If you like Tuscany... you'll love Porto
Boutique hotels, wine lodges, cool bars and sexy spas are springing up across northern Portugal's wine-growing region and your money will go further than in Tuscany. Gateway to the region is the city of Porto, home to stylish guesthouse 6only and bohemian Hotel Teatro. The Yeatman, a luxurious wine lodge with vinothérapie spa, opened last year, while, on the banks of the Douro, stylish Aquapura and romantic Quinta da Romaneira vie to be Portugal's sexiest retreat. British Airways flies to Lisbon from London Heathrow.
If you like Dubai... you'll love Singapore
The new Marina Bay Sands Resort puts the bling into Singapore. The 2,560-bed hotel gives Dubai's glitziest mega-resorts a run for their money with a casino, 50 restaurants, nightclubs and SkyPark (a 150m infinity pool balances atop three 55-storey skyscrapers). Only marginally less spectacular, but arguably more hip, is the rooftop pool and bar at the Fullerton Bay Hotel, opened last summer. Across town in Little India, Loh Lik Peng's 29-room Wanderlust Hotel is causing a stir. Eccentric touches include neon signs, barbershop chairs and a rocket-ship room. BA flies to Singapore from London Heathrow.
If you like Venice... you'll love Dublin
The Irish economy may be struggling but its cultural scene is thriving. Dublin will host its most ambitious visual arts event, Dublin Contemporary, from 6 September to 31 October, with more than 60 artists showing their works. September also sees the return of Culture Night, Dublin's answer to the famous 'white night' festivals of St Petersburg and Paris, when museums and galleries stay open late and offer special events. Carry on the artistic theme by booking into the Merrion Hotel, home to an impressive collection of 19th- and 20th-century art. BA's codeshare partner Aer Lingus flies to Dublin from London Gatwick and London Heathrow.
If you like the Dominican Republic... you'll love Puerto Rico
The launch of BA's direct flights from London has put Puerto Rico — a favoured holiday destination for North Americans — on the map for Europeans. Highlights include atmospheric Old San Juan with its colonial buildings and pulsating salsa bars, lush rainforests and the island of Vieques, where wild ponies roam on white sand beaches. If you like your tropical idyll to come with infinity pools, spa, top-notch cuisine and high-speed internet access, check into the W Retreat & Spa. BA flies to Puerto Rico from London Gatwick.
If you like the Red Sea... you'll love Ibiza
Ibiza is known for its nightlife, but its spectacular sea life is a better kept secret. Padi recently declared the Balearic isle the top dive spot in Europe. With no less than 12 Padi-associated dive centres, and parts of the seabed designated a Unesco World Heritage Site, the island has much to offer amateur and professional divers. Popular dive spots include Sa Pedrera, the islet of Es Vedranell and the wreck of the merchant ship Don Pedro. But the island still knows how to party. The opening of the Ushuaia Ibiza Beach Hotel in June — a combination of beach club, dance venue and stylish hotel - is keeping hedonists happy with its programme of pool parties, top-name DJs and live acts. BA flies to Ibiza from London City (summer only) and London Gatwick.
if you like Paris... you'll love Marseille
There's a real buzz about Marseille as it gears up for its stint as European Capital of Culture in 2013. Work is under way on major projects such as the new Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilisations and the pedestrianisation of the Vieux Port (overseen by British architect Lord Foster), while boutique guesthouses, speciality shops and galleries are springing up in the atmospheric Panier quarter. Next spring, Mama Shelter, a Philippe Starck-designed sister property to the hip Paris hotel of the same name, opens. In the meantime, check into Au Vieux Panier, a 17th-century building, where each of the five guestrooms is designed by a different artist, designer or illustrator, or Pension Edelweiss, where rooms are furnished with antiques and flea-market finds. The recently launched Marseille Provence Greeters scheme offers a real insider's take on the city, with local residents volunteering to show visitors their favourite haunts. BA flies to Marseille from London Gatwick.
