travel article 2023

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The Best Places to Travel in 2023

From Madrid to Montenegro, Turkey to Transylvania, Vienna to Venice...our curated list of the best places to visit now.

Your next trip should be:

Madrid, la maxima….

Because four new five-star hotels can't be wrong.

Madrid may not have the sheer beauty of Paris or the antiquity of Athens or Rome. Its appeal has long been what writer Julia Reed once called its “elegant conservatism”—and unmatched nightlife. (“In Madrid,” Hemingway said, “nobody goes to bed until they have killed the night.”) It’s still true, but these days there’s a new temblor de emoción , a flutter of emotion (the closest Spanish comes to the word excitement ). “Remember, in the 1980s, after Franco died, how Madrid was the place to be?” says Virginia Irurita, of Made in Spain and Portugal, who lives in Madrid. “With La Movida, the painters, Almodóvar? That’s how Madrileños feel now.”

The city’s cultural cachet (not that it needed more) is building: A fifth UNESCO World Heritage Site has been anointed (the tree-lined Paseo del Prado and the adjoining El Retiro, a 17th-century palace garden). Next summer Madrid’s Royal Palace (the largest in Europe) will open a new annex for the Museum of the Royal Collections. And the Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum has not one but two blockbuster shows planned for 2023: Picasso and Lucian Freud.

New high-end hotels, always a bellwether, have sprouted—five of them: the Four Seasons Madrid on central Calle Sevilla; an acclaimed total makeover of the storied but Miss-Havisham-like Ritz, now the Mandarin Oriental Ritz ; the Edition , where the suites are among the finest in the city and there’s a rooftop pool, a rarity here; the former residence of the Duke of Santo Mauro in Chamberí is now a 49-room Marriott Luxury Collection hotel ; and the rebirth, in the Salamanca shopping district, of the Villa Magna as a Rosewood. Locals still treat it as a fashionable clubhouse; come for an emceed, G&T-powered scene. By Mark Ellwood. To book a trip to Spain: Virginia Irurita, Virginia@ madeforspainandportugal.com ; Jack Ezon, Jack@ embarkbeyond.com

On Our Radar Spain's Balearic islands just get better. Everyone's abuzz about the April opening in Majorca of the new Son Net , a 17th-century estate in a bucolic setting 15 minutes by car from Palma that has been restored and transformed into a 31-room hotel by the masterminds behind Andalucia's Finca Cortesin . Enough said.

Royal Romania…

Because the king of England will open his home to you.

The king of England’s real estate portfolio is worth billions. There is the verdant paradise at Highgrove and 192 acres of bucolic bliss at Llwynywermod in Wales. Now he has Sandringham and Balmoral, too. But where does a sovereign go to really unplug? Romania, apparently, where King Charles owns two homes in Transylvania—yes, of Dracula fame. One of them he turned into a center for traditional crafts; the other, his private country residence in Valea Zalanului , becomes a seven-room B&B when he isn’t around.

A grand pile this is not, and that is by design—all local antiques and textiles. No TV, no WiFi, just horseback rides, nature walks, and convivial dinners during which you might drop in this fun fact: Charles is a descendant of Vlad the Impaler (so named for his preferred method of execution), who inspired Bram Stoker’s tale about history’s most famous vampire. By Leena Kim. To book a trip to Romania : Raluca Spiac , raluca@ beyonddracula.com

The Literary Maldives...

Because who says a tropical resort can't be the ultimate party school?

Sonu Shivdasani, the founder of Soneva resorts, was turning his properties into exemplars of environmental sustainability long before it was fashionable to do so. His latest stroke of genius: bringing the Jaipur Literary Festival to the lush, beach-ringed island of Kunfunadhoo, in Baa Atoll in the Maldives—home of Soneva Fushi .

The JLF in Jaipur attracts thousands of attendees and is streamed to 10 million viewers worldwide; at Soneva Fushi’s inaugural festival last May, there were 120 attendees, spread out over 10 days (minimum stay is four days). Which meant attendees had direct access to the 34 renowned writers and artists (including filmmaker Mira Nair, novelist André Aciman, and Oxford historian Peter Frankopan). We all resided in solitary splendor (Soneva Fushi has 64 private, butlered villas), but we had meals and gala dinners together (barefoot) as well as keynote lectures, panel discussions, and musical performances.

There were sunset champagne cruises to a sandbank, movie nights, and dancing. I left with new friends and a notebook full of ideas—about as vivifying as travel can get. JLF Soneva Fushi 2023 runs May 12–21.One speaker will be Priyamvada Natarajan, a professor in the departments of astronomy and physics at Yale whose specialty is the nature of dark matter and black holes. Just the thing to ponder in paradise. By Klara Glowczewska . To Book : Soneva.com

On Our Radar The Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavara has launched a trainee marine biologist program for teenagers. Six full-day modules are offered (you can choose as many as you like), working with scientists studying such topics as manta rays, turtles, coral, and the secret lives of plankton.

A Scottish Surprise…

Because you'll like the fresh takes—even on haggis.

The second haggis came as a surprise. On my first night in Scotland, ordering chef Mark Greenaway’s elegant version of the country’s most famous (and often derided) dish seemed like a leap into the gastronomic deep end, something to try to get the full experience of the place. On the next night it was just because I liked it. That kind of reconsideration of classics is what’s most exciting about Scotland right now. Sure, castles, lochs, and misty mountains abound. But Glasgow and Edinburgh are sophisticated cities with extraordinary dining and cutting-edge culture around every corner. Last summer Edinburgh’s Festival Fringe celebrated its 75th anniversary with 3,300 performances by artists from 63 countries;at the Edinburgh International Festival, Gabriel Byrne premiered his one-man show, Walking with Ghosts , which recently moved to Broadway. On leafy St. Andrew Square, Gleneagles has opened its first urban property, Gleneagles Townhouse , with a member’s club and rooftop bar.

Dean Banks, the MasterChef veteran who runs fine-dining destinations including the Pompadour at the Waldorf Astoria Edinburgh , is quick to call out other new favorites, such as the Finnieston in Glasgow, which specializes in sustainable seafood, and Monachyle Mhor , the boutique Highlands hotel known for its “whisky safari.” “In Scotland,”Banks says, “we are kings of touching back to our traditions.” Luckily, the rest of us are able to as well. By Adam Rathe . To book a trip to Scotland : Jonathan Epstein, Jonathan@ celebratedexperiences.com

Italy Off-Season…

Because at the end of the day, no one comes to Italy for a suntan.

Last summer Italy was, let’s be frank, almost loved to death, with congested roads, swamped sights, and sluggish service from overworked staff. Our suggestion? A do-over, but not in summer. “We are huge believers in low-season travel here,” says Andrea Grisdale, the Como-based founder of IC Bellagio . “It’s a totally different experience, and we are actively encouraging it.” No, you will not be forced to pitch a tent. For the first time, a number of hotels that used to shutter as soon as summer ended are pushing back closures. In Lake Como, the classic Villa d’Este is staying open until early January and reopening in March, as is the beautiful new Passalacqua .

Following suit in Puglia is the wildly pretty Borgo Egnazia . On the Amalfi Coast, Monastero Santa Rosa stayed open into November in 2022 and is considering December in 2023. There will be more. “After a year like this one,” says Elisa Pozzoli, of Essence of Italy, “hotels are changing their mentality. And Venice in January or February is magical. You’re alone, in a ghost city.”

Something else might help ease the travails of overtourism: a handful of new five-star hotels available year-round. Six Senses Rome (GM Francesca Tozzi comes from Capri’s Tiberio Palace) opens in the spring in a 15th-century palazzo a block from the Galleria Doria Pamphilj. In Milan the 73-suite Portrait Milano , a first foray there from the Ferragamo family, has just opened on Corso Venezia, close to the fashion district but not in the thick of it. Casa Baglioni Milano , a 30-room hotel with an interior that nods to Italy’s Modernist dolce vita era, is in the heart of the city’s artsy, “local” Brera district. Both offer a way to sidestep the visitor surge, even during Fashion Week. As for the summer? Grisdale cannot be more emphatic: “We are about to enter a new era. The famous summer tradition is on its way out. No one comes to Italy for a suntan, anyway. And do you know how amazing this country is with few tourists around?” By Mark Ellwood . To book a trip to Italy : Andrea Grisdale, andrea@ icbellagio.com

On Our Radar Hotel La Palma , Capri’s first hotel, built in 1822 and steps from the famous Piazzetta, is opening in July after a major renovation as the Oetker Collection’s first Masterpiece Hotel in Italy. One of many highlights: a private beach club at the Marina Piccola. (No word yet, though, on an extended season.)

Your Next Trip Should Be:

Africa in a private villa….

Because, let's face it, having the bush all to yourself is better.

OL JOGI , KENYA.

A 58,000-acre onetime cattle ranch on the Laikipia Plateau is now a private conservancy with serious game viewing. Owned by the art-dealing Wildenstein family, Ol Jogi can be booked for up to 22 people. Don’t let the thatched-hut-style exterior fool you: Inside it’s over-the-top French château luxury. Great perk: the underground hide, reached through a tunnel, which overlooks a rhino-luring salt lick.

SINGITA’S MALILANGWE HOUSE , ZIMBABWE.

This 5-bedroom villa in the 130,000-acre Malilangwe Wildlife Reserve is close enough to Singita’s Pamushana Lodge that you can walk to the main camp, but it’s isolated on a hilltop, with gorgeous views of huge boulders, red soil, and golden msasa trees. On offer: classic game drives as well as ancient cave rock art sites and “water safaris” to see fish eagles, hippos, and crocodiles.

COTTARS BUSH VILLA , KENYA.

Charles Cottar set up his safari business in the Mara back in 1919. Great-grandson Calvin and his wife Louise now run it, retro associations intact: canvas, Persian rugs, and dark wood furniture. The new 5-bedroom bush villa, built entirely by hand, sits on a hill like an old farmhouse, but it has all mod cons, including an 82-foot-long pool. Ask to be guided by the all-female ranger team, the only such in the Mara.

FARMHOUSE AT THE FARMSTEAD , SOUTH AFRICA.

Onetime fashion exec Liz Biden converted her country getaway in Greater Kruger into the Royal Malewane lodge 23 years ago and has since expanded her footprint. The nearby Farmstead now has a stand-alone 7,000-square-foot villa with a kids suite and a pool that sticks out right into the bush. Her background is evident in the exuberant decor; even the laundry comes packaged in scarlet netting, tied with a big red bow. Royal Malewane’s guides are standouts: Several have earned the title master tracker, a rarity in safari.

CHEETAH PLAINS, SOUTH AFRICA.

These three ultramodern 4-bedroom homes (booked individually or together) are remarkable for their especially game-rich location in private Sabi Sand reserve, adjacent to unfenced Kruger National Park. (The near-silent electric 4X4s help too.) As for the amenities: Each comes with a heated pool, wine gallery, chef, sommelier, and full-time spa therapist.

KATAZA HOUSE, SINGITA KWITONDA , RWANDA.

This 4-bedroom villa is the only luxe safari house close to Volcanoes National Park, home of the mountain gorillas. Building materials and decor were procured locally; there are ebonized tables, eucalyptus wood screens, and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking three huge volcanoes. Deborah Calmeyer of Roar Africa calls it a “spiritual experience like nowhere else in Africa.” By Mark Ellwood. To book any of the above African villas : Deborah Calmeyer, deb@ roarafrica.com

La Belle Bourgogne…

Because of the wine, bien sur. And some fine new bolt holes.

They don’t call parts of Burgundy the Côte d’Or just for its fall foliage. “Anyone interested in wine will eventually end up here,” states Dennis Sherman, a 40-year resident who runs a wine brokerage business near Beaune. “It’s the simplicity of the single grape variety with the complexity of the soil—the wine has incredible depth and substance.” But ending up here hasn’t been all that easy: The higher-end accommodations have long been largely on barges on the region’s waterways. Now, however, two rival ultraluxe hoteliers are opening properties.

American expats Denise Dupré and Mark Nunnelly who run the five-star Royal Champagne hotel in that region, are reinventing the Clos de la Commarainen estate as a 23-room hotel in a 12th-century château (connected to the dukes of Burgundy) and anchored by its 10 acres of Pommard Premier Cru. It will form the basis of a revival of winemaking here, something that last took place 20 years ago. Arriving at the end of 2023 is COMO Le Montrachet , an albergo diffuso–style hotel nestled around a charming village square a few miles south of Beaune (Christina Ong’s fourth European site).

The lodging shortage solved, another issue persists. (Great pleasures are often hard won.) And that is access to Burgundy’s prized small-batch production. According to Philip Haslett, of Kairos , who organizes trips throughout France, “The winemakers here aren’t as visitor-ready as those in Champagne or even Bordeaux. The farmers are not turning up in a BMW—they’re the real deal, so it doesn’t matter who you are, because they don’t have anything extra to sell.”

Which is why Haslett works with guides who have deep roots here, such as Youri Lebault of Bourgogne Gold Tour, who specializes in opening near-impossible cellar doors (guiding is essential due to Burgundy’s fragmented, jigsaw-like terroir, which is carved into patches known as climats ). “Yesterday,” he said, “I ended my two-day wine tour in a private cellar in the Côte de Beaune, alone with my clients, smelling the wine from the barrel and tasting it with a pipette.” By Mark Ellwood. To book a trip top France : Philip Haslett, Philip @ kairos-travel.com

Your next trip should be...

Yes, panama….

Because it's about to pop and it has three attractions no other country in Central America or the Caribbean can claim.

1. The Old Town

One of the best-restored and most delightful historic districts in the region, dating back to 1673, with a sophisticated new hotel, La Compañia (a hot spot for locals and international travelers), and a real foodie scene: Peruvian-Panamanian, French-Panamanian, patisseries, and coffee and cigar bars.

2. The Canal

Human ingenuity is on full display along this 40-mile engineering marvel, which connects the Atlantic with the Pacific and divides North and South America. A must day trip from the Old Town, it’s also a good jumping-off point for hikes in the Anton Valley and visits to the Emberá indigenous community.

Nayara’s Bocas del Toro , in the Bocas del Toro archipelago, is a luxe perch from which to explore Panama’s astonishing biodiversity. Prep at the Frank Gehry–designed biodiversity museum in Panama City. By Michael Clinton . To book a trip to Panama : Pierre Gedeon, pierre@ costa-adventures.com

On Our Radar: An environmentally minded billionaire owner, Louis Bacon, has turned an archipelago of 14 islands off Panama’s Pacific coast into an a all-inclusive luxe retreat, Isla Secas . It guarantees total privacy (it sleeps just 24), real adventure, and untouched nature. Thirteen of the islands will remain undeveloped.

A Turkish Delight…

Because jetting to Bodrum is swell, but sailing to Kaunos in a gulet is better.

A couple of years ago Emily Morrison, a former New Orleans commodities trader, visited Turkey for the first time, suntanning in Bodrum and hot-air-ballooning over Cappadocia like a latter-day Jules Verne. At the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, that tortuous labyrinth from the 15th century, she had a career epiphany while sorting through textiles, so she left her job and started a lifestyle brand, Elysian by Emily Morrison , back home, collaborating with Turkish artisans on decorative wares, footwear, and clothing. “What I experienced was the people of Turkey,” she says. “The hospitality, the craftsmanship, the culture.”

Now she returns several times a year. And Morrison’s not alone: American travel to Turkey in the first half of 2022 skyrocketed 77 percent over the same period in 2019, according to the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism. Post-pandemic, the number is poised to climb in 2023, as the country marks its 100th anniversary as a republic.

“It took many years, but things have definitely changed,” says Karen Fedorko Sefer, founder of Sea Song Tours , who arrived in Turkey in 1998 and organized Morrison’s original visit. “The key was developing infrastructure to accommodate demanding luxury travelers.” Turkish Airlines invested in U.S. hubs (three daily flights out of JFK, two from LAX), and elite lodgings boomed: A Four Seasons and a Mandarin Oriental opened on the Bosporus, followed by the newly restored Four Seasons in historic Sultanahmet. The Peninsula Istanbul and Japan’s Okura Spa & Resort Cappadocia are expected in 2023.

And it’s not just cities that are thriving: Thanks to Turkish Airlines’ vast network of domestic flights, jetsetters are discovering the cradle of civilization in Asia Minor. Though why go by air to the ruins of Kaunos or the shipwrecks of Monastir Bay when a gulet is an option. A very posh option. Turkish sailing yachts are, Sefer says, “second to none.” By Erik Maza .

To book a trip to Turkey: Karen Fedorko Safer, fedorko@ seasong.com

On Our Radar: This past October, Michelin Guides published its first list of 53 Istanbul restaurants . Why it took this long, given the city’s Byzantine and Ottoman epicurean traditions, is a mystery. But never mind: It’s a whole new impetus to visit. The star of the list, with two stars, is Turk Fatih Tutak .

A Montenegro Odyssey…

Because it's the Med without the crowds.

Byron called the 182-mile stretch of Montenegro’s Adriatic coast “the most beautiful encounter between land and sea.” No wonder. Riven with fjords, dotted with tiny islands and ancient towns (such as Kotor, Budva, and Perast), and lined with 45 miles of beach, the little country has been quietly turning into a niche destination for yachting holidays, a Croatia without the crowds. “It’s Norway, but it’s warm!” proclaims Paola Scalabrino, a charter specialist with Monaco-based Yachtzoo . “And it’s for people who want beautiful anchorages but don’t need to be in port every night, out clubbing.” If you want a land perch, One&Only Portonovi , near a new marina, is the sole five-star resort option (ever since the Aman Sveti Stefan closed amid a local controversy over beach rights). And, opening this spring, in an 1850s Austro-Hungarian fortress, is the boutiquey 32-room Mamula Island , which comes with a fleet of boats you can use on demand. By Mark Ellwood . To book a trip to Montenegro: Ala Osmond, Ala@ exeterinternational.com

A Viennese Waltz...

Because the new museums are magnificent and you get to pack your dancing shoes.

Mention Vienna and what comes to mind are pastries and paintings, sacher-torte and Schiele—a place worth a pit stop between Prague and Budapest. But the grand onetime imperial capital is starting to shed its gilded cobwebbiness. A permanent home has just opened for the Austrian billionaire Heidi Goëss-Horten ’s 700-strong collection —of Picassos, Chagalls, Basquiats, Warhols, Richters, and Baselitzes. The two-year-old Albertina Modern , Austria’s answer to the Tate , will showcase in spring 2023 American artist Alex Katz in a major retrospective.

On the hotel front, the 150-year-old Sacher has some competition. Rosewood Vienna opened last summer in a former bank in the heart of the city’s pedestrian district. The onetime Ring Hotel, on the Ringstrasse, will reopen in early 2023 as the Amauris Vienna . The locally owned and operated Leo Grand is a pretty boutique spot a few steps from St. Stephen’s Cathedral. And a Mandarin Oriental is coming as well (to an Art Nouveau building on Riemergasse).

But there’s one tradition that Gwen Kozlowski, president of Exeter International , is keen to see preserved: the balls. “They are truly like nowhere else, and superformal.” Skip the ones around New Year’s and focus on the distinctly Viennese ones at Lent. The most prestigious are the Opera and Philharmonic balls. “They’re hard to wrangle tickets for, but if you’re serious, we can usually make it happen.” By Mark Ellwood. To book a trip to Austria: Gwen Kozlowski, Gwen@ exeterinternational.com

A Cool Cruise…

Because swanning around on a gorgeous ship is as good as it gets.

A JAMES BOND–IAN FANTASY (ON SCENIC ECLIPSE ).

The first ultraluxe expedition ship, Scenic Eclipse, from the Australian brand Scenic, turned heads for its megayacht style and 007-esque toys. Now comes Scenic Eclipse II . Both will go to the Arctic and Antarctic, but in 2023 Eclipse II will also visit Euro yachtie hangouts (Capri, Hvar, Ibiza, and more) and explore the Pacific—the gorges of Australia’s Kim- berley, Indonesia’s Spice Islands, and Raja Ampat.

