The Ultimate Urban Destination Guides

Plan your best days in the world's most popular cities

UCityGuides presents the essential information you need to know before you go to the ultimate urban destinations. Whether you're planning a romantic getaway, looking for a touch of the exotic, urban jungles or ancient wonders, we help you decide where to go -- from the must-see attractions to the places of the moment.


City Breaks in EUROPE

Amsterdam

The city of canals, world-class museums, flower markets, and the world’s most famous red light district, welcoming you with a live-and-let-live attitude.


Athens

Europe’s oldest capital is home to some of western civilization’s most iconic monuments and to a thriving outdoor culture. It’s also the gateway to the beautiful Greek islands, so also check out the Mykonos Beaches Guide


Barcelona

One of the world’s hippest and most cosmopolitan cities, Barcelona is also a top gastronomic destination and one of the few places where you can combine culture with a day at the beach.


Berlin

The German capital has been revived as a party city and major cultural destination, with restored palaces, magnificent museums and modern architecture that make it one of Europe’s most exciting cities.


Brussels

The “center of Europe” is a small but very cosmopolitan city, home to different cultures and cuisines, some of the world’s best chocolates and beer, and one of the world’s most beautiful public squares.


Budapest

One of Europe’s most beautiful capitals, Budapest has grown as a city break destination, thanks to its monumental architecture, buzzing nightlife and famous thermal baths.


Copenhagen

Scandinavia’s most cosmopolitan capital attracts city breakers to its stylishly designed spaces, the world’s largest pedestrian area, and colorful streets crossed by bike paths.


Dublin

Ireland’s small capital is increasingly multicultural and cosmopolitan. Visitors join locals at the pubs, at the markets and literary museums, and discover a pulsating city for a memorable city break.


Florence

Italy’s open-air museum is all about romance and the Renaissance. It’s one of the great artistic cities, with some of the world’s greatest sculptures inside its monuments and world-class museums, and also right on the streets.


Istanbul

A city on two continents, Istanbul is where East meets West. It merges cultures and religions, and as one of the great historical cities of the world, it oozes history from every corner. But it also has an exciting and modern side, with trendy cafés and bars, often providing perfect postcard views.


Lisbon

The city of the Age of Discovery has suddenly been discovered by city breakers, who’ve fallen in love with its tiled façades, cobblestone designs, street life, and beautiful vistas from hilltop viewpoints. It’s currently one of the trendiest destinations in Europe, rivaling Barcelona for the culture-and-beach crowds.


London

London needs no introduction. It’s Europe’s most cosmopolitan metropolis, home to famous architectural landmarks from the past and the present, some of the world’s greatest art collections, and the best and most exciting shopping experiences of any city.


Madrid

Everyone falls madly in love with Madrid. Its joy is contagious, with an exciting nightlife, lively squares and tapas bars, and world-class museums always presenting major exhibitions.


Milan

Milan may not have the beauty or the romance of other Italian cities, but it beats them all in cosmopolitan pleasures. It’s one of the world’s greatest shopping cities, a place to relax with an aperitivo, and there’s art and history too.


Naples

Italy’s most soulful city (and the birthplace of pizza) is usually the gateway to some of Europe’s most beautiful scenery (the Amalfi Coast and the island of Capri) and to one of its most important archaeological sites (Pompeii). But the surprising and frenetic city itself is also worth exploring.


Paris

Often described as the world’s most romantic city, Paris could very well be the perfect urban destination. It’s a sophisticated place with some of the world’s top museums, some of the most recognized landmarks, elegant boulevards lined with shops and outdoor cafés, fine restaurants and, of course, the Seine.


Prague

This fairytale city is one of the world’s best preserved, so it’s no wonder it’s now one of Europe’s most visited destinations. Besides the stunning architecture and monumental squares, it offers an enchanting and romantic atmosphere, plus a new generation of hip hotels, bars and restaurants.


Rome

The eternal city is a place to experience la dolce vita, stopping for a gelato or wining and dining at a trattoria, in between visits to ancient monuments and art treasures. Then there are the beautiful piazzas and coffee breaks, and you have one of the world’s most enjoyable urban destinations.


Seville

This romantic and soulful city is also one of Europe’s most exotic. It’s a seductive place of Moorish architecture, flamenco dancing and traditional bullfighting, making it the most Spanish of all Spanish cities. While it may lack the energy and cool factor of other cities in the country, it has a beauty and a character that few other places can match.


