Five cheap weekend breaks for two

Buying your own cruise liner, renting a private island in the Seychelles and hiring Michael Schumacher to drive you round Yorkshire are all wonderfully romantic ways to waste money on a holiday. However, it is possible to have a romantic break without spending too much. Here are a few low-budget weekends away:

Bath

Saturday: After a quick look round the old Roman Baths, walk past the main shopping area to the Jane Austen Museum on Gay Street, down the road from Austen’s old house. After lunch, stroll past The Circus (a decadently pretty residential street), through Victoria Park, and along the riverbank.

Sunday: It’s only a short drive to Bradford-on-Avon, a beautiful little town. In the afternoon, back to Bath for the Spa and a trip to the Little Theatre Cinema, a cheap and cosy venue which sometimes runs arty films.

Budget: £150-250

Brighton

Saturday: In the morning check out the bizarre and quirky shops in the Laines, from the antique gun shop to ‘Vegetarian Shoes’. A trip to the beach is pretty inevitable; on the way back, you’ll pass the Pavilion, a former holiday home for Royalty and one of the finest Indian-Gothic buildings in the UK.

Sunday: A long, pleasant walk (around 8 miles) along the South Downs will take you to Lewes, a quaint town known for its antique bookshops and Castle. It’s a quick bus or train ride back to Brighton for a trip to the famous Duke of York’s Picturehouse, an arty cinema. Well, it’s that or the Brighton Fishing Museum.

Budget: £100-200

Manchester

Saturday: Whichever B&B in Manchester you’re staying at, there should be a tram service nearby that will get you to the city centre at a leisurely pace. Don’t miss shopping at Afflecks, a three-floor vintage emporium. In the afternoon, try the Manchester Art Gallery, whose collection ranges from Turner to ultra-modern pieces.

Sunday: There’s no charge for the Manchester Museum, which has stuffed animals, fossils and exhibitions on ancient and modern cultures. After that, go walking in Heaton Park and have a look around the John Rylands Library, considered one of the best Neo-Gothic buildings in Europe.

Budget: £100-200, depending on the time of year. During Labour’s Manchester conference special offers won’t apply, so avoid the start of October.

Paris

Saturday: Wander around Montmartre village, taking in the panoramic view at the top of the hill. In the afternoon, check out the designer shops in the Champs Elysses, then walk down the banks of the Seine, visiting the two islands, the Ile de la Cite and Ile Saint Louis, if you have time.

Sunday: Get to the famous flea market in Saint Ouen before the bargains are all gone, then move on to the Pere-Lachaise cemetery, where romantic heroes like Chopin and Edith Piaf are buried. After lunch, see whichever of the art galleries and museums you have time for, and finish the weekend at one of Paris’ famous jazz clubs

£300-400. The Eurostar doesn’t cost much, but the Euro is surprisingly strong at the moment, which pushes the cost up.

Amsterdam

Saturday: Walk round the canals, checking out the street artists, stalls and shops; stopping off at the Stedelijk Museum if you like modern art, or the Rijksmuseum for the old masters. The Begijnhof, a secluded garden, is worth seeing as is the Anne Frank Museum.

Sunday: It’s a 15-minute tram ride to Haarlem, which is full of great architecture and upmarket shops. Back in Amsterdam, hire some bikes and explore.

£300-400. Again, flights may be cheap, but the Euro isn’t.

Resources:

• Budget Hotels - The Guardian picks the best budget hotels in Amsterdam
• Guide to Paris - The Telegraph explains where to go and what to see in Paris
• Guide to Brighton - Time Out on Brighton’s best destinations