How do you travel more when you have a job with limited annual leave? By planning jaunts on the weekends, of course. Welcome to the glory of the city break.
We didn’t exactly invent the concept of short trips to new cities, but there’s a reason people have been doing it as long as tourism has been around. There’s no better way to spend a few days than cramming them absolutely full of food, history and nightlife in a new city.
But even without using up any leave, there are only so many holidays that you can take in one year. That’s where our list of Europe’s best city breaks for 2026 will come in handy.
Our team of editors and travel writers have been up and down the continent many, many times, so they know which places are worth your time. They’ve pooled together their years of knowledge to help you decide where your first trip of 2026 should take you.
And their top recommendation? Milan, Italy’s most stylish city – and that’s saying something.
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There’s a lot to love about Milan. Although it is the second-largest city in the country, it’s easily explored in just a few days because a lot of the most famous attractions – such as the Duomo cathedral and historical centre – are pretty tightly packed together. This makes it walkable and compact without feeling small or claustrophobic. It goes without saying that it’s also a great place to go shopping.
But why now? Next month, the city will host the 2026 Winter Olympics. Expect a lot of excitement, busy bars, and (if the Italian team is securing some medals) overall great vibes. Between the high energy of the tournament and the city’s ‘roster of historic landmarks, stylish streets, and unbeatable dining’, ’s Ella Doyle reckons it should be ‘a fixture on any and all travel bucket lists’.
Vienna, ‘one of Europe’s most magical year-round destinations’ was our second pick, and Slovakia’s Trencin came in third because this year it has earned the title of European Capital of Culture.
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