The 16 Best City Breaks in Europe for 2022 Named by Time Out

The travel-rule landscape is shifting before our eyes right now, but with the vaccination and booster rollouts continuing apace worldwide, stress-free holidays all round should be back with a bang next year.

And with that in mind, Time Out has ranked the 16 best city breaks in Europe for 2022, these emerging destinations picked ‘because of their excellent food, culture, nightlife and community spirit – the things that have always made Europe’s cities such great places to be’.

Time Out adds that ‘in these climate-conscious times, the list also features only places that are easy to get to by train and bus’.

The No1 spot in the list is taken by Arles in France, with Brno second and Sheffield flying the flag for England in ninth place.

Time Out describes Brno in this way:

Although sandwiched between Prague and Vienna, self-confident Brno is no middle child. Once a powerhouse dubbed the ‘Moravian Manchester’, the laidback Czech second city has repositioned itself as a post-industrial science and tech hub.

But you’ll find plenty of clues to Brno’s layered past at a clutch of offbeat underground attractions, including the mysterious brick cisterns at Žlutý Kopec, communist-era nuclear bunker 10-Z, and the ‘Denis’ bomb shelter under the cathedral.

The food and drink scene is reinventing itself too, from contemporary international at Element to Výčep na Stojáka, a modern take on a trad pub.

The perfect day: After breakfast at Café Momenta, head up to Špilberk Castle and grab lunch at Cafe Placzek. Explore the historic centre before dinner at Atelier Bar & Bistro and a nightcap at Rotor Bar.

Plan your trip: The Industrial project celebrates Brno’s manufacturing tradition, with several former industrial buildings opening to the public for the first time in 2022. Káznice, a Habsburg-era prison, is also being redeveloped and will host events in summer.