January is a month for planning ahead; dreaming of deserted beaches; scheming and planning those long evenings and memories that have yet to be made.
First things first; you’ll need a beautiful backdrop; a jaw-dropping setting to colour those family photographs forever.
Here are three destinations that won’t let you down…
The Gourmet Getaway in Nice
You can’t beat the South of France for culinary inspiration. Let your taste buds guide you through local delicacies such as Niçoise Salad, socca (a hot chickpea pancake), farcis (hollowed-out veggies stuffed with meat, garlic and breadcrumbs) – all washed down with local rosé. If a charming terraced apartment overlooking the sea sounds like your idea of heaven, this bolthole on the Promenade des Anglais is ideal for four people and it’s just five minutes from Old Nice restaurants and shops and the Saleya market. It’s available to rent at €144 per night. Fly Dublin to Nice from €81 return with Ryanair.
The Brain Holiday in Coastal Cork
Known as the gourmet capital of Ireland, Kinsale is a town heaving with foodies at the weekend. Base yourself a little outside the action however and you’ll enjoy the best of both worlds, utter relaxation and local food culture, with ease. Just fifteen minutes from Ballymaloe House and the Old Midleton Distillery, this converted barn on a working farm boasts panoramic sea views. Geese, donkeys and hens roam the property, which boasts a log burning stove and local masseuse Fergal O’Connor offers home visits for deep tissue and Indian head massage and other holistic therapies – bliss. The barn sleep four guests at €130 per night.
The Ibiza Camping Trip
Explore beyond the resorts and discover Ibiza’s 70 beautiful beaches, the mysterious rock island of Es Vedra and the Can Marça Caves in a WeDubYou VW camper van. While away your days scuba diving in crystal clear waters and exploring the colourful hippy markets and the nights kicking back with a cold beer from €90 per night for a four-person package – add a hamper packed with local cheese, breads and Champagne for €27. Fly Dublin to Ibiza from €109 return with Ryanair. Browse WeDubYou camper vans here.
The Croatian Escape
If you like to vacation en famille, invite Granny and Grandad for a week of lighthouse living in Istria, Croatia. Villa Negroponte is a newly restored, luxury eco-lighthouse with four bedrooms (sleeping eight) three bathrooms, and an acre of walled garden. There’s a barbecue for those fresh fish feasts and WiFi for the teens. You can even explore using the owner’s Jeep. Easyjet flies Dublin to Pula via Gatwick and you can book a week in Villa Negroponte from €225 per person.
The Cornwall Retreat
Riverside Cabin is set in a woodland garden, with a firepit for outdoor cooking, swings and a stream to paddle in. A rustic Cornish getaway, this hidden gem is truly peaceful, yet only 15 minutes from the thriving seaside town of Falmouth, and the creeks and fishing villages of the Beautiful Helford River and the Lizard peninsula. Fly Dublin to Newquay from €160 return with Aer Lingus. Riverside Cabin sleeps four at €87 per night.
