The rapid rise of no-frills airlines has seen European tourism trends change dramatically over the past 10 years, with European cities more accessible than ever. According to research from Reed Elsevier, major destinations are now seeing an increase in short break tourism by up to 26%. Indeed, city breaks – whether for holidays, business or visiting family and relatives – have been the fastest growth sector of European outbound travel in recent years.

And while Continental Europe is close to home for UK residents, many also hop on a plane for a long weekend in New York, Dubai and other far-flung destinations.

Considering that these city breaks are normally quite short, there is a temptation to think that nothing could possibly happen to you and that travel insurance is an unnecessary expense. Of course, that is not the case as you can lose possessions or have them stolen, and accidents can happen at any time that may not necessarily be covered by the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).

Direct Line can offer two types of policies as city break travel insurance that mean you can enjoy your time away without worrying about cover. If you are planning just one city break and no other travel, you can take out a single trip travel insurance policy. If your city break is just one of a number of holidays that you intend to take in a year, then you may prefer an annual travel insurance policy.

To find out how much these would cost, you can get a travel insurance quote online in minutes and if you buy online you will receive an automatic discount.