Condé Nast Just Named the Top Places To Travel in 2026
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Condé Nast Traveler has released its highly anticipated Best Places to Go list for 2026, and this year’s selections span six continents with 30 destinations that showcase both beloved icons undergoing major transformations and under-the-radar gems finally gaining global attention. From ancient cities experiencing cultural revivals to remote wilderness areas getting their first luxury accommodations, here’s your complete guide to the world’s hottest destinations for the year ahead.
Africa
Arusha, Tanzania: Jane Goodall’s Legacy Comes to Life
Arusha is having a landmark year with the long-awaited opening of Dr. Jane’s Dream: The Goodall Centre for Hope in late October 2026. Created by designers including a Disney’s Animal Kingdom alumnus, the space features six interactive exhibit areas, including a theater and a Garden of Commitment, all focusing on conservation education for future generations.
The city is buzzing with activity from local entrepreneurs. Afro-minimalist Makao Collective curates gorgeous handcrafted furniture and home decor, while Opuk Lounge makes delicious boxed-picnic lunches for conservation-focused safari outings with The Wild Source. Sports enthusiasts should note the 30,000-seat Samia Suluhu Hassan soccer stadium in Arusha’s Olomoti region will open in summer 2026, primed to host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations final.
Beyond the city, Koroi Forest Camp from Entara opened in summer 2025 in Arusha National Park’s Momella Forest on the lower slopes of Mount Meru. This eight-chalet property offers a distinct alternative to classic safari viewing. Instead of plains game, you might see elephants, shy duikers, and the black-and-white colobus monkeys that give the camp its name. Another newcomer to the safari scene is Laba Mama Simba, which opened this spring in the 1,730-acre North Dolly wildlife estate.
Flying into Tanzania is straightforward, with flights from Amsterdam, Doha, Dubai, and others arriving at Kilimanjaro International Airport, just a one-hour drive from town. For those traveling to Koroi Forest Camp, avoid the long rainy season from March through May.
Fès, Morocco: Medieval Medina Reborn
After a decade-long renovation, Palais Jamaï, Fès’s iconic heritage hotel built in 1879 by a grand vizier to the sultan, reopens in 2026. This sister property to Marrakech’s legendary La Mamounia retains its opulent architectural form and atmosphere thick with history.
The reopening crowns a decades-long renovation of the world’s largest intact medieval medina that has reinforced several thousand rammed-earth structures and restored many of the city’s most significant monuments. First among these is the ninth-century Qarawiyyin Library in the world’s oldest university. Place Lalla Yeddouna, a riverside neighborhood rehabilitated by architects Michel Mossessian and Yassir Khalil, was shortlisted for the 2025 Aga Khan Award for Architecture.
The beautiful 14th and 15th-century fonduks, or trading houses, of Chemmaine, Sbitryine, and Barka have been restored as gorgeous artisan workshops focused on high-quality local crafts. Fonduk Kaat Smen will join them before the end of 2026, reopening as a unique historic honey market.
The Al Batha Museum of Islamic Arts, now Morocco’s finest museum, recently reopened with a well-curated overview of the country’s dynastic history using exquisite artifacts and illuminated manuscripts that place Fès in the context of Mediterranean and African relationships. These connections shine at the Fès Festival of World Sacred Music, which takes place annually in May and June and celebrates the city’s role as a center of Sufi mysticism, Islamic scholarship, and Andalusian musical heritage.
The city kicks off 2026 hosting Africa Cup of Nations matches and awaits a near-total solar eclipse in August. Ryanair offers direct flights from London Stansted to Fès-Saïss Airport, or travelers can fly to Rabat, the capital, a two-and-a-half-hour drive from Fès. Culture Insider offers engaging architecture, craft, culture, and food tours and can help obtain permissions to visit the Qarawiyyin Library with appropriate notice.
Gabon: Africa’s Last Eden Opens Up
Gabon’s tourism industry emerges in 2026 as Africa’s, and arguably the world’s, most exhilarating rainforest destination with the January opening of Loango Savannah Camp. Located on the iconic Iguela Lagoon where forest elephants splash en route to a coastline famous for surfing hippos, this new tented camp is one of three properties in the northern part of Loango National Park.
Dubbed Africa’s Last Eden, Loango is a wonderland of pristine forest, savannah, and lagoons pouring into the wild Atlantic. It offers what insiders call the best gorilla trekking experience in Africa. The park provides encounters unlike anywhere else on the continent.
Nyanga Lodge, which opened in early 2025 in Moukalaba-Doudou National Park, enjoys sweet isolation as the sole luxury safari property in what locals call the “great apes national park.” Its 2026 offerings include outdoor dining experiences from a new treetop terrace to beach dinners, perfect for spotting primates or marine spectacles like migrating humpback whales and nesting sea turtles. The property will launch its first full season of exclusive international catch-and-release sport fishery in 2026.
Sette Cama Eco Camp opens in early 2026 at the remote southern end of Loango National Park as the first property in Machaba Safaris’ Machaba Wild portfolio. This comfortable base camp focuses on adventures that favor immersion over indulgence. Activities include jungle treks tracking chimpanzees, western lowland gorillas, forest elephants, and red river hogs, plus coastal trails perfect for seeing jungle creatures on the beach alongside surfing hippos, and boat cruises and kayaking trips ideal for spotting dwarf crocodiles, incredible bird life, and the shyer West African manatees.
Lowveld Trails Co. will launch its first full-season of multinight primitive walking trails in mid to late summer 2026, using Sette Cama Eco Camp as its base. Anderson Expeditions, a pioneer in conservation-forward tourism in Gabon, resumes its tailored itineraries in 2026 with private guides helping guests navigate the primeval forests and crystalline streams.
Air France flies direct from Paris to Libreville daily. Ethiopian Airlines, via Addis Ababa, and Turkish Airlines, via Istanbul, also fly nonstop. Use a locally based operator like Iniva Tourism & Hospitality for everything from obtaining the required “invitation letter” and visas to booking charter flights. Gorilla trekking is best in the rainy seasons from February through April and October through November, when it’s also a good time to see wildlife on the beaches and to fish.
Northern Namibia: Design Meets Desert Wildlife
Vestige Collection, known for boutique hotels in Spain, launches four lodges throughout 2026 in destinations ranging from Damaraland, where desert-adapted lions and red hartebeest roam, to the little-visited Khaudum National Park. All properties bring a heightened sense of style to Namibia’s striking landscapes. One lodge arrives in summer 2026, with the remaining three by year’s end.
