The best thing about a new year is new travel dreams. To help you find the best cultural experiences for your next trip, I’ve gone through all the “Where to travel”- lists as well as the newest UNESCO World Heritage Sites looking for the best cultural experiences, anniversaries and celebrations in 2026. As always, I’ve included my own favourite destination from my travels last year.
Did you visit any of the places I recommended for 2025? I finally got to travel to the charming and not so visited capital of Lithuania: Vilnius. I also finally made that booking to the new museum in Cairo, GEM. I even had a short stop (or rather 2) in Vienna, where the anniversary of composer Johan Strauss was celebrated.
But still there is more to see: Here you find carefully researched and selected 10 destinations I recommend for 2026, if you want travels with cultural immersion.
2026 travel for the cultural explorer:
TAJIKISTAN
Uzbekistan is one of the most positive travel surprises, I’ve ever had. The exquisite architecture, the friendly people and the great cups of tea. It definitely made me wanna go back to Central Asia.
Tajikistan is not the most known country of the region – maybe because it’s the smallest, but beautiful mountain scenery fill more than 90% of Tajikistan. Are you a hiker? This is a haven for you.
WHY GO NOW?
Not only is Tajikistan on Lonely Planets list for 2026, it also has a brand new World Heritage Site acclaimed by UNESCO. On top of it, Dushanbe is named the cultural capital of Asia 2026.
WHAT TO SEE!
Discover Tajikistan’s newest UNESCO World Heritage Site: Ancient Khuttal – the country’s connection to the Silk Roads. The Khuttal consists of 11 archaeological sites including Hulbuk Castle and Ajinatepa Buddhist Monastery. As part of the Silk Road, the city traded salt, gold, silver, and horses creating cultural, religious, and technological exchange.
In Dushanbe, you must see the old citadel from the 10th century. It marks the place of Alexander the Great’s old settlement. Finish with some shopping at the bazaar.
I might not be into mountains and hiking, but the treasures of the old Silk Road – that I get.
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Another cultural UNESCO site Sarazm (meaning “where the land begins”) is an archaeological site that goes all the way back to the 4th to the late 3rd millennium BCE making it one of the region’s oldest settlements. It shows very, very early urban development and cultural exchanges, from Central Asia and Iran to the Indus Valley and the Indian Ocean.
Even more time, head further down the Silk Road to Uzbekistan. Where to go? Samarkand vs Bukhara: Discover Uzbekistan’s Silk Road Cities.
OULU, FINLAND
Finland is mainly known for sauna, snow, aurora borealis and architecture. Have you tried jumping straight into the snow from the hot sauna? It is life-giving. Most people visit Reykjavik or the north part around Rovaniemi. I’m 1/3 Finnish, so I just feel connected to the country no matter where I am. I think my love of birch trees comes from here.
WHY GO NOW?
Oulo is one of two European Capitals of Culture for 2026. The opening festival will begin this January already. Finland is in general becoming a larger tourist country being less visited than any of the other Nordic countries.
WHAT TO SEE!
2026 will be full of extra activities, which is probably a lot more than usual. You can choose between art, music, exhibitions, and public installations. Programs will stretch across 40 partner municipalities.Learn more about Sami culture or walk an environmental art path. or what about an owl festival? Find the programme for Oulo2026 here.
The biggest cultural site is the Oulu Cathedral (Oulun tuomiokirkko). It’s the city’s main historical landmark and dates from the 18th century. Other sights include the popular Turkansaari Open-Air Museum (traditional Finnish rural culture), Tietomaa Science Centre and Northern Ostrobothnia Museum (regional history and identity).
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Oulu is not that big and chances are you’ll combine this trip with something else. I’ve been to Finland many times although not to Oulu. I like the capital Helsinki, where my grandparents were married. Become acquainted with Helsinki: A Unique Nordic Capital
But closer to Oulo, you can find the scientifically groundbreaking project of Struves Geodetic Arc – a UNESCO World Heritage site that mapped the earth. The church spire of Tornio was used in the project. Further south is Jyväskylä, where you can dive into the architecture and design of famous Alvar Aalto.
