These are the 39 best European city break destinations – and the no.1 is VERY cheap

BRITS have weighed in to reveal their favourite city breaks across Europe and the top spot has £30 return flights.

British holidaymakers ranked their top city breaks based on food and drink, accommodation, cultural sights and attractions, shopping, ease of getting around, lack of crowds and value for money.

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In the survey conducted by Which?, Krakow in Poland achieved the top spot, with an impressive overall score of 92 per cent.

This marks the fifth year the Polish city has come out on top.

Named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978, Krakow was the only destination to score five stars for value for money.

On average, accommodation in the city costs just £86 per night.

And if you want a beer, you can pick one up for around 15 zł (£3.05) in the Market Square, a historic spot in the city.

If you fancy a bevvy to take back to your accommodation, then you can grab a beer at the supermarket for as low as 3 zł (61p).

Flights are cheap as well, with a return ticket from London costing as little as £30 for October.

The city also scored four stars for its cultural attractions.

In the Old Town, travellers will find numerous beautiful buildings that have intriguing pasts and now house many cafes and restaurants.

For example, head to Rynek Główny and you will find a number of museums and landmarks, such as St Mary’s Basilica, which has Gothic spires, a famous wooden altarpiece inside and each day there is even a trumpet call.

You can also visit one of Krakow’s newest museums, Rynek Underground, which sits underneath the main square and is home to multiple excavated foundations, that date back to when Krakow was first discovered.

For some retail therapy, venture to Cloth Hall, which is often noted as the world’s oldest shopping mall and sells a lot of amber jewellery, which Poland is famous for.

If you want to explore further afield as well, Krakow is only a 40-minute drive from Auschwitz – the largest of the German Nazi concentration camps and extermination centre, which was used during World War II.

Travel writer, Rob Crossan told Sun Travel that ‘Bar Singer’ is a great spot to visit in Krakow.

He said: “Every table in this bar has a vintage sewing machine on it and it really gets wild late at night. Much dancing on tables.”

And ‘Bar Wodka’ is another good choice.

He added: “[It] has the largest choice of vodka I’ve ever seen anywhere.

“I think I had hazelnut vodka when I went there though there must be at least 99 other flavours.”

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As for sightseeing, Rob revealed that the most interesting museum is Oscar Schindler’s factory, which is now a memorial for Holocaust victims.

And if you want to grab a bite, head to Grandma’s Kitchen.

Rob said: “I liked the pierogi with potatoes, cottage cheese and sour cream the best.”

He added: “Krakow is just a great city for walking around really.

“You can’t miss the Gothic spires of St. Mary’s Basilica and the Renaissance style Cloth Hall is right by what I think is Europe’s largest medieval square.

“There are so many streets lined with Art Nouveau townhouses and in Kazimierz, the old synagogues are right next to modern cafés.”

The city that then came in second was Venice in Italy, scoring 90 per cent and was awarded five stars for its accommodation, cultural sights and attractions.

Yet, the city was found to be more on the expensive side achieving just two stars for value, with a one-night stay costing around £132 on average.

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And it also scored only one star for crowds.

Two cities came in third place – Valencia in Spain and the Austrian capital, Vienna – both scoring 89 per cent.

Valencia is Spain’s third largest city and is loved for its food and drink, scoring five stars in the Which survey.

The city also scored four stars for ease of getting around and it achieved the title of best value city in Spain, alongside Malaga, with an average one night staying costing £106.

On the other hand, Vienna was described by one survey respondent as “Disneyland for adults”, also achieving five stars for ease of getting around, food and drink, cultural sights and tourist attractions.

Yet, the city also gained three stars for value for money with a night’s stay costing around £104 a night.

Istanbul was new to the top five, with an overall score of 88 per cent and also achieving a full five stars for food and drink and cultural sights.

Istanbul also has one of the lowest costs for a night stay at just £68 on average.

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Naomi Leach, deputy editor of Which? travel said: “Whether you are looking for culture, art, history or top gastronomy, there are several European cities that deliver.

“Book ahead and choose to visit off season to secure the best prices.

“British holidaymakers who look beyond the most famous destinations, can find great value for money in foodie escapes, such as Krakow and Valencia.

“Despite the crowds, classic city breaks Venice and Vienna scored highly with visitors due to their unparalleled cultural attractions.”

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