The Top Travel Destinations with Kevin Flanagan

We often assume that the safest places must also be the most predictable — tidy, orderly, maybe even a little dull. But after travelling through some of the world’s safest countries, I discovered something more interesting. Safety doesn’t remove adventure; it simply changes its shape. Strong institutions, trust between citizens, and well-run infrastructure create a different kind of freedom for tr...

Turn on the news and you might think the world is falling apart… wars, conflicts, geopolitical tension everywhere. Yet airports are full, flights are operating normally, and millions of people are travelling every day. The question for listeners is: Is the world really more dangerous to travel in? In this short podcast Kevin tries to answer that burning question. You can also follow The Top Travel...

Irish born hotelier John Fitzpatrick is an actual. gold-plated legend in the world of hospitality and his two hotels in the Big Apple have made history. Kevin meets him at an event in Dublin and is inspired by the man and his extraordinary energy! You can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates:  Instagram: ⁠@thetoptraveldestinations⁠ X: ⁠@becreativekev

Kevin recalls some iconic, personal trips to New York including taking his son Ciaran to see the soccer world cup in 1994 and U2 and Eugene Gendlin after 9/11. Amd he weighs up going again  You can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates:  Instagram: ⁠@thetoptraveldestinations⁠ X: ⁠@becreativekev

Have you ever boarded a plane feeling terrible and wishing you were in your sick bed? Last Chritmas Kevin did just that and he survived to tell the tale. But when should you travel and when should you stay put? Kevin answers a common conundrum   Visit: www.simply-munich.com You can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates:  Instagram: ⁠@thetoptraveldestinations⁠ X: ⁠@bec...

  People who have lost family, friends, an important job or even their mental and emotional health can be conflicted when it comes to travel. Will it make it better or worse and is it just pure escapism? In this episode Kevin looks at when it's good to travel and when it is not. And how taking a trip may start you off on the road to recovery You can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on s...

Kevin talks to his two grandkids Kuba (11) and Maya (9) about their ferry trip to Spain with their much loved dog Alma.  You can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates:  Instagram: ⁠@thetoptraveldestinations⁠ X: ⁠@becreativkev

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 N...

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: ⁠@thetoptraveldestinations⁠ X: ⁠@becreativkev Visit 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: ⁠@thetoptraveldestinations⁠ X: ⁠@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, qui...

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 weathe...

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 m...

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: ⁠@thetoptraveldestinations⁠ X: ⁠@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...

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: ⁠@thetoptraveldestinations⁠ X: ⁠@b...

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: ⁠@thetoptraveldestinations⁠ X: ⁠@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: ⁠@thetoptraveldestinations⁠ X: ⁠@becreativke...

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: ⁠@thetoptraveldestinations⁠ X: ⁠@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: ⁠@thetoptraveldestinations⁠ X: ⁠@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 n...

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 fee...

Yoga at the Philadelphia Museum of Art — A Moment of Stillness in a Monument to Motion If 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...

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: ⁠@thetoptraveldestinations⁠ X: ⁠@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...