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Catching the Last of The Summer: Autumn Breaks

Once again, we've hardly been treated to a blockbuster of a summer on these shores - but try to make up for the disappointment of a washout season with a treat-filled autumn break. There are a myriad of festivals, events and outdoor fun on offer up and down the UK, to entertain as the nights draw in and take your mind off the sudden appearance of Christmas crackers on the supermarket shelves. If you fancy getting away for a weekend or need a more radical change of scenery before the winter blues kick in, these cities have something for everyone.

YORK

Combining classical architecture, amazing history and a vibrant café culture, York is the perfect spot to enjoy a romantic weekend away or longer relaxing sojourn. As the days shorten, many of the city's historic monuments are seen in a whole new light as the annual 'Illuminating York' festival (city-wide October 26-29)  bathes the buildings in a variety of coloured hues.

 Take advantage of this glorious time of the year and head to the amazing gardens at Castle Howard with 1,000 acres of breathtaking scenery. And if you're looking for the perfect place to stay, the 300-year old Middlethorpe Hall & Spa offers old world opulence and state of art spa treatments to relax you after your Yorkshire adventures.

BELFAST

Belfast is quickly gaining a reputation as a party city, with the focus on fun and thriving nightspots. The whole city lets its hair down at the annual festival at Queen's (14 - 30 October, with masses of music art and film on offer. If you want decadence at your fingertips during your stay, why not base yourself at the Merchant Hotel which not only offers exquisite rooms bit only boasts a world renowned cocktail bar, featuring a £750 Mai Tai concocted from a variety of rare rums. And if you're suddenly feeling sporty, but not too sporty, visit Citigolf a city centre located indoor golf course that allows you to play on some of the world's finest simulated courses all from one convenient location. With food, drink and the city's largest karaoke screen, there's something for everyone.

LIVERPOOL

Fancy getting a bit hot and sweaty on your city break? Head over to the city that's synonymous with all things musical and bang your head at Liverpool Music Week (28 Oct - 13 Nov). Bands such as The Horrors and The Young Knives will provide you musical entertainment as you get busy in the mosh pit.

 If that all sounds a bit too exciting, before you rock, why not roll over to Tate Liverpool and be charmed by their exhibition dedicated to Alice in Wonderland. And if that inspires your childish side, go back in time to the Age of the Dinosaur at the World Museum and see some animatronic lizard beasts in action. And keep things musical with a stay at the Hard Days Night Hotel a boutique establishment dedicated to all things Fab Four.

GLASGOW

Sadly Scotland has a gained something of an unsavoury reputation when it comes to culinary matters thanks to its involvement in the creation of the deep-fried Mars Bar. But Foodies are advised to ignore this slander and head to Glasgow to enjoy some tremendous autumn gastronomic treats. The annual Good Food Show (Oct 21-23) features seasonal tastings, world-renowned chefs and a visit from the Masterchef team. You're bound to walk away with something new to try in the kitchen. For a true taste of Glasgow, pop over to the city institution that is the Babbity Bowster, a pub that not only features great ales and wonderful food, but also attracts some of the areas finest musicians for a Saturday afternoon hoe-down. And if you'd prefer to roll out of bed and experience fine dining, then a stay at One Devonshire Gardens might be in order.  Head Chef, Darin Campbell creates incredible gourmet treats from local Lanarkshire produce and the wine list would make any serious Foodie's heart sing.

About the Author: Dale Shaw is a freelance travel writer currently working for Wish.co.uk, helping to promote their range of exhilarating activities including driving days, sky diving and flying experience days and more.

Culture

Those in search of cities to feed the mind and the soul should have a huge range of places to choose from. Capital cities such as London, Paris, Berlin and Madrid all enjoy world class galleries and museums, let alone theatres, ballet and opera. And further afield New York, Washington, and Boston offer a modern twist on culture.

More and more people are now visiting St Petersburg with its stunning Hermitage museum, a city that offers both art treasures and history.

Yet culture can come in many forms and art, whether it is classic or modern is not the only form of culture. A city break to Marrakech can assault your senses with its brand of North African culture and history. Any trip to Italy will submerge you in the culture unique to the country. The key to finding and discovering the culture of any place is not just to head for the headline galleries and museums, but to dig below the surface and enjoy the street culture from the tango of Buenos Aires to the markets and bazaars of Istanbul or the Flamenco in Seville and the lively nightlife scene of Dublin.

So what is it you want to buy? If you are a fashionista then the classics of Paris, Milan, London and New York will never fail. Whether you are on the hunt for designer labels or street fashion, these cities rule. But shopping is more than clothing. Food shopping can be great fun with all countries having local delicacies to enjoy, from cured meats, sherry and food markets in Madrid, Barcelona and Jerez to amazing French delicacies, cheese, pates, wines and champagne in Lyons, Bordeaux, Paris and Reims. Italy is excellent for all sorts of food experiences; every area has divine food markets and shops selling everything from balsamic vinegars to truffles. Cities such as Bologna are real foodie finds, just as much as Naples for the home of pizza. Brussels is great for chocolate and Antwerp for diamonds. Amsterdam for hard cheeses and Porto for port wines.

