RTÉ Travel's Ed Leahy looks at some great destinations to discover in 2015.
Galicia
A perennial favourite with Irish holidaymakers, Spain offers endless options from its sun-drenched, extensive coastline resorts to the plethora of historic towns and cities to discover as you venture inland. The Galicia region is located in the north-western corner of Spain and is renowned for its amazing, crowd-free beaches and green wooded valleys. All along the length of its coastline, bathed by the Cantabrian Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, you will find spectacular cliffs at Costa da Morte, or the incredible Islas Atlánticas National Park. The capital, Santiago de Compostela, is the final destination of the Camino de Santiago (the Way of Saint James), while the Tower of Hercules and Lugo's city walls are both designated World Heritage sites by UNESCO.
Berlin
Without doubt, one of the coolest and craziest cities in Europe, Berlin ticks all the boxes for a summer city break or a long weekend to remember. The city offers the perfect combination of tourist attractions, complemented by a thriving nightlife, which remains vibrant all year 'round. The city is, of course, steeped in history with some of the world's best known historic sites including Checkpoint Charlie, the Brandenburg Gate and the Olympic Stadium, just a few of the many located throughout the once-divided city. A winter visit will immediately evoke the Christmas spirit at the magical markets, while New Year's Eve celebrations are legendary. A summer visit should include a visit to one of the city's urban beaches.
Cornwall
The southern English county continues to evolve as a top tourist destination and with a new Aer Lingus route flying direct from Dublin to Newquay in 2015, Cornwall will prove a great option for a summer break. The Cornish county is renowned for its fantastic beaches, which are dotted around its 300-odd miles of magnificent coastline, excellent summer climate and fantastic food and restaurants. Cornwall is also a huge surfing destination, which brings an additional laidback atmosphere to the region, while there are a host of excellent attractions to visit including St Michael's Mount, Tintagel Castle, the Lost Gardens of Heligan and the most westerly point of England, Land's End. Crumbly Yarg cheese, meat-stuffed pasties and clotted cream, Cornwall is also renowned for its delicacies, so a march along the South West Coast Path will help work off those additional calories.
Memphis
Not the easiest destination to reach but any planned multi-centre US visit should consider a detour to the music capital of the world. Top of the list of things to do is to pay homage to the King with a visit to the Graceland mansion, while there are many other music-related attractions to visit, including a tour of the famous Sun Studio, which is widely accepted as the birthplace of rock and roll as Elvis, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison and Jerry Lee Lewis were some of the many who laid down tracks at the Memphis landmark. BB King was another music legend to come from these parts and is celebrated on the nightlife strip, the vibrant Beale Street. The city also has many historic landmarks as Martin Luther King Junior was assassinated on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel, now home to the National Civil Rights Museum. A road-trip from Chicago or New Orleans, along the majestic Mississippi proves a fine way to arrive at the city, while nearby Nashville can also be included to complete the magical musical tour.
Mourne Coast
Spend an idyllic few days exploring the majestic Mourne Coast before venturing inland to take on a trail or two in those adjacent mountains that sweep down to the sea. The coastal drive from Newry to Belfast takes you around some awe-inspiring scenery from the sparkling Carlingford Lough, around Warrenpoint and beyond to the spectacular Mournes before arriving at the lively town of Newcastle, which proves a great base sitting in the shadow of Slieve Donard. Excellent eateries are to be enjoyed in these parts with superb hotel options available throughout. And golfing enthusiasts will be making the trip en masse as the Irish Open returns north in May to the world renowned Royal County Down course, which will prove an excellent mini-break to kick-start the summer.
Cardiff
The Welsh capital remains a lively and very popular city break destination year on year and October next will see a huge influx from these parts for the Rugby World Cup as Ireland play two matches at the city's impressive Millennium Stadium. The clash with France at the 80,000-capactiy arena will likely be the group decider and a potential quarter-final fixture could also take place at the same venue. That would give you another week to explore the city and the surrounds so perhaps take a few days to explore the Pembrokeshire Coast or pay a visit to the Ryder Cup 2010 course at Celtic Manor in neighbouring Newport and relive Graeme McDowell's final day heroics where Europe reigned supreme.
Bahamas
Located just off the coast of Florida, the idyllic Bahamas consists of 700 islands sprinkled over 100,000 square miles of turquoise seas, offering a real taste of paradise with crystal clear waters and some of the best beaches in the world. Every island offers its own unique identity from the laidback traditional Caribbean lifestyle of Gran Bahama Island, to the historic capital city of Nassau and the splendour of Paradise Island. Bimini is also steeped in history and is the closest island to the US, while Andros, the largest, yet most sparsely developed island, boasts an abundance of natural attractions and is a gem for diving enthusiasts. But whatever island you pick, the atmosphere, conch fritters, rum punch and local hospitality, not forgetting the flawless blue skies, will make for a most memorable holiday.
Plzen (Pilsen)
A visit to the home of Pilsner beer, what can go wrong? The Czech city is also the 2015 European Capital of Culture and next year will be the ideal time to visit as there will be year-long celebrations throughout the western Bohemia city, founded on the confluence of four rivers by the Czech king Wenceslas II in 1295. A tour of the Pilsner Urquell Brewery, which dates back to 1842, is a must for any visitor, while you can enjoy excellent aerial views from St Bartholomew's spire. The impressive Republic Square is located in the heart of the Old Town and there are many interesting museums to visit throughout the city. The city is only a short hop from the ever-popular Prague, while the German cities of Nuremberg and Munich are also quite accessible.
Milan
The capital of Italy's north, Milan is an iconic cultural, modern and lively city that is rich in beauty, boasting an abundance of artistic masterpieces. The Duomo (Cathedral) has been restored to its former glory and is the centrepiece of the city with its luminous marble façade and late-Gothic style. Music lovers must pay a visit to the world renowned La Scala opera, while endless art pieces are to be admired throughout the city's museum and exhibitions. Summer 2015 sees EXPO come to Milan with "Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life" as its central theme and is expected to attract over 20 million visitors. And if all that still leaves you wanting more, there's the small matter of Milan being one of the world's fashion capitals, boasting endless shopping opportunities, while the city is also home to two European footballing heavyweights, Inter and AC Milan.
Alpe d'Huez
If you are planning to get away in the early months of the New Year, a skiing holiday should be considered, and the French resort proves one of Europe's most popular every season. Alpe d'Huez boasts the fifth largest ski area in France with all levels of skier catered for in a resort that is family-friendly with excellent ski schools and facilities, while its Après Ski and nightlife are among the best in the region. A visit during the summer months brings a whole new side to the resort as a wide range of alpine activities are available from beach volleyball to canyoning in this spectacular resort. Cycling's most famous race, the Tour de France, arrives at the summit on July 25, so if you're in the vicinity get to corner number 10, or 'Irish Corner' as it is now known, to support the poor unfortunates slogging their way up this extreme climb.
Ed Leahy
