KRAKOW in Poland and Spain’s Valencia have beaten more famous destinations to be named the UK’s favourite European city breaks.
Consumer champion Which? asked members to vote – and traditional choices such as Paris, Rome and Amsterdam were all beaten.
The hot spots were rated on seven criteria – food and drink, accommodation, cultural sights and attractions, shopping, transport, lack of crowds and value for money.
Rory Boland, editor of Which? Travel, said: “The weak Pound has made holidays to most European countries more expensive, but our survey shows that looking beyond the most famous destinations for your next city break pays off.”
Here we reveal the top six and how you can get there.
KRAKOW, POLAND
The city was rated five stars for its cultural sites and attractions, which include its 14th-century gothic town hall tower and Wawel Royal Castle.
Visitors can while away the hours in the medieval square, the largest of its kind in Europe, or explore the sights in the vibrant Jewish quarter.
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Just a few miles outside of the city, the Wieliczka salt mine also proved popular, with one visitor saying they were “amazed” by the scale of the underground attraction.
Krakow earned five stars for food and drink, and was among the three highest-scoring destinations for value for money.
Data from travel site Kayak revealed it has the cheapest average hotel room rate in the survey at just £65 per night – £143 less than Paris, which has the most expensive prices on average.
GO: Three nights’ room-only at 3H Leone Aparthotel from £389pp including flights from Newcastle on Jan 19, 2024 and 22kg luggage allowance. See jet2holidays.com.
VALENCIA, SPAIN
AWARDED five stars for attractions, visitors love Valencia’s intriguing blend of old and new.
The charming streets lined with orange trees sit in sharp contrast to the futuristic City of Arts and Sciences, home to an oceanographic park, opera house, museum of science and planetarium.
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The hot spot drew praise for its fabulous beaches, all within reach of the centre via the Turia Gardens – one of the largest urban parks in Spain.
Once a river, it now boasts 9km of green space with paths, leisure and sports areas.
Valencia also scored five stars for food and drink, with one holidaymaker describing it as a “foodie’s paradise”, and four stars for ease of getting around, with visitors noting it’s a “compact, walkable city”.
It also scored four stars for accommodation and value for money, with a hotel room costing £113 a night on average.
GO: Three nights’ room-only at the 3H Primus Valencia is from £243pp including British Airways flights from Heathrow on January 19. See britishairways.com.
STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN
The Swedish capital – with its 14 main islands linked by waterways – earned five stars for ease of getting around, and four for food and drink, accommodation and attractions.
Tourists praised the ABBA museum as “great fun”, while the Vasa maritime museum also proved popular.
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Stockholm’s largest island, Sodermalm, is home to dozens of vintage shops, indie boutiques and kitsch cafés.
A must-do is a scenic boat tour, travelling under bridges and through locks.
The city did fall down on value for money however, with two stars, but if you know where to look, bargains can be found.
For cheap eats, check out Strommingsvagnen in the old town.
This food hut with its signature big yellow fish on the roof serves up crisp herring, mashed potatoes, rye bread and coleslaw from just £7.
GO: Two nights’ B&B at the Quality Hotel Winn Haninge from £218pp including Heathrow flights on January 19. See loveholidays.com.
BERLIN, GERMANY
The capital scored five stars for ease of getting around, with one respondent noting a lot is “within a relatively compact area”.
A 24-hour pass to use on buses, trams and trains costs £9.
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It also received five stars for its attractions.
The Pergamon and four other world-class museums are concentrated into one Unesco-listed island on the river Spree.
Meanwhile fragments of the Berlin Wall and Checkpoint Charlie offer a sobering counterpoint to the vibrant hedonism of the modern city with its bars and courtyard cafés.
Climb the glass beacon of the Reichstag dome for 360-degree views.
It bagged four stars for accommodation and for quality of food and drink.
Markthalle Neun, a huge indoor market in trendy Kreuzberg, is the place to try anything from pulled pork to grapefruit gin.
GO: Two nights’ room-only at the NH Collection Berlin Mitte am Checkpoint Charlie is from £243pp including flights from Bristol on January 19 including 23kg luggage. See easyjet.com/en/holidays.
FUNCHAL, MADEIRA
The largest city on the Portuguese archipelago of Madeira guarantees year-round sunshine.
Book a catamaran trip around the bay for the chance to spot dolphins, whales and turtles.
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Take the cable car to the Monte Palace Tropical Gardens then return down the steep streets in the classic wicker toboggan, steered by men in straw boaters.
It was awarded five stars for accommodation and for food and drink, with visitors praising the array of restaurants to choose from in the old town.
Try the Restaurante o Portau for traditional Madeiran cuisine with fresh, seasonal fish.
Funchal scored highly for ease of getting around, and was also one of just three locations in the survey to score four stars for value for money, with a hotel room costing £108 a night on average.
GO: Three nights’ B&B at the Barcelo Funchal Oldtown from £427pp including Manchester flights on January 19, baggage and transfers. See firstchoice.co.uk.
SEVILLE, SPAIN
Sunny Seville scored five stars for food and drink, as well as for its cultural sites and attractions.
Must-dos include the spectacular gothic cathedral, resting place of Christopher Columbus.
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Its Giralda bell tower is unique with sloping floors, not steps, to the top, designed to be used by patrons on horseback.
Praised by holidaymakers for its “infinite beauty” don’t miss the Royal Alcazar – the oldest, inhabited royal palace in Europe with stunning gardens.
Tapas bars are everywhere and for authentic local treats, head to the Triana Market and pick up fresh fruit and serrano ham.
The neighbourhood is home to some stunning flamenco bars, such as Casa Anselma or T de Triana.
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Seville was also rated four stars for accommodation and ease of getting around.
GO: Four nights’ at the 3H Dona Carmela is from £215pp including flights from Gatwick on January 21. See tui.co.uk.