobering historic websites from the final century. But from subsequent 12 months it turns into much more engaging for these eager to journey by prepare from the UK, with a number of new sleeper prepare choices kicking off from the tail-end of 2023. The European Sleeper service runs from Brussels to Berlin 3 times every week, making railing it from London a breeze – merely hop on the Eurostar to Brussels and alter. Plus a Nightjet Brussels-Berlin service has additionally began on alternate nights, enabling travellers to take this route six nights every week. It means a weekend break by prepare is completely potential if you happen to go away on a Friday night and return on Sunday night time. And on 12 December 2023, Austrian Railways’ Nightjet model launched a Paris-Berlin in a single day service too. Talk about spoilt for alternative! HC

Kansas City, USA

First issues first: we’re speaking Kansas City in Missouri (reasonably than its western neighbour of the identical title subsequent door in Kansas). It’s a potent mixture of jazz, historical past and meals, and most famously the house of the Kansas City-style barbecue, famend for the thick, candy sauce that’s both cooked into, or served with, big slabs of meat. The “City of Fountains” additionally discovered itself within the highlight after Taylor Swift started courting Kansas City Chiefs participant Travis Kelce final 12 months. If burnt ends or “Bad Blood” don’t get your motor working, there’s additionally a (quirky) sporting occasion to get you visiting. The inaugural “PickleCon” is on the town 8–11 August, with greater than 100 courts for pickleball, one in every of America’s fastest-growing sports activities (it’s a wierd hybrid of tennis, badminton and desk tennis). If you need to mix consuming with competitors, the American Royal World Series of Barbecue is the most important contest of its type on the planet, happening in KC from 27 September-1 October. If you’re something like me, you’ll spend loads of time within the up-and-coming West Bottoms district. Beyond the splendidly Carry On title, the previous industrial neighbourhood has gone hipster, stuffed with thrift shops and vintage outlets, wineries and cosy eating places. BP

Marseille, France

The 2024 Olympics – Paris, absolutely? In reality, the second French city will probably be staging a number of the soccer matches and internet hosting the crusing occasions through the Games. Marseille may also be the primary city to welcome the Olympic flame on French soil. The flame will arrive on the outdated port, which has been serving the city for millennia – the Greeks and Romans have been right here in pressure. The city has already picked up the gold medal for reinvention: a tricky port city has reworked right into a metropolis to match Nice for fashion, attractiveness and cultural generosity to guests. All it wants now could be the restoration of the direct rail hyperlink from London – which took fortunate travellers from the Thames to the Mediterranean in six hours flat. SC

Oviedo, Spain

Spain’s oft-overlooked capital of the northern Asturias area deserves extra consideration than it at the moment will get from vacationers. Unlike a number of the nation’s cities that wrestle with overtourism, Oviedo by comparability is quiet, rustic, inexperienced – and a haven for foodies. Even extra so in 2024, when its delicacies is being formally recognised with the title “Spanish Capital of Gastronomy”. The city is house to 6 protected designations of origin for its cheeses, wines and cider, and has a plethora of tasty native specialities to pattern whereas on a visit there, from fabada, a bean stew made with chorizo and morcilla sausages, to pastel de cabracho, a “fish pudding” made with scorpion fish that’s completely accompanied by a glass of native cider. HC

Valencia, Spain

I fell for Valencia on my first go to in 2023; Spain’s third-largest city is bursting with a youthful vitality, particularly in neighbourhoods like Russafa. It’s been rising in reputation with British holidaymakers – 12 per cent extra visited final 12 months than in 2022 – and the subsequent 12 months are massive for the Mediterranean spot because it takes up the place of European Green Capital 2024. An simple method to lighten your footprint when there’s to discover on two wheels, one thing Valencia appears tailored for: cycle-friendly pedestrians transfer on the ding of a bell as you wind down cobbled alleys to achieve wide-open squares of fountains, church buildings and landmarks. Jardín del Turia, the longest city inexperienced area in Europe that snakes for 9km and contains intricate bridges, pine bushes and ponds, can be one for biking by means of. It’s a bodily instance of Valencia’s drive to “go green”, ending on the unmissable City of Arts and Sciences – a recent, otherworldly complicated the place artwork, science and tradition meet. BP

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