The Travel Source: Short city-break ideas

Need to get away but have the minimal amount of time to spare?

Then why not book a weekend city break? You'd be surprised at the amount of things you can do in such a small amount of time. For best results choose somewhere that offers minimal flying time whilst encompassing the widest array of ideas for your itinerary.

At just two hours, the flight to Barcelona is bearable enough to spend a weekend away in this richly entertaining city. Head straight for the colourful La Rambla on your first day to soak up the Mediterranean atmosphere. Relax for a couple of hours whilst strolling from one end to the other observing the street artists and assortment of vendors. Next you could visit the sea-life aquarium or the world famous Nou camp for a guided tour, before finishing the day with a traditional Spanish platter. Your trip is incomplete until you have savoured the architecture of Gaudi, so spend your second day visiting his most famous works. In particular the grotesque yet beautiful Sagrada Familia. This marvel is his most awe-inspiring work, so detailed that it is still being constructed to this very day.

London is an obvious but excellent choice for a short break away. Easily accessible from anywhere in the U.K, the capital is quick and simple to get to by train or car. Once there, the transport links around the city are unrivalled, giving you the chance to visit a greater amount of the city's attractions in a condensed period of time. A trip on a tour bus will ensure you see as much of the city's attractions as possible, whilst a ticket on the London Eye will mean you get a feel for the scope and excitement that permeates the air of this iconic city. Once you've soaked up the key sights of Tower Bridge, Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, you could literally go to town and catch a show at London's world famous West End.

Paris is another city that is within easy travelling distance of the U.K. The Eurostar takes just over two hours from London and once in 'The City of Love' you will discover a well-oiled tourism machine that makes it simple to draw up an itinerary that takes in all of the main sites in as short a time as possible. This city isn't just for lovestruck couples, the whole family will be entertained by the vastness of activities available. The Eiffel Tower and Arc De Triomphe are obligatory attractions but don't forget Paris' World class art museums such as The Louvre and Centre Pompidou for contrasting collections from the world of art.