For a city break that has it all, San Francisco is the place to go. Cross the wondrous Golden Gate Bridge, take a prison tour around the legendary Alcatraz, ride on the famous cable cars, enjoy an authentic Irish coffee in Buena Vista Café, known not only for their great coffees but the café was also used in Meg Ryan’s movie ‘When a Man Loves a Woman’, visit Fisherman’s Wharf and sample some of the scrummy seafood chowder, served in a crusty bread roll, shop until you drop in Union Square or simply sit in one of the many parks and just take in the sights and sounds of everyday life in this vast city. Whatever you choose to do, San Francisco is definitely a city that will have you leaving your heart behind.

If you are a lover of architecture, atmosphere, history and character, then Edinburgh is ideal for a city break. There are many old medieval alleys that connect the winding streets making it a great city to just wander off and explore. A perfectly situated hotel is The Scotsman, allowing easy access to both the Old and New towns that make up Edinburgh. Of course, a break in Edinburgh would not be complete without a visit to Edinburgh Castle so make sure you leave yourself plenty of time and take a tour. If you are a rugby fan, then you’ll be aware that just west of the city centre, is the famous Murrayfield, Scotland's international rugby stadium. Edinburgh's port, Leith, sits on the shore of the Firth of Forth, and is home to lots of chic bars and restaurantsas well as the former royal yacht, Britannia.

Bratislava is one of the youngest capitals in Europe and is situated on the banks of the River Danube. If you stay at Hotel Danube, you will be treated to views not only of the river but also of Bratislava Castle. The fabulous mix of cultures and nations not only left its mark in the language spoken in this splendid city, but also in the traditions, cuisine and way of life. The people of Bratislava like to stroll through the streets of the city centre, taking a break for a coffee in one of the many cafes. This area of the city is known as the Korzo and merges grace with charisma. Visitors say that the city has a tranquil Mediterranean feel to it. Bratislava is a seaside city without the sea and a wonderful getaway making it a fantastic city for a weekend break. Bratislava is encountering more growth and is regarded as one of the most energetically developing cities in Europe. There are numerous cities in Europe that can show off their own particular distinctive charm and lively atmospheres and Bratislava is definitely one of them.

If you are wanting a city break surrounded by history and picturesque views, Dubrovnik is a grand place to be. It is a city that has been greatly restored after being bombed in ’91/’92. The city’s old town of Stari Grad has beautiful marble-paved squares, lovely cobbled streets, churches, museums and palaces. The 82ft walls of this remarkable city were finished being built in the 13th century and amazingly, are still standing today. You can’t beat the sights, and a walk along the walls could quite possibly be the highlight of your visit to Dubrovnik. The Palace hotel offers rooms with sea views, which after a busy day spent exploring this majestic city, is a perfect way to end your day.

Unbelievably pretty, vibrant and full of pride, Tallinn is one of the smallest capital cities in Europe, making it perfect for a city break. It has a blend of old, with gothic featured architecture and new, incorporating shopping malls whilst all the time still holding onto the traditional customs. Every city break to Tallinn should also include a visit to the impressive Baroque Kadriorg Palace, built by Peter the Great for his wife, Catherine I, in the early 18th century.

I’ve heard it said that you do not arrive in Las Vegas, you collide with it. Las Vegas is an amazing city, with so much happening that you almost don’t know where to start your city break. Everything that you could ever wish for is right here is this stunning city. The hardest part of your break will be choosing which of the many wacky, wonderful hotels to stay in; New York New York with its miniture city skyscrapers, or The Veneitian with genuine canals and punts, The Bellagio with its famous dancing water fountains, the Luxor is a huge pyramid and sphynx…the list goes on. You cannot have a city break in Las Vegas without experiencing Freemont Street. New York was named the city that never sleeps; Las Vegas is the city that not only never sleeps, it prefers you not to either.

New York or the Big Apple; whichever name you prefer, New York City has to be one of the all time greatest cities and well worth taking the time to explore. If you’re planning a short city break, then it’s well worth doing some homework first and working out exactly where you want to go and see. This is a city that never sleeps and if you want to, then it’s hard to get round to do everything! The Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building, Rockafellar Centre, Central Park, Madison Square Gardens, FAO Schwartz, Tiffanys, Bloomingdales…..oh, so much to do, so little time! To view the skyline of this amazing city, catch a return ferry over to Staten Island. You can eat and drink your way round this buzzing city but be sure to sample a cocktail or two down in one of the many bars at South Street Seaport. As for hotels, well you’re spoilt for choice for your unforgettable city break. Stay in the wonderful Art Deco hotel that is the Waldorf Astoria and enjoy a glass of champagne in the piano bar whilst listening to the tinkling of the ivories. Or position yourself more centrally and book into the Belvedere Hotel; just a New York minute from many attractions. Wheverever you stay in this most amazing city, you will be sure to enjoy your break.

