If Prague seems rather passé, Venice already familiar and Brest reminds you of your childhood, it may be time to venture further afield. Not west (although with some judicious planning, you can pick up a ticket to New York for around £200 right now) but east. Here, from north to south, are some of the early November weekend returns you could pick up for around £300 or less earlier this week. Not all the flights were direct.
St Petersburg £220
Given that the temperature in St Petersburg was already -2C at the time of writing, finding a comfortable hotel was crucial. Travel intelligence suggested the rococo Grand Hotel Europe Kempinski on Nevsky Prospekt (Grand Hotel Europe), which turned out to be cheaper than predicted (£134 per night for a double room). St Petersburg at Your Fingertips (St Petersburg at your fingertips) claims to be the most authoritative guide to the city. It probably is.
Ljubljana, Slovenia £207
The direct flight was a bargain, but recommendations were hard to come by. The Slovenian tourist board (Slovenian tourist board) tried hard but could never hope to be impartial. I eventually resorted to the Rough Guide (Rough Guide) and Ljubljana Life (Ljubljana Life), which suggested the 'footlocker-sized rooms' at the Bit Center (Bit Center) at £17 per night. Fodors also had a few suggestions.
Istanbul £201
Try the Ibrahim Pasha (Ibrahim Pasha) which both Time Out Istanbul (Time Out Istanbul) and Fodors recommend. Double rooms from £51 per night.
Beirut £307
The rather antiquated Good Hotels Guide (Good Hotels Guide) is not as comprehensive as its name might imply, but it does have a surprisingly useful section on the Middle East. If I could afford it (£189 per double), the Hotel Albergo (Hotel Albergo), with its rooftop swimming pool, would be my choice. Octopus Travel has cheaper rooms.
Tunis £211
The neighbouring Roman ruins of Carthage are the best reason to fly to Tunis, and it seems appropriate to stay in the equally decadent Residence (The Residence), a ridiculously expensive establishment recommended by Luxury Hotels of the World (Luxury Hotels of the World). A single room starts at £206 per night.
Cairo £298
Time to economise: the Cairo Visitor Guide (Cairo Vistor Guide) recommended the Garden City House Hotel (Garden City House Hotel) for impoverished travellers. The only private room available was a triple, but the £16 a night tariff was hardly extortionate.
