The Hideaways Club Top ‘must-Visit’ City Break Destinations

The Hideaways Club offers its expert insight into the top ‘must-visit’ destinations for a city break this spring

Exotic Istanbul

Mesmerising and disarming at the same time, Istanbul is an eclectic melting pot where east meets west and the new intermingles with the old.

Hop on a Şehir Hatları ferryboat to spy the Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia and Blue Mosque.Then walk over to the cathedral-like Basilica Cistern and explore the subterranean structure before heading to House Café in Beyoğlu for a cup of coffee. For fans of the Nobel Prize-winning novelist Orhan Pamuk, visit his captivating Museum of Innocence, named after his book, which tells of a Turkish man and his lost love. For the main event, tuck intolocal fare at the Maiden's Tower overlooking the Bosphorus then take a romantic ferry ride back home.

Vintage Vienna

Once considered a sleepy town despite its grandiose setting, Vienna has managed to recapture its cool, artsy spirit. It remains elegant as ever, and the arrival of new bars and restaurants has given it a new lease of life.

Visit the incredible Hundertwasserhaus and admire the apartment block's wild contours and vibrant colour scheme. Then head to Museum Moderner Kunst and explore 20th-century works by Picasso, Miro, Magritte and Kandinsky. Pretend you're royalty for a day and wander the Belvedere, the most opulent palace in Vienna built for Prince Eugene of Savoy. For dinner, dine at Steirereck and sample Viennese dishes as you admire the views of Stadtpark. Finally, a box seat awaits at Theater An Der Wien, one of the city's finest opera houses.

Bewitching Barcelona

Just as Barcelona has grown into one of Europe's most fashionable cities, so the once humble area between Via Laietana and Barceloneta, known as El Born, has become one of the most desirable corners of the Catalonian capital.

A 15-minute walk from La Rambla and 20 minutes from the beach, it has plenty to offer: a vibrant café and bar culture, great one-off shops and boutiques (the hip Brazilian fashion company Colcci has its Barcelona outlet here), culture in the shape of the superb Picasso Museum and the Textile Museum, and even its own cathedral.

Marvel at the views of leafy Parc de la Ciutadella from your Hideaways apartment window before heading out to admire the Catalan city's modernista architecture, and the wondrous works of Antoni Gaudí. Round off the day at El Xalet, a beautifully restored farmhouse restaurant on top of Montjuïc hill with terraces overlooking the city.