Page 706 - Liverpool Philharmonic 22-23 Season Coverage Book

Valencia, Spain

I would add this unassuming yet extraordinary Spanish coastal city to every
list going if I could. It offers an exquisite balance of beachside location,
outrageously good cuisine – this is the birthplace of paella, after all – and
range of cultural institutions to get stuck into. Down the coast from tourist
magnet Barcelona, Spain’s third city is a winning combination of buzzy

without being overwhelmed, with great-value prices to match. Here, you can
stroll the Jardin del Turia, the former riverbed turned 9km-long park that’s
now the beating green heart of the city, before discovering the handsome
walled old town and ducking into the Mercado Central for a snack. Don’t
miss a trip to the City of Arts and Sciences, an extensive complex where
you’ll find Europe’s biggest aquarium; a digital 3D cinema; the highly
interactive Science Museum; the Palau de les Arts, which hosts musical

performances year-round; and the Umbracle, a 17,000sqm open-access
garden. In 2023, Valencia further celebrates its foodie credentials by hosting
the World’s 50 Best Restaurants awards; in 2024 it’s been crowned the
European Green Capital thanks to its myriad sustainability initiatives. Helen
Coffey

Helsinki, Finland

Finland’s having a moment on the travel radar in general, from its ice
swimming tradition tapping into the Wim Hof Method to cosy cabins and
cosy-minimalist Nordic interiors dominating our design moodboards. Plus its
capital, Helsinki, is just far and foreign enough to feel super exotic (three
hours’ flight) but close enough to feel familiar as a stylish European city

break. The sharply designed waterfront Kulttuurisauna is top of my list, but
I’d also head to the Ateneum Art Museum, which opens in spring after a year
closed for renovations, and dine on sophisticated Nordic plates at trendy
Palace, Savoy or Michelin-starred Grön. The place to bag a suite will be
the Grand Hansa Hotel, opening in spring 2023 in the city’s iconic, domed
Seurahuone Building with interiors inspired by Finnish folklore and
mythology. Lucy Thackray