Elusive black rhinos can be spotted in places like the Grootberg mountains, but hopes are high that travelers will begin seeing white rhinos in Etosha National Park, another site of a Vestige Collection lodge, as African Parks develops plans to distribute the mighty animals from its Rhino Rewild project.
Natural Selection debuts two properties in May 2026. Hoanib Elephant Camp, a solar-energy-powered camp of 10 rooms, lets visitors search for elephants in the Kaokoland desert. Nkasa Linyanti, a six-room camp on Nkasa Island in the heart of the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area, offers intimate encounters with this remote ecosystem.
In early 2026, watch for Thitaka Lodge, the first Namibia property from Cape Town-based Newmark Hotels & Reserves group, in Bwabwata National Park. O&L Leisure’s Mokuti Etosha, on the edge of Etosha National Park, just launched SkyBoma, an open-air dining venue some 26 feet off the ground offering Namibian cuisine paired with stargazing.
New nonstop Edelweiss flights from Zurich to Namibia’s capital, Windhoek, launch in June 2026, providing smooth access from Europe. Until then, flights commonly arrive via Frankfurt and Munich in Germany, as well as Johannesburg and Cape Town in South Africa.
Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe: Adventure Capital Expands
Victoria Falls is reinventing itself as one of southern Africa’s most exciting destinations in 2026. Travelers come not just to behold the falls but for the adventure, culture, and conservation experiences. A spate of new hotels have arrived to meet demand, including Anantara’s first Zimbabwean property, the plush Stanley & Livingstone Victoria Falls, which debuted in December 2024.
Wild Horizons’ Waterfalls Lodge followed in July 2025, and Samanzi Luxury Cabanas, a boutique retreat, opened in August with intimate cabanas and tranquil pools. The Palm River Hotel unveiled a stunning new riverside deck in June that overlooks the Zambezi, offering scenic dining experiences and beautifully curated high tea.
Looking ahead, Bupenyu Lodge by Newmark Hotels & Reserves opens at the end of 2025, and the House of Chinhara–Vignette Collection opens in January 2026 with ultra-luxury options that transform the region from a stopover to a destination in its own right. The new Mpala Jena Private Villas, set on the sandy banks of the Zambezi, offers a secluded and fully powered three-suite sanctuary with private pools, riverfront suites, personalized butler and guide services, and easy access to the falls by road or boat.
Infrastructure is keeping pace with this growth. The Bulawayo-Victoria Falls highway is under rehabilitation, Fastjet launched the new Bulawayo-Victoria Falls route, and construction of the Mosi-oa-Tunya International Cricket Stadium, poised to host the 2026 ICC under-19 World Cup, is underway.
Most travelers visit from June through August when the waterfalls have clear views, but October and November offer the best white water rafting as water levels are at their lowest. Travelers can arrive via major international hubs like Cape Town, Johannesburg, Nairobi, and Addis Ababa using Kenya Airways, Ethiopian Airlines, South African Airways, Airlink, or FlySafair.
Asia
Hong Kong: Cultural Renaissance Continues
Forever forward-facing, Hong Kong enhances its tourism credentials in 2026. At the tip of the Kowloon Peninsula, within the Foster + Partners designed West Kowloon Cultural District, the WestK Performing Arts Centre will open three world-class dance and theatre stages in 2026, with seating for some 2,300 people.
In the heart of Central, French chef Daniel Boulud will debut Terrace Boulud on the 25th floor of Landmark Prince’s, which connects to the Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong via a walkway. The opening is part of the flagship hotel’s sweeping renovation, costing more than $100 million, including the addition of longer-stay apartments, anticipated to wrap by late 2026.
Hong Kong International Airport will unveil further improvements under its $18 billion, three-runway expansion program. Upgrades to Terminal 2 are key, with a newly opened coach hall and self-service check-in facilities due by summer 2026, with ambitions to handle up to 120 million air passengers by 2027.
For those heading outdoors to appreciate Hong Kong’s green spaces, improved hiking trail facilities like waymarks and visitor information panels await at four of Hong Kong’s peaks: The Peak, Lantau Peak, Tai Mo Shan, and Sai Kung Hoi. For the best view of all, head to the sky100 Observation Deck for panoramic vistas of the city’s skyscraper skyline and undulating hills when it reopens with new visitor experiences mid-year.
Visit between September and November for sunny, breezy days, avoiding typhoon season which typically begins in May. Fly into HKIA and pick up an Octopus smartcard for contactless payments on public transport and at retail, dining and entertainment outlets.
Naoshima, Japan: Art Island Before the Crowds
Tucked into Setouchi off Japan’s southwest coast, Naoshima has evolved from traditional fishing villages into an island-wide art gallery where contemporary works spill from museums into repurposed bathhouses and abandoned schools, lining hillside trails.
The Naoshima New Museum of Art, a minimalist, partially underground structure designed by renowned architect Tadao Ando, opened in May 2025 with a mandate to collect art from Asia as well as Japan. The museum, the first in a residential suburb in Naoshima town, features works by Takashi Murakami and Cai Guo-Qiang, exploring themes of Asian futurism and Japanese cosmology. It’s Ando’s 10th major effort for Benesse Art Site Naoshima, the revolutionary art project conceived to drive rural regeneration.
As Naoshima and its neighboring islands attract greater numbers of culture seekers, travel companies are taking note. Luxury tour operator Tauck expands its small-ship cruises in Japan with a new Seoul to Tokyo itinerary for 2026, which includes an exploration of the Seto Inland Sea and a guided excursion to explore Naoshima’s contemporary arts legacy.
Mandarin Oriental is set to open three boutique properties in Setouchi from 2027 to 2030, including a ryokan-style hotel in Naoshima, so visiting now before the crowds arrive is ideal.
The best time to visit is March to May or September to November, avoiding the heat and rains of summer. Naoshima plays a starring role in the Setouchi International Art Triennale, a contemporary art festival with a reputation for community involvement, which runs sessions in spring, summer and autumn on different islands. Take a domestic flight to Takamatsu or Okayama cities from Tokyo or Osaka, then it’s a short ferry ride to Naoshima.
Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi: Museum District Rising
Abu Dhabi’s cultural renaissance unfolds on Saadiyat Island, where a museum district rivaling London or New York takes shape. Saadiyat Cultural District has been home to Louvre Abu Dhabi since 2018, and on November 22, 2025, it welcomed Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi. The long-awaited Zayed National Museum opened a week later.
