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36 maltatoday SUNDAY 31 DECEMBER 2017 Travel TOP TRAVEL DESTINATIONS As Europe's Capital for Culture 2018, Valletta, and by default Malta as a whole, has made it onto many top destination lists for 2018; lists that have been curated by the likes of Lonely Planet, The Business Insider and Travel and Leisure. The following are some of the other countries that have made it onto a number of top destination lists. Where are you travelling to next year? South Korea South Korea is an Asian playground where pop culture, modernity and tradition blend. In its capital, Seoul, you can expect to come across high tech subways and skyscrapers rubbing shoulders with ancient Buddhist tem- ples, palaces and street markets while people walk the streets in fashionable outfits or traditional hanbok. Pyeongchang takes centre stage this winter as it becomes host to the Win- ter Olympics from 9 to 25 February with a new high speed rail line that whisks travellers across the country for the big event in just 70 minutes against a backdrop of the Taebaek Mountains. Aeolian Islands, Italy Long popular with the Maltese seek- ing a boating holiday in the summer, these precious islands to the north of Sicily are slowly reaching international fame, placing them on many of 2018's top destination lists. Shaped by their explosive geology, these seven allur- ing sisters woo visitors with sublime seascapes, volcanic slopes, black-sand beaches, and some of Europe's best coastal walks and dives. Salina island is perhaps the most alluring. Not yet a ce- lebrity like her sisters Stromboli, where Giorgio Armani, Domenico Dolce, and Stefano Gabbana have homes, and Panarea, littered with luxury yachts through the summer, Salina has re- mained blissfully unspoiled. Her steep mountains blanketed in blossoming trees and wildflowers, small villages speckled with olive and lemon groves, fig trees, and miles of terraced Mal- vasia vineyards make for the perfect holiday but get there quick before the tourists start moving in. Uzbekistan Once at the centre of the world, no traveller could get from Europe to Asia without stopping at the Silk Road trad- ing city. The death of the authoritar- ian president Islam Karimov last year has given the country new hopes at a flourishing tourism market. For now the Muslim-majority nation remains a traveller's paradise, affordable and safe, yet still with very few tourists. The capital, Tashkent, was destroyed by an earthquake in 1966, but rebuild- ing started the very next day after the quake. The result is a mish-mash of restored 12th century mosques and classic Russian architecture, Brutal- ist buildings and statues of workers. Uzbekistan is the place to find yourself a bargain. You can pick up handmade ceramics, needlework, silk cloth and miniaturist paintings for just a few dollars in most madrassas, which have largely been transformed into bazaars. Alaska, USA Alaska should be your destination of choice if you burn with the fire of an outdoor spirit. With 20 hours of daylight in the summer you can explore the snow y mountains, spot grizzly bears or follow the path of the Klondike gold rush. Increased f lights from North America and Europe, as well as increased capacity of cruise ships mean Alaska just got a lot more accessible. Huge national parks and even bigger glaciers offer plenty to explore at the very tip of the world. Go whale watching, catch the arouara lights of simply take in some of the world's most spectacular scenery. Tunis, Tunisia Despite being so close to Malta, and so accessible, this is not a destination that Maltese travellers seek. However it has enough charm to make it onto many of 2018's lists and perhaps we should pay more attention. Built on the former capital of the Carthagin- ian empire, Tunis sports a long and varied cultural history that can still be seen in every facet of the city's ar- chitecture, food, and culture. Spend the afternoon exploring the ancient Pyeongchang takes centre stage this February as it becomes host to the Winter Olympics Three quarters of the countries landmass is covered in mountains making Japan an ideal destination for avid skiers. Increased flights from European cities mean that Alaska has become a lot more accessible