Barcelona top city break choice

Barcelona is the destination of choice for Britons looking for a city break in Europe, new research has revealed.

The Catalonian metropolis ticks all the boxes for those holidaymakers crossing the channel and heading to Spain, a study from Holidays Direct found.

Barcelona came top in a poll of the most-viewed city break destinations on the company's website, closely followed by Rome, Venice and Dublin. Other cities in the top ten include the German capital of Berlin and Florence.

However, Spain topped the list of the most popular country for British holidaymakers, beating off competition form a series of other European destinations and far-flung places.

"We all know that Brits love holidays in Spain, they have been a favourite for years," explained Holidays Direct spokesperson John Pearce.

Spain is also a popular choice for overseas property investors. Property experts Prime Location recently said the country's close proximity to the UK makes is an appealing destination for Brits.