Named after the UAE’s Founding Father, Sheikh Zayed, the museum takes visitors through the history of the UAE while looking to the country’s future. Designed by renowned architect Lord Norman Foster, the building features striking narrow glass atriums inspired by a falcon’s wingtips.
In 2026, Guggenheim Abu Dhabi is due for completion, shaping this mile-square patch of island surrounded by the calm waters of the Arabian Gulf into a world-class museum district. The lineup includes the new teamLab Phenomena and the existing Abrahamic Family House, an interfaith complex and one of the world’s most unique representations of tolerance, plus a string of luxury resorts lining Saadiyat Beach, the UAE’s most beautiful stretch of coast.
It’s a 30-minute taxi journey from Zayed International Airport to Saadiyat Island’s museum quarter. The Experience Abu Dhabi Shuttle Bus is a hop-on-and-off complimentary service linking hotels and tourist attractions across the city center and beyond, including Saadiyat Island.
Udaipur, India: Lake City’s Luxury Boom
In a valley within the ancient Aravalli mountains, Rajasthan’s 16th-century “lake city” has always drawn glamorous travelers to its Rajput palaces and stately havelis. Now, a flurry of luxury hotel openings brings a welcome sense of renewal.
Tucked into the forest surrounding the 19th-century Monsoon Palace, the former hunting retreat of Maharana Sajjan Singh, Fairmont Udaipur Palace is a palatial 327-key hotel filled with Pichwai art, intricate chattris, and nods to Rajput-era design. The 226-key Marriott debuted on the northern edge of Fateh Sagar, encircled by hills, filled with sweeping marble terraces and stone-carved jharokas.
The Leela Palace Udaipur channels its signature modern Indian aesthetic into its new private villa offering, Arq at Pichola, with private butler service, mixologists on call, and waterfront daybeds at three exclusive villas. Boutique Indian brand Minimalist Hotels brings its design-forward style to the banks of Lake Pichola in the coming months with an intimate 20-key property, while the Hilton is set to arrive in early 2026.
For design lovers, visit The House of Things, Udaipur’s new address for Indian design, where more than 200 homegrown brands including Jaipur Rugs and Aadyam Handwoven come together under one roof in a collection curated by locals Astha and Manan Khetan.
From February 20th to 22nd, vintage automobiles will rumble through the grounds of The Oberoi Udaivilas as the Oberoi Concourse d’Elegance returns for its second edition. Sir Jackie Stewart, Jacky Ickx, and Giacomo Agostini are among the expert panel judging the showcase of European and American classics, heritage Indian cars and automobiles of erstwhile maharajas.
The best time to visit is from September to March in the cooler months. Fly into Udaipur Airport from major Indian cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Jaipur. Jaipur, a 6.5-hour drive away, is the closest international airport.
Australia, New Zealand, and the South Pacific
Margaret River, Australia: Wine, Waves, and World-Class Dining
Margaret River conjures visions of rugged coastal landscapes, big swells, and rolling vineyards. Here in Wadandi country, home to the “saltwater people” for over 40,000 years, you choose your own adventure. Hike the 84-mile Cape to Cape Track between Cape Naturaliste in the north and Cape Leeuwin in the south, dive into immersive cultural experiences, or engage with a food and wine scene that has deep roots.
The international surf spotlight shines on the WSL Margaret River Pro 2026, April 17 to 27, the second stop of the World Surf League’s Championship Tour celebrating its 50th anniversary. A local roster of food and wine talent lights up winter with the 10th edition of the Cabin Fever festival, July 17 to 26. Pair’d, a wine and food celebration, returns in November 2026 for its third year. In 2025, headliners included Francis Mallmann, David Pynt, and Josh Niland, with 2026 likely to build on its impressive beginnings.
Opening in early 2026, the team behind Margaret River’s storied winery Vasse Felix debuts two new experiences. First, a sleek tasting salon for Idée Fixe, the winery’s sparkling offshoot dedicated to Blanc de Blancs made entirely from Chardonnay in the traditional Champagne method. While Idée Fixe, just south of Margaret River town, has quietly been producing for several years, this will be its first stand-alone space, offering immersive tastings and a behind-the-scenes look into méthode traditionnelle winemaking. Second, a coastal-inspired bistro will open with sweeping views of the vineyard.
Late in 2026, Dunsborough in the region’s north will welcome South West House, a boutique hotel bringing a new layer of smart Australian luxury to the region. Throughout the 54 guest rooms and adjoining wellness and hospitality amenities, there’s a blend of raw industrialism and natural materials. Meanwhile, a transformative restoration of The Margaret River Hotel, a 90-year-old icon, sees Arts and Crafts style put to work over 27 designer rooms and will open in mid-2026, along with the bar and dining room whose hyperlocal menu champions Western Australian produce.
It’s a little over three hours by car from Perth, but Busselton-Margaret River Airport, a 45-minute drive, has Sydney and Melbourne flights via Jetstar. The region hosted the World’s 50 Best Vineyards 2025 awards last November. With so much ground to cover and limited public transport, hiring a car is the best way to explore properly.
Uluru, Australia: Sacred Land, New Journeys
The raw beauty of the Australian outback is magnified at Uluṟu. More than just a geological wonder, the rock formation has been shaped by thousands of years of Aṉangu law, story, and ceremony, and bears a spiritual and cultural weight greater than the red dust settling at its feet.
October 2025 marked the 40th anniversary of the historic hand-back of the title deeds for Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park to its traditional owners, the Aṉangu. This milestone set the tone for the region’s next chapter. Launching in April 2026, the Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa Signature Walk links the red domes of Kata Tjuṯa with the crimson monolith of Uluṟu, offering a deeper, slower way to connect with the culture embedded in these twin sacred sites.
The luxury four-night guided trek spans 33.5 miles and includes stays at purpose-built glamping camps and a new ecolodge, with Aṉangu storytellers walking alongside guests to share their deep knowledge of Country. It’s the latest in a string of innovative Red Centre experiences, from Uluṟu’s high-tech light-and-sound shows, Sunrise Journeys and Wintjiri Wiṟu, to the launch of the Ghan’s new luxury train suites, Australis and Aurora, in April 2026.
