Travel
Trending Travel: Our 2026 Destination Hotlist
Firm up your travel plans with our edit of the most promising places to go, from surrealist African salt pans to isolated Aussie beaches and an underrated Euro escape
Action or isolation, culture or adventure, purpose or pure repose – whatever you’re searching for this year, these global destinations on the rise can help you find it.
For An Underrated Urban Escape: Hamburg, Germany
2026 is shaping up to be an auspicious time for Germany’s second-largest city, a place where maritime charm meets cultural appeal. This year’s headline opening is the UBS Digital Art Museum, a 6,500sq m space set to become Europe’s largest museum dedicated to digital and immersive art. It will join the 2025 debut of the Westfield Hamburg-Überseequartier, a hub for shopping, dining and culture (see: the interactive Port des Lumières installation), to turn the ambitious HafenCity development into a destination in its own right.
Adding in the distinctive vibes of Hamburg’s more well-established corners, from the quiet canals of Speicherstadt to the lively energy around the Elbphilharmonie and the rollicking nightlife on the Reeperbahn, it’s easy to see why this is one of the most underrated city escapes on the continent.
For Culture And Craft: Fez, Morocco
Fez has long served as Morocco’s cultural and spiritual centre, but 2026 is the year the city steps forward with fresh energy. It’s true that life moves more slowly here than in the capital, but that slower pace gives visitors room to breathe and explore – and there is much to explore.
This year, the medieval Fes el-Bali Medina – the largest pedestrian zone in the world – finally reveals the results of decades spent restoring monuments and reinforcing structures, including al-Qarawiyyin Library, the world’s oldest working library. Visitors can wander the more than 9,000 labyrinthine alleys in search of artisanal Moroccan crafts and products, from spices to carpets and, of course, the famed local leather still made according to ancient techniques. Those interested in traditional crafts and fine art should plan a stop at the Al Batha Museum of Islamic Arts, which also recently reopened following extensive renovations, while music aficionados will want to time their travel to coincide with the annual Fes Festival of World Sacred Music, usually taking place in late May or early June.
For Affordable R&R: Namibia
“Wellness” became a global buzzword around the same time “Zoom” became a proper noun, and unlike the pulses of blissed-out spa-goers and yogis, the trend toward meditative travel is showing no signs of slowing. However, to avoid turning de-stress into distress when the room bill arrives, it’s imperative to select your destination carefully. That’s why we’re banking on an under-the-radar choice for 2026.
Whatever wellness means to you, Namibia has it. Is it getting active and exploring breathtaking landscapes? Hike Damaraland or the Waterberg Plateau, or traverse the otherworldly Sossusvlei salt pan. Is it immersing yourself in nature and communing with wildlife? Go on safari in Etosha or kayak to the seal colonies at Pelican Point. Is it clearing your mind and contemplating your place in our vast and unknowable universe? The Namib Desert has some of the most incredible stargazing in the world, Milky Way close-ups included. The best part is that this can all be arranged on a mid-tier or even shoestring budget, whether staying in family-run guesthouses or camping at one of the many low-cost sites around the country. And if your idea of wellness is simply being pampered in a plush spa before retiring to your well-appointed accommodations, superb experiences at icons like GocheGanas Nature Reserve and Le Mirage Desert Lodge can be had for under EUR 250 per night, depending on the season.
For Sustainable Discovery: Dominica
Many places promise to use conservation as a development strategy; the Caribbean isle of Dominica actually means it. The newly established Sperm Whale Reserve off the west coast joins another marine sanctuary off the southwest coast to create one of the Caribbean’s most pristine diving environments. There’s no better way to swim with the resident pod of whales than a journey with Natural World Safaris, which enlists Emmy-nominated filmmaker Patrick Dykstra to document the underwater encounters.
Back on the mountainous mainland, the world’s longest detachable cable car will open in 2026, allowing for yet another picturesque panorama on this natural wonderland, this time an ascent to the roiling waters of Boiling Lake – which really does steam like a cauldron – amid the splendour of Morne Trois Pitons National Park, a Unesco-protected repository of biodiversity.
For Seaside Serenity: Anguilla
If you prefer to spend the bulk of your holiday horizontal in the sand, Anguilla may be more on-brand: this much smaller Caribbean island is primarily known for its bone-white beaches made for long walks and languid sunning, with occasional dips in the bright turquoise waters. More active hours – if you insist – can be filled with snorkelling in the clear shallows of Shoal Bay, sailing the cache of secluded cays or cruising the island’s most beautiful sights in a vintage Moke, all fuelled by flavourful fare ranging from simple smoky barbecue to seaside fine dining.
Whether in the jet-setting stint between December and April or in the more budget-friendly low season, Anguilla is an idyllic island getaway year-round – and, crucially, in 2026 new nonstop AnguillAir routes from New York/Newark, Baltimore/Washington and Boston will take some of the stress out of the journey there and back.
