The Top Travel Destinations with Kevin Flanagan

What is it about Munich that makes my heart sing? I describe my visit just before Christmas to a place that leaves it mark all the year around. And I describe how the food and drink and, of course, Munich’s famous Beer Halls - all make this a city break that mustn’t be missed!And if you are thinking of booking a Christmas Market visit you will get the best deals on flights and hotels by booking NOW!Activities & ideas for a Winter visit:www.munich.travel/en/categories/discover/urban-districts/winter-in-munich www.munich.travel/en/topics/urban-districts/winter-ideas Here you find details to the most interesting Christmas markets in Munichwww.munich.travel/en/topics/markets-festivals/christmas-markets-munich Here an overview of local cuisine and new food trends in the city:https://www.munich.travel/en/categories/discover/eat-drink/bavarian-cuisine And do check out the official an d helpful website:  www.munich.travelYou can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates: Instagram: ⁠@thetoptraveldestinations⁠X: ⁠@becreativkev 

With prices of family holidays soaring we look at an interesting way to slash your prices while having the holiday of a lifetime. The only thing is: you’ll have to swap houses (and cars even) with a stranger!You can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates: Instagram: ⁠@thetoptraveldestinations⁠X: ⁠@becreativkevVisit www.homeexchange.com for more details

Kevin talks to Ciaran O Conluain about taking his pet and his young kids on a 30 hour plus ferry ride. Was it hell on earth or would he go back for more?You can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates: Instagram: ⁠@thetoptraveldestinations⁠X: ⁠@becreativkev

Adults-only hotels are one of the most talked-about trends in travel — and one of the most misunderstood. In this short Kevin’s Travel Stories episode, Kevin looks at where kids-free hotels came from, why they’ve grown in popularity, and who they really appeal to. From honeymoon history to modern wellness travel, he explores the advantages, the trade-offs, and the reactions they provoke. Calm, quiet, and intentional — this episode isn’t about exclusion, but about choosing the kind of holiday you actually need.You can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates: Instagram: ⁠@thetoptraveldestinations⁠X: ⁠@becreativkev

Escaping Europe’s cold, grey winter? In this short episode, Kevin heads to Playa del Inglés in Gran Canaria to explore why it’s one of Europe’s most reliable winter sun destinations. From winter temperatures in the low 20s to bright Atlantic light, swimmable seas, and the surreal beauty of the Maspalomas dunes, this episode looks at what you can realistically expect when you go. Kevin talks weather, water temperature, travel time, costs, and why winter is actually the best season to visit. A practical, honest guide to swapping coats for sunshine — without going long-haul.You can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates: Instagram: ⁠@thetoptraveldestinations⁠X: ⁠@becreativkev

For Maya’s 9th birthday celebrations we took a sleigh ride with Allirand Jordi, a real mountain man who organises sleigh rides in the snow with real, live huskies a short walk from our Club Med Serre Chevalier hotel. What’s more it was snowing like there was no tomorrow and -9 degrees!  And Maya’s verdict? “The best birthday treat EVER!” You can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates: Instagram:⁠ ⁠@thetoptraveldestinations⁠⁠X:⁠ ⁠@becreativkev⁠

Kevin returns from a few days with Club Med skiing in the French Alps at Serre Chevalier with grandkids Kuba & Maya. What was his verdict on the Club Med all-inclusive experience?You can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates: Instagram: ⁠@thetoptraveldestinations⁠X: ⁠@becreativkev

A travel story can be the simplest of things - a view from a bridge, the quiet coolness of a church or temple in the bustling heat, a chance encounter with a local! And Kevin shows you how to create your own travel stories and make the most of your precious travel time.Visit famous places - Dark Tourism: Vietnam, Killing Fields, war museums - The Lunchbox in Hiroshima An Impulse Visit - Churchill’s War Rooms - Go to places that are NOT well known, Szezcein - Visit a friend or family member you have  not seen or fallen out withYou can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates: Instagram: ⁠@thetoptraveldestinations⁠X: ⁠@becreativkev

From mixing long and short haul destinations, solo travel and travelling with family & friends, to picking a new destination, hiring a tour guide and not mentioning your age when planning, Kevin shares his 30 years of travel experience so 2026 will be your best year yet You can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates: Instagram: ⁠@thetoptraveldestinations⁠X: ⁠@becreativkev

The learning of Hiroshima. Skiing. Italy with friends and family.Christmas markets.What more could you want in a year!You can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates: Instagram: ⁠@thetoptraveldestinations⁠X: ⁠@becreativkev