Bruce Munro’s Field of Light now shines brighter than ever after a 2025 refurbishment ahead of its 10th anniversary in 2026. Up the Stuart Highway in Alice Springs, Intrepid Travel’s new Indigenous-guided Larapinta Trail trek, which opened in May 2025, offers another route into the stories and landscapes that define the heart of the country.
The Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa Signature Walk operates during the cooler months from April through September, the ideal time to visit the Red Center. Yulara, the gateway town, is easily reached via direct flights from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Cairns. Luxury wilderness camp Longitude 131 makes a standout post-hike base with bush-inspired fine dining and uninterrupted Uluṟu views.
Central and South America
Chiriquí Province, Panama: Pacific Paradise Rises
The Chiriquí Province, roughly 300 miles southwest of Panama City and hugging the Pacific, has emerged over the past decade as a castaway-style escape. The area includes La Amistad International Park, an over 400,000-hectare UNESCO World Heritage Site and Central America’s largest nature reserve, as well as the Gulf of Chiriquí National Marine Park, home to howler monkeys, armadillos, and from July to October, migrating humpback whales.
Luxury tour company Black Tomato expands Chiriquí coverage for 2026, offering snorkeling within the marine park, naturalist-guided cloud forest hikes, and bespoke whale watches paired with lunch on a deserted island. Hoteliers have slowly rolled out stays that capture the spirit of this getaway with top-tier amenities. The Cayuga Collection’s Isla Palenque, a 10-key luxury eco-resort, will introduce three two-bedroom villas in 2026 and 2027, all with a funicular and private pools.
In February 2025, Hyatt opened the 70-key art and wellness house, Hotel La Compañía del Valle, just 20 miles from the coast. It added the 18,000-square-foot Elysium Spa in fall 2025. In late 2026, travelers can expect the 186-key Viceroy Bocas del Toro, catering to the luxury clientele who prefer a more traditional resort experience.
Getting to Chiriquí is about to get easier. President José Raúl Mulino announced the forthcoming Panamá-David Railway, a 475-kilometer high-speed rail connecting Panama City with Chiriquí in under three hours and bypassing the need for small flights or long drives when it opens.
Warm year-round in the gulf, Chiriquí’s rainy season runs from late April through November. Still, summer and early fall months are best for watching migrating whales, and the Vuelta a Chiriquí, one of Central America’s most prestigious cycling events, returns in July 2026. Copa Airlines, United, Delta, and American offer flights from the United States, whereas Iberia, KLM, Air Europa, and Air France connect with Europe.
Guadalajara, Mexico: Women Leading the Way
As the epicenter of traditions synonymous with Mexican culture like mariachi, ceramics, tortas ahogadas, and tequila, Guadalajara has been ready for the spotlight. In 2026, the third-largest city in Mexico showcases its cultural achievements as host of several world-class events. The Guadalajara International Film Festival returns in April, FIFA World Cup brings four matches in June, and November marks the 40th edition of the weeklong Guadalajara International Book Fair.
But it’s the tapatías, women from Guadalajara, who are blossoming all over La Ciudad de las Rosas. Guadalajara’s first female mayor, Verónica Delgadillo García, is a sign of progress, as are gender-sensitive bike-share programs and women-fronted mariachi and cumbia bands who serenade the public.
Guadalajara’s artisanal heritage intersects with art and food. Touring Cerámica Suro, a ceramics factory in Colón Industrial, you’ll paint your own piece with guidance from Juliana Suro and her father, José Noé Suro, who host a residency program with local women artists. Sister art gallery Plataforma hosts rotating artists in residence.
This feminine spirit touches modern gastronomy. At Santa Teresita’s Xokol, chef Xrysw Ruelas is a storyteller of ancestral Mexican ingredients and matriarchs. Juana Segundo Alcántar, abuela to Xokol chef Óscar Segundo, Ruelas’s husband, is depicted in a lifelike mural overlooking the dining room’s communal tables, where guests are treated to tortillas freshly pressed with multicolored circles. Matriarchal culture is also a family affair at well-known Jalisco distilleries like La Alteña. 2026 marks Jenny Camarena’s first full year as CEO of El Tesoro de Don Felipe Tequila.
Guadalajara boasts warm, comfortable weather most of the year, but spring is ideal for sunny days, minimal rainfall, and fewer crowds. Direct flights to Guadalajara Airport via AeroMéxico or Volaris depart from major US hubs. Excursions to Jalisco tequila distilleries are available by train, bus, private charters, and tours.
Medellín, Colombia: Wake Changes Everything
Few places in Latin America embody reinvention quite like Medellín. Colombia’s second-largest city has, in less than two decades, gone from cartel capital to a model of urban ingenuity. Cable cars and a modern metro stitch hillside barrios like Comuna 13, once considered unsafe for visitors and now a symbol of artistic resilience and a top destination, with tree-lined avenues that spill into the Aburrá Valley.
That energy crests in 2026 with Wake, a $100-million development uniting a wellness hotel, residences, and more than a dozen restaurants and bars. Its centerpiece is Boro bistro from Jaime David Rodríguez of Cartagena’s acclaimed Celele. At Boro, Rodríguez translates Colombia’s bounty into plates spanning the Amazon, Andes, Caribbean, Pacific, and Orinoquía.
Test Kitchen Lab, the intimate chef’s table by chef Adolfo Cavalie and bartender Daniela Alvarado, rooted in 100% Colombian sourcing, will move to a bigger location at Wake, expanding with research and fermentation labs that deepen Medellín’s reputation for gastronomic innovation.
Other highlights include Wake BioHotel, built around “wellness meets science” with 109 rooms and a longevity center, a first for the continent. The larger complex brings in heavy-hitters like Osso, Peru’s cult butcher-restaurant, alongside Chez Migú, Somos Masa, and Krudo Viches y Vinilos. The exact opening date ranges from March to April 2026.
Direct flights from Miami, New York, Houston, and Madrid land at José María Córdova International Airport, now just 45 minutes from the city thanks to the 2019-built Túnel de Oriente. Medellín’s City of Eternal Spring climate charms year-round, but especially from December to March. Cocktail lovers shouldn’t miss Medellín Cocktail Week, June 1 to 5, 2026.
Minas Gerais, Brazil: Hidden Giant Awakens
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Brazil is almost a continent in itself, with regions as diverse as the palm-fringed beaches of the northeast, vineyards tucked into the lush valleys of the south, and the vast, wildlife-rich wetlands of the Pantanal. Yet with its deep culinary traditions, echoes of colonial architecture, and famously warm hospitality, Minas Gerais, one of Brazil’s largest states, is among its most overlooked treasures, at least to an international audience.
