Where will you Travel in 2026?

Vie de Luxe Travel  ·  Travel Inspiration  ·  2026

The destinations discerning travellers are choosing — and how a luxury travel consultant makes each one unforgettable.

By Christina Monk  |  Vie de Luxe Travel  |  Forbes & Fodor's Contributor

Every January, I notice a shift in the conversations I have with clients. The new year arrives and, almost without exception, the same question surfaces: "Christina, where should I go this year?" It's the question I love most — because the answer is never the same twice.

This year, my clients are travelling with intention. They are not simply ticking destinations off a list — they are seeking experiences that stay with them: a rosé at dusk on a Provençal terrace, a private boat gliding past the cliffs of the Amalfi Coast, the blue hour settling over the Danube as Budapest lights up the riverbanks. And they are trusting me to ensure every detail reflects that aspiration.

Here is where the world's most discerning travellers are going in 2026 — and why each of these destinations deserves to be on your radar.

France: La Belle Vie

The South of France — Where Time Has the Good Sense to Slow Down

Provence and the Côte d'Azur remain among the most seductive stretches of Europe — and yet, in the right hands, they still surprise. Lavender fields in full July bloom, the ochre villages of the Luberon perched above ancient valleys, the particular quality of afternoon light that has drawn painters here for centuries. This is not a destination that needs to try.

For clients who want to experience the region from the water, a Scenic or AmaWaterways sailing along the Rhône and Saône traces the very heart of southern France — docking in Avignon, Arles, and Lyon with the unhurried elegance this landscape demands. Those who prefer land find that a privately chauffeured villa stay, moving between markets, vineyards, and clifftop restaurants, is among the finest itineraries I design all year.

Paris — The City That Never Finishes Revealing Itself

There is a version of Paris that everyone knows — and a version that takes years to find. My clients who arrive with the right hotel, the right table, and the right introduction to a gallery or private apartment discover that the city is not merely beautiful; it is inexhaustible. No two visits, curated properly, feel the same.

Paris also serves as the embarkation point for some of the most elegant river sailings in Europe. Viking and Avalon both operate Seine itineraries that drift through Normandy's orchards and chalky sea cliffs, returning you to the city's quays at dusk. For first-time river cruisers, a Paris-anchored Seine sailing is among my most-recommended introductions to the category.

Suggested: Paris at golden hour · Seine river cruise · Provence lavenderWix image size: 1100 × 650px

Italy & Spain: The Mediterranean at Its Finest

The Amalfi Coast — Dramatic, Demanding, and Utterly Worth It

Few coastlines in the world produce the particular intake of breath that the Amalfi Coast delivers on first sight — the vertiginous cliffs dropping to a sea of impossible blue, the lemon groves and bougainvillea spilling over whitewashed walls, the villages seemingly held in place by sheer conviction. Positano, Ravello, Praiano: each has its own character, its own pace, its own rewards for those who linger.

The Amalfi Coast rewards those who arrive with the right guidance. A private boat charter between the villages, a table at a clifftop restaurant before the summer crowds arrive, a room in a converted monastery above Ravello — these are the details that transform a beautiful destination into an unforgettable one. The Orient Express Corinthian, launching summer 2026, offers an extraordinary way to experience this coastline without the chaos of peak-season roads.

Barcelona — Architecture, Appetite, and the Art of the Late Evening

Barcelona is a city that operates on its own terms — and once you accept that, it becomes one of the most pleasurable places in Europe to spend time. Gaudí's extraordinary architecture, the Gothic Quarter's labyrinthine alleyways, the mercats, the wine bars of the Born, the long lunches that become longer dinners: this is a city that understands enjoyment as a serious undertaking.

I often pair Barcelona with a coastal sailing or a wider Iberian itinerary for clients who want more than a city break. The Orient Express Corinthian's inaugural 2026 Mediterranean season includes stops along the Spanish coastline that simply cannot be replicated by land — I am already taking enquiries for these sailings and would encourage you not to delay.

Suggested: Amalfi Coast from the sea · Positano · Barcelona Gothic QuarterWix image size: 1100 × 650px

Central Europe: Imperial Cities and the Danube

Vienna — Grandeur as a Way of Life

Vienna does not merely have culture — it is culture, absorbed into every coffeehouse, every concert hall, every kilometre of the Ringstrasse. The Kunsthistorisches Museum, the Vienna State Opera, the Naschmarkt at its most vivid on a Saturday morning: this is a city where the pursuit of beauty has been treated as a civic responsibility for four centuries, and it shows.

Vienna is the natural centrepiece of a Danube river cruise, and for good reason. Viking, Tauck, and AmaWaterways all offer itineraries that position Vienna as an overnight port, giving you the rare luxury of experiencing the city after the day-trippers have departed. I regularly pair Vienna with Prague or Budapest for clients who want the full sweep of Central European grandeur.

Prague — The City That Stopped the Clock

Prague is among the most visually complete cities in Europe — a baroque and Gothic skyline that survived the 20th century largely intact, presiding over a city that has rediscovered its appetite for exceptional food, wine, and hospitality. The Castle District at dawn, before the crowds arrive, is one of the great quiet pleasures left in European travel.

Prague works beautifully as a pre- or post-cruise destination on a Danube sailing, or as the anchor of a private Central European driving itinerary. Those who simply pass through on a group tour almost always tell me they wished they had stayed longer. I always advise at least three nights — and I always turn out to be right.

Budapest — The Queen of the Danube

Budapest rewards those who arrive without assumptions. The thermal baths, the ruin bars, the extraordinary stretch of Parliament and Chain Bridge illuminated over the Danube at night — this is a city of genuine drama and genuine warmth, at a price point that still, remarkably, allows for a level of luxury that would cost twice as much in Paris or London.

