The latest edition highlights regional alternatives to crowded tourist hubs, slow travel, immersive cultural experiences and destinations known for nature, architecture and heritage. The list is split into two categories: 25 must-visit destinations and 25 signature travel experiences to try in 2027.
Regional travel and slow tourism shape the 2027 list
A clear theme dominating this year’s selections is the active pivot toward regional alternatives that relieve pressure on over-visited hubs.
In Italy, the focus shifts away from Venice’s crowded canals to the wider Veneto, taking in the limestone heights of the Dolomites, the banks of Lake Garda, and Renaissance cities like Padua and Verona.
Spain’s inclusion sidesteps Madrid and Barcelona to elevate León, celebrated for its Camino de Santiago heritage and late-night culinary energy.
Coastal retreats also feature prominently through low-density, pastoral destinations like Canada’s Prince Edward Island and Sweden’s cottage-lined Skanör-Falsterbo peninsula.
Architecture and immersive travel experiences take the spotlight
The roster also places strong emphasis on modern architectural design alongside immersive journeys where the transit itself forms the core narrative.
Kazakhstan’s capital, Astana, makes the list for its futuristic glass-and-steel skyline set against the northern steppes, contrasting with historic design capitals like Dessau in Germany, the birthplace of the Bauhaus movement.
On the experiential side, the compendium highlights slow-transit adventures ranging from sailing the volcanic Aeolian Islands in Sicily to walking St Cuthbert’s Way in the United Kingdom.
India gets two entries in Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2027
India secured two entries across both halves of the global list.
Gujarat was named among the global destinations to visit, recognised for its diverse cultural landscape spanning the white salt desert of the Rann of Kachchh, the Asiatic lion reserves in Gir, and the Harappan ruins at Dholavira.
Meanwhile, West Bengal’s historic Darjeeling Himalayan Railway earned a spot among the world’s standout travel experiences, spotlighted for its slow-paced, narrow-gauge Toy Train journey winding through misty mountain loops and colonial-era tea estates.
Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2027: Full list of places
– Québec, Canada
– Coastal Redwoods, California, USA
– Maryland, USA
– Prince Edward Island, Canada
– New Mexico, USA
– The Veneto, Italy
– Dessau, Germany
– Skanör-Falsterbo, Sweden
– Šibenik, Croatia
– León, Spain
– Montserrat, Caribbean
– Bariloche & the Lake District, Argentina
– Granada, Nicaragua
– Bocas del Toro, Panamá
– Oman
– Rabat, Morocco
– Tsavo East & West National Parks, Kenya
– Dunedin & the Waitaki, New Zealand/Aotearoa
– The Tweed, Australia
– New Caledonia, South Pacific
– Okinawa, Japan
– Chengdu, China
– Gujarat, India
– Danang, Vietnam
– Fulidhoo, Maldives
– Rose Island Lighthouse Stay, Rhode Island, USA
– Flightseeing the Wilderness, Alaska, USA
– Valle de Guadalupe Wine Country, Mexico
– South Beach Art Deco District, Miami, Florida, USA
– Scenic Byways of Northeastern Minnesota, USA
– Route Napoléon Historical Drive, France
– Aeolian Islands Sailing, Sicily, Italy
– St Cuthbert’s Way Pilgrimage Trail, United Kingdom
– Aegean Sea Diving, Greece
– Killary Fjord Coastal Walking, Ireland
– Galápagos Islands Expedition, Ecuador
– Tango Salons of Buenos Aires, Argentina
– Antarctic Peninsula Expedition, Antarctica
– Monteverde Cloud Forest Canopy Trails, Costa Rica
– Abu Dhabi Cultural District, UAE
– Gombe National Park Chimpanzee Tracking, Tanzania
– São Tomé & Príncipe Island Trails, Africa
– Red Centre Outback Storytelling, Australia
– Faʻa Sāmoa Cultural Immersion, Samoa
– Lagoon & Atoll Exploration, French Polynesia
– Batang Ai National Park River Expedition, Malaysia
– Darjeeling Himalayan Railway Journey, India
– Michinoku Coastal Trail, Tohoku, Japan
– Night Market Food Exploration, Taiwan
– Futuristic Architecture Circuit, Astana, Kazakhstan
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