🗺️ 5 Romantic cities in Europe: a short getaway for two

A short getaway for two doesn't have to be expensive.

Five cities on this list are located in five European countries, and each one is realistically reachable without a long-haul flight. We picked destinations where the romance rests not on adjectives but on facts: castles, canals, mountains, and old squares.

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Our pick: five cities in Europe

💡 In short:

Castles and the Alps: Füssen in Germany and Chur in Switzerland.
Water and the old town: Ghent, Wrocław, and Colmar.
Prices for Füssen's castles: 09/2026, verified on the official ticket center website.

City	Country	Main draw	Tickets in advance
Füssen	Germany	Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau castles	Yes, timed entry
Ghent	Belgium	Gravensteen, canals, breakfasts	Recommended
Chur	Switzerland	Cable car to Brambrüesch	No
Wrocław	Poland	Islands on the Oder, dwarfs, tower	No
Colmar	France	Petite Venise, half-timbered houses	No

1. Füssen, Germany

Füssen sits in the Allgäu, near the Austrian border, with a population of 16,000. The painted houses, the bishop's castle, and the baroque churches will take a couple of hours. But the main reason to come here is something else.

Panorama of Füssen with the Lech River and castle

A few kilometers from the town stands Neuschwanstein Castle, commissioned by King Ludwig II in the mid-19th century. Across from it, on the neighboring hill, you'll see Hohenschwangau. Both castles admit visitors only as part of a guided tour, so tickets should be bought in advance.

Couples come here for the view of the castle from the valley and Lake Alpsee. Go in the morning: fewer people, softer light, and you'll get to your tour without rushing.

How to get there: by train from Munich to Füssen station, then by bus to the castles.
Tickets: adult 21 € from 01/01/2026, children and students up to 18 free (verified 09/12/2026 on the official website).
The catch: you can only go inside with a guided tour and at a strict time; in high season, arrive 1.5-2 hours before your entry time, otherwise you'll miss your slot.
Where to stay: hotels in Füssen on Trip.com.

2. Ghent, Belgium

When people think of Belgium, Bruges comes to mind first, but Ghent offers the same medieval atmosphere. It has 260,000 residents, and the old part of the city is alive year-round: in the morning people have breakfast in cafés, during the day they ride the canals, and in the evening they stroll along the embankments.

The main draw is Gravensteen, a castle on the water at Sint-Veerleplein. It's open daily from 10:00 to 18:00, with the last ticket sold at the counter at 16:40. The castle is closed on December 24, 25, and 31, as well as January 1 (as of: Historische Huizen Gent). An audio guide is already included in the ticket.

The canals and narrow lanes add to the romance. In the morning you can have breakfast at Luv l'Oeuf and Boker Tov, which serve pancakes and hummus-based dishes. On your walk you'll pass street art and old houses along the waterfront.

Getting there: by train to Gent-Sint-Pieters station, then by tram to the center.
Cost: entry to Gravensteen is paid, check the current price and time slots on the official page.
The catch: don't leave the castle for the end of the day: the ticket office closes at 4:40 PM.
Where to stay: hotels in Ghent on Trip.com.

3. Chur, Switzerland

Chur sits at 600 meters in the Alps and is considered the oldest city in Switzerland. The administrative center of the canton of Graubünden has about 40,000 residents, and its old town has been renovated in recent decades.

Cobblestone street in the old town of Chur with ivy

A cable car runs from the center up to Brambrüesch mountain. In winter you'll find 20 km of slopes and a 5 km sledding run; in summer, marked hiking trails (according to Chur Tourismus). People come here for the Alpine panorama.

In the city, it's worth seeing the Bischöfliches Schloss, Kathedrale St. Mariä Himmelfahrt, Bündner Kunstmuseum, and Fontanapark. The trip up and back takes half a day, so you can spend the rest of your time leisurely exploring the old town.

Getting there: by train to Chur station, the cable car starts from the city center.
Cost: check fares and opening hours on the official Bergbahnen website.
The catch: the cable car runs on a seasonal schedule, with interruptions in the off-season, so check the hours in advance.
Where to stay: hotels in Chur on Trip.com.

4. Wrocław, Poland

Wrocław, called Breslau in German, is about 300 km from Dresden. The city on the Oder with a population of about 640,000 is often called the "Venice of the East."

More than a hundred bridges span its canals and old islands. The Market Square is about 800 years old and makes a convenient base for planning a day's route.

Two more landmarks: the observation deck on the tower of St. Elizabeth's Basilica (Bazylika św. Elżbiety) and the Wrocław dwarfs. Small bronze figurines hide throughout the center, and their story began in the 1980s.

Getting there: by direct trains from Berlin, Dresden, or Kraków to Wrocław Główny station.
Cost: climbing the tower is paid, tickets are sold on site, and it's best to check opening hours on the day of your visit.
The catch: more than 300 steps lead to the observation deck, and there is no elevator.
Where to stay: hotels in Wrocław on Trip.com.

5. Colmar, France

For romance in France, you don't have to go to Paris. Colmar in Alsace is less crowded but just as charming: flower-lined canals, painted half-timbered houses, and narrow streets.

Flower-lined canals and half-timbered houses of Colmar

The heart of the city is Petite Venise, a district on the Lauch River. It starts behind the Koïffhus and stretches to the Turenne and Saint-Pierre bridges (as of: Colmar tourist office). Houses with flowers on the windowsills line the water, and the district is easy to explore on foot.

How to get there: by train from Strasbourg, Basel, or Freiburg, the station is near the center.
The catch: there is no airport of its own, the nearest international flights go through Strasbourg or Basel, then continue by train.
Where to stay: hotels in Colmar on Trip.com.

⁉️🤔 Frequently asked questions

Where should a couple go in Europe for two or three days?

All five cities on the list work for a short getaway: Füssen, Ghent, Chur, Wrocław, and Colmar. Each is easy to reach by train, and you can easily get around the center on foot. In winter, choose Chur and Colmar; in summer, the canals of Ghent and Wrocław come alive.

How much does a ticket to Neuschwanstein Castle cost?

An adult ticket costs 21 € from 01.01.2026, children and students up to 18 enter free (as of the Hohenschwangau ticket center website). You can only go inside as part of a guided tour in time slots, so it is easier to buy a ticket online in advance. In high season, arrive at the castle at least an hour and a half early.

What can you fit into one day in Ghent?

In the morning, have breakfast at a cafe in the center, then head to Gravensteen while the ticket office is open. After the castle, walk along the canals and alleys with street art. In the evening, stay on the embankment when the lights come on.

How do you get up Mount Brambrüesch in Chur?

The cable car starts right from the center of Chur and runs on a seasonal schedule (as of: Bergbahnen Chur). Check the hours in advance, there are sometimes breaks in the off-season.

When is the best time to visit Colmar?

Colmar is good all year round, but in spring and summer its canals get especially crowded. Come on a weekday morning to walk through Petite Venise at a relaxed pace. In December, the city is decorated for the Christmas markets, and that is the most popular period for couples.

In short: what to book

If you want castles and mountains, choose Füssen or Chur. If you are drawn to water and canals, pick Ghent, Wrocław, or Colmar. Accommodation in these cities gets booked up on weekends, so reserve early.

Where to go for a weekend for two: 5 cities in Europe