VIETNAM
Vietnam has long been a traveller’s favourite due to its diverse landscapes, excellent food and rich history.
I went in 2003 and unfortunately I did not have a great trip. I experienced so much hassle and scams – and even one taxi driver that didn’t want to give us our luggage until we payed extra. Luckily, no two trips are the same and the historical sights are worth travelling for.
WHY GO NOW?
Vietnam has 2 new UNESCO Sites and is on Lonely Planets Best in Travel 26. And doesn’t it feel like everyone else have been here?
WHAT TO SEE!
About 1,5 hours outside of capital Hanoi, you find the new cultural site. It is named (ready?) Yen Tu-Vinh Nghiem-Con Son, Kiep Bac Complex.
12 places in the Yen Tu mountains home to the Tran Dynasty in the 13th–14th centuries and to Truc Lam Buddhism, a Vietnamese Zen tradition. The many pagodas, temples, and archaeological ruins are ready for exploring.
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Yen Tu is not to far away from otherworldly Ha Long Bay. I myself had a horrible experience (which you can read in A Ha Long Bay Trip Became a Monkey Island Prison!) But my husband loved it. I had a better wet experience at Lonely Planet’s suggestion for 2026: the Mekong River.
Afterwards, go to Hanoi and explore the many sights and have a spring roll and a beer from a street vendour. In Hanoi, you can enjoy another UNESCO Site: The Imperial Citadel of Thăng Long. It’s a 1000 year old historic complex. While much of today’s buildings are from an 1805 reconstruction, it’s still worth visiting.
WASHINGTON/PHILADELPHIA, USA
How well do you know American history? I also had USA on my list for 2025, but there’s no avoiding it in 2026 as well. USA is a huge country with amazing museums, colonial architecture, big cities and national parks.
I’ve only been to NYC myself, but if I should re-visit USA, the museum and monuments of Washington is my destination. But Philadelphia will also be in gear.
WHY GO NOW?
USA is on all lists for destinations for 2026. This is because it marks America250. On July 4, 2026, USA will mark the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Yes, there will be fireworks. As Condé Nast also notices, 2026 also marks the 100th year for the legendary route 66.
WHAT TO SEE!
First, you go to the National library to see the declaration. And the Louisiana purchase document. And Washington’s Oath of Allegiance. You can also get more acquainted with the presidents at the National Gallery.
Lots of extraordinary events will take place. You can explore the former president’s home Mount Vernon – indluding their tombs. You can explore the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Great American Road Trip initiative with epic landmarks and historic routes. Find the calender here.
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The America 250 celebration will also be big in Philadelphia – the birthplace for USA. BBC Travel suggest looking into “52 Weeks of Firsts”, a citywide series marking 250 years of Philadelphia’s pioneering spirit.
Do you have a few weeks? Drive along Historic Route 66 – a legendary historic highway. It runs 4,000 km from Chicago, Illinois, to Santa Monica, California, crossing 8 states. Known as “The Mother Road,” it is an iconic road trip.
TRENCIN, SLOVAKIA
The Central European country is not to be confused with Slovenia. It has a long and complex history and didn’t become an independent state until 1993. However, this doesn’t mean it’s lacking in historic monuments and treasures. Far from it.
I travelled here for the first time this year, but unfortunately I only had time for a short trip and would like to go further out in the countryside. But I did actually go here to Trencin about 1 hour outside of the capital, because I knew it would be Culture Capital.
WHY GO NOW?
Trencin is the second city named Europan Capital of culture 2026 alongside Oulu. Slovakia is also becoming a new hot spot for travellers going beyond the beaches and the more well-known destinations. The opening weekend for the year’s activities is February 13-15.
WHAT TO SEE!
Trenčín is not a big town, but has a long history. Its restored historic center is dominated by the marvellous Trenčín Castle, along with churches, a monastery, synagogue, and town tower.
Insider tip: if you enter the hotel Elizabeth and take the elevator up, you cans see something very special: a rare Roman inscription from 179 AD marking a legion victory, the northernmost Roman presence in Central Europe.