There is so much to do in Bath, it’s hard to know where to begin. This is a city steeped in history. It has fabulous architecture and stunning old buildings, like the Roman Baths which holds the only remaining hot springs in Britain. Bath is famous for its Abbey too. Although Bath is a city, the Abbey is not classed as a cathedral, the cathedral being at Wells, a city just 20 miles from Bath. There are many tours of this historical city. You can choose to take a walking tour, go on a bus, a boat or even a hot air balloon. There are ghost tours, pub tours, comedy tours and of course, a tour showing places Jane Austen lived, walked and visited. Indeed, Bath makes for a pleasant UK city break.

I've just returned from a great break in Valencia. I stayed at the Expo hotel which is quite central to all amenities. I was in Spain for the tomato festival at Bunyol,which is a short coach journey from Valencia. The hotel Expo provided us with transport to and from the village for the famous tomato throwing hour of mayhem. The city of Valencia certainly comes alive at nightime and has a great party atmosphere. Well worth booking another city break and seeing the city; this time without the tomatoes!

If you’re into walking up hills to take in the scenic views, Cork makes the ideal short city break. If you’re not, then you can still have a great time in this fabulous city that was crowned Europen Capital of Culture in 2005. Cork has some of the best places to go to for listening to live music, seeing orignal artwork by local artists and also checking out the street graffiti, which is art in itself. Make the most of your city break and visit one of the comedy stores in Cork and share some of the great Irish humour. Extend your Irish city break and take a trip to Dublin also. This is the ‘Party Capital of Europe’. I’m sure the likes of Beckett, Yates, Joyce and Orson Welles had a few wild nights in their time out in this fair city Be sure to visit the Guiness Storehouse and sink a pint or two of the black stuff. Most of the hotels, including the Waltons and the Cassidys, offer a Full Irish breakfast to start your day with, so you’ll be made up for spending your day walking round and discovering Dublin city.

Helsinki, being the capital city of Finland can be described as quirky but with the charm of a village. As it is a sea-faring city, whilst on your city break, why not hop on a boat and visit one or all or it’s 315 islands. If you don’t fancy spending your break looking at the rugged coastline, then you can explore the city itself. There are art galleries, museums, shops galore and many, many fabulous restaurants. Helsinki really is a hidden gem of a city and well worth finding out for yourself on a short city break.

Oslo is the capital city of Norway and ideal for a short city break. May is a great time to visit this wonderful city as the weather is warming up and the tourist season has not quite begun. That said, Oslo can also be described as a ‘winter wonderland’ so the choice as to when you take your city break may be harder than you think. There is always plenty to do and see in the remarkable city that is Oslo. Check in at hotel Munch and check out some copies of Edvard Munch’s paintings, his most famous one being ‘The Scream’.

A city break in Amsterdam is the perfect romantic get away. The city is full of cobble-stoned streets with narrow old century houses, art museums and more. Bicycles and trams are the chosen method of transport therefore making it an ideal place for gently browsing in quirky shops and galleries and taking leisurely strolls through the city. Or make the most of your break and hire a bicycle your self and explore the hidden gems the city has to offer. Take a trip on one of the canals that make up this beautiful city and relax in one of the many cafes that make Amsterdam famous. Amsterdam is also home to a floating hotel, the Amstel Botel, or you could stay at the Citadel, in the heart of the city.

Riga is a city break destination rich in history and heritage. The medieval wonders of Riga’s old town of Vecriga and its beautiful 20th century art nouveau districts to the north point to the city’s importance and prosperity over the centuries. Riga is Latvia’s picturesque capital, a Baltic gem that has sprung to life as a city break destination with the arrival of the low cost airlines. The city is now accessible by a number of direct flights from the UK. You can currently travel on a Riga city break from East Midlands, Prestwick, Liverpool, Gatwick, Stansted and Manchester airports. Without a doubt more direct flights from other UK airports are sure to follow as Riga gains popularity as a city break destination. Riga also makes a great city break choice for Christmas markets. According to legend, the first decorated Christmas tree originated in Riga in 1510 and today the city throws itself into the Christmas spirit. The Christmas market located in Dome Square has cheerful wooden booths with hot wine, gingerbread figures, knitted gloves and hand-made arts and handicrafts, entertainers and singers.

Byzantium, Constantinople and now Istanbul. A destination that might not make it on to many a city break traveller’s list under the illusion that it is too far away or too “foreign” to merit a short break. Nothing is further from the truth. Flight time from the UK is around 4 hours and the number of direct flights is increasing. At present you can book an Istanbul city break from Heathrow, Stansted, Luton and Manchester airports but as the city gains in popularity as a city break destination it is hopeful more routes will commence. If you still need convincing on the merits of Istanbul as a short break destination, then consider the fact you can cross to Europe to Asia in one brief 15 minute ferry crossing. (How impressive to say to friends that you went to Asia for the weekend!) On your Istanbul city break you are sure to want to explore both the European and Asian sides of the city. The European side of Istanbul is the historical peninsula, also know as the “Golden Horn” because of the colours of the water at sunset. The large natural port which has seen much use since Byzantine and ottoman times is still as busy and popular today. It is from the port that the ferries depart to the Asian side of Istanbul. It is on this side of the city that some of the oldest history of Istanbul can be found. If you enjoy history on your city breaks, this area is a must for you to explore as this culturally rich area gives a wonderful view on its history.

