The Top Travel Destinations with Kevin Flanagan

Known around the world as the first must-see place to explore when visiting Ireland's capital, Kevin looks at the dark side of the bright lights of Temple Bar. And he asks the question: Is it really worth a visit, or are you just getting ripped off?Do visit our website at www.TheTopTravelDestinations.comYou can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates: Instagram: @thetoptraveldestinationsX: @becreativkev

Often voted the No. 1 site for visitors to see, the Guinness Storehouse has been variously described as a Willy Wonka Factory for alcohol and a brilliant marketing tool for a global brand. Kevin Flanagan shares his views on Dublin's most visited tourist attraction and offers an alternative! Listen to the end to discover another fabulous visitor experience.Do visit our website at www.TheTopTravelDestinations.comYou can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates: Instagram: @thetoptraveldestinationsX: @becreativkev

Kevin chats to his old friend and restaurateur Eileen Dunne Crescenzi about where and what to eat when visiting Rome. “Eileen knows more about Italian food than anyone I know,” says Kevin, “Not only has she opened one of Dublin's busiest and best-known restaurants, Dunne & Crescenzi, she has lived and worked in Rome for many years.” Follow Eileen's advice and you will enjoy the unique wonder of Rome's rich culinary tradition.Find out more about Eileen & Stefano's Dublin restaurants: dunneandcrescenzi.com Eileen's Roman Restaurant recommendations:Da Lu - Trastevere areaPiatto Romano - Testaccio area Osteria degli Amici - Testaccio areaDishes:Cacio e PepeLa CarbonaraAmatricianaCarciofo alla Romana e il Carciofo alla GiudiaCoda alla VaccinaraTrippa alla Romana Baccalà alla RomanaConcia di zucchine Fiore di ZucchiniDo visit our website at www.TheTopTravelDestinations.comYou can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates: Instagram: @thetoptraveldestinationsX: @becreativkev

With the death of a pope and the election of another, Kevin revisits a city that has dominated the world news. And he gives his own unique guide to one of the most fascinating places in the world, explaining in the process why it is always in the news. Do visit our website at www.TheTopTravelDestinations.comYou can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates: Instagram: @thetoptraveldestinationsX: @becreativkev

Due to extraordinary circumstances, Kevin was taken on a tour of places in the Vatican not usually seen by tourists. In this episode, he reveals his insights and shares his secret tips on how to get the most out of a visit to the world's smallest city-state!Do visit our website at www.TheTopTravelDestinations.comYou can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates: Instagram: @thetoptraveldestinationsX: @becreativkev

”I wanted to visit Taiwan before the potential Chinese invasion happened,” says Kevin, “I wanted to see, taste and feel what peace was like before it changed.”Kevin visits the beleaguered country that lives under the shadow of war.  Do visit our website at www.TheTopTravelDestinations.comYou can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates: Instagram: @thetoptraveldestinationsX: @becreativkev

”I have visited some of the most chilling places on earth: The Killing Fields of Cambodia, the site of the nuclear attack on Hiroshima and Auschwitz,” says Kevin, “but the Ossuary in Verdun where the bones of 160,000 soldiers of all nationalities bear a very heavy message for humankind that cannot be avoided.”Do visit our website at www.TheTopTravelDestinations.comYou can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates: Instagram: @thetoptraveldestinationsX: @becreativkev

”You can actually pack a hell of a lot into a one-day city break,” says Kevin Flanagan, travel writer and podcaster, after returning from a short stay in the UK's capital. “As you know I am a big believer in travel as a way to keep your brain young as you get older, so there really is no excuse not to travel and enjoy cities around Europe and beyond even for just one day!”Do visit our website at www.TheTopTravelDestinations.comYou can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates: Instagram: @thetoptraveldestinationsX: @becreativkev

Kevin was invited recently to visit a friend in London. “It was one of my oldest friends Spencer and his wife Bimbi asked me to come on a surprise visit.” After humming and hahhing, Kevin decided to clear his diary and go. “I will never forget the look of sheer surprise and delight on Spencer's face when I saw him. He was over the moon I had made the effort and it was worth the trip for that alone.” Kevin's mantra is never turn down an invite especially when it comes to travel!  Do visit our website at www.TheTopTravelDestinations.comYou can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates: Instagram: @thetoptraveldestinationsX: @becreativkev

Kevin finds simple delights as he strolls through the centre of London with a friend on a balmy spring dayDo visit our website at www.TheTopTravelDestinations.comYou can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates: Instagram: @thetoptraveldestinationsX: @becreativkev

