{"id":14064,"date":"2018-09-03T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2018-09-02T23:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/flashpack.preview.uk.com\/2018\/09\/03\/6-alternative-european-city-breaks-to-dive-into-this-autumn\/"},"modified":"2024-05-16T11:30:52","modified_gmt":"2024-05-16T10:30:52","slug":"alternative-european-city-breaks-travel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.flashpack.com\/us\/solo\/travel\/alternative-european-city-breaks-travel\/","title":{"rendered":"6 alternative European city breaks to dive into this autumn"},"content":{"rendered":"

Fall is in the air, bringing with it the scent of change and horizons new.<\/p>\n

With the school crowds back at base and airline flash sales in full flow, autumn is a golden time for adventure.<\/p>\n

But when it comes to European city breaks, think beyond the obvious for the greatest treasures of all.<\/p>\n

Sidestep the tourist magnets of Paris, Florence and Prague in favour of untapped cities off the mainstream trail, and it’ll be well worth the extra diversion.<\/p>\n

For hidden squares, unsung views and secluded river bars, look no further than the these beauties for a long weekend escape:<\/p>\n

Krak\u00f3w, Poland<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"krakow<\/p>\n

Why go?<\/strong> Poland’s beating cultural soul is a delight to ramble around, with a rich sense of history, eclectic restaurants and a young, artistic feel to it. Wander through the cobbled alleyways of the Old Town to discover a land of ancient legends, with Baroque towers and Renaissance turrets looming on the skyline.<\/p>\n

Read more: Three gripping books to take on your next adventure<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Pop by Rynek G\u0142\u00f3wny, Europe\u2019s biggest market square, to soak in the spirit of Krak\u00f3w\u00a0before rubbing shoulders with the creative crowds at\u00a0Restauracja Pod Baranem<\/a> over a warming bowl of goulash soup.<\/p>\n

Don’t miss: <\/strong>A cruise through\u00a0Nowa Huta, Krak\u00f3w’s iconic communist district, in an old-school Eastern Bloc Trabant, with lunch in a nuclear bunker.<\/p>\n

Join us in cracking\u00a0Krak\u00f3w<\/a><\/p>\n

Palermo, Sicily<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Palermo\"<\/p>\n

Why go?<\/strong> Forget the crowds atRome’s Coliseum – Sicily’s capital is the place to gulp down a gallon-load of\u00a0la dolce vita <\/em>minus the selfie-seeking hordes. This sun-dappled coastal city stays warm well into late October, with a sense of character that is markedly different from its mainland cousin.<\/p>\n

Read more: Get lost in the world’s most walkable cities<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Mooch around the colourful squares and markets to get a feel for this friendly Mediterranean hub\u00a0 or head along the coast to the fishing village of\u00a0Aspra<\/a> for a beautiful beach and some of the best ice-cream on the island.<\/p>\n

Don’t miss:<\/strong>\u00a0A masterclass in the home of a Palermo chef, as you learn to make Sicilian specialities such as arancini and pasta alla norma with sauteed aubergine.<\/p>\n

Jump on-board our Sicily stopover<\/a><\/p>\n

Helsinki, Finland<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Why go?<\/strong>\u00a0Harbourside Helsinki is less well-known than its Scandi neighbours Copenhagen and Stockholm, so you’ll have less competition as you stroll its handsome streets, complete with sleek design credentials and a burgeoning food scene.<\/p>\n

Read more: How to make friends in your 30s and 40s<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

To cut straight to the action, make a beeline for the capital’s waterfront with its tree-lined avenues, yachts and bright neo-classical buildings. A taste of the city’s hipster vibe awaits at Bryggeri Helsinki<\/a>, an artisan brewery with hand-crafted ales and delicious seasonal dishes.<\/p>\n

Don’t miss:<\/strong>\u00a0A warming bathe at\u00a0Allas Sea Pool<\/a>, one of Helsinki\u2019s leading public baths overlooking the\u00a0Baltic Sea with sweeping views of the cityscape.<\/p>\n

Kick back with us in summer Finland<\/a> or hit your bucket list\u00a0on a winter escape<\/a><\/p>\n

