Top Holiday Destinations from Liverpool

One of the great things about where we live in North Wales is that we are close to all we need – ocean, mountains, countryside and cities. Liverpool is only an hour and a half by train, and not only is it a great city to visit, it’s also home to the Merseyside airport, making it easy to jet off on holiday. These are just two of the places I’d love to visit one day:

Madrid

From Merseyside to Madrid! Spain’s capital city is bustling, chic and loud, so not too dissimilar! With beautiful parks and gardens, stunning architecture and of course the heady scent of orange blossoms and sound of flamenco filling the air, it’s a capital city that’s not to be overlooked. The official residence of the Spanish Royal Family and where the new King and Queen recently stood on the balcony waving to their subjects following their recent coronation, The Royal Palace is a great spot to start on your visit to Madrid. Take a guided tour of the palace and watch the changing of the guard, before relaxing on a bench under a tree in the adjoining park.

Of course you can’t miss trying some amazing tapas – you are in the capital of Spain after all! Head to La Valencia for a traditional Spanish bar serving great sherry and simple uncooked tapas like cheese and jamon. It’s simple, but their unfussy approach is a winning formula. Maybe you fancy trying a little Basque style food while you’re in Madrid? In that case head to Txirmiri, where you’ll find a busy bar and tapas area with a great little restaurant out the back and can enjoy such delights as pinxtos (kebab skewers), duck confit roll with foie cream, cod in tempura and many more. You’ll want to experience flamenco while you’re there too. For one of the best opportunities to see flamenco head to Corral de la Morería, a famous and award winning flamenco bar, right next to the Royal Palace which has played host to many a famous flamenco artist over the years.

Naples

Visit one of the most beautiful and lively parts of Italy from one of the most beautiful and lively parts of the UK! Naples is a stunning city, just 9km from the enormous volcano Mount Vesuvius and overlooking the Bay of Naples. Catering to those who enjoy a city break, beach lovers, clubbers, history buffs and foodies, it’s a fabulous base from which to explore this part of Italy. Naples is famous for its amazing food and nothing is more synonymous with Naples than its world renowned pizza or its coffee. You’ll smell the burning wood of the pizza ovens and the delicious combination of tomatoes and creamy mozzarella in practically every street in the city and you certainly wont have to go far to taste what will no doubt be the best pizza you’ve ever eaten in your life.

Perhaps you’d like to take in a little culture while you’re in Naples? You’ll need to walk off all that pizza and gelato after all. Take a trip to Pompeii and Vesuvius, see the imposing volcano up close and discover what life was like in ancient Pompeii before the eruption wiped it off the map and made it a subject for our history lessons as kids.

There are of course many more wonderful places to visit when you’re flying out of Liverpool airport. Why not book into a Liverpool Travelodge the night before you fly to ensure you’re up bright and early and ready to catch your flight? Just don’t forget your rollers to sleep in!