A Weekend in Europe: City Breaks and Countryside Escapes
Milan + Lake Garda, Italy
Pack your Bottega Veneta bag and head to Milan, the cosmopolitan hub of Italy’s north, for a getaway. Stay at Casa Cipriani Milano, the place traditional Milanese hospitality meets the old-world really feel of an English gentleman’s membership. Take in a treasure trove of masterpieces—Da Vinci’s The Last Supper, Il Duomo di Milano Cathedral and world-famous opera home La Scala. If the countryside calls, you’re a scenic 4.5-hour drive from the biggest lake in Italy, Lake Garda. Here, adult-only Val di Sogno sits amongst small villages, picturesque hamlets and mountain slopes. Check in, hearken to the sound of waves being gently pushed onto shore by passing sailboats and savor a poolside Aperol Spritz underneath the shade of olive timber.
A Weekend in Europe: City Breaks and Countryside Escapes
Paris + Lyon, France
If sitting at an area bistro, slowly sipping a café crème and tearing right into a flaky croissant sounds very best proper about now, then Paris is the proper metropolis break for you. Located within the 1st Arrondissement between the Opéra Garnier and well-known rue Saint Honoré, you’ll discover Nolinski Paris. After a stroll alongside the Seine and cross via the Palais-Royal gardens, dine on the property’s two Michelin-starred Palais Royal Restaurant or take to the Spa Nolinski by La Colline. Looking for extra huge metropolis vitality? Hop on a two-hour TGV prepare sure for Lyon, France’s third-largest metropolis. Stay at Boscolo Hotel & Spa Lyon, a classically styled resort sprinkled with Italian design relationship all the way in which again to the Nineteenth century. Go on a culinary journey at Mediterranean-focused Angelo Restaurant and return in time with a dip within the historic Roman thermal baths on the Boscolo Lyon spa. Beyond the property, you’re steps away from Place Bellecour, the picturesque district of Vieux Lyon and the majestic Basilique de Fourvière.
A Weekend in Europe: City Breaks and Countryside Escapes
London + Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
London brims with issues to do. You may catch a sporting occasion, with Wimbledon rolling round every July and the Premier League gearing up in August (the town is residence to seven groups). If the humanities are extra your jam, London has over 192 museums and an unimaginable lineup of summer season music festivals, together with BST Hyde Park, All Points East and Field Day. There are all of the traditional sights, too—Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, Trafalgar Square. Luckily, a keep at Great Scotland Yard Hotel makes decision-making slightly simpler with its excellent location in Westminster. Its proximity to the prepare station at Charring Cross and underground strains makes it straightforward so that you can see the entire metropolis and past. A one-hour journey north of London Marylebone is Oxfordshire. Here, Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, A Belmond Hotel embodies the perfect of the dreamy British countryside—channel your interior Jane Austen heroine and wander via the vegetable gardens, flower borders and orchards.
A Weekend in Europe: City Breaks and Countryside Escapes
Rome + Porto Ercole, Italy
Whether stumbling upon an area trattoria serving heavenly cacio e pepe or encountering a famend Caravaggio masterpiece in an unassuming church, Rome gives surprises at each flip. Retreat to Villa Spalletti Trivelli Rome, an excellent residence base full with a library, Italian backyard and a rooftop terrace with a jacuzzi. If you possibly can’t get near the Trevi Fountain due to the crowds, save your needs for the Tuscan Coast, only a two-hour drive away. On arrival, get a style of glamorous Sixties Italy at LA ROQQA. Quench your thirst (and transfer your hips to the music) after your journey on the resort’s seaside membership, Isolotto.
A Weekend in Europe: City Breaks and Countryside Escapes
Madrid + Barcelona, Spain
When in Spain, go huge and daring. Start in Madrid the place artwork lovers can spend the day exploring three of the world’s greatest museums, aka the Golden Triangle of Art. History buffs will love the town’s structure and historic landmarks, together with the oldest restaurant on the earth and an Egyptian temple. And you possibly can’t go improper with the booming culinary scene right here—it’s made Madrid one in every of Europe’s finest meals cities. Hyatt Centric Gran Via Madrid is a 10-story Art Deco constructing inside strolling distance of cocktail bars, purchasing and leisure. Next, proceed your Spanish adventures by taking the AVE high-speed prepare to Barcelona—you’re there in lower than three hours. Close to the town’s prime sights, together with the Gothic Quarter, The Barcelona EDITION is the place you possibly can savor a Spanish Gin and Tonic whereas having fun with the breathtaking views from a nook desk on the rooftop terrace. Don’t overlook to stroll alongside the town’s most well-known boulevard, La Ramblas, scout out the most effective paella and luxuriate in a day siesta on one of many metropolis’s finest seashores.
