Where to Go in 2026: Trending Destinations, New Places & Travel Inspiration
Browse 59 country guides, take our country matcher quiz, and find your next trip — from 2026's trending cities to the new places appearing on every major travel index this year.
The places we keep going back to
For me, two visits within a single year were enough to understand why so many people return to Porto Santo again and again. It's not an island of endless attractions or nightlife — its charm lies in the atmosphere, the pace of life, and the feeling of space and calm that becomes harder to find elsewhere in Europe.
When you think of traveling to Brazil, if all that comes to mind are breathtaking beaches and Amazon forest adventures, São Paulo may surprise you. This megalopolis is home to more than a dozen Michelin-starred restaurants, jaw-dropping museums, and a lively Brazilian music scene.
Buenos Aires boasts the best of everything — meat, soccer, literature, coffee shops, street markets, theater, and tango, to name just a few. At least that's what the porteños, or locals, will tell you — to protests from the rest of Latin America.
The one pick to know in each category
The LocalsInsider team follows the trends too. Here are a few things shaping where people are going this year, drawn from the 2026 lists by Condé Nast Traveler, Tripadvisor, eDreams, American Express Travel and National Geographic.
Browse all 59 countries
Europe (29)
Asia (12)
Middle East (4)
Latin America (8)
Africa (4)
Browse by 65 cities
Europe (41)
Asia & Middle East (13)
Americas (8)
Not-so-obvious picks
Two of our most-read editorial deep dives in this category.
Nuuk: the world's smallest capital is suddenly easy to reach
On the edge of the ice-blue Arctic, Nuuk isn't just Greenland's capital — it's the beating heart of one of the world's most startlingly beautiful landscapes. With just over 20,000 residents, it's one of the smallest and coldest capital cities on earth, yet home to over a third of Greenland's entire population. New direct flights from Copenhagen (plus upcoming routes from New York and Chicago) have transformed access.
Read the full Nuuk guide → Europe · 65 islandsLesser-known European islands worth visiting in 2026
As Ibiza, Mallorca and the Canaries grapple with overtourism — Barcelona is phasing out 10,000 tourist apartments by 2028 — more travelers are skipping the obvious in favour of quieter islands that still feel authentic. Our full list spans the Atlantic, the Mediterranean, and the Nordic seas.
- Porto Santo, Portugal — eleven kilometres of golden sand and silence
- Faroe Islands — sea-cliff hikes and the lake-above-the-ocean illusion
- Bornholm, Denmark — Baltic smokehouses, cliffs and cycling
- Procida, Italy — the southern alternative to Capri
Which country matches your travel style?
Six quick questions across 53 countries — climate, budget, pace, landscape, vibe — with cities to visit, experiences you'll love, insider tips, and the realistic budget for each result.
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