How many holidays will you take in 2026? According to research by hospitality giant Marriott, the UK average is four, with many of us enjoying two domestic breaks, one short-haul escape and a long-haul trip.
As we set about deciding where to go, here’s our pick of the best new tours, airline routes, don’t-miss exhibitions and cultural anniversaries coming up in the next 12 months.
With destinations as varied as Cyprus, Iceland, Vietnam, and Guyana, plus adventures from cable-car rides and surfing to birdwatching and tours by Vespa, you’ll probably need to sneak in a fifth …
SUSSEX CENTENARY
Pooh Bridge in Ashdown Forest in East Sussex. The forest was the inspiration for Hundred Acre Wood in the beloved stories by AA Milne
It’s been 100 years since the first of AA Milne’s Winnie-the-Pooh stories was published, which is a good excuse take a family trip to Ashdown Forest in East Sussex. This was the inspiration for Hundred Acre Wood where the loveable teddy bear and his friends enjoyed many adventures – pick up or download a map of Pooh-themed walks from the Ashdown Forest Centre in Wych Cross (ashdownforest.org).
BOOK IT: Two nights at Ashdown Park Hotel and Country Club, an eight-minute drive from Pooh Corner, costs from £287 B&B for bookings up to March 31. Children aged 3-12 stay for an additional £35 B&B (ashdownpark.com)
TWIN INDIA AND BHUTAN
The ‘toy train’ that connects New Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling
With its dramatic mountain scenery, traditional Buddhist culture and a passion for archery, the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan is on many a traveller’s wish-list. Take advantage of a new tour that pairs it with time in northeast India exploring Kolkata, cruising the Hooghly River and riding the Darjeeling ‘toy train’ railway.
BOOK IT: A 13-night ‘Mystic Realms of India & Bhutan’ group tour departing Gatwick on February 27 costs from £3,795 pp including flights, most meals and 23 excursions (titantravel.co.uk).
ART IN FRANCE
Villefranche-Sur-Mer on the French Riviera, between Nice and Monaco
Already tipped as a likely location for the fourth series of the HBO Original TV series The White Lotus, the Côte d’Azur will hit the spotlight when ‘Painting the French Riviera’ opens at London’s Royal Academy of Arts on October 2. More than 120 works will reveal how this celebrated coastline inspired artists such as Monet, Renoir, and Matisse and became a glamorous travel destination (until January 31, 2027, royalacademy.org.uk).
BOOK IT: A five-night ‘Art of the Côte d’Azur’ group tour departing Heathrow on September 29 costs from £2,349 pp including B&B accommodation in Nice, three meals and daily lecturer-led trips to museums and churches featuring work by artists such as Léger, Chagall and Picasso (kirkerholidays.com).
VISIT THREE GUIANAS
Kaieteur Falls in Guyana is the world’s longest single-drop waterfall
On the north-east coast of South America, the little-visited countries of Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana are still flavoured with their British, Dutch and Gallic heritage. Highlights include Kaieteur Falls, the world’s longest single-drop waterfall, Paramaribo, the World Heritage-listed capital of Suriname, and the former penal colony of Devil’s Island.
BOOK IT: A 12-night ‘Discover the Three Guianas’ group tour costs from £6,710pp with transport, accommodation, and most meals. Departs March 27. Flights extra (journeylatinamerica.com).
KOREA OPPORTUNITY
Haedong Yonggungsa Temple in Busan, South Korea
Already scoring high for its food, music, films and beauty treatments, South Korea’s appeal will only increase when Virgin Atlantic commences daily flights from Heathrow to Seoul on March 29 with fares from £799 return (virginatlantic.com). For a satisfying taste, head south from the capital to explore the beaches and seafood of Busan then relax on the sub-tropical volcanic isle of Jeju (visitkorea.or.kr).
BOOK IT: An eight-night ‘Highlights of South Korea’ private tour costs from £3,775 pp including Virgin Atlantic flights, transfers, breakfast, and guided excursions (bambootravel.co.uk).
WELLNESS IN THE ALGARVE
Soul & Surf Portugal opens in April and offers active and restorative breaks
Opening on April 4, Soul & Surf Portugal is a newly relocated health-focused escape offering surfing and yoga retreats based in a ten-room traditional farmhouse an hour west of Faro. The emphasis is on active and restorative breaks – massage therapists are on hand and novice surfers are welcome.
BOOK IT: Seven nights from £1,032 pp including accommodation, meals, surfing lessons and yoga classes. Flights to Faro extra (soulandsurf.com).
