Novelty Mini-Breaks

When the world is such a colossal place, why visit the same spot twice or even frequent the most popular tourist destinations? Here are a few ideas for casting the net further afield and catching a bigger oyster.

Swap Dubrovnik for Kotor

• A little town on Montenegro’s Adriatic coast
• The old town was built as a maze to confuse invading forces
• Have a chilled Niksicko beer in the main square, on the terrace of Hotel Vardar.
• Admire the views atop the hillside castle of San Giovanni
• Have a seabass supper at the harbour-side Galion restaurant

Game of Thrones Vibes

Swap Prague for Brno

• Pronounced ‘Burr-no’
• Blonde beer, Baroque buildings and a distinct lack of stag dos are its main selling points
• Czech Republic’s second largest city
• Home to the Moravian Karst – a beautiful network of underground caves (below)
• Pull a pint at the Lucky Bastard Beer House
• Have a night out at the Super Panda Circus, best known for its eccentric decor
• A diverse array of chic boutique hotels on offer

Swap Bologna for Bari

• A Southern Italian City full of character and charm.
• Take an evening walk along the promenade, the seafront Lungomare Nazario Sauro
• Shop the quirky collections at boutiques such as Mimma Ninni
• Sample local specialty polpo arricciato (octopus beaten until tender) at La Tana Del Polpo

Swap Barcelona for Girona

• Catalan culture, modernist architecture and year-round sun.
• Peruse the boutiques in the Old Quarter
• Michelin starred El Celler de Can Roca is regularly voted one of the best restaurants in the world
• Walk the cobbled Rambla, devoid of hoards of tourists and the often creepy street artists…

Swap Berlin for Graz

• This Austrian city has plenty of edgy art and culture to satisfy your inner hipster
• Museum Kunsthaus Graz looks like a castoff from the Westworld set.
• Murinsel Graz is an artificial island in the river Mur that has everything from strudel to cinema (below)
• Head to Die Scherbe bar to try a glass (bottle) of the wine of the month.