In its annual report on travel trends, hospitality giant Hilton declared 2025 to be the ‘Year of the Travel Maximizer’ – industry jargon for the idea that we all want more experiences. And we also want to be in the right place at the right time.
From new airline routes and glamorous train rides to major anniversaries and must-see exhibitions, we’ve spun the globe to find the most exciting destinations throughout next year.
WALKING IN UMBRIA
Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the basilica of St. Francis, in Assisi, started construction in 1228, just two years after the saint’s death, as a place designed to receive his remains
2025 is a Jubilee Year for the Catholic church, an event that only happens every 25 years and which will see millions of pilgrims flock to Rome. Tune into the spiritual mood with a walking holiday along the St Francis’ Way, dedicated to Italy’s patron saint. The self-guided trail runs south from Assisi to Spoleto, stopping at four hotels, with the longest stretch seven hours.
BOOK IT: Seven nights from £1,190pp in April, including B&B accommodation, two dinners, luggage transportation and route maps. Flights and transfers extra inntravel.co.uk
NEW ZEALAND BY RAIL
Enjoy Kiwi fine wine and scenic splendour as you whizz through New Zealand by train
‘Flavour of Aotearoa’ is a new rail tour from Auckland to Queenstown that promises gourmet meals, fine Kiwi wines and scenic thrills as you travel the length of New Zealand.
Linking three regional train journeys and the ferry between North and South Islands, it includes visits to Tongariro National Park, the Marlborough vineyards and the Haast river.
Seating is in Scenic Plus carriages with panoramic windows and ‘paddock to plate’ menus, overnights are spent in four and five-star hotels along the route.
BOOK IT: 17 nights from £7,074pp, departing Auckland March 16. Flights extra greatjourneysnz.com
GO GREEN IN VILNIUS
Discover the wonder of Lithuanain capital Vilnius, with its open spaces and good food
Easily reached on low-cost flights from London, the European Green Capital for 2025 is ideal for an affordable city break that feels close to nature.
Almost two thirds of the Lithuanian city is given over to green spaces including Europa Park with over a hundred modern sculptures. The Old Town has World Heritage status and this summer four Vilnius restaurants were awarded a Michelin star govilnius.lt
BOOK IT: Ryanair flies from Stansted (ryanair.com) and Wizz Air from Luton (wizzair.com). Double rooms at Neringa Hotel from £63 room only neringavilnius.com
RIDE THROUGH VIETNAM
Let the train take the strain on a fascinating and elegant journey through Vietnam
SJourney is a just-launched luxury train ride offering all-inclusive tours travelling between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Every morning you awake to a new destination. The ten sleeping cars are elegantly designed in 1930s style with en-suite cabins. Excursions range from a boat trip in the Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park to a whizz around Hue on a vintage Vespa vietnamluxuryexpress.com
BOOK IT: Eleven nights spending seven on SJourney full-board, plus two in both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City with breakfast and sightseeing, costs from £8,835pp in May including Vietnam Airlines flights from Heathrow and transfers inspiringtravel.co.uk
UNCOVER GEORGIA
The city clock in Old Meidan Square over shadowed by Narikala ancient fortress in Tbilisi
Known for its mountains, Black Sea coast and long history of winemaking, Georgia will be easily reached when British Airways launches flights from Heathrow to Tbilisi on March 30. Easyjet will follow with a service from Luton on April 1.
With a cobbled Old Town and a cable car to Narikala Fortress offering panoramic views, the capital has plenty to enjoy while day trips can be taken to see medieval churches, historic wine estates and Stalin’s birthplace georgia.travel.
BOOK IT: A seven-night private ‘Tbilisi and Beyond’ tour with guided sightseeing costs from £2,375pp including British Airways flights from Heathrow in June, transfers, breakfast and some meals regent-holidays.co.uk
SEE THE FUTURE IN JAPAN
You can get a glimpse of the future at Expo 2025 in Osaka, and enjoy more traditional pleasures among the cherry blossom
A giant man-made sun, a red globe seven-storeys high and the Grand Ring, one of the world’s largest wooden structures ever built, are some of the wonders that await at Expo 2025 which takes place in Osaka from April 13 to October 13.
Themed on the future with over 160 countries exhibiting, it will offer innovative national pavilions and spectacular evening shows, all wrapped up in the fascinating culture of Japan expo2025.or.jp
BOOK IT: An eight-night ‘Osaka Expo and Kansai Highlights’ tour costs from £2,331pp including time in Osaka, Kyoto and the hot spring town of Kinosaki. Expo tickets, cultural activities, transport, breakfast and some meals are included. Flights extra insidejapantours.com
JERSEY ON TV
A new series of Bergerac is about to hit our screens featuring the same 1949 Triumph Roadster
The magnificent beaches and scenic country lanes of the largest Channel Island will be in the spotlight when a new series of the 1980s TV crime drama Bergerac airs on UKTV in February.
