Where to Go in 2027: My Picks

Three places I'd put at the top of the list for 2027: one for the food, one for an easy, very good city-and-coast trip, and one for a safari that still feels wild. My 2026 picks still hold up; these are what I'd add.

Greece: Go for the Food, Start in Crete

Greece is easy to do badly in July and August and very good in May, June, September and early October, when the sea is warm and the crowds have thinned. The trick is to pick one or two regions rather than island-hopping all over the Aegean.

For 2027, I'd look hard at eastern Crete. The food is a reason to go on its own, and the tomatoes are to die for. Rosewood Blue Palace, a new Rosewood on the bay between Elounda and the fishing village of Plaka, hasn't opened yet; it's one to watch, and I'll update this once it does.

From that stretch of coast you can take a boat to Spinalonga, walk the lanes of Elounda and Agios Nikolaos, and drive to the Minoan palace at Knossos. If you'd rather something smaller and older, Minos Beach Art Hotel sits on Mirabello Bay nearby.

Crete pairs well with a few nights in Athens on the way in, or with one of the quieter islands. More in my guide to Greece and Greece beyond Santorini.

Denmark: Copenhagen and the Coast

Denmark is an easy trip that people tend to overlook. Copenhagen is one of Europe's best food cities, and the coast is never far away. The country is small and flat, so drives stay short.

• Copenhagen for three or four nights: eat, cycle, walk the harbor and swim at the harbor baths in summer.
• Møn, an easy drive south, for the chalk cliffs of Møns Klint and dark night skies.
• Skagen, at the northern tip of Jutland, for dunes, beaches and Grenen, where the Skagerrak meets the Kattegat.

Go between May and September, when the evenings are long, or in late September and early October for quieter towns and the starling murmurations over the Wadden Sea. Seven or eight nights is about right. Details in my Denmark guide.

Zambia: A Quieter, Wilder Safari

If you've done a classic safari in Kenya or Tanzania and want something different, Zambia is where I'd send you. It's known for Victoria Falls and the leopards of South Luangwa, and for walking safaris, which were pioneered here. Camps are small and often owner-run.

• South Luangwa for walking safaris and leopards.
• Lower Zambezi for canoeing on the river.
• Kafue and Liuwa Plain for remote parks that see few visitors.
• Victoria Falls at the start or end, timed for the water level you want (high water vs low water).

For timing, see my Zambia season-by-season guide, and for a starting point, the Signature Zambia itinerary.

Planning for 2027

The best camps and island hotels for peak months book up 9–12 months ahead, so now is the time to start on 2027. If one of these appeals, tell me what you have in mind.