Think of Seville and you will be thinking of bullfighters, gypsies, flamenco dancers and old-style flamboyance. A city break to Seville will certainly not disappoint if you love traditional Hispanic culture. Currently served with direct flights from Liverpool, Gatwick and Stansted, Seville is a burgeoning city break destination and more routes are sure to follow. With a flight time of 2 hours and 45 minutes, Seville is close enough to merit a long weekend but for those lucky enough to have a little more time on their hands there is plenty to do to fill a week if not longer. There is much to see on a Seville city break. A good place to start your exploration of Seville is down by the river. Take a stroll along the banks of the Rio Guadalquivir and experience the city away from the throng of cars and people. Head north into town from the river and you will hit the beautiful Maria Luisa Park. No city break to Seville would be complete without seeing the grand university buildings, formerly the tobacco factory where Carmen was employed. All this city break sightseeing is sure to leave you hungry so sampling the delicious local tapas is a must!

As romantic as Venice, as historical as Rome and with a cuisine that even the French would envy, Florence has all the essential ingredients that make a very special city break. What is more, you don’t have to travel that far from home to find an airport with a direct flight to Pisa, the gateway to your Florence city break. Belfast, Bournemouth, Bristol, Coventry, Doncaster, Dublin, Nottingham East Midlands, Edinburgh, Prestwick, Leeds Bradford, Liverpool, Gatwick, Stansted, Manchester and Newcastle airports all have direct flights making Florence an even more appealing city break destination. Furthermore, Florence is close enough to merit a long weekend, (flight time is just over 2 hours), but has enough to do to fill a week for those lucky enough to have a little more time on their hands for a well deserved city break. Florence is not a city to rush. There is too much to see however long you intend to spend on your city break. Just relax and absorb the atmosphere of one of the most beautiful city break destinations in the world knowing that you will one day return.

I didn’t realise that Dormund’s Christmas Market is one of the biggest in Germany. It has over 300 stalls and in the middle of it all is a gigantic Christmas tree which consists of 1,700 individual fir trees. The tree stands 45 metres tall and is adorned with 13,000 lights – the biggest in the world. So Dortmund would make a perfect city break for German Christmas markets shopping. There are currently direct flights from Edinburgh and Luton and our prices start at £169 per person for a 3 night pre-christmas shopping break.

A Madrid city break is perfect for lovers of all things Spanish. Fiercely proud of their rich traditions, you will find bullfighting, flamenco and heavenly meat stews combined with a world-class cultural scene and buzzing night life. Filling your days on a Madrid city break is easy. Madrid has three reference points: the Puerta del Sol, the city’s absolute centre; the Plaza mayor, the Golden Age core; and the Plaza de Cibeles, with its extravagant architecture. The Plaza Mayor was where the greatest festivals and ceremonies of imperial Madrid were held, as well as carnivals and bull fights. These days it hosts coin and stamp collectors markets on Sundays and during fiestas lively dance bands fill the square. Many people will come on a Madrid city break just to visit the trio of world famous art galleries; the Thyssen-Bornemisaz, the giant neo-classical Prado and the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia. If you love shopping on your city breaks then Madrid will not disappoint – if it is good enough for Victoria Beckham, it is good enough for the rest of us!

Some people may think that Prague has had its day as a city break destination and has lost the charm that once made it such a popular city break choice but it must not be forgotten that Prague is undoubtedly one of Europe’s most beautiful city break destinations. Filling your days on a city break to Prague is easy. The city is steeped in history. A good starting for your city break sightseeing is Prague Castle. Prague Castle rises high above the city, where buildings are topped by the Gothic spires of St Vitus’s Cathedral. You can pass many pleasant hours on your Prague city break by soaking up the atmosphere of the Old Town Square, featuring the signature Astronomical Clock which has been in service since 1490. Sitting in one of the main pavement cafés of the Old Town Square just observing the hustle and bustle of the many peddlers and buskers can be a relaxing way to spend an afternoon on your Prague city break. For a romantic touch to your short break, try a horse drawn carriage ride around the Old Town.

Over the past few years, Berlin has become an increasingly popular choice for a city break with Cities Direct customers. As more direct flights from the UK start up, the city is reaching out to a wider audience. You can currently book a Berlin city break from any of the following local airports; Belfast, Bristol, East Midlands, Glasgow, Liverpool, Gatwick, Luton, Heathrow, Stansted and Manchester. I also think Berlin makes an excellent city break choice if you are looking for german Christmas Markets. Berlin has several markets in the city selling traditional Christmas gifts, decorations, jewellery and artwork by some of the most innovative artists around.

If you like the idea of doing a luxury city break on the cheap, then Brussels could be your perfect weekend break destination. The capital of Flanders, Belgium and Europe, this is a city where the hotels thrive on the business traveller so standards are high. But come the weekend when the bureaucrats escape from the city, hoteliers drop their rates considerably in order to attract the city break traveller. This is a city break choice which could have you paying three star prices for five star quality! Brussels is also an excellent choice for Christmas markets. At Christmas time the city is filled with seasonal delights, mulled wine and fabulous shopping opportunities. You can even take a ride on the big wheel for great views of the city or skate on the outdoor ice rink.

