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Lonely Planet has announced its 50 top travel destinations for the coming year. Be careful with your wishlist.
The travel publishing empire celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, with its extensive Best in Travel 2024 list expanded across five categories: Top Countries, Regions, Cities, Sustainable Travel Destinations, and Best Value Places .
The number one country is Mongolia, chosen by Lonely Planet for its “open spaces, adventurous activities, and unique food and music culture.” This is the least populated country in the world, and the Mongolian government is ready to start filling it up a bit. This year, the government declared 2023-2025 the “Year of Visiting Mongolia,” relaxing entry conditions for international travelers and improving infrastructure, particularly building a new airport at a cost of $650 million.
The top 10 countries include popular countries like Mexico, Croatia, and St. Lucia, as well as less-visited countries like Benin and Uzbekistan.
The top city on Lonely Planet’s list is Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, with the travel giant loving the city’s “unique rhythms, great array of locally-influenced restaurants, and steady rotation of arts and cultural venues.” ing. I also love Nairobi National Park, which is just a short drive from the city’s CBD. Here you can see more than 400 species of animals roaming across open grasslands as skyscrapers twinkle in the skyline.
Paris, host of the 2024 Summer Olympics and Paralympics, and Prague, another European capital that attracts tourists, are also on the list. Lonely Planet said the coronavirus lockdown has allowed the Czech capital to “press the reset button” and encourage “a slowdown in tourism and tourist attractions away from city centres”.
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Patagonia, including Torres del Paine National Park, is one of Lonely Planet’s top picks for 2024.
Spain is the top sustainable travel destination for 2024. This comes as the country’s efforts to expand renewable energy, boost off-season travel and draw tourists to emerging destinations such as the port city of Valencia will ease pressure on hotspots such as Spain. . Barcelona.
South Africa’s “wild beauty” has also been praised, with Lonely Planet encouraging visitors to check out the country’s “impressive ecolodge colonies” that are committed to protecting the planet’s biodiversity. There is. We also love Babanango, South Africa’s big new zoological park that is turning the KwaZulu-Natal region into a wildlife wonderland.
At a time when wallets are tight, the most valuable category will be of particular interest to many. The best tip here is the underrated American Midwest. In cities like Chicago, Milwaukee and Detroit, “old warehouses are being transformed into art studios, new eco-design hotels and many Michelin-starred restaurants are being seen,” says Lonely Planet.
The publisher also promotes Algeria as an unexplored corner of North Africa. Lonely Planet notes that it’s less than a three-hour flight from most of Europe, and that visitors will find “well-preserved Roman ruins and stunning historic cities” and “an affordable, crowd-free experience.” states that it can be done.
Speaking of regional recommendations, the upcoming Transdinarica cycling route in the Western Balkans is a Lonely Planet top choice. Opening next year, the 3,364-kilometer (2,090-mile) trail will pass through Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania, North Macedonia, Kosovo and Serbia, with views of mountain ranges and the Adriatic Sea along the way.
County Donegal, in the far north-west of Ireland, has the longest coastline in the country and more than 100 beaches, giving visitors a good chance of having the beach to themselves. “It is home to the highest sea cliffs in Europe and miles of pristine coastal hiking trails,” says Lonely Planet.
Roop_Dey/iStockphoto/Getty Images
India: A big country with a lot to love, including Lake Gadisar in Rajasthan.
Country
mongolia
India
Morocco
Chile
Benin
Mexico
uzbekistan
Pakistan
Croatia
saint lucia
Ilan Shacham/Moment RF/Getty Images
Macedonia is one of the countries visited on the new Trans Dinarica bicycle route.
region
Cycling route across Dinarica in the Western Balkans
Kangaroo Island, South Australia
donegal, ireland
Pais Vasco, Spain
Southern Thailand
Tanzania, Swahili coast
montana usa
Saalfelden Leogang (Austria)
04:41 – Source: CNN
The road trip that inspired the Lonely Planet guidebook
City
nairobia, kenya
Paris, France
montreal, canada
Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
manaus, brazil
Jakarta, Indonesia
Prague, Czech Republic
izmir, Türkiye
Kansas City, Missouri
Sustainable
Spain
Patagonia, Argentina, Chile
Greenland
wales trails
Portugal Road / Caminho Português de Santiago
palau
Hokkaido
ecuador
Baltic Sea Trail in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania
ecolodges in south africa
Joe Daniel Price/Moment RF/Getty Images
Poland is easy on the eyes and the wallet, says Lonely Planet.
value
Midwest US
Poland
Nicaragua
Danube lime, Bulgaria
Normandy, France
Egypt
Ikaria, Greece
algeria
South Lakes and Central Otago, New Zealand
night train, europe