AN ARCTIC ADVENTURE (ON COMMANDANT CHARCOT ).

Until now, reaching the North Pole has never been a breeze. But next summer Ponant’s hybrid-powered icebreaker, Le Commandant Charcot , will make four 15-night trips there. Outside is a silent world of polar bears and pack ice; onboard it’s all expedition-chic (an Alain Ducasse restaurant, a dernier-cri spa, floor-to-ceiling windows). The best part: knowing you’re farther north than anyone else on earth.

AN ART TOUR OF THE BALTIC (ON VIKING OCEAN ).

Without St. Petersburg, a cruise around the Baltic might feel like seeing Athens without the Acropolis. Not so. Scandi-chic Viking has a fix for art lovers next summer: a series of 14-night ocean sailings between Bergen and Stockholm, with guided tours of major museums and works of architecture. One highlight: a private viewing in Oslo of Edvard Munch’s haunti ng masterpiece The Scream . By Sue Bryant. To book a cruise : Ashton Palmer, Ashton@ expeditiontrips.com ; Tom Baker, Tom.Baker@ cruisecenter.com ; Mary Jean Tully, travel@ tullyluxurytravel.com

On Our Radar : Other lines are plying the Baltic too: Silversea’s 14-night roundtrip from Copenhagen stops in Stockholm, Tallinn, Helsinki, and Gdansk. Regent Seven Seas’ 10-night cruise sails June 30 from Copenhagen to Stockholm, with stops in Berlin, Gdansk, Tallinn, Helsinki, and Art Nouveau–rich Riga.

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The Best Places to Travel in 2023

Start planning your 2023 travels to these 12 places—the most creative, delicious, and soul-reviving destinations of the year..

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It’s our favorite time of year: the Where to Go season, when AFAR reveals our list of the ultimate places to travel in the coming year. How to choose? Our editorial team reached out to writers, reporters, and correspondents around the world and curated 12 global destinations for 2023 that feel poised for a “moment": creative cities, seaside villages, national parks, and other places where wonder prevails. Read on and prepare to start wandering...

Located 150 miles south of Melbourne, Tasmania is teeming with adventure and beauty.

Sean Fennessy

1. Tasmania, Australia

Across this secluded and beautiful island state near Melbourne, irreverence and experimentation reign.

It was my first trip to Australia—my first trip abroad —in 2001, and I arrived in Melbourne a green-as-they-come university student, all nerves and adrenaline, ready to pounce on whatever adventure lay before me. Show me the city! I screamed silently at our study-abroad orientation leaders. Let me loose! We visited the Coney Island–like neighborhood of St. Kilda on the south shore, learned the finer points of Australian rules football, and ferried to nearby Phillip Island, site of a nightly parade of pint-size penguins that dashed from sea to land at dusk, prompting a chorus of “awwws” from everyone with a heart.

Those points of interest were lovely but ... safe. Introductory. What if I had realized that a couple of hundred miles off the coast of Melbourne was an island known for its irreverent art? For its stark and dramatic natural beauty, its world’s-best single-malt whisky, and seafood so fresh, it asks you about the catch of the day. What if I had visited Tasmania?

For the full story from Laura Redman, read Eclectic Art, Fresh Seafood, and Wild Landscapes—Why Your Next Trip Should Be to Tasmania .

Asilia camp administrator, Leena Lulandala, using telemetry to track collared animals in Ruaha National Park.

Photo by Greg Funnell.

2. Ruaha National Park, Tanzania

In a remote corner of Tanzania’s Ruaha National Park, travelers can find an abundance of wildlife without the crowds—and help with important conservation work.

Sprawled across 7,700 square miles in southern Tanzania, Ruaha is the country’s second-largest national park. Yet it draws only a tiny fraction of Tanzania’s safarigoers, who flock in much larger numbers to the more famous Serengeti in the north. But low visitation rates make biodiverse Ruaha a wildlife enthusiast’s dream: This vast landscape of habitats, ranging from savannas to wetlands, feels like a private game reserve, and travelers can go days without seeing another vehicle.

In one of the park’s less-visited corners, you’ll find the Usangu wetlands , site of a former hunting reserve and home to the Wasangu tribe for centuries. The wetlands feed the Great Ruaha River, a critical water source for people, animals, and hydroelectric dams that supply energy to much of the country. Wildlife audits have revealed populations of cheetahs, leopards, and lions. Topi antelope can exceed 1,000 animals in one herd.

In 2017, the Tanzania National Parks Authority , Tanzanian Wildlife Research Institute , and safari lodge company Asilia Africa came together to introduce a tourism model where revenue from visitors helps fund research, management, and conservation. Asilia’s Usangu Expedition Camp , which opened in 2022, is the only place to stay for more than 30 miles in any direction. Its four high-ceilinged rooms feature enormous beds, rain showers, and wraparound mesh walls that provide views of acacia-dotted wilderness. The lodgings make a stylish base for exploration in two upcycled vehicles that run on ethanol created from the cane waste of a nearby sugar plantation. Guests pitch in on data collection from camera traps by day and thermal monocular cameras by night.

The area’s conservation story is brought to life by the mostly local staff, including Wasangu guide trainee Anderson Pakomyus Mesilla, whose family roots in Usangu run generations deep. “I’m helping to conserve my ancestral home, but this wetland also supplies electricity to a large part of the country, including my village,” he said. “We all benefit from conserving the source of the river.” —Jennifer Flowers

>> Watch the video: What it’s Like to Safari in Ruaha National Park

Vienna, Salzburg, Linz—take a trip to Austria’s best kept secret, Graz.

Photo by Felix Bruggemann

3. Graz, Austria

A DIY spirit brings a historic city to life in a riot of yoga, silent discos, and avant-garde music.

Just over 100 miles south of Vienna, amid the surprisingly Mediterranean climate of the Styrian wine region, sits Austria’s second-largest city. Here, a fairy-tale jumble of baroque and Renaissance buildings clusters at the base of the Schlossberg, the hill that was once Graz ’s ultimate defense. Back in medieval days, a daunting fortress stood at its summit; Napoleon had it destroyed, but the colorful facades and terracotta roofs that sprang up beneath it still shine brightly in the southern Austrian sun. On the east side of the river Mur, Graz’s past is a vivid presence.

On the west bank, however, you will find its future. What the districts of Lend and Gries lack in architecture they make up for in creativity and an entrepreneurial soul. At Bo Suppe , Arnd Hoffmann sells different flavors of homemade soup from his kitchen window (try the vegan pumpernickel Bolognese). At Managerie, Maria Reiner sells drinks and crocheted lampshades from the “kiosk shop” at the front of her apartment. Daily life revolves around the Lendplatz morning market , and small businesses thrive thanks to a fierce community spirit that manifests in a busy calendar of events and projects, such as backyard flea markets, walking tours, outdoor yoga, and knitting circles. Travelers can find out more through the Annenviertel project , which was launched by local campaigners in 2014 to breathe new life into the quarter (or “viertel”) around the shopping street of Annenstrasse. Live music at the 1930s bar Café Wolf ranges from Israeli space-rock to an improvisational autoharp trio. The Lendwirbel festival in May fills empty shop fronts with art installations, silent discos, workshops, and discussions.

The Kunsthaus Graz modern art museum , meanwhile, has inspired artists and designers to make their homes and livings here. Stroll along the main strip Mariahilferstrasse and you’ll find jewelers, fashion boutiques, and homeware shops. A spirit of social enterprise infuses the city: One of the trendiest accessory stores in town, tag.werk, has helped hundreds of young people find employment over the past two decades by teaching them crafts and life skills. Come to Graz for the history, for sure—but stay for its hopeful vision of the future. —Emma John

The Great Lakes are home to the largest fresh water ecosystem on the planet.

Photo by Christina Holmes

4. Great Lakes, USA

From charming lake towns to expedition cruises, there are many good reasons to explore the Greats.

A native of Michigan, I have a birthright bond to the Great Lakes, the magnificent five that span two countries and eight states, from New York in the east to Minnesota in the west. Michigan, which claims shoreline on four of the five lakes, always seemed like both the center of it all and a remote peninsula, buffered by its treasures. During high school, when my family had moved to a suburban Detroit home near a smaller lake that connects the Greats, I would fall asleep to the faint bass notes of freighters’ foghorns, the songs of vast waters you can’t see across, inland seas at once familiar and strange.

All these years later, they remain a place to splash in the calm shallows each summer or brave the waves by kayak. Winter brings ephemeral ice caves and adaptations such as iceboats, or sailboats on blades. “Great” describes not just their size but their influence on culture, history, and our climate future.

For the full story from Elaine Glusac, read The Great Lakes Offer Culture, History, and One of the Most Unique Ecosystems on the Planet .

Black sand beaches, big waves, and rushing rivers. There’s lots to love about Cambutal.

Photo by Hassen Salum

5. Cambutal, Panama

Adventure and community-centric tourism beckon on the southern coast of Panama’s Azuero Peninsula.

Few travelers who visit Los Santos, one of Panama’s least-touristed provinces, venture to the end of the only main road heading south. That’s where Cambutal awaits, 228 miles from Panama City—a beach town garnering much-deserved attention from Panamanians and intrepid international travelers alike.

The town sits on the shores of a never-crowded, volcanic black-sand beach with perfectly surfable waves. The surrounding jungles hold rivers, canyons, natural pools, and multitiered waterfalls.

Having spent a lot of time on the southern coast of the Azuero Peninsula during his childhood, Panama-born Bryan Goldner founded Azuero Adventures in November 2020 to help visitors safely explore the region. As Cambutal’s only registered tour operator, the company started small, with horseback rides through grassy hills to bring travelers to see petroglyphs carved by Indigenous people.

In 2022, Azuero Adventures introduced multiday trips to Cerro Hoya National Park , just west of Cambutal. Encompassing more than 80,000 acres with no direct road entry, Cerro Hoya can only be accessed by boat, on horseback, or in a 4x4 vehicle, making it one of the hardest-to-reach national parks in Panama. The mostly untouched land is known for its diverse wildlife, including the great green macaw and the Azuero spider monkey, both endangered species. Guests can stay in secluded oceanfront cabins or opt for full immersion with an overnight camping expedition that includes a hike through the cloud forest more than 4,200 feet above sea level.

With sustainable and equitable tourism at the heart of his operations, Goldner works closely with the people of Cambutal—a vision directly in line with the Panama Ministry of Tourism ’s efforts to strengthen rural and community-based tourism enterprises.

“We use local captains and local guides,” Goldner says. “The idea is not to hire people and bring resources from outside when we have such a rich community that’s already here.” —Jessica Poitevien

No vampires to worry about here.

Photo by Fundatia Adept

6. Transylvania, Romania

Nature and tradition thrive in one of Europe’s last wild regions.

It’s been 125 years since Bram Stoker wrote Dracula , branding Transylvania as a dark, forbidding land populated by bloodsucking counts with an aversion to holy water. And while perhaps no other book has clouded its readers’ impression of a place in quite the same way, Stoker was right when he wrote of the region’s wild side. North of Bucharest, in the heart of Romania, Transylvania is home to one of Europe’s last great wildernesses: a sprawl of alpine meadows, ragged limestone ridges, and old-growth forests that billow across the landscape in a thick quilt of juniper, spruce, beech, and fir.

These wild mountains harbor some of the highest numbers of large carnivores—brown bears, wolves, and lynx—on the continent. The nonprofit Foundation Conservation Carpathia (FCC) is in the process of creating a vast reserve to safeguard all this for future generations—a “European Yellowstone” as Christoph Promberger, FCC’s executive director, envisions it—that will stretch for nearly 618,000 untamed acres across Romania’s Southern Carpathian Mountains .

For the full story from Keith Drew, read This Misunderstood Romanian Region Is Known as “European Yellowstone.”

Prepare to be surprised on your next trip to Thailand’s most visited city.

Photos courtesy of The Standard, Bangkok Mahanakho and The Small Dinner Club

7. Bangkok, Thailand

Ambitious young Thais are driving a creative reawakening in one of the world’s most visited cities.

From the end of an L-shaped bar I watched three chefs in black caps delicately plate 11 dishes of what appeared to be snow. Loud music masked the sounds of the busy Bangkok street outside. “OK guys, this one is titled, ‘Daft Punk Is Playing in My Mouth,’” said chef Sareen Rojanametin, setting the intriguing dish before me. Marvelously on cue, the throbbing LCD Soundsystem song “Daft Punk Is Playing at My House” burst onto the stereo.

The first bite rocked me to my core. At Small Dinner Club , which “pulls apart, questions, and reimagines Thai food,” you’re not handed a menu. The 12-course evenings are a delightful mystery accompanied by inspiration notes from the 32-year-old chef, who opened the hidden boîte in February 2022. “For me this dish represents the essence of Thai cuisine,” he wrote. I expected coconut or lime; instead I got an explosion of Thai green chile. My eyebrows started sweating. I swirled it all up: hot ice, tiny iridescent fish, watermelon, and a sumptuous black sesame sauce. These were the flavors of Thailand composed into an entirely new song. Rojanametin, who spent two years in a forest monastery before opening the restaurant, tells me, “The city has changed a lot in the last four years. People are much more daring.”

For the full story from Kathryn Romeyn, read Just When You Thought You Knew Bangkok, Thailand’s Most Visited City Changes .

Experience the intersection of history and culture in Salvador, Brazil.

Photo by Luisa Dorr

8. Salvador, Brazil

Engaging with Brazil’s Black history is essential—and easier than ever in the city of Salvador thanks to new cultural offerings.

In Salvador, a port city on the northeastern coast of Brazil, history isn’t relegated to textbooks. More than 4 million people were kidnapped from Africa and forced to harvest coffee beans and sugarcane in the country—a legacy that is most evident in the state of Bahia, where 80 percent of the population is Black or mixed race. Today the descendants of those enslaved people carry on traditions through Salvador’s food, culture, and music.

Tour company Guia Negro leads English-language histori- cal outings delving into Brazil’s Black heritage, including a walk through the streets where Michael Jackson and Spike Lee shot “They Don’t Care About Us,” the 1996 music video featuring the storied Afro-Brazilian drum team Olodum. The Casa do Carnaval da Bahia is a museum dedicated to the history of Brazil’s annual carnival celebration. The City of Music of Bahia museum, which opened in 2021, invites visitors to experience more than 800 hours of Bahian music, with the goal to educate them about specific styles such as pagode , a Brazilian subgenre of samba, and axe ́, an Afro-Caribbean mash-up that originated here.

The painful, racist history of Pelourinho, the city’s old town, is preserved in its name, which translates to “whipping post.” Once the site of slave auctions, it’s now home to brightly painted houses, cobblestoned streets, and numerous restaurants. At the rustic eatery Di Janela , chef Nara Amaral serves the food that brings her joy: roasted garlic with octopus, ruby-red lobster with heavily seasoned potatoes, and traditional fare such as moqueca, a seafood stew. At Ana Célia Santos’s Zanzibar restaurant, the moqueca takes numerous forms. A vegetarian version is prepared with rice and farofa (toasted cassava flour), while another is made with shrimp, stingray, and soft-shell crab.

For late-night entertainment, visitors should go to ABOCA Centro de Artes , a theater that hosts Afro-Brazilian musicians such as Mariene de Castro and Mateus Aleluia. After all, there’s no better way to end a day in Salvador than by listening to the residents who give the city its heartbeat. —Kayla Stewart

Sharjah is often overlooked by its glitzier neighbors, but this emirate has plenty to offer in terms of art, architecture, and culture.

Photo by Ieva Saudargaite

9. Sharjah, UAE

Thought-provoking art and architecture shine a light on an emirate often overshadowed by its glitzier neighbors.

Ever since I moved to the United Arab Emirates seven years ago, I’ve loved Sharjah . It may not have the biggest/tallest/highest superlatives of Dubai or the epic palaces of Abu Dhabi, but understated Sharjah is home to some of the region’s most exciting cultural institutions. And 2023 is a big year for the emirate, with headline events showcasing two of its greatest draws: art and architecture.

The 15th Sharjah Biennial runs from February to June, presenting the creations of more than 150 artists from 70-plus countries. Thirty newly commissioned pieces, including works by Moroccan photographer Hassan Hajjaj and British Palestinian multimedia artist Mona Hatoum , will be featured in a program that spans 16 venues and explores the theme “Thinking Historically in the Present.” The exhibition spaces are as intriguing as the art: from traditional coral-stone houses to the Sharjah Art Foundation ’s recently acquired 1970s-era Flying Saucer, a UFO-shaped building that once housed a French patisserie and a fast-food chicken shop.

For the full story from Nicola Chilton, read Sharjah Is One of the Most Exciting—and Overlooked—Cities in the UAE .

Baltimore is quickly becoming an entertainment and foodie destination.

Photo by Irina Sitnikova/Unsplash (left) Scott Suchman (right)

10. Baltimore, USA

Long-overdue upgrades to major downtown attractions are turning Charm City into a veritable food- and-entertainment hub.

From its early days as a thriving seaport to its current status as a seafood paradise, Baltimore is ever evolving. A $45 million overhaul of Lexington Market —billed as the oldest continuously operating public market in the country, with roots dating to 1782—recently welcomed visitors to an airy, light-filled space enlivened by 16-foot murals from local artist Ernest Shaw Jr. and photographs by Shan Wallace depicting Baltimore’s Black food culture. (This is, after all, a majority Black city.)

The developer’s gut renovation of the old market reimagined the space as a fresh version of the com- munity gathering spot it had been before it fell into disrepair. Benches flank the central staircase and serve as prime people-watching spots, while an adjacent plaza hosts events and concerts. Input from residents informed the mix of more than 40 stalls, half of them Black-owned, including the coffee shop Black Acres Roastery and the husband-and-wife-run Sunnyside Café . The market also maintains its devotion to the ocean with Faidley’s Seafood , the famous crab cake spot, and the Korean family-owned Cho’s Sea Garden .

A few blocks away, the CFG Bank Arena will reopen in time to host college basketball tournaments in February and a nearly sold-out Bruce Springsteen show in April. Its $200 million revamp, backed by singer Pharrell Williams and an investment firm cofounded by NBA star Kevin Durant, gives the 60-year-old facility the updated concessions, audio, and lighting it needs to compete with other venues in the region.

Also notable for 2023: an exhibition of Baltimore native John Waters’s personal art collection at the Baltimore Museum of Art (through April 16) and the return of Artscape , a multiday cultural extravaganza in September that, in the past, has featured wildly decorated cars. Festivalgoers can stay in the Mount Vernon neighborhood’s new literary-themed boutique hotel, Ulysses , a 116-room property whose name pays homage to both the James Joyce novel and a ship that brought Bavarian immigrants to Baltimore. —Julekha Dash

Prince Edward Island’s new hike and bike trail offers travelers a new way to experience the coastal idyll.

Photo by Brendan George Ko

11. Prince Edward Island, Canada

A 435-mile hiking and biking route around Canada’s small but mighty province invites visitors to travel slowly and joyfully.

Prince Edward Island, or PEI, off Canada’s eastern seaboard, is home to some of the country’s most enchanting pastoral scenery. You’ll find fields of potatoes and strawberries, beaches that stretch for miles, storybook villages (the 1908 novel Anne of Green Gables was set here), red-and-white wooden lighthouses, and docks anchoring fishing boats. The Island Walk , a new 435-mile walking and cycling route circumnavigating “the Island,” as locals call it, gives travelers a unique opportunity to experience it up close.

