The Top Travel Destinations with Kevin Flanagan

Kevin believes this is one of the great places to visit in the world. “It has everything: spirituality, culture, history and amazing Gaelician food and wine. And if my eleven and nine year old grandkids loved it - it truly is a city for everyone!”  

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Kevin interviews his two grandkids Kuba & Maya as they stand on the beach at the end of the Camino at a place literally called the End of the World! Contact: followthecamino.com for more details

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Kevin describes the surprising joy of doing the Camino and being surprised by joy at the end! Contact: followthecamino.com for more details

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Instagram: ⁠@thetoptraveldestinations⁠

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When I decided to take my grandkids on part of the Camino de Santiago, I had real doubts. Kuba was 11. Maya was 9. And they were used to the good life — Club Med ski trips, lakeside hotels in Limone sul Garda, city breaks in Ghent, Antwerp, and Venice.

This was something else entirely. No screens.Long walks.Rain.Blisters. And a strange atmosphere — pilgrims from all over the world, each carrying something, searching for something… sometimes even God.

I’ll be honest — I wasn’t sure they’d take to it. In fact, I thought they might hate it. But we went anyway. And this is the story of Kuba and Maya on the Camino — it may surprise you!

You can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates: 

Instagram: ⁠@thetoptraveldestinations⁠

X: ⁠@becreativekev

Umberto from www.followthecamino.com tells Kevin all about how to experience one of the most special walks you can do in the world.

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“I was walking through Herbert Park in Dublin, saw the cherry blossom… and suddenly I was back in Tokyo. And with that flashback, I was deep into reliving the wonder of one of the world’s most fascinating destinations.” Kevin shares some of his top moments in Japan.

You can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates: 

Instagram: ⁠@thetoptraveldestinations⁠

X: ⁠@becreativekev

People often ask Kevin what his favourite travel destination is, and his answer often perplexes people. “I’m not sure what they think I’ll pick, but it definitely isn’t Hiroshima!” says Kevin, “I think people associate favourite places with beautiful places like Rome, Paris or Venice, and Hiroshima is indeed beautiful.   Some places—like the Killing Fields in Cambodia, or Auschwitz—they feel like museums.

They hold the past. You walk through them with a sense of what has happened.Hiroshima is different.First, it shows you what human beings are capable of overcoming.

This is a city that was destroyed in an instant—and yet today it’s alive, warm, generous, full of life.But second—and this is what stays with you—it shows you what could happen again. And what more can you expect from travel?

You can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates: 

Instagram: ⁠@thetoptraveldestinations⁠

X: ⁠@becreativekev

As a travel writer Kevin more often travels solo than in company. But that actually reflects a growing trend even among those with families and in committed relationships. In this episode Kevin looks at the benefits of travelling solo whatever your relationship status and whatever the time of year. 

You can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates: 

Instagram: ⁠@thetoptraveldestinations⁠

X: ⁠@becreativekev

In the sixties one of the biggest songs was We’re all going on a Summer Holiday and it marked the annual pilgrimage that all people took: the two week break.

For Kevin and family it was Skegness (few people in the UK travelled abroad then) and it was as unmissable as Christmas. Fast forward to 2026 and the traditional two week summer holiday is becoming a thing of the past. In this episode Kevin looks at the alternatives that even families tied down by school hols are taking. 

You can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates: 

Instagram: ⁠@thetoptraveldestinations⁠

X: ⁠@becreativekev

I haven’t been to Budapest for a while, and that wasn’t about flights or cost—it was about the political system. It just didn’t feel right to go. And now, with change, I can go back. That’s a great feeling.

But it raises a bigger question we all face as travellers: when does a place stop being somewhere you want to visit, even if you still can? It’s not always about safety. Sometimes it’s about conscience. About whether you feel welcome, or whether you’re turning a blind eye to something.

Travel isn’t just movement. It’s a choice. And sometimes, the hardest decision is waiting until it feels right again.

You can also follow The Top Travel Destinations on social media for updates: 

Instagram: ⁠@thetoptraveldestinations⁠

X: ⁠@becreativekev