DRIVE ROUTE 66
Route 66, which stretches 2,448 miles, turns 100 this year
Stretching 2,448 miles from Chicago to Santa Monica, the United States’ ‘Mother Road’ turns 100 this year with celebrations kicking off on April 30 in Springfield, Missouri. Pairing engaging cities like St Louis, Tulsa, and Santa Fe with the big-screen landscapes of New Mexico and Arizona, it’s an epic drive, with spring and autumn the best time to go (americathebeautiful.com/road-trips).
BOOK IT: A 22-night ‘Epic Route 66 Road Trip’ costs from £4,305 pp including flights, car and room-only accommodation (originaltravel.co.uk).
DISCOVER LA PALMA
Cumbre Vieja is an active volcano ridge in La Palma
Volcanic La Palma is the greenest of the Canary Islands with 600 miles of walking trails, black sand beaches and a relaxed atmosphere (visitlapalma.es). Get there on a new twice-weekly Jet2 flight from Manchester launching April 3, which will be followed by a winter-sun route from Stansted starting 26 October (jet2.com).
BOOK IT: Seven nights at Hotel Hacienda de Abajo in Tazacorte costs from £1,083 pp including Manchester flights on April 27, transfers, and breakfast (jet2holidays.com).
BIRDING IN CYPRUS
A flamingo at Larnaca Salt Lake, Cyprus
Tune into the avian life of this popular Mediterranean island on a new special-interest holiday based at Coral Beach Hotel in Paphos. The package includes daily guided trips to varied habitats including pine forests, wetlands and coastal cliffs with the chance to spot bee-eaters, flamingos, eagles and the endemic Cyprus warbler.
BOOK IT: Seven nights departing from Bristol on April 15 costs from £1,945 pp all-inclusive (saga.co.uk).
GAUDÍ TRIBUTE
Sagrada Familia church in Barcelona. The tallest tower will be completed this summer
‘My client is not in a hurry,’ reflected Antoni Gaudí, the Catalan architect whose Sagrada Familia church in Barcelona, started in 1882, will complete its tallest tower this summer (sagradafamilia2026.org). This year also marks a century since Gaudi’s death, with guided walks the best way to see his work (thetouringpandas.com).
BOOK IT: Radisson Blu 1882 Hotel is close to Sagrada Familia with a roof terrace, doubles from £176 room only (radissonhotels.com).
WALK IN AUSTRALIA
Whitehaven Beach on the Whitsunday Islands, Queensland. Whitsunday is an archipelago of 74 islands
Stretch your legs on a new 20-mile walk traversing the Whitsunday Islands on the Great Barrier Reef. Starting by the spectacular sands of Whitehaven Beach, the one-way trail passes through rainforest, grasslands and mangroves with overnights in remote, purpose-built camps. From May 4 (ngarotrack.com.au).
BOOK IT: A two-night ‘Ngaro Track in Comfort’ hike costs from £1,130 pp including transfers, meals, and camping. Flights to Whitsunday Island via Brisbane extra (worldexpeditions.co.uk)
CYCLE TO BRUGES
The 19 windmills of Kinderdijk have been a Unesco World Heritage Site since 1997
Pedal your way from Amsterdam to Bruges on a leisurely new guided cycling holiday with nights spent on a boutique barge. Daily distances range from nine to 32 miles with sightseeing stops in windmill-lined Kinderdijk, Antwerp and Ghent.
BOOK IT: Seven nights departing June 19 from £1,865 pp including most meals. Travel to Amsterdam and back from Bruges extra (cyclingforsofties.com).
SAIL IN STYLE
Orient Express Corinthian has five restaurants, two pools, a cabaret venue and a Guerlain spa
The world’s largest sailing yacht, Orient Express Corinthian, will make its maiden voyage from Marseille on June 6. It’s 721 ft long with three masts, offering luxury cruises for 110 guests who will enjoy five restaurants, two pools, a cabaret venue and a Guerlain spa. Itineraries range from a two-night hop from St Tropez to Marseille to an indulgent eight-night sail from Monte Carlo to Rome via Corsica and Sardinia.
BOOK IT: A four-night round-voyage departing Venice on August 30 with stops in Croatia and Trieste costs from £19,678 per suite all-inclusive. Flights extra (orient-express.com).
