If you only ever pass through (or around) Birmingham whilst travelling between the north and south, or east and west, then it is time to explore the UK’s second largest city and the West Midlands.

Located in the heart of England, Birmingham’s centre is a shopper’s paradise with the infamous Bullring Shopping Centre, The Mail Box and markets, but add a hire car and the city’s surrounding countryside is beautiful!

Birmingham International Airport is eight miles to the east of the city centre and is situated close to the motorway network including the M1, M6, M6 Toll, M40 and M5. Scheduled and charter flights fly in and out of Birmingham Airport with Coventry Airport just 20 miles further and offering an excellent alternative with an extensive choice of low cost flights. Car hire can be collected at either Birmingham or Coventry airports with the Birmingham car rental desks being located in the Millennium Link Building between Terminals One and Two.

Birmingham is a modern city but as an industrial hub and central location in England, is steeped in history.  There are many museums, art galleries and events, with the largest exhibition centre being adjacent to Birmingham Airport, the NEC (National Exhibition Centre). Nightlife in Birmingham is cultural with productions at the Alexandra Theatre and Birmingham Repertory Theatre or you can choose to go to the Opera, the Symphony Orchestra or the Ballet.

Football fanatics can watch either Aston Villa or Birmingham City play, with cricket lovers spending the summer at Edgbaston, home of Warwickshire County Cricket.  Cadbury World and Alton Towers Theme Parks are great attractions for all the family to enjoy staying in Birmingham and are easy to drive to by hire.

Hiring a car in Birmingham opens up a world of adventure!  Stratford upon Avon is 50 miles from the city where you can visit Shakespeare’s Birthplace on Henley Street, or Anne Hathaway’s Cottage in nearby Shottery. Ice cream in Henley on Arden is a favourite of mine! Warwick Castle is about 45 minutes drive from Birmingham and is a magnificent location and well tendered attraction where you can retrace the steps of those many hundreds of years ago.

Another favourite is walking along the canals which lead from Birmingham to Tipton and then onto Wolverhampton. Take a stroll, walk the dog, cycle along the towpaths or fish, visit the Gas Street Basin or try your hand at boating.

For lovely countryside, head to the Lickey Hills Country Park for views from Beacon Hill of Birmingham and the Black Country, or to the wonderful Malvern Hills and Commons which are excellent for orienteering, hang gliding, mountain biking, kite flying, walking and horse riding.

So what will January 2010 have in store for you?

For January holiday ideas how about a relaxing January holiday in the sun or a sporting January holiday in the snow? A city break for January shopping or a spa break in a luxury hotel?

Already (30 November) Canada is reporting superb snow conditions in Kicking Horse and Fernie with ski resorts in the USA opening in the next few weeks. By January you can almost confirm that there will be fantastic snow in North America for skiing and snowboarding, but do be prepared for the cold weather with extra thermals!

In Europe the snow has started to fall and for January ski holidays you should be able to have the pick of almost any ski resort…  Norway and Sweden are perfect for family skiing holidays in January, with France, Austria and Switzerland offering a mixture of popular ski resorts and quaint characterful villages in the Alps and surrounding mountain ranges.

From ice to sun!  How about a luxury January holiday on the gorgeous Indian Ocean island of Mauritius off the south east coast of Africa, to escape the winter in Europe? January in Mauritius is part of the summer season but head to the east coast and the beautiful Belle Mare Beach (home to many luxury spa resort hotels), is where you should enjoy a cooling breeze. Dramatic forests combine with white sandy lagoons and staggering long soft stretches of beaches in Mauritius, perfect for relaxing family holidays or romantic honeymoons. Visit the Black River Gorges National Park, hike the Central Plateau and Black River, picnic on Blue Bay Beach or take a gentle stroll along the coast at Trou aux Biches.

For a January city break idea, how about historic St Petersburg in Russia, close to the Baltic Sea? There will be a guaranteed chill in the air, but wrap up as warm as the natives, and you’ll have no problem exploring the State Hermitage area on the River Neva, shopping in Nevsky Prospekt, visiting the breath taking Russian Orthodox cathedrals with a break at the Vodka Museum.

A January holiday idea closer to home, could mean spending a weekend break in London, England’s capital. Prebook tickets to ice skate at Somerset House, Hampton Court or at the Tower of London Ice Rinks, or tickets for a show or lively Christmas pantomime! Join the shoppers in Oxford Street and Regent Street for the January Sales or whilst in London in January, take a tour along the River Thames, followed by a visit to one of the city’s magnificent museums such as the Science Museum or Natural Museum.

The Canary Islands and Madeira are only a few hours flight away from the UK and during January are popular spots for a little warmth and wide empty beaches too.

A beautiful and romantic location any time of the year, the Italian Lakes  – Italy’s Lake District – are located in the far north of Italy close to the Alps and Italy’s borders with France, Austria and Switzerland.

Expect breathtaking backdrops of snow topped mountains overlooking the shimmering lakes, dotted with small towns and pretty villages of historic villas, quaint lakeside restaurants and winding paths leading to hidden boutiques and Italian cafes.

Lake Como, Lake Garda and Lake Maggiore are the most popular Italian lakes but Lake Iseo, Lake Orta and Lake Lugano are part of the group too and as beautiful; each holds its own charm and character.

The largest Italian lake with over 150 km of shoreline is the picturesque Lake Garda (Lago di Garda), located about 20 miles from Verona, 80 miles from Milan and around 100 miles from Venice (plenty of opportunities for multi centre holidays). To the south of the Lake Garda is Sirmione, a fortified town and home of the spectacular 13th century Scaliger Castle, and Desenzano del Garda, a pretty and lively town with three large beaches, a good nightlife, plenty of restaurants and a superb choice of hotel accommodation.  To the west of the lake is the Gardone Riviera and Limone, with Riva del Garda at the far north tip. Along the east coast of Lake Garda (north to south) is located Torbole, Malcesine and Garda.

