Best city break destinations for 2024

Fashions may come and go, but the city break remains perennially popular, giving travellers the chance to soak up culture, history and architecture, and dive into an unfamiliar food and drink scene – all without having to take more than a couple of days of annual leave.

There are thriving metropolises to discover, however far flung you fancy booking a trip, from domestic breaks right on the doorstep to European capitals, from Asian mega-cities to American urban destinations.

While some cities are always worth visiting, others really come into their own when they’ve got something to shout about: whether it’s gaining a title like European Capital of Culture, hosting a major sporting event, or welcoming a new world-class exhibition.

Need inspiration to pick your next getaway? The Independent’s travel team has rounded up the cities we’re most excited about potentially visiting in 2024, from old favourites to new up and comers.

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Tirana, Albania

All flightpaths – well, six of them – lead to Mother Teresa International Airport this summer. The Albanian capital will be extremely well connected with the UK, with multiple daily flights from Luton augmented by departures from Edinburgh, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol and London Stansted to Tirana. The visitor will be greeted warmly in this Adriatic nation, which is finally a force on the European tourism scene. Tirana is a cheery muddle: quasi-Parisian boulevards, tangled Balkan backstreets and brutal socialist modernism. The 21st-century capital is buzzing with construction work on new facilities including the InterContinental Hotel overlooking Skanderbeg Square in the heart of the city. Many inexpensive options are available; I paid £35 last month for a very good room (with breakfast) at the Hotel Idea. Much awaits the curious visitor, including a former nuclear bunker-turned-museum that lifts the lid on the extreme hard-line communism that turned Albania into a European version of North Korea for decades. Simon Calder, travel correspondent

Bradford, UK

I know, I know – the thought of Bradford may not immediately conjure up an image of a glamorous getaway. But the West Yorkshire city is gearing up for a stint as UK Capital of Culture in 2025…