The capital city of Belo Horizonte has been quietly transforming into a top destination, fueled by its vibrant boteco culture centered around no-frills, often anonymous bars serving great food and always-ice-cold beer. Much like the bistronomie movement in Paris, young chefs are reimagining regional classics in modern spots such as Bar Pirex from Caio Soter and A Porca Voadora from Bruna Resende, while the city’s art scene continues to flourish.
The architectural team behind Mercado Novo, the cultural and gastronomic hub that helped reshape the city’s urban fabric over the past decade, is now launching Galeria Ficus on a charming square in the Carlos Prates neighborhood. Housed in a restored manor house, this hybrid project will feature seven shops and a cocktail bar, aiming to bring new life into the historic space.
In the lively Savassi district, newly relaunched Albuquerque Contemporânea is quickly establishing itself as a key player in Brazil’s contemporary art scene. By highlighting rising local artists like Mateus Moreira, who will open an exhibition in March 2026, while also representing internationally recognized Brazilian names such as Ana Maria Tavares, the gallery helps place the city on par with cultural hubs like São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. Accor opened its first Tribe hotel in Brazil here in September 2025.
Just outside the city, 1.5 hours by car, Inhotim, Latin America’s largest open-air art museum, home to 800 works by more than 50 artists from 18 countries, celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2026 with new exhibitions in April and October. The on-site hotel, the Clara Arte Resort, inspired by Japan’s Benesse House, is expanding with 30 additional rooms planned to open by August 2026 along with a spa set in the middle of the forest.
There aren’t many direct international flights to Belo Horizonte, but the capital is well-connected to major Brazilian cities such as São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. To reach Inhotim, rent a car, which will also allow you to explore smaller towns and culinary backroads throughout the state. From May to September, temperatures are milder, though Minas is a year-round destination.
Northern Chilean Patagonia: Green Patagonia Opens
The skyscraping spires of Torres del Paine National Park carry legendary status among global adventurers, but for those seeking less-trodden trails, the greener wildlands of Northern Patagonia in Chile remain blessedly unexplored. The newest reason to visit is Reñihué, a vast fjord-side sanctuary set amid turquoise rivers, craggy peaks, and misty rainforest trampled by kodkods, the continent’s tiniest wildcats, and pudus, the world’s smallest deer.
American conservationists Doug and Kris Tompkins started their pioneering work, which resulted in the creation and expansion of 15 national parks across Chile and Argentina, with a 1,750-acre land purchase in this valley. Fellow American Charlie Clark later acquired the property, launched the Reñihué Nature Conservancy Foundation, and over the past year turned the wood-shingled Tompkins home into a bookable four-room lodge overlooking the glaciated Michinmahuida Volcano.
The Reñihué opening arrives amid a flurry of regional conservation wins since 2024, when local activists saved the so-called Yosemite of South America from property developers, protecting its granite domes beloved by rock climbers in the new Cochamó Valley Nature Sanctuary. The nearby Puelo and Futaleufú Rivers are set to become the first two protected waterways in Patagonia in early 2026, safeguarding these milky-teal icons revered by whitewater rafters from energy exploitation.
Thrill-seekers can rest their weary bones at the Ritual Patagónico Spa opening this austral summer at the lush Termas del Sol hot springs complex. It’s right by the Puelo River and near the striking eight-room adventure lodge Tawa Refugio del Puelo, which opened in 2023.
Fly into Chile’s capital of Santiago, then hop on a two-hour flight to El Tepual International Airport near Puerto Varas, the gateway to Northern Chilean Patagonia. Get your bearings at the Brutalist-inspired lakeside retreat Hotel AWA before continuing south to Cochamó, Puelo, Reñihué, or Futaleufú via winding roads and fjord-crossing ferries. Visit November to March for drier conditions and maximum daylight.
Potosí, Bolivia: Salt Flats and Beyond
Bolivia’s star attraction has long been the otherworldly Salar de Uyuni, 4,000 square miles of glistening crust left behind when prehistoric lakes evaporated that make up the largest salt flat in the world. There’s a magnetism to this blinding-white expanse perched 12,000 feet high in the Andes. But in greater Potosí, the municipality that encompasses the flats, this is far from the only surreal landscape.
Eduardo Avaroa National Reserve stuns with its sculptural Valle de las Rocas, the blood-red waters of Laguna Colorada, a small 85°F hot-spring pool called Termas de Polques, and the emerald Laguna Verde shimmering beneath the snow-capped Licancabur volcano. Here, deserts are pocked by geysers and steaming geothermal fields with bubbling silver pools. Multiday jeep tours have long bumped along the roads, transporting travelers to see these alien-like landscapes while offering front-row views of vicuñas grazing and flamingos taking flight.
New hotel projects and better infrastructure are transforming the region, making it more appealing to travelers seeking comfort and helping it shed its long-held backpacker-only reputation. Local outfitter Hidalgo Tours now offers new, high-comfort excursions through Potosí with 4x4s and a custom luxury van featuring business-class-style seats, onboard champagne and snacks, and even a proper bathroom, plus the option of a meal upon an apthapi, a traditional Andean communal table, right in the middle of the flats.
Crillon Tours offers a three-day itinerary from the small village of Coquesa to the Green Lagoon with deluxe accommodations in a silver Airstream camper. For the adventurous, the Ultra Bolivia Race, a 220-kilometer foot race across salt flats, desert plains, and high-altitude lagoons, returns in September 2026.
Around Uyuni, a wave of design-forward stays is redefining what it means to sleep amid the stark beauty of the desert. Explora runs three minimalist mountain lodges in Ramaditas, Chituca, and Jirira, striking, sustainable properties surrounded by ethereal landscapes.
In Jirira, the tiny town celebrated as the birthplace of Bolivia’s prized gold quinoa, the biggest opening of all comes in March 2026 with Casa Gastón. The museum-hotel hybrid is set to open in the foothills of Tunupa volcano. Designed by the late artist Gastón Ugalde, considered the father of contemporary Bolivian art, the property blends ancient building techniques with contemporary design across 10 suites while offering immersive experiences rooted in sustainable tourism.