Centralwings has announced a further expansion of its Polish flights from Edinburgh later this year. The no-frills subsidiary of Polish national airline LOT will be adding flights to Poznan and Szeczin. Centralwings will operate three flights a week from Edinburgh to Poznan and a twice-weekly service between the Scottish capital and Szeczin from October 28. There are currently no other airlines offering flights to Szeczin or Poznan from Edinburgh or any other Scottish airports.

An old favourite, that does not get much day to day publicity but is still a great destination at anytime of year. Traditionally flights from Scotland have been expensive, stop en route or fly into Paris Beauvais, which is someway from the Paris City Centre. However, from October our Paris City Break programme will have additional flights from both Edinburgh and Glasgow International into Paris Charles de Gaulle – the main airport for Paris. Book you Paris City Break as early as possible to get the best prices.

Gdansk City breaks is one of the highlights of Eastern Europe, thanks to the boom in budget flights. Although paling in popularity alongside the Baltic regions’ more high-profile destinations, this harbour town has found itself with plenty of column inches in the travel press on account of a mixture of historical and architectural beauty. Crowded with pavement cafés and gabled houses, it’s remarkably similar to Amsterdam, with the beer monsters being the only obvious missing link!! As you explore the cobbled streets and dusty museums, it is difficult to imagine Gdansk as more than a handsome backwater. Our Gdansk City Breaks have great new direct flights from many UK airports to include Edinburgh, Prestwick and Bristol. Find our more at http://www.gdansk-life.com/

***NEW ROUTE – BUDAPEST***From 01st Nov 2007 New direct flights are available between Prestwick and Budapest. Budapest makes a great city break destination offering excellent restaurants, nightlife, shopping, sightseeing, Christmas markets and a very high standard of hotel accommodation. You can also enjoy Budapest’s famous Turkish baths or stay at a luxury spa hotel. Why not give us a call to discuss the highlights of this city, many of our staff have visited Budapest and are happy to advise on the best hotels. Budapest makes a great city break at any time of year! 3 night price from £169 at a 3 star and 3 night price from £199 at a 5 star. These prices are correct as of 27th July 2007.

Exciting news at Cities Direct. We are just about to launch a new range of multi-centre city breaks. We will be featuring some classic twin city breaks such as Rome and Venice but also putting together some new ideas. Ever thought about Madrid and Marrakech for a city break or what about Venice & Ljubljana? If you have your own ideas for a multi centre city break, just give our city break specialists a call on 01242 536 900 and they will be able to work out the best way to combine your cities at the best possible price.

There are still some great deals to be had on Venice city breaks this summer. The Hotel Ai Mori d’Oriente, (a Cities Direct favourite) is offering 3 nights for the price of 2 on many dates throughout August. There are also a selection of hotels in Rome offering free nights if you book a Rome city break in August. These range from the luxurious 5* Aldrovandi Palace to another Cities Direct favourite, the 3* Amalia so it is definitely still worth booking a city break for travel in the next few weeks.

We’re selling more and more Warsaw City Breaks, and it’s a great choice of destination with some really good prices on 4 and 5 star hotels. Although Warsaw was almost entirely destroyed during the Second World War, it was meticulously rebuild over the following decades. The Old Town is now UNESCO World Heritage listed and home to the barque Royal Castle and St John’s Cathedral. However the city is constantly changing and also ha great shopping areas and many good restaurants to offer the visitor. For your own personalised city break quote to Warsaw give us a call on 01242 536900.

The summer appears to be a complete wash out so there has never been a better time to book a city break to get away from it all. Even if you can’t travel on your city break until later in the year at least it gives you something to look forward to. Although there are some good late deals around on our city breaks, the best prices are still to be had if you book your break well in advance. Cities Direct are just about to launch an exciting new range of multi-centre city breaks and spa breaks. Keep checking the website to get some great ideas for your next city break.

The Villa Borghese in Rome is one of Europe’s most elegant parks. The park is a wonderful destination during your city break, morning, afternoon and evening! The Villa Borghese has incredible views over the Eternal city and has massive areas of green space for relaxation and is a favourite with families and nature lovers. It is also home to historic buildings, museums, galleries as well as a zoo to keep the kids happy! The Villa Borghese is a great asset to your Rome city break especially during the summer months!

I have been reading about the Polish city of Poznan recently and think that this would make for an interesting city break. The city’s historic centre is Poznan’s real draw and in particular the Old Town Square which is dominated by the Renaissance-style town hall. You can travel on a city break to Pozan from Liverpool, Stansted and Luton. If you are on a budget this would make a great city break choice as there are some great deals to be had as the city has yet to really make its mark as a city break destination.

This time of year city breaks that offer a beach as well are very popular. Valencia makes a great choice, and Malvarrosa Beach is Valencia’s excellent urban beach and has more than a mile of fine golden sand. The beach is well located close to the city, and is well equipped with volleyball nets and cycle path. This city beach also offers windsurfing, jet-skis and sailing and there are a variety of good seafood restaurants just meters from the beach. Fancy a city breaks in August – give us a call and we can check availability for you. PS - temperature in Valencia today is 34 degrees!

