Thanks to cheap flights and a growing number of sleeper trains offering flight-free connections, European city breaks are firmly back in fashion. Research by Abta, the travel association, has revealed that they are one of the nation’s favourite holidays – 43 per cent of those polled enjoyed at least one urban getaway in the past 12 months. But while Britain’s love affair with European cities seems insatiable, are some of those cities falling out of love with tourists?

Protests against mass tourism in overcrowded cities such as Barcelona and rising tourist taxes in hot spots Venice and Amsterdam suggest they might be. But that doesn’t necessarily mean you will find a hostile reception if you do visit.

Stray from the main tourist sites and you might discover new, quieter neighbourhoods with a more authentic atmosphere. In cities where residents might have been pushed out of the centre by rising prices, look for neighbourhoods that are on the up, where affordable housing often nurtures creativity – you might well find independent shops, cafés and restaurants that are a world away from expensive tourist traps.

Here are 10 suggestions of where to escape the crowds in classic European city break destinations…

Vasastan, Stockholm

International travellers have only just found Stockholm’s sleepy Vasastan neighbourhood, according to Visit Sweden’s Steve Robertshaw. “The streets have a homely feel to them – it’s mostly a residential area,” he says. “But there’s also a lot of culture to explore.”

Located north of downtown Stockholm, Vasastan’s quiet appeal was cherished by Astrid Lindgren, author of Pippi Longstocking, who lived here for six decades (find her statue in Tegnérlunden Park).

Vasastan is known for its 19th-century Nordic architecture, while Sinnenas Trädgård (Garden of the Senses) is a peaceful park featured in Stockholm’s Guide to Silence project promoting calm, green places that aid wellbeing.

Overlooking leafy Tegnérlunden Park, Villa Dahlia is Vasastan’s first boutique hotel, where chic rooms and a spa cater to the district’s growing popularity. Doubles from £146.

Port de Nice, Nice

This Mediterranean city receives five million visitors annually (only Paris has more in France). Britons have flocked here since Queen Victoria fell in love with it as a winter retreat in the late 19th century. Given there are 300 days of sunshine and 7.5km of beaches, that should be no surprise.

Stroll along the famous Promenade des Anglais and you’ll find yourself in the redeveloped neighbourhood of Port de Nice, where fishing boats moor alongside superyachts in La Mouette.

New tramlines connect Port de Nice directly to the airport, avenues are pedestrianised, and hundreds of trees have been planted in recent years.

Caterina Prochilo of the local tourist office board says that while Port de Nice is certainly popular, there are plenty of streets where “locals go more than tourists”, including the area between Place Garibaldi, Rue Arson and Foderé. Highlights include Michelin-starred restaurant Les Agitateurs, while Niçoise specialities such as pissaladière and socca (chickpea) pancakes can be found at La Socca d’Or.

Mama Shelter offers Art Deco rooms and a rooftop pool. Doubles from £89.

Amsterdam-Noord, Amsterdam

It is a free, two-minute ferry ride across the IJ river from Amsterdam Centraal station to Amsterdam-Noord, the city’s buzzing new development. Once the domain of dockworkers and oil tankers, Noord is one of Amsterdam’s fastest-growing districts, with the recorded increase in population from 88,119 in 2005 to 108,792 in 2024.

Get your bearings with a 22-storey high trip to A’dam Lookout atop the A’Dam Tower, where Europe’s highest swing gets the adrenaline pumping atop an observation deck.

Amsterdam-Noord is also home to the largest flea market in Europe (IJ-Hallen), cultural landmarks such as the Eye Filmmuseum and upcycled developments such as Café de Ceuvel.

Rooms at Sir Adam, a riverfront hotel within A’dam Tower, are bursting with character. Doubles start from £107.

Freihausviertel, Vienna

“The Freihausviertel is a vibrant hub of creativity and innovation,” says Helena Steinhart from the Vienna Tourist Board, who spent 15 years living in and around this small Viennese neighbourhood within the wider Wieden district. “Long before premium, small-batch coffee became a global trend, this neighbourhood was already roasting hand-picked beans and laying the foundation for Vienna’s modern coffee culture.”

Get your caffeine fix at Naschmarkt, where, among cafés and coffee stalls, 122 traders and restaurants offer a feast of international cuisine, from Viennese to Vietnamese.

The nearby Freihaus Theatre is where Mozart debuted The Magic Flute in 1791, and the Vienna State Opera is just a 10-minute walk away.

Keep the operatic theme going with a stay at Hotel Johann Strauss, where doubles start from £145.

Nordhavn, Copenhagen  

There were record numbers of overnight stays in Copenhagen in the first half of this year, prompting a pilot scheme, CopenPay, that rewarded visitors with freebies for “climate-friendly actions” such as switching cars for bikes or helping clean the harbours on a kayak tour. The scheme is currently paused for evaluation of its effect, and may return next year.

