From Bhutan to Bosnia: the best places to visit in 2020, according to travel industry experts
- This year’s top 10s are a diverse bunch, featuring destinations on and off the beaten path
- Whether seeking a stylish city break or to stretch your legs on a walking holiday, there is somewhere for everyone
It’s that time of year again. Airlines, guidebook publishers and accommodation platforms are counting down their top places to visit in 2020. Established favourites vie with up-and-coming destinations for inclusion.
Some are creating a stir in travel-industry circles and are on the verge of being discovered by the masses. Others are celebrating anniversaries (100 years of the Salzburg Festival) or are spending an extended period in the global spotlight (Galway, in Ireland, and Rijeka, in Croatia, are the 2020 European capitals of culture). There are themed countdowns: the safest countries to visit in 2020 and the most dangerous, as well as the best places to retire. Inevitably, there are lists of places to avoid, too.
Bhutan leads the way in Rough Guides’ “Best Places to Travel in 2020”, thanks to its pledge to become the world’s first fully organic nation by next year, although there are doubts this goal will be achieved. The guidebook publisher also includes Massachusetts in its roll-call of happening holiday spots as 2020 marks 400 years since the pilgrim fathers arrived at what is now Plymouth and founded a colony.
The Portuguese island of Madeira makes the cut as well. The clean, green sublimely scenic Atlantic outpost offers ear-poppingly-steep peaks and air so uncontaminated it will make your head spin.
Forbes gives a thumbs-up to the Italian island of Sicily for its impressive archaeological sites, but fails to mention the wonderful cuisine and gorgeous towns and cities, such as Ragusa, Syracuse and hilltop Taormina, which lies in the shadow of smouldering Mount Etna, one of the world’s most active volcanoes.
Lonely Planet agrees that Bhutan’s eco aspirations deserve to be rewarded. The travel publishing titan names the carbon-neutral Himalayan nation its No 1 country pick for 2020. Salzburg , in Austria, wins the best city gong and, even without the aforementioned anniversary, Mozart’s birthplace is a worthy addition to any European sightseeing tour.
In its “Best Trips to Take in 2020”, National Geographic recommends Mostar, in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is marking 25 years of peace next year. The focal point of a scarred, bullet-holed city divided along ethnic and religious lines is the 16th century Old Bridge, which survived intact until 1993, when Bosnian Croat tanks shelled the structure to smithereens during the Balkan war.
Also featuring on the list is Fort Kochi. The oldest European settlement in India has a swashbuckling history, with Arab, Jewish, Portuguese, Dutch and British traders all leaving their mark. Restored mansions and colonial bungalows serve as boutique hotels, boys play cricket on former military-parade grounds and tourists outnumber the faithful at St Francis Church, which was built in 1503.
Other places enjoying a spell in the limelight include Thailand’s Buriram Province, renowned for its Khmer relics, including Angkor Wat mini-me, Phanom Rung. Xian , in central China’s Shaanxi province, is another Airbnb star performer (bookings are up 255 per cent this year), as is the Japanese capital, Tokyo, which is sure to experience a rush of bookings as the 2020 Summer Olympics approaches.
The business newspaper also flags up Ethiopia , suggesting sophisticated, intrepid travellers should seek out its natural wonders and cultural riches. The three-day Orthodox Christian celebration of Timket takes place in the capital, Addis Ababa, on January 20 and draws pilgrims from all corners of Africa’s oldest independent country.
Ryanair lists its 20 places to see in 2020 by month. For January, the world’s largest airline (by routes operated) recommends Ponta Delgada, capital of São Miguel, one of nine islands that make up the autonomous Portuguese region of the Azores. Walking holidays are the main draw, although trekking into volcanic craters, bathing in hot springs, whale watching and cafe hopping around the compact city are equally enjoyable ways to spend your time in this corner of the North Atlantic. Ryanair’s tip for February is Yerevan. The capital of Armenia is overlooked by the distinctive Mount Ararat, which, whisper it, is situated in historical rival, Turkey.
Condé Nast has plumped for the unfashionable and obscure in its “Best Holiday Destinations for 2020” list. Lebanon (crumbling crusader castles, snorkelling and a burgeoning wine industry) is in, along with Kyrgyzstan (“one of the friendliest and most beautiful countries in Central Asia”). The American media company sees a bright future for Armenia and claims the landlocked Caucasus country is going to be one of next year’s most talked-about destinations. Not by Georgians, though, I suspect.