Featuring the same 1949 burgundy-liveried Triumph Roadster originally driven by actor John Nettles, this contemporary reboot uses locations such as St Ouen’s Bay, the central market in St Helier and a suite at St Brelade’s Bay Hotel jersey.com
BOOK IT: A two-night ‘Bergerac Break’ costs from £430 half-board including a seaview room and location tour map stbreladesbayhotel.com. Hire a vintage car at jerseyclassichire.com.
DRIVE ACROSS U.S.
Visit the famous Buck Atom’s cosmic curios in Tulsa, a stopping point on legendary Route 66
ROUTE 66, the United States’ ‘Mother Road’ stretching 2,448 miles west from Chicago to Santa Monica, will celebrate its centenary in 2026.
If you’ve always wanted to do this epic drive, go next year while the roads are still quiet and you can get into its classic motels. Allow at least two weeks for the eight-state, three-time zone adventure, travelling between April and October.
BOOK IT: A 14-night ‘Best of Route 66’ trip costs from £1,835pp including, flights, car hire and accommodation americaasyoulikeit.com
200 YEARS OF RAIL
Replica of Locomotion No 1 Stockton and Darlington Railway Engine at the Locomotion Railway Museum in County Durham
Next year will mark 200 years since the opening of the Stockton and Darlington Railway in County Durham, which is considered the birth of the modern railway.
Nationwide celebrations will include a nine-month festival in the area sdr200.co.uk, commemorative exhibitions, gala weekends and the chance to have a go at driving a train plymrail.co.uk
BOOK IT: For a full list of events, see railway200.co.uk.
NASHVILLE PARTY
Nashville’s Lower Broadway district, famous for the its many country music entertainment establishments
From April 12, you’ll be able to fly from eight UK airports to the country music-loving capital of Tennessee, travelling with Aer Lingus via Dublin which means you can pre-clear U.S. immigration prior to arrival. 2025 is a good year to visit as the Grand Ole Opry music venue celebrates its 100th anniversary.
Backstage tours are available while catching a band at an intimate space like the Station Inn costs as little as £16 visitmusiccity.com
BOOK IT: Aer Lingus flights via Dublin from £599 return (aerlingus.com). Double rooms at the Hutton Hotel from £183 room only huttonhotel.com
MEXICAN SUN
The ancient Mayan pyramid of Kukulcan, part of the colossal ruins at Chichen Itza
Virgin Atlantic will launch direct flights from Heathrow to Cancún on October 19, operating three days a week with fares from £562 return virginatlantic.com
It’s best to push on south to the smart resorts of the Mayan Riveria or tour the neighbouring state of Yucatán where sights include the colossal ruins at Chichén Itzá and the Spanish colonial buildings of the capital, Mérida.
BOOK IT: Departing in November, an eleven-night ‘Highlights of the Yucatán’ small group tour with visits to three World Heritage sites and a coastal nature reserve, costs from £2,600pp including B&B accommodation, some meals and guided activities. Flights extra vjv.com
SIP SHERRY IN JEREZ
Horse drawn carriages in a procession at the Jerez Horse Fair, known as the Feria del Caballo
In the first week of May Jet2 will introduce summer season flights to Jerez, in southwest Spain, from Birmingham, Leeds Bradford and Manchester.
The gateway to the Costa de la Luz is renowned for its wines, flamenco and Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art, all of which come together in the annual Horse Fair (May 17-24).
Stroll around the Alcazar and cathedral then discover the nuances of sherry on a ‘Sip by Sip’ tasting tour at the Tío Pepe bodega turismojerez.com
BOOK IT: Flights from Birmingham from £209 return (jet2.com). Double rooms at Alfonso X Suites from £91 room only suitesalfonsox.com
SET-JET IN THAILAND
Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui, one of the luxurious settings for the new season of HBO hit White Lotus
A third instalment of The White Lotus, the hit HBO Original TV series that casts a darkly humorous eye on the guests and staff that frequent luxury hotels, is expected to screen early next year.
Two principal filming locations were the Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui and Anantara Mai Khao Phuket Villas, both five-star beach properties endowed with the top-class suites, pools, spas and tropical gardens essential for skulduggery in the tropics.