Venice

The world’s most beautiful city is unlike any other. It has canals instead of roads, gondolas instead of cars, and art and architecture that can only be found in fairy tales. Its magical cityspace is a tourist magnet, and it’s hard not to fall in love with it at first sight.


Vienna

A grand, monumental city, Vienna is all about baroque palaces, stately boulevards and ornate architecture, to be admired in between breaks at legendary coffee houses. It doesn’t get any more “Europe” than this.


Zurich

Pretty and rich, this serene city is the destination for a relaxing city break. Its picturesque location by Lake Zurich, and its clean, elegant streets invite you to browse some of the world’s most expensive shops, and admire well-preserved buildings and church spires.


Europe

Europe is the continent with the world's most beautiful cities, and also with the biggest concentration of must-see urban destinations. There are literally dozens of cities worth exploring, but if you can only see a few, these are the ones.


Spain

Spain is not just one of the world's most beautiful countries, it's also one of the three most visited, and the reason is its Mediterranean beaches and islands, plus its number of exciting cities. It's the country with the most and best city break destinations, and these are the ones you should head to.


City Breaks in NORTH AMERICA

Las Vegas

More theme park than an actual city, Las Vegas is a glowing, neon-lit destination, designed as an outrageous (and tacky) playground for adults. It’s a 24-hour city of non-stop entertainment and a fantasyland that you just have to see and experience to believe.


Los Angeles

This just may be the world’s most alluring city. It’s where many dream of becoming rich and famous (even if it’s just as a tourist on an open-top bus going past celebrity homes), a city of movie industry magic, sandy beaches and the bold and the beautiful.


Miami

This party city is the destination for sun-worshipers and bon vivants. More Latin American than North American, it’s the perfect weekend getaway, for hours in the sun, by the sea, and drinks in hand.


New York

The city that never sleeps is the world’s most vibrant and exciting city. It’s the capital of the globalized world, a melting pot of cultures and flavors. In between famous skyscrapers you find some of the world’s best theater performances, world-class museums and lots of places to overdose on shopping, brunch and cocktails.


San Francisco

Arguably the most beautiful of all American cities, liberal and laid-back San Francisco stands out for its scenic and hilly location on a bay, as much as for its yuppie, hippie, and countercultural population. It’s a refreshing escape and, thanks to its near-perfect weather, a year-round destination.


Washington DC

The American capital looks more European than American, with its concentration of monumental, neoclassical architecture. But it’s where you can really experience and learn about the American spirit, through superb museums and monuments dedicated to national icons.


City Breaks in LATIN AMERICA

Buenos Aires

The Argentinean capital is a slice of Latin Europe in Latin America. It has grand boulevards inspired by Paris, habits inherited from Italian immigrants, and a sensual Spanish touch in its tango dancing. It’s a seductive city that invites you for long dinners at traditional steakhouses and for drinks at trendy and colorful neighborhoods.


Rio de Janeiro

The “marvelous city” is breathtaking from above and truly sexy at its famous beaches. It’s a city of so much stunning natural beauty and perfectly tanned and toned bodies, that you can easily overlook the slums that surround it. For its matchless location and sensuality alone, this is one of the world’s most irresistible destinations.


São Paulo

This megalopolis is the New York of the Latin world. While it may be one ugly concrete jungle, it offers a variety of sophisticated restaurants, bars and shops. It’s a city that truly devotes itself to urban pleasures, making it a city to be experienced rather than seen.


City Breaks in AFRICA

Cairo

Everyone visits the Egyptian capital for the world’s greatest ancient wonders -- the pyramids of Giza. But this compelling (and chaotic) city is also a city that never sleeps, allowing you to travel back in time through its museums and to enjoy the pleasures of modern life with drinks by the Nile.


Marrakech

The city of spectacle, soul, souks and style has long been a hip destination for bohemian and hedonistic travelers. It’s an exotic and soulful place like no other, filled with intoxicating smells, sounds and sights, from spices at the markets to snake charmers in the main square.


City Breaks in the MIDDLE EAST

Dubai

The world’s new urban marvel works hard to have the biggest and the tallest, and to become a must-see destination. It’s a captivating place with eye-catching architecture, attractive beaches, and lots of cool spots to escape the desert heat.


Tel Aviv

This surprisingly perfect urban escape is an unexpectedly progressive and sophisticated city. It welcomes visitors to beaches and outdoor cafés, hip bars and clubs, making it something of a Mediterranean New York and Miami.


Middle East

The Middle East is one of the world’s most fascinating regions. Despite religious and social tensions, it’s still filled with many safe places to visit, including some truly breathtaking natural and man-made wonders. Here’s where you should go.