They may not be on everyone’s bucket list, but these seven superb cities are perfect for someone’s short break this autumn – and all with return flights under £40!
1. Katowice, Poland from £23
Leave Krakow to the stags and check out cool Katowice, one of Poland’s less-visited cities. You could easily spend your time eating and drinking cheap beer, but make sure you check out the Park of Culture and Rest, one of the best parks in Europe, complete with bizarre horizontal chairlift.
2. Charleroi, Belgium from £30
Use Charleroi as a budget airline gateway for Brussels, or take advantage of the cheap flights on offer and explore the not-very-visited region of Belgium, Wallonia. Wander round the street markets of Charleroi itself or grab some fresh – go walking in autumnal countryside in the Ardennes.
3. Paris (Beauvais), France from £30
Ok, the cheapest flights to Paris are to Beauvais, which isn’t quite slap bang in the city centre, but a short-ish bus journey takes you into the heart of gay Paris, so you can save your money for splashing out on an atmospheric hotel in Montmartre to impress your other half.
4. Leipzig, Germany from £36
Leipzig hasn’t received great press down the years, but if Berlin is just too trendy for you, check out this booming eastern German city where coffee lovers will discover their mecca at the 17th century Zum Arabischen Coffe Baum, one of the oldest surviving coffee houses in Europe.
5. Turin, Italy from £36
Milan may strut its stuff as the style capital of Italy, but Turin hits the sweet spot as the country’s chocolate capital. You could spend a weekend eating, but be sure to stroll around town to admire its neo-classical and baroque architecture. You’ll deserve an aperitivo after all that gentle activity.
6. Asturias, Spain from £36
Instead of southern Spain, why not try the north? The Asturias region is home to Oviedo, the historic capital city, and Gijon, a coastal town with its many fishing villages and beaches. For an even cooler experience, try the mountain range of Picos de Europa national park, 20km from the coast.
7. Gothenburg, Sweden from £37
Stockholm has a reputation for being an expensive city to visit, while Gothenburg is both cheaper and little-visited by tourists. Splash your spending cash on a shopping spree on Kungsportsavenyn Boulevard that has been compared with the ‘Champs Élysées’, while Saluhallen market is a must-do for foodies.