My husband and I cycled 180 miles of the route in June 2022, starting in the compact capital city, Charlottetown, and spending six days working our way across a section in the central region of the province. From Charlottetown, we pedaled 35 miles along crushed-gravel trails, wide red-dirt roads lined with trees, and country lanes—all relatively flat. After checking into the Orient Hotel , a historic B&B in the tiny village of Victoria-by-the-Sea, we browsed in shops, talked with local anglers bringing in the day’s catch, and walked barefoot along an expansive beach with rose-colored sand at the edge of the village. The tide came in while I ate possibly the best lobster roll I’ve ever tasted—a buttery toasted roll loaded with chunks of tender fresh-caught crustacean and house-made mayo—at the Lobster Barn restaurant.

For the full story from Debbie Olsen, read Idyllic Villages, Fresh Lobster Rolls, and a New Trail—Why Now Is the Time to Visit Prince Edward Island .

In the heart of Bergamo near the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore and the famous Colleoni Chapel.

Photo by Andrea Frazzetta

12. Brescia & Bergamo, Italy

Find venerable history and hip cocktails in two Italian cities connected by a cycling trail.

The key ingredients of la dolce vita? Golden light beaming across ancient stones, a piazza that bustles at aperitivo hour, and streets ripe for a passeggiata (stroll) to work it all off. Enter Brescia and Bergamo, two cities in the northern Italian region of Lombardy that have been named joint Italian Capitals of Culture for 2023. If you only know them from news reports in early 2020—the two were hit hard during the pandemic—prepare to be bowled over.

Bergamo is the better known of the two; its historic Città Alta (Upper City) crowns a ridge nearly 300 feet above its more modern section. The Bergamaschi love the outdoors, and they kick back in deck chairs at the 17th-century gardens of Palazzo Moroni, which opened to the public for the first time in 2020. New tuk-tuk rides wind around the Città Alta’s UNESCO-protected 16th-century city walls. The lion- and sphinx-surrounded fountain in the main square, Piazza Vecchia, has been restored, and new walking routes through Bergamo’s layers of history connect the old and new town. Travelers and locals alike can amble through the nearby Val d’Astino, a valley filled with vineyards, wildflower- strewn meadows, and a monastery that was founded in 1107.

With a ceremonial opening in early 2023, a 47-mile bicycling route will roll from Bergamo past Lake Iseo, then through Franciacorta wine country to Brescia, the most colorful Roman city north of the Italian capital.

While Bergamo life is mainly outdoors, Brescia is inside; you’ll find gourmet pizza tasting menus at Inedito and Roman- themed cocktails at Massenzio . Try the Domitilla at the latter. Named after the wife of Emperor Vespasian, it’s a mix of berry gin with grapefruit, rosemary syrup, and egg white. Spend the night at Areadocks Boutique Hotel , where all the modern art- work and vintage furnishings are for sale. Here in northern Italy, the sweet life just got an upgrade. —Julia Buckley

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The 8 Most-Read Travel Stories of 2023

A golden retriever convention, flight etiquette rules and great walks from around the world: Here’s what readers loved this year.

By Tacey Rychter

Another year in travel, another 12 months of meltdowns and debacles. As one analyst put it, 2023 “ took chaos to a new level .” Yikes. Still, travelers kept flying, including in record-breaking numbers on Thanksgiving weekend.

Whether they decided to enter the fray or just armchair travel, our readers loved stories that took them away, whether it was about a journey across London on the new Elizabeth rail line , hiking long-distance walking routes (like the new Pekoe Trail in Sri Lanka or the 637-mile Michinoku Coastal Trail in Japan), or the slow-motion ballet of whales off the coast of Long Island in New York.

And plenty of odd trends emerged, too: fake A.I.-generated guidebooks flooded Amazon, dogs flew in private jets and “sky couches” became an in-flight amenity option.

Here are eight of Travel’s most-read stories for 2023, some of which got readers very fired up (let’s say people have opinions on airplane sock etiquette).

8. Say Goodbye to Daily Hotel Room Cleaning

“Housekeeping!” Does the phrase — usually following two startling knocks on the door — fill you with happiness or dread? In 2023, travel largely rebounded to prepandemic levels, but daily cleaning in hotels appeared to have become a thing of the past. Good for sustainability, perhaps (less laundry), but hotel unions are concerned the changes could threaten housekeepers’ jobs.

“Staying in a hotel without daily housekeeping service is like going out for a nice dinner and then being expected to stay and do the dishes afterward.” Allison, out west

7. Whether You Call It ‘Skiplagging’ or ‘Hidden-City Travel,’ It’s Contentious

An obscure phrase became more popular in 2023: skiplagging. Passengers discovered that, in some cases, airfares to their destination were cheaper when booked as a layover to somewhere else — so they would disembark after the first leg of the flight, and not board the second. Genius, right? Turns out, the airlines don’t think so — American Airlines banned one teenager for three years for the practice.

“Too bad for the airlines. After decades of putting the thumb screws to travelers (seat size, tarmac delays, etc.) it’s about time customers beat them at their own game!” The Eyewitness, New York

6. 36 Hours in Paris

Is anyone surprised this was the most-read 36 Hours guide of the year? Laura Cappelle, a Paris-based theater critic for The Times, mapped out a weekend exploring a different side of the French capital. After reading her guide, you might dream of climbing the spiral, wrought-iron staircase in the painter Gustave Moreau’s magnificent two-story art studio.

“Incredible city. I have been lucky enough to visit several times. The one thing I recommend? Get a pastry/baguette, travel up to the Basilica of Sacré Coeur de Montmartre, sit down, overlook the most beautiful view of the city and watch the world go by.” Christian, Manchester

5. Why Did 488 Golden Retrievers Gather in Scotland?

For the Guisachan Gathering, of course! Think of it as a kind of golden retriever convention, commemorating the anniversary of the founding of the breed.

“If everyone had a Golden we would live in a peaceful, crime free society, walking around happy.” John Zotto, Ischia, Italy.

4. In 7 Great Cities, 7 Great Walks

Exploring a city on foot is one of the great pleasures of traveling. We mapped out seven superb city strolls: Follow a 600-year-old fortress wall in Seoul, ramble along Rio de Janeiro’s beaches and discover a spider web of passageways in Marrakesh, Morocco.

“Thank you for this. Marrakesh seems like the perfect place to engage in my favorite activity when traveling — getting lost. Venice is another great place to get lost.” Brother O, Brooklyn

3. Help! A Check-In Agent’s Mistake Made Me Miss an Antarctic Cruise and I’m Out $17,000.

Travel is fun until things go awry — and travelers find they have little power when an operator refuses to refund thousands of dollars. This Tripped Up column — part of our travel advice series — resonated with readers, many of whom had been in similar circumstances, and who left nearly 2,000 comments. In this case, our columnist managed to secure a full refund for this reader in need, but it wasn’t easy.

“Bravo! Bravo! Bravo! Outstandingly researched and executed. Turning the minutiae of the fine print of the companies involved against them was an expert stroke, masterfully accomplished.” Daniel, Orion Nebula

2. ‘Never a Reason to Take Off Your Socks’: A Flight Attendant’s 12 Etiquette Rules

Have you ever sat in an airplane seat and noticed, just out of the corner of your eye … no, it’s too terrible … a bare foot creeping just by your arm rest? By the summer of 2023, travelers were overdue for a refresher on airline etiquette. Kristie Koerbel, a flight attendant for more than 20 years, laid down the law.

“Just flew back from MIA into EWR, which is a 2ish hour flight. I’m boarding in first class, just getting settled into my seat, and notice that the guy across the aisle from me already has sneakers and socks off. Not only did he sit there sockless, he also moved about the cabin and got up to use the restroom sockless. Have people lost all sense of decorum?” KeepYourFeetCovered, NY

1. 52 Places to Go in 2023

Our annual list of destinations worth visiting sparked plenty of wonder, surprise and feisty discussion. Scroll through to be inspired for a future trip, or just to broaden your world with a spot of armchair travel.

“I couldn’t travel much when I was young, but I could dream big dreams. Eventually, I made some of those dreams come true. This kind of article helps us dream and appreciate the beautiful diversity of this planet. Life without big dreams feels empty.” Diane L Lewis, Chicago, Ill.

Tacey Rychter is a staff editor for the Travel section of The Times. More about Tacey Rychter

Open Up Your World

Considering a trip, or just some armchair traveling here are some ideas..

52 Places:  Why do we travel? For food, culture, adventure, natural beauty? Our 2024 list has all those elements, and more .

D enver, Colo.: The city is undergoing a rebirth , with a newly refreshed Union Station and the gradual reopening of the mile-long, pedestrian-friendly 16th Street Mall to go along with views of the snow-capped Front Range.

La Rioja, Spain:  A drive through rolling vineyards will take you to 5 family-run restaurants  where you’ll find flavorful, affordable dishes you can linger over for hours.

Seattle, Wash.:  Today’s Seattle is ever evolving, filled with colorful neighborhoods that are emblematic of the Emerald City’s  natural beauty, vibrant street life ,  and commitment to both preservation and progress .

Stockholm-Helsinki Ferry:  The 16-hour trip between the two northern European cities is a festive summer ritual , with plenty of singing, gambling, limbo contests and maybe a bit too much to drink.

Swim in the Wild:  Looking to take a dip in or near a city center? Here are some European urban areas that have successfully opened up waterways for swimmers .

The Rough Guide to the best travel destinations in 2023

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written by Joanne Owen

updated 19.12.2022

Our recent 2023 travel survey asked you to share where you'd most love to visit in 2023. As well as quizzing you, our readers, we also picked the brains of Rough Guides’ editors and our local travel experts around the world, asking “Where’s best to visit in 2023?” Now all the results are in, we’re excited to bring you our definitive list (drumroll, please): The A-Z of the 23 best travel destinations for 2023.

1. Antarctica

2. berlin, germany — one the best travel destinations in 2023, 3. bohol island, the philippines, 4. cordoba, argentina, 5. dominica, nature island of the caribbean, 6. fes, morocco, 7. kanazawa, japan, 8. korčula, croatia, 9. leeds, yorkshire, 10. ljubljana, slovenia.

• 11. Mekong Delta, Vietnam

12. Naples, Italy

13. northern cape, south africa.

• 14. Oaxaca, Mexico

15. Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica

16. pembrokeshire, wales, 17. pensacola, florida, 18. scottish highlands, scotland, 19. sydney, australia.

• 20. Torres del Paine, Patagonia, Chile

21. Toulouse, France

22. wellington, new zealand.

• 23. Zagori, Greece

Travel ideas for Greece, created by local experts

The Historical and Mythological Cyclades islands

The Cyclades islands include two of the most famous Greek Islands: Mykonos and Santorini. Visit these and some of the smaller, quieter, islands. With white washed houses, narrow cobbled streets, blue domed roofs and stunning beaches, they are what Greece is all about.

A secluded villa stay on Mainland Greece

Stay in a secluded private villa with magnificent views to the sea and explore this beautiful corner of Mainland Greece with your own rental car. Under the impressive Mt Taygetos in Southern Peloponnese, the region of Mani will give you a snapshot of authentic Greece.

Along the Coast of Crete: from Heraklion to Platanias

As Greece's largest island, Crete's culture and atmosphere is distinctly different from mainland Greece. Thousands of years of unique culture and rich history complement the island's untamed natural beauty. Explore Crete at your own pace with this unique self-drive trip!

Cultural and natural sites of Athens and the Peloponnese

Welcome to wonderful Athens for an unforgettable adventure. Enjoy getting lost in this maze of charming streets, where the modern sits beautifully with the ancient. Venture out into the Peloponnese on mainland Greece, and discover historical, cultural and natural wonders the region is blessed with.

An Odyssey Adventure in Ancient Greece

Learn the secrets of Ancient Greek mythology and history visiting the world-renowned site of the Acropolis, explore the unspoiled landscape of Peloponnese, become a true Spartan warrior in Thermopylae and much more - this self drive tour takes you on a real Greek adventure.

Explore Classical Greece: self-drive motorhome trip

This 15-days motorhome road trip will take you to Athens, the city of legends and some of the most fascinating classical sites, such as Epidaurus, Olympia, Delphi and the man-made marvels of the Corinth Canal and Byzantine monasteries of Meteora. A perfect tour for history.

Best for bucket list chasers and wildlife-watchers

Kicking off in especially aspirational style, we were struck by the prominence of Antarctica as one of your dream destinations for 2023. As a result, we had to include it in our run-down of the best places to visit in 2023.

It goes without saying that you can’t just rock up to Antarctica. So, we recommend taking a look at our tailor-made trip that combines southern Argentina with a four-night cruise to Antarctica . 

This awe-inspiring experience begins in Buenos Aires . After enjoying a few nights in El Calafate and Ushuaia , you'll set sail for four nights in the Antarctic.

Expert guides aboard your boat will give exhilarating talks on landscape and wildlife. Expect to see migrating whales, penguins, and seals as you visit Cape Horn, and cruise the Drake Passage to King George Island.

Make the most of your time in Antarctica

• Bring lots of layers and decent gloves for your cruise. Having your own binoculars is also recommended.
• From Ushuaia, book a guided trip to walk the thrilling Tierra del Fuego nature trails to the Emerald Lagoon.
• If you plan to spend longer in the region, read up on Ushuaia , and the best travel experiences in Argentina .
• Explore our Antarctica itinerary and talk to a local expert to make it 100% yours.
• Where to stay

You’ll stay aboard a boat during your cruise (obvs), so here are some places to stay in Ushuaia before and after your trip. Being the world’s most southerly city, it's known as the End of the World.

• Best for rustic charm: Cabañas Bosque Del Faldeo . This lovely lodge with a garden is close to lots of sights.
• Best for groups and families: Casa Magallanes . Three bedrooms, a fully equipped kitchen, and a city-view patio.
• Best for couples: Hotel Canal Beagle . Modern, stylish, with a pool and wellness spa.

Discover more places to stay in Ushuaia .

Antarctica — one of the best travel destinations in 2023, and one of your 2023 dream destinations © Shutterstock

Best for culture, clubbing and arty city breaks

There are plenty of reasons you voted cosmopolitan, dynamic Berlin one of the coolest cities in the world . It boasts crazy nightlight, incredible museums, and a cutting-edge art scene unlike anywhere else on earth.

Talking of edgy art, the world-renowned European Month of Photography celebrates its tenth anniversary in Berlin in March 2023 — all the more reason to visit if you're into art and culture.

At once gritty and glamorous, we're big fans of Berlin's Kreuzberg-Friedrichshain area, not least for its cafés, bars, markets and independent clothes shops.

Make the most of your time in Berlin

• Into urban culture? Take a tour of Berlin's street art .
• Read up on the best things to do in Berlin , and discover fab things you can do in Berlin for free .
• Get yourself a Mini Rough Guide to Berlin .
• Like to dig deeper into the places you visit? Check out this in-depth tour of Berlin and Potsdam . Or how about a culture-focused Capitals of Europe trip that covers Berlin, Prague, Vienna, and more?

Where to stay in Berlin

• Best for cool couples: Eastern & Western Comfort Hotelboat . Cosy cabin rooms moored on the River Spree.
• Best for budget travellers: Die Fabrik baxpax Hotel . Cool, comfy, and near East Side Gallery and Görlitzer Park.
• Best for 5-star luxury: Hotel Adlon . This Brandenburg Gate legend has a double Michelin-star restaurant.

Browse more places to stay in Berlin .

Into art and culture? Berlin is one of the best travel destinations for 2023 © canadastock/Shutterstock

Best for adventure, wildlife and out-of-this-world beaches

Part of the Visayas — the central island group of the Philippines — beautiful Bohol is known for its paradisiacal beaches and lush forests.

As such, it's a fabulous destination for travellers who want to spice up a blissful beach break with wildlife-watching and adventure activities. Bohol and its 75 islets sure pack a lot into its splendid landmass.

Located in the centre of the island, the UNESCO World Heritage listed Chocolate Hills are a must-see. Here, over 1,000 near-identical, symmetrical mounds represent one of the Philippines’ most iconic sights. They're also a dream to hike.

Into animals? Head to the Philippine Tarsier Sanctuary to see the world’s smallest primates in a swathe of protected forest. Meanwhile, the marine life around Panglao Island presents dazzling snorkelling and diving experiences.

Make the most of your time on Bohol Island.

• Board a traditional Banca boat to enjoy a turtle and dolphin-watching trip around Balicasag and Virgin Island.
• Cruise the Loboc River to watch wildlife, see villages and enjoy a gourmet local lunch.
• Read up on the best things to do on Bohol Island , and read The Rough Guide to the Philippines .
• Visit Bohol as part of an immersive trip to the Visayas .
• Want to travel better? Discover the best eco-friendly resorts in the Philippines .

Where to stay on Bohol Island

• Best for budget travellers: Adriana's Place . Glorious grounds, great food; dorms and bungalows available.
• Best for honeymooners: Epic Suites by Bohol Social Club . Stunningly-sited, with sea views and private pools.
• Best for home comforts: Villa 301 B&B . Cosy, quaint and quiet, with top home-cooked breakfasts.

Browse more places to stay on Bohol Island in the Philippines .

Bohol Island is a wonder for wildlife-watchers © Shutterstock

Best for arty culture, gaucho culture and German culture...

With a dynamic vibe coming courtesy of its student population, Cordoba — Argentina's second city — is emerging from the shadow of  Buenos Aires .

Undeniably vibrant, it's an old-meets-new kinda place. Its well-preserved microcentro is packed with colonial-era churches, monasteries, and municipal buildings, with the Centro Cultural Córdoba adding modern architectural flair.

Beyond its capital, the region of Cordoba is ripe for world-class horse-riding adventures. For example, you can experience gaucho culture at the Anglo-Argentine-owned  Estancia Los Potreros ranch.

For something entirely different — and unexpected — head to kitsch Villa General Belgrano. With streets lined by Alpine-style buildings, and the aroma of sausages, sauerkraut and strudel wafting from restaurants, you'll be forgiven for thinking you haven't been transported to Munich.

And the reason? Villa General Belgrano was founded in the 1940s by survivors of the Graf Spree, a Nazi battleship that sank off the coast of Argentina in World War Two.

Make the most of your time in Cordoba

• Head to the hills for a horseback riding trip with an authentic Argentinian asado barbecue.
• Discover why Cordoba is Argentina's most underrated region .
• Arm yourself with the picture-packed Insight Guide Argentina .
• For country-wide inspiration, browse our Argentina itineraries .

Where to stay in Cordoba

• Best for couples: Caseros 248 Hotel . Modern, spacious and close to attractions.
• Best for families: AT Suites . Self-catering apartments, with an on-site pool.
• Best for four-star comfort: Amérian Cordoba Park Hotel . Slick service and good food in downtown Cordoba.

Find more places to stay in Argentina's Cordoba .

Cordoba, Argentina © Shutterstock

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Best for adventure, exhilaration and soulful inspiration

Whether you reach dramatic Dominica by air or sea, it's clear why the region's indigenous Kalinago named the island  Wai'tukubuli  — tall is her body. The majestic peaks of Dominica's volcanic, forested mountains are, quite simply, awe-inspiring. 

It's also clear why Dominica is known as the Nature Island of the Caribbean, and deeply rewarding for lovers of outdoor adventures, not least if you're a diver, or opt to walk the  Waitukubuli Trail . Split into 14 segments, the Caribbean's first long-distance walking network showcases Dominica's heritage, culture, and wild beauty in one fell swoop. The island's beaches aren't half bad, either.

To experience stacks of spectacular nature in one place, head to the heights of Laudat — Dominica's highest village. Here you can soak up the misty splendour of  Freshwater Lake  and Boeri Lake , and join the trail-head for Dominica's legendary  Boiling Lake hike — you'll need a guide for this. And all these soul-stirrers sit within the UNESCO designated Morne Trois Pitons National Park. 

Alongside being an exceptional destination for nature and adventure lovers, Dominica is also a place to gain a deeper understanding of Caribbean history and culture. For example, the  Kalinago Barana Autê  shares the history and contemporary culture of the island’s indigenous Kalinago community.

