Fashions could come and go, however the metropolis break stays perennially common, giving travellers the prospect to absorb tradition, historical past and structure, and dive into an unfamiliar food and drinks scene – all with out having to take greater than a few days of annual go away.

There are thriving metropolises to find, nevertheless faraway you fancy reserving a visit, from home breaks proper on the doorstep to European capitals, from Asian mega-cities to American city locations.

Whereas some cities are at all times price visiting, others actually come into their very own once they’ve bought one thing to shout about – whether or not it’s gaining a title like European Capital of Tradition, internet hosting a significant sporting occasion, or welcoming a brand new world-class exhibition.

Want inspiration to select your subsequent getaway? The Impartial’s journey staff has rounded up the cities we’re most enthusiastic about doubtlessly visiting in 2024, from outdated favourites to new up-and-comers.

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Tirana, Albania

All flight paths – nicely, seven of them – result in Mom Teresa worldwide airport this summer season. The Albanian capital will probably be extraordinarily nicely linked with the UK. Flights between Luton and Tirana are promoting for underneath £50 return in Could, on the a number of day by day departures on Wizz Air. Ryanair will compete to the Albanian capital from 5 UK airports – Birmingham, Bristol, Manchester, Edinburgh and London Stansted – whereas British Airways continues to function from London Heathrow. The customer will probably be greeted warmly on this Adriatic nation, which is lastly a power on the European tourism scene. Tirana is a cheery muddle: quasi-Parisian boulevards, tangled Balkan backstreets and brutal socialist modernism. The Twenty first-century capital is buzzing with development work on new services together with the InterContinental Resort overlooking Skanderbeg Sq. within the coronary heart of town. Many cheap choices can be found; I paid £35 final month for an excellent room (with breakfast) on the Resort Thought. A lot awaits the curious customer, together with a former nuclear bunker turned museum that lifts the lid on the intense hard-line communism that turned Albania right into a European model of North Korea for many years. Simon Calder, journey correspondent

Bradford, UK

I do know, I do know – the considered Bradford could not instantly conjure up a picture of a glamorous getaway. However the West Yorkshire metropolis is gearing up for a stint as UK Capital of Tradition in 2025 and, as such, is already bettering its providing for guests in 2024. Key to this renaissance is Bradford Reside, a undertaking that can see the magnificent artwork deco constructing previously often known as the Bradford Odeon, initially constructed within the Thirties, restored to its former glory. This new leisure hub is predicted to draw 300,000 guests a 12 months with a calendar of greater than 200 music, comedy and household leisure occasions yearly. Town’s Bradford Literature Competition, operating from 28 June-7 July, can even have a good time its 10-year anniversary in 2024. Helen Coffey, journey editor

Izmir, Turkey

I’ve sailed over to Bodrum’s whitewashed homes, partied late into the evening in Antalya, and marvelled on the stunning medley of structure in Istanbul. Now it’s time to show my consideration to Izmir, on the west coast of Turkey that reaches furthest into Europe and is lapped by the shimmering Aegean waters that fill its namesake bay. This 12 months it is going to be even simpler to succeed in the nation’s third-largest metropolis, with new weekly British Airways routes from London Heathrow starting on 18 Could – it’s slightly below 4 hours within the air from the UK capital to Adnan Menderes airport. What awaits are fascinating ruins (Izmir was the Greek metropolis of Smyrna, so go to the vaulted chambers of the agora), maze-like bazaars, and strolls alongside the promenade. An ideal “different” vacation spot if you’d like coastal sunshine with out being surrounded by holidaymakers. Benjamin Parker, deputy journey editor

Derry/Londonderry, Northern Eire

The northwestern-most metropolis within the UK is totally different in so some ways. A wall wraps proper across the core of Derry/Londonderry, appropriately referred to as to respect sectarian sensibilities. The typically used impartial time period “town on the Foyle” hints on the excellent pure environment. Over the centuries it has usually been a scene of tragedy. However a quarter-century on because the Good Friday Settlement, and ultimately it’s being recognised as an excellent short-break location. As a part of the peace course of, in 2003 the outdated Ebrington Barracks got to the folks. Tens of tens of millions of kilos of funding has created a cultural and leisure area like no different within the UK. And from this 12 months Ryanair will fly you to Metropolis of Derry airport from Birmingham in addition to Manchester. SC

