Summer’s finally here, and as we all start thinking about those well-earned holidays, travellers from all over the world are looking for inspiration both close to home and further afield. While some may favour a beach holiday or a mountain retreat, the city break remains a firm favourite of many- who doesn’t love experiencing new cultures and exploring bustling metropolises?
But where are the most popular destinations for city breaks? When it comes to exploring a new city, do modern skyscrapers and a lively nightlife tip the scales? Or is it traditional landscapes and historical architecture that draw in the crowds?
With this in mind, we reviewed Google search data for over 130 countries around the world, including the UK, to discover which cities top the list for travellers researching their next city break.
The most popular city breaks around the world
Here, we’ll be revealing these city breaks:
Where the world wants to city break the most
According to the data, holidaymakers are wanting to travel to the United Arab Emirates the most. 21 out of the 136 countries we analysed showed Dubai as their top searched-for city break destination, and visitors travel from all over the world to luxuriate in the glamour of Dubai’s lifestyle.
Paris follows closely behind, with the city of love topping the wish list of 16 countries for their city breaks. With landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Notre-Dame, and of course, its stylish streets and laid-back lifestyle, Paris cements itself as the second most popular city break destination - it’s often the go-to choice for travellers from European countries such as Belgium, Portugal and Italy, and many African countries such as Senegal, Benin and Congo.
Boston rounds off the top three with 12 countries dreaming of visiting the Massachusetts city. With a thriving arts and music scene, an array of sports teams including the Red Sox, the Patriots and the Celtics, as well as its world-renowned seafood, this US city has something for everyone. Boston is a popular choice for many North & Central American countries including Canada, Antigua and Barbados.
Rank |
City break destination |
Country |
Number of countries that want to visit this city |
1 |
Dubai |
United Arab Emirates |
21 |
2 |
Paris |
France |
16 |
3 |
Boston |
USA |
12 |
4 |
Madrid |
Spain |
8 |
5 |
Singapore |
Singapore |
7 |
6 |
London |
United Kingdom |
6 |
7 |
Cape Town |
South Africa |
6 |
8 |
Amsterdam |
Netherlands |
5 |
9 |
Copenhagen |
Denmark |
3 |
10 |
Buenos Aires |
Argentina |
3 |
11 |
Brisbane |
Australia |
3 |
12 |
Bogota |
Colombia |
3 |
13 |
Atlanta |
USA |
3 |
14 |
Wellington |
New Zealand |
2 |
15 |
Vienna |
Austria |
2 |
The most popular staycation destinations in UK searches
With staycations continuing to be popular among British holidaymakers, we wanted to find out which cities were topping our UK city break lists here on home ground.
Rank |
City break destination |
Country |
1 |
London |
England |
2 |
Edinburgh |
Scotland |
3 |
Manchester |
England |
4 |
York |
England |
5 |
Liverpool |
England |
6 |
Bath |
England |
7 |
Birmingham |
England |
8 |
Bristol |
England |
9 |
Brighton |
England |
10 |
Glasgow |
Scotland |
These are the three most popular staycation destinations for UK searches:
London
Edinburgh
2. Edinburgh
Edinburgh provides a great blend of culture, scenery and history, and, with an average of 868,500 monthly searches, is the second most popular city break destination for British travellers. Visitors can look forward to panoramic views from Calton Hill, the city’s Royal Botanical Gardens, Edinburgh Old Town and the famed Edinburgh Castle that sees over 2 million visitors a year.
Manchester
3. Manchester
Northern city Manchester ranks in third place for UK staycation city breaks with an average of 738,500 monthly searches for holidaymakers researching their trips. With sights such as Salford Quays, Sackville Park and busy urban spots such as Altrincham Market, Manchester combines a lively nightlife with serene pockets of calm such as Castlefield. Not to mention its famed sporting rivals Manchester United and Manchester City that draw many visitors each year!
The most popular global destinations in UK searches
British holidaymakers are also starting to venture further afield again, with many planning to tick off their bucket list destinations with international city breaks. Here are the top ten favourites for the UK:
Rank |
City break destination |
Country |
1 |
Amsterdam |
Netherlands |
2 |
Dublin |
Ireland |
3 |
Paris |
France |
4 |
Barcelona |
Spain |
5 |
Budapest |
Hungary |
6 |
Dubai |
Dubai |
7 |
Rome |
Italy |
8 |
Prague |
Czech Republic |
9 |
Milan |
Italy |
10 |
Lisbon |
Portugal |
Amsterdam
1. Amsterdam
British holidaymakers search an average of 227,000 times each month for the Netherlands capital. A popular favourite for stag and hen parties as well as romantic couples’ getaways, Amsterdam remains a firm favourite for global city breaks.
Dublin
2. Dublin
As a nearby city break choice, Brits searched for activities to do in Dublin on average 224,900 times per month, making it the second most popular global city break destination. With scenic walks, an array of street art and the coast close by, Dublin continues to be a favourite for UK travellers looking for an exciting getaway.
Paris
3. Paris
One of the most popular cities for people across the world, Paris is also popular for British tourists, with 218,400 monthly UK holiday searches. Visitors are no doubt hoping to enjoy the popular French city experience, including world-renowned cuisine and instantly recognisable tourist attractions.
Feeling inspired for a city break? Check out even more ideas for a weekend getaway over on our short breaks pages and make the most of your favourite cities.
Methodology:
Google search data (searching all languages) was used to establish the average monthly search volume in each country for the terms ‘things to do in {destination}’ for hundreds of the most popular cities. The most searched for city was then used as the top city for that country. Data was from June 2022. The most popular destinations by continent and globally were decided by the destinations that were most frequently the top destination by country.