LONDON, UK, January 13, 2026 – Today, Tripadvisor, the world's largest travel guidance platform, announces the winners of its 2026 Travellers’ Choice® Awards: Best of the Best Destinations. Showcasing the top and trending travel spots for 2026, this year’s awards honour 270 destinations across 60 countries worldwide.
Based on 12 months of review data from Tripadvisor’s global travel community, the awards showcase travellers’ favourite destinations, helping people plan unforgettable trips and uncover the world’s best experiences. The awards span seven sub-categories: Top Destinations, Trending Destinations, Culture & History Destinations, Food Destinations, Honeymoon Destinations and Solo Travel Destinations.
Trending For 2026
This year, the No. 1 Trending Destination in the World, according to Tripadvisor, is the Portuguese island of Madeira. With stunning scenery, beautiful architecture and mild weather year-round, this is the perfect escape at any time. Take a Canyoning in Madeira Island tour, to get an intimate look at the island’s native wildlife and geography across Funchal’s Ecological Park.
The UK destinations trending for 2026 are Glasgow and Belfast. Coming in at No. 7, Glasgow stands out for its bold contemporary culture, as the UK’s first UNESCO City of Music, and also has a vibrant dining scene. It’s also the perfect setting off point to visit some of Scotland’s most dramatic landscapes, with day trips to Oban, Glencoe and The Highlands.
Belfast, comes in at No. 24. A city where powerful storytelling meets modern creativity, visitors can explore the city’s museums, street art, and legendary pub music scene. This black cab tour will give you a personal look at the city’s history and culture through the eyes of a local.
Trending Destinations - World
- Madeira, Portugal
- Tbilisi, Georgia
- Chicago, US
- Quy Nhon, Vietnam
- Puerto Escondido, Mexico
- Milan, Italy
- Glasgow, UK
- Abu Dhabi, UAE
- Recife, Brazil
- San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina
What’s Popular This Year
Looking at the Top Destinations for 2026, Bali takes the No. 1 spot to be crowned best in the world, climbing one place to knock London off the top spot this year. Another beautiful island winner, travellers can explore incredible views with unforgettable hospitality by taking a Mount Batur Jeep Adventure or enjoy time snorkeling among the famous manta rays with a private tour on this Nusa Penida day trip: boat, 4 snorkeling, Manta rays & Land tour.
London comes in at No. 2 in the world this year, and this award winning Historical Pub Tour is the perfect way to learn more about the capital and its culture. Edinburgh also made the list at No. 18. This guided walking tour of Edinburgh Castle is a traveller favourite.
Top Destinations - World
- Bali, Indonesia
- London, UK
- Dubai, UAE
- Hanoi, Vietnam
- Paris, France
- Rome, Italy
- Marrakech, Morocco
- Bangkok, Thailand
- Crete, Greece
- New York City, US
The two capitals also topped the UK’s Top Destinations list, followed by Liverpool at No. 3 and Manchester at No. 4.
Top Destinations - UK
“Tripadvisor is the world’s most trusted travel platform, built on the experiences of millions of global travelers,” said Laurel Greatrix, Chief Communications Officer, Tripadvisor Group. “From iconic cities like Bangkok and London to cultural hubs, serene beach escapes, and romantic getaways across Madeira, Singapore, Bali, and beyond, the Best of the Best Destinations showcase the places that make every journey unforgettable — and inspire travelers to explore the world with confidence.”
Best of the Rest
With 46% of travellers most excited about food on their upcoming trip, according to Tripadvisor’s latest Seasonal Travel Index, London is this year’s hot spot not to be missed. The capital was named No. 1 in the World and Europe for Best Food Destination this year, offering everything from fine dining, to small neighbourhood spots serving up cuisine from around the world. Dubai came in at No. 2 in the World, best known for its luxury dining experiences and Italy’s capital Rome was named No. 3.
Best Food Destinations - World
- London, UK
- Dubai, UAE
- Rome, Italy
- Hong Kong
- Paris, France
- Majorca, Spain
- Doha, Qatar
- Crete, Greece
- Bangkok, Thailand
- Marrakech, Morocco
Solo travel is the third most popular option for British travellers,* after travelling with a partner or kids, and Dublin has been named Best Solo Destination in the world for 2026. This compact, walkable city with a friendly feel makes it perfect for travellers to explore at their own pace, whether its historic attractions like St. Patrick’s Cathedral and Dublin Castle or celebrated distilleries like the Dublin Jameson Distillery Bow St. Tour and Tasting tour. London and Edinburgh also made the top five, at No. 3 and No. 5 respectively, with Berlin named No. 2 and Santiago, Chile, at No. 4.
Best Solo Destinations - World
- Dublin, Ireland
- Berlin, Germany
- London, UK
- Santiago, Chile
- Edinburgh, UK
- New York City, US
- Hanoi, Vietnam
- Madrid, Spain
- Bali, Indonesia
- Cape Town, South Africa
This year’s Best Culture Destinations named Singapore No. 1. With a rich cultural mix you can explore Chinatown, Little India and Singapore’s Malay-Arab Quarter, Kampong Gelam, all in one day. Another win for London at No. 2 and Krakow, Poland is named No. 3. Edinburgh makes the top 10 at No. 6.
Best Culture Destinations - World
- Singapore
- London, UK
- Krakow, Poland
- Paris, France
- Rome, Italy
- Edinburgh, UK
- Hanoi, Vietnam
- Budapest, Hungary
- Kyoto, Japan
- Bali, Indonesia
For those looking for a romantic getaway, Bali comes out top once again in Best Honeymoon Destinations. Tropical paradise Mauritius is No. 2 and the sunning island of The Maldives is No. 3.
Best Honeymoon Destinations - World
- Bali, Indonesia
- Mauritius
- Maldives
- St. Lucia, Caribbean
- Galle, Sri Lanka
- Hue, Vietnam
- Napa, US
- Positano, Italy
- Watamu, Kenya
- Antigua
END
* Tripadvisor’s Seasonal Travel Index, Winter 2025
Methodology - Travellers’ Choice Best of the Best
The 2026 Travelers' Choice Best of the Best Destinations are calculated based on the quality and quantity of reviews, specific to each award subcategory, for accommodations, restaurants, and things to do in destinations from travelers globally on Tripadvisor between October 1, 2024 through September 30, 2025.
Methodology - Seasonal Travel Index
Based on a Tripadvisor Consumer Sentiment Survey, based on data drawn from an online survey of over 4,850 consumers, in partnership with Qualtrics, conducted between September 06 - October 03, 2024 across six countries, including Australia, Italy, Japan, Singapore, U.K. & U.S.
About Tripadvisor, Inc.
Tripadvisor, the world's largest travel guidance platform*, helps millions of people each month** become better travelers, from planning to booking to taking a trip. Travelers across the globe use Tripadvisor's website and app to discover where to stay, what to do and where to eat based on guidance from those who have been there before. With more than a billion reviews and contributions, travelers turn to Tripadvisor to find deals on accommodations, book experiences, reserve tables at delicious restaurants and discover great places nearby.
Tripadvisor LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Tripadvisor, Inc. (Nasdaq: TRIP). The subsidiaries of Tripadvisor, Inc. own and operate a portfolio of travel media brands and businesses, operating under various websites and apps.
* Source: SimilarWeb, unique users de-duplicated monthly, September 2025.
** Source: Tripadvisor internal log files
SOURCE Tripadvisor
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