What’s not to love about a city break? A snapshot of a city gives you the chance to experience somewhere new, immerse yourself in a different culture, indulge in the local cuisine, sightseeing, shopping and more - it’s the perfect excuse to escape for a few nights and have some fun. If you’re reading this and getting ready for a winter city break, let us inspire you.

THE BEST WINTER CITY BREAKS IN EUROPE

AMSTERDAM

Amsterdam is a wonderful choice for a city break no matter the season, but wintertime will give you the gift of space. As most tourists tend to visit during the warmer months of the year, a cheeky getaway anytime from January to the first week of March will allow you plenty of room to explore the walkable city centre, iconic canals and renowned bars. If you don’t mind bundling up - it gets a bit chilly - you’ll beat all the queues and dawdling travellers.

PRAGUE

Winter wonderland and Prague should be interchangeable. After all, that’s what this city transforms into during the colder months of the year. Come here for a white Christmas and admire the dusting of snow on iconic sites such as the Old Town’s church spires and St Charles Bridge. You’ll also have a fair pick of Christmas markets here - so make sure you try some mulled wine and trdelnik, a sinfully delicious fried dough.

REYKJAVIK

For a wintry experience unlike any other, travel to Reykjavik. This lovely city has everything you could possibly want from a cold-weather winter break - especially if you visit during December. You will get to experience Icelandic Christmas traditions, such as twinkling lights on and in every house on every street. If you’re around for the New Year, you’ll be treated to a dazzling display of fireworks that starts on 31 December and continues on for days afterwards. You may even catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights if you’re lucky.

BERLIN

Berlin truly comes alive in the winter, especially during the Christmas season. This city is filled to the brim with festive magic. Visit the numerous winter events and festivals that take place this time of year, such as the Berlinale International Film Festival and the Transmediale, an alternative culture and arts festival. You should also make sure to check out one of the legendary German Christmas markets, where you can sample hearty sausage, sip a tasty mug of gluhwein and experience so much more.

THE BEST TRAVEL APPS FOR CITY BREAKERS

On a shorter trip you want to make the most of your time away, so we’ve found eight useful travel apps to help you do just that on your next city break. Whether you want to find the best place for pancakes or you simply want to get from A to B with ease, it’s time to take note and hit download.

TELETEXT HOLIDAYS APP, (OF COURSE)...

Firstly, we’d like to recommend our very own travel app to you! If you’re planning a winter city break, our mobile app can help you with everything from finding the best offers and easily booking your holiday to receiving price alerts and gaining access to our travel guides. It’s the perfect on-hand helper for anyone organising a getaway.

MAPSTR

One of the best things about visiting a new city is stumbling upon somewhere unique. It might be a cool coffee shop or maybe a store full of vintage treasures? Either way, once you’ve whizzed around it’s easy to forget the name or where exactly you were in the city. Mapstr has taken away these troubles so that you can track every hidden gem you come across.

After you come across a restaurant, shop or other interesting spot you never want to forget, simply bookmark it on the app’s map to remember it. Over time, you will have cultivated your own personalised travel guide filled with all of the best places you’ve been.

CITYMAPPER

If an app for city maps is used by those living in the city then you know it’s going to be good. Citymapper is, as you might determine from the name, an app to help you navigate your way around a city using public transport - in 39 different destinations and counting. With reviews that rave about its reliability, prepare to eliminate getting lost or wasting precious sightseeing time the next time you take a city break.

FLIO

Whether you’re a frequent flyer or save travelling for special occasions, free travel app FLIO aims to make your airport experience easier. It covers over 3,000 international airports and is filled with all the latest essential info, alongside airport offers to save money on food, shopping and more. Tap in and get set to fly stress-free.

BEANHUNTER

But first, coffee! If you’re a self-confessed caffeine addict, then this app is designed with you in mind. Never risk a bad cup again as Beanhunter is essentially a search engine of coffee shops in any city across the globe. View the best places by rating, leave your own experiences for others to view and get all the details you need like opening times and directions - you can thank us later.

GOOGLE TRANSLATE

Language barriers be gone! Google Translate is essential when you’re travelling somewhere you don’t speak the language. Translate over 100 languages by typing, create your own phrasebook or take photos to translate the text from a sign or menu, for example. In short, this free app is sure to come in handy every time you travel.

FOURSQUARE CITY GUIDE

Most of us love to go by recommendations; Foursquare City Guide opens you up to a global community of explorers who love to share the best places to eat, drink, dine, visit and more. No matter where you are in the world, discover where to go and what to do in an instant. You can also create your own lists to go back to and share your own city break discoveries with the world.

GUIDES BY LONELY PLANET

As an authority on all things travel guides, it’s no surprise Lonely Planet now has an app that just happens to go by the name of ‘Guides’. The app has incredible reviews and really is a must-have resource for city breaks. With over 200 destinations on file, you’ll find all the information you need including audio phrasebooks, maps and more at the click of a button - oh, and it’s free too!

Whether you’re tech-savvy or not, travelling to a new place is the perfect time to try out some of these useful travel apps to ensure your city break experience is both effortless and enjoyable. If you’re ready to call a new city home for a few nights, discover our latest city break offers available today.