Holidays 2019: Where is best to go on holiday in February? Last minute travel deals

Where is best to go on holiday in February? Reigo Eljas, Country Director for lastminute.com, advises travellers to try Vienna, Bruges, and Cambridge for a break and great last minute deal.

Cambridge

Home to one of the oldest seats of learning in the world, Cambridge University, this small but perfectly formed city is a great historic and romantic break for February. It’s got great pubs and restaurants, scores of superb museums and a great range of independent shops to mooch around.

And of course it has some wonderful buildings, churches and architecture to admire. Of course it’s going to be a trifle chilly, but with so much to do indoors that’s never a problem here.

What to see and do

While winter might not be the ideal time to go punting along the River Cam – there are special Valentine’s deals to be had if you fancy it. Alternatively just wrap up warm and hire your own – it’s a British bucket list classic.

You’ll probably recognise parts of the city from its starring role in films such as the Theory of Everything. And you can take a short trip to the village of Granchester, as featured on the TV show of the same name. There are some beautiful grounds to explore, like the The Fellowes Garden at Clare College or the Cambridge University Botanic Gardens where no other than Charles Darwin learnt about flora and fauna.

Kings College Chapel dates back to 1446 and if you time it right you can hear their famous choir sing evensong. For those who like their war history, the Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial is vast and has a visitor centre you can find out more about the Battle of the Atlantic and other keys war events. With a city this rich in history in might be worth doing a guided tour. You can either do a walking one, but in a town literally filled with bicycles, the two-wheeled options are really good fun.

What to eat

You’ll find a great mix of pub grub and fine dining in Cambridge – and of course the classic afternoon tea. A lot of the pubs also come with a slice of history. The Eagle pub for example was where the discoverers of DNA (the secret of life) celebrated with a beer. We love a riverside drink and The Mill Pub delivers on this – you can also find the Kingston Arms nearby which does good food. There are loads of independent coffee houses to warm up and you can also try Stephen Fry’s recommendation of Fitzbillies – they’ve got cracking Chelsea Buns.

Cambridge deals

4* Doubletree by Hilton Hotel Cambridge City Centre, 15th February – 1 night from £199

3* Central Cosy Cottage, 24th February – 1 night, from £189

3* Holiday Inn Cambridge, 10th February – 1 night, from £99

Bruges

Bruges, Belgium, is brilliant for a romantic city break. The city is totally gorgeous to look at and walk around – in fact it is so pretty that its listed by UNESCO as a world heritage site. And chocolate and beer probably rates high on most people’s food and drink lists – and this is the place to try both. It’s also easy to get to from London, either by Eurostar or via a short flight. So add in some great museums and galleries and pretty parks and you’ve got yourself a superb trip.

What to see and do

Get a great view of the city by climbing up the 366 steps of the Belfort Tower overlooking Market Square. Then find out all about the history of the city at the immersive Historium in the nearby Waterhalle building. If you’re an early riser you can head straight to Begijnhof – a collection of white houses with lovely grounds which is a now a nunnery.

It might be a bit chilly for a boat tour, but have a stroll along Bruges canals (Reie). Step into Onze-Lieve-Vrouwekerk (Church of Our Lady) and check out their Michelangelo marble sculpture (the Madonna and Child).

Beer can be super strong here, so visit the Bruges Beer Museum for a tasting experience. There are lots of independent breweries in the city as well – De Halve Maan Brewery specialises in zot blonde beer.

What to eat

This truly is a foodie paradise and not a place to visit if you’re counting the calories. To explain how much they love their national dish, you should visit the Friet Museum. Yes they have a whole place devoted to the humble chip. It’s in an old medieval food hall. As Bruges is by the sea you can also combine your chips with some mussels (moules-frites).

When it comes to winter warmers, you can’t go wrong with the a steaming bowl of stoofvlees – this Flemish stew is cooked in beer for extra depth. Now for the sweet stuff – grab a hot waffle from a cart in the street while you wander. You can find out more about the history of chocolate at the Choco Story Museum, but we recommend you just try them. Dumon chocolaterie is a famous shop to get some of the finest chocolate.

Bruges deals

3* Hotel ‘t Putje, 10th February, 2 nights departing from London St Pancras (Eurostar), from £189pp

4* Hotel Ter Brughe , 23rd February, 2 nights departing from London St Pancras (Eurostar) from £169pp

3* Novotel Brugge Centrum, 26th February, 2 nights departing from London St Pancras (Eurostar)from £149pp

Vienna

You might not know that Vienna is the home of the snowglobe, so we think it’s the ideal place to “shake things” up a bit at the end of winter. It’s going to be cold (average temperatures around 1C) and there is always a chance of snow – but the city is even pretty under a coat of the white stuff.

Vienna was named as the best city in the world for quality of living, and it rates so highly as it’s packed with great cultural things to do. And it’s also very romantic, so perfect for a city break around Valentine’s Day. A trip here will give you major brownie points, but read on to find more reasons as to why you should visit in February.    

What to see and do

Ah Vienna – to quote Ultravox’s 80s classic. Let’s start with a romantic cliche, a horse-drawn carriage ride round Vienna’s streets. They’ve been spiriting round lovers for more than 300 years, so snuggle under the blankets at sunset and see the sights. Keeping on the equine theme, the gorgeous white stallions (Lipizzans) from the world famous Spanish Riding School are based here. You can go and watch them training if you can’t book a performance.

Take a stroll around the baroque palace grounds of Schönbrunn, which is where the Habsburg royal family used to spend their summers. Fans of Strictly Come Dancing (and the Viennese Waltz) should try and get tickets to one of the fabulous balls taking place in February. The Opera Ball on February 28 is a chance to see the opera house in all its glory – and celebrate the 150th anniversary of Vienna State Opera.

The Vienna Rathausplatz (City Hall square) is transformed into a giant ice rink in February – so it’s an excellent excuse to hold hands and try and grab a selfie under the lights. And to finish off, there’s nothing more romantic than a giant ferris wheel – and Vienna may just have one of the most famous. Found at the nostalgic Prater amusement park – watch the sunset over the Danube from the top.

What to eat

Nothing beats the cold like cosying up in a cafe, so you really luck out when you go to Vienna. The Viennese coffee house culture, dating back to the 17th Century, is so famous UNESCO protected it – so really you should visit as many as you can as they’re very pretty. Along with your coffee the cakes are also to die for. Get stuck into the sweet stuff starting with strudels. Then try the sachertorte (often a technical challenge on Bake Off) – this sticky and shiny chocolate cake is epic.

We should mention savoury so bring on the schnitzel. Served with delicious fried potatoes or chips, this veal dish is the speciality. Also try the Powidl – this plum jam can be spread on toast but it also comes in dumplings.  

Vienna deals

4*Novum Hotel Prinz Eugen Wien, 8th February, 2 nights departing from London Stansted, from £119pp

4* Hotel Imlauer Wien, 11th February, 2 nights departing from London Stansted from £99pp

5* Hotel De France, 24th February, 2 nights departing from London Stansted from £149pp