BOOK IT: Ten nights in May starting in Bangkok then staying at the above hotels costs from £3,720pp, including British Airways flights from Heathrow, internal flights, transfers and breakfast elegantresorts.co.uk
CELEBRATE JANE AUSTEN
A period setting in Bath for fans of literary giant Jane Austen, who lived there from 1801-1806
The new year marks the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth with events and celebrations planned at associated places in the south of England. Bath, where the author resided from 1801-1806, is the place to start with its Jane Austen Centre and guided tours and parties available through Strictly Jane Austen visitbath.co.uk
In Winchester, where she is buried in the cathedral, Austen’s final home at No. 8 College Street will open for the first time (June 4-August 30, winchestercollege.org
BOOK IT: In Bath, Henrietta House has double rooms from £72, room only radissonhotels.com
CYCLING IN MALLORCA
Take life at your own pace on two wheels with a bike trek across Mallorca, with smartphone navigation, so you won’t get lost
TAKE a leisurely, self-guided bike ride through the centre of this much-loved Spanish isle in a new, family-friendly holiday that sticks to quiet country lanes with nights spent in three or four-star hotels with a pool.
Pedalling north from Campos to Pollenca, the daily distances are never more than 27 miles as you wind through the almond groves and pause for lunch in market towns.
BOOK IT: A seven-night ‘Authentic Mallorca’ ride costs from £1,495pp in May including bike rental, B&B accommodation, four dinners, smartphone navigation and luggage transfer. Flights extra cyclingforsofties.com
ART DECO PARIS
Celebrate the finer points of art deco in Paris by visiting the impressive Brasserie Vagenende
Next year will mark 100 years of art deco, which gets its name from the Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs held in Paris in 1925.
It’s a good excuse to visit the City of Light and dine at brasseries exemplifing the style such as La Coupole and Vagenende.
A companion exhibition devoted to fashion designer Paul Poiret opens at the Museé des Arts Décoratifs on June 25 (until January 11, 2026, madparis.fr). Appropriate places to stay are the four-star Hotel Aiglon, set in a restored 1930s building in Montparnasse, and Hotel Molitor Paris-MGallery in the 16th, which was built in 1929 and has a fabulous pool.
BOOK IT: Double rooms at Hotel Aiglon from £148 room only paris-hotel-aiglon.com, and at Hotel Molitor from £233 room only all.accor.com
SWEDISH COOL
The colourful lakeside landscape at Leksand in Dalarna is heightened by the autumn light
After last summer’s heatwaves in southern Europe, tour operators are reporting a new interest in holidays to cooler, but still sunny destinations such as Sweden.
For an easy, self-drive break, book an ‘Exploring Dalarna’ tour combining time in the mountainous interior with a couple of nights in trendy Stockholm staying at Hotel Rival, a boutique property on Sodermalm island owned by ABBA’s Benny Andersson. Highlights include a canoeing trip, visiting the traditional houses of Leksand and a fireside picnic in Bergslagen Forest.
BOOK IT: Seven nights in August costs from £2,015pp including Gatwick flights with Norwegian Air Shuttle, car hire, two guided tours and B&B accommodation originaltravel.co.uk
MALDIVES ECLIPSE
A curious manta ray allows a diver to get close at Hanifaru Bay, Baa Atoll in the Maldives
Swimming with manta rays is one of the highlights of a trip to the Maldives, and next year you can add to the magic by being there on September 7 for a total lunar eclipse.
Hanifaru Bay in Baa Atoll is a prime viewing spot and Unesco Biosphere Reserve where only snorkelling is permitted.
Trips can be arranged through accommodation such as Reethi Beach Resort (reethibeach.com) and the Avani+ Fares Maldive Resort avanihotels.com, while dive operators offer ship-based tours accompanied by an expert marine biologist.
BOOK IT: Open to certified divers, an eleven-night ‘Maldives Manta Ray Extravaganza’ departing September 2 costs from £3,895pp including Etihad Airways flights from Heathrow, transfers, full-board liveaboard accommodation and up to three daily dives diveworldwide.com
CRUISE KERALA
The Kochi Pandaw cruise ship in Kerala, India, will take you to historic churches, temples and a bird sanctuary
In October, river-cruise specialist Pandaw will launch a new ship custom-built for sailing the backwaters of Kerala in southwest India.
With just ten staterooms and wraparound promenade decks, Kochi Pandaw will offer round-voyages from Kochi with stops to see historic churches, Hindu temples, a 1885 lighthouse and the Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary pandaw.com
BOOK IT: Ten nights from £4,999pp including Etihad Airways flights from Heathrow on September 21, transfers, one night in Kochi and a seven-night all-inclusive cruise fredholidays.co.uk
WHISKIES GALORE
Enjoy a wee dram and a harbour stroll at Leodamais Bay in Port Ellen on the Isle of Islay
Devotees of single malt Scotch will have a new way to indulge their passion when Ardbeg House opens in Port Ellen, on the south coast of the Isle of Islay, in the autumn.
Formerly The Islay Hotel, it will feature 12 playfully-themed rooms catering to VIPs (those Very Into Peat), plus a new bar, restaurant and whisky cave. Combine a stay with a tour and tasting of the multi-award-winning Ardbeg Distillery, founded in 1815 and just a few miles away, which are led by ‘someone who nose’.
BOOK IT: Sign up for early booking at ardbeg.com