Where to go when planner

Go further this year

You'll never be stuck for ideas with our inspirational planner giving the low-down on where's hot to go, what's fun to do, and when! Whether it's tropical climes, mountain treks or cultural tours you're dreaming of, we match up the best destinations with the best range of maps, guidebooks and travel literature from our unrivalled stocks!

For further inspiration, check out Dorling Kindersley's Eyewitness Travel: Where to Go When, Lonely Planet's Bluelist 2008, Rough Guides' Make the Most of Your Time on Earth and Lonely Planet's A Year of Adventures.

Be inspired...

January

After all the festivities, January can feel like an anticlimax, especially if you live in the northern hemisphere. Escape the gloom to warmer climes such as Thailand or Cuba, or embrace the chill at the South Pole on your very own Antarctic expedition. And if you still haven't done enough celebrating, join the festivities in Ethiopia, where they celebrate Christmas on 6-7 January.

February

It's carnival month! Catch the world-famous carneval in Brazil – don’t forget to buy the "Brazil Handbook" before you go! Closer to home, catch a different sort of carnival in Venice. If you’d rather chill out in the sun than all this partying, then head for the Canary Islands, with our extensive range of guides and maps to each and every isle. Or take a good guidebook to Egypt and investigate the sights of the country, which is also presently baking under glorious sunshine…

March

March is the perfect time for those city breaks, with cool strolling weather and crowd-less streets. So check out our selection of the best maps, guides and travel literature to each of the cities we think are top destinations for this month. Catch the popular St Patrick’s Day Parade in New York City, spend a weekend in London, see how East meets West in Istanbul or get some sun in Cape Town...

April

Find the spring in your step as April is the month for walking, trekking and canyoning… see our selection of the destinations we think are great for these activities, and more! Head to the Sierra Nevada of southern Spain, the High Atlas of Morocco, or stay closer to home with a break in the Lake District…or for something completely different, Jordan offers amazing canyoning opportunities. And Stanfords of course provides the best range of maps and guides to all of these destinations!

May

May is an exciting month for travel, with the weather warming up around the northern hemisphere, making many destinations appealing once more, yet still cool enough for exploration. So embark on a journey of a lifetime across Japan in a bullet train, or rev up for a USA road trip. Closer to home, take a city break in the 2008 European Capital of Culture, Liverpool, or the German capital, Berlin.

June

The tail end of the dry season offers the most likely tiger sightings in India. Head for the foothills of the western Himalayas to Corbett National Park in the state of Uttaranchal – home to around 10% of India’s 1,500 tigers. By visiting now, you have the most chance of spotting one of the beasts as the forest has died back, waterholes are in short supply and grass cover is limited due to winter burn-offs.

July

Catch the Tour de France as it swoops through the stunning French Alps for a few days in July. The cyclists grind up enormous climbs and hairpin bends and then plummet down spectacular mountain sides, reaching speeds of 100kph. Have a go yourself by hiring mountain bikes, or stick to good old hiking boots and trek your way through the highest mountains in Western Europe.

August

Plan the holiday of a lifetime: attend the greatest spectacle on Earth - the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games – and explore the beautiful capital of China. The country is already going crazy for the Games, as for the past few years there has been a countdown clock installed in Tiananmen Square and souvenirs of every description sold. The Games are being held between 8–24 August and China has promised to make them the best ever.

September

What a wonderful time to visit Madeira, the beautiful Portuguese island in the Atlantic. The weather is at its best and the countryside is looking stunning, yet the crowds have dispersed. There are also some lively wine festivals worth seeking out in Funchal and Estreito de Câmara de Lobos.

October

New England , the beautiful northern region of the USA, is well-known for its brilliant autumns that are a fantastic time to drive romantically through mountains blanketed with gold, orange and red foliage. Explore pretty villages with their steepled churches; find the home of Mark Twain; browse antique shops, and admire vineyards. Get back to the hustle and bustle in Providence - the capital city - or Boston – the birthplace of the American Revolution.

November

In Zambia, the Zambesi River rapids are running at their strongest, making Victoria Falls their most breathtaking. Some of the world’s best white-water rafting is on offer with the Zambesi River below the falls said to have the highest concentration of grade-five rapids on Earth! Or if you prefer dry ground, go on a safari - Zambia is the land of the legendary African walking safari: big game, abundant birdlife, and raw wilderness are what you can expect.

December

Where better to spend Christmas than the land where Father Christmas lives? In Scandinavia, Sweden, Norway and Denmark, along with the Nordic countries of Finland and Iceland, all make festive destinations at this time of year, with almost guaranteed snow, Christmas markets and all sorts of regional traditions to get involved in. And if you’re really lucky, you might even catch a glimpse of the jolly man in the red suit…

Where to go...

...and have a look at our Stanfords' tales for more!

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