Grab a hot chocolate, pull up a pew and check out the top five destinations we have on our must-visit list for spring-summer next year.

1) Dubrovnik, Croatia

Otherwise known as the Pearl of the Adriatic, Dubrovnik, on the extreme southern coast of Croatia, is an incredibly tranquil spot – thanks, in part, to its pedestrian-only Old Town.

Not only is its history and architecture enchanting but its acclaimed summer festival really captures the city’s charm and gives visitors the opportunity to become immersed in its culture.

It’s relatively cheap and easy to take day trips to the likes of Lokrum and the Elaphite Islands, as well as across the border to Montenegro and Bosnia and Hercegovina.

2) Londonderry, Northern Ireland

Synonymous with religious conflict, Northern Ireland has had a bad press over the last couple of decades so hasn’t exactly brought the tourists rushing in.

But the country is changing and, even if you still don’t fancy a trip to Belfast, there are plenty of other parts of this beautiful Emerald Isle to explore.

Top of our list of must-see cities in Northern Ireland is Londonderry, or Derry as it’s also known, which is UK City of Culture 2013.

The walled city is set to invest a significant amount of cash in cultural development to boost tourism and will benefit from new routes introduced by easyJet and Aer Lingus in 2012.

3) Krakow, Poland

For a few years now, Krakow has been slowly earning its stripes – or co-ordinates – on the world tourism map. In fact, it’s become one of the most coveted city break destinations in Europe.

It’s the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland and is still relatively inexpensive for a short break that’s packed with culture.

Perhaps its biggest appeal, and a major draw, is the fact that it remained relatively unscathed during World War II and, as a result, is home to some of the oldest buildings and landmarks in Poland.

4) Edinburgh, Scotland

Edinburgh has really upped its marketing campaign to try and attract new tourism to the city, which is famed for its fantastic Hogmanay Celebrations and summer festivals.

The Scottish capital has more to offer than ever before with no end of highly acclaimed restaurants, pubs and boutique hotels running their own activities and events.

The city has also seen a number of new budget accommodation alternatives, such as StayCity apartments and Motel One, pop during the course of 2012.

5) Hanoi, Vietnam

Vietnam is becoming more and more accessible – especially with Finnair launching direct flights from the UK for 2013.

This exotic city, which combines a symbiotic fusion of old and new, might seem a world away but there are plenty of friendly budget places to eat, drink and stay if you do your research on your home turf first.

Be prepared for a land of contradictions… swarms of motorbikes which frequent the ancient labyrinth of streets known as the Old Quarter, laid back locals and street traders in traditional conical hats and huge mansions on tree-lined avenues inspired by colonial France.

And, finally, don’t forget to keep a close eye on exchange rates in 2013 and keep checking MyTravelMoney.co.uk for the best online deals.

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The island is no more than 1.5 by 0.5km – yet it’s paramount to Scottish history. It was first referred to in the Life of Kentigern, an early biography of the Celtic Saint who is now more commonly known as Mungo and is said to be, among other things, the founder of the city of Glasgow. The scripts were written in 1180 but the first signs of life date back to 2,000BC when the first human settlers descended on Fife. They used the island as a base for hunting seals and fish, leaving behind their flint arrowheads and pieces of pottery.

It was St Adrian, however, who set up the first monastic retreat on the Isle of May in the ninth century. Then, three centuries later, King David I found the monastery which he gifted to the Benedictine Abbey of Reading on the condition that there were also nine priests accommodated there to celebrate the Kings of Scotland. The settlement was disbanded in the 15th century when it was taken over by St Andrew and, gradually, it fell into disrepair. That said, today’s 12th century remains are still a sight to behold.

But the island holds more than just relics of the past. It’s now a Scottish Natural Heritage Nature Reserve and home to a large colony of puffins. Visitors can spend time in the bird hides, in which there is also a live web cam. They might even be lucky enough to see guillemots, cormorants and shags from their secret coastal vantage point, which is also the perfect location for spotting the seals, porpoises, dolphins and wales that swim off the island’s shores. .

Explorers are usually given a good couple of hours to explore and walk the cliffs, as well as visiting the working lighthouse, which is now operated by a photo electric sell since the island’s ‘de-manning’ in 1989. The light, which detects darkness, is monitored via Fife Ness Lighthouse and the National Lighthouse Board in Edinburgh. It’s perhaps just as well, since the island’s history of occupied lighthouses isn’t altogether pleasant. In 1790, an almost entire family was killed by fumes from the coal fire, which consumed nearly 400 tonnes a year. The only member to survive was the lightkeeper’s toddler child, who wasn’t rescued until three days later.

Visitors who’d like a faster-paced trip to the island can take a RIB (rigid inflatable boat) ride across and, after blowing the cobwebs away at 20 knots a time, can get even closer to the wildlife occupying its rocky shores. Some of the other seabirds known to frequent the Isle of May include eiderduck, razorbills, oystercatchers, kittiwakes, arctic terns and herring gulls, while purple sandpipers and curlews can be spotted around the coastline. The best time for seabird watching on the island is April to July, whereas whales and dolphins can be seen between July and August. Grey seals are in abundance all year round.

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