6 great breaks in big cities

Planning your next holiday and want something a little different? Take on one of our favourtie city breaks around the world
Flamenco dancers and singers performing in Cordoba, Spain. Photo: Shutterstock
Flamenco dancers and singers performing in Cordoba, Spain. Photo: Shutterstock

Flamenco dancers and singers performing in Cordoba, Spain. Photo: Shutterstock


Here at Insight Guides, we can plan a trip to take you anywhere in the world. Our ready-made trips are yours at a click of a button. Find the trip you want to take, enquire online and our travel experts and on-the-ground guides will have you packing in no time at all.

What's more, our trips don't just cover adventurous activities or high-end holidays, we cater for you and your interests. Take a look at our favourite city break destinations – including elephant safaris, ancient teahouses and champagne lunches – below


1. More than just sightseeing

What? A tour of southern Spain’s finest cities
Where? Visit Ronda, Seville, Granada and more
Which tour? Andalucia Explored

If you’re looking for a last-minute summer adventure: this is it. Travel around Andalucia, exploring four of the region's most iconic cities: Granada, Seville, Ronda and Jerez de la Frontera. Each, you’ll find, is a little different: uncover Ronda’s Old Town and hill-top views, the bountiful vineyards of Jerez de la Frontera, impressive architecture and history in Granada, and plenty of sass in Seville with the region's finest restaurants and flamenco bars.

2. Discover more than desert

What? Short shopping and cultural break
Where? Dubai, UAE
Which tour? Dubai Luxury Stopover

Take a three-day pit-stop in Dubai on your way to further afield destinations. Tour the city by helicopter like a rockstar, before taking high tea in style at the Burj al Arab. Stay at the Jumeirah Beach Hotel, lounging on the nearby sandy shores to recharge, or take a private sea cruise to Palm Island. One thing’s for sure: this trip is about lavish luxury.

3. Japanese city breaks in style

What? A five-day tour the Kansai region
Where? Kyoto, Osaka and Koyasan
Which tour? Kyoto Culture

Japanese culture is rich in history and ancient traditions: this trip gives you the chance to experience both in full. Visit spectacular Shinto shrines and meet the made-up geisha in Kyoto’s old-age teahouses. Further south, Osaka and Koyasan offer more temple tours and traditional experiences.


Kyoto Geishas. Photo: ShutterstockKyoto Geishas. Photo: Shutterstock


4. The French capital at its finest

What? A glamorous city break
Where? Paris, France
Which tour? Luxury Paris

This trip is all about taking a break and treating yourself to a little luxury. Stay at the capital’s most beautiful boutique hotels, while lunching on champagne and shopping in the city’s best districts. Activities include learning to rustle-up French cuisine to creating your own scent on a perfume-making workshop at Maison Guerlain. And, of course, there’s plenty of cheese and wine tasting too.

5. The highlights of Hong Kong

What? An intrepid tour of HK
Where? Hong Kong
Which tour? Hong Kong Island Insights

This chaotic city can often leave travellers feeling a little overwhelmed. That’s where we step in. Our 5-day tour of the expansive city’s highlights present only the most vibrant, exciting experiences. Home to a mass of shimmering skyscrapers set against a backdrop of rugged mountains, this holiday in Hong Kong proves to be a very different type of city break.  

6. A city trip with a wild side

What? Family fun and adventure in northern Thailand
Where? Chiang Mai, Thailand
Which tour? Chiang Mai Safari Adventure

Northern Thailand is a world away from its southern, tourist-heavy highlights. Take the family on this tour of the city’s best sights, including temples and river cruises, before heading out on an elephant safari to explore the nearby botanical gardens. Finish off in style with a wild night safari and hot air balloon ride over the region. This is a city break ensured to keep all ages thrilled.


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