And in good news for merry-makers, 2023 will see Mas Dominik — Dominica’s carnival — back to its exuberant full-scale incarnation for the first time since the pandemic. It run from 14th January, with six weeks of "Mas an Lawi" (Mas in the street) events culminating on 22nd February.

Make the most of your time in Dominica

• Be exhilarated by Dominica's natural beauty on a Secret Waterfall Canyoning Experience .
• Dominica is the only place in the world where sperm whales are resident year-round, so go whale-watching .
• Head to Sunset Bay Club to enjoy lobster of a lifetime. This beach-front restaurant is also a small resort.
• Be inspired by tales of nurture from the Nature Island .
• Discover why Dominica breaks the Caribbean mould .

Where to stay in Dominica

• Best for beachfront bliss: Picard Beach Cottages . Cute, well-equipped cabins with on-site whale-watching.
• Best for chic sustainability: Sea Cliff Eco Cottages . Welcoming, stylish, and close to vibrant Calibishie.
• Best for back-to-nature luxury: Jungle Bay . Gorgeous grounds and breath-taking views over the south coast.

Discover more places to stay in Dominica .

Stairway to hiking heaven — Dominica's Boiling Lake hike © Shutterstock

Best for foodies and culture vultures

The most complete medieval city of the Arab world, Fes ' old town feels magically suspended between the Middle Ages and the modern world.

With some 9000 alleys buzzing with living history and traders, it's a place to lose — and find — yourself in.

The oldest part of the city, walled Fes El-Bali, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. With its mosques, medersas and fondouks, plus a mile-long labyrinth of souks, there are enough sights here to warrant several days exploration.

Fes is also a feast for the senses. Head to Souk el Attarine to savour the aroma of spices, herbs, and incense, and buy traditional Moroccan crafts. Given that some traders are set up in beautiful old mansions, you'll most likely find yourself exploring a regal riad while shopping.

If that wasn't enough, Fes is also the culinary capital of Morocco. A place to feast on some of the country's best eating and drinking experiences.

While wandering Fes El-Bali, try street-stall snacks like bisara soup, or jben, an acidic white goat’s cheese. Fes is also the home of pastilla — a succulent pigeon or chicken pie dusted with sugar and cinnamon.

Make the most of your time in Fes 

• Feast on Fes' food and culture on a cookery class experience .
• Uncover the imperial cities of Morocco — including Fes — on an immersive trip.
• Read up on the best markets in Morocco .
• Plan a bigger trip with The Rough Guide to Morocco .

Where to stay in Fes

• Best for special occasions: Riad Authentic Palace & Spa . Five-star splendour and service in the old town.
• Best for foodies: Riad Tahyra . A boutique beauty where chefs often invite guests into the kitchen.
• Best for families: Riad Laayoun . Relaxed, rather reasonable and very friendly.

Find more places to stay in Fes Morocco.

Fes, Morocco — a feast for the senses © Shutterstock

Best for magical gardens, galleries and unique history

With a long, rich history, Kanazawa's exquisitely preserved historic districts exude stepped-back-in-time magic.

The dazzling jewel in the city's crown is Kenrokuen Garden, one of the Three Great Gardens of Japan . Designed to enchant in every season — snow-shrouded boughs in winter, cherry blossom in spring, blazing leaves in autumn — it's been stunning visitors for over two centuries.

If you’re interested in learning about Kanazawa’s samurai history, explore Nagamachi District on foot. Located just beyond Kanazawa Castle, here you can visit the restored residence of one of Kanazawa’s most influential samurais, Nomura Denbei Nobusada, 

History buffs will also want to head to Higashi Chaya District, where old geisha houses sit centre stage.

But Kanazawa isn't only about the past. Affectionately known as “Little Kyoto”, the city also boasts modern buzz. For example, the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art showcases a programme of exciting exhibitions.

Meanwhile, foodies will be in seventh heaven in Omicho Market — expect some of the freshest, finest fish and seafood in the region.

Make the most of your time in Kanazawa

• Get to know Kanazawa through the eyes of a learned local resident.
• Love your grub? Take a personalised food-themed walking tour with a local guide.
• Read up on the rise of Japan's Little Kyoto and The Rough Guide to Japan .
• Into food and culture? Take an extended culinary tour of Japan that takes in Kanazawa.

Where to stay in Kanazawa

• Best for 5-star finery: Kanazawa Hakuchoro Hotel Sanraku . Elegant tea lounges, a hot spring bath, castle views.
• Best for indie travellers: B&B Mikawa Kanazawa Fish Harbour . This tiny trad-style house offers free bikes.
• Best for couples: Zaimoku-an . Villa-style living and space in a top location.

Explore more places to stay in Kanazawa Japan .

Kenrokuen Garden. Kanazawa, Japan © Shutterstock

Best for wine, food, and fabulous family-friendly beaches

With a magnificent Old Town, safe and scenic out-of-town-beaches, and excellent, unstuffy restaurants, the laid-back Croatian island of Korčula  sure ticks lots of boxes.

As a result of this diversity, and an upturn in multi-generational holidays, Korčula earned a place in our best travel destinations in 2023. In short, if you're in the market for a sun-soaked break that'll keep everyone happy, Korčula has your name on it, your kids' names on it, and your granny's name on it.

The soft sand bays and quiet coves on the island's southern coast are the perfect place for little ones to learn to swim. And, given the calmness of the Adriatic around these parts, Korčula is also the ideal place for first-time sailors to take the plunge.

Into nature? Korčula is one of the greenest Adriatic islands, with an abundance of Aleppo pines, olive groves, and rolling vineyards. The latter of which are responsible for another reason to visit Korčula — world-class wine, especially dry whites like Pošip.

Make the most of your time on Korčula

• Little ones will adore viewing marine-life from a semi-submersible boat .
• Love the water and want to see more than one island? Consider booking a Croatian sailing trip , and arm yourself with our practical guide to island-hopping in Croatia .
• Read up on the top Croatian islands for getaways (psst — it includes the idyllic islet of Proizd, reached by water taxi from Vela Luka on Korčula).
• Keen to know more about Croatia? The full Rough Guide to Croatia has you covered, plus there's a Mini Rough Guide for shorter breaks.

Where to stay in Korčula

• Best for couples: Aminess Korcula Heritage Hotel . This quay-front gem oozes Old Town charm.
• Best for families: Villa Stone House Poplat . Boasts a pool, private beach and variously-sized villas.
• Best for budget travellers: Dragan's Den Hostel . Friendly, with dorms and private rooms.

Find more places to stay on Korčula Croatia .

Korcula's medieval Old Town, Croatia © Shutterstock

Best for gourmands, gallery-lovers and theatre fans

When it came to the UK, including Leeds in our best travel destinations to visit in 2023 was a no-brainer. Firstly, Leeds is the UK City of Culture in 2023 . Secondly, Yorkshire was one of your top UK regions for 2023 staycations.

Leeds is home to  Opera North (the only nationally recognised UK opera company outside London), Leeds Grand Theatre and  Northern Ballet – lovers of live performance are spoiled for choice.

Then there's the magnificent City Varieties Music Hall , which holds a Guinness World Record as the nation’s longest-running music hall. And, being the nation’s last gas-lit cinema, we can't not mention the  Hyde Park Picture House .

Meanwhile, Leeds Art Gallery presents a diverse collection of work to suit all tastes, from Francis Bacon paintings, to Grayson Perry sculptures and Damian Hirst installations.

If all that art and culture leaves you feeling hungry, fear not — Leeds isn't known as the "Foodie Capital of the North" for nothing. Kirkgate Market — well worth visiting for a wander in its own right — now boasts a refurbished food hall that'll have you struggling to pick your lunch.

Come May, Leeds plays host to the UK's first independent food festival, Leeds Indie Food . Expect a celebration of fresh fare from local growers and creators, plus global innovators drawn to the city's embracing of culinary culture.

Make the most of your time in Leeds

• Book a local food tour  to experience why Leeds is the foodie capital of the north .
• Travelling with kids or a group? Take a self-guided treasure hunt tour of Leeds.
• Into the unusual? Enjoy an urban axe-throwing experience .
• Read up on where to find culture around every corner of Leeds , and find out how to love Leeds for longer

Where to stay in Leeds

• Best for 5-star treats: Dakota Leeds . Stylish rooms, plus an on-site bar and great grill restaurant.
• Best for indie couples: The Chambers . Boutique apartments in a well restored turn-of-the-century residence.
• Best for romantic escapes: Hinsley Hall . 1.5 miles from the centre, this listed building has acres of grounds.

Check out more places to stay in Leeds .

As 2023 UK City of Culture, Leeds had to be one of our best travel destinations in 2023 © Prawrawee Lim/Shutterstock

Best for enchanting scenery and sustainable travel

Green and clean, Slovenian capital Ljubljana — a place you voted one of the most beautiful countries in the world — has an abundance of scenic charm. Caressing the Ljubljanica river and overlooked by a castle, cities don’t come much more picturesque. 

What’s more, Ljubljana has the EU’s biggest pedestrianised area, plenty of parks to stroll in, and is a beautiful base from which to visit a host of Slovenian attractions. 

Under an hour from the capital,  Lake Bled  is a must-visit. A fairy tale island juts from its expanse of clear water, with a cliff-top castle and mountain backdrop adding to the magic. It's also at the forefront of sustainable travel practices — arguably Europe's greenest destination .

Postojna Caves in  southwest Slovenia is another unmissable day-trip. On arrival, you’ll take a train into a sublime subterranean world, with a show-stopping, cathedral-like chamber at journey's end.

More rocky wonders await at sixteenth-century Predjama Castle. Built into elevated cave entrance in the heart of an unforgettable karst landscape, it defies the imagination, and everything you assumed about engineering. 

Meanwhile, beyond its awe-inspiring interior, Slovenia’s coastline is every bit as beautiful, and diverse with it . From picturesque Piran, to the spa town of Portorož, expect atmospheric Old Towns with Venetian flair, flavour and “I can't wait to come back” allure.

Make the most of your time in Ljubljana

• Book a day trip to Lake Bled, Postojna Caves and Predjama Castle .
• Interested in nature and the environment? Find out why there’s a buzz about Slovenia’s bee tourism . 
• To experience Slovenia in all its majesty, book a customisable treasures of Slovenia trip .  
• Read our beginners guide to Ljubljana and The Rough Guide to Slovenia . 
• Looking to take an early break in 2023? Find out what to expect from exploring Slovenia in spring .

Where to stay in Ljubljana

• Best for old time charm: Grand Hotel Union Eurostars . Art Nouveau style in the heart of the city.
• Best for families: Boutique Hotel Asteria . Homely vibes, with triple and quad rooms available.
• Best for budget travellers: Boutique Hostel Angel . Quiet and cosy, with personal sleeping capsules.

Look at more places to stay in Ljubljana Slovenia .

Lake Bled, Slovenia — a clean, green dream of a destination © Alberto Loyo/Shutterstock

11. Mekong Delta, Vietnam

Best for tropical lushness and cultural immersion.

Emerald paddy fields. Floating markets dappling lush canals. Expansive green horizons speckled with coconut trees. Cone-hatted farmers working the land. The Mekong Delta presents some of Vietnam’s most iconic images, and saw you vote it one of the most beautiful places in Vietnam .

A highlight here is visiting the floating markets and fruit orchards around Can Tho. There’s no better way to soak up the region’s culture while also marvelling at its maze of waterways and mangrove forests. 

Taking a ferry to An Binh Island is another unforgettable experience. With a landscape that represents the delta in miniature, it has its own floating market. And, with many families offer rewarding homestays, it's a wonderful place to try some of the best Vietnamese food — eating it, and cooking it.

You’ll also want to visit the Khmer pagodas around Tra Vinh. Here over 100 Buddhist temples serve not only as places of worship, but as a testament to the artistry and extraordinary craftsmanship of the Khmer people.

Make the most of your time in the Mekong Delta

• Discover how to go beyond the tourist trail in Vietnam , and read up on the mighty Mekong River .
• Interested in a bigger trip around the region? Read the Rough Guides to Vietnam and Cambodia .
• To take the hassle out of planning, explore our fully-customisable, tailor-made trips to Vietnam .

Where to stay in the Mekong Delta

• Best for nature-lovers: Mekong Lodge Resort . Peaceful, pretty riverfront bungalows surrounded by gardens.
• Best for foodie couples: Phuong Thao Homestay . Close to the An Binh ferry, with a pool and cooking classes.
• Best for families: Mai Binh Phuong Bungalow . Near Long Beach, this has an outdoor pool, garden and terrace.

Read up on more places to stay in Vietnam's Mekong Delta .

Mekong Delta, Vietnam © Shutterstock

Best for cracking culture, heady heritage, island excursions, and perfect pizza

Like its Mount Vesuvius backdrop, Naples is firecracker of a destination. From the depths of its subterranean caves, to its erotic ancient art, the city smoulders with ravishing, rough-round-the-edges appeal.

Visible from just about everywhere in the Bay of Naples, visiting Mount Vesuvius is one of the very best things to do in the region. It's dominated the lives of residents since AD 79, when it first erupted and buried the towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum. You'll want to visit both of these unique ancient heritage sites during your trip.

On the subject of ancient attractions, Naples' National Archaeological Museum has an exceptional collection of mosaics and classical sculptures. That said, its main allures are in the Gabinetto Segretto (Secret Room), which displays paintings and sculptures from the brothels, baths and bars of Pompeii and Herculaneum.

What's more, with the Amalfi Coast on its doorstop, and glamorous islands easily accessed from its bay, Naples makes a great base for beach-lovers.

For example, just over an hour by train from Naples, the cliff-top coastal town of Sorrento is a maze of medieval alleys and piazzas, with plenty of stunning sea-front restaurants to dine in. Sorrento also happens to be one of the most beautiful places in Italy .

Meanwhile, back in town, Naples lays claim to being the birthplace of pizza. 

• Visit the ruins of Pompeii and Mount Vesuvius on a full-day tour .
• Go underground to explore the history of Naples on a unique subterranean tour .
• Discover unusual things to do in Naples , and read up on the best pizza joints in Naples .
• Get yourself a guidebook to Naples and the Amalfi Coast .
• Best for splashing out in style: Grand Hotel Parker's . Live la dolce vita at this luxurious bay-view establishment.
• Best for couples: Spanish Palace Rooms . A beautiful B&B in an 18th-century building.
• Best for families: Case Così Apartments . Modern, well-equipped apartments and suites.

Discover more places to stay in Naples Italy.

Old Town, Naples © Shutterstock

Best for off-the-beaten-track adventures and wildlife

The biggest and most dispersed of South Africa’s provinces, the Northern Cape is also one of its least visited regions — good news for those of you who like to go your own way.

Boasting a landscape of dramatic red dunes, South Africa’s longest river, and desert miracles in the form of Namaqualand’s flower carpets, it’s a place to marvel at nature.

Talking of which, landscapes don’t get much more marvellous than Richtersveld Transfrontier Park. Tucked in a loop of the Orange River, it’s the world’s only arid biodiversity hotspot, and home to almost 5000 plant species.

Famed for its endemic halfmensboom (“half-man”) tree, the park is also known for klipspringer antelopes, leopards and wild cats.

Nature-lovers will also want to experience the mighty Aukoerebis waterfalls — South Africa’s largest — in the Augrabies Falls National Park. It plummets sixty metres to create the creating the earth-shattering noise that gives them their name — Aukoerebis means "the place of great noise" in the Khoisan language.

Make the most of your time in the Northern Cape

• Need more convincing? Discover why you should choose the Northern Cape for your South African holiday .
• Read up on how to experience the Northern Cape off the beaten track .
• Into animals? Get The Rough Guide to the Game Parks of South Africa .
• For more inspiration, take a look at our suggested South Africa itineraries .

Where to stay in the Northern Cape

• Best for couples: Boutique Guesthouse Hanover . A welcoming, comfortable stop-off.
• Best for food and wine: Bezalel Wine & Brandy Estate . Friendly hosts, superb surroundings, and top tastings.
• Best for safari stop-offs: Kalahari Lion's Rest . Ideal if you're visiting Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.

Find more places to stay in South Africa's Northern Cape .

Namaqualand, South Africa © Marie-Anne AbersonM/Shutterstock

14. Oaxaca, Mexico

Best for mixing mountains, culture and blissful beach-life.

Exhilarating fiestas. A cosmopolitan capital. Indigenous villages. Forested hillsides, and Pacific beaches that range from peaceful backwaters to established resorts. There’s no question that the state of Oaxaca is one of the most enticing destinations in Mexico .

Oaxaca city is the region’s prime destination, attracting visitors from Mexico City to its markets, craft stalls, magnificent Baroque architecture, and gallery-rich walkways. 

Nearby, the Zapotec and Mixtec sites at Monte Albán, Yagul and Mitla might be less known than their counterparts in central and eastern Mexico, but they’re every bit as impressive. What’s more, fewer crowds make for a more rewarding experience. 

Meanwhile, down on the coast,  Puerto Escondido attracts surfers, with lesser-visited beaches around Puerto Ángel boasting something of an alternative vibe.

Make the most of your time in Oaxaca

• Into food? Take a traditional Oaxacan cooking class with a market visit.
• Want to learn about the region's ancient history? Take a trip to Monte Alban to discover Zapotec culture.
• Our Amazing Mexico trip includes an immersive few days in Oaxaca, along with Mexico City and Mayan gems.
• Want to mix Mexico City, Teotihuacan, Oaxaca City and the Yucatan? See our Explore Central Mexico itinerary.
• Discover more cool places to visit in Mexico , and get yourself a Rough Guide to Mexico .

Where to stay in Oaxaca

• Best for couples: Casa Joseph Zicatela . An adults-only 5-star steps from Zicatela Beach.
• Best for outdoor activities: Cabañas Rancho Viejo . Free bikes, mountain views and top hiking.
• Best for beachfront bliss: Un Sueño Cabañas del Pacífico . Cute cabanas on a stunning beach.

Discover more places to stay in Oaxaca Mexico .

Church of Santo Domingo de Guzman in Oaxaca, Mexico © Shutterstock

Best for wildlife, nature, sustainable travel and a 2023 solar eclipse

Home to pristine rainforests, majestic volcanoes, tangled mangroves, and stunning beaches lapped by both the Pacific and Caribbean Oceans, exuberant Costa Rica exudes life at every turn.

One of the world’s most biodiverse countries, this Central American stunner has been blazing the trail for responsible travel for decades. Alongside its exceptional eco lodges and community-minded tourism projects, the country exudes its  pura vida  (“pure living”) ethos from every town, village, cloud forest and jungle.

One the best places to experience Costa Rica’s natural and wildlife wonders is on the Osa Peninsula in the southern province of Puntarenas. Here the  Parque Nacional Corcovado is one of Costa Rica’s best walking destinations, and among its most biodiverse regions. 

Also one of the most beautiful national parks in Costa Rica , the Corcovado reserve is home to many of the world's most endangered and spectacular mammals, including tapirs and jaguars. 

If you need another reason to visit this year, it's worth knowing that on 14th October 2023, you'll be able to see an annular solar eclipse in Costa Rica. This is when the moon covers the sun's centre, leaving a “ring of fire” (annulus) around the moon.

Awesome wildlife and landscapes aside, this stellar event secured Costa Rica's spot as one of the best travel destinations in 2023.

Make the most of your time in the Osa Peninsula

• Explore the jungles of the Tamandua nature reserve on a half-day trip with a guide.
• Book a Costa Rica eco-adventure tour that kicks off in the Osa Peninsula, or explore the wild south . 
• Discover more of the best places to visit in Costa Rica , and read up on the best hikes in Costa Rica .
• Read The Rough Guide to Costs Rica for in-depth detail on the whole country.

Where to stay in Puntarenas Province, Costa Rica

• Best for mountain magic: Santa Juana Lodge . Stunningly sited, with a bounty of birds, waterfalls and walks.
• Best for eco beach-life: La Leona Eco Lodge . Cute candle lit beach cabins near Corcovado National Park.
• Best for indie nature-lovers: Tico Tico Villas . Adults only, and near Manuel Antonio National Park.

