2020 is here and with the new year comes travel plans. So, we've hand-picked some holiday destinations to suit your schedule and combined it with some bookish reasons to go and visit!
Weekend/Long weekend
Iceland
It’s not too far to visit from the U.K, it’s usually very cold so shorter can be better and you can easily squeeze in lots in a few days. You can visit the Northern Lights, see the famous hot lagoons and even learn a bit about Iceland’s history and culture. Perhaps it’s just us, but we don’t see it as a long holiday, though, if you wanted to go for longer, there is a tonne you can do.
Brussels/Bruges
Again, very close. You can pop on the Eurostar or fly over and it won’t burn a hole in your wallet. Perfect for a few days or a long weekend. See the oldest medieval town in the world, have some famous Belgian beer and sweet treats and browse the picturesque streets. You can easily do a lot in a short space of time and you won’t get overly tired from too much travel.
A week
Malta
One of our personal favourites. Only a few hours on the plane, Malta is situated just off the end of Italy after Sicily. The weather is very pleasant in the Spring/Autumn, that is when we recommend going (the same applies to all of our recommendations here apart from the last). Malta is called an open museum for a reason. Visit the new capital Valletta for a boatload of history, cobbled streets and beautiful sites, hop on a boat to visit the stunning Gozo and Comino – the bluest waters and most stunning architecture (for Gozo, Comino is just a rock with water no houses or hotels). Visit the old capital Mdina for a Game of Thrones flashback and cross the street to enter Rabat for amazingly cheap homemade food and some awesome Catacombs. You can easily fill a week and you’ll want to come back for me. Friendly people, gorgeous country and weather to die for.
Sorrento/Naples area
Similar to the above in the weather. We recommend staying in Castellammare di Stabia, which is just outside Sorrento, under Pompeii and very close to Naples (therefore the airport). The transport is very easy with buses, trains and taxis. We recommend going to Heracleum rather than Pompeii for better-preserved ruins and less busy crows. A MUST is Sorrento, a gorgeous market leading up to the stunning coastal views. It’s to die for. Try their homemade limoncello – venture out a little further and try the smaller restaurants and divulge in a 4-euro pizza. You’ll put on 10 pounds with the amount of Gnocchi, wine, pasta and pizza you’ll eat, but it’s soooooo worth it. Come for the food stay for the experience. We recommend going up one of the mountains on the cable cart, they have small bars at the top and honestly, there’s nothing better than drinking a cold beer at the top of a high peak.
All out 10 days +
New Zealand
Not a lot of people know that New Zealand has landscapes on par with tropical islands. Visit some national parks such as Abel Tasman and get your minds blown by some of the beautiful beaches and giant trees. If you’re a hiker, try the Tongariro Crossing, you may recognise the scenery from a small, little known film, you may have heard of it? Lord of the Rings? Well, that’s Mordor for you. But fear not, Saron is nowhere to be seen (If you’re a real LOTR’s buff, visit Hobbiton too). Take a trip to the culture-packed Wellington to see the nightlife of NZ, some great museums and a stunning harbour. You really could spend months here to explore what New Zealand offers and honestly if you can, do it.
Disney World Florida
Okay, cliché we know. But it’s so magical. There’s just something about the place… we recommend going in mid-late December or early Jan – it’s less busy, weather is perfect and they go ALL OUT for Christmas. It’s really the trip of a lifetime, Disney fan or not, you’ll love it. For the true experience, the magic kingdom is great but our personal favourite was less Disney related with Epcot and the Animal Kingdom, the around the world area is fantastic and the safari and dinosaur area at the Animal Kingdom was insane. You’re also close to Universal Studios and in Florida – so can venture out and visit some classic American sites. Go, just go. You will not regret it.