Holiday details - Summer in the City

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Belgium/FranceCountry

TrainTravel type

From £148Price range

VFB HolidaysSupplier

3 nightsDuration

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If you were thinking of a city break this year, chances are you would immediately dismiss the summer months. After all, you'd expect July and August to be peak season with sky-high prices and hordes of tourists. Well, you couldn't be more wrong and our superb-value break allows you to enjoy a choice of five destinations, where you can bask in the sunshine and enjoy the city without the crowds.

These short breaks includes three nights in a hand-picked hotel and fast, convenient travel by high-speed Eurostar from St Pancras, Ebbsfleet or Ashford International.

Return standard-class travel by Eurostar from St Pancras, Ebbsfleet or Ashford International direct to Paris, Brussels or Lille, Eurostar/local train to Ghent or Eurostar/TGV to Lyon
Three nights' bed and breakfast accommodation in a centrally-located hotel in one of the featured cities
Based on two people sharing a twin or double room with bath/wc or shower/wc

Paris
With the arrival of July and August, Paris becomes strangely quiet. Gone are the businessmen who traditionally fill the good hotels and restaurants, gone are the conferences and trade shows that push hotel rates through the roof and better still, because many of the Parisians are themselves on holiday, gone is much of the congestion and many of the cars that usually clog the streets. In fact, as the sun comes out, Paris becomes an altogether more agreeable place. Museums and monuments are open as usual and you'll probably find little, if any, need to queue. Even the bars and restaurants, bowing to the laws of supply and demand, seem to be more welcoming and menus better value. But, best of all, you'll be able to enjoy to the full parks such as the Bois de Boulogne or the renowned Parc Andre Citroen, romantic riverside promenades along the Seine and beautiful relaxing gardens such as the Luxembourg. Whatever you choose, we are sure that you'll find summer in Paris a breath of fresh air!

Ghent
Reminiscent of Bruges, Ghent is a most attractive and vibrant city, thanks to its beautiful quayside buildings with lavishly decorated facades lining the waterways, and its excellent mix of bars, cafes, restaurants and shops spilling out on to the cobbled streets.
Most visitors begin in the historical (and mainly pedestrian) centre, admiring the magnificent Flemish architecture including the famous Three Towers - the Gothic church of St Nicholas, the Belfry and, above all else, St Bavo's Cathedral. And no description of Ghent, however brief, would be complete without mentioning the 12th-century Castle of the Counts, which in its time has served as a castle, mint, law court, prison and even a cotton mill. Travel between July and August and you'll also be able to enjoy Ghent's annual art exhibition as well as ten days of festivities including street theatre, puppet displays and the Blue Note music festival.

Lille
The 2004 European Capital of Culture, Lille is often overlooked as a city break destination. And yet, wander through the old quarter with its 17th-century Flemish buildings and you could be in Bruges; visit the elegant boutiques lining the cobbled streets or the buzzing Wazemmes flower market on a Sunday morning and you could imagine yourself in Paris; and as you marvel at the works of Van Dyck, Rubens or Goya in the Palais des Beaux Arts, who could blame you for thinking you were in Amsterdam. In fine weather, the local cafes spill out into the pedestrianised streets and onto the place du General-de-Gaulle where locals sip coffee as the world rushes by. Join them between sightseeing and shopping or leave the old town behind as you relax in Lille's very own Bois de Boulogne, it features a small zoo, gardens and a Louis XIV citadel, the finest in France. In the evening, nightlife is centred around a wide selection of bars and restaurants where the best of French and Flemish food and drink are combined.

Brussels
Anyone who has sampled the perfect blend of culture, architectural beauty, modern shopping and buzzing nightlife of the capital of Belgium and Europe will understand why it remains so popular. Here the influences are overwhelmingly Flemish (although the language is French). Start at the Grand' Place, the best place to plan your itinerary and enjoy a Belgian beer on a terrace of one of its many bars. From the heart of Brussels, head uphill, winding through the various quarters that make up the city and you'll unearth countless monuments along the way. You'll also find plenty of small parks where you can enjoy a little respite from the bustle of the city. The largest is the Parc de Bruxelles, which houses the Royal Palace whose beautiful rooms are open to the public from late July to the end of August. In fine weather, most head to the Parc de Laeken for its more informal feel; follow them and you'll be rewarded with the familiar shape of the Atomium, several palaces and the Bruparck, a leisure complex that houses Mini Europe, an impressive model village where summer is celebrated every Friday, Saturday and Sunday night with fireworks.

Lyon
Lyon has a long and varied history which, thanks to its many preserved sites and monuments, is very well illustrated to this day. A must for all visitors is Vieux Lyon, the mediaeval quarter to the west of the Saone which is the largest showcase of Renaissance architecture anywhere in France. Many of its 15th-century buildings are painted in a variety of pastel colours, reminiscent of Tuscany and the Midi. Prominent in the maze of narrow streets which characterise this quarter are the cafes, craft shops and bouchons, those intimate bistros serving gourmet food which are particularly lively on long warm evenings as terraces fill with locals and tourists alike. Above the old town, the Basilique de Fourviere, reached by funicular railway, offers splendid views over Lyon and, on a clear summer day, even as far as the Alps. This being the most southerly of our five summer cities, the warm climate too has something of a feel of the Midi, particuarly enjoyable as you stroll along the banks of two of France's mightiest rivers. Lyon also offers an impressive Opera House and a wide selection of museums.

There are a wide variety of hotels to choose from. Please make a reservation request and VFB Holidays will will contact you to discuss details further.