City breaks

Cities are where people, culture and commerce crowd together in a muddled tapestry that’s always fascinating to explore. They’re often the best places to really get a sense of a country’s soul.

Our portfolio of destinations features numerous cities of varying nature: romantic European cities, those damaged by war and re-built, exotic, colourful cities like Rio, hot, dusty cities full of trinkets like Marrakech, cities on the ocean, cities in the mountains. The choice is endless.

City breaks are great for a long weekend, for longer holidays when you city-hop, or when you combine one with something else you want to experience. We can craft a city-break adventure of great discovery that ends on a desert island, with a river cruise or deep in the rainforest. Almost anything is possible. Take a look at just the ideas below, then contact our travel specialists for a tailor-made city break adventure.

Idea 01: Italy’s great cities

Italy is the perfect place for a city break. Brimming with culture and romance, you could start in Venice, gliding down the waterways in a Gondola and taking in the famous sights and markets. Next, explore Florence, home of the renaissance, before finishing in Rome, the ’Eternal City’, where you can wander through the Baroque squares of the old town, and take in the wondrous Forum and Colosseum.

Idea 02: Diversity in Hong Kong

If you want to head a little further a field for a city break, Hong Kong is an amazing place to visit,
with its rich culture and heritage. A past punctuated by prosperity, colonial influences and war has made Hong Kong the diverse and mysterious city it is today. We have a range of luxury hotels to choose from here, some overlooking the harbour. While you’re here, we suggest taking the tram up to the Victoria Peak for a stroll around the gardens, and shopping along Nathan Road. You could follow up a city break here with an escape to the Philippines, for a bit of desert island bliss before home.

Idea 03: Fine dining in Cape Town

Cape Town is one of South Africa’s most cosmopolitan cities, with a strong European flavour. A break here should definitely include visiting the beautiful public gardens, sampling as much as of the amazing, eclectic cuisine and fine wines as possible, and a trip up Table Mountain for the incredible views. We offer a large and varied range of hotels here, and it’s easy to combine a Cape Town city break with a safari, a venture into the winelands or a beach escape to Mauritius.

Idea 04: Culture to countryside in Seville

In Seville you can immerse yourself in the culture and beauty of the city, enjoy its lively tapas bars, wander through the maze of narrow cobbled streets, visit the cathedral, climb the Giralda and explore the Alcazar. You could stay in the historic quarter, in a typically Moorish property. Next, how about heading to the countryside for horse-riding across the Andalucian plains and enjoying the contrasting peace and quiet.

Idea 05: City beats in South America

Soak up the romance of Buenos Aires, the spectacular high Andes of Argentina’s desert northwest, the unmissable Iguazu Falls and the steamy seduction of Rio. Buenos Aires is tango, polo, leafy boulevards and dazzling culture. Salta is a magnificent colonial city, the gateway to the magical and spectacular puna, a high-altitude desert with flamingo-filled saltpans, volcanoes and Andean villages frozen in time. Rio is carnivals, bright lights, bright colours, Sugar Loaf mountain, the Statue of Christ and hot Brazilian beaches. This is a city break to touch all the senses.