Top destinations in Europe

Rome

Try a slice of Italian life in Rome this spring – there's nowhere else where you can enjoy a gelati in the sunshine on the Spanish Steps, surrounded by locals on mopeds and tourists from across the globe. Of course, the Vatican is top of most visitors' must-see lists, with the Basilica (where you can view Michelangelo's first work), the dome and the Necropolis to explore. If you're still hankering for more history, the Colosseum is one of the world's most stunning sights; once known as the 'Amphitheatre Flavium' it was home to professional gladiator fights. Today, it's a much more civilised affair, with locals dressed as gladiators outside (a great photo opportunity!) and the towering wonder of the arena to explore. After a long day of sightseeing, why not enjoy simple, local food such as ossobucco or freshly made pasta at a local trattoria and watch the world go by – practically a national pastime here in Rome

Paris

The City of Lights is a great destination for your spring city break. With temperatures similar to the UK, you'll need to wrap up warm to enjoy this beautiful city at its best, but you're practically guaranteed to fall in love whether you're taking a stroll along the Seine arm in arm, enjoying a chocolat chaud at a pavement café and people watching, or climbing the Eiffel Tower. The Catacombs in Paris are a great place to visit off-season, when queues will be smaller. Descend the hundreds of steps underneath the streets of Paris to see the 'City of the Dead,' filled with the bones of those originally buried in the Innocents Cemetery. This eerie spectacle is all the more creepy for the fact that you walk its tunnels alone, with no tour guide and from the time you descend until you climb the steps to exit takes around an hour! Make sure that you have adequate travel insurance in place for your trip – it's all too easy to injure yourself or become the victim of pickpockets on a city break and without travel insurance covering you, you may end up having a very expensive holiday.

Wherever you choose to head in Europe for your city break this spring, make sure to take some warm clothes. Whilst cities such as Rome are often warm at this time of year, inclement weather is all too frequent and at the very least you'll want to pack an umbrella for those April showers. Most importantly, try to get off the beaten track and explore unusual parts of the city – who knows what you might find!