5 under the radar city breaks you should take in 2018: from Hanover to Brisbane

Whether or not you’ve managed to tick off every destination on your 2017 bucket list yet, there’s no doubt you’ll already be adding to it with a new year on the horizon.

You may have a dream of finally getting to New York or of soaking up the rays in the Maldives but what about going somewhere a little more unexpected next year?

Here, we bring you five city destinations that you should considering booking a trip to as soon as possible.

Swap Berlin for Hanover

Oh-so-cool Berlin is admittedly hard to miss what with its anti-surveillance attitude to life (hello, street art), world renowned nightlife and countless historic sites but Hanover is seriously worth a visit. Not only is the Medieval city filled to the brim with culture and achingly pretty red-brick architecture, it’s also home to Europe’s largest urban forest, the Eilenriede, and Herrenhäuser Gärten, aka the “German Versailles”. It has a charming old town which boasts a picture-perfect, suitably Nutcracker-heavy Christmas market during December but if you’re more of an urbanite, the newer parts of the city hold excellent restaurants and bars. This is perfect long-weekend territory.

Swap San Francisco for Portland

When you think of the West Coast of America, it’s usually cities like San Francisco and Los Angeles that come to mind, but on your next trip, opt for Portland. It's long been known as the USA's capital of (genuinely cool) hipsters - not only is it home to some of the pioneers of farm-to-table eating and artisan coffee, but it also has the most microbreweries of any city in the world. When you’re not eating and drinking, you can visit Forest Park, one of the largest urban parks in the States, visit one of the many unusual attractions like the hat or Hoover Museum (yes really) or head one way out of the city to a ski slope or the other for a surf.

Swap Tokyo for Sapporo

You may have only heard of the beer named Sapporo, but that needs to change immediately. Yes, Tokyo and Kyoto are incredible destinations worthy of their annual influx of visitors but if you really want to experience a city plus the outdoors, Sapporo is where to do it. Located near the mountains and natural hot springs (known in Japan as onsens), you can easily take day trips from the city and even go skiing in the winter. Known for its seafood (and that’s saying something in a country like Japan), foodies won’t be disappointed either.

Swap Sydney for Brisbane

Brisbane is the perfect, more laid-back Australian city break. Situated near the Gold Coast, you can explore the capital of Queensland but easily get out to its world-famous, unspoilt beaches on the north and south sides of the city. Being a subtropical climate, the weather is pleasant most of the year (hot summers, warm winters), meaning that even if you book last minute you’re not likely to be disappointed. If you fancy a road trip Aussie-style, Cairns lies 20 hours up the coast. You’ll be able to reach the Great Barrier Reef from several towns on the way so that'll certainly make the epic drive worth it.

Swap Rome for Naples

This may seem like a rouge choice seeing as Rome is arguably one of the finest city break destinations in the world but if you really are looking for somewhere less touristy, Naples is where its at. Not only is it the place to base yourself if you’re looking to go to Pompeii (which you should), it’s home to some of the world’s finest pizza. The first known pizza shop was actually opened in Naples’ Port Alba in the late 1800s and it’s still open today. So, in addition to regularly gorging on wood-fired slabs of San Marzano tomatoes and mozzarella dough, you can tour the city’s gilded churches, head to Mount Vesuvius national park or rent a convertible and head up the Amalfi Coast for a dip. Total Bliss.

With help from researchers at bookings.com