Sarah Slattery of The Travel Expert.ie offers alternative holiday locations for last-minute bookers who want to escape the crowds and bag a deal this summer. Listen back to Brendan O'Connor on RTÉ Radio 1 above.
Rising temperatures, price hikes, overpopulated hot spots, and diverse working hours have changed the way we travel.
Long gone are the days when holidaymakers would book two weeks in the sun in the middle of July en masse. These days, people are more likely to chase down exciting activities and bucket list adventures, opt for multiple short-term city breaks throughout the year, or island hop to make the most of their time off.
So, where should we go in 2025?
According to Sarah, if you're looking for a last-minute beach break without the 40-degree heatwave, ditch Greece and Turkey in favour of Lanzarote and Fuerteventura.
"You still could get up to 28 [degrees], but you'll rarely see past 30," she insists.
Dublin, Cork, Shannon, and Knock airports all have flights to Girona, a city in the northeastern Catalonia region. Not only is the area a little bit cooler than the hot spots of Marbella and Granada, but the airfare is usually cheaper.
In Portugal, Sarah recommends exploring the Algarve, with its beautiful beaches and gorgeous towns, while in France, she says couples and families alike will find plenty to do in the historical areas of Brittany and Normandy.
She also suggests taking the ferry over so as to enjoy some scenic drives and as much shopping as you like.
The city of Bergen in Norway is becoming increasingly popular, with Dublin airport now offering four flights a week for the summer months. Known as "the gateway to the fjords", it's a great home base for day trips to the fjords as well as being home to an UNESCO World Heritage site.
When it comes to short city breaks, Tallinn in Estonia is top of Sarah's list thanks to its UNESCO status and its walkable size. One of the best preserved medieval cities in Europe, it is known for its fantastic architecture.
For more travel tips this summer, listen back to the full interview on RTÉ Radio 1 above.
