A seaside town a train ride from the city centre. Very old fashioned, donkeys, bouncy castle, ice creams, chips from The Marigold Cafe before coming home.

Take a picnic, enjoy sand, windsurfers and, on a good day, jaw-droppingly lovely views of the Welsh coast and Hilbre Island. Only walk to the island if you know what you're doing as the tide comes in fast, often behind you, and it is easy to get stuck!

West Kirby is on the Wirral Peninsular at the end of the M53.Trains every 20/30 mins from Central Liverpool.

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This Spanish TV series about a family in the late 60s and 70s gives a great idea of how life in Madrid was at that time under Franco. Spaniards agree that all the details, from decor and furniture to footage of actual events, are spot on and a real nostalgia-fest, but the characters of the family themselves are also a real pull. If you speak some Spanish this is well worth watching.

Within Spain you may be able to track the series down in Fnac or the Corte Ingles, otherwise try the internet.

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The Palast der Republik's ugly copper shell is a familiar site to anyone who has been to this part of Berlin. A former parliament building for the GDR, it was built by Erich Honicker to show off the wonders of socialism to international visitors. Since 1990 it's been closed because of problems caused by (British-supplied) asbestos. This has now been stripped out - along with much of the interior in preparation for redevelopment, and the building is now safe for visitors.

Tours are conducted, in German only. They run hourly on weekend afternoons during September and October, ahead of the building's demolition next year.

Tours advertised on the fence of the Palast on Unter den Linden. Nearest station Alexanderplatz.

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