‘I loved drifting along the canals’: readers’ best unsung city breaks in Europe

Flying Blue, the loyalty program of Air France-KLM, has standardized pricing for those looking to travel to Europe. While some redemptions have increased in price, many now require fewer miles than before on select dates.

A friend invited me to New York City for her 50th birthday in May 2019.

UNESCO has added 42 World Heritage Sites to its list of the planet’s natural and cultural sights worth special protection — the biggest group of new entries in more than two decades. The European listings alone span the mighty and the minute, from a gorge-carved landscape in Greece to a charmingly vintage planetarium in the Netherlands.

A few years ago, competition from low-cost airlines and high-speed railways looked like they would spell the end for sleeper trains, which were increasingly starting to look like relics.

Fondly referred to as 'The Rock', the limestone monolith that dominates Gibraltar is a fascinating geological feature marking the entrance to the Mediterranean, but its cultural significance is just as intriguing. A British Overseas Territory, Gibraltar is a slice of Britain bathed in the warmth of Southern Europe.

If you’re thinking of relocating as a family to another country, this research could help you choose your destination.

For sparkling beaches, sapphire-blue waves, lilting palm trees, emerald hills and the scent of seafood hanging on the breeze, come to Sri Lanka.

Active travel, meaning biking, hiking and multi-sport vacations, have been skyrocketing in popularity since the pandemic. The major tour operators specializing in this field are reporting record traffic and bookings for 2023 and 2024, and this makes a lot of sense, as the pandemic caused a lasting spike in participation in many outdoor sports. Additionally, there are many benefits to active travel - exercise, guilt free indulgence, and seeing the world more deeply at a slower, immersive pace. But within this red-hot category, one niche in particular has been attracting more and more active travelers, both veterans and first timers, and that’s active cruises.

Government officials in The Netherlands revealed that the new tourist tax increase scheduled to take effect next year in Amsterdam would make the city’s fee the highest in Europe.

Longer vacations are trending within the travel industry, not only offering your clients unforgettable getaways to their dream destinations, but also presenting you with an opportunity to increase your commissions. In response to increasing consumer demand for longer vacations, AmaWaterways has introduced a collection of specially curated 14-night Grand River Cruises. 

Famously easy on the eye and infamously tough on the lungs, Cinque Terre is a string of five Italian Riviera villages. Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore – the “Five Lands” – all sit under the Cinque Terre National Park.

The Netherlands’ second city is a winner for those weary of its more famous (and oversubscribed) rival. Sure, there’s water – it’s Europe’s largest port, after all – with rivers, canals and harbours at every turn. But this sprawling metropolis doesn’t yield its pleasures as easily as Amsterdam, largely because second world war bombing destroyed most of the historic centre. Its pioneering postwar architecture is, however, what makes “Manhattan on the Maas” so fascinating. Treasures include the 1970s Cube Houses designed by Piet Blom, the landmark cable-stayed Erasmus Bridge, the 1960 retro-futuristic Euromast and eclectic buildings in the leafily landscaped Museumpark. Alongside design museum Het Nieuwe Instituut and the Kunsthal gallery, a must-visit is The Depot, an ambitious €94m bowl-shaped “storage facility” for the city’s art collection, its rooftop cafe boasting panoramic views. Equally compelling is Delfshaven, which escaped bombing, and is now home to waterside pubs, a microbrewery and tucked-away restaurants.