Bratislava, Slovakia<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Why go? <\/strong>Beautiful Bratislava is sandwiched between Vienna and Budapest but it’s much smaller than either city, with a laid-back vibe and plenty of bustling, atmospheric caf\u00e9s where you can stop for a snifter of local honey wine.<\/p>\n

Read more: 4 reasons why your boss may agree to a career break<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

The terracotta rooftops of the Old Town are a playground for explorers, peppered with castles, palaces and the elegant tree-lined Danube. Take a pew amid the rustic d\u00e9cor\u00a0of\u00a0Modr\u00e1 Hviezda <\/a>for a taste of\u00a0\u00a0bryndzov\u00e9 halu\u0161ky, the national dish of gnocchi-like dumplings served with sheep cheese and a sprinkling of bacon.<\/p>\n

Don’t miss: <\/strong>An out-of-town trip to\u00a0Be\u0161e\u0148ov\u00e1, three hours north, for hot spring bathing<\/a> and hiking in the Low Tatras Mountains.<\/p>\n

Uncover the secrets of Slovakia<\/a><\/p>\n

Bergen, Norway<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Why go?\u00a0<\/strong>The gateway to Norway’s spectacular fjords, hip and happening Bergen is well worth a trip in its own right. This\u00a0UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy<\/a> does a fine line in seafood; rock up at one of the restaurants lining the scenic waterfront to try smoked trout, gravadlax or m\u00f8lje (cod served with liver and roe).<\/p>\n

Read more: Reclaim your single life by travelling with strangers<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

You can also browse the little boutiques of\u00a0Bryggen, the Old Wharf district, sate your creative streak on Bergen’s “art street” or take the cable car up\u00a0Fl\u00f8yen mountain for the ultimate Insta snap of the city stretching out below.<\/p>\n

Don’t miss: <\/strong>A pit-stop in Apollon<\/a>, Bergen’s achingly cool bar\/record shop with\u00a0draughts brewed in birch sap, juniper branch and other experiential flavours.<\/p>\n

Jump into the wilds of Norway<\/a><\/p>\n

Ljubljana, Slovenia<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Why go? <\/strong>Within easy reach of Croatia and the northeast coast of Italy,\u00a0Ljubljana is perfectly placed for a long weekend with a beach hit either side. One of the world’s\u00a0top\u00a0green capitals<\/a>,\u00a0it is a leafy delight of a city with plenty of pavement caf\u00e9s and the much-loved Tivoli Park.<\/p>\n

Read more: Stop dating and just connect with people<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Make like the student locals and grab a bike to glide your way along Ljubljanica\u00a0river, stopping at\u00a0 \u010cajna hi\u0161a CHA<\/a>\u00a0tea room in the Old Town for a warming cup of Oolong.<\/p>\n

Don’t miss: <\/strong>A pub crawl by night is a great way to familiarise yourself with the Slovenia’s thriving\u00a0microbrewery scene<\/a>, as you hunt down off-radar beer dens and try wine from some of the oldest-producing vines in Europe (rarely exported and all the better for it).<\/p>\n

Let the good times roll in Slovenia<\/a><\/p>\n

Photos: Flash Pack, Shutterstock<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Fall is in the air, bringing with it the scent of change and horizons new….<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":81424,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[9034,9029],"tags":[107,1151,1152,556,375,529,464,433,281,1147,443,799,362,465,377,364,378,1153,460,1150,1148,471,863,1149,800,339,93],"class_list":["post-14064","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-destination-guides","category-travel","tag-adventure","tag-bergen","tag-bratislava","tag-city","tag-city-breaks","tag-culture","tag-discover","tag-escape","tag-europe","tag-european-cities","tag-explore","tag-finland","tag-group-adventure","tag-group-travel","tag-helsinki","tag-italy","tag-krakow","tag-ljubljana","tag-meeting-people","tag-palermo","tag-poland","tag-restaurants","tag-sicily","tag-slovakia","tag-slovenia","tag-solo-travel","tag-travel","location-europe"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.flashpack.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14064","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.flashpack.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.flashpack.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.flashpack.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.flashpack.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14064"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.flashpack.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14064\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.flashpack.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/81424"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.flashpack.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14064"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.flashpack.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14064"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.flashpack.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14064"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}