Valentine’s Day and Mardi Gras might be over for another year, but there’s plenty more excitement coming up in March!

Here’s a guide to the top escapes this month, from a vibrant Valencia festival to surfing in sunny South Africa…

Valencia, Spain

From March 15 to 19, Valencia celebrates ‘Las Fallas’; an historical event to honor the beginning of Spring and lighter evenings, which climaxes with a huge ceremonial bonfire at midnight on the 19th.

The dramatic blaze is lit to destroy “ninots” – ornamental wood figures, often in human form – carefully prepared by the town over the previous weeks.

Although humor and irony is a big part of the festival – along with a lot of partying and spectacular, colorful parades – the bonfire is actually an act of purification that marks the start of St. Joseph’s Day.

After the festival celebrations have died down, Valencia remains one of Spain’s most exciting cities, packed with culture – from the 13th century cathedral to the ambitious new Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias – and atmospheric bars. Whilst it’s (rather surprisingly) managed to stay under the radar on the European backpacking trail, it’s nonetheless both accessible and affordable, with a number of Valencia hostels offering cheap beds to visitors throughout the year.

Cape Town, South Africa

Fed up of the dismal weather in the Northern Hemisphere? Then head to one of the coolest backpacking destinations in the world, where there’s certainly no shortage of blue skies and entertainment in March. An up-and-coming party city, Cape Town is also known for its busy harbor and surrounding natural eco-system, the ‘Cape floral kingdom’.

With its beautiful setting in Table Bay, the city is home to some of the best surfing beaches on the continent, thanks to the big, powerful waves that swell in an uniterrupted line all the way from Cape Horn.

Travelers looking for a slightly less strenuous break will find Cape Town is also full of attractions away from the water, from the famous Table Mountain (and the National Park) to the picturesque architecture of the Bo-Kaap (Malay) quarter.

Marrakesh, Morocco

If you don’t fancy the long haul flight to South Africa, Morocco is just a short hop across the ocean from Europe, but has all the sunshine and exotic intrigue of Africa. Marrakesh is Morocco’s top backpacking destination and, with the ancient Medina and sprawling souks (markets), it’s one of the country’s most ‘important’ cities,

Home to dozens of cheap traditional restaurants, shisha (waterpipe) cafes, affordable ‘riads’ (old-fashioned Moroccan guesthouses) such as Riad Khabia, it’s a backpacker’s dream. Outside the increasingly expensive Euro-zone, it’s also a perfect escape for winter sun-seekers on a credit crunch budget.

Explore the narrow, historic streets, bargain for spices in the souks, relax in the exotic Majorelle gardens and enjoy the stalls and street performers of Djemaa El-Fna at the heart of the Medina. The High Atlas Mountains and seaside resort of Essaouira are also a short bus ride away from the city for travelers hoping to see more of Morocco.

Dublin, Ireland

One of the most famous events in March is St. Patrick’s Day! The festival cemmomating Ireland’s patron saint has become a global celebration of Irish culture in the run up to March 17, with green Guinness and leprauchaun jokes to be found right across the globe.

Although there are parties and parades held around the world, the event’s spiritual home is still the Irish capital, Dublin. Aside from the huge parade which winds its way through the city streets on the 17th itself, the festival includes six days of free entertainment and events, including a treasure hunt, fireworks and a funfair in Merrion Square.Head to one of the many traditional pubs around lively Temple Bar for a few pints, dance on the streets…then head back to one of the central Dublin hostels to carry on the party!