Visit from late summer through fall, mid-February through May in the Southern Hemisphere, when daytime temperatures average 60°F. This period falls during the rainy season, November to April, which turns the salt flats into a liquid mirror reflecting otherworldly cloud formations, sunsets, and starry nights. Fly into Uyuni from La Paz or another city in Bolivia and book with a tour operator in advance.
Europe
Brussels, Belgium: Culture Takes Center Stage
This often-overlooked European capital is having a cultural moment, signaling a shift from a bureaucratic hub to a creative powerhouse. The opening of Kanal, Centre Pompidou in November 2026 transforms a long-dormant factory into a contemporary center for modern arts. One of Europe’s highly anticipated arrivals, it will feature expansive exhibition spaces curated with Paris’s Centre Pompidou, alongside a dynamic program of live performances, music, film, workshops, a library, and five floors up, a restaurant overlooking the vast showroom, capped by a rooftop bar with panoramic city views.
Just steps away is newly opened The Standard, with a rooftop bar, greenhouse-style lounge, and bold design that mirrors the city’s creative energy. Brussels‘ cultural revival is visible everywhere, from the refreshed façades of Place de la Bourse to the Dome Project, a restoration of Belgium’s first department store with modern flair.
Nearby, the Gare Maritime, a former freight station, seamlessly blends sustainable architecture with design fairs and chef-led food stalls. Plan a spring visit when Art Brussels draws galleries and collectors from around the world for a vibrant international fair, and the biannual Zinneke Parade transforms the city’s streets into a stage of theatre and imagination. For those seeking more adrenaline, base yourself in the city for the Belgian Grand Prix to marvel at the sporting spectacle.
Spring and early summer are ideal, while autumn’s crisp days are perfect for gallery-hopping. Brussels is easily accessible via major airlines, low-cost carriers such as Ryanair and EasyJet, or Eurostar from London, Paris, and Amsterdam. A car isn’t necessary. The city is compact with excellent public transportation. In 2026, new tram links will connect the airport to the city center and the canal district.
Oulu, Finland: Arctic Capital of Culture
Located just south of the Arctic Circle in Finland, Oulu offers remote location, the purest air in Europe, a low-impact Arctic food culture, and almost 600 miles of walking and cycling paths that make it a reliable eco-friendly destination. In 2026, the city becomes one of the northernmost European Capitals of Culture. Under the theme of Cultural Climate Change, a series of events will focus on creative solutions to the challenges facing Europe and beyond in one of the world’s fastest-changing regions.
In winter, northern traditions are on display at Frozen People, an electronic music festival on the icy Gulf of Bothnia, and at Oulu Art Museum’s Sámi contemporary art exhibit showcasing the resilience of Europe’s only Indigenous people, on view until May 2026. Climate Clock is a new permanent art trail opening in June with thought-provoking work by renowned artists such as the UK’s Rana Begum, set amid Oulu’s forests and along its rivers and seashores.
From May to August, the Solstice Festival will celebrate summer at a 500-meter Arctic fell with views of pine woods and lakes, while the Summer Night’s Dinner will highlight northern ingredients at a communal table stretched along one of Oulu’s main streets.
As Finland’s tech and science center, Oulu will play host to several innovative digital art projects throughout the year. These include the year-long Peace Machine, a multidisciplinary installation by the Finnish Ekho Collective that uses AI to brainstorm conflict solutions, and a first-of-its-kind 86,000-square-foot museum and science center opening in autumn 2026, just in time for aurora borealis viewing in its Deep Space theater.
Travelers can take a break from culture by leaning into Oulu’s strong sauna culture. Choose from wood-smoke saunas, floating river saunas, or luxury saunas. At the summer sauna festival, traditional sauna healers will offer treatments rooted in Finnish folk heritage such as birch-leaf bathing and sauna chants. Newly renovated Lapland Hotels Oulu welcomes guests with design-forward rooms and must-try breakfasts starting in January, and a new Scandic Go hotel opens in late 2026.
In 2026, Discover Airlines by Lufthansa will add a nonstop flight from Frankfurt to Oulu three times a week. Multiple daily Finnair flights connect Helsinki with Oulu. An overnight VR train ride from Helsinki is a good eco-alternative. Go on foot or hop on a bike to explore the compact city center and rent a car only if you plan to explore the wider region.
The Peloponnese, Greece: Homer’s Epic Landscape
In July 2026, Christopher Nolan’s film The Odyssey will take viewers on a voyage to Greece’s myth-drenched Peloponnese peninsula. The Oscar-winning director shot scenes on the cinematic southwest coast of Messinia, where Homer’s epics are anchored in ancient history. Sustainability-focused Costa Navarino, home to four luxury resorts and a recent influx of restaurants run by Michelin-starred chefs, makes an ideal base for exploring the film locations.
Hike to oceanside Nestor’s Cave to see where Matt Damon’s Odysseus outwits the Cyclops. Swim in Poseidon’s realm at omega-shaped Voidokilia Beach and photograph flamingos at Gialova Lagoon. Meander Methoni Castle and the nearby town of Pylos, where Odysseus’s son seeks wisdom from Trojan War hero King Nestor.
Homer’s mythical characters were inspired by the Mycenaeans, who flourished in the Peloponnese during the Bronze Age. At Nestor’s Palace near Pylos, learn about this civilization and overlook the spot where archaeologists unearthed a treasure-filled Mycenaean warrior’s tomb in 2015. This discovery rewrote our understanding of the ways Mycenaean and Minoan cultures blended to give rise to Western civilization.
The tomb’s trove is on international loan for the Kingdom of Pylos exhibition in Los Angeles before returning to Athens for six months. In late 2026, most of the artifacts will join other groundbreaking Peloponnesian finds and permanently reside in Messinia’s newly revamped Archaeological Museum of Chora.
When it’s completed in spring 2026, the 1,075-mile Peloponnese Trails network will enhance this mountainous country’s standing as a destination for outdoor fitness. Along restored mule paths, hikers can taste Messinia’s famed olive oil and visit UNESCO World Heritage sites such as Mystras near Euphoria Retreat, which will host a Wellbeing Festival in June 2026 rooted in the philosophy of ancient Greek wellness.
From Athens, it’s about an hour’s drive to the Peloponnesian fortress of Acrocorinth, another Odyssey film location, and 3.5 hours to Costa Navarino. On the way, dive into Greece’s history of maritime exploration at the National Museum of Underwater Antiquities in Piraeus, slated to open in 2026. Alternatively, fly nonstop from 24 European cities to Kalamata in Messinia, an hour’s drive to Costa Navarino.
