When the travel aficionados at Lonely Planet start singing the praises of an unexpected or under the radar destination, we sit up and take notice. After all, once a location has made it into their yearly edit of top destinations, it probably won't remain under the radar for long.
The travel publisher has just released its 'Best In Travel 2017' guide, detailing the must-visit hotspots we should all flock to next year, as selected by their team of experts. So if you've exhausted all the entry-level European capitals and are already planning next year's holiday itinerary, it's well worth considering a break in one of Lonely Planet's top ten cities. Passports at the ready...
10. Portland (Oregon), USA
Forget Brooklyn: with its vast array of vintage shops and micro-breweries, Portland has been America's hipster capital for years (see sitcom Portlandia for some gently mocking proof). Split from east to west by the Willamette River and surrounded by mountains, the city prides itself on its sustainability, and is endlessly photogenic to boot. And as Lonely Planet's list points out, it's the perfect spot to catch the solar eclipse of August 2017.
9. Moscow, Russia
Moscow may previously have seemed a little forbidding to the average traveller, but as the rouble drops, there’s never been a better time to visit. Architecturally, it’s dazzling, from the striking domes of St. Basil’s Cathedral to the stripped-back buildings of Soviet rule. As well as checking out historical sites like Lenin’s Mausoleum, it’s also worth investigating the city’s burgeoning food scene.
8. Lisbon, Portugal
Bored with Barcelona and done Rome to death? It’s time to give another European capital some love and set your sights on Lisbon, where the sun shines 290 days a year (take that, London). Portugal’s major city boasts sandy beaches, a picture-perfect old town and a clutch of museums. There’s also the fact that it’s still one of the cheapest capitals in Europe which, since the exchange rate went into free-fall after the referendum, can only be a good thing.
7. Seoul, South Korea
Over the past decade, the South Korean capital has undergone a dramatic transformation, becoming a must-visit destination for design buffs. Once a city which valued function over aesthetics, it is now dominated by striking, modern and eco-friendly architecture, including the late Zaha Hadid’s Dongdaemun Design Plaza and Park. Next year, Seoul will launch its Skygarden – the city’s answer to New York’s much-loved High Line.
6. Pistoia, Italy
This pint-sized Tuscan town is known affectionately as ‘Little Florence,’ thanks to the sheer volume of galleries, museums and striking architecture packed into its confines. Newly crowned as Italy’s Capital of Culture for 2017, unlike its neighbour it remains largely overlooked by tourists (though surely not for long…)
5. Ohrid, Macedonia
If you loved island hopping in Croatia but fancy something a little more laidback for your next trip, it’s hard to find a destination more idyllic than Macedonia’s Lake Ohrid. Best appreciated from the lake’s blue waters, Ohrid’s old town is peppered with the spires of old churches (locals say that, as Macedonia’s spiritual heart, the city once housed 365 of them), while those in the know claim that sandy beaches are among the best in the country.
4. Merida, Mexico
If you’re keen to scope out Mexico but have been put off by the ‘spring break’ reputation of party towns like Cancun, put Mérida at the top of your must-visit list. Next year’s American Capital of Culture sits on the Yucatan Peninsula and is steeped in heritage, from Mayan ruins to striking colonial architecture.
3. Los Angeles, USA
Yes, it’s still the home of weird fitness trends and celebrity culture, but the City of Angeles has undergone a serious cultural reinvention in recent years, thanks to a slew of newly opened galleries, museums and theatres. A Metro expansion has it much easier for tourists to cross Los Angeles (previously no mean feat for non-drivers), too. For some travel inspiration, watch Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling sing and dance their way through director Damien Chazelle's sunsoaked musical La La Land beforehand.
2. Cape Town, South Africa
Set in the shadow of Table Mountain, Cape Town has always been a bucket list destination for the more adventurous traveller. Now, the growing food scene, the abundance of wineries and the soon-to-open Zeitz Museum of Contemporary African Art (the largest of its kind in the world) just add further incentive. Lonely Planet singles out the old-fashioned seaside resort of Muizenberg: now fully restored for the 21st century, it has become one of the city’s coolest beachside hangouts.
1. Bordeaux, France
Bordeaux boasts a world class gourmet scene and enough awe-inspiring historic buildings to give Paris a run for its money, but there’s no denying that this French city is still (quite rightly) best known for its wine. Designed to mirror the swirl of a wine glass, the sinuously curved Cité du Vin is – to put it simply - a museum dedicated to our favourite alcoholic beverage (with the ticket price including a sample, naturally). Bottoms up…
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