The weekend getaway season is open: the 10 cities you still want to see
Unfortunately but true: the holiday season seems to be coming to an end. Either you are one of the lucky few who still gets a vacation, but in my surroundings, the rest is slowly preparing for autumn, and worse: the winter blues. Skipping winter in the Netherlands and spending time in a tropical paradise is the absolute best prospect. But yes, let's not get ahead of ourselves, because that winter will (thankfully) last a while longer. We have now arrived at what I call the weekend getaway season. Holidays behind us, still wanting to get away for a bit, so you quickly end up planning a weekend (or midweek) trip to a nice city. And I’ve made a top 10 of those nice cities for you. All you have to do is choose one and book that ticket. Should be doable, right? Let’s go.
Valencia
I find a weekend getaway in autumn the best when there is sun and a terrace. In terms of Spanish cities, this is my all-time favorite and it definitely ranks in the top 3 of all cities. Valencia is just super fun. Tapas in abundance, of course, the city is not too big, you can bike there (which I like), there’s plenty to do in the evenings, and if you’re really lucky with the weather, you can head straight to the beach. Or have drinks at one of the nice beach bars. As I said: Valencia is just super fun.
Here you want to stay: Casual Valencia de Las Artes.
Rome
Ah, bella Italia. You can say what you want, that Rome has become too touristy, too expensive, too crowded; I don’t care. It remains such a uniquely beautiful city. A city that never loses its charm for me. Sure, you have to avoid the tourist traps. But if you do: so much delicious food here. And wine. Oh, that Italian wine. For me, Rome is an open-air museum that amazes me every time.
Here you want to stay: Hotel Mecenate Palace.
Côte d’Azur
This coast consists of several cities, so if you’re going for a longer stay, be sure to visit more than one. Cannes is nice, remains nice, but Nice is my personal favorite. French wine (wine is an important part of a weekend getaway for me) and French cheeses. A trip to Monaco is easily made with a train ride, which also gives you incredibly beautiful views. The city isn’t big, so you can discover it on foot. If you want to jet-set more, then you have Saint-Tropez, Cannes is always an option (ha, ha), but Juan-les-Pins, Sainte-Maxime, and Antibes are also recommended for a day trip.
Prague
Hey, don’t scroll past immediately. Yes, Prague is cold and maybe not the first city you think of for a city trip, but Prague is also very beautiful and – for now – relatively undiscovered, although that is changing. So if you prefer a surprising city trip; really, go here. I dare say this city will surprise you positively. If not, complaints can be addressed to me. Also, Prague is super budget-friendly (although that might change in the coming years), full of hotspots (yes, really) and once again: So. Incredibly. Beautiful.
Moscow
If you found Prague too cold, then I fear you’ve completely checked out here, but that would be quite unfair. Moscow is a must-visit. Team Amayzine went ahead of you and Team Amayzine is fully on board. You might be surprised that it’s quite a colorful city, has great food, and you can shop to your heart's content at the (expensive, that’s true) stores. It won’t surprise you that all the stereotypes about vodka are true and drinking a Moscow Mule in Moscow is therefore also on my bucket list.
Texel
Yes, our own Ibiza of the north is also just perfectly fine for a weekend getaway. Especially if you’re going with a group and can’t agree on flight times and such: just go by car and ferry. You really feel like you’ve been away here. This year I went with about twelve girls for three nights to Texel and maybe it doesn’t win from ‘real’ Ibiza, but it came pretty close, you know. Super fun restaurants and discovering the island by bike. Wonderful.
Here you want to stay: Hotel Bij Jef (and eat in the restaurant).
Tel Aviv
A city you want to have been to. No, it’s not cheap, but it’s worth every euro. If you really only have two days to be here, it might be a bit short, but if you have a midweek off: do it. If you have a vegan heart, then you absolutely want to go here: Tel Aviv is also called the vegan capital of the world. In terms of culinary enjoyment, it’s definitely good, but it’s also a nice city to walk through, it’s not that big after all.
Here you want to stay: Poli House by Brown Hotels.
Seville
For the greatest chance of sun, head to southern Spain, to Andalusia. And then this city is the most fun, in my opinion. In the summer, it’s not a degree or a hundred, or at least that’s how it feels. The city is not on the coast, so it can feel quite hot. That’s why I would recommend this city especially in spring or autumn, because then you don’t have to hop from air conditioning to air conditioning. That would be a shame, there’s plenty to experience. And it’s perfectly doable on foot, which I always find a big plus in a city.
Dublin
This is a tip aimed at budget travelers. Tickets to Dublin are often really cheap: for example, 17 euros per flight, it’s not far to fly (so it’s manageable if you can only go for a weekend) and the hotels are also very affordable. Additionally, it’s a nice city, but not so special (sorry Dublin) that you want to stay there for a week. In other words: if you want to get away for a weekend, do active things, and especially just enjoy good food and drinks (even if you don’t like Guinness, this is a great destination, you know): Dublin is the way to go.
Marrakech
I warn you in advance, if you’re only going here for a (long) weekend, you’re going to regret it. You’ll definitely want to stay longer. Staying in one of the beautiful riads and endlessly shopping at a souk; you can easily spend a week or longer here. But even if you have a shorter time, this is a very nice city to visit. Exceptionally beautiful and you will definitely feel like you’ve had a vacation. Oh, and take a ride on a camel. Bucket list item? I think so.
Here you want to stay: Riad Jardin Des Sens.
