It’s never too early to start planning your annual leave for next year. The organised ones know you need to spread the fun and the cost by booking your bucket-list pick now (low deposits are available) – two-week, long-haul trips, we’re looking at you 👀 And what better time than the end of the year, when every travel company starts whipping out their predictions for the next best places?
Well, ours are locked in 🤝 We’ve got 5 destinations we reckon will be HUGE for 2026, and you might even have your eye on a couple already. Read on to reveal the names – and remember, we said it here first…
1. The Dolomites, Italy
If you haven’t already been fed a load of Dolomites content over the last few months, get ready for your socials to seriously pop off in 2026. Italy’s gorg mountain range is gaining more and more attention in its own right, but it’s also playing host to the 2026 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in February and March, hard launching those stunning peaks on TV screens across the world.
If you love the snow and a cold escape, hit them up in winter when you can sneak in a run at one of its many ski resorts. Or, in summer, the meadows bloom with purple snowbells and yellow poppies, when the area becomes a hiking haven. Venice is a really popular airport to access the Dolomites, so you can fly there and even head into the mountains for a daytrip – the drive’s about 2 hours 45 mins. Milan is another option, but much further than Venice, so if you’re short on time or want to mix and match some outdoors adventure with your city break, Venice is the one. Plus, this waterside city is iconic for its gondola rides, yum cicchetti and buzzing trattorias. Base yourself here and you can check out the Gothic Doge’s Palace and wander the arches of St Mark’s Basilica.
2. The Basque Country, Spain
Spain? For a holiday? How original… Trust us, if you’re a self-confessed foodie and haven’t visited Spain’s Basque Country yet, this is your sign to go. Places like San Sebastian and Bilbao go under the radar when it comes to holidays to Spain. So, before you think you’ve seen it all, think again.
The food has to be the number one reason to come to these parts, but the surf and art scene follow close behind. To visit either Bilbao or San Sebastian, you fly into Bilbao – two cities for the price of one anyone? – then, it’s an hour to an hour and a half by bus to San Seb on the coast. San Sebastian is known for its pintxos (small tapas on sticks) and they define the bar scene here. Hop between the pintxos bars to sample the different snacks, from gildas (skewers of anchovy, guindilla peppers and olive) to life-changing Basque cheesecake. People spill out onto the cobbled streets with their drinks to sample the stuff! Plus, it’s a top surf destination if you’re after catching some waves.
Bilbao is renowned for its architecture, with a stunning Old Town ft. the Gothic Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, Plaza Nueva, and plenty of pintxos bars, too. You’ve also got stunning viewpoints and green spaces, thanks to the Parque Etxebarria and Mount Artxanda (climb or get a funicular to the top). And, specifically for 2026… these are all amazing places to witness the total solar eclipse on the 12th of August. Spain’s Basque Country is one of the few places on land that’s well in the path of totality, so it’s going to be a top pick for people who want to see it in all its glory.
3. Finland
For you cold-weather seekers, we’ve got Finland on our list for this year. Think Arctic vibes, snowy scenes and the kind of culture where sauna is life. You might not know this about Finland but, it’s got the largest lake district in Europe. It’s also bigger than the UK but has way less people – around 70 million vs under 6 – so life goes at a much slower pace, and there’s plenty of peace and quiet to be found. Even the coastal capital, Helsinki, might be a buzzing metropolis but the main activities here are boat trips, eating fresh seafood and sipping coffee along the pretty waterfront. A ferry to visit one of the archipelago’s 30 beaches is an absolute must – you can pop your towel down in the summer months, or Löyly and Allas Pool are saunas with sea access to help you brave a winter dip.
Let’s be honest, the whole sauna-and-cold-plunge thing has been HUGE in 2025. So, if you’re ready to up your game, Finland is the place to do it. If you don’t know what we’re on about, we’ll do you a favour and not out you… but FYI, saunaing is so hot it’s even an official hobby on dating apps now. The UK’s not done badly, with sauna boats and beachfront and lakeside spots, but nothing quite beats Skywheel Helsinki. It’s basically the London Eye, but all the pods are saunas. You can add Champagne to your experience and sweat out your sins, overlooking famous sights like the Opera House and Senate Square. There are over two million saunas across the whole of Finland, so it’s not hard to make it your entire personality.
4. Sri Lanka
If you want to go BIG for 2026, like top-of-the-bucket-list big… enter, Sri Lanka. She’s an absolute all-rounder of a destination – great beaches, amazing surf, lush mountains, diverse wildlife, historical sites and seriously yum food. Being a Buddhist country, the cuisine is largely vegetarian or vegan, so one to remember if you struggle to find food you can eat abroad or maybe you’re dabbling in Veganuary this year? Ahimsa is one of the Buddhist principles, which means ‘non-violence’, and some believe it extends to all animal products. If you like your cheese, meat and fish though, don’t worry, there’s always an option!
Hikkaduwa is a great place to base yourself in Sri Lanka. You’ve got that proper beachy feel on the west coast but there are transport links to other hubs that make daytrips super easy, too. Galle is only a 30-minute drive away – it’s an old fort town and a UNESCO-listed area from the country’s days under Dutch rule, so the architecture is really unique. It’s also home to the famous Galle International Cricket Stadium, if you’re in season to see a match. Then, you have to do a safari. Udawalawe National Park is known for its large population of elephants and is a smaller, less crowded option. Or, Yala is the big name, where you can also see leopards and water buffalo. Check out First Choice Experiences to see what tours are on offer…
5. Barbados
Another big name and bucket-list worthy pick… Barbados makes it as our number five! This Caribbean beauty is gonna get its flowers in 2026 – the whole island is coastline after coastline of celebrations. The dry season runs from December to April, so you could be there, like, now… or lock in a trip for the end of the year or 2027 to get saving. You could also travel in July to catch Barbados’ Carnival on the first Monday of August. It’s only the start of the wet season, so it’ll be more humid, but any showers are short-lived. Plus, the time of year is directly related to why people are celebrating! Carnival marks the end of the sugar cane season here. There are stunning costumes, live music, dancing and calypso competitions to fully immerse yourself in the culture.
Bridgetown is the UNESCO-listed capital on the island’s southwest coast. Cricket fans will want to check out the fixtures at the 130+-year Kensington Oval, while the Historic Bridgetown area and its Garrison go all the way back to the 17th century. Bridgetown’s also got a local sweep that’s made up of three beaches – Pebbles Beach, Bayshore Beach and Brownes Beach – so snorkelling and stand-up paddle-boarding are so on. If you like your cocktails, you should know Barbados is the birthplace of the world’s oldest existing brand of rum, too – Mount Gay. The red star on the bottle is a symbol of Bridgetown, and a visit to one of the distilleries is the perfect combo of learning about the production process, plus free tasters…
We’re always on top of what’s hot – check out our Seen on social holidays for more trending inspo, or see where our Insiders have been.
Looking for more articles? You’ll find them on the Inspire homepage.
Author: Lily Owen (she/her)
Last updated: 17/11/2025
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