BEST FOR CITY BREAKS

For those who like their sunshine with a side order of history, culture and entertainment, these are the places to head for some urban action

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A GRAND REUNION

WITH PARIS

Such is the metaphorical distance that has sprung up between Britain and France during the pandemic that you might almost forget you can flit from capital to capital by rail in two hours. Almost. The Eurostar remains a direct line to Paris and the Gallic heartbeat looks at its best in summer sunshine playing on the fountains in the Jardin des Tuileries.

Four nights at the four-star Grand Pigalle Hotel at the foot of Montmartre, leaving St Pancras on July 28, starts at £384 a head with Eurostar (0343 218 6186; eurostar.com).

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FOOD FOR THOUGHT IN LYON

The Eurostar network will also carry you to France’s gastronomic hotspot at the meeting of the Rhône and the Saône rivers (in about four hours and 40 minutes; from around £190 return). Lyon likes to claim it has a better food scene than Paris and can back up its boast in the restaurants of the Old Town and the Presqu’île district. Fourvière, meanwhile, offers a Notre Dame basilica to match the capital’s and a Roman amphitheatre to eclipse it.

A four-night stay at the four-star Hotel Carlton Lyon, flying from Heathrow on August 25, costs from £432 per person via Last Minute (0871 277 1070; lastminute.com).

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GO BEYOND THE

BEACH IN VALLETTA Malta’s promotion last week to the green list reaffirmed the country’s position as a great option for Mediterranean seaside breaks – but its capital deserves as much attention as its beaches. Valletta is one of Europe’s most dramatically photogenic cities: its walls plunge into its deep-water harbour and St John’s Co-Cathedral is a study in Baroque grandeur.

A seven-night getaway to the Phoenicia (a five-star with pools, gardens and a luxury spa, at the gate to the medieval city), flying from Heathrow on August 7, starts at £1,087 per person through British Airways Holidays (0344 493 0787; ba.com/holidays).

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ART AND ELEGANCE IN PALMA

Many tourists are just as oblivious to life beyond the sand on the largest Balearic island, neglecting Majorca’s capital, in all its fizz and sparkle. Palma is as thrilling a Spanish city as any on the mainland: its

A real Eiffel: take the train and swoop into the heart of Paris

Howdy to Gaudi: the architect’s Parc Guell in Barcelona cathedral La Seu is a 13th-century jewel, the Paseo del Borne is alive with boutiques, and the Fundacio Miró full of work by the titular artist.

Scott Dunn (020 3131 8481; scottdunn. com) offers seven-night stays at the five-star St Regis Mardavall Majorca from £2,600 per person (with flights). 75

SIMPLE SOPHISTICATION IN COPENHAGEN

While Reykjavik has been the most accessible Nordic capital of late (Iceland having been greenlisted in May), its Danish counterpart may be a more exciting option for a long weekend. Copenhagen deals in both simple pleasures (a harbour stroll to see the statue of the Little Mermaid beside the Kastellet fortress) and sophisticated ones: its SMK museum has work by Picasso and Matisse; Noma is one of the world’s most eulogised restaurants.

A three-night stay at the four-star 71 Nyhavn hotel costs from £836pp, with flights, via Kirker Holidays (020 7593 1899; kirkerholidays.com).

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COMBINE CUSTARD AND COAST IN LISBON

The Portuguese capital’s game of hokey-cokey with the UK’s green list during May and June has done nothing to diminish its appeal. Lisbon is a delight, from the ramparts of São Jorge castle on its hilltop to the mournful fado music of the Alfama district that spreads out below it, via as many custard tarts as you can eat in riverside Belém. And if that isn’t enough, follow the Tagus river 15 miles west for seaside fun in the resort-town of Cascais. A four-night stay at the four-star Pousada de Lisboa, flying from Bristol on August 6, starts at £603 per person with easyJet Holidays (0330 551 5160; easyjet.com /holidays).

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DOUBLE BUBBLE IN PORTUGAL’S SECOND CITY A weekend in Lisbon’s eternal rival is effectively a case of two cities for the price of one. Porto occupies the north bank of the Douro in glorious fashion: its 12th-century cathedral a doughty mix of Romanesque and Baroque styles; Matosinhos, its Atlantic dock area, alive with superb restaurants. But cross the Ponte Luis I – the famous double-deck arch bridge over the river – and you land in Vila Nova de Gaia, with its many port wine lodges.

A four-night stay at the five-star Infante de Sagres hotel, flying from Gatwick on September 8, costs from £626 per person via Travelbag (020 3944 2334; travelbag.co.uk).

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A FINE EIXAMPLE IN BARCELONA

Catalonia’s beauty by the beach is rarely too far from tourists’ thoughts, but a break in Barcelona does not have to be a sociallyundistanced scrum with a million other travellers. The El Palace hotel, set salubriously on a corner in the upmarket Eixample district, boasts a rooftop pool and offers sailing jaunts and wine tastings to go with its five-star finesse.

A four-night stay at the El Palace (hotelpalacebarcelona.com), flying from Stansted on August 18, costs from £520 per person, with Expedia (020 3788 0445; expedia.co.uk).

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EXPLORE AUTUMNAL ATHENS

A break in the Greek capital can be akin to an ordeal from ancient mythology if you visit in July or August when its cluttered streets are infernally hot (32C and up). Wait until September or October, however, and the mercury dips to the more bearable high-20s, making the climb up the Acropolis far less tiring and an evening eating al-fresco at one of the restaurants in Psiri less of a battle with the heat.

A four-night stay at the four-star Novus City Hotel, leaving Bristol on September 29, starts at £440 per person with Olympic Holidays (020 8492 6868; olympicholidays.com).

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DOWN TO THE WATER IN ZURICH

There is always a joy to going up into the Alpine world in summer. Switzerland’s largest city is often dismissed as a banking hub, but it offers splendid views of Europe’s greatest mountain range and revels in fresh air thanks to the presence of Lake Zurich on its doorstep. Its Kunsthaus museum (kunsthaus.ch), meanwhile, displays art by Monet and Munch.

Four nights at the three-star Townhouse Boutique Hotel, flying from Heathrow on August 25, start at £655 pp through eBookers (020 3788 4832; ebookers.com).