The survey was carried out in December, among 2,000 people who had taken a European city break in the past 12 months or who plan to go on a European city break in the coming 12 months. Nearly a third (29%) of holidaymakers expect to reduce their overall spend on European city breaks next year, while 9% plan to spend more, according to the survey carried out for pan European hostel operator Safestay. Copenhagen topped the list alongside Prague, when people were asked which European cities they most wanted to visit in 2026 (John Giles/PA Archive)Asked what made their favourite European city break memorable, nearly a fifth (18%) of people said great local food and drink while 15% highlighted the people they travelled with. Looking ahead, Prague and Copenhagen jointly topped the list of European cities that UK holidaymakers most want to visit in 2026 (17%), ahead of Venice (14%), Athens (14%), Barcelona (13%) and Paris (13%), according to the survey, carried out by Find Out Now. Peter Zielke, chief operating officer of Safestay, said: “This research highlights a clear shift in how people are thinking about city breaks.

Source: The Times December 26, 2025 00:12 UTC