Lake Como or Lago di Como is the third largest lake in Italy after Lake Maggiore and has been a popular location for the rich and famous to live for thousands of years!  Currently Lake Como is home to George Clooney, although Madonna, Gianni Versace and Sylvester Stallone are thought to have homes there too. Shaped like the letter “Y”, Como is located at the end of the south west branch, with Lecco on the eastern shores of the eastern branch.  Bellagio, Menaggio and Varenna are all located around the central join of the three branches. 

As with the northern Lakes of Italy, Lake Maggiore boasts a mild climate, although is better known for the beautiful, exotic and rare plants that grown there. Visit the gardens at the Villa Taranto in Verbania and the gardens above Stresa for excellent examples, during the warm months. There are many islands in Lake Maggiore including the Borromean Islands and Brissago Islands which can be visited by boat.

Hiring a car from one of the major airports in northern Italy means that you have the ideal opportunity to visit more than one lake, although once based in your chosen accommodation travel across the lakes is usually simple by passenger ferry (do watch out for the correct times home).  Northern Italy has so much to offer and the lakes can be part of a two centre holiday enjoying a shopping break in Milan or romantic stay in Venice.

Winter and spring is the ideal time to travel by ferry, as passenger numbers are less than the peak summer months, the ferries are quieter, the queues are reduced and of course, cheap ferry crossings are available in abundance.

You may be considering visiting friends or relatives abroad during the festive Christmas and New Year period and want to load up the car with presents, looking for a budget priced short break abroad pre Christmas or you may be looking to book your cheap ferry crossing for your summer holiday next year.

Norfolk Line have a 5 Day Discount fare with a reduction of £5 each way for travel completed by 11 December 2009 from Dover to Dunkirk. Get the 8pm crossing on 2nd December and return at 8.01pm on Sunday 6 December and the low cost ferry crossing starts from a mere £33.00 including fuel surcharge and £1 visa debit card fee for four passengers and a car up to 5 metres long.

P&O Ferries are offering cheap fares from £25 each way travelling from Dover to Calais for a car and up to 9 passengers, including all taxes, and day trips from £20 return. Book the 8.30am crossing on Wednesday 9 December and return later that day at 6.25pm with a car and 4 passengers for £20 return.

If you’d rather stay in the UK, Red Funnel Ferries will sail you in one of their car ferries between Southampton and East Cowes in the north of the Isle of Wight from just £16 each way based on one night stay. Red Funnel are also offering up to 50% off ferry travel during the Christmas period, and a Camping Offer for pitch and ferry from £104 too.

For ferry travel from England and Wales to Ireland, Stena Line are offering low cost Christmas deals from £69 each way travelling mid week for a car and driver on the Superferry from Fishguard to Rosslare and Holyhead to Dublin Port. There are also offers from Holyhead to Dun Laoghaire, Stranraer to Belfast and Fleetwood (near Blackpool) to Larne. How about a winter break in Holland from £49 each way from Harwich?

Take your car away with you this Christmas with DFDS Seaways if you live in the north of the UK, with ferry trips from Newcastle to Holland from £139 each way for a car and two passengers each way, and Harwich to Esbjerg in Denmark from £232 each way.

All dates, availability and prices may vary, but were correct on 23rd November 2009 based on booking ferry travel online.

In a little over an hour, you can fly from the UK into the cosmopolitan city of Amsterdam capital of Holland and the Netherlands, or within two hours you can travel by train directly from London. The perfect location to visit any day of the year, rain or shine, an Amsterdam city break holiday is the ideal location to spend a few nights or to explore and use as a base for a few weeks.

Amsterdam is just two meters above sea level and is of course famous for its many canals, which branch off the river Amstel. The houses and shops lining the canals tend to be very narrow and deep, so if staying in a town house hotel, don’t expect the rooms to be very wide. Hotels in Amsterdam however, are available in abundance with over 40% being four or five star accommodation.

During your short break in Amsterdam, enjoy the plethora of museums including the Rijksmuseum on het Museumplein, the Anne Frank House, the Van Gogh Museum and Hermitage Amsterdam, as well as the many diamond museums too.  The historical architecture throughout the city is phenomenal, with the oldest building dating back to the early 1300s, namely the Oude Kerk or Old Church. Het Houten Huys is the oldest wooden building, whilst you will also discover buildings reminiscent of the Renaissance period, with a trip to the beautiful Royal Palace on Dam Square is a “must” visit!

There are many cafes, pubs and bars in the city too, where you can rest your weary feet or recharge your batteries in preparation for the next round of shops and sights. In Amsterdam, wander round the De Bijenkorf and Maison de Bonneterie department stores or explore the designer stores along Pieter Cornelisz Hoofstraat near Vondelpark.

Travelling around Amsterdam is easy by foot, but if the weather is good, why not join the locals by hiring a bike and cycling along the many bike paths available. Bike tours are a great way to explore Amsterdam!

Whilst the Rossebuurt is one of the oldest and prettiest areas of Amsterdam city centre, it is otherwise known as the Red Light District. Not for the faint hearted, the narrow winding cobbled streets are lined with 14 century architecture and rather interesting shop window displays!

Hire a car whilst on holiday in Amsterdam and take trips out of the city. Discover the nearby historic market towns of Edam and Haarlem, or the many sandy North Sea beaches such as Beach IJmuidenn aan Zee, trendy Bloemendaal and the long shores of Zandvoort.