Kevin goes back to visit a past that still resonates with lessons as he visits the iconic Winston Churchill War Rooms. The fascinating visit prompts the question: “If we don't learn from the past are we destined to repeat it?” The answer is sobering . . . Do visit our website at www.TheTopTravelDestinations.comYou can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates: Instagram: @thetoptraveldestinationsX: @becreativkev

Kevin gives you a tour of his favourite Dublin parks where you can see Spring blossom in front of your very eyes!Do visit our website at www.TheTopTravelDestinations.comYou can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates: Instagram: @thetoptraveldestinationsX: @becreativkev

One day recently Kevin was told that his favourite coffee provider was changing their blend. Initially, this was bad news but life surprised him with a whole new coffee experience.“Every morning I go to Nancy Bluebells on Sean MacDermot Street for my espresso and pop into Our Lady of Lourdes Church next door. The combination of coffee and incense is the ultimate wake-up!” Do visit our website at www.TheTopTravelDestinations.comYou can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates: Instagram: @thetoptraveldestinationsX: @becreativkev

During his long trips abroad during the winter of 2025 Kevin Flanagan examines the benefits of talking to just about anyone!Do visit our website at www.TheTopTravelDestinations.comYou can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates: Instagram: @thetoptraveldestinationsX: @becreativkev

Reflecting on his extensive winter tours around Europe and Asia, Kevin examines why it is important to travel Do visit our website at www.TheTopTravelDestinations.comYou can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates: Instagram: @thetoptraveldestinationsX: @becreativkev

Kevin goes on an adventure in search of the near Rifugio Fuciade - a Michelin-starred restaurant lost in the snowy Dolomite mountains. And so begins an adventure both mouthwatering and amazing . . .  Do visit our website at www.TheTopTravelDestinations.comYou can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates: Instagram: @thetoptraveldestinationsX: @becreativkev

Kevin enjoys his first-ever visit to the Dolomites, long considered a leading contender for the “most stunning mountain range in the World” title. Does he award the title himself? Do visit our website at www.TheTopTravelDestinations.comYou can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates: Instagram: @thetoptraveldestinationsX: @becreativkev

Though it's only January and very early in the season, Kevin visits the legendary Imperial Gardens in search of cherry blossoms. Will he find this most famous symbol of Japanese culture?Do visit our website at www.TheTopTravelDestinations.comYou can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates: Instagram: @thetoptraveldestinationsX: @becreativkev

Kevin visits the city of Tokyo, replete with history and strangeness he has found in no other destination. A truly special place that you will get a real sense of in this podcastDo visit our website at www.TheTopTravelDestinations.comYou can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates: Instagram: @thetoptraveldestinationsX: @becreativkev

Following his trip to Hiroshima Kevin ponders the question: what do we get out of travelling to destinations that witness some of the most awful acts of human depravity? Would we not be better off sipping pina coladas on a beach instead?Kevin gives his answer to this thought-provoking question. Do visit our website at www.TheTopTravelDestinations.comYou can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates: Instagram: @thetoptraveldestinationsX: @becreativkev

Kevin visits the city whose name became indelibly etched into the human mind, following the dropping of the first atomic weapon in 1945. And in Hiroshima, Kevin finds a tale of two cities. One is a vibrant bustling place with lots of money and many things to do and see. The second is one of the most sombre places he has ever visited - a UNESCO World Heritage Peace Park where you can stand beside the A-Bomb Dome - a building built right under where the bomb detonated. Its skeleton remains an alarming reminder of what humankind is capable of. Listen to Kevin's description, “it is one of the most extraordinary visits I ever made. A true tale of survival as this modern-day Phoenix rises out of the nuclear ashes.”  Do visit our website at www.TheTopTravelDestinations.comYou can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates: Instagram: @thetoptraveldestinationsX: @becreativkev

Kevin looks at the joys and challenges of travelling solo as opposed to travelling with family and friends and he finds there are huge advantages in both. “When you do travel solo you create a vacuum that allows others to enter your life. People that would never have befriended had you been with family and friends.” And Kevin shares how that vacuum was filled by Diamond, the concierge he met while in Bangkok just after the pandemic. “Diamond has shown me Asia and Bangkok as I would never have seen it had I been occupied with friends. Moreover, he is now one of my best friends.” It seems that solo travel does not mean you remain on your own for long!Do visit our website at www.TheTopTravelDestinations.comYou can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates: Instagram: @thetoptraveldestinationsX: @becreativkev

