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[title]It’s summer holiday season! Unfortunately, for loads of us, this means it’s also “looking through our phone contract’s fine print to find out just how much we’re going to get stung for using data roaming abroad” season. We’ve all been there: one minute, you need to use a map on your phone because you’re lost in a pretty Spanish neighbourhood, and the next, you’re looking down the barrel of a pretty hefty bill once you get back.
O2 customers, however, don’t have to worry: O2 is the only major network that still offers free EU Roaming up to 25GB*, meaning that their customers can search for local recommendations, find directions, and make the most of their holidays, without any hidden charges on their return. But the good stuff doesn’t stop there: O2 customers also get access to the Priority app**, where there are currently plenty of exclusive rewards and experiences (including a Time Out Market voucher!) to take your trip from good to great.
And here at Time Out, we’re all about using roaming to help you discover hidden gems and make the most of your travels. So while you’re taking full advantage of O2 Roaming and Priority rewards, we at Time Out also wanted to arm you with our top recommendations for the best things to see, do and explore in four of our favourite European cities this summer – where you can also watch the beautiful game in beautiful places, of course. Consider these recs the cherry on top of your next adventure.
Budapest, Hungary
Where to stay: Párisi Udvar Hotel Budapest
The building that houses the Párisi Udvar Hotel has had many lives: it was once a shopping mall, and then a financial centre. But this beautiful spot, defined by its Gothic-style architecture, truly met its final form as a stunning hotel, located near Budapest’s gorgeous Elizabeth Bridge, when it was converted in 2015. Featuring a kitsch cafe and a pretty walk-through garden, this is a unique type of luxury that you won’t experience anywhere else.
Where to eat: SALT
This Michelin Green Star restaurant is known for leading the way in sustainability: fermentation, wild harvesting, foraging, and preservation are cornerstones of its kitchen ethos, and if you like your traditional Hungarian dishes delicious but also slightly on the experimental side, this could be the site of your next 10/10 meal.
Where to unwind: Pink Pony Club
What came first, the Chappell Roan banger or this Budapest bar? Well, it was actually the bar, a cocktail spot which has been a moody-but-vibey part of the city’s nightlife since 2019. Here, cocktails are crafted rather than simply made, with a focus on ingredients - though that doesn’t mean it’s boring. Order a refreshing beverage and find out just how much fun you can really have at the Pink Pony Club.
Where to explore: Széchenyi Spa
When you’re considering the best things to do that Budapest has to offer, it would be impossible not to mention Széchenyi Spa - this is Europe’s largest medicinal bath, famous for its stunning neo-baroque architecture and dreamy outdoor pools.
Where to catch the football: Szabadság Tér
Budapest is a football-loving city, and you know what that means: there’s always a fanzone. Head to Szabadság Tér (Liberty Square), where there’ll be a giant screen to take in the highs and lows while you lounge on the grass, ideally with some local snacks. Could be worse, couldn’t it?
Time Out tip: Brush up pre-holiday with 3 months free of Super Duolingo
Before you get on the plane, make sure you know how to say the basics with 3 months free (worth £32.97) of Super Duolingo, available via Priority from May 29 to August 31. This includes ad-free learning, unlimited energy, and enhanced features, so it’s just you, Duo the owl, and your very noble attempts to improve your pronunciation before the big trip.
Lisbon, Portugal
Where to stay: The Vintage Lisbon
Mid-century cool is the name of the game at The Vintage: this is a centrally-located boutique hotel (between Principe Real and Avenida de Liberdade, where rooms are furnished with vintage bar carts and authentic local snacks. For a drink, head up to their rooftop bar to enjoy sunny views of the city over a cold one.
Where to eat: A Taberna do Mar
Holidays are all about new culinary experiences, so how does a 10-course Japanese/Portuguese fusion tasting menu sound? Dishes at this little hole-in-the-wall in Graça change all the time, but you can solidly expect Algarve favourites, freshly seared Japanese sushi-style dishes made with just-caught seafood, and brilliantly enthusiastic service.
Where to unwind: Can The Can
Lisbon’s waterfront area offers a perfect blend of picturesque prettiness and modern, relaxed cool. Can The Can – an idiosyncratic bar named after a Suzi Quatro song, serving beers, cocktails and small plates (including a fantastic sardine bruschetta) is the place to soak it all up at once.
Where to explore: National Tile Museum
Infinitely more fascinating than a trip to B&Q, Lisbon’s Tile Museum is a celebration of the art of ceramic tiling, beloved across Portugal. It’s housed in the beautiful Madre de Deus convent, and features examples of azulejo from the 15th Century to the present day.
Where to catch the football: Praça do Comércio at the Terreiro do Paço
There are few places better to get an understanding of the Portuguese love of soccer than Praça do Comércio, which will be Lisbon’s biggest fanzone. The iconic Terreiro do Paço will be transformed into the city’s beating heart of football, with a giant screen, food vendors, and everything else you could possibly need to enjoy the summer’s big tournament.
