The Best UK City Breaks for a Weekend Away

Best UK city breaks at a glance

The best city breaks in the UK

York

York packs two thousand years of history into a compact, walkable centre. Walk the medieval city walls, explore the timber-framed Shambles and spend time in York Minster, one of the largest Gothic cathedrals in northern Europe. It's around two hours from London by train.

The Jorvik Viking Centre recreates the Viking-age city excavated on the spot, and the National Railway Museum is free and huge. In December, the city's Christmas market makes it one of the most festive weekends in the country.

Stay: two nights. Best for: couples and history lovers.

Edinburgh

Edinburgh has a castle on a volcanic rock, a medieval Royal Mile, an elegant Georgian New Town and a hill to climb, Arthur's Seat, right in the middle of the city. It's busiest in August during the festivals and at Hogmanay, so book well ahead for those dates.

Away from the centre, Dean Village is a peaceful riverside corner just a short walk from Princes Street, and Leith, the old port, has some of the city's best seafood restaurants and the former Royal Yacht Britannia.

Stay: two to three nights. Best for: almost everyone.

Bath

Bath's honey-coloured Georgian streets, Royal Crescent and Roman Baths make it one of the prettiest small cities in Europe. Add an evening in the rooftop pool at Thermae Bath Spa, which uses the city's natural hot springs. It's about 90 minutes from London Paddington.

Bath Abbey, Pulteney Bridge and the Jane Austen Centre are all within a few minutes' walk of each other, and the city is a good base for trips into the Cotswolds.

Stay: one to two nights. Best for: couples and spa lovers.

Liverpool

Liverpool's waterfront is lined with landmark buildings, and the Royal Albert Dock is home to the Beatles Story, Tate Liverpool and the Merseyside Maritime Museum. Many of the city's museums are free, and its music, football and friendly atmosphere make it a great weekend away.

Beatles fans can visit the Cavern Club on Mathew Street, while the city's two cathedrals, one Anglican and one Catholic, sit at either end of Hope Street and are well worth seeing.

Stay: two nights. Best for: families and music fans.

Manchester

Manchester has a huge food and music scene, the independent shops and bars of the Northern Quarter, and family favourites such as the Science and Industry Museum. Football fans can tour Old Trafford or the Etihad Stadium.

Look out for the John Rylands Library, a Victorian Gothic building that looks more like a cathedral than a library, and the city's food halls, which are a sociable way to try lots of local traders in one place.

Stay: two nights. Best for: food lovers, music fans and families.

Glasgow

Glasgow is Scotland's biggest city, known for its grand Victorian architecture, the work of Charles Rennie Mackintosh and some of the best live music in the UK. Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum is free and well worth a morning.

The West End, around the university and Ashton Lane, is full of cafés and pubs, and the Riverside Museum of transport on the Clyde is free and a big hit with families.

Stay: two nights. Best for: culture and nightlife.

Bristol

Bristol mixes a lively Harbourside, Brunel's SS Great Britain and the Clifton Suspension Bridge with street art, independent restaurants and markets. It's around 90 minutes from London by train.

M Shed, the city museum on the harbour, is free, and Wapping Wharf next door is packed with small independent restaurants built into shipping containers.

Stay: two nights. Best for: food lovers and creative types.

Cardiff

Cardiff is compact and easy to explore, with a castle right in the centre, the redeveloped Cardiff Bay and the Principality Stadium. It's a lively choice on a match weekend and a relaxed one the rest of the time.

The city's Victorian shopping arcades and indoor market are good for a wet afternoon, and the fairytale Castell Coch is a short drive north of the city.

Stay: one to two nights. Best for: sport fans and families.

Belfast

Belfast's Titanic Belfast centre, on the site where the ship was built, is one of the UK's best museums. The Cathedral Quarter has lively pubs and restaurants, and the city is a good base for a day trip along the Causeway Coast to the Giant's Causeway. Most visitors fly, in around an hour from London.

Take a black taxi tour to see the city's murals and learn about its recent history, visit Crumlin Road Gaol, and leave time for St George's Market at the weekend.

Stay: two to three nights. Best for: history and day trips.

Newcastle

Newcastle's Quayside, with its row of bridges across the Tyne, is one of the most striking city views in the country. The city has a famous nightlife scene, grand Georgian streets around Grey Street and easy trips to the Northumberland coast.

Across the river in Gateshead, the BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art is free, and Hadrian's Wall and the castles of the Northumberland coast are both within an easy day trip.

Stay: two nights. Best for: nightlife and architecture.

Best UK city breaks for couples

For a romantic weekend, these four stand out:

• Bath, for Georgian streets, spa evenings and long dinners.
• York, for walks on the city walls and cosy pubs in the old streets.
• Edinburgh, for views from Calton Hill and Arthur's Seat and some of the best restaurants in Scotland.
• Bristol, for a waterside weekend with independent restaurants and cocktail bars.

Many of these cities have hotel deals that include breakfast or dinner, and you can browse current UK city break deals to see what's on offer for your dates.

For a special occasion, a boutique hotel in the historic centre is usually worth the extra cost, as you can walk everywhere and avoid driving or parking altogether.

Best UK city breaks for families

• Liverpool, with free museums, the Beatles Story and boat trips on the Mersey.
• Manchester, with the Science and Industry Museum, football stadium tours and easy trams.
• Edinburgh, with the castle, the Camera Obscura and Dynamic Earth.
• Cardiff, with the castle, the Bay and an easy, compact centre.

Cities with good trams or buses and plenty of free attractions tend to work best with children, as you can keep costs down and cut walking time.

It also helps to choose a hotel close to the main sights, so you can head back for a rest in the afternoon. Family rooms and apartments are widely available in all of these cities, and many attractions offer family tickets that cost less than paying separately.

Best cheap UK city breaks

You can make almost any city break cheaper by changing when you go:

• Stay midweek, when hotel prices are usually lower than at weekends.
• Avoid big events, such as festivals, concerts and major football matches, which push prices up.
• Book train tickets early and look at advance fares and railcards.
• Make the most of free museums, which are common in Liverpool, Glasgow, Manchester and Edinburgh.

For packages and hotel offers in the UK and Europe, our city break deals are updated every morning and can be filtered by place and budget.

Cities such as Liverpool, Glasgow and Newcastle often have lower hotel prices than York, Bath or Edinburgh, especially outside the summer and the festive season.

How to plan a UK city break

• Trains are often the easiest way to travel, arriving right in the city centre. Book ahead for the cheapest fares.
• If you drive, check parking at your hotel in advance. City centre parking can be expensive, and park and ride is often cheaper.
• Check what's on. Festivals, Christmas markets and big games can make a weekend extra special, but they also fill hotels quickly.
• Book early for peak weekends, especially in Edinburgh in August and York in December.

It's also worth checking for rail engineering works before you travel, as weekend services are sometimes replaced by buses, which can add an hour or more to the journey.

If you'd like to add some relaxation, a city break pairs well with a night or two at a spa hotel nearby, and our spa break deals include plenty of options across the UK.