The year of being European Capital of Culture title, will highlight its history, riverside arts, and community culture. And try to attract more tourists. But the city will up its game with activities like literature festivals and a series of audio-visual art works. Find the full programme her.
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The capital of Bratislava is underrated and one of my. 12 Budget-Friendly European Cities for Culture Lovers.
Just outside Bratislava is another proof of the Roman presence. Gerulata Roman Military Camp was part of the frontier defence system and is now a museum. Unfortunately, it’s closed in the wintertime, so I haven’t been.
MOROCCO
Many travellers have already been to Morocco, some love it and some hate it. I love it. I spent a week here and my husband been several times for work.
The mud castles, the desert, the mosques, the bustling bazaars and the camel burger. I have to go back to visit Fés and Rabat.
WHY GO NOW?
You don’t really need an occasion to go to Morocco. But here are several reasons: Conde Nast has it on their list for 2026. Furthermore, the city of Essaouira will host the 18th UNESCO Creative Cities Network Annual Conference as the first city in Africa and the Arab world to host it. The capital Rabat is also designated as Arab capital of information 26 as well as World Book Capital. For Mediterranean capital Tetouan is sharing the place with Matera in Italy. It’s gonna be a busy year in Morocco.
WHAT TO SEE!
Essaouira is located at the coast and is the perfect place for some seafood and surfing. It’s also here you’ll find the tree climbing goats. The capital Rabat is the opposite and much more my style and already a UNESCO Site. Both old and modern, get lost in the medina, the 900 year old Kasbah or the marble mausoleum of Muhammad V. Elaborate tombs are always worth a look.
Tetouan, close to Tanger, is full of Mediterranean heritage, from the Carthaginians and Romans to the Islamic era. The city still has Andalusian architecture and traditional crafts symbolising the cultural bridge between the northern and southern Mediterranean. You probably will not find as many travellers here as in Essaouira.
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As mentioned I would go to Fes, as Conde Nast suggests for the decades-long renovation of the world’s largest, most intact medieval medina. You also have to travel to Marrakech: Palace Dreams in Marrakech. Stay in a riad with a shady courtyard and drink mint tea and explore the forgotten royal tombs and the many palaces. Or marvel at the city in the desert: Ait Ben Haddou, where many films have been shot. I might be into old monuments, but a night in the Sahara desert is unforgettable.
PANAMA
WHY GO NOW?
Panama is on the Conde Nast traveller list for 2026 and the country also has a new UNESCO site. This is the sign Panama is wakening up. Or maybe that I am wakening up to it.
WHAT TO SEE!
Panama’s newest UNESCO World Heritage Site is The Colonial Transisthmian Route of Panamá. Much like the Panama canal, the historic trail was used for transporting goods across the Isthmus in the 16th-19th centuries. Today it’s part of old Panama or Panamá Viejo, Camino de Cruces, and Fort San Lorenzo showing colonial history. Before the Panama canal, this old route linked the Atlantic and Pacific.
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Panama has more World Heritage Sites: The beautifully preserved 17th-century planned city (Casco Viejo). Built in 1673, it was the escape place for settlers who were attacked by pirates. The architecture of its streets mixes stone buildings with Spanish and French colonial architecture.
For lovers of castles and fortresses (like me) are the fortifications on the Caribbean Side of Panama: Portobelo-San Lorenzo: Spanish colonial forts built to protect treasure routes, a major pirate target. You gotta love a pirate story – on my list.
SARDINIA, ITALY
Italy is always a good idea. I’ve been more times than I can think. In 2025, I went to Ravenna and Bologna – the latter being one of my favourite citites.
WHY GO NOW?
WHAT TO SEE!
Sardinia’s newest UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the “Funerary Traditions in the Prehistory of Sardinia: the domus de janas“. It consist of ancient, rock-cut “fairy houses” and represents extraordinary underground funerary architecture from the Neolithic period.
This makes the domus de janas, complex tombs carved into rock with symbolic decorations, highlighting their universal value in understanding prehistoric life and beliefs
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Sardinia is famous for its beaches, but between the waves, I would go to Cagliari for the 13th century cathedral, the National Archaeological as well as Santuario & Basilica di Nostra Signora di Bonaria. This major pilgrimage site centers on a 14th-century Gothic sanctuary holding a legendary statue believed to have saved sailors during a storm.
