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Somewhere between the unexpectedly snug economic system class seat on a reduction Korean airline flight and the silence of an early morning in Christchurch’s Riccarton neighborhood, it hit me: The revenge journey crowds have lastly dispersed. Travel is seemingly again to regular.
I believed 2025 is likely to be a superb yr for journey, however I used to be mistaken. Actually, it was a nice yr.
Airfares in Asia plummeted (that $220 flight from Seoul to Frankfurt on T’approach Air was actual). The crushing weight of the vacationer crowds lastly lifted a little bit, making my neighborhood in New Zealand’s South Island really feel nearly deserted on a late-summer day.
For 2026, the query is not simply the place to go, however what to rediscover. Here are six locations I need to go to once more:
Athens
The solar bouncing off the Acropolis marble is blinding, however the warmth in Athens is shifting. The metropolis is steering guests away from the Parthenon slopes and towards the graffiti-splashed streets of neighborhoods like Koukaki and Kypseli. There, the time period “creative renaissance” is greater than a brochure slogan. You see avenue artwork and expertise a meals scene that has moved past moussaka.
▶ Tip: Stay exterior the middle. I rented a roomy residence from Blueground within the suburb of Agia Paraskevi. Riding the Athens Metro into city, surrounded by locals reasonably than tour teams, I felt like part of the neighborhood reasonably than only a spectator.
Auckland, New Zealand
New Zealand’s largest metropolis is usually seen as a stopover, however not in 2026. Known because the City of Sails, Auckland’s life facilities on its two harbors. As a world-renowned crusing vacation spot, it is a perfect host for high-speed yacht-racing occasions comparable to SailGP, usually dubbed the Formula 1 of crusing.
Next yr, the main focus is shifting underground. The metropolis is remodeling its core to change into extra walkable and transit-friendly, and its long-anticipated City Rail Link is scheduled to open, connecting the waterfront to the inner-city neighborhoods. You’ll discover a vibrant mixture of Polynesian and worldwide tradition, from the upmarket eating places in Britomart to the volcanic peaks that provide 360-degree views of the sprawling metropolis.
▶ Tip: Take a ferry to Waiheke Island. It’s solely a 40-minute experience, however it feels a world away, with its boutique vineyards, olive groves, and white-sand seashores.
Copenhagen, Denmark
If your blood stress rises on the considered airport safety, let me take you to a practice platform in Berlin. Starting this May, a brand new direct practice service will hyperlink Prague, Berlin, and Copenhagen. Imagine no safety strains or liquid restrictions as you board your practice and watch the German countryside dissolve into the Danish coast over seven hours, a glass of Carlsberg in hand.
Copenhagen is all about inexperienced tourism. It feels cleaner and friendlier than nearly wherever else in Europe – a spot the place the silence of electrical harbor boats is damaged solely by the sound of clinking glasses on lengthy summer time days.
▶ Tip: For Nordic design, the 3daysofdesign Festival in June is changing into the Art Basel of the north. If you could have time, take the practice to Aarhus. It is Copenhagen’s quieter sibling.
Frankfurt, Germany
Maybe you image Germany’s monetary capital as a terminal to dash via whereas praying your baggage makes the connecting flight. But step out of the airport in 2026, and you will find a metropolis that has traded its grey flannel swimsuit for one thing extra fascinating. As the 2026 World Design Capital, Frankfurt is making an attempt to shed its “Mainhattan” picture. The glass skyscrapers of the monetary district now replicate the timber frames of the reconstructed Dom-Römer Quarter – a case research in rebuilding historical past with out the artificiality of Epcot.
▶ Tip: Skip the chain motels. Check into the Villa Orange, Frankfurt’s solely absolutely natural resort. It’s tucked away in a quiet neighborhood that smells of roasting espresso reasonably than excessive finance. Or, hail a Velotaxi. As my driver pedaled previous the opera home, he confirmed me a metropolis that’s lastly waking up.
Hong Kong
Hong Kong stunned me in 2025. After years of quiet, the town is now courting the world once more. The vitality has shifted from boardrooms to the streets. The Kai Tak Sports Park, a fancy rising from the positioning of the outdated airport, brings the roar of concert events and sporting occasions again to the harbor. But the soul of the town lies within the West Kowloon Cultural District, the place the M+ museum gives artwork with out velvet-rope pretension.
▶ Tip: The metropolis is shedding its workaholic picture. At the Four Seasons Hong Kong, strive an Ignae Digital Detox Retreat. It’s a 120-minute assault on the bodily toll of contemporary work. You could overlook your cellphone once they’re achieved along with your session.
Taipei
If you journey along with your abdomen, Taipei is the vacation spot for 2026. It’s not simply the high-end institutions with tasting menus. It’s the steam rising from a avenue vendor’s wok. It is a world-class meal for the value of a latte. And remember the tea. It’s not simply the well-known Alishan oolong. This is the birthplace of bubble tea, the ever present caramelized beverage yow will discover in each mall. Taiwan nonetheless has one of the best bubble tea on the earth.
▶ Tip: For a visible feast to match the culinary one, cease by the Mandarin Oriental Taipei’s Jade Lounge for high tea, or gaze up on the spectacular structure of the Grand Hotel, overlooking the Keelung River.
What it took to create this listing
I spent only a week at residence this yr; the remainder of the time I used to be on the highway, out of the U.S. And to be clear, I took lots of flights and stayed in lots of locations I might reasonably overlook. (I’ve 52 columns in 2026 to cowl the locations it is best to keep away from – keep tuned for that.)
People ask me what it is going to be prefer to journey in 2026. Honestly, nobody can predict the way forward for journey. Some issues could by no means change. Flights can be delayed. Hotels will discover tough methods to cost resort charges for a health club with one damaged treadmill.
But do not journey as a result of it is simple. Travel as a result of standing within the shadow of the Acropolis, or sharing a desk with a stranger in Frankfurt, reminds us of one thing necessary. Despite borders and obstacles, we’re simply individuals looking for a superb meal and a human connection.
Maybe that is definitely worth the value of the ticket.
Christopher Elliott is an creator, client advocate, and journalist. He based Elliott Advocacy, a nonprofit group that helps remedy client issues. He publishes Elliott Confidential, a journey publication, and the Elliott Report, a information website about customer support. If you need assistance with a client downside, you possibly can reach him here or e mail him at [email protected].
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