Getting Around...

London is the obvious choice being a city with a vast array on offer in terms of sights and sounds. Apart from the obvious Big Ben, London Bridge, and Trafalgar Square, London has the art galleries, like the Tate Gallery, the Tate Modern and White Cube. You can check out The Photographers Gallery for free, in Charing Cross. There are some reputable antique markets too - try and venture to Portobello Market on Sundays, for lace vintage ball gowns, 70s boots and old records for your vinyl collection. There’s a restaurant for every type of cuisine: Falafel, Thai, Malaysian, sushi, and burgers. Camden Loch has some interesting second-hand treats, although much is dominated by the niche Goth and Rocker scene. Nightlife is crackling with energy - try The End for dance music, the 100 Club for small venue gritty rock ‘n’ roll and Notting Hill Arts Club for everything else like dub, reggae and the latest pop acts.

Brighton is referred to as ‘London-on-Sea’, and you can see why: the fashion style is very urban and slick and has the kind of diversity and spread of music venues that London has. The Komedia has live stand-up comedy, and indie acts, or there’s the Concorde 2, which is bigger and more commercial. The Ocean Rooms holds drum n bass and hip hop nights in an upmarket club. You might like to walk to pretty Hove along the coast, for a scenic stroll. Don’t forget to have a wander on the pier though – it’s full of kitsch fairground fun, arcades and toffee-apples. Also grab a deckchair and sit on the beach with traditional fish and chips, or a tub of cockles for a traditional taste of English seaside life. Brighton has many seafront hotels. For something fun and a little decadent, try The Sea Spray Themed Hotel, who boast a different theme for every room, which include murals of Marylyn Monroe.

Manchester is up there with the cosmopolitan cities, with a great history of music and football. There’s the epic Old Trafford football stadium to visit, which should be a must for any tourist. For shopping there’s Harvey Nichols and Selfridges and for clubbing and nightlife there’s an overwhelming amount of bars or clubs. The Manchester set do it in-style so remember to glam up and indulge in five-star cocktails try Dukes 92 or Cocoa Rooms or the Moet Bar stationed at Harvey Nichols. Music is key to the city – for new emerging bands, venture to small venues like Bierkeller, the Roadhouse, and Night and Day Cafe. For some art and culture, check out Daniel Libeskind’s War Museum North, and the Manchester art Gallery. If you want some old history then head to the Manchester Cathedral and discover one of the city's medieval monument. For cheap flights to Manchester try Fly Monarch, for no-fuss direct travel.

Ireland plays host to some of the best landscapes in Europe, with a wild coastline and endless green fields. The Emerald Isle may be rained on a fair bit, but there is a lot of variety on this one island, which makes it a desirable place for tourists and travellers. Getting around Ireland is easy if you are driving, and it allows you access to the more remote villages and towns. Holiday Autos is a good place to browse car hire options and can easily be arranged online; however there are also plenty of coach and bus services to take you from town to town. Have a look at HostelBookers for a list of hostels you can check into as you travel that won’t be as pricey as local bed and breakfasts. Alternatively, you can look for Dublin hotels at Hotel 247.

You could start your trip at Connemara in County Galway for some stunning scenery that is hard to beat, with mountains and white-sanded beaches, one of the prettiest being White Strand Beach. Some areas keep Gaelic as their spoken tongue and Catholocism is literally imbedded in the hills. Driving through the twisty roads you can expect to see statues of the Virgin Mary standing in the mouths of the rocks. To get into the spirit of Gaelic nightlife, try one of the small, but fun bars in the town like Aras na Gael on Dominick Street for fiddles, dancing and general good-time ‘craic’.

Galway Bay is a little further along the coast and just as awesome as Connemara, It was much loved and romanticised by the Irish poet Yeats, who drew inspiration for his work from the landscape. You should certainly try and arrive in time for the Oyster Festival, which happens every September. You can join in with the rowdy Mardi Gras party, watch the Guinness World Oyster Opening Championship and sample the dozens of delicious oysters served up.

In the northeast is Tuam, a small town that dates back to the Bronze Age, when it was used as a burial ground. The St. Mary's Cathedral is one of the iconic buildings worth seeing - it was mainly built up in the nineteenth-century, but its ruins go all the way back to the twelfth-century. The tell-tale signs are in the Romanesque arch and ornamented cross near one of its doors. Nightlife isn’t as cosmopolitan as some Irish towns, as Tuam is fairly remote, but there are some small pubs with lots of charm. Head to the centre and try Maloney’s Bar and Restaurant where you can sit at the bar and await your pint of expertly-poured Guinness in a fun, local setting.

Try not to forget your travel insurance when you’re trekking around this countryside - make it part of your pre-planning and browse AA Travel’s website for a variety of insurance packages to suit different holidays. To get to Ireland by air, check out Aer Arann, who have direct flights to Dublin, to get you settled in at Ireland’s central point.