Up and coming: travelling Europe in 2013

2013 is around the corner, are you planning a trip around Europe? If you're after culture, festivals and parties? No problem. Historical sights, cutting-edge galleries and top-rated museums? No problem. There's no time for a staycation this year, pack your bags, because we're about to take a trip to the best Europe has to offer next year.

Belfast

Belfast on the radar for 2013? It was just over a century ago that the ill-fated Titanic left Belfast. Today you can visit the Harland and Wolff Shipyard where the world's most luxurious cruiseliner was built. It has been revamped as the city's Titanic Quarter with a spectacular Titanic Belfast Complex which includes memoralbelia and artefacts rescued from the sinking site.

Corsica

This little slice of France has been a long time favourite for beach goers but Corsica is about to get a whole lot more exciting. This island sits in the Mediterranean just a few hundred kilometres from mainland France. While Nice and the Cote d'Azur are packed in summer, Corsica is surpisingly quiet... until now. For the first time ever, Corsica will host a leg of the Tour de France from June 29th to July 21st. The island will host the opening ceremony of the 100th Tour de France so you can expect one major party!

Innsbruck

Most visiting Austria will always head to the capital. Vienna is always stealing the thunder but Innsbruck deserves a chance as well. It's surrounded by the gorgeous Alps and offers great access to a number of ski resorts. Get on the funicular in the city centre and ride it up to a wintery wonderland. This year the city will host the 20th Billabong Air & Style if you want to catch the best boarders in the world showing their stuff.

Reykjavik

Iceland may not be the most affordable countries in Europe but we promise, a trip to Reykjavik is worth it! It's a culture hot-spot and offers world-class opera and symphony orchestras, not just volcanoes and age-old glaciers. The Harpa Reykjavik Concert Hall is where it's all at. Plus, this winter and next are expected to be the best times to see the nortern lights this decade so don't miss out.

Where will you be heading in 2013?

Image: Terence S. Jones, Bemjamin Dumas / Flick cc.