Budapest is the natural terminus of the classic Danube river cruise, and arriving by ship — gliding past the riverbank in the early evening light — is one of the great European arrivals. I consider it essential for any client exploring Central Europe for the first time, and irresistible for those returning.

Suggested: Budapest Parliament at night · Vienna opera house · Prague CastleWix image size: 1100 × 650px

The Adriatic: Europe's Most Exciting Coastline

Split & Dubrovnik — Croatia at Its Most Compelling

Split and Dubrovnik represent two distinct faces of Croatia's extraordinary coastline. Split is a living city built inside a Roman emperor's retirement palace — Diocletian's walls still contain restaurants, apartments, and a cathedral, with the Adriatic lapping at the promenade just beyond. Dubrovnik, meanwhile, is among the most perfectly preserved medieval cities in the world, its limestone walls and terracotta rooftops rising above a sea of crystalline blue.

The key to Croatia is timing and access. July and August belong to the crowds; May, June, and September belong to those who plan ahead. I design itineraries that combine Split and Dubrovnik with island-hopping by private charter for clients who want the Croatian coastline without the compromise. The Orient Express Corinthian's Adriatic season in 2026 represents the most elegant way yet to experience this stretch of coast.

Albania — Europe's Best-Kept Secret, Not for Much Longer

Albania is the destination I recommend when a client tells me they want somewhere genuinely unspoiled. The Albanian Riviera — Sarandë, Ksamil, the cliffs above the Ionian Sea — offers Adriatic beauty at a fraction of the footprint of its neighbours. Berat and Gjirokastër, both UNESCO World Heritage cities, provide a historical depth that surprises almost everyone who visits. This is Europe as it was before the tour buses arrived.

I am candid with my clients: Albania requires a more curated approach than Croatia or Italy, and the right operator makes all the difference. But for those willing to embrace somewhere genuinely off the beaten path, it is one of the most rewarding destinations I have recommended in recent years. I expect this to change — which is precisely why 2026 is the moment to go.

The British Isles: Familiar, and Still Full of Surprises

London — The World's Most Inexhaustible City

London is the city that rewards return visits most reliably of anywhere I send clients. The right hotel in the right neighbourhood, the right table at the right moment, access to collections and events that are simply not available to the general public — experienced this way, London is not merely a great city; it is a great privilege. My clients who visit with proper curation consistently rank it among their finest trips.

London also pairs beautifully with Edinburgh as a two-city British Isles itinerary — or serves as the gateway for a classic transatlantic ocean voyage. Cunard's Queen Mary 2 remains the definitive way to cross between New York and Southampton, and I hold preferred access to cabin categories that are rarely available through direct booking.

Edinburgh — Drama, History, and a Dram Worth Seeking Out

Edinburgh is one of the great European capital cities that still, somehow, feels underestimated. The Old Town rising to the Castle, the Georgian perfection of the New Town, the Fringe in August transforming the city into something quite extraordinary — and beyond the city, the Highlands beginning almost immediately, with their own particular brand of grandeur. Scotland rewards those who venture further than the Royal Mile.

For clients who want to experience Scotland with genuine depth, I design private driving itineraries that move from Edinburgh through Perthshire and into the Highlands, staying at country house hotels and private estates that are simply not accessible without the right introductions. It is among the most personal and memorable journeys I offer — and one that surprises almost everyone who undertakes it.

Suggested: Edinburgh Castle · Dubrovnik city walls · Scottish HighlandsWix image size: 1100 × 650px

Your Questions, Answered

When is the best time to book a luxury European trip for summer 2026?

Now. Premium cabin categories on European river cruises — particularly the Rhine and Danube — are filling for July and August. Coastal sailings along the Adriatic and Mediterranean, including the Orient Express Corinthian's inaugural 2026 season, are already attracting serious interest. If you have a specific itinerary or sailing in mind, the time to secure it is immediately. I hold space for clients and can often access categories unavailable through direct booking.

What is the difference between a river cruise and an ocean cruise for a luxury traveller?

River ships dock in the heart of each destination — not in a container port miles from the city. You wake up in Vienna, Budapest, or Paris. The ships carry 100–200 passengers rather than thousands. The experience is intimate, immersive, and curated in a way that large ocean vessels simply cannot replicate. For first-time river cruisers, I always recommend Viking as the ideal introduction.

Do I need a travel consultant if I can book online?

You can book online — in the same way you can represent yourself in a legal matter or manage your own investment portfolio. The question is whether that is the best use of your time, and whether you have the relationships, the access, and the knowledge to secure what is truly available. My expertise costs you nothing; my fee is paid by the cruise lines and hotels. What you receive in return is 15 years of relationships, preferred access, and the peace of mind that every detail has been considered.

Which of these destinations is right for me?

That is precisely the conversation I love to have. The answer depends on your pace, your passions, and what kind of experience you want to carry home. A client who wants culture and grandeur is different from one who wants coastline and warmth; someone drawn to river cruising is different from someone who wants a private villa. My role is to ask the right questions and find the journey that is genuinely yours. There is no cost to that conversation — and it is usually where the best trips begin.

Ready to Plan Your 2026 Journey?

Every client I work with has a journey waiting for them — one that suits their pace, their passions, and their idea of what travel should feel like. My role is to find it, plan it, and ensure that when you step off the plane or the ship, everything is exactly as it should be.

I work with a limited number of clients at any one time. If you are ready to make 2026 the year you travel properly, I would love to hear from you.

Christina Monk  |  Vie de Luxe Travel  |  A Cruise Planners Affiliate

Forbes & Fodor's Travel Contributor  |  15 Years of Luxury Travel Expertise

Curated. Considered. Unforgettable.