City break holidays for nightlife, luxury and photography

Are you looking for a city escape with a pulsating party scene? Picture-perfect scenery? High-end shopping and dining? You’ll find what you’re looking for in these destinations within Europe and farther afield.

Incredibly scenic city escapes for shutterbugs

If you’re visiting the cobbled streets of Prague or the natural landscapes in Reykjavik, make sure you’ve got plenty of storage left on your smartphone or your camera’s memory card. These extremely photogenic destinations will have you continuously pressing the shutter button – when you’re not picking your jaw off the ground, that is.

Spectacular landscapes await in Reykjavik

Characterised by arresting architecture and coastal scenery, Reyjavik’s city centre is already dazzling, but wait til you explore in and around the Icelandic capital. Reykjavik effortlessly entices camera-armed travellers with landscapes that run the gamut from glassy fjords to dramatic lava formations. On a Golden Circle tour, you can camp out in Thingvellir National Park to see (and photograph) the fabled northern lights, then visit the striking Gullfoss Waterfall. Or, you can veer off the beaten track and click away in hidden gems like Ellidaardalur Valley and the Trollafoss falls.

Picturesque Prague is a photographer’s dream

The Czech Republic’s capital is often hailed as one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. It’s reputation that’s well deserved, as you’ll quickly see for yourself after setting foot in the ‘city of a hundred spires’. Those spires (whose current count is closer to 500), Charles Bridge’s baroque statues and the ornate bridges over the Vltava River are just a few of the stunning sights around. You’ll find the best views of this dazzling city from the hilltop Prague Castle – itself worthy of several snapshots – and Letna Park, or if you don’t mind paying for admission, the tower of the Old Town Hall.

City break holidays for next-level nightlife

Pack your best clubbing outfits if you’re headed to Berlin or Budapest, because these destinations offer much more than just your typical night at the pub. And better book a holiday home for the gang, because comfy beds are crucial for gathering energy for a long, raucous night ahead… as well as the inevitable lie-in the next day.

Berlin is a city that knows how to party

No other European destination has a nocturnal scene like Berlin’s, reliably heady and hedonistic. Exclusive Berghain leads the pack of renowned nightclubs scattered across the city, many of which feature techno music and fantastic DJs. A wide array of excellent cocktail bars make great meeting places pre-clubbing, or you can stay for a less rambunctious night out and let the mixologists whip up creative cocktails for you and your friends.

Find the road to ruin bars in Budapest

You’ll find a slew of classic pubs, wine and jazz bars and dependable nightclubs in Budapest, but the ruin bars are the distinguishing feature of the city’s nightlife. They’re so called because they’re set in dilapidated buildings that have been jazzed up with colourful graffiti, mismatched furniture and fairy lights. By day, these ruin bars are a laid-back spot for enjoying a pint, but when the party starts, they become buzzing nightclubs where you can dance your cares away.

Heed the urge to splurge on these luxury city breaks

Up the ante on your next holiday and head to the glittering shopping malls of Dubai or the luxury car–lined streets of Puerto Banus. Both destinations offer swish holiday rentals, but if you don’t want to spend too much on accommodation, you’ll also find reasonably priced holiday lettings.

Dubai offers endless shopping and show-stopping architecture

There’s no shortage of glitz and glamour in Dubai, a city that certainly knows about indulgence. Go on lavish shopping sprees in the Dubai Mall and the Mall of the Emirates, both ranking among the world’s largest malls, and in the Gold Souk, a traditional market dedicated to jewellery, precious stones and of course, gold. The city’s high-end holiday lettings include contemporary flats in the Dubai Marina area, where you can visit posh beach clubs or go on scenic waterfront walks. You can also get a room with a view of Dubai’s record-setting buildings, such as the 160-storey Burj Khalifa and the iconic Burj Al Arab.

Stay in a Spanish villa rental in Marbella

For a luxury city break on the Andalucian coast, look no farther than Puerto Banus, a Marbella resort where the rich and famous spend their downtime. You might not actually rub elbows with royalty or high-profile celebrities, but keep your eyes peeled for their swanky superyachts docked at the marina or their gleaming luxury cars parked in the streets. When you’re not sipping sunset cocktails in your deck chair at Playa de Nueva Andalucia, you can shop at the designer boutiques in town or the large El Corte Ingles department store.