One district winning accolades for its sustainable redevelopment is Nordhavn, an old industrial harbour redesigned around the “five-minute city” concept. Everything is accessible within a five-minute stroll, be it the Sandkaj Harbour bathing zone or architectural icons such as The Silo, a former grain silo where the 17th-floor restaurant serves dishes such as fried kale with black garlic and duck with glazed beetroot.

Join a Slow Tours guided walk and discover more about Nordhavn’s ambitious plans. Doubles at Comwell Copenhagen start from £93.

Poblenou, Barcelona

Despite anti-tourism protests putting the Catalan capital in international headlines, Barcelona’s appeal endures. “Customers are opting for quality in better-value areas with easy transport links to historical landmarks,” says Tony Hopkins, trading and development director at easyJet Holidays.

Emma Martin of Visit Barcelona suggests that visitors can find value – and help out the locals – in Poblenou, a redeveloped beachfront district once known as the Catalan Manchester. “By choosing to stay in Poblenou rather than the busy tourist centre, visitors help to decentralise tourism, reducing the pressure on heavily visited areas and contributing to a more balanced and respectful urban dynamic.”

This up-and-coming district’s affordability has lured young locals recent years, who are infusing it with their energy. It has its own Rambla, the Disseny design musuem, vegetarian and vegan places to eat, bars, cool shops and of course the beach, which has several beach bars.

Three-night packages at Vincci Maritimo, a four-star property in Diagonal Mar, Poblenou, start from £230pp with easyJet Holidays. Alternatively, The Hoxton in Poblenou has doubles from £188.

Bjørvika, Oslo

The former container port of Bjørvika is Oslo’s newest, and biggest, urban redevelopment project. “You’ll find some of Oslo’s most striking architecture and biggest cultural attractions in Bjørvika,” says Mathilde Rübberdt from VisitOslo. “That includes the Opera House designed by Snøhetta, the new Munch museum and my favourite place in Oslo, the amazing Deichman Bjørvika public library.”

Overlooking Oslo Fjord, there are quiet, micro-neighbourhoods within Bjørvika, including Sørenga, a former container dock now home to a saltwater swimming pool, urban beach and harbourside promenade.

Explore the fjords on a silent electric sightseeing cruise, or book a slot at Bjørvika’s ever-popular floating saunas.

Doubles at Clarion Hotel Oslo start from £142 including breakfast.

Tempelhof-Schöneberg, Berlin

The German capital recorded a whopping 29.6 million overnight stays in 2023, making it the third-most popular city break destination in Europe after London and Paris. Most visitors stick to well-trodden areas such as central Mitte (13.3 million overnight stays) and Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg (home to the East Side Gallery, with 4.1 million overnight stays).

Catarina Erceg of Visit Berlin recommends the alternative of Tempelhof-Schöneberg, which had 1.7 million overnight stays last year.

Relive history outside Schöneberg Town Hall, where John F Kennedy announced: “Ich bin ein Berliner.”

The former railway yard is now an urban jungle and nature park (Natur-Park Südgelände), and Tempelhof Feld, Berlin’s first airport, is now the city’s largest open recreational space.

Schöneberg has also proudly flown the rainbow flag since the 20s, and is an LGBTQ+ hub

Doubles at Mercure Hotel Berlin Tempelhof start from £60.

Kew, London

Closer to home, Kew offers a botanical break from central London. The Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew might welcome around two million visitors annually, but the area’s upscale leafy streets, independent cafés and village-like atmosphere feel a world away from the bright lights of Piccadilly Circus and crowds around Oxford Circus.

The average house price here is £1.2m, but visitors will find it accessible, with low-key cafés and pubs dotting the residential streets.

Once you have toured the botanical gardens and explored Kew Palace, stroll along the Thames to Richmond riverside, then spot red and fallow deer in Richmond Park before a pint and pie at Lass O’Richmond Hill or coffee and cake at pretty Petersham Nurseries.

Bed and breakfast at Kew Gardens Hotel starts at £135.

Babin Kuk, Dubrovnik

Around 1.2 million tourists visited Dubrovnik in 2023. Given the city’s resident population is 41,000, it is no stretch to call the Croatian city overcrowded during peak months. But if you want your fix of red roofs and Venetian-style battlements in one of Europe’s most beautiful walled cities, there are quieter neighbourhoods to be explored further out.

Exit through the 15th-century Pile Gate, and Babin Kuk sits a few miles west on the tip of the Lapad Peninsula. This upscale neighbourhood is home to beachfront bars, restaurants and hotels, all overlooking the Adriatic. You will find everything from tapas to fish restaurants and fine dining here.

Sea-view rooms at the Royal Neptun Hotel from £128, including breakfast.