Five trendy European cities for the young at heart

Strasbourg is a university town, so its lively neighbourhoods are packed with colourful cafes, cool bars and art and craft studios. Great districts to explore include picturesque Neudorf, home to a twice-weekly farmers’ market, and the former fishermen’s district of the Krutenau – where the riverside terraces of Café Atlantico, Le Rafiot and Ill Vino are a wonderful place to relax.

Don’t miss: Housed in an eye-catching glass-and-steel cube, the collection of the Musee d’Art Moderne et Contemporaine includes graphic art and photography alongside works by Picasso, Monet, and Kandinsky.

Antwerp, Belgium

Belgium’s second city has always been known as a style centre – this is where influential fashion designers such as Martin Margiela, Dries Van Noten and Ann Demeulemeester got their start.

So, it’s no surprise to find stylish boutiques and galleries lining the cobblestoned streets. But Antwerp also has some sensational contemporary architecture including Zaha Hadid’s sail-like Port House extension and the rust-coloured MAS museum.

Antwerp’s dining scene is another highlight: try Madonna in the KMSKA museum, or enjoy excellent cocktails and sushi at Tazu, tucked away in a medieval laneway.

Don’t miss: Antwerp also has an impressive collection of street art. An app like Street Art Cities or the Antwerp Museum App will show you where to go.

Budapest, Hungary

The first thing you notice about this former co-capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire is its grandeur, but this ornate city also has an underbelly with just the right amount of edge.

The city’s ruin bars – housed in dilapidated buildings – are famous (Szimpla Kert, the original is still one of the best), but music lovers should also check out A38, a Ukrainian cargo ship reinvented as a night-time hot spot.

Further afield, the Ecseri flea market is the place to look for anything from Soviet army memorabilia to fin-de-siecle furniture. While you wander the city streets, keep an eye out for the mini statues that sculptor Mihály Kolodko has hidden around town, from Kermit the Frog to a tiny tank that commemorates the 1956 uprising.

Don’t miss: Budapest is famous for its heritage architecture, but it also has some remarkable contemporary buildings. Check out the House of Music Hungary, where trees grow through neat holes in the roof.

Basel, Switzerland

With a population of just 170,000 and almost 40 museums – not to mention the annual splendour of the Art Basel art fair – this Swiss city is a pocket-sized cultural powerhouse.

The museums range from the sprawling Kunstmuseum Basel, home to Van Goghs and Cezannes, to the quirky Hoosesagg Museum, or Pocket Museum, where anyone can apply to display their collection of curios in the window of a 600-year-old building.

Even the city’s cycle trails can be artistic experiences. The 5km Rehberger Weg runs between two terrific museums, the Fondation Beyeler and the Vitra Design Museum just over the border in Germany and has 24 art installations to enjoy along the way.

Don’t miss: In the warmer months, join the locals who cool down with a dip in the Rhine. Put your clothes and phone in a Wickelfish, a fish-shaped dry bag that doubles as a flotation device, and drift down the river.

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