Time Out tip: Unlock a €10 Time Out Market voucher, only on Priority
Time Out Market Lisbon brings together some of the city’s best food vendors, both traditional and contemporary, and Priority members can exclusively activate a €10 Time Out Market voucher in the app (from June 1 to July 31), for a discount on experiencing the best of local cuisine. These vouchers can also be used at the Time Out Markets in Barcelona, Budapest and Porto too.
Where to stay: MelRose Napoli
Our favourite neighbourhood to stay in? The historic centre, which houses the MelRose Napoli. Just a short walk from Maschio Angioino and even less to the Naples National Archaeological Museum, this boutique property offers plenty of bang for your buck with quirky but stylish rooms that reflect the characterful nature of the city (always a plus for us), breakfast included (a non-negotiable) and amenities including a shared lounge and inner courtyard (perfect for kicking back with an espresso).
Where to eat: Ristorante Europea Mattozzi
It would be remiss to go to Naples – the birthplace of pizza, no less – and not indulge in a slice or two. Run by the charismatic Alfonso Mattozzi, who welcomes you like a long-lost friend, Ristorante Europeo Mattozzi is a proper institution and serves up some of the best pizza in Naples – amongst many other things including pasta alla genovese and eggplant parmigiana – from the wood-panelled dining room.
Where to unwind: L’Antiquario
This moody, speakeasy-style drinking den is for discerning cocktail connoisseurs only. Opened by local Neapolitan bartender Alex Frezza and wrapped in flamboyant wallpaper, it’s a decadent spot for enjoying both classic and modern concoctions accompanied by a soothing jazz playlist. Pull up a velvet stool at the backlit bar to watch the master at work while you swirl and slurp your way through the menu. Not a fan of cocktails? It's those or Champagne, we’re afraid.
Where to explore: National Archaeological Museum
Home to the city’s most significant collection of Roman ruins and relics, the National Archaeological Museum is a must when in Naples – or Italy, more generally. A treasure trove of statues, loot and artefacts – including erotic art from Pompeii secreted away in a back room (ooh-er!) – there’s plenty to admire and inspire.
Where to catch the football: The Penny Black Pub
Naples is one of the most football-mad cities in Europe, so it’s hardly surprising that there’s a bar or pub for catching the game on pretty much every corner. The Penny Black Pub is arguably the most fun, its interiors like something from Eastenders complete with iconic red phonebox and other British paraphernalia, as well as burgers the size of your head to tuck into while watching the football.
Time Out tip: Travel in style with 30% off Voi e-bikes and e-scooters
This summer, Priority members get 30% off pay-as-you-go e-bike and e-scooter rides every Monday from June 1 to August 31 with Voi. There couldn't really be a better way to kick off your Italian adventure than on an electric bike around town, could there?
Athens, Greece
Where to stay: Electra Metropolis
A dramatic view of the Acropolis is just one of the reasons to choose this brilliant central Athens hotel; elsewhere, there’s a rooftop pool and bar, plus robes and KORRES toiletries in every room. Come for the jaw-dropping sightseeing; stay because the beds are really, really comfy.
Where to eat: To Kati Allo
This is a traditional Athenian restaurant with no social media presence and no menu to peruse beforehand, so you’ll just have to trust us on this one. At To Kati Allo, near the Acropolis museum, you’ll simply eat fantastic Greek home cooking – it’s run by a family over two generations – with whatever is fresh and good on the day. What’s better than that?
Where to unwind: Au Revoir
An oldie but a goodie - much like Athens itself – Au Revoir is the longest standing bar in the city and you can feel the history it’s steeped in as soon as you cross the threshold. A former favourite of Frank Sinatra’s, this Kypseli watering hole has endured based on charm, eccentricity, and its uncanny ability to transport drinkers back to the 50s and 60s.
Where to explore: Cine Riviera
Athens is well-known for its open-air cinemas come the summer months, and Cine Riviera, located in Exarchia, is one of the prettiest venues to experience it. Tickets are affordable, and films, both Greek and international, are screened. A ridiculously lovely way to experience some culture, if you ask us.
Where to catch the football: Athens Sports Bar
Promising a lively atmosphere and a healthy mix of local fans and travellers, Athens Sports Bar is close to the Acropolis – a go-to spot for affordable drinks, catching the sun in their handy garden, and taking in all the action this summer.
Time Out tip: Book Athens via Priority to make your money go further
If you’ve been convinced to take the trip to the gorgeous Greek capital (it’s pretty great, so you probably haven’t taken much persuading), Priority members can unlock holiday savings with lastminute.com throughout the summer. Get £50 off a £500 spend, £100 off a £1,000 spend, £150 off a £1,500 spend and £200 off a £2,000 spend. In August, the highest discount is £150. See? A holiday that is good for the soul and good for the wallet.
Make the most of your EU adventure with O2, the only major network that lets everyone roam freely in the EU, up to 25GB
*25GB limit where allowance is 25GB or more. Bolt-on required if exceeded. Terms apply, see o2.co.uk/roamfairuse.
**Active O2 customers and Virgin Media broadband customers only. 16+. Internet access & registration required. Offers subject to eligibility criteria and availability. Terms apply, see the Priority App or o2.co.uk/terms.
Terms apply. See below for full terms and conditions.
Super Duolingo.
Time Out Market.
Voi.
lastminute.com.