5 budget-friendly destinations for a Galentine’s break 💘🍷

Valentine's Day: you either love it or hate it. If you're not set for a romantic trip away with a significant other, grab your besties and read on for five budget-friendly cities for a Galentine's trip instead.

Disclaimer: yes, this article was written by a single person.

Barcelona 🇪🇸

You can’t beat sun, sangria and Spanish tapas for a girl’s trip. Barcelona is one of our favourite cities, and it’s a mere two and a half hours, with flights from as little as £40 return.

If you’re willing to stop in a trendy hostel, you can grab accommodation at the Generator Barcelona, which also hosts regular events, from £17 a night. Otherwise, there are plenty of cheap hotel options. We even found a serviced apartment for four people from £65 per night (less than £17 per person).

You’ll get decent temperatures of around 16-17C in February, which is perfect for exploring but still being able to sit out with a jacket on.

You can stroll around the city and see the classic sights like La Sagrada Familia, Barceloneta Beach, Gothic Quarter and Casa Castilla without spending a penny. Take a one-way trip on the cable car to Montjuïc for less than a tenner, have a drink on the terrace bar and walk back down.

You’re pretty much spoilt for choice for bars and restaurants. There are loads of areas for wild nightlife, or you can find plenty of cute hole in wall bars too. Look out for bars offering cheap offers on Sangria.

📸 Spots to visit:

Pisa 🇮🇹

Italy isn't exclusively for the couples. You can grab cheap flights to Pisa from £34 return and live out your Italian dream with your besties.

The city itself is beautiful with great restaurants and historic sights to see like the Leaning Tower of Pisa, you can spend a full day or two exploring and then catch a train to Cinque Terre for under a tenner and explore the five beautiful fishing villages when there will be way fewer tourists than in summer.

You could also take a 4-hour wine tour in the Tuscan hills, because nothing says friendship like getting drunk in a vineyard, right?

📸 Instagrammable spots:

Athens 🇬🇷

Greece might not be your first thought for a February break, but Athens has decent dry weather most of the year and is the perfect city to explore with friends. Plus, you can nab flights for under £70 return.

You can find loads of history and shopping to explore during the day. The Acropolis is, of course, a must-visit. On your walk up there you'll find gorgeous winding narrow streets with souvenir shops and cafés.

When it comes to places to go to eat and drink, your options are endless. Make sure to check out Little Kook for brunch and to see their epic seasonal display and grab a cocktail at one of the many rooftop bars overlooking the Acropolis.

Porto 🇵🇹

Porto is often overlooked as a city break destination in Portugal, as tourists flock to Lisbon. But the city has so much to offer, and it's incredibly affordable, making it the perfect trip to take with friends if you want to venture to somewhere a bit different.

You can grab flights from £34 return and there are highly rated central apartments from £26 a night for two people!

On top of being a beautiful city just to walk around and explore on foot, you won't be bored with activities to do in Porto. Go wine tasting, eat authentic Portugese food, take a sunset or party cruise on the Drouro River or visit a market.

The Lazy Breakfast Club is the perfect brunch spot for pink vibes and aesthetic food.

📸 Instagrammable spots in Porto:

A shot in front of the blue tiled wall of Capela das Almas is a must for your feed. Then grab a photo on the Dom Luis bridge with the backdrop of the city.

Liverpool 🇬🇧

You don't need to hop on a flight for a Galentine's city break when we have an array of beautiful cities right here in the UK. Liverpool recently made it to number seven on Time Out’s 'best 20 cities' list, it has great bars and nightlife, and it'll cost you a smidge in comparison to London.

You can grab a central hotel from £38 per night, so you have extra money to spend on food and cocktails. Or if you fancy something a bit more fancy, you could book a stay at the Titanic Hotel and make use of the underground spa from £77 per night.

A stroll around the Albert Dock is a must-do, where you'll find plenty of bars and restaurants. If museums are your scene, you can check out the Tate Liverpool, The Beatles Story Museum and Walker Art Gallery. The Cavern Club is a staple for a night out with live music and loads of nightlife nearby.

Foodies can check out Baltic Market and get the famous halloumi kebab, the perfect hangover cure.