Top 5 Trendiest Destinations For 2026 According To Experts

If you are a frequent traveler who spends half their time in search of flight offers on-line, likelihood is you’ve got used Skyscanner in some unspecified time in the future.

Along with Google Flights, it’s maybe the most well-liked platform for monitoring the most affordable route available in the market, particularly as a result of airways aren’t significantly recognized for displaying essentially the most enticing fare on their official web sites.

Other than serving to you get to your vacation spot whereas paying (far) much less, Skyscanner has additionally just lately checked out knowledge from hundreds of flight searches on their web page, between January 1 and June 30, 2025, to ascertain the prime trending journey locations going into the upcoming yr.

Let’s simply say, for those who’re anticipating to search out tourism darlings like Paris, London, Tokyo, and Bangkok on there, you are in for a shock—this time, it is the lesser-known gems which can be stealing the limelight:

Zadar, Croatia

Boasting essentially the most stunning sundown on this planet, as attested by none aside from Alfred Hitchcock himself, Zadar will really feel like a breath of contemporary air in your journey to Croatia after stopping by the jam-packed Dubrovnik and the party-centric Split.

It’s nonetheless comparatively lesser-known, however you must positively make plans to examine it off the record urgently forward of the anticipated crowds in 2026: searches are up 72% year-on-year (YOY).

Zadar is extremely sought-after for its stunning Adriatic shoreline and peaceable pebbly seashores, nevertheless it’s equally standard for its Roman heritage: the Old Town, surrounded by Venetian-era partitions, continues to be criss-crossed by Roman streets and alleyways.

The centerpiece of city is the St. Donatus Church, a uncommon instance of a spherical, pre-Romanesque church erected as early because the ninth century, and it lies proper subsequent to a ruined Roman Forum, the place remnants of pagan temples and columns can nonetheless be seen.

If you wish to see one thing really distinctive, nevertheless, ensure you add the Sea Organ to your record: this sequence of marble steps resulting in the ocean has in-built pipes and channels that create harmonic sounds when the waves go via—and it is the right website for catching that blood-orange Dalmatian sundown.

Madeira, Portugal

A lush volcanic island off the coast of West Africa, that is an integral a part of Portugal nonetheless, Madeira is oftentimes dubbed the ‘Hawaii of Europe‘, and it is seen a 78% year-on-year enhance in flight searches just lately:

Having been to Madeira ourselves for a digital nomad retreat, we will not say we’re shocked: image towering mist-enveloped peaks, deep valleys, historic forests sprinkled with pristine waterfalls, and naturally, a dramatic shoreline.

Funchal, the charming capital of Madeira, is a vibrant metropolis finest recognized for its Portuguese colonial structure and energetic road markets, however the island’s true attraction lies in its unspoiled nature and quaint coastal villages.

There’s nowhere higher to absorb Madeira’s wilderness than village-hopping on the rugged north coast, occurring a levada path—tourist-friendly footpaths via the jungle following the course of winding streams—or climbing as much as Pico Ruivo to catch the dawn over the mountainous surroundings.

Bodrum, Turkey

Forget Istanbul and Antalya: for those who’re heading to Turkey in 2026, the stylish resort city of Bodrum ought to be your first port of name.

Up in searches by 85 p.c YOY, this laid-back metropolis presents scenic seashores straddling a crystal-clear Aegean Sea, historic websites relationship again millennia, and reasonably priced all-inclusive resorts for less than a small fraction of the France and Italy charges.

The Old Town, an ecosystem of slender cobble-paved alleys framed by bougainvillea, and centered round a yacht-littered marina, has its personal share of artifical wonders, with the medieval Castle of St. Peter and the City Walls to call a pair.

The family-friendly Bitez Beach, inside strolling distance of the Old Town, has a number of cafes and seafood eating places alongside the shoreline, although if it is a style of Bodrum’s epic nightlife you are craving, it is Gumbet Beach ought to be excessive in your record.

For the tradition buffs on the market, Bodrum can also be dwelling to one of many Seven Wonders of the Ancient World: the (now-ruined) Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, on the sting of the historic heart, and it prices round $3 to go to.

Jaipur, India

Expected to see a surge in tourism within the coming yr following a 107 p.c enhance in Skyscanner searches, Jaipur is nicknamed the ‘Pink City’ of India, and it is a serious cultural spot full of opulent palaces, imperial gardens, and stately buildings.

The primary attraction right here is the 18th-century Palace of the Winds, constructed with a rose-colored, honeycombed facade, dotted with balconies, in order that the ladies of upper castes who resided in it might watch life unfold at their ft with out mingling with the pleb.

Perched on a hilltop above the city sprawl, the Amber Fort is to not be missed, both: a maze of interconnecting villas, gardens, and postcard-ready squares centered round ornate fountains, it is certainly one of India’s most stunning architectural complexes.

Aside from the pomp of all of it, Jaipur’s foremost attraction is its labyrinthine historic heart, with centuries-old homes painted in numerous shades of pink, and bustling bazaars the place you’ll be able to each pattern the wealthy Rajasthani delicacies and browse souvenirs.

Limón, Costa Rica

The trendiest vacation spot for 2026, Limón is a laid-back seaside metropolis in Costa Rica. It’s seen a record-breaking 286 p.c enhance in searches YOY, so we might counsel you get there shortly earlier than it will get as crowded as the opposite Caribbean hotspots.

The cultural coronary heart of the nation’s Afro-Caribbean neighborhood, it is well-known for its plethora of reggae and calypso bars, colourful festivals, and conventional cantinas serving soulful meals—for those who like rice, beans, and plantains, you’ve got come to the correct place.

Not solely is Limón Costa Rica’s largest Caribbean port, making it a strategic commerce and delivery hub, it serves as a gateway to the area’s tropical nature.

It’s a brief drive away from stunning seashores, like Puerto Viejo and Cahuita, rainforests, untouched reserves inhabited by uncommon wildlife, and the canal-traversed Tortuguero National Park, a nesting hotspot for inexperienced sea turtles.

Must-Have Traveler Tools For Going Abroad In 2026

If you have not traveled internationally shortly, you must know it is a very completely different world proper now than it was 4 or 5 years in the past, when international locations have been reopening for tourism and welcoming Americans with open arms.

Between complicated geopolitical conflicts throughout Europe and the Middle East and the tightening visa necessities affecting U.S. passport holders, planning nicely prematurely of a visit is important to keep away from disagreeable surprises down the road.

That’s why we have launched a bunch of recent free-to-use traveler instruments just lately:

Vinicius Costa

Vini, our senior lead author at Travel Off Path, has over 60+ international locations beneath his belt (and at present weaving tales from Paris!), and a knack for turning off-the-beaten-path experiences into informative tales that may have you ever packing your luggage.