“As I come to the end of my five-week odyssey in Asia I reflect on what this journey has given me. And, I have to say, it's been a lot!” Kevin says as he prepares to leave Asia after visiting Thailand, Taiwan and Japan over five weeks. “It has opened my heart and invigorated my mind. But most of all it has made me feel alive!” Join Kevin as he takes you through the highlights of a once-in-a-lifetime travel experience and shares the gifts that travel gives.Do visit our website at www.TheTopTravelDestinations.comYou can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates: Instagram: @thetoptraveldestinationsX: @becreativkev

Since listening to air raid sirens warning of a nuclear attack as a schoolboy living in London at the height of the Cold War, Kevin has always felt the shadow of nuclear war. “We were living under the threat of nuclear annihilation,” he recalls, having just lived through the Cuban Missile Crisis where all-out nuclear was averted with just minutes to spare. “I remember the day the air raid sirens went off and I was sure a Russian attack was about to hit London. I can still taste the fear that I felt.” So visiting the site of the first nuclear attack on a civilian population had always been at the top of Kevin's list. “It became a pilgrimage - a truly unforgettable experience.”  Do visit our website at www.TheTopTravelDestinations.comYou can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates: Instagram: @thetoptraveldestinationsX: @becreativkev

“I have never experienced such smooth speed and such a quiet cabin in which to sit and take in the views as they flash past at breakneck speed!” So says Kevin as he reflects on his first journey on a Bullet Train from Tokyo to Hiroshima. And Kevin finds many parallels between the experience of being on the fastest train in the world and spending time in Japanesse society, “Both run so smoothly, but at a cost, I feel.” And what that cost is Kevin reveals in this live podcast from Japan.Do visit our website at www.TheTopTravelDestinations.comYou can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates: Instagram: @thetoptraveldestinationsX: @becreativkev

What do you do when you arrive late at night, exhausted and sick only to find that the beautiful hotel you booked  is actually dirty, in the wrong part of town and reeking of stale cigarette smoke?Kevin faced this dilemma recently and here the story of what he did!Do visit our website atwww.TheTopTravelDestinations.comYou can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates: Instagram:@thetoptraveldestinationsX:@becreativkev

“Have you ever floated on a carpet of Red Lotuses while small swallows flit and fly by your head, letting out cries of pure delight?” asks Kevin Flanagan, on the day of his memorable journey to Nong Han Lake, located in northeast Thailand. “Let me show you what is is like as the sun rises and the lotus flowers open revealing an unbroken sea of pink stretching as far as the eye can see!” This is one podcast on Kev's trip to Asia that you will not want to miss. Do visit our website atwww.TheTopTravelDestinations.comYou can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates: Instagram:@thetoptraveldestinationsX:@becreativkev

I am sitting in a taxi and it's early morning in BK (Bangkok). And as I look out of my taxi window I feel a strange sensation, like a tingling in my head. And then comes the realisation that this trip - this vista I am witnessing - is actually changing the circuitry of my brain. It's called neuroplasticity and its the first time I actually physically felt it happening to me! And these are just some of the benefits you get when you go on a trip.  Do visit our website at www.TheTopTravelDestinations.com You can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates:  Instagram: @thetoptraveldestinations X: @becreativkev

It seemed like nothing at the time. A pain in my foot that I first ignored. But it didn't go away and soon the foot had swelled and I couldn't put it on the ground without great discomfort. I had known family who had died of sepsis that had occurred in just such a way and knew that at my age you can't take these things lightly. This is what happens when you fall ill abroad. Do visit our website at www.TheTopTravelDestinations.com You can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates:  Instagram: @thetoptraveldestinations X: @becreativkev

Kevin recalls how his colleague The Travel Expert, Sarah Slattery, always championed the many and varied benefits of taking a day trip or tour when visiting a new place with her family. And here Kevin follows in her footsteps by booking a trip up and down the canals of Bangkok with his old friend Diamond. Listen in how he meets new friends, thrills to new experiences and has a healing encounter with the Buddha himself!   Do visit our website at www.TheTopTravelDestinations.com You can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates:  Instagram: @thetoptraveldestinations

Kevin gets off the plane hot and sticky and his first stop is the local barber's shop on Wat Phraya Krai, Bang Kho Laem, in downtown Bangkok. And here he enjoys the delights of a local barber while stepping back in time to take the risk of a cut-throat razor shave! Do visit our website at www.TheTopTravelDestinations.com You can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates:  Instagram: @thetoptraveldestinations X: @becreativkev