A Weekend in Europe: City Breaks and Countryside Escapes
Porto + Douro Valley, Portugal
Long thought to be Lisbon’s little sister, Porto is lastly rising as a prime vacation spot, drawing weekenders searching for the last word 48-hour escape. Popping up like a storybook from the banks of the Douro River, Portugal’s second-biggest metropolis is steeped in historical past and shortly turning into a haven for design and meals lovers. Don’t miss Mercado do Bolhao, Porto’s historic central market. Reopened in October 2022 after a two-year renovation, it gives many delights, such because the well-known francesinha sandwich. Explore the UNESCO Heritage Cais da Ribeira neighborhood, then unwind at The Rebello. This boutique resort options an indoor and out of doors pool and numerous eating choices, together with the Lobby Bar and an elegant rooftop restaurant serving contemporary pizza with metropolis views. In the temper for vinho? It’s time to enterprise 90-minutes east to the Douro Valley, the place Nineteenth-century manor Six Senses Douro Valley awaits, providing winery excursions, wine libraries and tastings aboard a classic boat.
A Weekend in Europe: City Breaks and Countryside Escapes
Nice + Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, France
It has the seashores, it has the sunshine and it positively has the glamour—Nice is certainly good. Nestled just a few blocks away from the seaside alongside picturesque Boulevard Victor Hugo, Boscolo Hotel & Spa Nice exudes timeless attraction. Discover one of many metropolis’s most unique rooftops, BClub, boasting an outside pool and scrumptious cocktails. Just an 8-minute stroll away lies Ruhl’s Private Beach, the place resort company are pampered with an array of facilities, together with plush mattresses, parasols and towels. Drive east alongside the Côte d’Azur for 25-minutes and let the Mediterranean information you to your subsequent vacation spot: Roquebrune-Cap-Martin. Stay at The Maybourne Riviera, standing sentry on a rocky outcrop close to Monaco. Taking the twenty sixth place on 2023’s World’s 50 Best Hotels record, this gravity-defying architectural marvel places company 300 meters above the Mediterranean Sea. Plus, it’s the proper base for one of many sporting highlights of the 12 months—the annual Monaco Grand Prix in May.
A Weekend in Europe: City Breaks and Countryside Escapes
Santorini + Paros, Greece
Santorini is a head-turner. It’s received the immediately recognizable white-washed homes, well-known caldera and iconic sunsets. Not to say, that crystal clear Aegean Sea. Equally as beautiful is Andronis Arcadia, carved into cliffs close to the enduring city of Oia. Intimate and secluded, the property options open, vivid interiors and personal swimming pools. Enjoy the resort’s Pacman Restaurant with its al fresco attraction and breathtaking sundown views over the Aegean Sea accompanied by world-renowned dwell music May via August. If seeking to escape the bustle of Santorini, jump over to low-key Paros and go for a keep at Parīlio, an island retreat in full concord with the encircling sea and mountainous terrain. For these seeking to absolutely embrace the slow-paced Cycladic way of life, the Elios Spa gives the last word trip timeout.
A Weekend in Europe: City Breaks and Countryside Escapes
Dublin + Ardmore, Ireland
James Joyce’s novel Ulysses famously takes the reader throughout Dublin on a single day in June 1904— think about what you could possibly with a complete weekend. So, what’s the craic (that’s Irish slang for enjoyable) within the Emerald Isle’s capital? Walk the cobbles of Trinity College, wander St. Stephen’s Green, store on Grafton Street or dine at one of many 5 Michelin-starred eating places on the town. If all that appears slightly too fancy, seize a pint of Guinness in an 800-year-old pub. Check into The Merrion, an impeccable restoration of 4 Georgian townhouses with rooms and suites overlooking lovely manicured gardens. Leave the town and expertise the Irish countryside in County Waterford. Make your lodging Cliff House Hotel, clinging to a cliff on the south facet of Ardmore Bay, the place there has lengthy been a fishing village. The resort options an intimate Irish vacation spot spa and a floating golf inexperienced.
A Weekend in Europe: City Breaks and Countryside Escapes
Venice, Italy + Rovinj, Croatia
Spread throughout greater than 100 small islands, Venice stands as Italy’s Veneto gem, adorned with winding canals, majestic Renaissance palaces and sleek bridges. A few canals over from the Piazza San Marco, discover newly opened Nolinski Venezia. Best reached by personal speedboat, the property is housed throughout the confines of Venice’s outdated inventory change and encompasses a 4,000-book Library Bar and a 360-view pool with dreamy views of the Venetian skyline. While day-trippers hurry from the Rialto to St. Mark’s Basilica, contemplate slowing issues down by heading to the Venice Biennale, a world cultural exhibition hosted yearly. Ready to zip overseas? Set sail to Croatia. Skip the automotive leases and go for the ferry to coastal Rovinj. Perched amidst pine forests overlooking the azure Adriatic, Grand Park Hotel Rovinj is a serene escape with seven eating venues, together with a Michelin-starred restaurant, and a 3800-square-meter spa set in Mediterranean gardens. Venture into Rovinj’s outdated city, rising from the ocean, to wander its timeless streets.