Paris has just launched Europe’s biggest bike-sharing scheme. More than 10,000 cycles will appear at self-service points across the capital. Anyone with a bank card can borrow one – and simply return it to another station within 30 minutes and it’s totally free!! This should be an excellent bonus for your Paris City Break – let us know if you need any further information.

St Petersburg as a city breaks destination has always been seen as an expensive choice from the UK, with a limited number of flights and expensive hotel accommodation. However, there are now more and more option to include St Petersburg as part of a twin or triple centre holiday. If thinking of travelling from Scotland, Berlin, St Petersburg and Riga makes a great combination of city breaks all with direct flights.

Italian city breaks seem to be very popular at the moment. People do expect the weather to be good in cities such as Rome, Florence and Venice, and there are some really good deals for Italian cities in August.

The demand for Christmas Market city breaks is really starting to hot up now. With so many direct flights from the UK to a host of European cities there has never been such a choice for Christmas Market shopping. Cologne, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Berlin, Krakow, Warsaw, Oslo Stockholm, Gothenburg, Brussels, Copenhagen, Prague, Rome all host Christmas markets which would make december city break extra special. When it comes to Christmas Market city breaks, the general rule is the earlier you book the cheaper it is going to be. There are some great offers out at the moment so my advice to anyone who enjoys Christmas Market city breaks is pick up the phone and call Cities Direct 01242 536900 to get the best city break deals before they go!

The Spanish city of Zaragoza is to get a makeover that will boost its image as it gears up to host Expo 2008. This will undoubtedly raise city’s international profile and it will start to make its mark as a city break destination. A new high-speed train link connecting the city with Madrid in less than two hours also makes a twin centre city break with Madrid an attractive option. At present there is a direct flight from Stansted only but as with all up and coming city break destinations other carriers will follow suit once a city’s profile is raised.

There seems to be more and more confusion over telephone numbers at the moment, especially with all the changes to 0870,0800, etc which are been introduced early 2008. We always try to make booking a City Break holiday as easy as possible, and therefore decided to go back to our normal number – 01242 536900. We understand that this will make it cheaper for clients to contact us about their city break request. Let us know if you think this is a good idea – if not what would make your life easier? Call our city breaks experts now on 01242 536900

I think people are sometimes put off Swiss city breaks because the country has a reputation for being expensive. In reality you can do a Swiss city break on a budget. Take Geneva as an example. There are direct flights to Geneva operating out of 23 UK airports. Competition on routes helps keep prices down and as with all city breaks if you can be flexible about when you take your short break you can find some bargain prices. Booking well in advance is also a sure fire way of making a Swiss city break affordable. And once you get to Geneva, there is so much to do without needing to dip in to your wallet. The location is stunning. Set on the shores of Lake Geneva visitors can enjoy the beach or exploring the cobbled streets of the Old Town. On Saturdays many of the nearby vineyards offer complimentary wine tasting and for a couple of euros you can go behind the facades of organisations such as the UN, International Red Cross and the WTO.

Now all the winter schedules are coming on sale, it’s a great time to book your city break for departures from November 2007 to March 2008. In general, the earlier you book the cheaper the price, and November, January and February are particularly good times to be getting 4 and 5 star city hotels for some very low prices. Give our expert staff a call now and get the very latest prices and deals.

If you are the sort of person that likes to do a city break to a new destination before the word gets out, a city break to Istanbul could be just what you are looking for. A flight time of just 4 hours definitely makes this a city to consider if you have a few days to enjoy a short break. The low cost airlines are starting to get interested in Istanbul which is great news for city break fans. Flights are now available from Luton to Istanbul but let's hope that is just the beginning of bigger things and that very soon other carriers will jump on the bandwagon and start flights from more regional airports across the UK making a city break to Istanbul a real must.

It might seem a bit early but when it comes to christmas market city breaks, it is definitely a case of the early bird catching the worm. The sooner you book your christmas market city break, the cheaper it is going to be leaving you with more to spend on christmas gifts. I think Copehagen makes a great destination for a short break just before Christmas. The city takes on a magical quality which definitely puts you in the Christmas mood!

It’s July and it is cold and wet. I definitely need a city break somewhere with sunshine guaranteed! Looking at the weather report, Marrakech could be the perfect choice for a short break. High 30’s and not a cloud in the sky for the foreseeable future. What I love about Marrakech as a city break destination is that it has the feel of a long haul destination but with the benefit of a short haul flight. Within hours you can be in a city that is so different from Europe but you don’t get the jet lag to go with it. If you are booking a city break to Marrakech you will be spoilt for choice when it comes to the hotels. You can treat yourself and choose from the highly affordable 4 & 5 star properties located in the residential area just outside the city walls or opt for the boutique style traditional Riads where you will be treated like royalty. Shopping is a must for me on any city break and the chaotic labyrinth of souks keep me amused for hours without doing too much damage to the bank balance!

