00:00Welcome to Travel Smart Weekly, the new insider's guide to travel from
00:05Independent TV. This is the series in which we give our opinions and thoughts
00:11on the best destinations to visit, plus how to make the most of your trips
00:17worldwide. In this episode we're talking about the city breaks that are
00:21surprisingly affordable. Sometimes you want to spend and push the boat out but
00:25these are the unexpected destinations where you won't need to break the bank
00:28to have a memorable travel experience.
00:40Portugal might not be your first thought when you think cheap city break
00:44in Europe, but its capital Lisbon has other ideas. It's a soulful city where
00:52you'll encounter colourful buildings and neighbourhoods of winding cobblestone
00:55streets, plus free attractions are plentiful. This is especially true if
01:00you want to snap a picture of the fantastic views. I recommend heading up
01:05to the summit of São Jorge Hill to its castle, which dates back 1,000 years and
01:09checking out the incredible view over the old town and beyond. Budget
01:15accommodation can easily be found throughout Lisbon, as can cheap food.
01:18A pastel de nata will set you back about a pound and beer won't be much more, and
01:22even better, many of the low-cost airlines out of the UK will fly you to Lisbon.
01:27The three biggest German cities are Berlin, Munich and Hamburg, which I think
01:34deserves more visitors. It's a fascinating maritime metropolis with
01:39spectacular modern architecture in the shape of Elphi, the new concert hall, as
01:46well as the Beatles trail, where the Fab Four cut their musical teeth.
01:54The historic Speicherstadt district is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a place of
02:01red brick warehouses and picturesque canals in the city's port area. For a
02:07taste of Hamburg's seafaring past, tuck into Alsuppe, or eel soup, traditional
02:14comfort food from the city. If the weather's fine, there are lots of green
02:20spaces in which to spend time without paying a euro cent. For affordable places
02:26to stay, have a look in the Saint Georg neighborhood, which is also close to the
02:31Hauptbahnhof, the main train station. Valencia, Spain's third largest city, is
02:38growing in popularity and makes for a budget-friendly urban stay. Spend time
02:45simply wandering, whether through the charming Old Town, the hipster El Carmen
02:49neighborhood, which is home to colourful street art and on-trend bars, or along
02:53the winding Turria Gardens. Miles of golden beaches can be enjoyed for free,
02:59and when you're hungry, remember, Valencia is the home of paella, so visit now
03:03before everyone else does. Not that long ago, Albania didn't feature prominently
03:09in most travel plans, but now Tirana, its energetic capital, is earning itself a
03:14place among the big hitters of European city breaks. The vast Skanderbeg Square
03:21is the centre of the city, but we'd recommend heading over to the tiny yet
03:25buzzing Bloku area. You can walk through in just ten minutes or so, and you'll
03:30find dozens of cafes, bars, restaurants and shops lining each street and alleyway.
03:35Low-cost airlines now fly direct to Tirana, and you can find yourself a very
03:40comfortable hotel for around £30 a night, while a decent three-course meal
03:45for two with some local wine might hit £10, but you'll likely have some change.
03:50Let's head south to Africa, and the most exotic place you can get to within three
03:56hours of the UK is the Moroccan city of Marrakech. It also has some of the most
04:02fabulous hotels in the world, and it's well worth calling in to gawp at the opulent
04:09interiors and maybe have a cocktail on the roof, but there's plenty of Riyadh.
04:16These are beautiful mansions based around a courtyard, which are hidden away and offer
04:23some surprisingly good prices.
04:29Rooms might be small, but even the more basic Riyadhs often have enchanting courtyards with
04:35water features and traditional African details. In the maze of souks at the heart of Marrakech,
04:42you'll find hidden gardens where you can dip in for a mint tea or an inexpensive meal.
04:49Even the most popular tourist attractions, like the Bahia Palace,
04:53come in at under £15 for a ticket.
04:59That's all for this episode of Travel Smart Weekly. You'll find our next one out soon on
05:03independent.co.uk forward slash tv, on the Independa's mobile app, or on your smart TV.
05:09And for all the latest travel news, reviews and advice, be sure to check out
05:14independent.co.uk forward slash travel and do listen to my daily travel podcast.
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