1 /10
Milan + Lake Garda, Italy
Pack your Bottega Veneta bag and head to Milan, the cosmopolitan hub of Italy’s north, for a getaway. Stay at Casa Cipriani Milano, the place traditional Milanese hospitality meets the old-world really feel of an English gentleman’s membership. Take in a treasure trove of masterpieces—Da Vinci’s The Last Supper, Il Duomo di Milano Cathedral and world-famous opera home La Scala. If the countryside calls, you’re a scenic 4.5-hour drive from the biggest lake in Italy, Lake Garda. Here, adult-only Val di Sogno sits amongst small villages, picturesque hamlets and mountain slopes. Check in, hearken to the sound of waves being gently pushed onto shore by passing sailboats and savor a poolside Aperol Spritz underneath the shade of olive timber.
2 /10
Paris + Lyon, France
If sitting at an area bistro, slowly sipping a café crème and tearing right into a flaky croissant sounds very best proper about now, then Paris is the proper metropolis break for you. Located within the 1st Arrondissement between the Opéra Garnier and well-known rue Saint Honoré, you’ll discover Nolinski Paris. After a stroll alongside the Seine and cross via the Palais-Royal gardens, dine on the property’s two Michelin-starred Palais Royal Restaurant or take to the Spa Nolinski by La Colline. Looking for extra huge metropolis vitality? Hop on a two-hour TGV prepare sure for Lyon, France’s third-largest metropolis. Stay at Boscolo Hotel & Spa Lyon, a classically styled resort sprinkled with Italian design relationship all the way in which again to the Nineteenth century. Go on a culinary journey at Mediterranean-focused Angelo Restaurant and return in time with a dip within the historic Roman thermal baths on the Boscolo Lyon spa. Beyond the property, you’re steps away from Place Bellecour, the picturesque district of Vieux Lyon and the majestic Basilique de Fourvière.
3 /10
London + Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
London brims with issues to do. You may catch a sporting occasion, with Wimbledon rolling round every July and the Premier League gearing up in August (the town is residence to seven groups). If the humanities are extra your jam, London has over 192 museums and an unimaginable lineup of summer season music festivals, together with BST Hyde Park, All Points East and Field Day. There are all of the traditional sights, too—Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, Trafalgar Square. Luckily, a keep at Great Scotland Yard Hotel makes decision-making slightly simpler with its excellent location in Westminster. Its proximity to the prepare station at Charring Cross and underground strains makes it straightforward so that you can see the entire metropolis and past. A one-hour journey north of London Marylebone is Oxfordshire. Here, Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, A Belmond Hotel embodies the perfect of the dreamy British countryside—channel your interior Jane Austen heroine and wander via the vegetable gardens, flower borders and orchards.
4 /10
Rome + Porto Ercole, Italy
Whether stumbling upon an area trattoria serving heavenly cacio e pepe or encountering a famend Caravaggio masterpiece in an unassuming church, Rome gives surprises at each flip. Retreat to Villa Spalletti Trivelli Rome, an excellent residence base full with a library, Italian backyard and a rooftop terrace with a jacuzzi. If you possibly can’t get near the Trevi Fountain due to the crowds, save your needs for the Tuscan Coast, only a two-hour drive away. On arrival, get a style of glamorous Sixties Italy at LA ROQQA. Quench your thirst (and transfer your hips to the music) after your journey on the resort’s seaside membership, Isolotto.
5 /10
Madrid + Barcelona, Spain
When in Spain, go huge and daring. Start in Madrid the place artwork lovers can spend the day exploring three of the world’s greatest museums, aka the Golden Triangle of Art. History buffs will love the town’s structure and historic landmarks, together with the oldest restaurant on the earth and an Egyptian temple. And you possibly can’t go improper with the booming culinary scene right here—it’s made Madrid one in every of Europe’s finest meals cities. Hyatt Centric Gran Via Madrid is a 10-story Art Deco constructing inside strolling distance of cocktail bars, purchasing and leisure. Next, proceed your Spanish adventures by taking the AVE high-speed prepare to Barcelona—you’re there in lower than three hours. Close to the town’s prime sights, together with the Gothic Quarter, The Barcelona EDITION is the place you possibly can savor a Spanish Gin and Tonic whereas having fun with the breathtaking views from a nook desk on the rooftop terrace. Don’t overlook to stroll alongside the town’s most well-known boulevard, La Ramblas, scout out the most effective paella and luxuriate in a day siesta on one of many metropolis’s finest seashores.