Looking at ideas for new city breaks, I can’t believe the number of flights that now operate to a variety of cities in Poland. Most of these cities I have never heard of but if an airline thinks it can make a profit flying to that city then there must be something there! I have just started reading about the city of Wroclaw and I think this would be a great city for a short break to Europe. With flights from Bristol, East Midland, Prestwick, Liverpool and Stansted airports you don’t have to travel too far to hop on a plane. For those who have already enjoyed city breaks to destinations such as Prague and Krakow, I think this would be a great choice for a short break.

Great news that from November this year city breaks to Budapest from Bristol will be available. Budapest is a favourite short break destination amongst the staff in our office so with the launch of the direct service just down the road there will be no excuse for me not to pop over for a weekend break to find out why it is such a top city break destination.

Bailey, the 3 month old retriever puppy had me up for most the night again. Gorgeous as he is, I really need him to give me a break from night duty. I’ve had all the dog books out again and apparently I need to ignore the barking and hopefully break the cycle. Not so sure the neighbours will agree! Anyway, all this time awake gives me plenty of time to think about travel and where I want to go next. I can’t face the thought of leaving him for too long or with someone else. (I mean who else would understand that he likes to be hit on the nose with his squeaky chicken just before his breakfast?) City breaks are definitely the perfect holiday now. Maybe if I get Bailey a passport he could come along too. I might do some investigation and look at some dog friendly city break options. I might ask the boss if we can put something on the Cities Direct website. I am sure I am not the only one who is barking mad and still likes to travel! Watch this space…

Will we ever get a break from this rain. At least it gives me a break from watering the garden but it would be nice to see the sun break through the clouds every once in a while. When the weather is like this I just want to escape and explore somewhere new. Definitely need to sort out a city break asap.

Great news that easyJet has announced the launch of a new Luton to Vienna flight due to commence on the 29th October this year. Vienna has such magical appeal as a city break destination. The launch comes just in time for those looking for an exciting Christmas Market city break. If you travel on a city break to Vienna from the end of November right up until Christmas Day you will be able to explore the "Christkindlmärkte" on the square in front of the City Hall. Small huts provide you with potential christmas presents, food and most important hot punch and "Glühwein", sweet and heated mulled wine. Definitely a city break to add to my Christmas list. But don’t save Vienna just for a Christmas Market city break, this is a great destination for a weekend break at any time of the year. In this opulent and indulgent metropolis there is a variety of world-class museums to explore, grand palaces such as the Schonbrunn or the Imperial Palace, wide boulevards to wander along and enjoy the magnificent architecture. See the famous white stallions perform or an orchestra perform at one of the many lavish concert halls, such as the Wiener Philharmoniker or the Vienna Boys Choir at the Vienna Conservatorium.

Just back from Barcelona and seriously impressed. When it comes to city breaks this is a destination that is going to take a lot of beating. Spend the morning lazing on the beach, sangria and paella for lunch and then off to the city to do the serious sight seeing bit in the afternoon. Back to the hotel for a quick siesta and then out again to sample some of the finest seafood you are ever likely to come across on a city break! Getting around the city is so simple. The underground is quick and easy to navigate even if you don’t speak a word of Spanish but as the city is fairly compact you can also get around either on foot or using one of the hop on/hop off tourist buses. City breaks are generally over all too soon so as we headed rather deflated to the airport for the return flight imagine my delight when I got through security and discovered shopping heaven! What a fabulous array of shops to use up the remaining euros. Almost a city break in itself, although I am not sure if my husband will agree when the credit card bill arrives…oops!

Venice is a perfect example of a city breaks destination many would be surprised to find in the city breaks and beaches category. Venice itself needs no introduction as a city, but less well known is Venice Lido, an island which separates Venice’s lagoon from the open Adriatic Sea and is situated just a 10 minute boat ride to the south of the main island on which Venice’s historic centre stands. The Lido features an excellent range of hotels to suit all budgets and good bathing along its full 12 km length making it one of the least crowded and most underrated beach resorts on the Adriatic coast. Whenever you fancy a spot of culture, hop on one of the very frequent ‘vaporetto’ water buses to the centre of Venice city or hail your own private water taxi! Then, when you’ve had enough of the tourists and the sightseeing its easy to head back to Lido for more relaxation.

Just reading that Vancouver is the best place to live, according to a survey by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). The top ten cities are Vancouver, Melbourne, Vienna, Geneva, Perth, Adelaide, Sydney, Zurich, Toronto and Calgary. So if your looking for inspiration for your next city break, why not try a city break to one of these top ten destinations. Cities Direct can offer city breaks to any of these destinations.

Well looks like we might have another wet bank holiday, just started raining in Cheltenham. However, we’re all very excited today about Ryanair’s new routes from Bristol Airport – as this is one of the nearest airports to our office in Cheltenham. We’re all planning our winter city breaks, as prices are so good at the moment we want to try and get to as many of the new cities as possible!

Environmentally friendly City Breaks are becoming more and more important to our clients, and we can offer a great range of our European City Breaks by train and car as well as by air. The most popular destinations by train are Paris and Brussels, but many other destinations are available. Have a change – and travel by train.

With the choice of flights within Europe getting more each day and prices been so competitive it's a great time to look at combining 2 or 3 cities on the same trip. Our current best sellers are any combination of the four major Italian city breaks destination: Florence, Rome, Milan and Venice. However, there are some other great choices and were getting more and more requests for multi centre city destinations. Give our staff a call on 01242 536900 and we can let you have lots of other ideas!.