For Active Adventure: South Korea
The bright lights of Seoul, the beaches of Busan and the ongoing tsunami wave of Korean pop culture exports tend to drive much of the tourism in South Korea, but there’s good reason for active travellers and nature lovers to head here, too. After all, 70% of the country is covered by mountainous terrain, and more than 20 national parks await exploration – which will be easier than ever starting this year.
In late 2026, South Korea will fully unveil its first long-distance coast-to-coast hiking route, stretching 849 kilometres from the eastern city of Uljin to the western island of Anmyeon. The Dongseo Trail, literally meaning “east-west”, takes hikers from ancient pine forests to breathtaking highland peaks and golden-sand beaches, inviting them to discover highlights like the Bonghwa tiger conservation area and the 6th-century Beopjusa Temple. The trail’s 55 official sections are designed as suitable day hikes, with over 40 campsites and 90 “base camp” villages in which to bed down and experience local culture, food and traditions, from the famed snow crab of Uljin to customary ramie weaving in Hansan and knife-cut noodle soup in Daejeon.
For Art à la Brazil: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Copacabana Beach had its first heyday in the 1920s; a century on, there is still samba on the sands, and the neighbourhood icon – 103-year-old Copacabana Palace – is undergoing a major facelift to its spa and suites. If a swanky stay here isn’t in the budget, book a massage or facial to enjoy a pampering day in the updated facilities.
The music and arts scene is booming, too: last year, the second edition of the epic Todo Mundo no Rio concert drew 2.5 million attendees and major acts like Lady Gaga. With organisers considering heavyweight talents (rumours are swirling around Beyoncé and U2), the 2026 event is set to be one of the biggest pop concerts in history. Elsewhere, the National Museum of Fine Arts will fully open in late 2026, and the National Museum is aiming to join the city’s moment in the global spotlight with a temporary reopening this year prior to its full return in 2028. Plan a visit in September to align with ArtRio, which has become one of Latin America’s most important art fairs.
For Epic Events: Milan, Italy
Normally, the first few weeks of the year see Italy’s most stylish city gearing up to host the beau monde of the fashion world, but 2026 adds elite athletes and their entourages to the mix. Milan will act as the hub for February’s Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, hosting the opening ceremony as well as several indoor events in disciplines like figure skating, speed skating and ice hockey. Before bundling up and continuing north to the Dolomites for the mountain-based competitions, visitors can pause for a soak in the newly unveiled DE Montel baths, a stunning thermal retreat encompassing 16,000sq m of pools, saunas, hammams and landscaped courtyards housed in a historic stable complex from the 1920s.
Beyond snow sports, the city has announced a ‘Cultural Olympiad’ of exhibitions, art installations, musical premieres, theatrical performances and more surrounding the Winter Olympics and March’s Paralympic Winter Games, plus a lineup of blockbuster events for aesthetes, including Milan Design Week in April and, of course, the two customary sets of Fashion Weeks – one in late January and the other in June.
For Carbon-Conscious Travel: Saint-Gervais-les-Bains, France
Thermal delights meet snow sports and mountain vistas – with an eco-friendly twist – in the Haute-Savoie village of Saint-Gervais-les-Bains. This Alpine destination, popular for its ski slopes, hiking trails and thermal spa fed by mineral-rich springs, becomes even more accessible to car-free travellers in 2026 with the introduction of new energy-efficient, double-capacity trains on the Stadler Mont Blanc Express, making the scenic journey between Chamonix and Montigny, Switzerland. The Léman Express, linking Saint-Gervais-les-Bains and Geneva, will also expand services this year.
Arriving at Saint-Gervais-les-Bains-Le Fayet station, train passengers can continue up the mountain to the Belle Époque town centre and ski slopes aboard Le Valléen, which entered service in 2024 as the first gondola in France to connect a mainline train station with a high-altitude resort. A wastewater-powered lift system is also on hand to whisk wellness seekers 177 vertical metres from the main town to the thermal baths, while the Tramway du Mont-Blanc provides picturesque access to the Mont Blanc massif. Indeed, it’s the perfect destination for those looking to leave behind footprints in the snow – and nothing more.
For Isolated Indulgence: Western Australia
Vast and sparsely populated, the westernmost Australian state remains one of the world’s great arid wildernesses. Getting here (and getting around) can be an ordeal, so making the most of it with indulgent stays is highly recommended. This year sees the arrival of a range of draws in the pricey-but-oh-so-worth-it category, beginning with the post-renovation reopening of the Berkeley River Lodge. One of Australia’s most remote luxury lodges, its Kimberley location, where the eponymous Berkeley River joins the Timor Sea, is a gateway to the untouched landscape beyond, encompassing safaris, river cruises, heli-excursions and more in the all-inclusive price tag.
The natural world is also the focus on the opposite side of the state, where Heyscape, a stripped-back regenerative farm set alongside William Bay National Park, is adding new cabins. A similarly casual, off-grid retreat can be found at the newly unveiled Box Hill near Esperance, a short drive from Cape Le Grand National Park, where visitors can witness kangaroos frolicking on the blindingly white sand beaches.
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