Discover more places to stay in Costa Rica's Puntarenas province .

The Osa Peninsula's Corcovado National Park is a must-visit for wildlife-lovers © Shutterstock

Best for beautiful beaches, epic coastal walks, family fun and responsible travel

Nestled in  Wales’ most south-westerly corner, and surrounded by the mighty Atlantic on three sides, Pembrokeshire is a jaw-droppingly scenic, family-friendly destination. A place where natural beauty, ancient history, elite outdoor adventures, and fun family attractions await. 

The county’s beaches are breath-taking, with Caribbean-esque Barafundle Bay often cited as being among the world’s best.  

Then there’s the internationally renowned Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, the bird-rich islands of Skomer, Skokholm and Grassholm, and exhilarating kayaking, hiking and coasteering trips. Fun fact: Pembrokeshire is the birthplace of coasteering.

The county is also the perfect place to travel more responsibly. In fact, Wales as a whole has long been leading the way when it comes to responsible travel. This beautiful, welcoming land offers lots of practical ways to travel better , for every type of traveller .

Make the most of your time in Pembrokeshire

• Read up on the Pembrokeshire Coast Path , and get the Pocket Rough Guide to Pembrokeshire .
• Want to travel better? Discover eco-friendly holidays to enjoy in Wales , and download the FREE Rough Guide to Responsible Wales .
• Travelling further afield? Find out about  places in Wales you’re probably never heard of , and get The Rough Guide to Wales .

Where to stay in Pembrokeshire

• Best for foodies: The Grove . An 18th-century country house surrounded by meadows.
• Best for majestic views: Roch Castle . A 12th-century stunner on a rocky outcrop overlooking St Brides Bay.
• Best for families: Timber Hill Self Catering Cedar Lodges . Spacious, scenic and close to beaches.

Discover more places to stay in Pembrokeshire Wales .

Tenby Harbour, Pembrokeshire, Wales © Billy Stock/Shutterstock

Best for laidback vacations and family fun in the sun

From Miami and Orlando, to Key West and the Everglades, Florida's allure can't be denied. But, given that so many of you expressed a strong desire to escape to pastures new in 2023 , we wanted to highlight an alternate area of the Sunshine State. Namely, Pensacola.

With a growing reputation as a place that'll keep the whole family happy, it's a top destination if you want to chill out on miles of white sand beaches, try your hand at water-sports, or get your culture on in the city.

Protecting 5,842 acres of land and 18,953 acres of water, the Gulf Islands National Seashore of Pensacola  presents countless ways to find serene solitude. Or, if you're in the mood for action, the same area is ripe for snorkelling, kayaking, hiking, biking and boating.

In town, Palafox Street is packed with places to eat, shop and be entertained. Don't miss the Saturday market for fresh bread, local cheese and sweet treats, along with handmade crafts and art.

When you're done, head to historic Fort Pickens. From downtown Pensacola, the journey will take you past spectacular beaches you'll vow to return to.

In good news for those planning to visit next year, a fabulously quirky boutique hotel is set to open in 2023. Located in a restored historic Baptist church, Lily Hall Hotel will feature Pensacola's first speakeasy. With only fifteen rooms, and a whole lot of buzz around it, you'll want to contact them early to secure yours.

Make the most of your time in Pensacola

• Take to the waters off Pensacola Beach to see dolphins on a guided cruise .
• Uncover eccentric Florida in our run down of ways to weird out in the Sunshine State .
• Want full detail on the Sunshine State? Dive into The Rough Guide to Florida .
• Travelling with kids? Find out how to have family fun in Florida .

Where to stay in Pensacola

• Best for families: Quality Inn & Suites Pensacola Bayview . Close to Escambia Bay, with an on-site pool.
• Best for seeing the region: Best Western Plus Blue Angel Inn . Friendly service, close to downtown.
• Best for couples: Pensacola Victorian Bed & Breakfast . Big beds and top breakfasts in a beautiful building.

Find more places to stay in Pensacola Florida .

Pensacola Beach, Florida © AdobeStock

Best for freedom, fresh air and recharging

A landscape of lochs, rivers, mountains and glens, the Scottish Highlands is one of the places you most want to visit in 2023. You also voted this region one of the most beautiful places in Scotland — high praise, indeed.

The ideal destination if you’re looking to recharge, the Highlands also satisfy cravings for fresh air and glorious walks. And Inverness , the region’s only major city, is a great springboard for your exploration of more remote areas.

South of the city, the area around the dramatic  Cairngorm mountains  offer fabulous opportunities to enjoy outdoor activities in stunning scenery. You won’t want to miss legend-steeped  Loch Ness , the largest of the string of lochs which make up the  Great Glen .

Cutting across the Highlands from Inverness, the Glen's ancient geological fault line leads to Fort William , a town that's stunningly sited beneath Scotland’s highest peak — Ben Nevis.

Other highlights include the West Highland Railway, which runs from  Glasgow to Mallaig via Fort William. You can also use this scenic railway route to reach  Loch Lomond , where more mysterious landscapes await.

Make the most of your time in the Scottish Highlands

• Want to walk on the wild side? The Rough Guide to the North Coast 500 is packed with rewarding routes.
• Gawp at our gallery of the  most beautiful places in Scotland , and read up on the  best things to do in Scotland .
• Take a trip focused on Scotland's Highlands .
• Be inspired by  The Rough Guide to the 100 Best Places in Scotland , and read  The Rough Guide to Scottish Highlands and Islands .

Where to stay in the Scottish Highlands

• Best for fairy tale family breaks: The Little Houses . Picture-book-perfect cabins near Fort William.
• Best for star-gazers: Aurora Rural Retreats . Epic mountain views, clear skies and cosy comfort in Glendale.
• Best for couples: SeaBeds . Luxury lakeview lodges with hot tubs.

Browse more places to stay in the Scottish Highlands .

The Kylesku Bridge in the Scottish Highlands is a landmark of the North Coast 500 © Helen Hotson/Shutterstock

Best for city slickers, beach bums and the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup

With its sparkling harbour, amazing beaches, fab food scene, and outstanding national parks on the doorstep (almost), Sydney packs punch as a destination with something for everyone. You also voted it one of the most beautiful cities in the world .

If you’re thinking of stopping off in Sydney as part of a longer trip around Australia , be sure to allow at least five days here.

For example, you’ll most likely feel hard done by if you don’t visit at least one of Sydney’s eastern-suburb beaches. We recommend strolling the coastal path that stretches from Bondi to Coogee.

If you’re into nature and wildlife, top national parks are within an hour of the city, including Ku-ring-gai Chase and Royal.

Meanwhile the magnificent, UNESCO World Heritage-listed Blue Mountains present opportunities for isolated bushwalking. You'll feel a million miles away from Sydney's glitzy commercial centre and gritty suburbs.

Follow the beautiful game? You have an extra reason to visit Sydney in 2023. From 20th July to 20th August, New Zealand and Australia will co-host the FIFA Women’s World Cup , with Sydney set to stage the final on 20th August 2023.

Make the most of your time in Sydney

• See the natural beauty of the Blue Mountains on a full-day tour to Featherdale Wildlife Park.
• Love wine? Head north toward the luscious lands of the Hunter Valley for a wine-tasting tour .
• Want to save some dollars? Discover fab free things to do in Sydney .
• Planning a bigger trip? Read The Rough Guide to Australia , and our tips for backpacking Australia .

Where to stay in Sydney

• Best for an iconic experience: View Sydney . Stylish rooms overlooking Sydney Harbour. Nuff said.
• Best for families: Coogee Sands Hotel & Apartments . Right by Coogee Beach, in easy reach of the city.
• Best for budget travellers: Sydney Harbour YHA . Modern and friendly with Harbour views from the terrace.

See more places to stay in Sydney Australia , and read our guide to accommodation in Sydney .

Sydney at dusk © Shutterstock

20. Torres del Paine, Patagonia, Chile

Best for bucket list hikes and otherworldly landscapes.

Silver glaciers, blue icebergs, and sculpted mountains that’ll take your breath away (really).  Torres del Paine National Park in Chile’s Patagonia region is a bona fide paradise for hikers who want to unleash their inner explorer.  

Given that Chile only fully opened to visitors post-pandemic in September 2022, 2023 is the perfect time to support tourism in the country, while also fulfilling big bucket list dreams. 

The park’s soaring centrepiece is the twin-peaked Cerro Monte Almirante Nieto, framed to the north by the elegant Torres del Paine (“Paine Towers”). To the west, the Cuernos del Paine (“Paine Horns”) spike the sky. 

Collectively forming the Paine Massif, the best views are found from the south bank of Lago Nordenskjöld. The lake’s weird milky-turquoise waters act as an uncanny mirror. 

To the west, llama-like guanacos roam on plains beneath the mountains. If you’re lucky, you might see an elusive, rare huermúl deer. Get really lucky, and you could glimpse a puma. 

Since you’ve made the effort to come all this way, you’ll want to hop over the border to explore  Argentina’s most amazing national park –  Parque Nacional Los Glaciares .

Make the most of your time in Torres del Paine

• To focus on more important things (like getting into explorer mode), book a customisable, tailor-made trip from Santiago to Torres del Paine .
• Prefer to book things yourself? Check out guided hiking tours of the national park .
• Read up on Patagonia's legendary Ruta 40 , and be mesmerised by pictures of Patagonia .
• Get yourself The Rough Guide to Chile and Easter Island , and arm yourself with Insight Guide Argentina .

Where to stay in Torres del Paine

• Best for exploring in style: Río Serrano Hotel . Amazing views over the Massif, plus a pool and spa.
• Best for couples: Hotel Lago Grey . A cosy, welcoming base with stunning vistas.
• Best for regional road-trips: Hotel Estancia El Ovejero Patagónico . Well-located for Argentina crossings.

Browse more places to stay in Chile's Torres del Paine region .

Torres del Paine, Patagonia, Chile © Shutterstock

Best for French flamboyance, foodies and the 2023 Rugby World Cup

Chances are, if you’ve already visited France , you’ll be hankering to return at some point. But before you book a trip to delve deeper into Paris , see more of Provence , or soak up sun on the Côte d'Azur, consider adding Toulouse to your 2023 travel destination wish-list. 

And the reasons? Though officially outside the administrative  région , Toulouse is the cultural capital of medieval and modern Languedoc. Known as the Pink City due to the blushing hue of its historic buildings, it’s a vibrant urban hub with a Vieux Quartier (Old Quarter) you might just fall in love with.

Toulouse is also the capital of European aerospace industry. It lays claim to being one of France's top culinary cities — think hearty cassoulet, duck confit, and (of course) saucisse de Toulouse . It's also the capital of wine in South-West France .

If that wasn’t eclectic enough, Toulouse is one of the host cities for the 2023 Rugby World Cup , which kicks off on 8th September.

Make the most of your time in Toulouse

• Learn about the city's history and cultural hotspots on a guided walking tour .
• Head out of town for a tasting tour of a 16th-century vinery, Domaine de Baronarques.
• Discover more places to visit in the Languedoc region .
• Read The Rough Guide to  Languedoc and Roussillon , and get yourself a French phrasebook .
• Browse our customisable France itineraries .

Where to stay in Toulouse

• Best for 5-star style: La Cour des Consuls Hotel and Spa . Ultra-elegant, with a wonderful restaurant.
• Best for couples. Hôtel de Brienne . A cosy, canal-side gem.
• Best for groups: Haut Lofts . Spacious, stylish central apartments.

Pretty and pink — Toulouse, France © AdobeStock

Discover more places to stay in Toulouse .

Best for culture, cuisine and the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup

Given that you ranked New Zealand as your number one dream destination in our recent reader travel survey, we had to include it in our best travel destinations in 2023.

After much debate, we went for Wellington , partly because it's another host city for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, which runs across New Zealand and Australia from 20th July to 20th August.

While it’s true to say that if you’re heading to New Zealand, you won’t want to spend all your time in a city, Wellington warrants a sizeable chunk of your time. Given that it’s the main departure point for the South Island, consider planning a trip that takes in Wellington’s sights before heading off. 

New Zealand’s second most populous city, Wellington sits top of the tree when it comes to café culture, nightlife and the arts, not least during the summer when a stack of fringe festivals erupt. 

Boasting more places to eat and drink per capita than New York City, Wellington is New Zealand’s culinary capital, with a cracking craft beer scene and renowned regional wine.

Courtesy of its surrounding wooded Town Belt, Wellington also boasts excellent, easily accessible walking.

Meanwhile, Mount Victoria Lookout is one of Wellington’s best viewpoints, offering sweeping views of the city, waterfront, docks, and beyond to the Hutt Valley.

Make the most of your time in Wellington

• Sample Wellington's fabulous food scene on a city tasting tour .
• Discover New Zealand’s native wildlife at Zealandia Ecosanctuary .
• Want to explore New Zealand more widely? Take inspiration from the Insight Guide.
• Given the epic nature of the country, you might want to consider taking a tailor-made trip. Our customisable North to South self-drive trip includes a few days in Wellington.
• For more rewarding road experiences, read up on some of New Zealand's best routes .

Where to stay in Wellington

• Best for families: Terrace Villas Apartments . Home comforts in 100-year-old historic villas.
• Best for couples: Bolton Hotel. An elegant boutique 5-star.
• Best for budget travellers: Hotel Waterloo & Backpackers . Affordable dorms and rooms in a former fancy hotel.

Find more places to stay in Wellington New Zealand .

Wellington, New Zealand © Tom Zahnas/Shutterstock

23. Zagori, Greece

Best for epic hikes and laidback village life.

Fallen for Greece after visiting its glorious islands ? Can’t get enough of fresh and zesty Greek food ? Fancy doing something different in 2023? You might want to look into visiting Zagori for a 2023 trip that delivers big on traditional Greek culture and cuisine. This wildly beautiful region of Greece's central mainland is also big when it comes to magnificent natural sights and hikes.

Sparsely populated, Zagori is characterised by thick forest, with rugged mountains wrinkled by foaming rivers. All this is best explored by hiking several paths that connect its traditional villages. 

The pinnacle of these hikes is to the UNESCO-protected Víkos Gorge — the second deepest Gorge in the world, no less (only the Grand Canyon is deeper). 

Steep in sections, the undulating trail takes you through a lush wilderness of untouched forest as dolomite and limestone cliffs tower overhead.

Happily for fans of Greek food, the region's impossibly pretty villages aren't short of family-run restaurants serving hearty seasonal dishes. All the better if you've worked up an appetite during an awe-inspiring hike.

Make the most of your time in Zagori

• Venture to Vikos Gorge on full-day guided hike .
• Immerse yourself in nature and food on a guided hike through the Valia Calda forest plus picnic.
• Read our tips for travelling in Greece .
• Get in-depth, insider info from The Rough Guide to Greece .
• For more inspiration, view our customisable Greece trip itineraries .

Where to stay in Zagori

• Best for traditional charm: Orestis House . Lovely stone buildings and great food.
• Best for rustic luxury: Aristi Mountain Resort . A boutique spa hotel with lofty views.
• Best for families: Ameliko Zagori . Pretty, friendly and near the gorge.

Discover more places to stay in Zagori Greece .

Aerial view of Vikos Gorge © Shutterstock

If reading the Rough Guide to the best travel destinations in 2023 has left you ready to book your trip, you might want to browse our guidebook shop to arm yourself with more info before you go.

Alternatively, explore our customisable tailor-made trips . Whether you're looking for one of the world's best adventure holidays , or somewhere to take your kids , the suggested itineraries will surely stoke your wanderlust.

We may earn commission when you click on links in this article, but this doesn’t influence our editorial standards. We only recommend services we genuinely believe will enhance your travel experiences.

Header image: Bohol island tarsier © Shutterstock

Joanne is a Pembrokeshire-born writer with a passion for the nature, cultures and histories of the Caribbean region, especially Dominica. Also passionate about inspiring a love of adventure in young people, she’s the author of several books for children and young adults, hosts international writing workshops, and has written articles on the Caribbean and inspirational community initiatives for Rough Guides. Follow her @JoanneOwen on Twitter and @joanneowenwrites on Instagram.

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These Are the Biggest Travel Trends of 2023, According to the President of American Express Travel

What are people really traveling for in 2023?

Travel Faery/Getty Images

If 2022 was the year of wading back into travel, then 2023 is the year of diving in head first. According to a recently released report by American Express Travel, a majority of respondents say they not only plan to take more trips this year than last, but they will also spend more money on travel in 2023 than in 2022. 

“As people continue to be eager to take trips, we are seeing a huge emphasis on experiences, especially ones that are personalized and centered around travelers’ passions,” says Audrey Hendley, president of American Express Travel , in an interview with Travel + Leisure. 

Courtesy of American Express

One common theme among travelers worldwide: The continued "rise of 'set-jetting,'" per the report, a.k.a. destination decisions that are heavily influenced by a binge-worthy show or Hollywood film. Entertainment-focused tourism has been on the rise, and the year ahead may see more than ever before. Seventy percent of Gen Z and millennial respondents agree that they have "been inspired to travel to a destination after seeing it featured in a TV show, news source, or movie."

While Amex’s report doesn’t mention specific programs, Hendley tells T+L that “people are booking trips to destinations like Yellowstone, Paris, or Sicily after being inspired by their favorite TV shows.” It isn’t difficult to surmise that travelers are seeking out the cities, hotels, and experiences that were featured in shows such as The White Lotus, Yellowstone, and Emily in Paris, among others. 

The Amex-commissioned study also explored overall travel behaviors and trip planning, with participants from a diverse array of seven countries (Australia, Canada, Mexico, Japan, India, the United Kingdom, and the United States).

kazuhide isoe/Getty Images

In addition to “set-jetting,” there’s a renewed emphasis on food-focused travel, wellness and self-care on vacation, and traveling off the beaten path. Surveyed travelers say they want to shop at small businesses and spend more during a vacation if they know it supports the local community. 

Tying all of that together are younger travelers at the heart of these trends. According to the report, 84 percent of Gen Z-ers and millennials surveyed would rather take a dream vacation than purchase a new luxury item, and 79 percent agree that travel is an important budget priority. “Younger generations are showing the strongest numbers across our trends. We are paying close attention to (Gen Z and millennials) since their habits and interests will continue to shape the face of travel,” Hendley notes.  

While travel during the past several years may have been difficult to predict, especially with changing COVID-19 travel rules, the world is much easier to roam in 2023. Even one of the strictest borders, China, fully reopened to tourists in mid-March and is issuing tourist visas once again. This increased travel flexibility means longer-term bookings are also making a comeback. 

Nik West/Getty Images

“We’re seeing growth in long-term bookings across all generations, with almost 7-in-10 of survey respondents stating they like to plan trips three to six months in advance,” Hendley shares. “We are also seeing an increase in people booking big trips, which people typically book further in advance.”

Related Articles

23 of the best places to travel to around the world in 2023

• Most countries have opened their borders after pandemic closures.
• See the world again in 2023 with big events, hotel openings, and new air routes planned.
• No matter your budget and travel style, here's where to go around the world in 2023.

If you've been putting international travel off, the new year is a great time to get back out into the world.

Many of the the last countries to open their borders amid the pandemic such as Japan , Thailand , and Bhutan , have done so at last, meaning travelers can put those passports to good use all around the world.

And booking data shows travelers are doing just that; travel insurance marketplace Squaremouth reported that nearly 90 percent of insured travel was for international destinations , marking the first time since COVID-19 that international travel matched pre-pandemic levels, per its data. Though, there's plenty to see at home in the US , too.

As more travelers take vacations, ongoing trends of wellness-focused travel  and extended-stay travel as a function of continuing remote work are expected to continue to drive those booking decisions.