Berlin has been one of our most popular new City Breaks destinations from Scotland over the last 6 months. Berlin has so much to offer and is a very vibrant and lively city. Hotels are very good value for money, and our client’s particularly recommend the Park Inn Berlin Alexanderplatz as an ideal base for their city breaks. Berlin City Breaks are available from Glasgow, as well as many other UK airports.

Joy has just emailed and added to our website all the latest city breaks for Christmas and New Year. Still some surprisingly low prices around - so if we can temp you why give yourself a great present this year and get away for a short city breaks

What a great deal - a 3 night Marrakech city break for just £189 per person - and at a 5 star hotel! See our deal of the day for more information.

I was walking through Cheltenham yesterday and the Christmas Market has arrived. Maybe not quite as large as those is Cologne or Baden Baden, but it still had some great stalls selling all sort that you don’t get in the shops - personal favourite is a wooden tie! We’ve still got availability to the many cities in Europe that are famous for their markets, so if you fancy a quick weekend away – give us a call. We’ve still got good availability and price especially to some of the less popular Christmas Market destinations.

We have a lot of customers in the North of England and Scotland – and it’s great that we can offer so many destinations on direct non-stop flights. When Cities Direct started in 1999 so many flights were via London, Amsterdam and Brussels – yet the list of direct flights outside London now continues to grow and grow. The latest destination is Munich from Edinburgh – these Easyjet flights go on sale next month for the summer flights schedules of Summer 2007. We will be sending offers our on our special offer newsletter – so if you want to be one of the first to know sign up to our newsletter now at www.citiesdirect.co.uk

Great article in the Sunday Times travel section this weekend giving a list of the best city break destinations if looking for some snow this winter. There seems to be less and less chance of seeing snow in the UK during December, so why not escape the rain and enjoy that atmosphere that only the brilliant white stuff can bring. The destinations recommended are Prague, Salzburg, Krakow, Stockholm, Tallinn, St Petersburg, Moscow and Reykjavik. These are all cities that you can enjoy the Cities Direct City Break! Give us a call for more information.

Joy, our Office Manager, is in Budapest at the moment and was in touch this morning to say that it had just started snowing! Just reminded me how good it is going away in November and December to one of the many Christmas Market destinations. We’ve also got some great rates at the Corinthia Grand Hotel Royal – a great 5 star hotel in Budapest. I’ve stayed in the hotel along with a number of others in the office, so if you want more information or advice let us know. It makes a great hotel for a luxury city break. Looking forward to weekend now!

If your looking to travel to New York in the near future, there has never been a better time to go and travel in luxury. On the 25th January 2007 the third “all business” class airline will start flying from London to New York. SilverJet www.flysilverjet.com will start flying from Luton to New York, SilverJet joins www.maxjet.com and www.eosailines.co.uk that already fly from Stansted to New York. So you can now combine a luxury flight with a great hotel, to make your New York city break really special. We can add limousine transfers to add the finishing touches! Give us a call to get more information.

I’m writing this at 5.00pm and already dark outside, and trick and treating to look forward to tonight (I’ll let you work out if that’s sarcastic or not !) Anyway, I’ve just reviewed some of our 5 star product on the website – and November is a great time to travel if your looking to do some Christmas shopping while enjoying some 5 star luxury in city centre hotels. Currently we still have good prices in top class hotels in the following destinations: Warsaw City Breaks, Budapest City Breaks, Brussels City Breaks and Barcelona City Breaks. Give us a call and find our more. If these city breaks destinations don’t appeal – we’ve got many other options!?

It’s good to see the start of “low cost long haul” with the inaugural flight from Oasis Hong Kong now in the air, after a short delay because of Russian air traffic control!! For those who want to know more, you can find all the information about this airline at http://www.oasishongkong.com/gb/en/home.aspx I think this is a very exciting development and it will be interesting to see how Oasis develops. Opinion is divided if this business model can work long haul, but then is was divided about the low cost model in Europe and America – and look what’s happened!! The city breaks market has changed forever in Europe, and this may be the start of things to come for the long haul city breaks market. Let’s hope so!!!

Well, back from my holidays and not a city break to be seen – unless you count a short visit to Market Drayton (in Shropshire) as a city break! I’ve been away for a week on a canal boat on the Shropshire Union canal and had a great week. One of my favourite holiday if you need “a get away from it all and recharge you batteries” experience and England in the autumn is a very beautiful place to be. All we in the office on my return, currently working on copy for our new site www.cityapartmentsdirect.co.uk I hope to have this up and running by the end of 2006. Wow – can’t believe it’s nearly November!!

Away on holiday until the 23rd October - so no new posts until then!

Madrid is a great destination, although flights from the UK are not as good as some other city break destinations. However, both Easyjet and Ryanair have announced new routes to Madrid in the last 4 weeks, so look out on our special offers for these new city break deals.

