Where to go in 2026 Condé Nast Traveler asked its experts from around the world to nominate destinations that are gaining popularity – places that are in their sights thanks to numerous hotel openings, major cultural events, talk of new airline routes or coordinated environmental action. These nominations make up the list of the Best Places to Visit in 2026 – places worth spending your precious vacation time and hard-earned money on.
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Here are the best places to visit in Europe in 2026, according to Condé Nast Traveler:
- Brussels, Belgium
- Crete, Greece
- Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Islay, Scotland
- Milan, Italy
- Saint-Gervais-les-Bains, France
- Seville, Spain
- Oulu, Finland
- Peloponnese, Greece
- Upper Carniola, Slovenia
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Where to go in 2026? Frankfurt on Main. “New York of Europe”
The list included a city located near Poland – Frankfurt am Main, the largest city in the state of Hesse and the fifth largest in all of Germany.
Known as Germany's financial center, Frankfurt am Main is much more than banks and stock exchange floors. It is a metropolis of contrasts, a global city in a pocket format. Goethe's house and the birthplace of the techno scene, combining urban energy with Hessian cordiality. Frankfurt am Main boasts one of the most exciting food cultures in the country, writes Condé Nast Traveler.
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The perfect time to experience this will be 2026, when Frankfurt will take over as the World Design Capital under the slogan “Design for Democracy”.
More than 2,000 events will bring the city to life, from the banks of the Main to districts that have been reborn in recent years – such as Osthafen, once an industrial area and now a vibrant district.
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Neue Altstadt, opened in 2018, is a unique architectural project where carefully restored half-timbered houses stand next to contemporary buildings, creating a strikingly harmonious whole.
The heart is the Römer, the town hall since 1405 and a symbol of democracy, with the ornate Fountain of Justice, which once flowed wine during coronations.
The dialogue between the past and the present will also be visible in 2026 with the opening of the Jewish Academy. This new center for education, exchange and culture in the Westend district will be a landmark project for the German Jewish community, which has shaped the city economically and culturally and remains deeply rooted here.
Travelers can also visit three shiny new hotels. Kimpton Frankfurt and The Florentin (formerly Villa Kennedy) offer a fresh dose of boutique character, and the iconic Grandhotel Hessischer Hof will return under the Taj Mahal banner by the end of 2025.
Source: Condé Nast Traveler
