Girona, Spain

As Catalonian capital Barcelona hits the headlines for record-breaking tourism numbers, conscious travellers are keeping visits short and sweet, basing themselves primarily in nearby Girona, a hill-top medieval showstopper just 40 minutes away via the new Avlo high-speed train service. In gastronomic circles, Girona has been an insider secret for years, with 12 Michelin-starred restaurants in the region, snapping at San Sebastián’s crown as Spain’s culinary capital.

Reims, France

Reims has long been famed for its decadent champagne houses and grand architecture (notably the UNESCO-listed Notre-Dame de Reims cathedral). But this year, this regal-yet-relaxed city (about 45 minutes north of Paris by train) featured in the global summer games, enticing a worldwide audience to take note. If you go, expect to eat well, as Reims sits proudly on the international foodie circuit. In addition to the city’s three Michelin-starred restaurants, food fans can look forward to festivals like September’s cutting-edge Les Relais du Goût, which in 2024 served gutsy gastronomes at a table suspended high above the city.

Brescia, Italy

Just 40 minutes by rail from Milan, and with a picturesque position between Lake Garda and Lake Iseo, it’s a miracle Brescia has remained under the radar of many international travellers for so long. When it was named Italian Capital of Culture in 2023 alongside neighbouring Bergamo, the secret was officially out. Some come for the culture, such as the castle, cathedrals, the archaeological park and Pinacoteca Tosio Martinengo, which reopened in 2018 after a nine-year renovation. Others come for active pursuits like skiing, sailing, e-biking through vineyards and hiking the Alpine foothills—though most come for both, plus spectacular mountain views.

Cozumel, Mexico

Cozumel is best known as Mexico’s busiest cruise port, but more and more travellers are realising that this is an island worth lingering on. Thankfully, visiting its turquoise Caribbean shores without a ship just became a lot easier, thanks to a new Cancun–Cozumel direct flight, along with a fast ferry option from Playa del Carmen. Upon arrival, visitors can expect some of the best scuba diving and snorkelling on the planet, plus it’s possible to day-trip to the Mayan sites of Tulum. A flurry of promising new restaurants have opened over the past few years, from upscale seafood spots to a casual brewpub and an open-air food court, making it well worth an island hop from other Yucatán destinations.

Santa Barbara, California

This sun-kissed, sophisticated and star-studded California beach town has been a low-key luxury destination for decades, but Santa Barbara’s new set of celebrities and royals are younger and hipper—and more prolific on Instagram—than the old-school guard. With newly affordable and more Millennial/Gen-Z-friendly accommodation like Moxy Santa Barbara, plus a next-gen ‘hometel’ aimed at digital nomads currently under construction in a former church, Santa Barbara is ushering in a new type of traveller. Another one to watch: the Four Seasons’ famous Biltmore resort is set to reopen in 2025 after a major renovation.

Waikato, New Zealand

Adventure lovers and Middle-earth obsessives have been raving about the dazzling geographical diversity of the Waikato region for years, but travel to New Zealand took a major setback during the country’s lengthy Covid shutdowns. As the Southern Hemisphere’s summer of 2024/2025 looms (Dec–Feb), trip-of-a-lifetime travel to New Zealand is back with a bang—and it’s Waikato’s time to shine. Don’t miss the dramatic black-sand beaches, world-famous surf breaks, river-rafting adventures or the glow-worm-filled Waitomo Caves.

Fukuoka, Japan

Lately, it seems everyone’s making plans for Japan. And why not? With built-up demand from the pandemic (Japan was one of the last countries to reopen) and the runaway popularity of Japan-set historical TV blockbusters, all signs point to the region having a moment. Eschewing the well-beaten paths of the Big Three (Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka), curious travellers are now discovering this famously food-obsessed up-and-comer. Blessed with ancient Shinto shrines, beautiful beaches, spring cherry blossoms and festivals galore, Fukuoka is well worth the five-hour high-speed train journey from Tokyo, where the rail route functions as a ready-made tour of some of Japan’s star attractions.

Abu Dhabi, UAE

Dubai’s slower-paced little sister has been boldly building new cultural institutions for many years now, but with the opening of the Saadiyat Cultural District in 2025, the city’s blossoming into a global artistic capital is almost complete. This much-anticipated artistic and cultural hub will also include the already open Louvre Abu Dhabi, an island museum surrounded by the waters of the Persian Gulf. Intercity transfers between Dubai and Abu Dhabi are already a breeze, but plans are afoot for air taxis that will trim the journey to 30 minutes. 

Canmore, Alberta, Canada

The peak-season crowds of ever-popular Banff have inspired canny travellers to explore further afield in search of snow-kissed summits, river rapids and pristine lakes. So it’s no wonder that Canmore, just 25 minutes down the road, is now emerging as one of Canada’s most charming and quirky Rocky Mountain towns. With a brilliant folk festival and solid brewery scene, Canmore is a picture-perfect, multi-seasonal escape with all the added hipster credentials an adventure hub could hope for.