The great airline debate seems to be hotting up - and one thing is for certain, the advertising departments’ of the weekend papers are doing well from it!! For those that missed this weekend's papers it was the turn of Spurt - information can be found at www.unlimted-spurt.org - best described as an upfront organisation! I think there’s certainly a middle ground to be had, and a certain amount of individual choice. Don't forget there's a great range of city break destinations you can travel to by train and car. We don't have all of them listed on our website so if you want more information give us a call on 0870 442 1820.

The news of the week is released today - Ryanair launches a take over bid for Aer Lingus. What an amazing success story Ryanair has been from a slow and difficult start – days when it was almost possible to image that it could ever get to a position of taking over Aer Lingus. Not only is this a reminder to us all how quickly the market changes, but also if you give the customer what they want you will succeed. Ryanair has had a massive impact on the city breaks market, making it so much more accessible, both in terms of routes and prices, than could ever of been imaged even 5 years ago. Go for it Ryanair!

I have been developing our winter product this morning and again there are some great prices in 5 star hotels during November and December. 5 star Budapest City Breaks are again excellent value for money and I know these sold well last year - however Warsaw is also a strong seller for us this winter. I have also been looking at destinations further a field, especially Hong Kong as new cheaper flights start on the 26th October making Hong Kong a really good value destination. If are interested in travelling to Hong Kong then let us know - and we will be putting out a launch Hong Kong City Break offer in the next four weeks..

Had an excellent day yesterday - our first trading day of October. We find that October is always a busy month in the City Break market - and still good prices around for this month so hope this will help. We’ve also seen a lot of the Summer 2007 flights go on sale which will please our customers who like to book early!

I've spent the day writing and designing our new website - www.cityapartmentsdirect.co.uk We're going to be offering apartments in European cities for short-term rental as this is something we are getting ask for more and more by our clients. There are many obvious benefit of apartment, as well as usually been cheaper than the equvilent hotel accommodation. We are starting with three cities - Amsterdam, Krakow and Cheltenham (our home town!!). Let us know any other destinations we could feature. We thought a good tag line would be "We have the place that gives you the space" Other suggestion greatfully received!

Had a successful day in London yesterday at the Adtech show in Olympia - information can be found at www.ad-tech.com. The show is all about promoting your company and its websites on the internet and all the latest trends and developments. After talking to a number of companies, especially those that deal with the travel market (and city breaks) such as www.cheeze.com, www.neutralize.com and www.spannerworks.com content is still as important as ever. I am going to spend the rest of today reviewing our contact and working on improving this over the next two months. If you've got any comments about our content let me know at jonathan@citiesdirect.co.uk

I've added a new feature to our website today which is the City Break search. I hope this will give people a quick and easy search tool to get further information on our city breaks. All appear to be working well at the moment - and this provides a search for city breaks on departure airport and price - a unique feature in the our market. As always - if you can't find what your looking for just ask us for a personalised city breaks quote.

New flights are starting in January 2007 between London and Bucharest - making this a much cheaper city break destination than before. If you want further information on Bucharest City Breaks - then give us a call as prices are really low at the moment. Further information should be on our website in the next couple of weeks.

Happy 2006 - Janaury is our busiest month of the year - and we've had a great start today. Don't forget to book your City Breaks as soon as possible to get the best prices.

After our recent staff trip to Budapest, I can thoroughly recommend our Budapest City breaks! We stayed at the fabulous 5 star Corinthia Royal Grand Hotel but can recommend a good range of hotels from 2 star upwards. Budapest City Breaks appeal to all ages and this is a great destination for shopping, sightseeing and eating out!

Total agree with Rachael - I thought Budapest was a great city and great short break destination. The centre was larger then expected, and the buildings very impressive. For those travelling from the South West - found a great B&B very close to Bristol airport. If you looking for accommodation the night before an early morning flight - then why not try Lower Stock Farm B&B. Visit www.lowerstock.co.uk or call 01934 862 997

There are still some fantastic deals around for pre-Christmas Rome City Breaks, Florence City Breaks and Milan City Breaks. It is still possible to book 4 nights with return flights from Stansted for under £200 per person. Why not take off for some last minute Christmas shopping?

City breaks to Florence are very popular today. There are some great prices around, even for pre-Christmas city breaks, and they're selling like the proverbial "hot cakes".

Have just found a great deal for a Milan city break over the New Year. 3 nights in a 3 star from 29 December with flights from Liverpool for £199 per person. The great news is that the return flight on the 1st is not until 2200 so you don't have to drag yourself out of bed early after celebrating New Year's Eve and can spend the whole day enjoying the city!

We are now taking bokings for Palma city breaks for Summer 2006. What a great city break destination for combining beach and cosmopolitan city life.

Have just done a bit of early Christmas shopping - City Breaks gift vouchers make wonderful presents and I didn't even have to go out in the rain!

I am amazed that we haven't sold any of our Budapest city break deal of the day - 2 nights at a gorgeous 5 star hotel from £159 per person including flights from Newcastle.....maybe I should put the price up!

We've had lots of enquiries and a few bookings for our New Year city break to Milan - such a good offer - £155 per person for 3 nights including flights from Stansted.

There are still a few good value city breaks available over the New Year - for example 2 nights in Paris from £199 per person including flights from Prestwick.