EasyJet has launched a new route from a UK airport to one of the world's foremost culinary capitals.

The people of Liverpool and the surrounding area will soon be able to enjoy flights from the city's airport to Naples, with fares from £40.99. The addition means that easyJet now offers 41 routes to 17 countries throughout Europe and North Africa.

Naples is considered the home of pizza, thanks to the fact that the modern version of the dish was first forged there. It originated as a street food eaten by the poor in the 1600s, and has since grown to dominate global cuisine. Today the Neapolitan tradition of pizza making is now recognized by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage. And for good reason.

A 2019 YouGov poll of 25,000 people in 24 countries found that Italian food is the most beloved in the world.There are so many amazing pizzerias in Naples to try. Just wander down the street, and you'll find a sensational slice within minutes. One of the more famous is L'Antica Pizzeria da Michele, which is a historic institution founded in 1870. They keep things simple: the menu is usually just a couple of pizzas (classic Margherita and Marinara) that are done extremely well. Sorbillo is another joint that stakes a decent claim to serve some of the best pizza in the city. The dough is often praised for being light and airy, and the toppings are fresh and high-quality.

Once you've had your fill, a day trip to Pompeii is just a 20-minute train ride away and is a must. The city's population met a tragic end when Mount Vesuvius erupted in AD 79, burying Pompeii under metres of ash and pumice. Because of the way it fell, the city was preserved exactly as it was - homes, streets, shops, temples, even graffiti on the walls. It's the closest way we have of stepping directly from the modern day directly into ancient daily life. Pompeii isn't just a set of ruins; it's a whole city with streets and pedestrian crossings, villas and working-class homes, bakeries with intact ovens, amphitheatres and even brothels with frescoes.

If that wasn't tempting enough, then the weather may seal the deal. In the coldest months of the year, most days are a balmy 15C in Naples, with crisp blue skies a regular feature. In the summer, things regularly hit the mid-30s. Arguably the best time of the year to go is in the

The Liverpool to Naples flight will operate twice-weekly on Mondays and Fridays from 3 August, with seats on sale now on easyJet.com and via the mobile app. To support the new routes from the airport, easyJet will add an additional aircraft for next summer, taking its total fleet size to nine.

Kevin Doyle, easyJet UK country manager, said: "In our 30th year, we're still as committed as ever to making travel easy and affordable for our customers in the UK. With this latest new route from Liverpool to the vibrant city of Naples now available to book for flights and package holidays for next summer, we're continuing to provide our customers in the Northwest with even more choice and connectivity at fantastic fares, and we look forward to welcoming them onboard."

Robin Tudor, head of PR & Communications at Liverpool John Lennon Airport, added: "It's great to see easyJet operate flights to Naples from Liverpool. Travellers from across the City Region, the North-West and North Wales can now choose to fly from Liverpool to Naples, where they can explore the famous ancient Roman city of Pompeii, head up to Mount Vesuvius or visit Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast. There is so much to see and do in this part of Italy we expect this new route to be very popular - not forgetting that it's also the birthplace of pizza of course. Over the past 12 months, easyJet has continued to grow its network at the airport, having launched ten new routes from Liverpool including Malta, Fuerteventura, Prague, Berlin, Marrakesh, City of Derry, Sharm el Sheikh, Split, Lisbon and Paphos."

EasyJet now serves 22 UK airports, offering more than 630 routes to 140 destinations from the UK to Europe and beyond.