This list contains many places I’ve personally been that are very on trend for travel this year. We are highlighting some of the best luxury travel destinations to check off your bucket list this year! The crowds are increasing each year as the secret about these amazing vacation hot spots gets out, so don’t wait. These are some of the best vacation destinations for couples and more, so grab your partner or some friends and start traveling!
List of the Best Luxury Travel Destinations
Top 10 Places to Visit in the World:
- France
- Iceland
- Greece
- British Virgin Islands (BVI)
- Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
- Croatia
- Italy
- Portugal
- South America
- French Polynesia
Top Luxury Travel Destinations This Year:
1. France
It’s true Paris is always a good idea! With the summer Olympics taking place there in August of 2024, it will be even more crowded than most summers.
This may be a good time to check out some of the other best vacation spots, and the coast of France. Normandy, Bordeaux, Provence, and the French Riviera all deserve a spot on your must-visit list. You can plan on walking a bunch and will want to see my reviews of The Most Comfortable White Sneakers to travel in style on your trip!
I recommend staying as long as possible to travel to multiple cities and regions while your there.
The shoulder seasons are a great time to visit and avoid the crowds. I highly recommend Paris in Winter, especially December. Check out my blog post on December in Paris to see why!
2. Iceland
Iceland is known for it’s natural beauty, Viking history, Volcanoes, and Icelandic horses. Also, geothermal baths, glaciers, and black sand beaches are unique to Iceland, From May-July they have sunlight 24 hours a day. Most people live in the capital, Reykjavik and do speak English.
Iceland is one of the best places to see the northern lights (pictured). Best time to see them is September -mid April.
3. Greece
Rich in ancient Greek history from Athens to the beautiful islands. Rhodes, Corfu, Crete, Naxos, Santorini and Mykonos to name a few of the islands. It can be difficult to choose where to go in Greece.
You can island hop by chartering a private catamaran, or stay a couple of days each at Athens, Mykonos, and Santorini taking the ferry from one to the next.
4. British Virgin Islands (BVI)
This is a truly unique experience each time you go!
I’ve sailed BVI by catamaran with a skipper and chef twice now. I would go again in a second, and likely will! The first time I went with a group of friends, and the second was a couples trip. I recommend either way! I think it is one of the best destinations for couples or a group of friends!
You’ll choose your itinerary with your skipper if you sail by chartered catamaran. You’ll want to confirm your skipper can go to both US and British Virgin Islands. They will be able to pick you up in St. Thomas (easy button from US) if so. St. John is gorgeous too!
The swim-up beach bars like Soggy Dollar and Hendo’s Hideaway on Jost Van Dyke and Willy T’s floating bar at The Bight, Norman Island should not be missed (Jump from the top if you’re up for it)! Hiking around the Bath’s on Virgin Gorda is super fun, and the beach bars and lobster on Anagada are second to none! Cooper Island deserves an afternoon at least, but I could stay for weekend easily! Tortola, and Scrub Island should not be missed either! Snorkeling is awesome at multiple spots!
5. Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
This beautiful country occupies a large part of the island shared with Haiti. Punta Cana ia a Caribbean hot spot that offers gorgeous views, relaxation, water sports, excursions, culinary experiences, and one of the best destinations for all inclusive resorts.
Most of the resorts are all-inclusive making it easy to enjoy all the island offers. We stayed at Live Aqua adults only all-inclusive Punta Cana. It is a 5-star resort, and I would recommend it!
6. Croatia
By land or by sea Croatia should be on your bucket list! With an amazing history, natural beauty like waterfalls, and the absolutely clear water on the dalmatian coast you may need to visit more than once.
Dubrovnik and Split are on the mainland, but there are so many beautiful islands too! This coastline is magnificent and certainly deserves a place on the best luxury travel destinations list! So much so that we’re going back in September to explore more of this amazing country and coast line.
I recommend starting or ending in Dubrovnik since it is very close to the airport. We stayed in Cavtat at Hotel Croatia last time, and will spend a day or two again on this upcoming trip. It’s a very small and charming seaside port town. From here you are a 15-minute ferry or car ride from Dubrovnik and a 15-minute drive from the airport as well. Very easy in/out.
7. Italy
As a girl with roots in Italy, YES PLEASE!!. I’ll make any excuse to go to Rome too, but don’t snooze on visiting all the regions in Italy!
Rome, and Florence can easily be done in the same trip. We did a trip to Southern Italy and managed to see Pompeii, stayed a few days in Sorrento, then a few in Positano before flying to Palermo, and spent a week traveling in Sicily. Taormina was stunning! Check out my blog post about Taormina here! This sea side village was made for luxury travel, with all of the glamour and so many celebrities flocking there. We stayed at the stunning Belmond Grand Hotel Timeo overlooking the sea and Mt. Etna, and could walk to all of the hot spots easily. Our hotel also had a shuttle to their sister property directly on the ocean.
In September we are combining our trip to start in Milan. Don’t forget to buy advanced tickets to see The Last Supper while your in Milan! From there we will go to Lake Como for a couple of days then onto Venice. After Venice & Trieste, we are going to Lake Bled in Slovenia and then onto Croatia.
8. Portugal
Portugal is a beautiful country. The people are so lovely too! As a resident in the Algarve, I love the south coast with beautiful Benigail Caves by boat down the coast or hiking, and golfing. The Algarve is one of my favorite luxury travel destinations, and it continues to grow in popularity, The secret is out of the bag! When you are so close I highly recommend Lisbon and Porto as well. We usually spend time in the Algarve off of peak season so it’s not as crowded.
For instance, when we go in June we will visit Porto, Douro, and other cities like Braca. The whole country has so much beauty and history, we are also planning to spend more time in the north of Portugal around Vidago Palace again. We loved it the first time. The property was gorgeous and located centrally for exploring the Douro River Wine Country, golfing, and spa. The temperature will be nice, but not too hot in June. Great for golfing and exploring.
Depending on the time of year you may encounter different climates from the Algarve to Lisbon, Porto, Coimbra, etc. Check out my post on What to Pack for Portugal for more information.
9. South America
South America is a trip of a lifetime, and honestly we have not been able to carve out enough time to do this trip justice. You really need a good 3-6 weeks to hit the major things to see on 1 trip. Alternatively, you could do a few shorter trips. My aunt and uncle are there now and these are some highlights: Perinto Moreno Glacier and all of Patagonia, Argentina, Santiago, Chile, and Brazil, the views are amazing! You can hike, horseback ride, see wildlife, etc. You will need varying types of clothes for all of the elements depending on your planned activities.
10. French Polynesia
Tahiti is the main island in French Polynesia. The view and the water are breathtaking! This is a warm weather heaven on earth and I can’t wait to go in person. One of my best friends just got back, she did an Oceania Cruise with some friends and loved it! Another friend and her husband chartered a private yacht, and it looked amazing! Both offer a luxurious way to visit this paradise!
Check my other posts related to luxury travel:
Safety First!
- Check here, Travel.State.Gov before you book a trip to make sure travel is safe to that destination!
2. Also, before you leave enroll in Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). This will let our state department, US Embassy and consolate, know you are abroad visiting or working, etc. This could be very important in an emergency and you need their assistance.
As an avid world traveler and resident of both Portugal and the US, I share all of the indulgent details and secrets about luxury travel and style for women 40, 50, and beyond to live the sweet life. XO, Maria
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This is inspiring me to travel more! Thanks for sharing these awesome places with us.
Thanks for checking it out!