Amsterdam, Phoebe Luckhurst
Yes, it has a reputation as a flytrap for students who want to trip on magic mushrooms — but if you leave the XXX-rated streets behind, there’s a grown-up city to discover. The Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museums are must-sees — the former for its Dutch Old Masters, the latter for a rich exhibition that spotlights the range of Van Gogh’s work. A more off-piste suggestion? The Dutch Resistance Museum in Plantage, a moving collection of interactive exhibits that explore the realities of the Nazi invasion during the war. Amsterdam isn’t a foodie city — again, the stoners probably don’t help — although there are gems to discover. Tacos + Tequila in Liedseplein — mango margaritas and Mexican food — and it’s worth the walk to Brouwerij’t IJ, a brewery on Funenkade situated inside an old bath house, to have a hoppy IPA in the spring sunshine. Otherwise, you can fill a long weekend wandering around the Jordaan, picking which elegant canal house you’d most like (presuming you have a spare £1.5 million to drop). Stay at the Conservatorium (from £690; conservatoriumhotel.com) — a stunning hotel a stone’s throw from the Museumplein — or, for real push-the-boat out glamour, Hotel TwentySeven (from £534; hoteltwentyseven.com), a quirky boutique hotel near Dam Square whose 16 suites are pure madcap luxury.
Eurostar from €57 one-way.
Cork, Jessie Thompson
Heaven is a weekend in Cork, the foodie capital of Ireland and its second largest city. The famed nearby Ballymaloe Cookery School is held in such high regard that people speak of it in awed tones, and you’ll find many of its graduates working in the city’s top eating spots, such as Dwyers of Cork and Greenes. There’s also the English Market, where you can pick up local produce — the Queen once paid a visit to fishmonger Pat O’Connell, and if it’s good enough for Liz, it’s good enough for us. For a day trip, take a train down to coastal Cobh, a pretty little spot with a fascinating history (it was the Titanic’s last port of call before it set off on its voyage). But the best way to enjoy Cork is to stroll along the gorgeous River Lee and then hunker down in one of its characterful pubs. Grumpy Londoners will soon get used to the fact that this is one of the friendliest places ever, and by the time you leave you’ll have made about 50 new friends.
Flights from £55
Copenhagen, Katie Rosseinsky
Nyhavn harbour, with its stretch of colourful townhouses, will be heaving with fellow tourists over the Easter weekend, so head a little further down the waterfront to the bar at the imposing Copenhagen Opera House for riverside views without the crowds. Stroll to Torvehallerne market for street food or venture to Kødbyen, the old meatpacking district, where warehouse buildings now house restaurants like Mother (pizza) and Hija de Sanchez (tacos). For your cultural fix, hop on a train out of town to Humlebæk, where you’ll find the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, with exhibitions celebrating the work of photographer Diane Arbus and Sonia Delaunay’s bold, colourful paintings and textiles, plus a dazzling Yayoi Kusama installation (if you’ve tried and failed to book in at the Tate). Fans of mid-century Scandi design should check in to the Hotel Alexandra (from £129; hotelalexandra.dk), where the rooms are kitted out with vintage pieces by the likes of Arne Jacobsen and Finn Juhl.
Flights from £184
Reykjavik, Jessica Benjamin
With a population of just over 130,000, Reykjavik is the quietly spoken yet infinitely cool little sister to the classic Scandi city break big-hitters. For Easter weekend, there’s still a biting chill in the air so wrap up warm and head to the Laugavegur shopping street for its cosy pubs/bars/cafés/bookshops (every business seems to roll into one in the Icelandic capital). Bravo is a good first stop, particularly during happy hour. For eating spots, try incredible cinnamon buns at Brauð & Co, Icelandic ramen at MoMo or, if you’re doing it for the ‘gram, head to Punk for cool cocktails and, er, whale. Retire for the evening at the bar of newly opened Reykjavik EDITION (from £328; editionhotels.com/reykjavik), before heading up to stay in one of its casually luxe bedrooms — once you slip into one of its robes, you’ll never want to leave.
Flights from £160
Madrid, Katie Strick
Rooftop DJ sets and world-beating art. Boating and roller-blading in tree-lined Retiro Park. Calamari sandwiches, Spanish tortilla and buckets of sangria. Madrid is quickly becoming one of Europe’s hottest party pads for weekend jet-setters and artsy types looking for a sun-soaked minibreak with a cool-continental vibe and plenty of culture. Spain’s capital is famous for its “golden triangle” of art museums (see: Picasso and Salvador Dali at the Reina Sofia museum) and a flurry of five-star openings with buzzy rooftops are giving ME Madrid Reina Victoria’s sexy seventh-floor Radio Rooftop a run for its money (mebymelia.com). After the success of his Barcelona outpost, hotel designer Ian Schrager has just opened a new EDITION on the Gran Via, with two award-winning chefs and Madrid’s biggest rooftop pool (editionhotels.com). The Four Seasons and Rosewood (fourseasons.com; rosewoodhotels.com) have both opened there in the past 18 months, the W Hotel (w-hotels.marriott.com) is on its way and the city’s Hotel Ritz — a favourite of J-Lo, Elton John and Mark Wahlberg — has just undergone a £85 million transformation courtesy of the Mandarin Oriental (mandarinoriental.com). The Hard Rock Hotel also opened in the heart of Madrid’s museum triangle in July and features David Bowie and Prince murals in the lobby bar and Chuck Berry’s old Gibson guitar.
