Changing scenery seems to change drinking habits. I’ve heard stories of previous lightweights packing away a fair few pints on holiday and sometimes big drinkers tending to fall head over heels for a cocktail rather than their usual dram. I’ve even found myself managing to do the impossible and wake up early after a late night of drinking wine on the streets of Paris. This year, there are copious amounts of places to find yourself with a new drink or to discover a new way of drinking. So whether you’re heading out by private jet, mini bus, or hitchhiking, here’s a guide for the best in booze travel for 2015, because travel broadens the liver.  

New York, USA

Just like London, New York’s craft beer scene is definitely a grower and not a shower. With a host of new breweries opening in several locations such as Queens, the Bronx and Staten Island, bars are stocked full of hoppy local brews. You can take a tour of where it all began in 1996 with Brooklyn Brewery or take a gander at some of the newer imports that you might have seen stocked in your own local.

Cape Town, South Africa

This year, flights to South Africa have never been cheaper due to price fluctuations, which makes it easier to travel below the equator and enjoy a different kind of heat. With a number of rooftop bars, it’s hard to imagine a better way to enjoy Africa from up on a hot balcony overlooking the bustling city. A lot of jazz bars are scattered around, but our eye to catch live rock ‘n’ roll is on Aces and Spades, which is said to be “a good place where bad things happen”.

Uruguay

This South American country flourished under the shadow of the FIFA World Cup in Brazil last year, appealing to travellers seeking better value for money. Locally-sourced drinks and racy concoctions like medio y medio (white wine and champagne) make for an exotic variety of things to put in your mouth. Even if you’re gurgling down a bottle of bespoke rum on the shores and embracing the popular beach scene, you can rest assured that your hangover will be fixed by visiting the home of the world-famous beef processor Fray Bentos.

Barcelona, Spain

Wine lovers and sommeliers will rejoice this year as Barcelona has seen a rise in the number of wine bars popping up all over the Spanish city like a bad case of herpes. The Futuristic bar Monvinic has been described as “the best wine bar in the world”, according to The Wall Street Journal, and features innovative ways of drinking, including a digital wine menu. Wherever you are in Barcelona you can find a wine bar specially catered towards you. Even if wine’s not your thing, there is always a load of bollocks to visit.

Faroe Islands

This year, a solar eclipse will be visible from the Faroe Islands (an archipelago halfway between Denmark and Iceland) on March 20th, which makes a great excuse for partying somewhere scenic. The Islands hold two breweries and every shop and bar is fully stocked with local beer, making our Viking dreams true. Due to the natural spring waters, these islands also produce award-winning vodka and gin. But if clean and prissy isn’t your thing then get a bit more dirty in one of the many burger bars that prove ever so popular in this small destination.

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