Visit Europe's 'emerging hotspots' on a UK ferry break

Holidaymakers looking for a destination to visit during a future ferry holiday might be interested in a new list of the fastest-growing travel hotspots in Europe.

TripAdvisor compiled the top ten on the basis of user activity on its site in the past year.

People based in Ireland can book crossings with Irish Ferries or Stena Line to visit the two destinations that took the top places in the list - Lacock in Wiltshire and Portreath in Cornwall.

Lacock is home to a famous abbey and has been used as a location for period dramas such as Pride and Prejudice, Moll Flanders and Emma in recent years, while Portreath is a popular surfing hotspot.

Travellers setting off from the British mainland can take ferries from Liverpool to Dublin with P&O or Norfolkline/DFDS Seaways to visit Limerick, which was ranked in eighth place.

All of TripAdvisor's emerging destinations are located in the UK or Ireland, highlighting the rising popularity of the 'staycation' over the past 12 months.

Emma O'Boyle, a spokesperson for the travel site, said: "Although the past year has seen consumer travel confidence grow, setbacks such as the volcanic ash cloud and airline strikes may explain why nine of the top ten emerging hotspots for British travellers are in the UK."

Posted by Mark Robinson