Saint-Gervais-les-Bains, France: Sustainable Alpine Future
In 2026, Saint-Gervais-les-Bains in Haute-Savoie is taking a big step towards rewriting what Alpine tourism can look like. The Mont Blanc Express, the century-old railway that winds between Saint-Gervais-les-Bains’ Le Fayet and Martigny, will unveil a new fleet of energy-efficient trains in the summer. For a line first electrified in 1908, it’s a symbolic upgrade proving sustainable travel is no longer a side story in the Alps but the way forward.
The new trains will double capacity, cut emissions, and ease car traffic in the valleys while strengthening the cross-border links that have always defined this region. From 2026, the Léman Express from Geneva will also expand services, making it easier than ever to arrive in the Mont Blanc foothills entirely by rail.
In the Belle Époque spa town, innovation is already reshaping daily life. Launched in 2024, Le Valléen gondola is the first in France to connect a mainline SNCF station directly with a mountain resort center. In five minutes, it whisks passengers from Saint-Gervais Le Fayet station to the town center with sweeping views over the Bonnant gorge, cutting traffic and linking directly to ski lifts. From the same station, the Mont Blanc Express runs up the valley to Chamonix.
The famous Alpine town adds to the story in 2026 with the opening of the Glaciorium, a glacier and climate center at Montenvers, a timely reminder of why these greener choices matter. Together with Saint-Gervais, this corner of Haute-Savoie feels less like a nostalgic ski destination and more like a region reimagining its future, proving the Alps can still thrill while treading more lightly on the mountain.
From 2026, take the Léman Express direct to Saint-Gervais–Le Fayet in just over an hour. At Le Fayet, hop on the Le Valléen gondola for a five-minute ride into Saint-Gervais or continue on the Mont Blanc Express to Chamonix and into Switzerland. With this growing rail-and-lift network, a car isn’t essential. Ski in winter, hike and climb in summer, and don’t miss the Saint-Gervais thermal baths year-round.
Upper Carniola, Slovenia: Hidden Alpine Gem
Tucked between Austria and northern Italy, Slovenia’s Upper Carniola region, also known as Gorenjska meaning “highlands,” is a gem hiding in plain sight. About a tenth of the size of Tuscany, this northwest corner packs a stunning lineup: Julian Alps, Lake Bled, Triglav National Park, and a sprinkling of villages plucked straight from a fairy tale.
While neighboring Italy braces for shoulder-to-shoulder crowds at the Milano Cortina Olympic Winter Games, Upper Carniola’s appeal is its breathing room. 2026 is shaping up to be its breakout year. A new digital nomad visa is being rolled out, perfectly timed with a wave of cultural and hospitality openings, a cue that the country is ready for its close-up.
Summer 2026 will see Upper Carniola emerge as a destination for contemporary art lovers with the grand opening of Muzej Lah, showcasing over 800 European works lovingly collected over three decades by Igor and Mojca Lah, on the scenic slopes of Bled Castle. For wellness seekers, Kneipp NaturHotel Snovik, after a 22 million euro investment, will debut in June 2026 on the region’s outskirts, becoming Slovenia’s highest-altitude thermal spa hotel. Wellness here is rooted in tradition, see Sebastian Kneipp’s five pillars of holistic living, but with a contemporary twist.
Intimate, guesthouse-style hotels are quietly flourishing in the Julian Alps, such as five-suite Chalet Sofija, where warm hospitality, sweeping views and serious culinary chops converge. It’s no surprise, then, that nine Slovenian restaurants earned Michelin stars in 2025. Regional staple Hiša Franko retained its coveted three stars and Green Star for sustainability, cementing Ana Roš as one of two female chefs worldwide with that distinction.
History buffs shouldn’t miss the return of the Unesco-listed Passion Play to Škofja Loka’s cobblestone streets after a six-year pause, with 900 locals reviving one of Europe’s oldest Baroque-era plays.
Upper Carniola shines year-round with snowy winters for skiing and balmy spring and summer for hikes and lake dips, but late summer through autumn proves most rewarding with fewer tourists, golden foliage, and visits to the new Muzej Lah. Fly into Ljubljana, nonstop from London, Zurich, Paris, Munich, and Frankfurt, then train to Jesenice, Kranj, or Radovljica. A rental car is recommended for exploring remote villages and alpine passes.
North America and the Caribbean
Deer Valley, Utah: Sundance’s Farewell and Massive Expansion
For decades, Deer Valley has been synonymous with groomed slopes, polished service, and the starry energy of the Sundance Film Festival. In January 2026, that story will come full circle. After over four decades in Park City, Sundance will mark its final year in Utah, culminating with what organizers call “a celebration full of gratitude and joy” to honor founder Robert Redford and the cultural milestone this moment represents.
As Sundance bows out, Deer Valley enters a new era with the largest ski-resort expansion in North American history. The Expanded Excellence initiative more than doubles skiable terrain to 4,300 acres with nearly 100 new runs and 31 lifts. This winter also brings seven new chairlifts, including the East Village Express gondola, alongside the continued rollout of East Village, which offers streamlined mountain access and more than 70 shops and restaurants.
Upon completion, East Village will feature eight hotels, including the Grand Hyatt Deer Valley, which opened in late 2024, the forthcoming Canopy by Hilton, Hilton’s first ski-destination property set to debut in summer 2026, and further out, a Four Seasons resort and residences slated to open in 2028. Add in the swanky Chute Eleven Champagne yurt, returning for its second year, plus 300 inches of annual snowfall backed by a state-of-the-art snowmaking system, and Deer Valley stands ready to show travelers what its next chapter looks like.
Salt Lake City International Airport is a mere 45-minute drive from Deer Valley, making the resort one of the most accessible in the Rockies. The ski season runs from early December through mid-April. Be sure to book your lift tickets early as Deer Valley caps daily skier numbers via lift tickets sold daily to preserve its uncrowded experience.
East Coast, Barbados: Rugged Alternative to the West
With new direct flight routes and luxe cruise itineraries, the Caribbean’s easternmost island is becoming more accessible than ever in 2026. Delta and KLM recently launched nonstop routes from their hubs in Atlanta and Amsterdam, respectively, and the port of Bridgetown completed a $2 million upgrade in 2023. The island is also developing the port of Speightstown on the north end, which now offers new moorings for smaller luxury vessels like the Emerald Sakara from Emerald Cruises, which docks here on a number of itineraries during its 2026 winter season.
