As 2016 comes to a close I’m starting to think about holidays for 2017. Actually, I’m always thinking about holidays. I love having trips to look forward to. It gives me yet another reason to keep working hard.
I opened up my emails last week and it was as if Liverpool John Lennon Airport had been reading my mind. They asked if I’d like to check out their new destination guides and share them with you. They fly to so many awesome places, more than I’d realised before. I thought this would be the perfect time to share a 2017 bucket list of city breaks.
I might not make trips to all of these places during 2017, but the challenge and inspiration is there.
Amsterdam
I’ve been wanting to visit Amsterdam for a while now. Around April is Koningsdag (King’s Day), a celebration of the Dutch Royal Family where everyone dons orange and partakes in parties and festivities. There’s also a citywide street market with food, drink and second-hand knick-knacks. I’d love to visit during this time but I also think a winter break during the colder months (my favourite time to travel) would be pretty magical.
The flight is only 1 hours and 15 minutes so there’s no excuse for putting off a trip to the Dutch capital.
Budapest
Remember I went to Budapest last March? I’m keen to make another trip to the city show my family my favourite places. The city is a smorgasbord of classic architecture and you can spend days just walking around and soaking it up. If you’re visiting then I recommend finishing the trip at one of the many thermal baths where you can spend a day in every temperature of water you can possibly imagine, to rest and relax. There are also plenty of places to eat from Tuning Burger, to Local Korner Pizza and your pick of traditional places to find goulash.
Budapest is just a short flight at jut 2 hours and 25 minutes. The city is beautiful throughout the year but I personally prefer to visit during the colder months as it’s not as busy and you get to see the city in a totally different way. I visited in March this year and would happily visit again during that time. Alternatively I think October/November be a lovely time to book a trip.
Norway
Visiting Norway is very high up on my list for 2017. Actually, I’d be thrilled to visit any of the Scandinavian countries next year.
Oslo’s museums offer plenty for fans of Scandinavian history, including ornately detailed boats. East of the city, the Grünerløkka area has exploded with vintage and designer shops and galleries making it Oslo’s hipster hangout. As you can imagine, this will be on my hit list when I visit the city.
I had no idea it only takes 1 hour and 45 minutes to get to Oslo. This means a weekend break will be very convenient to organise. When you’re planning city breaks travel time can often (but not always) play an important factor.
San Francisco
Let’s move on from short to long-haul flights. If you’re prepared for a longer flight then you can take a city break anywhere in the world. There are no rules.
I went to San Francisco a very long time ago and I really do miss it. I’d love to go back now I’m a little older and see the Golden Gate Bridge, take a ferry to the infamous Alcatraz and of course, visit Humphry Slocombe for their delightfully unusual ice cream.
I also have family who live there and I’d love to see them.
Where would you like to visit in 2017?
I like that Liverpool John Lennon Airport have created guides for the destinations they fly to. They’re very helpful for the initial stages of holiday planning. You can figure out the best time to visit you city of choice, take the flight time into consideration as well as gaining an overview of the city.
Thanks to Liverpool John Lennon Airport for collaborating on this post.