It feels like normality is finally in sight, and you’re probably not alone in wanting to get out and travel as soon as possible. During the pandemic, we focused on some of our best rural spots, to get away from the city. But now that the museums and restaurants will be opening again, we wanted to look at some of the best city breaks for you to enjoy when travelling after the pandemic. In this post, we’re going international, spurning wonderful home cities in the US and the UK (that's where most of you are from) this time round for Berlin, Tel Aviv, Rome and Barcelona. For the first time in what seems like decades, it’s time to pack swimming gear or wander through a town centre while unsuccessfully trying to fold an excessively large map. No matter your choice of international destination, our extensive research will ensure you have the trip of a lifetime, because here at Plum Guide, we pride ourselves on doing the hard work.
Get a taste of history in Berlin
Given its wealth of museums, cool restaurants and hip bars, Berlin has been heavily affected during the pandemic, with its main highlights having to close. But, once it's all over, this trendy mix of bohemian culture and fascinating history will come back to life. In the mood to relive your youth? Head to the KitKatClub or Bergheim, where the bouncers are far more likely to let your kids in than you. For something a little more chilled, try one of the bars in Neukölln or Kreuzberg, or head to Charlottenburg for a more exclusive ambiance. In fact, attend an opera at the Charlottenburg Palace for an evening so civilized that the pandemic will be a distant memory. Explore the Museum Island, see the Topography of Terror, and cross Checkpoint Charlie to imagine what it was like here in the time of the Berlin Wall (crumbling remnants of which can be seen across the city). Make sure to see the Brandenburg Gate and the adjacent Reichstag Building, before browsing the shops of Alexanderplatz.
Charlottenburg, Berlin, Germany
The Silver Portrait, Plum Guide home in Berlin
Take a trip to the beach in Tel Aviv
After waiting what seemed like forty years, it’s time to finally arrive in the Promised Land (the country of Israel, and not the new book by Barack Obama). Tel Aviv is the most happening and culturally exciting city, with its bountiful beach bars and bazaars bouncing back to buoyancy. Ok, so buoyancy was a bit of a stretch as a synonym for life, but we’re prepared to take that hit in the name of alliteration for your totally trendy trip to Tel Aviv. Pull out a deck chair at the iconic Mezizim Beach and sunbathe at the Gordon Beach or the Frishman Beach. Rummage through the busy outdoor corridors of the famous Carmel Market to get a sense of the local culture. Then, enjoy a fine dining experience for dinner at the OCD Restaurant, the West Side or the Kitchen Market. Enjoy incredible food and service, content in the knowledge that you are making the most of travelling after the pandemic.
Cheese Stall at a Tel Aviv Market, Israel
Anthology, Plum Guide home in Tel Aviv
Explore the Colosseum in Rome
There’s no place like Rome. And if all paths lead there, then it makes for an obvious destination for post-pandemic travel. It also allows a great chance to look at some of the reminders of what our civilization has done, from the Colosseum and the Pantheon to the St. Peter’s Basilica and the Roman Forum. Try not to fall into the Trevi Fountain after visiting the bars of the Piazza Santi Apostoli, and happily frequent the pubs and restaurants of the Piazza Navona. For an upscale dive into the best of Italian cuisine, go for dinner at the nonchalantly-named Ad Hoc, or take your pick from Il Panzotto, the Ristorante Crispi 19, and the Perpetual. Leave the country (sort of), by rummaging through the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel (whose ceiling is worth the trip alone). Clamber up the Spanish Steps and stroll along the cobbled lanes of the old-world Trastevere neighbourhood for a glimpse of Rome at its most quaint and medieval.
The Colosseum, Rome, Italy
Lion's Mane, Plum Guide home in Rome
Book a trip to Barcelona
‘Barcelona’, as Freddie Mercury once sung at the top of his lungs (weird expression, when you think about it). But he was right, it is very much ‘Barcelona’. Aside from Lionel Messi and other football (soccer) stuff, gracing every postcard, souvenir and photo of the city is the Basilica de la Sagrada Familia, an enormous gothic masterpiece at the heart of Barcelona. Wander through the Gothic Quarter to see more of that eerie, jagged architectural style, and drop in at the Picasso Museum and the Plaça del Rei. Also, you can’t walk a minute in the city without hearing about this Gaudí fella, who apparently built the entire place…in a sort of futuristic Flintstones design. Climb to the roof of his Casa Mila for excellent views of the cathedral, and stroll up and down the hills of his Parc Güell (whose buildings seem to be made out of gingerbread) if you really want to make the most of travelling after the pandemic.
La Sagrada Familia, Barcelona
Tawny Cinder, Plum Guide home in Barcelona