Those who love design should head to Scandinavia, whether it be Stockholm, Gothenburg, Copenhagen, Reykjavik or Oslo, these cities are packed with design led shops, cutting edge objets d'arts as well as fashions and items for the home. For markets and bazaars then the great cities of Istanbul and Marrakech offer unique shopping experiences as you barter for goods. Head further east to places such as Hong Kong, Bangkok and Singapore for all manner of goods and services from markets through to high end fashion. And Tokyo combines all that is cutting edge in design with street fashion, high end fashion and futuristic shopping streets teeming with life. And Christmas Markets also offer a great reason to travel or unique gifts. The German cities of Cologne, Nuremburg and Dresden among some of the highlights. For full on mall shopping head to Minneapolis to the Mall of America, or Dubai for designer shops and jewellery.

European cities ooze history from Medieval through to modern. Choose from the big capitals, like London, Paris, Athens and Berlin, but also opt for smaller cities with their own individual story to tell. Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Lisbon, Malta, Stockholm and Vienna all offer history unique to those destinations and any of the great Italian destinations from Venice to Florence, Rome to Pisa and more - Italy boasts more world class historical sites than any other country in the world. Or head to up and coming destinations of the former Yugoslavia such as Belgrade, Sarajevo, Ljubljana and Dubrovnik, all with their own story to tell. The former Russian states of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia are home to the historic centres of Vilnius, Riga and Tallinn, all now accessible by low cost airlines and having historic city centres as well as the more recent links to the USSR. Budapest is a great option trading not only on its more recent history but also as one of the major cities of the Hapsburg and Prussian empires.

Another option is North Africa with Tripoli, Tunis, Alexandria and Cairo all packed full of ancient historical sites all within reach of the city centre. As are eastern Mediterranean cities such as Jerusalem, Damascus, Aleppo, Amman and Beirut, with both modern and ancient history in spades. Old domestic favourites such as Edinburgh, Liverpool, Manchester, Chester, York, Bath and Bristol all offer their own unique historic twist. From the castle and palaces in the Scottish capital to the industrial heritage of the North West, the Viking roots of Yorkshire to Roman and Georgian sites in the West County and the historic city walls and buildings of Chester. And even more modern cities such as New York and Boston have great historical places to visit such as Ellis Island and the JFK museum.

London is now regarded as one of the most entertainment led cities of the world from theatres to concerts, sport to performance art, and cinemas to street theatre. But don't forget Las Vegas, a great destination for a short break and jam packed with shows of all kinds, the casinos and the sheer scale of things to entertain all ages at all times of the day. However many other cities shine in their own right. Paris for everything from family attractions such as Disneyland Paris and Parc Asterix through to the Moulin Rouge, Barcelona for street theatre, New York for Broadway shows and American sports and Miami for restaurants, bars and clubs.

However all cities have entertainment of some form or another, even if it is watered down versions of the big hitting capitals. If you get away from the blockbuster shows that are in every major city, you can find local bars showcasing musical talent, comedy and dance in every style from local folk and traditional music through to thrash metal. The choice is yours; you just have to dig away, maybe with the help of a good guide book.

And for eating out every city ion the world has a wide range of eateries, from international to local, just read the guide books to get e real flavour of where to eat and what to enjoy.

So you want a city break with a beach? Nice, Monaco, Marseille or Biarritz all offer the chance to enjoy the city as well as the beach.

Barcelona, Malaga, Alicante, Valencia, Bilbao and Palma are all major Spanish cities that sit on the coast and combine shopping, history, culture and sandy beaches within easy reach. Athens also offers culture with just a short hop to a beach or a nearby island. Lisbon makes for a great break away in the sun and the beaches of the Estoril coast by road and rail from the city centre. Dubai of course sits on the beach and has everything a modern city can offer as well as sandy beaches. Or why not stay in the UK? Brighton sits firmly on the channel and has miles of beaches on your doorstep, or visit Liverpool and access the Anthony Gormley statues in nearby Formby.

You might think that the last thing you would be looking for in a city break would be scenery, however many cities are built in stunning settings with great views. Toronto is set on Lake Ontario with stunning views from the top of the CN Tower. And its west coast cousin Vancouver set on the waterfront and with mountains all around.

Bergen sits among stunning fjords and most of the Alpine cities of Zurich, Geneva, Salzburg, Basel and Turin all sit within easy access to amazing mountain views. Tuscany is host to rolling hills and fantastic classic hill top villages making a short break in Florence, Pisa or Sienna a great way to combine culture, history and art with beautiful scenery. Scotland's Edinburgh sits on the Firth of Forth with the Pentland Mountains south of the capital and Arthurs seat dominating the city landscape.

Most cities can be walked and this is often the best way to get around, Paris is superb for wandering around its many gardens, Amsterdam has a huge canal network to explore on foot (or by bicycle) and New York is THE city to conquer on foot.
As well as the obvious walking tours of the sites, many guide books offer interesting routes specialising in all manner of subjects from shopping to culture, art to history. Discovering a major city on foot is a real joy as you find an area that you didn't read about, a shop you would never have found otherwise and all manner of buildings, people and food.