As a travel writer, I stay on top of industry trends and newsworthy events happening at destinations all over the world. And as a frequent traveler — with a particular affinity for stamping up my passport — I have my own personal favorite locations and dream destinations that make compelling reasons to board planes in the coming year. 

In 2023 we'll see a slate of big cultural happenings and events, from the new International African American Museum that will open domestically to the expected arrival of the Grand Egyptian Museum right next to the pyramids.

With these references as inspiration, I put together recommendations for the best places to travel to around the world in 2023, no matter your style or budget.

Bhutan has reopened to tourists, now with renovations made to one of the greatest walks in the world.

High in the Himalayas, Bhutan reopened its border after a pandemic closure in early 2020.

Along with that, the 250-mile historic Trans-Bhutan Trail reopened for the first time in 60 years after years of extensive restoration. Spanning from Haa in the west of Bhutan to Trashigang in the east, the trail dates back to the 16th century , and was once the only way to travel across Bhutan.

It's a bucket list dream of mine to get a chance to traverse this path, recognized by many travel outlets such as Lonely Planet as one of the world's greatest walks in the world. It passes through stunning landscapes, 21 temples, 12 mountain passes, five suspension bridges, ancient fortresses, monasteries, and more than 400 historic sites .

In 2023, Western Australia will be the site of a spectacular celestial event.

On April 20, 2023, a total solar eclipse will be visible just off Western Australia's coast in Exmouth.

This special lunar event — when the moon obscures the face of the sun — usually happens out at sea , so spring will bring a rare opportunity to see this natural phenomenon by land.

The World Heritage-listed Ningaloo region is the most accessible land-based place on earth to view the spectacle. Plus, this lunar event will coincide with the start of whale shark season , and it's long been a dream of mine to swim with these gorgeous creatures.

Cayman Islands will become the only Caribbean destination served by nonstop flights from the West Coast.

Although the Caribbean isn't too far from the US West Coast geographically, I find it so daunting to plan trips there for my family from our home in Los Angeles, California.

That's because there have been a lack of direct flights to the region, which means a long and potentially arduous trip.

But that's now changed with the arrival of nonstop service on Cayman Airways from LAX to Owen Roberts International Airport in Grand Cayman.

It will be the Caribbean islands' only direct flight to service Los Angeles travelers and I think introductory fares are quite well priced, starting from $399 .

Home to the famous Seven Mile Beach , the Cayman Islands are on my list to visit in 2023. 

Several over-the-top, ultra-luxury resorts will open in Dubai.

I haven't been to Dubai yet, but as a fan of luxury hotels I am eager to join its robust traveler ranks.

Dubai is hardly under the radar. In fact, in 2022 it was the most-viewed destination on TikTok, with 82 billion views, according to the TikTok Travel Index 2022 . 

In 2023, I think it will only earn more interest as Emirates invests more than $2 billion to enhance its air service there, including revamping aircrafts, serving new menus, and more.

Additionally, the ultra-luxury resort Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab is planned to open in 2023, and comes from the same brand behind the world-famous sailboat-inspired Burj Al Arab Jumeirah. The new hotel will take inspiration from a futuristic superyacht, according to its developer .

The five-star luxury hotel brand One&Only will also open a new property in Dubai with One Za'abeel that will have the world's longest cantilever building, a panoramic sky concourse that connects two towers floating 100 meters above the ground, as well as celebrity-chef restaurants, a statement swimming pool, and retail and entertainment, according to its website .

The new year will also bring the full opening of Atlantis, The Royal , a 43-story luxury resort spread across six towers with 17 on-site restaurants curated by celebrity and Michelin-starred chefs including three-Michelin-starred Björn Frantzén , and more than 90 swimming pools, including one on the 22nd floor with views of the Palm crescent. 

For an indulgent escape, Loire Valley, France, beckons with five-star chateaux.

One of my best friends now lives in France, and this is going to be a good year to plan a visit to see them, and the country.

That's because the new year marks the 600th anniversary of the birth of Louis XI , and many of the historic landmark chateaux across this UNESCO World Heritage Site region will commemorate with special exhibitions and activities. 

I particularly want to visit this area to check out recent hotel openings that include Château Louise de La Vallière , a new five-star Relais & Chateaux collection hotel nestled in a forest in the Loire Valley region, only a few minutes from Tours and Amboise.

Additionally, Fleur de Loire in the town of Blois, has five-star hotel and dining helmed by two-Michelin-starred Chef Christophe Hay. It's on my travel bucket list for its forthcoming expansion with spacious, contemporary rooms.

Japan is finally open after two years of pandemic closure.

After two years of border closure amid the pandemic, Japan reopened to travelers in late 2022.

Visitors will find an array of properties that opened while borders were closed, which have yet to be discovered by US travelers, including beachfront HOSHINOYA Okinawa , the traditional ryokan hot spring resorts KAI Yufuin and KAI Beppu designed by renowned Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, and family-friendly resort  RISONARE Osaka .

One that has yet to open but is expected to be Japan's largest hotel and entertainment complex, is the massive Tokyo Kabukicho Tower . It will have a cinema, two luxury hotels, a concert venue, an entertainment food hall, and more when it opens in 2023.

For foodies, Ace Hotel Kyoto will bring a Noma residency from March to May. Noma is a restaurant that has been named the best in the world by a panel of critics.

Las Vegas is one of my favorite cities in the world, and big events will take place here in 2023.

One of my absolute favorite cities in the world for its round-the-clock energy, great pools, and readily available craps and roulette, Las Vegas always dazzles me with a new schedule of spectacles every year. 

In November 2023, Sin City will go over the top when the Las Vegas Strip will transform into a racetrack as Formula 1 returns to the city for the first time in nearly 40 years. Race cars will drive along Las Vegas Boulevard as part of the race, and some of Sin City's most iconic landmarks — such as the Bellagio fountains — will become seating and viewpoints for guests to watch it all happen.

Travel to Bali, Indonesia, for a wellness-focused vacation.

I love Bali for its natural beauty, spiritual atmosphere, vegetarian-friendly food, and impeccable hospitality at some of the most incredible hotels I've ever seen.

In 2023, Bali will continue to be a go-to destination for wellness seekers, especially when it welcomes travelers from around the world in the spring for the Bali Spirit Festival , a four-day celebration of yoga, music, and dance.

While there, I suggest a visit to the island's cultural landmarks like Pura Gegar, one of the island's Hindu temples, or the Pasifika Museum , known for its extensive collection of art and cultural artifacts.

Travelers can book their own private villa at one of Bali's newest resorts, Marriott Vacation Club Bali Nusa Dua Terrace , which will soon open with apartment-style lodgings that I think are harder to come by in the area, and great for larger families and groups.

Mérida, Mexico, will soon have new green spaces and flight service.

I was charmed by Mérida in Mexico during a brief visit as part of a Yucatan Peninsula road trip, and am definitely due to go back to explore it further.

In 2023, I think it will be easier to travel to the area with a new daily flight to Mérida from Mexico City via Viva Aerobus . Once there, visit  La Plancha , a centrally-located park that will become a recreational space for Merida residents and visitors, that will work to purify Mérida's air while providing a pleasant green space, alongside the city's many other parks .

Just 15 minutes from Merida, the 18th-century Hacienda Xcanatun by Angsana is my choice of where to stay, which has 36 new suites, a poolside snack bar, and an Olympic-length swimming pool. And in 2023, the hotel will open a fully-equipped fitness center and spa, too. 

I think the small Caribbean island of Canouan is under the radar — but not for long.

Even though I'm a career travel writer with a particular interest in luxurious, tropical destinations, I had never even heard of Canouan before this past summer.

Now that I've been, it's hard to imagine it will stay a secret much longer.

This small island is located within the Caribbean nation of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and it seems to me that it's somehow still off most US travelers' radar, but with major international brands' new presence , that may soon change.

For instance, on the island of just five square miles , there is now a luxury Mandarin Oriental resort , which recently took over the former Pink Sands Club, in addition to the exclusive, members-only Soho House , which opened a location on this remote island just over a year ago. I visited Soho House and loved it for an upscale getaway including a date night at the on-site restaurant with flavorful dishes and a breezy, beachy atmosphere.

Plan a visit to Istanbul in 2023 when Turkey celebrates a major milestone.

I love Istanbul, Turkey. I'm a fan of the heavily-spiced vegetarian food, and as a shopper, I've spent hours browsing the markets and shops.

Turkey saw record tourism in 2022 , and 2023 is gearing up to be even bigger as the country will celebrate its 100th anniversary of becoming a republic .

Istanbul is also the only city to span two continents , and the monthlong Istanbul Tulip Festival will take place in April across parks, events, and exhibitions. Just in time for the country's centennial, Istanbul's Maiden Tower — once a watchtower on a tiny Bosphorous island on the Asian side — is undergoing renovation and conversion as a museum with a 2023 opening. 

Thailand is finally reopen, with a schedule of cool festivals coming up in 2023.

With all COVID-19 border restrictions lifted in Thailand as of October 2022, the country is on my shortlist for a visit this coming year.

And the relaxed travel rules aren't the only reason I want to visit. 

Coming to Thailand for the first time in 2023 is America's hip-hop music festival, Rolling Loud , which will be held at the Legend Siam Amusement Park in Pattaya in April. At the same time is Songkranm , the festival of water that symbolizes the cleansing of spirit and body.

I'm also continually impressed by the number of luxury hotels in Bangkok, and Rosewood Bangkok recently reopened in the prime business and retail district of Ploenchit, which I think is an ideal destination for shoppers and foodies .

Digital nomads looking to make a move in 2023 should consider Portugal.

We loved our family tour of Portugal four years ago when we made our home base at the residential-like Martinhal luxury apartments in Lisbon, which I'd recommend to any families, groups, or individuals on a long-term stay. We also took side trips to magical, castle-filled places like Sintra , and I'd love to go back.

Recently, Portugal announced requirements for its highly anticipated "digital-nomad visa," which allows remote workers who make four times the national minimum wage (approximately $800 per month ) to live and work in the country. I think that makes the beautiful European nation an ideal destination for working remotely.

Go for an extended visit in 2023 and stay where I did, or look into  Rentyl Resorts , which offers the long-term comfort of a vacation home, such as kitchens and dining areas, with the services and amenities of a resort, like housekeeping service.

New trains and cable cars in Switzerland will bring incredible, must-see views.

Several events are scheduled to take place in Switzerland in 2023 that I think make it worth a visit.

For example, the Matterhorn Alpine Crossing is due to be completed in early 2023, and I would love to experience the cable car crossing for the incredible views from 4,000 meters of altitude . The new Matterhorn Glacier Ride II will form the last section of the crossing, connecting Zermatt and the Italian resort of Cervinia, and will operate year-round — not just in the ski resorts' popular snow seasons.

Also just opened is the GoldenPass Express , the realization of a 150-year-old idea to link Lake Geneva and the lakes of Thun and Brienz. It marks the first nonstop train route between Interlaken and Montreux. In the most elevated seating class, travelers sit in rotating seats for 360-degree views.

It's now also easier to get there. As part of Delta's recent expansion of service to European destinations, the airline will reinstate its service to Geneva , Switzerland. Previously paused in 1993, the new service will start in April 2023. 

"White Lotus" fans should go to Sicily to check into the real hotel where the TV show filmed.

HBO's "White Lotus" filmed its first season at the Four Seasons Maui at Wailea when the resort was closed due to COVID-19. I was obsessed with the show, and had so much fun comparing the on-screen scenery with my real-life experience of the resort when I visited during a subsequent stay.

Next, I want to check into the White Lotus from the second season in Sicily, Italy.

Filming for the latest installment of the show shut down San Domenico Palace in Taormina, a Four Seasons Hotel , and now Hotels.com reports that searches for the resort increased over 300 percent even before the season approached the dramatic finale that had my friends and I totally rapt.

I hope to check into this Four Seasons in 2023 to listen to piano music, dip into the infinity pool, and take way too many meals solely at the hotel restaurant.

I also think the hotel is well positioned to explore the area's culinary experiences and vineyards such as Gambino Winery and Cantine Florio , plus a spot of shopping in Noto, of course.

Glasgow, Scotland, will host a major cycling event in 2023.

I'm not a cycler, but since I love a great international spectacle, I'd consider a trip to Glasgow in Scotland in 2023 for the UCI Cycling World Championships , which will take place in the city.

It's the first event of its kind , where the world's greatest riders will come together to compete, with five venues in the city staging eight of the 13 world championship events.

Glasgow will also have several major hotel, restaurant, and museum openings in the coming year. I'm particularly excited about the boutique hotel and cocktail bar, House of Gods Glasgow ; Virgin Hotel Glasgow , which I think will be an ideal base for exploring the city; and Gotham Hotel , a luxury hotel planned for Blythswood Square that will have historic features of Glasgow's Georgian architecture intact.

Egypt's new, long-delayed museum is scheduled to open at long last.

After much anticipation and years of delay , the Grand Egyptian Museum , located on the Giza Plateau next to the Great Pyramids of Egypt is at last expected to open in 2023.

Seeing the pyramids and learning about their history in this museum is a longtime dream and travel bucket list item of mine. With an estimated 100,000 artifacts and jaw-dropping spectacles such as the 83-ton, 3,200-year-old statue of Ramses II , the museum alone is worthy of a trip across the globe, in my opinion.

The US dollar will go far in Croatia, and a new bridge eases travel.

My family's last major trip before COVID-19 was an unforgettable road trip around Croatia and the Dalmatian Coast where we enjoyed boat charters, beach clubs, and endless ice cream.

It was an absolute dream that I can't recommend enough, especially now that the country is adopting the euro in January . And with the currency now at parity with the US dollar , that means Americans' money will go far when visiting. 

Additionally, the new Pelješac Bridge connects the region of Southern Dalmatia with the rest of the country's mainland, cutting travel time down significantly along the Adriatic coastline. When we visited, we rented a car and enjoyed how much we could see of the Dalmatian Coast in short bursts from our home base of Dubrovnik, but we encountered tons of traffic, and I imagine the route is much easier with this new addition.

The bridge will also give easier access to Dubrovnik, ancient port city and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with its crystal blue waters and stunning coastline. 

In AlUla, ancient human history meets luxurious modern hospitality.

The desert area of AlUla is nestled in the unexplored northwestern deserts of Saudi Arabia, and its intrigue beckons me. Here, 200,000 years of human history meet modern arts and culture , exploration, adventure , and luxury hotels. 

The latter excites me, in particular. The new year brings luxury hotel openings from global brands, including Banyan Tree AlUla , which will be a luxury tented resort set against rock formations in the art-filled region of Ashar Valley for a vibe that blends the natural landscape with elevated service and amenities.

When you visit, check out heritage sites including Hegra, the sister city to Petra, Jordan, which is known for tombs and temples carved into sandstone cliffs .

And festival season takes place from December through March, with experiences focused on art, culture, wellness. A-list performances will take place at Maraya Concert Hall , which is the world's largest mirrored building that I think seems to blends into the desert sand.

One of my favorite destinations in the South, Charleston, South Carolina, will introduce a highly-anticipated new museum.

One of my favorite places in the US is Charleston, South Carolina, and the city will introduce new hotels, restaurants, and cultural destinations in 2023.

Most notably, the International African American Museum is scheduled for a January opening on Charleston's Gadsden's Wharf, with exhibits honoring the stories of the African American journey. It will explore culture and knowledge kept and adapted by Africans in the Americas, as well as their achievements throughout the state and country.

During your visit, I suggest a stay at the historic district's The Charleston Place hotel, which is revealing a multimillion-dollar renovation in 2023, and will also have complimentary guest shuttles to and from the new museum. 

The Phoenix and Scottsdale area is getting the Super Bowl, along with many other events and openings.

While my home city of Los Angeles had the Super Bowl this year, next year's big game will head to State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona in February.

But I'd say that's far from the only reason to visit Phoenix. Beyond the game, the Greater Phoenix area is also hosting the MLB Cactus League Spring Training , as well as the Waste Management Phoenix Open , the best-attended golf tournament in the world with more than 700,000 fans in attendance.

Adding to the region's world-class hotel and resorts, Moxy Phoenix Downtown will open in the spring, and The Ritz-Carlton Paradise Valley, The Palmeraie will open in the fall on 20 acres with a view of Camelback Mountain and a 400-foot swimming pool.

I think Paris is a good value for Americans right now.

If you ask me, Paris is always a good idea, especially now that the euro is at parity with the US dollar . At the time of my last visit, it was closer to 1.4 dollars to a euro, and that made my travel budget feel quite tight.

But that's not the only reason I suggest a visit soon. In 2023, Paris will allow visitors the chance to stay at hotels such as The Hôtel de la Marine on Place de la Concorde, which opened to the public for the first time since The Revolution. It also served as the headquarters of France's navy ministry for over 200 years, and now its stately reception rooms and restaurant take over fully restored spaces.

Paris visitors may also view the recently-opened private art collection at the Bourse de Commerce , which houses contemporary works from the collection of the French billionaire François Pinault.

As an added reason to visit, French Bee now flies a cheap $217 nonstop route from Miami to Paris , according to the airline's site.

San Francisco just got its own equivalent of NYC's High Line.

I lived in San Francisco with friends around the Y2K era and always look for any reason to return.

In 2023 though, the city will mark a few milestones and celebrations that will be especially good reasons to plan a visit.

Key city landmarks will celebrate anniversaries, including the San Francisco Opera at 100 years, and the Ferry Building , which will mark 125 years. Visitors can also expect special programming and events throughout the year, such as the opera's grand finale concert and centennial anniversary dinner .

Elsewhere in the city, Presidio Tunnel Tops recently opened, comprising 14 acres of new national parkland . Designed by the same firm behind NYC's High Line , I think it's an ideal spot to take in views of the city and the Golden Gate Bridge.

Additionally, the newly opened Line Hotel San Francisco is an outpost of one of my favorite cool hotel brands and comes with a landscaped rooftop solarium that I think is worth a look.

When you buy through our links, Insider may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more .

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clock This article was published more than  1 year ago

The top travel destinations for 2023, according to experts

Italy will be hot again next year, along with a re-opened asia, sunny beaches and the mountain west.

At the beginning of 2022, the outlook for travel felt uncertain. A new coronavirus variant had tripped up society again, and it was still a roll of the dice to plan a vacation — let alone take one. But once the omicron wave waned, travel roared back with a vengeance: Testing requirements fell, borders opened and it seemed as if every other person you knew went to Europe.

As we begin 2023, all signs show the collective appetite for travel remains huge, despite inflation and recession concerns. Industry experts are forecasting certain 2022 trends will carry over in the new year, such as people taking longer trips, going on more of them and spending more to take them.

Julia Carter, founder of Craft Travel , says her typical client would usually book one big trip a year. Now, two or even three are the norm, with one person already locked in for four major trips: Morocco, Switzerland, Botswana and a tiger safari in India. For Brittany Campbell, owner of Bucket List Holidays , most clients are booking trips for at least 10 days, and some as long as 32.

Our 10 best City Guides, according to readers

A notable change in the new year is a willingness to book long in advance again, even as far out as 2024 for clients of Susan Blume at Personal Escape Travel . That may be because more people are interested in taking bucket-list trips, which require more planning. Or it could be because many people couldn’t get what they wanted in 2022 thanks to high demand for travel, says Liz Einbinder, spokesperson for the biking and hiking tour company Backroads .

So where are people going in 2023? We asked dozens of travel advisers, tour operators and booking platforms to find out. Some of our findings won’t surprise you — “Europe is still very hot,” says Alisa Cohen, founder of Luxe Traveler Club — while other breakout destinations might. Zambia, anyone?

The absolute, undisputed most popular destination for 2023 is Italy. And if you thought everyone went in 2022, buckle up.

Fulvio De Bonis, president and co-founder of Imago Artis Travel , says they’re bracing for “way more” business in 2023.

