Travelling has become an essential part of life for all ages. Plenty of conversations start with ‘where have you been on your holidays?’ and a trip to good old Benidorm no longer cuts it.
Each year, Lonely Planet publishes a Best in Travel guide for the year ahead.
It’s the where’s where of top destinations, and paves the way for intrepid adventurers to explore the world (albeit with the guidebook leading you to the best spots).
The 2019 edition has just been released, so you better get your flights booked now if you’re ready to see the sights.
Top countries
The top spot on this list goes to Sri Lanka, with Germany and Zimbabwe in second and third.
Next are Panama, Kyrgyzstan, Jordan, Indonesia, Belarus, Sao Tome and Principe, and Belize.
Sri Lanka apparently won due to its unspoiled beached and religious diversity, with plenty of ancient temples to visit and wildlife abounding.
Zimbabwe may have seemed like an unexpected destination if newspaper headlines are to be believed, but it’s actually one of Africa’s safest destinations and Lonely Planet commend the friendly locals and ancient buildings.
Top cities
Copenhagen pips the others to the post this time, with Shenzhen in China and Novi Sad in Serbia as runners up.
The other seven winners are:
- Miami, USA
- Kathmandu, Nepal
- Mexico City, Mexico
- Dakar, Senegal
- Seattle, USA
- Zadar, Croatia
- Meknes, Morocco
Visit Noma in ultra-cool Copenhagen, or head to the Silicon Valley of China in Shenzhen for futuristic design and a burgeoning social scene.
Festival-goers will love the buzz of Novi Sad, which will be the 2021 European Capital of Culture.
Top regions
In at number one here is Piedmont in Italy; second is The Catskills in the USA, and third is Northern Peru.
Next comes The Red Centre in Australia, the Highlands and Islands in Scotland, the Russian Far East, Gujarat in India, Manitoba in Canada, Normandy in France, and Elqui Valley in Chile.
Natural beauty dominates this part of the list, with stunning landscapes reigning supreme.
You can stay pretty close to home with this one too, heading up to Ullapool to watch live music or Shetland to check out the ancient settlements.
Best value
- Luxor, Egypt
- Lodz, Poland
- Great Smoke Mountains National Park, USA
- Maldives
- Houston, USA
- Argentina
- Bangladesh
- Albania
- Ecuador
- Slovenia
Skyscanner have collated the average price for flights with Luxor at £492, Lodz at a more purse-friendly £96.79, then Knoxville to visit the Great Smoke Mountains at £768.37.
Of course, the best value category is decided on based on the price when you get there too, so the activities and accommodation might balance out the price of the flight.
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