By the second week of the New Year it's a fair bet that any after-effects of New Year's Eve partying will have worn off - unless you're in the Gwaun Valley in West Wales, where you'll just be gearing up for the New Year celebrations in mid-January.

Antequera, the lovely historic town which stands right in the centre of Andalucía. Is home to the remarkable dolmens of Menga and Viera, which are just outside the town, and El Romeral, a few kilometres away, are among the largest and most interesting megalithic structures in Europe.  They were recently accepted as a Unesco World Heritage Site, something that local people and historians and archaeologists from all over the world had been wanting for years.

Home to surfing communities, rugged mountain ranges and one very famous opera house, New South Wales (NSW) encapsulates all that's great about life Down Under. And this time of year is when it really shines, with a rich calendar of events to enjoy. the main focus is a culinary one, with no fewer than six dedicated food and drink festivals taking place, including the city-wide Sydney Good Food Month throughout October. Meanwhile, 777 miles to the north, the ten-day Byron Bay Film Festival - now in its tenth year - will kick off in October. 

Treat yourself to lashings of festive cheer by enjoying a Welsh Christmas with all the trimmings. With a slew of open-air Ice rinks, Christmas markets, Santas' grottos and cherry shopping experiences (phew!), Wales has plenty to offer anyone seeking a bit of Chrimbo va-va-voom.

Victorian Christmas

Rewind to Victorian time with a visit to Penrhyn Castle, Bangor, December. Opulent rooms will be decked out in festive decorations and carol singing will echo through the halls. Glug back some hot punch and munch on roasted chestnuts to get that cosy festival feeling.

A trip to Brighton's pebbly beach and famous pier can be whatever you make it. Goggle at the bizarrely Taj Mahalesque Pavilion or have a debauched night out in one of the many bars and clubs. Brighton attracts different tribes: there's a thriving gay scene, it's a hub for stag and hen parties and a strong 'alternative' element makes its presence felt through amazing health food and hippy shops.

"Drive it like you stole it," reads the slogan on the barman's t-shirt, a message that seems to sum up Beirut's chaotic driving culture, where traffic lights are ignored and seatbelts are for wimps.  Traffic-choked it might be but the multi-laned highways are loaded with flashy and retro rides: think Ferraris, Lamborghinis, 1960s Cadillac's and Chevys.

Pristine snow-capped peaks spread out on all sides as the ski lift takes us higher and higher up into the French Alps. The mountains are grand, stunning and peaceful all at once, but stunning and peaceful all at once, but their impressive size is making me feel like a tiny ant beneath the Eiffel Tower. After all, these are some of the highest in Europe with 80 per cent of the ski area above 1800m.

Set in the valley of Zillertal in Tirrol, Austria, is the scenic town of Mayrhofen;  a top destination for the ski season, and a delight during the summer months, thanks to an abundance of flora and fauna.

Japan is a land of great natural beauty and there are plenty of remote walking trails to get you amongst it all. The Kunisaki Trek is one of the best: you can follow in the footsteps of Monks who have wandered the mountains of the Kunisaki Peninsula for more than 1,000 years.

Home to surfing communities, rugged mountain ranges and one very famous opera house, New South Wales (NSW) encapsulates all that's great about life Down Under. And this time of year is when it really shines, with a rich calendar of events to enjoy. the main focus is a culinary one, with no fewer than six dedicated food and drink festivals taking place, including the city-wide Sydney Good Food Month throughout October (www.goodfoodmonth.com/sydney).