The Top Travel Destinations with Kevin Flanagan

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

“Oz is a long way away,” says Kevin, reflecting on his trip there, “and I am very glad to have visited it and seen some of its wonders. Would I go again?” To find Kevin’s answer listen to this illuminating episode.You can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates: Instagram: ⁠@thetoptraveldestinations⁠X: ⁠@becreativkev⁠

This week’s episode is about connection — and finding home in another country. Kevin visits his Polish in-laws, Babcia (BAHB-cha) and Dziadek (JAH-deck), with his grandchildren Kuba and Maya, and Daughter-in-law Maria. And discovering what it’s like to belong to two families and two cultures. From the quiet kindness of Polish hospitality to the joyful chaos of life - this is a tender reflection on love that crosses borders. It’s not just about travel — it’s about belonging.You can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates: Instagram: ⁠@thetoptraveldestinations⁠X: ⁠@becreativkev⁠

Poland is booming — confident, creative, and full of surprises. In this episode, Kevin travels to Szczecin (pronounced SHCHEH-cheen), a city near Berlin that’s rich in history and alive with new energy. From its riverside walks and Gothic spires to its modern cafés and vibrant waterfront, Szczecin shows a side of Poland few Irish travelers have seen. Kevin also reflects on the warmth of Polish hospitality, the city’s fascinating past, and why it’s the perfect short-break destination for curious visitors from Ireland.You can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates: Instagram: ⁠@thetoptraveldestinations⁠X: ⁠@becreativkev⁠

When Kevin first visited St Petersburg in 1993, St. Petersburg was caught between the ruins of the Soviet system and the chaos of a new capitalism. Perestroika had opened the door to freedom—but also to lawlessness and gunfire after dark was not unusual. For a visitor, the city felt raw and unpredictable—magnificent by day, dangerous by night—a place where beauty and decay walked arm in arm through the snow. And it is here that Kevin went to visit his friend from Yevgenny Neff, a principal with the legendary Maryinski Ballet. “It was dangerous and intoxicating both at the same time. A unique opportunity to see history in the making and reacquaint with friends from the ballet.”You can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates: Instagram: ⁠@thetoptraveldestinations⁠X: ⁠@becreativkev⁠

Kevin looks back at a time when we could all visit this incredible city - one of the true gems of world travel - without the shadow of war making journeys there impossible. And Kevin hopes to see that time come back soon. And when peace does return, people can again enjoy the wonder of the ballet, the White Nights, the music, the palaces and the museums. “I visited St Petersburg several times in the 1990’s and 2000’s.” says Kevin, “and took groups of ballet fans from Ireland and the UK. It is a place that is filled with every form of art and culture. A true top wonder.” You can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates: Instagram: ⁠@thetoptraveldestinations⁠X: ⁠@becreativkev⁠

“Sharm El Sheikh is famous for one thing above all else: diving. At Ras Mohammed National Park, Kevin, his son Ciaran and friends John and Len found ‘The Abyss’ — a sheer wall that drops hundreds of meters straight down into blue nothingness. It was breathtaking — beautiful and something more . . . You can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates: Instagram: ⁠@thetoptraveldestinations⁠X: ⁠@becreativkev⁠

Sharm El Sheikh is one of those places that stays with you. I remember looking up at the desert sky, a million stars overhead, and then sitting with the Bedouin, seeing a way of life that feels timeless. By day, it was dune buggies across the sand, diving into the depths of the Red Sea, and snorkeling straight from a beautiful hotel beach. The evenings? Markets buzzing with life, nightlife that kept Ciarán and his friends laughing till late, and the kind of energy that makes you feel wide awake no matter your age. That’s Sharm El Sheikh — an incredible mix of desert, sea, and pure adventure.You can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates: Instagram: ⁠@thetoptraveldestinations⁠X: ⁠@becreativkev⁠

Kevin spends three dizzy days enjoying the unique buzz of a Spanish end-of-season festival. As he says, “there is nothing quite like it in the world.” Join him as he celebrates life abroad!You can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates: Instagram: ⁠@thetoptraveldestinations⁠X: ⁠@becreativkev⁠

Some hotels actually do feel like home, and Kevin found the MiM Hotel in Sitges just such a place. What is it about some hotels that really do understand what a hotel guest really needs MIM Hotel Sitges Av. Sofía, 12, 08870 Sitges, Barcelona, Spain Phone: +34 934 92 22 44 | +34 938 11 35 00 Email: reservas@hotelmimsitges.com www.mimhotels.com Eco-friendly boutique hotel owned by Lionel Messi, steps from the beach, with a rooftop bar and spa overlooking the Mediterranean.The Salil Hotel Riverside, Bangkok 2052/7-9 Charoenkrung 72/1 Alley, Wat Phrayakrai, Bang Kholaem, Bangkok 10120, Thailand Phone: +66 (0) 2 844 8787 | +66 63 883 0551 | +66 65 936 4900 Email: reservations@thesalilriverside.com www.thesalilriverside.com Stylish riverside retreat with infinity pool and chic Thai design, combining riverside calm with easy access to Bangkok’s vibrant energy.You can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates: Instagram: ⁠@thetoptraveldestinations⁠X: ⁠@becreativkev⁠

Kevin decided to treat his son, Ciaran, and take him to see Arsenal play in the Final at the Stade de France in Paris. There was just one problem - they went without tickets! Join them on an adventure to find tickets in time to see the biggest match in the world!You can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates: Instagram: ⁠@thetoptraveldestinations⁠X: ⁠@becreativkev⁠