MAs the Christmas lights illuminate the cities and many are preparing for the last days of the holidays in 2025, there are already those who mentally leaf through the calendar of the future twelve months. The end of the year, in fact, brings with it that particular desire to make plans, which naturally also includes checking all the breaks, long weekends and long weekends, to organize escapes somewhere. Booking.com has gathered this anticipatory push into one guide that runs through 2026 month by monthoffering some interesting ideas if you don’t have precise ideas on where to go.
A year of travel: 12 months, 12 destinations
From the platform’s observations, it has now become common for contemporary travelers to build their journey around an event that happens in a place at a specific time of the year: a festival that transforms a city, a natural phenomenon which only occurs for a few weeks, the ideal climate to explore otherwise inaccessible territories. It is a form of tourism that seeks the authenticity of the right momentthe one in which a destination reveals its truest essence.
The darkness and the Northern Lights
This flow of the new calendar begins precisely from the deepest winter, January: for those who intend to plan their trips for the first month of the yearknow that it is the ideal time to enjoy one of the most fascinating natural spectacles on the planet: in the Yukonin Canada on the border with Alaska, the almost total darkness transforms the landscape into a natural theater for the Northern Lights. The long Arctic nights create, in fact, the perfect conditions for observing the phenomenon. The region, however, offers much more than just a celestial spectacle. Snowshoe excursions through snowy forests, sleds pulled by husky dogs and exploration of local culture in Whitehorse, make up an experience that combines adventure and immersion in an extreme territory.
The month of February lights up Nanjing with the colors of the Lunar New Year, which in 2026 falls on the 17th (Getty)
Ancestral celebrations
February is the right month to go to the other side of the world, to Nanjingin eastern China, precisely. The city prepares for the Lunar New Year with a spectacular urban transformation. The Qinhuai Lantern Fair illuminate the river banks with artistic installationswhile traditional lion and dragon dances invade the streets of the Confucius Temple neighborhood. The city of Jiangsu province becomes a crossroads between spirituality, folklore and daily lifewhere street food mixes with calligraphy demonstrations and fireworks mark the start of the new year according to the Chinese calendar.
Deserts and souqs in Oman
The arrival of March brings milder temperatures and the season is perfect for visiting landscapes that the summer heat would make prohibitive, such as the hinterland ofOman. Nizwathe ancient capital of the sultanate, preserves an imposing fort and a souq where you can still feel the atmosphere of past centuries. The surrounding desert can be explored on camel backwhile the Bedouin camps offer nights under impossibly starry skies, among golden dunes and mountain ranges that draw dramatic horizons.
The blooms: spring between tradition and rebirth
In April, it is the Japan to experience one of his most iconic moments. TO Fukuoka, cherry blossoms transforms the city into a pastel-toned landscape. The hanami, the tradition of contemplating flowersbrings together locals and visitors to historic parks for picnics under sakura-laden trees. The practice goes beyond simple tourism: it represents a moment of collective pause, a celebration of the ephemeral beauty that has inspired poets and artists for centuries. The yatai, the characteristic street food stallscome alive in the evening offering the famous local ramen in a convivial and informal atmosphere.
April transforms Fukuoka into a delicately colored painting thanks to the cherry blossoms, known as Hanami (Getty)
Summer and spirituality between mountains and islands
May is perfect for Bhutanwhere Vesak, the birth of the Buddha, is celebrated on the first day of the month. Thimphuthe only world capital without traffic lights, maintains a pace of life that seems to belong to another era. The dzongsfortress monasteries that serve as both spiritual and administrative centers, dominate the urban landscape. The Dordenma Buddha statueover fifty meters high, watches over the valley while the philosophy of Gross National Happiness, the Gross National Happinessthe guiding principle of Bhutanese national politics, permeates every aspect of daily life.
June is the perfect month to experience the Adriatic at the start of the Euro Summer. The island of Vis in Croatia enchants (Getty)
Adriatic authenticity before the crowd
Summer begins in June and this also marks the beginning of the Adriatic season on the Croatian island of Vis. Before the high season brings the crowds, the coves and stone villages maintain an authenticity that is lost in the following months. The konobes family run they serve freshly caught fish, the days stretch until late in the evening and the sea reaches the ideal temperature for swimming. The island, which remained closed to mass tourism for decades due to the military presence, it has preserved a genuine character which today attracts those looking for a Mediterranean experience far from the beaten track.
American celebrations
July, however, leads to the USA, where in this month the US national holiday is held on Mackinac Island, Michigan. Here time seems to have stopped in a previous era. The absence of cars and the presence of horse-drawn carriages give the island a Victorian atmosphere that is amplified during the Fourth of July celebrations. Parades, reenactments and fireworks on Lake Huron make up one of the festivals ofIndependence Day most characteristics of the country.
The southern winter
August, if you don’t like heat, too hot now, you have to look at the southern hemisphere which is in the middle of winter. Wanaka, in the New Zealand Alpstransforms into a winter sports center with ski resorts such as Treble Cone and Cardrona. The lake of the same name, surrounded by snow-capped peaksoffers alpine views that contrast with the more common summer image of New Zealand. After days on the slopes, the city center offers welcoming venues and a social life that characterizes the cold months in mountain resorts.
Autumn between migrations
In September we start towards autumn and the month brings one of the most impressive natural spectacles on the planet: the Great Migration in the Serengeti. Over two million wildebeests, along with zebras and gazelles, cross the rivers in the northern area of the park in Tanzania. The crossings, particularly intense near Kogatende, represent moments of extraordinary tension when the herds face currents and predators. THEhe area maintains a rich population of wildlife year-roundwith big cats and elephants making every safari a prime viewing experience.
A dance of festive lights
October is worth a trip to Bodh Gayain the Indian state of Bihar, where Diwali adds brightness to a place already steeped in spirituality. The Mahabodhi Temple complexbuilt in the place where, according to tradition, Buddha achieved enlightenment, is filled with lamps and decorations. Diwaliknown as the festival of lights, celebrates the victory of light over darkness and good over evil through five days of rituals, sharing sweets and lighting homes and temples. The surrounding region preserves archaeological sites of historical importance such as Nalandaancient Buddhist university, e Rajgir, center of power in past eras.
The calendar ends between beaches…
And we are once again towards the end of the year: November Sayulita, in the Mexican region of Nayaritbecomes a stage for Día de los Muertos. The coastal town interprets the celebration with a bohemian touch that comes from its soul as a surfing destination. The traditional altarsdecorated with marigold and papel picado (decorative cut paper), mix with the aesthetics of calaveras (decorated skulls) reinterpreted by local artists. The celebration, which honors the deceased according to Mesoamerican traditionreaches the beach where music and commemoration merge at sunset over the Pacific Ocean.
And markets
Finally, in December we return to Europe, precisely in Meranowhere the over eighty chalets of Christmas markets fill the historic center of artisanal products and gastronomic specialties. The South Tyrolean town, nestled in the mountains, combines the festive atmosphere with the spa traditions that have made it famous. The lights transform the medieval streets while the surroundings offer paths for winter excursions among alpine landscapes. The contrast between the heat of the stalls and the cold mountain air creates that atmosphere that made it Central European Christmas markets are a phenomenon that attracts visitors from every continent.