Architectural maverick Gaudi dominates the cityscape with his surreal designs - relax in the fairytale Parc Guell and marvel at the fantastical Sagrada Familia cathedral - although you’ll find more traditional buildings in the enchanting Gothic Quarter. If this Spanish city were a Tinder profile, you’d certainly swipe right: striking looks and a fun-filled personality are at its core. The Pont del Bisbe in Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter (Getty Images) 9. Enter through the latest incarnation of the City Gate, designed by Renzo Piano, saunter along the breezy cobbled streets and finish with a boat tour of the Grand Harbour.ĭon’t miss The Saluting Battery and firing of a cannon that takes place daily at midday.įly from Birmingham, Bournemouth, Bristol, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, London Gatwick, London Stansted, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham. Built in 1566 on a peninsula between two natural harbours, the entire place is Unesco-listed, with gilded cathedrals, fanciful pleasure gardens and grand mansion houses hugged by bastion walls.

Small in size but big in stature, Malta’s elegant golden-hued capital Valletta is one of the most compact city-break destinations in Europe. St Paul’s Cathedral and The Basilica of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Valletta (Alamy) 1. If you click and buy a product, we may earn revenue. These buttons and adverts are clearly signposted, and provide direct links through to external sites.

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