Berlin, Germany

The German capital has lengthy been a agency metropolis break favorite, due to its compelling mix of a hard-to-beat nightlife scene, world-class museums and galleries, bang-on-trend eating choices and sobering historic websites from the final century. However from subsequent 12 months it turns into much more enticing for these eager to journey by prepare from the UK, with a number of new sleeper prepare choices kicking off from the tail-end of 2023. The European Sleeper service runs from Brussels to Berlin thrice every week, making railing it from London a breeze – merely hop on the Eurostar to Brussels and alter. Plus a Nightjet Brussels-Berlin service has additionally began on alternate nights, enabling travellers to take this route six nights every week. It means a weekend break by prepare is completely potential when you go away on a Friday night and return on Sunday evening. And on 12 December 2023, Austrian Railways’ Nightjet model launched a Paris-Berlin in a single day service too. Speak about spoilt for selection! HC

Kansas Metropolis, USA

First issues first: we’re speaking Kansas Metropolis in Missouri (somewhat than its western neighbour of the identical identify subsequent door in Kansas). It’s a potent mixture of jazz, historical past and meals, and most famously the house of the Kansas Metropolis-style barbecue, famend for the thick, candy sauce that’s both cooked into, or served with, enormous slabs of meat. The “Metropolis of Fountains” additionally discovered itself within the highlight after Taylor Swift started courting Kansas Metropolis Chiefs participant Travis Kelce final 12 months. If burnt ends or “Unhealthy Blood” don’t get your motor operating, there’s additionally a (quirky) sporting occasion to get you visiting. The inaugural “PickleCon” is on the town 8–11 August, with greater than 100 courts for pickleball, one in every of America’s fastest-growing sports activities (it’s a wierd hybrid of tennis, badminton and desk tennis). If you wish to mix consuming with competitors, the American Royal World Sequence of Barbecue is the biggest contest of its variety on this planet, happening in KC from 27 September-1 October. Should you’re something like me, you’ll spend loads of time within the up-and-coming West Bottoms district. Past the splendidly Carry On identify, the previous industrial neighbourhood has gone hipster, stuffed with thrift shops and vintage retailers, wineries and cosy eating places. BP

Marseille, France

The 2024 Olympics – Paris, absolutely? In reality, the second French metropolis will probably be staging a few of the soccer matches and internet hosting the crusing occasions in the course of the Video games. Marseille can even be the primary metropolis to welcome the Olympic flame on French soil. The flame will arrive on the outdated port, which has been serving town for millennia – the Greeks and Romans have been right here in power. Town has already picked up the gold medal for reinvention: a troublesome port metropolis has remodeled right into a metropolis to match Good for type, attractiveness and cultural generosity to guests. All it wants now could be the restoration of the direct rail hyperlink from London – which took fortunate travellers from the Thames to the Mediterranean in six hours flat. SC

Oviedo, Spain

Spain’s oft-overlooked capital of the northern Asturias area deserves extra consideration than it at the moment will get from vacationers. Not like a few of the nation’s cities that wrestle with overtourism, Oviedo by comparability is quiet, rustic, inexperienced – and a haven for foodies. Much more so in 2024, when its delicacies is being formally recognised with the title “Spanish Capital of Gastronomy”. Town is residence to 6 protected designations of origin for its cheeses, wines and cider, and has a plethora of tasty native specialities to pattern whereas on a visit there, from fabada, a bean stew made with chorizo and morcilla sausages, to pastel de cabracho, a “fish pudding” made with scorpion fish that’s completely accompanied by a glass of native cider. HC

Valencia, Spain

I fell for Valencia on my first go to in 2023; Spain’s third-largest metropolis is bursting with a youthful vitality, particularly in neighbourhoods like Russafa. It’s been rising in reputation with British holidaymakers – 12 per cent extra visited final 12 months than in 2022 – and the following 12 months are huge for the Mediterranean spot because it takes up the place of European Inexperienced Capital 2024. A straightforward option to lighten your footprint when there may be to discover on two wheels, one thing Valencia appears tailored for: cycle-friendly pedestrians transfer on the ding of a bell as you wind down cobbled alleys to succeed in wide-open squares of fountains, church buildings and landmarks. Jardín del Turia, the longest city inexperienced area in Europe that snakes for 9km and contains intricate bridges, pine bushes and ponds, can be one for biking by means of. It’s a bodily instance of Valencia’s drive to “go inexperienced”, ending on the unmissable Metropolis of Arts and Sciences – a recent, otherworldly complicated the place artwork, science and tradition meet. BP

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