Visiting the world’s top cities for culture and art

Who doesn’t enjoy life’s luxuries? The good news is that high quality at low cost is totally achievable when you know where to look. For city breaks with amazing culture and art and great accommodation to match, read on to discover more.

Hong Kong high life

Yes, you can access the high life in Hong Kong and it doesn’t have to cost a fortune. For luxury holidays at attainable prices, this city delivers. The glittering harbour surrounded by skyscrapers is a beauty to behold and the ferry, at only a couple of dollars for the short ride, is a bargain sightseeing trip. The energy of this city with its street food and restaurants, bustling shopping districts and rich cultural scene makes it one of the most unforgettable places on the map. Fashion fans head to the central district to check out the legendary Hong Kong tailors who can knock up copies of dresses and business suits in double-quick time. For fast fashion on the cheap, the tailors in this town are unbeatable.

To get a broad sweep of the cultural landscape in this creative hotbed, visit Yau Ma Tei Theatre, The Art Museum, Hong Kong Film Archive and the historic colonial style Fringe Club. Whether it’s orchestral music, ballet or contemporary art that floats your boat, in Hong Kong the voyage is sublime.

If you are working up to do China, Hong Kong makes a great entry-level destination. With no visas required for European passport holders, widely- spoken English and an efficient public transport system, Hong Kong is easy to love. The best time to visit is autumn, but for cheaper deals, go in summer when the humidity pushes prices down.

London luxury

London has been pulling crowds for centuries and doesn’t have to try too hard to impress. With historic architecture, pageantry, art, theatre, fashion, ballet, opera, street culture and enough iconic references to fill a phone directory, London has pretty much everything. Fashionistas with an edge enjoy the market designs down at Camden Lock, and culture vultures can feast on a host of world-leading museums with free entry. For glamorous boutique hotels, dripping with elegance and style, it’s as if London wrote the manual. As a top-end destination, there is a wide choice of accommodation and lots of competition, which means you don’t have to bankrupt yourself to stay for a few days. Which is brilliant, because there is so much to see and do, you’ll need all that time, and more.

New York glamour

Dress up in your glamorous glad rags to hit the streets of New York. With fashion and culture constantly vying for position, the smart visitor merely embraces both. They go overboard on the museums here, so culture-addicts need not go cold turkey. Everybody says The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Guggenheim, Whitney and Museum of Modern Art are all worth a peek, so why not see for yourself? With hundreds of hotels in the Big Apple there is choice aplenty, with the best deals online for boutique establishments at bargain prices – take the time to compare and research tariffs and you’ll be pleasantly surprised at the affordability of New York luxury.

For a city break that blends luxury with a rich cultural vista, try out these three world-leading destinations – go on, treat yourself.

The editorial unit