ICELAND ECLIPSE
Visit the Snaefellsnes Peninsula, north of Reykjavik, in August to see the total solar eclipse
A total solar eclipse during the school holidays is a rare treat, so pack the family off to the west coast of Iceland for a viewing on August 12 at 4.42pm. The Snaefellsnes Peninsula, north of Reykjavik, is well-placed for the show with plenty to do including glacier hikes and lava cave tours.
BOOK IT: A six-night private tour including flights from Luton on August 8, car hire, B&B accommodation, and tailormade activities costs from £9,280 for a family of four (stubbornmuletravel.com).
SEE THE BAYEUX TAPESTRY
The Bayeux Tapestry is due to be on display at the British Museum in London in September
Due to be exhibited at the British Museum in London in September, the 230 ft Bayeux Tapestry is certain to draw large crowds keen to see its vivid depiction of the 1066 Norman invasion (until June 2027, britishmuseum.org). If you can’t wait, or don’t fancy the crush, there’s a faithful replica embroidered in 1885 on display at the free-entry Reading Museum in Reading, Berkshire (readingmuseum.org.uk).
BOOK IT: Steps away from the British Museum, the four-star The Montague on the Gardens hotel has a Bayeux Tapestry package from £300 for two including breakfast, exhibition tickets, and a French martini with macarons (montaguehotel.com).
ALGERIA ADVENTURE
Ancient Roman columns at Djémila, Algeria
The largest country in Africa is less than three hours’ flying time away, with seven World Heritage sites, guaranteed winter sunshine and barely a tourist in sight. Top attractions include Algiers’ exuberant casbah, the well-preserved Roman ruins at Djémila and the bridge-laced city of Constantine (visitalgeria.dz).
BOOK IT: A seven-night ‘From Casbah to Constantine’ group tour departing September 20 costs from £1,895 pp including transfers, B&B accommodation and guided visits. Flights to Algiers are extra (undiscovered-destinations.com).
PARTY IN NASHVILLE
Dolly Parton’s new SongTeller Hotel will open in Nashville in June
Love country music? Then stop working ‘9 to 5’ and get your cowboy boots over to Nashville where Dolly Parton’s new SongTeller Hotel opens June 10. Highlights include two performance venues, a rooftop bar and 245 rooms with guitar-shaped cushions and wallpaper inspired by tickets for her concerts.
Don’t miss the extensive Dolly’s Life Of Many Colors Museum which will celebrate the 79-year-old singer’s career (visitmusiccity.com).
BOOK IT: Doubles from £379 room only (songtellerhotel.com). British Airways has flights from Heathrow from £626 return (ba.com).
TOUR TURKMENISTAN
The breathtaking natural phenomenon of Yangykala Canyon in Turkmenistan
Accessible on direct flights from Gatwick, this Central Asian desert nation has a rich Silk Road history and diverse sights that include the Sunday camel market in Ashgabat, the scenic Yangykala Canyon, Soviet-era architecture and the 200 ft-wide Darvaza Gas Crater, which has been burning since 1971.
BOOK IT: A 14-night ‘Classic Turkmenistan’ group tour departing Gatwick on October 3 costs from £3,970 pp including flights, transfers, most meals and sightseeing (regent-holidays.co.uk).
HIGH TIMES IN DOMINICA
Jungle Bay resort in Soufriere offers daily hikes, yoga classes and spa treatments
One of the world’s longest cable-car rides is set to open on this green and mountainous Caribbean island later this year, allowing passengers to glide above the rainforest for more than four miles on a 20-minute ascent to view the steaming volcanic waters of Boiling Lake (dominicacablecar.com). Base yourself at the eco-minded Jungle Bay resort in Soufriere which offers daily hikes, yoga classes and spa treatments (discoverdominica.com).
BOOK IT: Seven nights at Jungle Bay costs from £2,449 pp including flights from Heathrow via Barbados on December 1, arrival transfer, car hire and breakfast (sunvil.co.uk).
VIETNAM BY VESPA
Travel through the colourful backstreets of capital city Hanoi on a Vespa
It’s 80 years since the first Vespa hit the road and the much-loved scooter is an integral part of life in Vietnam. Experience the country like a local by taking a new private tour that includes three intrepid rides on the back of one – around the backstreets of the capital city Hanoi at night, through the lush countryside of Hoi An and at sunrise to see the temples of Angkor Wat in neighbouring Cambodia.
BOOK IT: A 12-night ‘Asian Discovery Vespa Road Trip’ departing February 21 costs from £4,999 pp including flights, transfers, accommodation, some meals and sight-seeing (tropicalsky.co.uk).
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