Kevin has travelled far and wide and in this episode he shares how he comes up with new destinations revealing rich stories. And he also flags the missteps and bad habits we can all fall into while travelling. He says, “What's the difference between being in a rut and being in the grave? About five and a half feet!” describing how we tend to go back to the same destination, hotel and even the same sunbed with often deadening effects. “The familiar can be a great comfort but often the shot of adrenalin we get by going somewhere new and pushing ourselves out of our comfort zone is priceless!”  Listen as Kevin reveals his pick for his first all-new destination for 2025! Do visit our website at www.TheTopTravelDestinations.com You can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates:  Instagram: @thetoptraveldestinations X: @becreativkev

Kevin dives into the perennial problem that faces all travelers, especially those going to long-haul destinations: WHAT TO BRING WITH YOU? And he comes up with a radical solution. Click here to find out Kevin's top packing tips! Do visit our website at www.TheTopTravelDestinations.com You can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates:  Instagram: @thetoptraveldestinations X: @becreativkev

Exciting journeys are ahead and you are going to be joining Kevin on every step. He is on his way to Asia and will be documenting every exciting bit. Let Kevin set the scene... Do visit our website at www.TheTopTravelDestinations.com You can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates:  Instagram: @thetoptraveldestinations X: @becreativkev

Need some inspiration for booking your holidays this year? Kevin has you covered with some great tips and tricks! Do visit our website at www.TheTopTravelDestinations.com You can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates:  Instagram: @thetoptraveldestinations X: @becreativkev

Have you ever missed a flight? And what's it like if you do?  “I once missed a flight,” says our host, Kevin Flanagan, “and it was not a pleasant experience!”  Kevin only discovered his passport was out of date as he was waiting to check in. By his side was his partner, who was six months pregnant. What's more, he soon found out that the Embassy was closed as it was a Bank Holiday. How did Kevin's partner react? Listen to find out!   Do visit our website at www.TheTopTravelDestinations.com You can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates:  Instagram: @thetoptraveldestinations X: @becreativkev

Croatia offers some of the best and bluest waters in the world. And the chance to island hop is a true holiday delight. In this podcast Norah Casey takes us on a personal tour and we get to see through her eyes the wondrous experience that island-hopping on the Dalmatian coast offers. Do visit our website at www.TheTopTravelDestinations.com You can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates:  Instagram: @thetoptraveldestinations X: @becreativkev

It's that time of the year again, and Aileen Eglington gives us her insights into where to go and what to do on the slopes.  Aileen knows the ski resorts of Europe and America like no other. She is also full of information on what people can do who are not interested in skiing. From fabulous thermal spas, to hiking and snow trekking and let's not forget shopping! Tune in to find out what's best on and off the slopes. Do visit our website at www.TheTopTravelDestinations.com You can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates:  Instagram: @thetoptraveldestinations X: @becreativkev

Kevin looks back on 2024, an amazing year of travel, and invites you to recall your own precious travel memories of the year while looking forward to 2025.  “Travel can change your life for the better,” says Kevin, as he looks back on a year that took him to Vietnam, Laos, Nepal, and Thailand, as well as city breaks across Europe, including Ghent, Antwerp, and Venice. “We may be in the Golden Age of travel, so make the most of it!” Kevin encourages us all to look forward to 2025! Do visit our website at www.TheTopTravelDestinations.com You can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates:  Instagram: @thetoptraveldestinations X: @becreativkev

Intrepid traveller and broadcaster Norah Casey talks to Kevin Flanagan about the unique challenges of travelling alone as a woman. Norah has explored extensively on her own, often travelling to remote and dangerous areas. She shares her experience and the tips she has learnt on the way, so you can travel, as a woman, in safety and security. It is a fascinating insight.    Do visit our website at www.TheTopTravelDestinations.com You can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates:  Instagram: @thetoptraveldestinations X: @becreativkev

Club Med is a byword for great, all-inclusive holidays. In this podcast, Deirdre Sweeny, who has vast experience sending holidaymakers on Club Med vacations, takes us on an exclusive tour! We find out what to expect, while Deirdre gives us insights into some prime Club Med locations. Do visit our website at www.TheTopTravelDestinations.com You can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates:  Instagram: @thetoptraveldestinations X: @becreativkev

Kevin has an extraordinary encounter in the depths of the Red Sea. Alongside him, is his son Ciaran and best friend John. They are in the glorious clear blue waters of the Ras Muḥammad national park, at the southern extreme of the Sinai Peninsula, overlooking the Gulf of Aqabat. And something is about to emerge from the inky black depths that will fill them with wonder!  Do visit our website at www.TheTopTravelDestinations.com You can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates:  Instagram: @thetoptraveldestinations X: @becreativkev

