WANDER THE WORLD
Need a little travel inspo for 2027? Here are 25 recommendations
TRAVEL
Have you started your 2027 travel planning yet? If so, you may want to hit pause and peruse this list first. National Geographic recently released its annual Best of the World list for the coming year, including 25 destinations across six continents. All are places the publication says are ripe for visiting in 2027 thanks to new itineraries, cultural revivals or milestone celebrations.
For example, Luxor, Egypt, makes the list as the site of an upcoming total solar eclipse that will cast the ancient city into more than six minutes of daytime twilight. Normandy, France, will celebrate 1,000 years since the birth of William the Conqueror.
A few U.S. locations also earned recognition from National Geographic, including the island of Puerto Rico, a cultural melting pot experiencing renewed interest, and California's stunning Pacific Coast Highway, where a long list of coastal communities are busily carrying California's artistic legacy forward. National Geographic says its annual list "looks beyond the obvious to highlight places where new openings, landmark anniversaries, cultural celebrations and improved access are creating fresh ways to experience a destination."
Here are 25 locations to consider visiting, selected by National Geographic's global community of travel writers, editors and photographers.
1 Vestland, Norway
Find epic fjord adventures and wellness-led travel in one of Europe's most breathtaking landscapes.
2 Penang, Malaysia
A tropical destination pairs rainforest trails and living heritage that runs deep.
3 Luxor, Egypt
Experience the world's greatest open-air museum as the eclipse falls over the city.
4 Madison, Wisconsin
The Midwest's most effortless getaway combines lakefront adventure, local flavor, and creative cultural spaces.
5 Puerto Rico
A blend of cultures and community-led traditions is sparking renewed global attention.
6 Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland
This less traveled Lowlands region offers quiet trails and starry skies.
7 Niigata, Japan
A peculiar art fest and a centuries-old fermentation tradition offer new ways to explore a quieter corner of Japan.
8 Changdu, China
A 3,000-year-old kingdom comes back to life.
9 Pacific Coast Highway, California
Coastal communities are carrying California's artistic legacy forward. 10 Jaipur, India a 300-year-old city of palaces hosts one of the world's largest literary festivals.
11 Grenada
Spice things up with creative wellness offerings and a one-of-a-kind festival.
12 Salvador, Brazil
Join the biggest celebration of afro-Brazilian culture in one of south America's most historic cities.
13 Cape Froward, Chile
A wild new national park opens at the southernmost tip of south America.
14 Santander, Spain
A new Museo Reina SofÃa outpost fuels a Cantabrian cultural renaissance.
15 Normandy, France
A celebration a millennium in the making is set among landscapes the Impressionists adored.
16 Southern Ozarks, Missouri and Arkansas
America's heartland surprises with unexpected outdoor adventures.
17 Halifax, Nova Scotia
The provincial capital is at the center of Atlantic Canada's heritage revival.
18 The Transcaucasian Trail, Armenia
An ambitious long-distance hiking trail offers new ways of exploring Armenia's wilder corners.
19 Melbourne, Australia
A famously livable city gets even more inviting.
20 Leipzig, Germany
For an epic musical getaway, visit Germany's fastest growing city.
21 Baltimore, Maryland
History shines anew in the birthplace of the American railroad.
22 Malawi
Africa's best-kept secret offers thrilling nature experiences without the crowds.
23 Maya Ka'an, Mexico
Community-led adventures fuel one of Mexico's most authentic Caribbean escapes.
24 Tricity, Poland
Find revitalized waterfronts and bold Baltic flavors in this trio of coastal cities on the rise: Gdansk, Sopot, and Gdynia.
25 Kuélap, Chachapoyas, Peru
The Machu Picchu of the north offers one of south America's last great archaeological adventures.