MEXICO
Mexico is one of the most popular travel destinations. And it’s no wonder. I went in 2016 for 3 weeks going from Mexico City to the end of Yucatan, and I would go back in a heartbeat for another taco.
WHY GO NOW?
Both Lonely Planet and Conde Nast highlights 2026 as the year you should visit Mexico. Lonely Planet says Mexico City, but Conde Nast Guadalajara. On top of that Mexico has a new UNESCO site.
WHAT TO SEE!
Mexico City is a huge city with too much to explore in one visit – as I discovered for myself. My favourite attraction was not surprisingly The National Museum of Anthropology. It has the most mindblowing collection from the Maya, Aztec, and Olmec, including the Aztec Sun Stone. If you want to understand Mexico’s and Central America’s pre-Columbian heritage, this is the place.
But Mexico also has a new unesco site: Wixárika Route through Sacred Sites to Wirikuta (Tatehuarí Huajuyé). This collection of trails connects sacred landscapes important to the Wixárika Indigenous Peoples. The name “Tatehuarí Huajuyé” means the Path of Our Grandfather Fire.
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Guadalajara holds not any sun stone, but is not to be overlooked. In 2026, it hosts the International Film Festival, four FIFA World Cup matches in June, and the 40th Guadalajara International Book Fair. The city’s main cultural sights include Guadalajara Cathedral, Teatro Degollado, the Instituto Cultural Cabañas, and the historic Plaza de Armas, showing its rich colonial and artistic heritage. The city of San Louis Potosi was American Capital of Culture in 2025, so you’ll definitely also find great sights here.
For nature lovers, BBC Travels highlights Loreto Bay National Park coming up on it’s 30th celebration. I would recommend taking a trip to epic Teotihuacán to be amazed by the sun and moon pyrmaids.
CAIRO, EGYPT
IS Cairo also all over your feed? My last recommendation for your 2026 travels is my own personal favourite trip from 2025. For many years, Cairo was on my list, because of the long-awaited Grand Egyptian Museum. Announced in 1992, construction began 20 years later in 2012 and was then on every cultural traveller’s list.
WHY GO NOW?
Finally, in November 2025, the GEM museum opened all the exhibition and galleries. It is the world’s largest archaeological museum dedicated to one nation.
WHAT TO SEE!
The main sight is of course Tutankhamon’s golden treasures, but you mist not miss the burial boat of Khufu. You can explore the galleries and the Grand Staircase Gallery (everything is apparently GRAND) with over 60 remarkable art objects. The old Egyptian Museum is also still open and holds other golden masks. I have written some travel tips for visiting in Why the Grand Egyptian Museum is a Must-Visit in Cairo
Obviously, the pyramids are also bucket-list attractions.
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BONUS TRAVEL 2026
Want more inspiration? Many lists – including BBC Travel – include UAE for 2026, but I have already included it in 11 Destinations for 2025. Lonely Planet highlights a food tour in Dubai and Conde Nast Abu Dhabi. I would check out the new museum island in Abu Dhabi and then go to the newest UNESCO site: Sharjah’s Faya Palaeolandscape. Here you find signs of early human presence in arid environments, dating back over 210,000.
The cultural travellers list could also include the 100th year anniversary for famous polar explorer Amundsen passing the north pole in an airship! Celebrate also a 100 years of one of the best books Winnie the Pooh by A.A. Milne. You can visit the inspiration for the bear’s forest: Ashdown Forest in East Sussex, England. For as he says:
We didn't realize we were making memories, we just knew we were having fun,"
I hope you’ve been inspired to meaningful and immersive travels. For 2026, I myself am aiming for northern lights in Norway and/or Oulu as well as swimming in Sardinia. Tajikistan is probably to mountainous for someone who gets carsick. And it will be the year, I finally reach country #60+ and will cut my missing European countries down to a few.
Do you have travel plans for 2026 or any suggestion for a cultural destination for 2026, then let me know in the comments.
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