De Bonis puts Italy travel trends into three categories: people, nature and sports. Travelers want to meet interesting locals, such as chefs or fishermen. They want to see beautiful places by going foraging in the mountains near Lake Como, for example, or hitting the beach. And they want to have exciting sports experiences , maybe by catching a soccer game or touring a team’s training facilities.

Shayna Mizrahi, founder and CEO of Vive Voyage , says her clients are also highly interested in connecting with Italian culture through cooking classes, boat excursions and artisan workshops.

For private tour operator Access Italy , the Amalfi Coast, Lake Como, Tuscany, Puglia and Sicily are clients’ most requested destinations. These classics are also the most popular for Imago Artis, but De Bonis notes that travelers want off-the-beaten-path experiences within these well-known places. They don’t just want to see Tuscany’s highlights; “there is a world outside of Florence,” De Bonis says, and travelers want to explore it.

Other European destinations trailing behind Italy next year (but still in hot pursuit) are Greece, Portugal and the United Kingdom.

Our best Italy travel advice:

• Everything to know about traveling to Italy
• 7 Italy vacations that check every travel style
• A local’s guide to Rome

As the last region in the world to reopen during the pandemic, East Asia is expected to have a banner year for tourism, with Japan poised to be the fan favorite.

Although people want to go to the “Golden Triangle” — Tokyo , Kyoto, Osaka — Mike Salvadore, a travel agent with Travel Leaders, recommends adding a stop to see Japan beyond its best-known cities, such as mountainous Sapporo in the north or beachy Okinawa in the south.

If you’d like to go during cherry blossom season, you may be out of luck. Jeff Krevitt, vice president of marketing for the Americas for Inside Travel Group, which owns InsideJapan Tours , notes that this will be the first spring since 2019 that the country will be open to international travelers, so big crowds can be expected.

For a cheaper alternative with more availability, Rani Cheema, chief executive and travel curator at Cheema’s Travel , recommends traveling to South Korea to see the flowering cherry blossoms this spring instead.

Our best Japan travel advice:

• We visited Studio Ghibli’s long-awaited theme park. It’s a sensory delight.
• Everything you need to know about traveling to Japan
• Staying in a historical Japanese temple is an extraordinary experience. Here’s how to do it .

Southeast Asia

Behind Japan, Southeast Asia is also high on travelers’ wish lists, with Thailand, Bali and Vietnam at the top.

The travel subscription service VIP Traveler has seen a 200 percent increase in interest in Bali, perhaps following Indonesia’s newly launched digital-nomad visa .

It could also be that Bali appeals to the growing number of travelers interested in trips focused on wellness. Salvadore says most of his clients want to go to Ubud, Bali’s lush jungle town near the center of the island. But some have been open to suggestions to try the lesser-visited eastern coast or northwestern Bali, “which is a little bit more secluded but also really beautiful,” Salvadore said.

Our best Asia travel advice:

• Asia is slowly reopening to travelers. Here’s where you can go.
• Traveling to a newly reopened Asia allowed me to be myself again
• Marijuana is now legal in Thailand. What does that mean for tourists?

The Caribbean

A perennial sunshine-filled favorite that tends to be easy for Americans to reach, the Caribbean will remain sought-after in 2023.

“A lot of people will go to the typical places like the Dominican Republic or Jamaica or the Bahamas,” Salvadore said, but eastern Caribbean countries are some of his favorites, such as Barbados, Saint Lucia, Anguilla, Antigua and Grenada.

Our best Caribbean travel advice:

• 6 Caribbean vacations that check every travel style
• Caribbean trips are expensive, so I went to the Caribbean of Maryland
• In Grenada, a.k.a. the Spice Isle, a foodie paradise blossoms

Jonathan Alder, owner of the luxury travel company Jonathan’s Travels , has booked more Egypt trips for clients in the past two years than he has over the entire decade, and requests are picking up speed in 2023. “We’ve had one after another after another after another,” he said.

Some of the renewed interest may be attributed to the anticipated opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum, says Jasmine Padda, Egypt destination expert for Kensington Tours . She also pointed to the increase in major cruise lines adding sailings in the region.

Carolyn Addison, head of product for the luxury travel company Black Tomato , credits Egypt’s trending status to people who want to check classic trips off their bucket lists.

“We have lots of people who are like: ‘I’ve always wanted to see the pyramids. I’ve always wanted to cruise the Nile,’” she said.

The American West

Jen Moyse, VP of product for the travel app TripIt , says that although international travel is having a moment, Americans will continue to return to iconic cities at home that are still rebounding from the pandemic.

Of the Top 5 most booked domestic destinations on the travel booking platform Hopper , four are out west: Las Vegas, Denver, Los Angeles and Phoenix.

For Skyscanner bookings, Las Vegas and Los Angeles took the top spots for most booked flights in the new year, with San Francisco, Honolulu and Denver also making the Top 10.

The vacation rental platform Vrbo says demand for homes in western U.S. destinations is on the rise, as customers look for trips in the great outdoors.

Our best travel advice on the American West:

• How to do Montana like a local, beyond Glacier and Yellowstone
• A hater’s guide to Las Vegas
• UNESCO at 50: 24 World Heritage sites to see across America

Mexico has been breaking tourism records throughout the pandemic and will return as a powerhouse destination in 2023. Its most popular and easy-to-get-to beach destinations are major contributors to that success.

“People are welcoming that beach vacation,” Cohen said. “They want to go to Mexico and just relax.”

Cancún, on Mexico’s Caribbean coast, is the most booked international destination next year for Hopper, Skyscanner and the airfare search engine Skiplagged . However, demand for cultural capitals will also continue to rise.

Oaxaca is the second-most popular destination for the travel company Modern Adventure, and Mexico City ranks high as well.

Our best Mexico travel advice:

• 6 Mexico vacations that check every travel style
• Where to drink natural wine in the heart of Mexico
• A local’s guide to Mexico City

Another carry-over from 2022, Costa Rica is attracting travelers — including families, honeymooners and retirees — with its abundance of affordable flights, outdoor adventures, wildlife and coastline.

For customers of travel planning company Zicasso , the most sought-after places to visit are Arenal, Manuel Antonio, Monteverde, Tortuguero and the Osa Peninsula, which lines up with our expert recommendations .

The most booked 2023 itinerary for Road Scholar, a group tour company for senior travelers, is a Costa Rica vacation that hits many of those places, as well as Punta Leona, on the central Pacific coast, and Sarapiqui, a renowned birdwatching region in Costa Rica’s Caribbean lowlands.

The Galápagos Islands

Another dream trip becoming a reality for travelers in 2023 is the Galápagos Islands. The biggest seller for Astonishing Travel owner Heidi Bocianowski, the Pacific Ocean archipelago appeals to people who want to see something new every day, including black lava rock, red sand and rare wildlife.

Brian Tan of Zicasso says customers are keen on combining a trip to the Galápagos with other South American highlights.

That may be Patagonia, which has been “by far one of the most popular destinations” for Craft Travel founder Carter. It helps that travelers can once again cross between Chile and Argentina by road. Carter has been planning combination trips for clients to Torres del Paine National Park on the Chilean side, with the charming villages of El Calafate and El Chaltén on the Argentinean side.

7 travel mistakes to avoid in 2023

African safaris

Keeping with the once-in-a-lifetime theme, Brian Pentek, owner of LuxeLife Travel , says “Africa is huge” for his clients.

Most are going in multigenerational groups who use the trip as graduation presents or family reunions. They may be going to Cape Town, South Africa, as well as Botswana (for game reserves) or Rwanda for gorilla trekking.

In addition to safaris, Salvadore incorporates ways for his clients in Africa to experience local culture, check out the food and drink scenes, and enjoy bush camping instead of staying in luxury lodges. In 2023, he’s sending travelers to Zimbabwe, Kenya, Tanzania and Zambia, a country listed as one of the top up-and-coming travel spots in a summary compiled by Scott Dunn luxury travel planners.

The most booked destinations for Niarra Travel also include South Africa, Victoria Falls (which sits on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe) and Kenya, while trips to the Serengeti in Tanzania dominate reservations for Deeper Africa . One of the company’s owners, Karen Zulauf, said she has noticed upcoming travelers are more interested in adding active excursions, such as “walking safaris, mountain biking, horseback riding, you name it.”

For those who have already done a traditional safari vacation, Carter recommends Namibia, a country seeing a resurgence in interest, where travelers can go on self-driving road trips (vs. ones with a guide) between eco-lodges or take small planes to some of the world’s most remote places, such as the Skeleton Coast and Hoanib Valley.

Gorillas are Rwanda’s main attraction. Dian Fossey would hate that.

Even before the North African country drew international attention in the World Cup, Morocco was emerging as a major travel hot spot. It’s the most booked country for Intrepid Travel , and “we expect Morocco to continue to be incredibly popular in 2023, given the increase in flights into the destination and the ability to get out and have great experiences in one-week, 10-day or two-week itineraries,” said the company’s CEO, James Thornton.

That’s also true for Modern Adventure. Liz Boudreau, vice president of experiences for the company, says it has had a 53 percent increase in bookings compared with 2022.

If you’re worried about your travel budget, consider visiting as a work exchange volunteer, like Washington Post reporter Andrea Sachs tried in Fez.

Small cruises

Cruises are making a strong comeback, even for travelers who might not consider themselves cruise people. But instead of taking megaships, they’re looking for smaller options operating expedition trips (think Antarctica and Alaska) or luxury voyages, mainly river cruising in Europe and Egypt.

For destinations with the highest interest, such as Portugal, Emma Cakmak, owner of the cruise-focused company A Passport to Travel , is warning clients that May through September is practically sold out across all the top cruise lines, although there’s some availability in low-end stateroom categories.

If you’re striking out, keep shopping around. As they notice demand climb, some cruise lines seem to be “bringing on significant capacity as they move into” 2023, said Priceline CEO Brett Keller.

Our best cruise advice:

• One side effect of cruise covid rules: Norovirus has plummeted
• CDC stops reporting coronavirus cases on cruise ships
• Virgin Voyages gets its sea legs

An earlier version of this article incorrectly identified Susan Blume as Stephanie Blume. The error was updated.

More travel news

How we travel now: More people are taking booze-free trips — and airlines and hotels are taking note. Some couples are ditching the traditional honeymoon for a “buddymoon” with their pals. Interested? Here are the best tools for making a group trip work.

Bad behavior: Entitled tourists are running amok, defacing the Colosseum , getting rowdy in Bali and messing with wild animals in national parks. Some destinations are fighting back with public awareness campaigns — or just by telling out-of-control visitors to stay away .

Safety concerns: A door blew off an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 jet, leaving passengers traumatized — but without serious injuries. The ordeal led to widespread flight cancellations after the jet was grounded, and some travelers have taken steps to avoid the plane in the future. The incident has also sparked a fresh discussion about whether it’s safe to fly with a baby on your lap .

To revisit this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories .

The 12 Best Places to Travel in 2023

Wondering what the best places to travel in 2023 are? Us too—so we decided to ask a panel of hospitality experts to find out.

Their answers were quite literally all over the place (which, in this case, is a very good thing). After re-opening their borders after years of COVID-19 closures, trips to the Asian and Australian continents are set to make a roaring comeback, with countries like Japan and Singapore leading the way. Also trending? What Virtuoso managing director Misty Belles calls “isolation with intention” vacations, where travelers go to remote—and remotely populated—locations to get away from it all. Pack your bags for the Yukon, Chilean Patagonia, or Greenland.

Then there are the hotel openings. One classic city, in particular, is seeing the arrival of several new high-end properties, adding refreshed intrigue to this already popular European destination.

Below, find 12 places that are already trending for 2023.

While Guatemala has long sat in the shadow of more widely-visited Latin American counterparts, this is a misstep: it offers a veritable ‘best of’ without the masses, and is one of the most culturally-rich LATAM destinations, and time for its moment in the spotlight. Visit Guatemala expressly to absorb the magnificent natural beauty of the surroundings, but also to connect deeply with its people. Newly-opened, luxurious, and intimate Villa Bokeh is a game-changer for Antigua and marks one of the more elevated luxury hotel offerings to date. -Tom Marchant, co-founder of Black Tomato

Yukon Territory, Canada

Stemming from a desire of our travelers to experience more off-the-beaten-track discoveries, and also lifeways, we’re exploring Canada’s Northwest Territories and the Yukon, an unfettered and mostly undiscovered part of Canada. The Northwest Territories are teeming with wildlife, Indigenous-owned lodging, and exceptional positioning to—season-dependent—witness the majesty of the Northern Lights; the Yukon is marked by historic landmarks, rich culture, and dazzling landscapes. What makes it most special, however, are the local people you will meet along the way. -Tom Marchant

While Antarctica became the 2022 darling of adventure travel, look to the Arctic to be the next “must-see” spot. Iceland and now Greenland both offer “isolation with intention”—an opportunity to escape crowds and explore your own personal limits—and it’s where people will head next for unspoiled beauty and a glimpse at the Northern Lights. -Misty Belles, managing director at Virtuoso

Málaga, Spain

More Airbnb guests searched Málaga for 2023 travel than any other city in the world. Málaga has enjoyed a cultural renaissance in the last decade, making it a lively cultural hub on the beautiful Costa del Sol. Several new museums have opened there, including the Pompidou Center, a modern art treasure housed in a multi-colored glass cube. The street art scene is just as incredible, with colorful murals blanketing entire neighborhoods. -Catherine Powell, Global Head of Hosting for Airbnb

Benguerra Island, Mozambique

Mozambique’s Bazaruto Archipelago comprises five islands, renowned for their white beaches and diverse marine life. The second largest of them all, Benguerra, has quietly emerged as a wild and stealthy upscale getaway. Stay at the newly opened Kisawa Sanctuary , or at andBeyond Benguerra Island—either way, you’ll enjoy a truly remote tropical getaway where the shoreline stretches for miles without a person, or building, in sight. Take a ride on a dhow , a traditional African fishing boat, or ask your lodge to take you dugong (a rare sea cow) spotting. -Elise Taylor

Basilicata, Italy

Already ticked Puglia and Sicily off the bucket list? As an obsessive explorer of southern Italy, my money’s on Basilicata as the up-and-coming region to keep an eye on (and ideally, visit) in 2023. Travelers may already be familiar with the ancient caves, winding hilltop streets, and crumbling Baroque churches of Matera—the town also served as the backdrop for a high-adrenaline car chase in the most recent Bond film,  No Time to Die —but this still-unspoiled region also boasts pristine beaches, a fascinating history, and lip-smackingly fresh seafood. Looking for the perfect base? Head to Maratea, the so-called “pearl of the Tyrrhenian” where the founders of Puglia standout Borgo Egnazia have opened the charming five-star Santavenere Hotel. - Liam Hess, Vogue living editor

Japan is on everyone’s list and the pent-up demand is incredible. Pre-pandemic, this was the “it” destination, so you have residual demand from those who previously had to cancel their plans, combined with new interest for the cultural experience that Japan offers. -Misty Belles

Edinburgh, Scotland

The city of Edinburgh may have been founded in the 1200s, but over 800 years later, it shows that it still has some new surprises. The recently opened Gleneagles Townhouse effortlessly mixes traditional and modern touches: abstract art hangs under a 19th century decorative dome, and a restaurant serves both avant-garde cocktails and a Sunday roast. Later this year, the city will welcome the luxury boutique hotel 100 Princes Street, whose interior is inspired by Alexander McQueen, as well as Richard Branson's Virgin Hotel. - Elise Taylor

Douro Valley, Portugal

If you’re looking for some of the most eye-popping scenery (and delicious wine) in all of Europe, head to the lush, dramatic slopes of northern Portugal’s Douro Valley this coming year. The heart of the region is just an hour or two drive east from Porto, with the car journey alone serving as a highlight: taking the narrow, snaking roads that descend from the mountains feels like entering another world entirely, as you pass through the idyllic vineyards and charming villages that dot its hillsides. There’s plenty of history here, too—the ancient pilgrimage town of Lamego with its grand tiled staircases and majestic churches is a highlight—as well as a growing list of luxury properties, with the Six Senses here being particularly spectacular. But more than anything, it’s a place to kick back, relax, and enjoy the good life, Portugal-style. -Liam Hess

With such little access in the past two years, it is on the top of my list to go and visit again. The food, the people, and combination of nature and city is a must for anyone that wants to have an amazing time. It is especially exciting if you are able to be in town for the Singapore Grand Prix—the city becomes electric. -Victor Sanz, Tumi Creative Director

Patagonia National Park, Chile

In 2018, Chile set aside 11 million acres of land for national parks aided by the largest private land donation from a private entity to a country. The conservation effort of the Tompkins Conservation Foundation (named for philanthropist and entrepreneur Doug Tompkins of North Face and Esprit legacy) helped pave the way for Chile to greatly expand conservation of the pristine Patagonia wilderness. Today, covering over 750,000 acres in the austral region of Aysén, the Patagonia National Park is formed by land donated to Chile, and is part of the new Patagonia National Parks Network. What makes this area stand out is the inherent biodiversity and remoteness—it’s not easily accessible and squarely under the radar, miles away from the more visited parts of Argentina’s Patagonia. The newly opened Explora Lodge is where to kick off your Chilean adventure, while in Santiago, post up at the newly opened and discreetly elegant Hotel Magnolia and in the Atacama at Tierra Atacama. -Tom Marchant

Rome, Italy

Rome is seeing a boom of luxury hotel openings this year, from the Edition, to the Bulgari, to the Six Senses. The Eternal City is always a classic place to visit, but these highly anticipated properties—many of them with a modern edge—will only reinvigorate interest. -Elise Taylor, Vogue senior living writer

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5 adrenaline-pumping adventures in 2023

Paddleboarding an iconic river, trekking a remote mountain trail, or cycling a “Great Ride,” here’s where to find your next big adventure.

Wondering where to go next? You’re not the only one. After a frenetic return to travel, many are asking how to enjoy the rush of discovery without the crush of crowds. Our annual list of 25 inspiring and less visited destinations for the year ahead encompasses places filled with wonder, rewarding to travelers of all ages, and supportive of local communities and ecosystems. Reported by our global editors and framed by five categories ( Adventure , Nature , Family , Culture , and Community ), these destinations are under the radar, ahead of the curve, and ready for you to start exploring.  

Below are five places that offer adrenaline-soaked adventures in 2023 and beyond. (Find the full Best of the World list here .)

Help to sustain an adventurer’s ultimate playground

With five national parks and eight national monuments, Utah is an adventurer’s dream destination. But outdoor lovers tend to visit only a small and iconic group of destinations, such as Zion National Park . Now the Utah Office of Outdoor Recreation has created an innovative grant program to help fund new initiatives throughout the state, including the Zion National Park Forever Project .

In Zion, known for its dramatic narrow canyons and towering sandstone cliffs, work began in 2022 on a new visitor center on the park’s east side. The hope is to draw some of Zion’s five million   annual   visitors away from the crowded main south entrance and popular trails like Angels Landing. In addition to the visitor center, plans include 30-plus miles of new mountain biking trails and 40 miles of hiking trails outside the east entrance.

( Here’s how to find adventure without the crowds in Utah. )

Other recent projects awarded grants include a bike path in the heart of the Provo River gorge; an observation tower at the Tracy Aviary’s Jordan River Nature Center , a birding site on the west side of Salt Lake City; and riparian restoration along Utah’s Helper River.

“Outdoor recreation is a cash cow for Utah. It contributes more than $6.4 billion to the economy, employs more than 83,000 people, and generates $737 million in state and local tax revenues,” says Stephanie Pearson, author of National Geographic’s 100 Great American Parks . These efforts will keep Utah’s outdoor industry booming, while protecting fragile ecosystems.  

Go with Nat Geo : Take in the scenic splendor of the American Southwest .

Choquequirao, Peru

Trek to the less visited sister city of Machu Picchu

One of the most remote Inca sites in the Peruvian Andes, the ruins of Choquequirao are reserved for the hardy. Those who make the trek can do so only on foot, zigzagging up and down vertiginous paths for 18 miles before accessing the sprawling complex suspended at 10,000 feet between the high Andes and the jungles below.

