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Hip holidays for 2004

by Laura Begley

Looking for Hip Holiday ideas for 2006? Click here

1. Andalucia, Spain
The coast of Andalucia - stretching from the Costa de la Luz to the Costa del Sol - is the answer to the South of France. From Cádiz (the oldest city in Europe) to club-filled Marbella to Málaga (location of a new Picasso museum), Spain's southernmost coast offers that magical combination of low prices and high style. The beach resort of Tarifa, just a stone's throw from Morocco, is tipped to be the next St. Tropez, while the fashionable town of Jerez de la Frontera - a haven for flamenco dancers and sherry drinkers - is like a mini Aix-en-Provence. www.andalucia.com

2. Estonia
Prague and Budapest are so last century. The newest Eastern-bloc nation to hit the holiday scene is Estonia, where Communism ended little more than a decade ago. There are beaches and spas on the Baltic coast (not to mention magical offshore islets), plus pine forests in the south and castles up north. The seaside capital of Tallinn is known for its thriving club scene. Its groovy, new Three Sisters hotel, made up of three connected medieval buildings in the old quarter, houses all the hipsters. www.visitestonia.com

3. Sicily
Always on the vanguard, design duo Dolce and Gabbana recently launched a fragrance named after one of their favourite places (and Domenico Dolce's hometown): Sicily. Perfect timing, as everybody's buzzing about this Italian island, now that the notorious Sicilian mob has been put behind bars. With influences ranging from Greek to Arabic, Sicily has a perfect balance of tradition (fishing boats, religious festivals) and modern flash, especially in the ancient port town of Palermo. www.sicilytourist.net

4. Mykonos
The island that everyone in Europe loved to trash is back on the fashionista map. And now there's even an outpost of Nobu to entertain A-listers like Thierry Mugler and Madonna. In the past, everyone spent the day preening at the beach club, Paradise. Now, it's been outdone by the nearby Superparadise. After early-evening taverna hopping, follow the cool crowd to the white-on-white Belvedere Hotel for cocktails on the terrace. www.mykonos-greece.biz

5. Seychelles
An archipelago off the east coast of Africa, the Seychelles is suddenly in the limelight, thanks to a cluster of glam new resorts and visitors like Paul and Heather McCartney. (Local rumour has it that Becks vacationed here recently, sans the missus ? but nobody on these very private islands is willing to spill any secrets.) With near-perfect temperatures, celebrities visit year-round, island hopping by helicopter to hideaways such as North Island, which has 14 super-luxurious villas for rent. www.aspureasitgets.com