There are all kinds of holidays on offer, whether it’s jetting off to stretch out on a beach for a week or to get stuck into some serious skiing or hiking. And while these kinds of trips are great, you can’t really beat a good old fashioned city break.
At Time Out, we live and breathe city life, and that’s why every year we call on our network of writers and editors to help us compile a list of the very best European cities to head to for a mini break.
The list for 2025 has just been published, and claiming the top spot is (drum roll, please) Rotterdam! While it’s historically been overshadowed by nearby Amsterdam, this city is considered by many to be the true cultural heart of the Netherlands.
‘FENIX, a new museum housed in a historic harbour warehouse, opens in 2025. It will be the world’s first museum to guide visitors on a tour of the world and the impact of migration through art,’ writes Fleurine Tideman, our Netherlands contributor.
In fact, we named paying a visit to FENIX as one of the best things to do in the world this year, so 2025 is a brilliant time to visit Rotterdam. But that’s not all Rotterdam has to offer: HotTug is the world’s first jacuzzi boat, while Witte de Withstratt is the city’s liveliest street, full of indie stores, boutiques and bars. Here are 13 more of the best things to do in Rotterdam.
In second place it was Budapest, where a sparkling new Time Out Market is opening this year, and in third place it was Cork, which will be hosting a brand new Fringe festival in the spring.
But there are 14 fantastic cities all over Europe particularly worth visiting this year, thanks to everything from thriving food scenes to 200-year anniversary celebrations. Check out the full list here.
Oh, and here are the best things to do in Europe, and the continent’s most underrated destinations.
Did you see that these are the 10 destinations to watch in 2025, according to ABTA?
Plus: These are the 25 places to travel in 2025, according to Wanderlust Magazine.
Stay in the loop: sign up to our free Time Out Travel newsletter for all the latest travel news and best stuff happening across the world.