With winter approaching, travel doesn’t have to stop: on the contrary, it’s the perfect moment to plan a weekend in the great European capitals and cities, perhaps away from the most trodden itineraries.
Vueling launches a new promotion valid from August 18 to 23, 2026, with departures between October 1, 2026 and March 31, 2027. An opportunity to discover the lesser-known side of some of Europe’s most beloved cities, among authentic neighborhoods and corners off the tourist circuits.
From Florence to London
Beyond London’s most photographed icons, reachable from Florence with flights starting at 23 euros, the city hides corners that tell another story of the capital. In the brutalist heart of the Barbican Estate lies one of the city’s largest greenhouses, with over 1,500 plant species to lose yourself in, far from the bustle of the most touristy stops.
In Holland Park, the Kyoto Garden recreates the atmosphere of a Japanese garden, with waterfalls, koi carp, and seasonal blossoms. For those seeking expansive spaces, Richmond Park spans over 1,000 hectares of protected nature, with the Isabella Plantation and its Japanese azaleas among the most evocative areas. To the north, the village of Highgate offers a countryside-like atmosphere, with convenient links to the center and walks to Hampstead Heath.
From Rome Fiumicino to Valencia
Spain’s third city, Valencia, deserves discovery away from the beaten paths, with flights from Rome Fiumicino starting at 50 euros. The journey begins at the Estación del Norte, a modernist building clad in colorful mosaics that recount the city’s story, before getting lost in the alleys of Russafa, a multicultural neighborhood full of murals, bars and a lively music scene.
Not to miss is Sombreros Albero, the country’s oldest hat shop (founded in 1820), a perfect stop for lovers of local craftsmanship, perhaps accompanied by horchata in the cafés of the Mercado Colón. For a plunge into urban nature, the Turia Gardens offer a long green cycling route in the heart of the city, while the Carme district, with its cultural center housed in a former Gothic courtyard, provides a timeless atmosphere, enriched by the light that made Valencian painter Joaquín Sorolla famous.
From Florence to Madrid
Finally, also from Florence, flights from 50 euros will take you to Madrid. Despite its size, the city preserves a neighborhood-like soul: a good starting point to explore it off the beaten paths is Parque del Oeste, ideal for a Sunday stroll between the Royal Palace, Plaza de España and the Temple of Debod, reaching green spaces that give an impression of countryside in the heart of the city.
Beyond the great museums like the Prado or the Thyssen, it is worth exploring smaller yet equally remarkable venues such as the Museum Cerralbo, the Museum of Romanticism, or Caixa Forum, often less crowded but of the highest quality. Those who love walking with their eyes looking up will find in the rooftops of the Spanish capital an open-air museum, with domes, sculptures and surprising shapes, a spectacle completed by a stop at the Parque del Capricho.