Flights from £26
Geneva, David Ellis
Thoughts of Geneva tend to come with the sound of cash-registers clanging and dour men in serious suits. And while the Swiss city is a money hub, it is also surprisingly serene, somewhere to forget the rest of the world for a moment. Surrounded on all sides by mountains, it feels hidden away. Taking a car and climbing the winding roads offers not just incredible views but a chance to visit the vineyards. Fewer than two per cent of Swiss wine is exported, but both red and white are widely made to incredibly high standards by small, independent makers; top vineyards to start with include Lavaux, Badoux Vins and Domaine Chappuis. Interestingly, truffle tours operate through the hills as well. Food-lovers should pick their hotel carefully; among the best for this is the Woodward (from £890; oetkercollection.com), which boasts both the theatrical, celebrated L’atelier Robuchon and Le Jardinier, where Michelin-starred Chef Alain Verzeroli is making waves. The high-tech, five-star lakeside hotel is also happily close to the Carouge district, the old town where French and Italian influences compete, and small bars spill out into the streets full of cheerful crowds. A secret of a city.
Flights from £31
Lisbon, Rosie Fitzmaurice
One of the sunniest cities in Europe, Lisbon is the capital with clear skies, cobbled streets and steep hill climbs rewarded with postcard-perfect panoramic views (do pack your sneaks). For a central base with a buzz, you can’t get a much better location than Mama Shelter’s latest outpost Lisboa (from €89; mamashelter.com). Set in the heart of the city, close to Avenida da Liberdade and Principe Real, with a restaurant serving up revisited tapas and a soon-to-open rooftop, which promises to become one of the city’s coolest new hangouts. Ponto Final, a restaurant on the waterfront in Almada, across the river, is where it’s at for amazingly fresh seafood with a no-frills atmosphere, while drinks at Foxtrot are always fun, the speakeasy has a secret door you have to ring a bell to get into. The best bit about Lisbon? You’ve got an entire city to explore as well as plenty of nearby beaches. Head to IrmaÌo on Praia do Castelo for all the boho beach vibes and sensational sunsets. Bag a Bali bed and feast on their famous pizzas, best washed down with their inventive cocktails.
Flights from £185
Florence, Nancy Durrant
It’s hard to overstate the sheer, eye-popping beauty of Florence, one of the great centres of the Italian Renaissance and stuffed with tick-box art and architecture. The Uffizi is one of those museums you walk around going, “Ohhhh, wow, they’ve got that!” over and over again. Except for Michelangelo’s David — that’s in the Accademia,
15 minutes walk away. And the food is as close to heaven as the art. Make time for lunch at Trattoria Sergio Gozzi, a no-frills joint round the side of San Lorenzo — the key is to march to the door and put your name down, then join the back of the inevitable queue. For an elevated take on Tuscan traditions, try Cibrèo Trattoria on Via de’ Macchi, the cheaper version of the famous (and eye-wateringly expensive) Cibrèo Ristorante next door. End your evening among the chic minimalism of Milu design hotel near the Palazzo Strozzi, or for something more opulent, there’s The Relais Santa Croce, which will make you feel like Cosimo Medici himself.
Return flights from £120
Athens, Prudence Ivey
No longer just the gateway to the islands, Athens has for several years now been building up its reputation as southern Europe’s coolest capital. Start your minibreak among the anarchists, artists and students of Exarchia, still an alternative mecca, although since the election of a right-wing mayor in 2020 it’s no longer the police-free zone it once was. Stop for a coffee at Cafenion on Exarchion Square then stroll through well-heeled Kolonaki for a hike up Lycabettus Hill or down to the Benaki Museum or the Museum of Cycladic Art. Don’t skip the big hitters, the Acropolis is well worth it if you’ve never crossed it off your list. Then it’s time for shopping – grab bargain bags of Greek mountain tea, herbs and spices at the Central Market before lunch at Diporto, a historic basement spot for tasty rustic Greek food. There’s no menu, but you’ll feast on whatever sardines, salads and stews are being made that day. Start the evening at the vibey Cantina Social in nearby Monastiraki, make friends and see where the night takes you.
Flights from £33