And the highlights of a great year of travel could be: The Bullet Train? The Dolomite Mountains? A week of bliss in Lake Garda? Japanese sushi? The lagoon in Venice on New Year’s Eve? The Peace Park in Hiroshima? Listen to find out Kevin’s travel highlights in 2025!You can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates: Instagram: ⁠@thetoptraveldestinations⁠X: ⁠@becreativkev

Kevin and yoga instructor Robyn Fitzpatrick share their stories about how they fell in love with this unique practice while travelling. You can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates: Instagram: ⁠@thetoptraveldestinations⁠X: ⁠@becreativkev

Did you know that yoga-themed hols are about to become a trillion-dollar industry worldwide, and the numbers are mindblowing! Kevin sits down with yoga instructor extraordinaire Robyn Fitzpatrick to discuss where in the world to go to join the Yoga party!   You can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates: Instagram: ⁠@thetoptraveldestinations⁠X: ⁠@becreativkev

One day, I’m browsing vintage cars with my writing pal Alan Bruton, getting the full cold-shoulder treatment from salesmen who could smell my poverty from twenty paces. The next day, we stroll back in with retired F1 legend Eddie Irvine — four Grand Prix wins, ’99 championship runner-up, ex-Ferrari firebrand — and suddenly an unmentionable part of my anatomy is being so enthusiastically kissed I nearly threw up. But hey… that’s Hollywood, and I realised in a flash that I’m certainly no celeb!You can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates: Instagram: ⁠@thetoptraveldestinations⁠X: ⁠@becreativkev

Kevin visits Hollywood and finds it is pure madness — a sunburned circus where dreams, delusions, and desperate ambition all sweat together under the same neon glow. One minute you’re sipping overpriced iced coffee beside a screenwriter who swears their script will “change cinema,” and the next you’re dodging tour buses, hustlers, and starlets rehearsing tears outside casting rooms. Everything feels loud, glittery, unhinged, a place where fame is currency, reality bends, and everyone’s waiting for their big break… or pretending they already had one. “And I loved it!” says Kevin.You can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates: Instagram: ⁠@thetoptraveldestinations⁠X: ⁠@becreativkev

Yoga at the Philadelphia Museum of Art — A Moment of Stillness in a Monument to MotionIf you’ve ever watched Rocky sprint up the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art — those famous “Rocky Steps” — you already know how much energy this building holds before you even walk inside. But what most visitors don’t realise is that the museum also offers something completely opposite in spirit: regular yoga sessions held in some of its most atmospheric spaces.The classes run on selected weekend mornings and some weekday evenings, part of the museum’s “Wellness at the Museum” programme. They’re open to all levels — locals, travelers, seasoned yogis, and absolute beginners. Mats are provided, but most people bring their own, rolling them out on polished stone floors surrounded by centuries of art.Depending on the season, the class might take place in the Great Stair Hall, where marble columns rise like a modern cathedral and sunlight pours in through high windows, or in one of the stiller side galleries — sometimes even in the medieval section, where relics and architectural fragments from 12th and 13th-century European churches form the backdrop. Imagine holding Warrior II beneath the vaulted ribs of a transplanted Gothic arch, or settling into savasana as soft light washes across ancient stone saints.https://philamuseum.org/wellnessYou can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates: Instagram: ⁠@thetoptraveldestinations⁠X: ⁠@becreativkev

Philly is known for many things, but for Kevin, its art and incredible art museums rival anything Europe has to offer. Here, he takes you on a guided tour. You can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates: Instagram: ⁠@thetoptraveldestinations⁠X: ⁠@becreativkev

One of the most beautiful segments along the Via Francigena. The trail departs in San Gimignano and, after several hills, reaches Molino d’Aiano, a rest stop along the Sigerico Trail.The path continues onward towards Badia a Coneo, Gracciano, and then to Strove, where hikers can visit a small Romanesque church. Then the trail passes the wonderful architectural structure of Abbadia in Isola before reaching Monteriggioni, one of the few old medieval towns in Italy to still have all its intact city walls and towers. Water and hotels are available only in urban areas.You can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates: Instagram: ⁠@thetoptraveldestinations⁠X: ⁠@becreativkev

The Via Francigena is a medieval pilgrimage route stretching from Canterbury, England, to Rome, crossing France, Switzerland, and Italy. According to Kevin, it is one of the best alternatives to the Camino. It’s quieter, more varied, and has deeper medieval roots. If you want something meaningful without the crowds, it’s a standout.You can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates: Instagram: ⁠@thetoptraveldestinations⁠X: ⁠@becreativkev

Australia is a place renowned for its wildlife and Kevin recounts how twice he had encounters with its deadly indigenous animal population that could have ended his trip to Oz before it had properly started!You can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates: Instagram: ⁠@thetoptraveldestinations⁠X: ⁠@becreativkev⁠