4 great destinations in Europe to chill and rebalance your body and soul – even for an afternoon
Lisbon, Gothenburg, Valencia and Zagreb are among the cities offering a range of relaxing and stimulating delights for travellers with limited time on their hands
A fair amount of city life, a bit of nature, a little bit of detox or a little historical exploration. How does that sound?
Many of us love travelling to far-off places during a long holiday, but with only limited time, some people may want to fit in as much as possible – yet end up exhausting themselves. Why don’t you try slowing down instead and learn to take in what these great cities have to offer? We handpicked the ones that can easily allow you to switch off and enjoy your time away.
Lisbon, Portugal
Voted the World’s Leading City in 2018, this small, charming old city, which is the capital of Portugal, is sometimes a little underrated. An afternoon spent there easily allows you to see and do quite a lot.
Food lovers’ treasure hunt
For foodies, there is no lack of gastronomy offerings. You can sample some of the best Portuguese street food, wine and gourmet offerings or even take a cooking class at the Time Out Food Market. Try an authentic pastel de nata, the Portuguese custard nata tart with an original 19th century recipe from the cafe Pastéis de Belém or from the locals’ favourite Manteigaria as you stroll around.
Cultural delights
For cultural and city lovers, during an afternoon you can easily manage a visit to Castelo de São Jorge in the hilly Alfama area, with its cool graffiti and gorgeous architecture, which offers a great view of the city. Alternatively, if you don’t fancy too much walking, you can take a quintessentially Lisbon-style tram ride on the Elevador da Bicato funicular railway line, and see the city while the tram climbs up one of Lisbon's steepest hills, between Rua de São Paulo and Largo do Calhariz via Rua da Bica de Duarte Belo.
One of the best things about Portugal is that it is among the least expensive countries in Europe, so you don’t need a big budget to enjoy a lovely city break.