“Many myths exist around Choquequirao,” says Gori-Tumi Echevarría, an archaeologist who first worked at the ruins in 2005. Its many temples, terraces, and plazas have yet to be fully excavated. Among the ancient city’s most intriguing features: the Llama Terraces, named for the two dozen nearly life-size llama images that cascade down the face of a series of steep terraces. The llamas are formed from quartzlike white rocks that vividly stand out against the dark schist background—unique stone artwork found at no other Inca site.  

( Explore Inca life beyond Machu Picchu on this South American trail .)

“There is nothing else like this in the Andes. It was graphic innovation that occurred prior to the 16th century and was not repeated,” says Echevarría, who specializes in prehistoric rock art. But change is coming to rock the “cradle of gold,” the meaning of Choquequirao in the Indigenous Quechua language. New infrastructure plans are expected to boost visitation to Machu Picchu ’s sister city.

Pre-pandemic, Machu Picchu had more than 1.5 million visitors annually,   according to Peruvian tourism officials . Choquequirao counted less than 9,500. To increase accessibility, the Peruvian government has committed to spending $260 million to build a cable car spanning three miles between the town of Kiuñalla and the archaeological site.   ( See what it takes to do the high-altitude trek to Choquequirao . )

Development may create more economic opportunities for locals at the expense of Choquequirao’s serenity. For now, however, the site feels like a sanctuary sheltered from the 21st century and one that still calls out to any adventure traveler’s imagination.

Austrian Alps

Connect with the Alps’ most charming villages  

To save a mountain range, it sometimes takes a village. Since 2008 an association of high-altitude hamlets located in Central Europe’s Eastern Alps has banded together to promote their small communities to the world’s adventure travelers interested in mountain hiking, biking, and climbing, as well as winter sports like cross-country skiing and ice climbing.

Called the Bergsteigerdörfer , or the “Mountaineering Villages,” the network is concentrated primarily in Austria ’s western states, including Tyrol and Carinthia, with additional member towns in Switzerland , Germany , Italy , and Slovenia . The Bergsteigerdörfer works to protect the culture and traditions of its 36 villages while preserving mountain landscapes from overdevelopment. Rejecting large-scale tourist projects like sprawling ski lodges and peak-scaling cable cars, the Bergsteigerdörfer puts greater emphasis on green or sustainable mountain tourism.

( Here’s where to find epic adventure in Europe’s best small villages .)

“We’re not big and bigger or tall and taller. We appeal to people wanting a more authentic alpine experience,” says Barbara Reitler of the Austrian Alpine Association . The Bergsteigerdorfer website highlights a changing assortment of towns where, for example, hikers can stay in a farmer’s house or try traditional foods like sterz,   a hearty porridge that’s immensely satisfying after a long day in the mountains.

Reitler’s favorite village is Johnsbach in Gesäuse National Park , with its dramatic views. “When you come through the Enns Valley along the river and suddenly see the peaks of the Gesäuse Mountains, you have emerged into a different world.”

Revillagigedo National Park,   Mexico

Dive into the Galápagos of Mexico

Some 300 miles off the southern tip of the Baja California Peninsula lies a national park steeped in superlatives. Revillagigedo National Park , a 57,000-square-mile Mexican marine reserve, is North America’s largest fully protected underwater park. It offers sanctuary to the continent’s greatest concentration of tropical marine megafauna, from hammerhead sharks to humpback whales, earning it the nickname “the Galápagos of Mexico.” And the waters surrounding its four main islands are fast becoming a mecca for scuba divers.

“The park is one of the few places, if not the only place on the planet, that you can have intimate interaction with giant oceanic mantas,” says marine biologist and underwater filmmaker Erick Higuera. He says the mantas, which can weigh up to 3,600 pounds and attain a wingspan of 27 feet, seem to like the feel of the divers’ air bubbles on their bellies.

( Get up close with wildlife in Baja California’s Magdalena Bay .)

The bottlenose dolphins that inhabit the park’s waters also show curiosity, often swimming up to investigate divers. “The proximity you have with wild bottlenose dolphins is insane,” Higuera says. “As species, we’re both curious about each other.”

To minimize disruptions to the animals, the park limits the number of boats and divers allowed daily. It is not uncommon to reserve space on a Revillagigedo diving boat up to two years in advance. And remember: always keep a respectful distance from sea life.

Go with Nat Geo : Snorkel amid sea lions, king angelfish, and brilliant blue damselfish .

New Zealand

Bounce back in this capital of adventure

The country that brought you bungee jumping is bouncing back from the pandemic. On New Zealand ’s South Island, a reenergized Queenstown is again welcoming adventure travelers from all over the world. They come to this lakeside town of some 15,000 for skiing, as well as year-round hiking in the appropriately named Remarkables range.  

But bicycles should be generating the most excitement. By 2025, the Queenstown Trails Trust aims to complete a network of recreational and commuting bike lanes and paths that will link up workplaces, schools, and other urban spaces. The network’s shining star: an 80.7-mile biking route called the Queenstown Trail , one of New Zealand’s Great Rides. Starting on the shore of Lake Wakatipu, the Ride pedals east from Queenstown to Gibbston.

( Here’s why hut-hiking is the best way to see New Zealand .)

For the more adventurous, the 31-mile Coronet Loop Trail takes cyclists deep into the surrounding backcountry. The singletrack circumnavigates 5,410-foot-tall Coronet Peak and snakes past waterfalls, river gorges, beech forests, and the historic remnants of a 19th-century Chinese gold mining settlement along the Arrow River.

( Discover 20 other amazing Best of the World destinations for 2023 .)

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Adding these destinations to my bucket list right now.

With the new year around the corner, it’s never too soon to start thinking about your 2023 plans. A new year means new goals, and something you could be manifesting for yourself is a big vacation. Whether you’re someone with a suitcase always half packed and ready-to-go, or your passport has never been touched before, you’ll still want to know the biggest 2023 travel trends and predictions from the industry’s top experts.

Similar to how 2022 was full of spontaneous trips and vlog-worthy adventures, 2023 has its own vibe and travel trends everyone will be wanting to follow. These 2023 travel trends are influenced by different factors like budgets and lifestyles. For instance, many people are working remotely nowadays, which means you can work from just about anywhere in the world. A hybrid work vacay could be the easiest way for you to see everything on your bucket list without having to sacrifice your PTO. There has also been a shift from rental homes back to hotel accommodations to avoid clean-up costs and the stress of having to deal with certain hosts, which will definitely play into how people travel in 2023.

Elite Daily tapped 10 travel experts from Lonely Planet, National Geographic, American Express Travel, EF Ultimate Break, and more to share their their travel predictions for 2023, and here is everything you should consider before booking your first plane ticket for the new year.

01 Ditch Rentals For Hotels

While you can’t pass up a one-of-a-kind stay on Airbnb, the President and CEO of Refined Hospitality , Ron Gorodesky, believes that hotel accommodations will take over in 2023. Gorodesky says, “[T]ravelers are looking for freestanding home alternatives with all the service of a traditional hotel.” Instead of having to do dishes or throw your towels in the wash on your final day to avoid additional fees, you can just stay in a hotel that feels like a unique rental stay.

One of these options is Refined’s River House at Odette’s in Pennsylvania. You could also find a hotel that’s all-inclusive, so you not only avoid extra fees but also receive tons of amenities as well.

02 Go On Extended WFH Stays

Stephen Arthur, the Director of Leisure Sales at Timbers Resorts , shared that “due to increasing remote work,” Timbers is seeing more guests choosing to go on trips with an extended stay. Instead of just taking the weekend to visit, you can spend an entire week or even longer in your dream destination, exploring when you’re off the clock.

03 Travel With Your Family

Another trend that Arthur says will be big in 2023 is multi-generational traveling. While you may want to go places with your partner or bestie, “family travel is expected to rise by nearly 25% annually.” You want to share these once-in-a-lifetime trips with the people you love the most, so it makes sense to go old school with a family vacay.

04 Choose Outdoor Adventures

It seems the adrenaline rush isn’t over in 2023. Similar to how high adrenaline excursions and outdoor adventures were a travel trend in 2022, National Geographic ’s Senior Editor, Amy Alipio, also sees 2023 as a big year for adventure. Some recommendations include off-the-beaten-path spots like Choquequirao in Peru, going bungee jumping in New Zealand, or hiking in Austria. If you rather stay close to home, Utah has hiking, camping, and river rafting.

05 Keep Conservation In Mind

Alipio also sees community as a big trend that focuses on conservation and sustainable tourism. This means that, along with taking away memories, you’re also giving something back to the community you’re visiting. That could mean getting to know the culture or contributing to the economy in positive ways. Alipio suggests visiting the Dodecanese Islands in Greece, checking out some breweries in Milwaukee , or taking a train through Laos .

06 See Natural Wonders

If you enjoy the outdoors but aren’t looking for an adrenaline rush, Alipio also says that visiting to see natural wonders is a travel trend next year. While bioluminescence was huge in 2022, you’ll want to “marvel at the biodiversity of Botswana ” in 2023. Foodies may want to check out the gastrotourism in Slovenia that takes you to different farms and cheesemakers as you bike around. There are also plenty of national parks and natural wonders like the Northern Lights that should be on every traveler’s to-do list.

07 Maximize Your Trip To Mexico

On the top of American Express Travel’s list of places to visit is Mexico City . While you can make your trip your own, they shared an itinerary that packs every minute of your trip with something memorable to do, like strolling through San Angel's Saturday Bazaar and visiting art galleries. While in Mexico, Nat Geo also suggests visiting the Revillagigedo National Park for both checking off the nature sights and sustainable tourism from your list.

08 Unwind For Your Mental Health

Sure, vacations are about experiences and making new memories, but they’re also for relaxation. American Express Travel reports that 89% of their respondents are looking to escape their day-to-day routine while “74% plan to travel more in 2023 for their wellbeing.” Lonely Planet suggests beachy locations like Halkidiki in Greece or Jamaica as options while American Express travel has stress-free itineraries planned to the Florida Keys and Fiji . Even an all-inclusive stay at a resort is a great way to relax, just as long as it’s not at a White Lotus Resort.

While a traditional trip is always welcome, Hotels.com also shares that 60% of Millennials are hoping to take “alternative wellness getaways” in 2023. Get creative with non-traditional activities like forest bathing or staying in a Whitepod in Switzerland .

09 Splurge On Your Bucket List Getaway

American Express Travel also reports that 74% of their respondents are planning to spend more next year on their travel plans. They may even sacrifice their budget for upgrades and amenities like late checkout. Since 70% of people also want to go on new adventures and check off their bucket list, this may be your sign to finally go on that one expensive trip to your dream destination.

Michelle McNeice, the Vice President of Marketing at EF Ultimate Break , shared with Elite Daily that many Gen Zers are planning to go all out: “Call it ‘revenge travel’ or ‘the semester abroad that COVID cancelled,’ Gen Z is embracing adventure and taking on their bucket lists with extended trips across multiple cities.”

You could go on an Emily in Paris- inspired trip to Paris or immerse yourself in everything that Portugal has to offer . Now that their borders are open to tourists, take that wanderlust trip to Japan or go on a month-long European Summer that gives you “more experiences, more core memories.”

10 Eat Around The World

Foodies will be excited to know that Lonely Planet has also released their list of the best places to eat in 2023. Of course, Italy — more specifically Umbria, Italy — tops the list. Sip on some wine while snacking on Italian truffles, prosciutto, and fine cheeses. Lima, Peru is also a must for anyone with an appetite. They have everything from ceviche to Peruvian doughnuts, Picarones. Other foodie spots include Fukuoka in Japan, South Africa, and Montevideo, Uruguay.

11 Travel Around Asia

As mentioned, Japan is way easier to travel to now as a tourist. McNeice also shared that all of Asia is going to be a big travel destination in 2023. “Travel is all the way back, and Gen Z and Millennial travelers have made it clear that they’re focused on one destination — Asia. From Bali to Japan to Thailand, interest in adventures across the Asian continent is ever increasing,” McNeice says.

To account for the interest, EF Ultimate Break is launching new destinations that were voted for by customers and include South Korea and Vietnam. This may be an ARMY’s chance to visit the home of BTS and K-Pop, while foodies will love eating pho in Vietnam. As McNeice says, “Simply put, Asia is having a moment.”

“Traveling solo continues to gain popularity within the Gen Z and Millennial demos,” McNeice revealed. “They’re over the idea of coordinating with friends when they can skip the hassle and fly off on an adventure themselves.” Of course, if you’re not ready to do everything by yourself, booking a group getaway with EF Ultimate Break is a great option. You’ll still be choosing your own adventure and charting your own path to where you want to go, but you’ll feel safe and be able to “connect with other travelers” along the way.

If you are planning to travel alone in 2023, be sure to check out our solo travelers issue for tips on where to go and what to pack.

13 Become A Set-Jetter

Have you always wanted to visit Sex and the City filming locations in NYC or stay in the hotel from your new fave show, The White Lotus ? With Season 3 of Emily in Paris about to drop on Netflix, you may even want to follow in her footsteps by visiting France.

Expedia reports that 40% of their travelers find inspiration forwhere to go next from TV shows and movies. As such, set-jetting or visiting IRL filming locations is expected to be big in 2023. Apps like SetJetters make it easy to find locations from what you’re currently marathon-watching, so you can add it to your travel to-do list.

14 Visit A Culture-Rich City

While trends like cottagecore have inspired people to travel to cabins and national parks in the past, Expedia believes that cities will make a comeback in 2023. Not just any cities, though. The travel site expects to see culture-rich cities with a lot of art and festivities like NYC, Edinburgh, Lisbon, and Dublin to be extra popular.

15 Consider A Cowboy-cation

“Rustic getaways are on the rise,” according to Vrbo. If cities still aren’t your thing, you may want to consider a cowboy-cation. You could listen to “Cowboy Like Me” by Taylor Swift as you go horseback riding in Montana. Choosing to vacation in a western state rather than traveling all the way to Europe can also be great for your budget, and Vrbo shares that 42% of their travelers find inspiration in outdoorsy locations.

16 Find Creative Ways To Save

Although splurging on your dream trip will be a thing in 2023, experts at Hotels.com and Vrbo believe travelers will still take advantage of creative ways to save money. In fact, Hotels.com shared that three-star hotels have increased in popularity recently. These value hotels still include amenities like free parking and breakfast, so you’re not sacrificing quality or comfort.

At the same time, Vrbo also shared that 43% of travelers plan to cook on vacation to save some money as well. That’s why they’re seeing “foodie-menities” — aka food amenities — as a 2023 travel trend.

17 Go Off The Beaten Path With Hidden Gems

Vrbo also sees the rise of hidden gems in 2023. Everyone has the Eiffel Tower or the Grand Canyon on their travel bucket list, but something they don’t have are hidden gem cafes in Los Angeles or off-the-beaten-path restaurants in Europe . The vacation rental site shared that interest in “unconventional destinations has increased by 30%.” That includes cities like Nampa, Idaho and Spokane, Washington.

18 Dust Off Your Passport With International Destinations

If other 2023 travel trends have piqued your interest, like solo traveling and splurge vacations, but you’re not sure where to go, the experts at Airbnb offer up the top trending travel spots for 2023 — and they’re all international. Three of the biggest destinations include Australia, New Zealand, and Brazil, with Málaga, Spain taking the No. 1 spot.

You could definitely tour around Australia for a trendy extended vacay, while stopping in cities like Sydney, Melbourne, and Perth. Other options include a set-jetting trip to The Rings of Power filming locations in New Zealand or unwinding on a mental health vacay in Brazil.

Expert Sources Cited:

Amy Alipio, National Geographic ’s Senior Editor

Michelle McNeice, VP of Marketing at EF Ultimate Break

Ron Gorodesky, President and CEO of Refined Hospitality

Stephen Arthur, Director of Leisure Sales at Timbers Resorts

American Express Travel

Lonely Planet

This article was originally published on 11.30.22

Cruise Ship's 'Titanic Moment': Social Media Erupts As Carnival Vessel Grazes Ice In Alaska

Social media erupted after a Carnival Cruise ship collided with drifting ice in Alaska, igniting comparisons to the Titanic.

Faith Katunga • Sep 11, 2024

Every day, there seems to be commotion on social media. The most recent incident that sent dramatic waves through the internet occurred last Thursday when a Carnival Cruise Line ship collided with a piece of drifting ice in Alaska’s Tracy Arm Fjord. This episode set loose comparisons to the ill-fated Titanic . Many people, both on and off the Carnival Spirit, have taken to social media to share their reactions to the incident, which occurred during a seven-day voyage.

The Carnival Spirit’s ‘Titanic Moment’

While navigating the Tracy Arm Fjord, the Carnival Spirit struck what the company described as “an errant piece of drifting ice.” Despite the initial alarm, Carnival Cruise Line quickly reassured the public. An official communication to Fox Business  stated  that “the vessel continued on its cruise, and there has been no impact to operations.”

@cass_goskie 9/5/24 Carnival Spirit hit an iceberg. It didnt do any damage that caused us to use any emergency procedures. The crew did an amazing job at accessing the damage and keep all of its crew and passengers safe and informed! #greenscreenvideo #alaskacruise #carnivalcruise #iceberg #fyp #icebergincident #cruiseaccident #titanic #carnivalspirit ♬ original sound – Cassandra Goskie

Following the incident, the ship’s hull underwent a thorough assessment, revealing no damage. The Carnival Spirit proceeded with its scheduled itinerary, set to conclude its journey in Seattle, Washington , on Tuesday. While the cruise line maintained that the situation was under control, passengers aboard the Carnival Spirit took to social media platforms to share their experiences, often with a flair for the dramatic.

Cassandra Goskie, a passenger who captured the moment on video, shared her footage on TikTok and in a private Carnival VIFP Club Members Facebook group. Her commentary, “If we die, it was damn well worth it. It’s a Titanic moment,” quickly went viral. In the video, which has since been widely circulated, Goskie can be heard exclaiming, “Oh, we are hitting it. Damn,” as other passengers crowded the deck to witness the unusual event .

From April Futrell “Good evening James! We are on the carnival spirit and hit an iceberg just outside of Sitka and Tracy arm fjord! Here’s some pictures! We are safe and after assessing for damage we are back on track headed to Skagway!” pic.twitter.com/KIUkrlLtx9 — James Spann (@spann) September 6, 2024

The incident led to a flurry of activity across various social media platforms. On X, passengers shared photos and firsthand accounts of the experience. One user posted images taken by their local meteorologist, showing the iceberg and a small boat assessing the ship for damage.

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WH Smith Revenues Rise In Q4, FY24 On Travel; To Buyback GBP 50 Mln Shares

September 11, 2024 — 02:31 am EDT

Written by RTTNews.com for RTTNews  ->

(RTTNews) - WH Smith Plc (SMWH.L), a retailer for news, books and convenience, reported Wednesday that its group revenue was up 6 percent in the fourth quarter and up 7 percent in fiscal 2024 from last year, driven by Travel. The company expects outcome for the year to be in line with expectations.

Further, the company announced the launch of a 50 million pounds share buyback, which reflects strong ongoing cash flow, the receipt of the pension fund buyout cash return, as well as the strength of the balance sheet.

In its pre-close trading update for the year to August 31, WH Smith reported that like-for-like revenues at constant currency increased 4 percent in the forth quarter and 5 percent in fiscal 2024.

Travel revenue grew 9 percent in the fourth quarter and 10 percent in the full year with growth in all regions. Travel performed well over its peak trading period in the second half, driven by key initiatives and strong passenger numbers.

Meanwhile, High Street revenues fell 6 percent in the quarter and 4 percent in the year.

The company is scheduled to announce its preliminary fiscal 2024 results on November 14.

The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

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