All of this will invariably mean more visitors. But that doesn’t mean you can’t easily escape the crowds should you choose. While Barbados’s most popular luxury resorts lie along the tranquil western shores on the Caribbean Sea, adventure-minded travelers can drive just a half hour northeast from Grantley Adams International Airport or the busy Bridgetown cruise ports to reach the island’s more rugged Atlantic coastline, where dramatic scenery, world-class surfing, and colorful fishing villages preserve the island’s unspoiled character.
Start in Bathsheba, where powerful waves have long drawn surfers to the Soup Bowl, a reef break revered by international pros. There’s plenty of outdoor activities for nonsurfers too, with a national park and wildlife reserve protecting the majority of the east coast from commercial development. Hike from Bath Beach to Bathsheba on a scenic six-mile path that follows the former route of the island’s coastal railway. Round out the day in the nearby village of Martin’s Bay on Thursdays when the Bay Tavern Fish Fry brings together neighbors and visitors alike for fresh-off-the-boat red snapper, baked mac and cheese, and rum-fueled karaoke sessions.
In the past, the majority of east-coast accommodations consisted of family-owned inns and seaside cottages. This September, hotelier Paul Doyle, who owns the island’s oldest operating hotel, The Crane Resort, finished three-year construction on a new all-villa property called East Resort, bringing upscale yet intimate lodging to what they call Barbados’s best-kept secret.
The high season runs from December through April. Plan your trip around the Barbados Surf Pro in March, the Barbados Food & Rum Festival in November, or Barbados Sailing Week in January. Visiting during the low season from July to October, you’ll find thinner crowds but expect brief daily rain showers.
Prince Edward County, Canada: Wine Country Rising
Prince Edward County, or PEC, is already a favorite long-weekend destination for many Canadians, especially those from Toronto and Montreal, just a few hours drive from each. The region has been coming into its own for the past decade as a hot spot for boutique hotels, small family-run wineries, and world-class restaurants, but there’s plenty more to come.
The region is eagerly awaiting the arrival of the new hotel, The Claramount Club, which will have two new restaurants as well. Meanwhile, the stylish lakeside escape Wander the Resort expanded its experiences focused on local food and outdoor recreation and opened a lakefront Nordic spa. Happy Sailing started to offer sailing lessons along PEC’s curving shoreline, and Charlie, a playful neighborhood bistro in Consecon, is already pulling in the crowds.
A lot of what’s new is centered in the quaint town of Picton, which has been transformed over the last few years by hotels including The Royal. It’s become a community hub of sorts, drawing locals and travelers alike, and has been joined by excellent dining establishments like farm-to-table wine bar Theia and Spanish restaurant Bocado.
Don’t be afraid to venture out of town to explore the county’s food scene. PEC is now a mecca for exciting young chefs who are opening their own spots with a local focus. Top tables include Darlings, Stella’s Eatery, and La Condesa, all of which rival anything you’ll find in major tourist centers. If wine tourism is of interest, be sure to explore vineyards like Traynor, Closson Chase and Hinterland Wine Company. PEC may be one of Canada’s youngest wine regions, but you’ll find elegant reds, crisp whites, and sparkling pét-nats thanks to its unique terroir and crisp, cool climate.
Prince Edward County is equally great in all four seasons, but it tends to be more popular among travelers in the summer, early fall, and the festive season. In warmer months, people flock to the beaches of Sandbanks Provincial Park for swimming and sailing. In winter, it’s for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. The spring and fall are great for wine tourism and thinner crowds.
The County, as locals call it, is an easy drive from Toronto and Montreal and can be easily added as a midpoint trip between the cities. It’s approximately a 2.5-hour drive from Toronto and 3.5 hours from Montreal. The best option is to fly into one hub and out the other and plan to rent a car to get you around.
Route 66, USA: The Mother Road Turns 100
Neon lights are burning a little brighter along Route 66, the iconic US highway that stretched between Chicago and Santa Monica, as it celebrates its centennial in 2026. While the contiguous highway was decommissioned in 1985, sections of it have been preserved for historic interest. Along these, vintage motel and diner signs have been restored to their midcentury brilliance, including more than a dozen along Albuquerque’s 18-mile, the country’s longest, urban stretch.
In St. Robert, Missouri, long-abandoned neon signs have been polished and collected in the just-opened Route 66 Neon Park. Celebrations are planned along the 2,448-mile route, from Springfield, Missouri, host of the Route 66 Centennial National Kick-Off in April, to Tulsa’s Capital Cruise in May, a world-record attempt for the largest-ever classic-car parade, and Amarillo’s 10-day-long Texas Route 66 Festival in June.
A trip along the Mother Road invites nostalgia for the past but also consideration of how history has been told. Historically, over 25 tribal nations lived along the route, but for years their diverse cultures were largely represented through reductive stereotypes, with concrete tipi storefronts and signage adorned with Hollywood-style depictions of Native peoples. Now travelers can get a more realistic view at Indigenous-run institutions including Albuquerque’s Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, operated by the 19 Pueblos of New Mexico, which celebrates its 50th year in 2026, and at the First Americans Museum, which opened in Oklahoma City in 2021 to tell the stories of Oklahoma’s 39 nations.
Centennial celebrations kick off on April 30 and continue throughout the year. Spring and fall typically promise the most comfortable conditions. While a continuous Route 66 may no longer exist, you can piece it together by following brown “Historic Route 66” signs or downloading a dedicated navigation app. Recently spruced up route-side motels include Flagstaff, Arizona’s Americana Motor Hotel, where Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper parked while filming Easy Rider in 1968. At Arrive Albuquerque, which opened in a historic Route 66 motel this spring, guests get a front-row seat to Sunday’s lowrider cruise during which souped-up vehicles roll by, bringing this road’s past into contemporary American culture.
The Takeaway
Condé Nast Traveler’s 2026 list proves the world remains full of surprises. Whether you’re chasing Christopher Nolan’s Odyssey through the Peloponnese, tracking gorillas in Gabon’s pristine rainforests, or toasting Route 66’s centennial with a classic car parade, this year offers transformative travel experiences across every continent. From centuries-old medinas getting new life to brand-new luxury lodges opening in remote wildernesses, 2026 is the year to explore destinations experiencing genuine rebirth and renewal.