Kevin chats with Nora Casey, one of the most travelled women in the world, as she takes us on a fascinating tour of Iceland.  Discover some of the wonders of the world, from erupting volcanos and geysers, to outdoor spas situated under the Northern Lights, to meeting with the extraordinary people who inhabit this island.  Nora and Kevin share their love of Iceland and both agree - it makes one of the most interesting short holiday breaks anywhere on Earth. Do visit our website at www.TheTopTravelDestinations.com You can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates:  Instagram: @thetoptraveldestinations X: @becreativkev

It's that time of year again and who better than Aileen Eglington to show you around the great Christmas markets of Europe! “Aileen has so many years of experience,” says our host Kevin, “and she conjures up the colours, tastes, sounds, feel and above all the smells of a Christmas Market.”  Join Kevin and Aileen for a festive feast! Do visit our website at www.TheTopTravelDestinations.com You can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates:  Instagram: @thetoptraveldestinationsX: @becreativkev

If you have an aversion to the ski slopes - or think you have - join Kevin and Aileen Eglington as they take you for a virtual tour of the pistes. “You can't listen to Aileen without catching her love for all things skiing,” says Kevin, “She really explains how skiing offers more than just an active holiday in the mountains.” It is really one of the most unique holidays you will ever experience.  “And even if you don't ski you can enjoy hiking and a taste of the purest Alpine air while sampling some of the most impressive spa activities to be found anywhere in the world.” Join Aileen and Kevin as they share their love of skiing - it MAY change your mind!    Do visit our website at www.TheTopTravelDestinations.com You can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates:  Instagram: @thetoptraveldestinations X: @becreativkev

We all have that one, unique memory of sharing a unique travel moment with a special friend. And in this episode, Kevin Flanagan recalls his time visiting Rome with his best pal from school. “We had both studied art history for our A levels and this was a very special journey before we both went off to university to study the History of Art proper.”  Kevin recalls it was a really memorable holiday and the occasion of their first visit to St Peter's Basilica in Rome was one of the highlights. “That occasion really summed up the magic of that trip - a sort of pilgrimage to our love of art and its history and the journey we had shared together. Unforgettable!” Do visit our website at www.TheTopTravelDestinations.com You can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates:  Instagram: @thetoptraveldestinations X: @becreativkev

“For me, the volcanoes of Lanzarote are one of the great wonders of the natural world,” says Kevin Flanagan, the voice of The Top Travel Destination, after a trip to the legendary volcanoes. “As a human being, they make you feel so small and insignificant in the face of such vast power. The power that nature uses to form our planet through such volcanic eruptions.”  Kevin found the experience profound yet strangely calming. “The volcanos represent the true wonder of creation and I stood in awe before them. It's a sight all of us should witness.”   Do visit our website at www.TheTopTravelDestinations.com You can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates:  Instagram: @thetoptraveldestinations X: @becreativkev

As editor of the Fine Wine & Food Guide Kevin Flanagan visited some of the best restaurants in the world, including the legendary The Fat Duck by Heston Blumenthal.  In this podcast Kevin describes what it was like to meet the man who helped create the Molecular Gastronomy movement which changed all our perceptions of food.  He also describes eating such iconic dishes as Blumenthal's Bacon & Egg ice cream while drinking his Hot & Cold tea! Just some of the fare that won The Fat Duck the award of best Restaurant in the World! Do visit our website at www.TheTopTravelDestinations.com You can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates:  Instagram: @thetoptraveldestinations X: @becreativkev

Pól Ó Conghaile and Kevin Flanagan pick their top travel destinations in a fascinating back-and-forth conversation that will have you entranced. Pól picks Japan and shares the reasons why he fell in love with this fascinating country, while Kevin picked . . .  well, you'll just have to listen to find out! Do visit our website at www.TheTopTravelDestinations.com You can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates:  Instagram: @thetoptraveldestinations X: @becreativkev

It might be hard to believe for some young people but before the internet everyone used a travel agent when booking their holidays. Then there was a massive shift to DIY bookings. Has there been a comeback in the travel agent business and if so why? You might be surprised by the findings. Do visit our website at www.TheTopTravelDestinations.com You can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates:  Instagram: @thetoptraveldestinations X: @becreativkev

Kevin talks to Deirdre Sweeny as he tries to build up enthusiasm to go on a cruise. Deirdre, who has decades of experience as general manager of Cruise, Worldwide, USA and Niche Holidays at Sunway Holidays, gives several reasons as to why cruising is one of the greatest forms of travel in the world. Is Kevin convinced? Listen to find out! Do visit our website at www.TheTopTravelDestinations.com You can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates:  Instagram: @thetoptraveldestinations X: @becreativkev