Five amazing cities you need to visit in 2025

Last year was surely the year of the city break big hitter. We had one of the all-time great Olympic Games in Paris, the America’s Cup took Barcelona by storm, and Taylor Swift’s Eras tour saw millions of Swifties boosting international economies one capital city at a time.

But this year, the travel tide is shifting. In 2025, savvy travellers are turning away from crowded capitals in favour of lesser-known cities — places that still offer the thrill of discovery far from the cruise ship hordes. And with the flexibility of the new Trading 212 card, exploring these spots has never been easier or more rewarding. From an under-the-radar gem in Georgia to a culture-packed Bulgarian beauty, we round up five surprisingly wonderful city break destinations for your 2025 travel calendar.

1. Lublin, Poland (PLN)

For now, Lublin is Eastern Europe’s best kept secret but it’s unlikely to stay that way for long. This compact, charming city is less than two hours from Warsaw on the train and it’s got it all: a colourful cobblestoned Old Town, colossally grand and extremely well-priced hotels, a burgeoning art scene that includes the vast multi-disciplinary modernist gallery CSK (Centrum Spotkania Kultur), and hometown breweries producing brilliant beer. Go now, while it still has that authentic locals-only feel to it.

2. Savannah, USA (USD)

For Southern charm in spades, head to Savannah, Georgia, where beautiful antebellum mansions line brick-paved streets and the house’s historic ties stretch back to the Revolutionary War of 1779. It’s a culture-packed place with an art gallery designed by Moshe Safdie and its own jazz hall of fame. The food is hearty in the best southern-style: head to Mrs. Wilkes Dining Room for crispy fried chicken, and classic shrimp and grits. As well as the sunshine charm, there’s a touch of the gothic here too: trails of Spanish moss hang from the city’s many oak trees, giving the place a fantastical fairytale feel.

3. Aarhus, Denmark (DKK)

Away from the clamour and crowds of Copenhagen, Denmark’s understated second city is quietly emerging as a big player in its own right. You could come simply for the spectacular modernist museums: the grass-roofed marvel that is the Moesgaard museum of archaeology and anthropology seems to emerge from the earth, and the ARoS art museum houses works from the Danish Golden Age in an incredible building by Henning Larsen architects. But the food is just as big a draw: a sprawling street food market sells everything from bao buns to Danish comfort food and the city boasts four Michelin-starred restaurants.

4. Plovdiv, Bulgaria (BGN)

Bulgaria’s second city stakes a claim to be Europe’s oldest continually inhabited urban space, and remnants of its epic history are everywhere – from its astonishing Roman amphitheatre to its handsome 19th-century mansion houses. The old town is a winding warren of charming streets with gorgeously well preserved Ottoman-era architecture. But it’s not trapped by its illustrious past: there’s a thriving contemporary art scene that was given a huge boost in 2019 when Plovdiv was named European City of Culture. And oenophiles will be in their element: the pedestrianised Kapana district is full of wine bars serving the highly regarded local reds.

The Revolutionary 212 Card

Travel with freedom

Travelling abroad this year? Then you need a card that’s built for a person on the go. Trading 212’s multi-currency account has no foreign transaction fee on 13 different currencies covering the pound, euro and all the destinations mentioned in this article. You get the true interbank rate with zero spread markups, and 0.5% cashback up to £20 per month. Savings are handsomely rewarded with 4.9% AER on your pounds and 3.7% on your euros, paid daily. You can withdraw cash anytime and it’s all free: no hidden fees, no subscription plans, no tiers*.

5. Brno, Czech Republic (CZK)

Over the years, Prague has gobbled up all the oxygen when it comes to Czech Republic city breaks, which has allowed the country’s charming second city, Brno, to fly under the radar. Located in the south of the country just 70 miles north of Vienna, the city is a lively place, home to more than 60,000 students at a dozen universities. Unsurprisingly, such an abundance of youth brings with it all kinds of good things: atmospheric gig spaces, a buzzy café scene and plentiful craft beer. The big draw here, though, is the city’s magnificent early 20th-century architecture. Don’t mis Villa Tugendhat, one of the great iterations of the International Style designed by German architects Mies van der Rohe and Lily Reich, and Villa Löw-Beer, a handsome art nouveau residence.

*Card distributed by T212, issued and provided by Paynetics UK, available with an Invest account. ATM withdrawals are free up to £400 per month, 1% ATM fee applies thereafter. Other fees may apply. When investing, your capital is at risk. By enabling interest, we hold your cash in QMMFs and banks. Otherwise we hold it only in banks. Interest applies on cash in an investment account. Terms apply.