6 /10
Porto + Douro Valley, Portugal
Long thought to be Lisbon’s little sister, Porto is lastly rising as a prime vacation spot, drawing weekenders searching for the last word 48-hour escape. Popping up like a storybook from the banks of the Douro River, Portugal’s second-biggest metropolis is steeped in historical past and shortly turning into a haven for design and meals lovers. Don’t miss Mercado do Bolhao, Porto’s historic central market. Reopened in October 2022 after a two-year renovation, it gives many delights, such because the well-known francesinha sandwich. Explore the UNESCO Heritage Cais da Ribeira neighborhood, then unwind at The Rebello. This boutique resort options an indoor and out of doors pool and numerous eating choices, together with the Lobby Bar and an elegant rooftop restaurant serving contemporary pizza with metropolis views. In the temper for vinho? It’s time to enterprise 90-minutes east to the Douro Valley, the place Nineteenth-century manor Six Senses Douro Valley awaits, providing winery excursions, wine libraries and tastings aboard a classic boat.
7 /10
Nice + Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, France
It has the seashores, it has the sunshine and it positively has the glamour—Nice is certainly good. Nestled just a few blocks away from the seaside alongside picturesque Boulevard Victor Hugo, Boscolo Hotel & Spa Nice exudes timeless attraction. Discover one of many metropolis’s most unique rooftops, BClub, boasting an outside pool and scrumptious cocktails. Just an 8-minute stroll away lies Ruhl’s Private Beach, the place resort company are pampered with an array of facilities, together with plush mattresses, parasols and towels. Drive east alongside the Côte d’Azur for 25-minutes and let the Mediterranean information you to your subsequent vacation spot: Roquebrune-Cap-Martin. Stay at The Maybourne Riviera, standing sentry on a rocky outcrop close to Monaco. Taking the twenty sixth place on 2023’s World’s 50 Best Hotels record, this gravity-defying architectural marvel places company 300 meters above the Mediterranean Sea. Plus, it’s the proper base for one of many sporting highlights of the 12 months—the annual Monaco Grand Prix in May.
8 /10
Santorini + Paros, Greece
Santorini is a head-turner. It’s received the immediately recognizable white-washed homes, well-known caldera and iconic sunsets. Not to say, that crystal clear Aegean Sea. Equally as beautiful is Andronis Arcadia, carved into cliffs close to the enduring city of Oia. Intimate and secluded, the property options open, vivid interiors and personal swimming pools. Enjoy the resort’s Pacman Restaurant with its al fresco attraction and breathtaking sundown views over the Aegean Sea accompanied by world-renowned dwell music May via August. If seeking to escape the bustle of Santorini, jump over to low-key Paros and go for a keep at Parīlio, an island retreat in full concord with the encircling sea and mountainous terrain. For these seeking to absolutely embrace the slow-paced Cycladic way of life, the Elios Spa gives the last word trip timeout.
9 /10
Dublin + Ardmore, Ireland
James Joyce’s novel Ulysses famously takes the reader throughout Dublin on a single day in June 1904— think about what you could possibly with a complete weekend. So, what’s the craic (that’s Irish slang for enjoyable) within the Emerald Isle’s capital? Walk the cobbles of Trinity College, wander St. Stephen’s Green, store on Grafton Street or dine at one of many 5 Michelin-starred eating places on the town. If all that appears slightly too fancy, seize a pint of Guinness in an 800-year-old pub. Check into The Merrion, an impeccable restoration of 4 Georgian townhouses with rooms and suites overlooking lovely manicured gardens. Leave the town and expertise the Irish countryside in County Waterford. Make your lodging Cliff House Hotel, clinging to a cliff on the south facet of Ardmore Bay, the place there has lengthy been a fishing village. The resort options an intimate Irish vacation spot spa and a floating golf inexperienced.
10 /10
Venice, Italy + Rovinj, Croatia
Spread throughout greater than 100 small islands, Venice stands as Italy’s Veneto gem, adorned with winding canals, majestic Renaissance palaces and sleek bridges. A few canals over from the Piazza San Marco, discover newly opened Nolinski Venezia. Best reached by personal speedboat, the property is housed throughout the confines of Venice’s outdated inventory change and encompasses a 4,000-book Library Bar and a 360-view pool with dreamy views of the Venetian skyline. While day-trippers hurry from the Rialto to St. Mark’s Basilica, contemplate slowing issues down by heading to the Venice Biennale, a world cultural exhibition hosted yearly. Ready to zip overseas? Set sail to Croatia. Skip the automotive leases and go for the ferry to coastal Rovinj. Perched amidst pine forests overlooking the azure Adriatic, Grand Park Hotel Rovinj is a serene escape with seven eating venues, together with a Michelin-starred restaurant, and a 3800-square-meter spa set in Mediterranean gardens. Venture into Rovinj’s outdated city, rising from the ocean, to wander its timeless streets.