6 sunny European cities you could visit this September for less than £80 return

The shoulder season is one of the best times to head abroad. You’ll find cheap European city breaks as hotel and flight prices dip, fewer crowds as children head back to school, and warm, but not stifling, weather.

Since September is the perfect time for a city break, where should you go? We’ve sifted through flight prices and pored over weather data to find the best-priced last-minute destinations for sunshine and culture.

For every city below, you’ll find flights on Skyscanner over a weekend* in September for less than £80 (correct at time of writing). You’ll find they are even cheaper if you don’t travel on popular weekend days.

Cheap European city break: Vienna  21°C / £38rtn

Flights to this photogenic city are currently 33% cheaper for September than they were at the same time in 2019 (the last normal year for travel), according to Skyscanner.

To get your bearings, climb the 343 steps up St Stephen’s Cathedral into the Watchman’s Chamber in the South Tower and you’ll be met with green and terracotta rooftops and beautiful Baroque architecture.

Back on the ground, art lovers will be overwhelmed. The galleries in the Museum Quarter only scratch the surface of what’s on offer. Elsewhere you’ll find the Belvedere, the Museum of Art History and the Albertina.

And you can’t miss the traditional coffee shops where writers, actors, artists and even Sigmund Freud himself reportedly met. Many retain their original decor. 

We found return flights from as little as £22 from Liverpool. Although not as cheap, you can get bargain flights from Edinburgh* (£38) and London (£47).

Cheap European city break: Venice  24°C / £39

Venice is a Which? reader favourite and flights are currently 14% cheaper for September than they were in the same period in 2019, so you’re likely to get a good deal.

It has a lot going for it with its romantic gondola-filled waterways, maze of cobbled streets and authentic Italian restaurants (away from St Mark’s Square). And in September the temperatures drop slightly, making it more bearable to explore than in the height of summer. Crowds will also thin slightly, but it will still be busy.

Once you’ve tasted as much pasta and gelato as you can manage, head to see Doge’s Palace - a gothic masterpiece - or hop on the vaporetto over to the island of Murano where you can watch traditional glass blowing in action.

We found return flights for £39 (Bristol) and £58 (London*) over a weekend in September.

Cheap European city break: Madrid  27°C / £42rtn

For well-manicured parks, lively bars and colourful flea markets, head to Madrid. It’s still quite hot earlier in the month, but tends to cool down as you get closer to October.

There’s plenty to do in the Spanish capital, but we’d sample its fabulous food first. The Mercado de san Miguel offers an array of gourmet Spanish fare all under one roof, with small dishes from at least 30 vendors.

For something lighter, bars often provide a free ‘tapa’ when you purchase a drink. Vermouth is the locals’ drink of choice.

And if you want to feed the soul, the annual Apertura Madrid Gallery Weekend, sees galleries and museums open late and offer free exhibitions. This year it’s 8-11 September.

We found £42 return weekend flights* to Madrid from Bristol in September.

Cheap European city break: Pisa  25°C / £50rtn

It may still be hot in Pisa in September, but the humidity is low which will make climbing the 300 steps up Pisa’s famous leaning bell tower far more enjoyable. From the top, you can take in views over the sprawling riverside city.

The tower isn’t the only noteworthy sight. Alongside it in the Piazza dei Miracoli is Pisa’s Cathedral, Baptistery, and Campo Santo (holy field), which together make up the Unesco World Heritage Site. You’ll find fewer day trippers in September and those that do come will largely be gone by nightfall meaning you’ll share the plentiful bars, cafés and Renaissance piazzas with locals and students.

We found last-minute September flights to Pisa for £50 from London for a weekend break. While cheap, it's also worth checking to find the greenest flights as well as the airlines with the least cancellations.

Cheap European city break: Paris  20°C / £57rtn

In September, Parisians return to work and the tourists noticeably thin out. Better still, according to Skyscanner, flights are 25% cheaper to book now for next month on average than they were in 2019.

And of course, it’s home to stunning architecture, over 100 Michelin-starred restaurants and a wealth of galleries and museums.

Head to the Louvre to see artefacts and artwork from Egyptian antiques to the French crown jewels and the Mona Lisa.

And when it comes to food, you’ll find plenty of excellent pavement cafés for Parisian people watching.

We found flights from Manchester from £57 and from London starting at £71 in September for a three-night break using Skyscanner.

Need more inspiration? Read our guide to places that are hot in September.

Cheap European city break: Porto  24°C / £73rtn

Porto offers ornate churches, ancient castles and plenty of opportunities to sample Port wine all year round, but in September you can enjoy it in balmy 24°C sunshine.

For gorgeous views over the city’s rooftops and out over the Douro river to the port lodges of Vila Nova de Gaia, head for the 76-metre high Clerics’ Tower which dominates Porto’s skyline.

Back on the ground, seek out the bookshop Livraria Lello with its neo-Gothic facade. It costs €5 to browse inside (although if you buy a book you can redeem this towards it), but it’s worth it. The central Art Nouveau staircase with its curved red steps takes centre stage, but look up on the mezzanine level to see the eight-metre-long stained glass skylight.

After admiring the old buildings and losing yourself in the narrow winding streets, arcade taverns in the Cais de Ribeira overlooking the Douro river make for an excellent spot for dinner.

We found weekend return flights for £73 (from London) and £77 (from Edinburgh*).

Once you've booked in your last-minute September break to Europe - think ahead to cheap places to visit in October half term.

* Flights are Friday to Monday unless starred, which means they’re Saturday to Tuesday