Want a city break with more value and fewer people? Try Lille, Faro or Budapest in September

From underrated Lille to Faro – where storks can be seen in huge rooftop nests: European city breaks that offer better value…and fewer crowds

  • Lille has been called France’s most underrated city and is less than 90 minutes from London by Eurostar
  • Faro is often overlooked as holidaymakers head for the Algarve coast, golf courses and tennis clubs
  • Budapest, the capital of Hungary, is only a two and a half hour flight from London, but looks “exotic and alluring”

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Each week, our holiday hero, Neil Simpson, takes an in-depth look at a brilliant holiday topic, doing all the groundwork so you don’t have to. This week: stylish city breaks for September.

Lower temperatures, fewer crowds and better value for money make September the perfect time for a city break in Europe. Here are three to consider.

Lille

The collection of the central Palais des Beaux-Arts in Lille is ranked second after the Louvre and houses works by Rodin, Renoir, Rubens and Monet

For a different gallery, head to La Piscine de Lille, a 1920s Art Deco swimming pool reimagined as a museum where water glistens beneath glass floor panels

For a different gallery, head to La Piscine de Lille, a 1920s Art Deco swimming pool reimagined as a museum where water glistens beneath glass floor panels

Lille has been called France’s most underrated city and is less than 90 minutes from London by direct Eurostar.

Art lovers are spoiled for choice. The collection of the central Palais des Beaux-Arts is ranked second after the Louvre and houses works by Rodin, Renoir, Rubens and Monet. The nearby LaM Museum features Picasso, Miro and Modigliani.

For a different gallery, head to La Piscine, a 1920s Art Deco pool reimagined as a museum where water glistens beneath glass floor panels.

Lille is famous for its antique shops, pop-up fashion boutiques and Europe’s largest flea market on the first weekend in September. It’s a big student city, so it’s easy to find vibrant, good-value places to try the local “moules-frites”.

Weekend package: Train tickets and three nights at the Novotel Center Grand Place cost from £327 pp in September (eurostar.com).

Faro

Stroll through Faro's old town through the great Arco da Vila gate, then look up to see (and often hear) storks in huge rooftop nests

Stroll through Faro’s old town through the great Arco da Vila gate, then look up to see (and often hear) storks in huge rooftop nests

The Carmo church in Faro hides a macabre secret: the walls and ceiling of its

Faro’s Carmo Church hides a macabre secret: the walls and ceiling of its “Chapel of Bones” are covered with the skulls and skeletons of 1,000 monks

Faro is often overlooked as holidaymakers head for the Algarve coast, golf courses and tennis clubs. But the small Portuguese town is perfect for weekends.

Stroll through the old town through the large Arco da Vila gate, then look up to see (and often hear) storks in huge rooftop nests. Terrace cafes fan out from Se Catedral, where you can climb the bell tower or sit under the orange trees in the courtyard. The nearby church of Carmo hides a terrible secret: the walls and ceiling of its “chapel of bones” are covered with the skulls and skeletons of 1,000 monks.

Long weekends should include a 30-minute boat trip to the beaches of the deserted islands of the Ria Formosa Natural Park. At night, try the local cod with fried potatoes and parsley, listen to a ‘fado’ concert, or explore the marble-paved streets in search of a late-night pastel de nata.

Weekend package: Get Jet2 flights and three nights at Faro Boutique Hotel from £340 pp (jet2holidays.com).

Budapest

Budapest is only a two and a half hour flight from London and yet it is delightfully exotic.  Above is Chain Bridge, a great place to watch the sun go down

Budapest is only a two and a half hour flight from London and yet it is deliciously exotic. Above is Chain Bridge, a great place to watch the sun go down

From the banks of the Danube, the honey-colored stones of the great Hungarian parliament turn orange, then pink as night falls

From the banks of the Danube, the honey-colored stones of the great Hungarian parliament turn orange, then pink as night falls

Budapest is only a two and a half hour flight from London and yet it is deliciously exotic. Start by exploring the fairytale towers and majestic imperial architecture of baroque Buda, protected by Unesco, on one bank of the Danube (the more racy Pest is on the other).

A funicular takes you up Buda Hill for stunning views from the turrets and terraces of the Fisherman’s Bastion. Cross the Chain Bridge in time for sunset.

From the banks of the Danube, the honey-colored stones of the great Hungarian parliament turn orange, then pink as night falls.

Pest is full of restaurants and “ruin bars”: lively clubs housed in formerly abandoned buildings. Enjoy a Sunday bath at the open-air thermal baths of Szechenyi, where you can really see the locals playing chess while relaxing in the steaming waters.

Weekend package: easyJet flights and three nights at Buda Castle Fashion Hotel from £391 pp (easyjet.com).

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