Five amazing cities you need to visit in 2025
Five amazing cities you need to visit in 2025
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Ditch the spotlight-stealing capitals, embrace the charm of lesser-known destinations, and make this the year of the Second City!. 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.
![[Secret city: the picturesque spires in the centre of Lublin]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/01/13/14/2B9MWWP.jpg)
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.
![[Savannah skyline: peaceful scenes from the banks of the famous river]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/01/13/14/BK7RP7.jpg)
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.
![[Aarhus arthouse: international works on display at the ARoS art musuem]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/01/13/14/JAR7MW.jpg)
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.
![[Creative district: cobbled Kapana is packed with bakeries, cafes and wine bars]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/01/13/14/W35PN3.jpg)
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