100 Bucket list destinations & places to visit

World-class culture, fashion, music, and food – London has it all in spades. Combining a palpable sense of history with a vibrant cosmopolitan edge, this global metropolis has something for everyone.  

Traditionalists will love the royal landmarks and slew of legend-heavy heritage buildings that date back centuries. Hipsters will find inspiration in the gritty East End – a hotbed of galleries, nightclubs, funky restaurants and street markets.   

In terms of the sheer number of bucket list experiences in one place – nowhere even comes close. And yes, it rains, but the majority of London’s best bucket list experiences can be enjoyed equally whatever the weather; be it an international art museum, or a pint in a cosy 500-year-old pub.

Paris is, quite simply, one of the world’s great capital cities. It’s famed for its harmonious golden stone architecture, its majestic monuments, its world-class museums and art galleries, and its intellectual pedigree as the home of the Enlightenment. More than anything, though, Paris embodies a unique lifestyle.  

Glamorous and seductive, this is a dynamic, lived-in city whose inhabitants have perfected the French art de vivre – it’s a flaneur’s paradise, a place to enjoy strolling around the streets, window shopping, absorbing market banter, eating at bistros and people-watching on café terraces. 

Provence is France’s Mediterranean dreamland, where it’s almost impossible to avoid magnificent landscapes of sunflowers, lavender, vines, cypresses and olive groves – scenes that are dreamily familiar thanks to once-local artists such as Van Gogh or Cezanne.

Beyond its beauty and artistic heritage, the region also excels in outstanding Roman and medieval monuments; cool cities full of hip boutiques, superb restaurants and cafés; and a world-class summer festival scene. It’s a place to go wine tasting, to cycle or hike through some of France’s loveliest countryside, or to gallop on horseback through flocks of pink flamingos.

Note from Matt: this guide centres on ‘rural’ Provence, around the towns of Arles, Avignon and Aix-en-Provence, and does not include The French Riviera on Provence’s southern coast. Although technically within the region of ‘Provence’, it’s a very different place and in my view a different destination worth a separate guide. You can see our round-up of the 50+ best things to do in The French Riviera here.

Money, glamour and bombshell looks: the yacht-magnet, beach-club-trimmed Cote d’Azur, aka The French Riviera, still lives up to the hype as a playground for the world’s elite.

Home to fabled luxury hotels, triple-starred Michelin restaurants, world-class art museums, hedonistic beaches and celebrity-haunted clubs – as well as the glitzy Cannes Film Festival and Monaco Grand Prix – everything here feels A-list. But alongside the razzle-dazzle, this stretch of Provencal coast in the South of France also offers breathtaking natural beauty and the same bohemian, Mediterranean joie de vivre that attracted Matisse, Picasso and company in decades past.

With year-round sunshine, it’s perfect for a romantic getaway or a family holiday, with plenty to entertain kids of all ages.

It’s not difficult to see why Tuscany is one of Italy’s (indeed, Europe’s) most popular holiday destinations. The region has it all: treasure-filled art cities and postcard-pretty hill towns, a long sandy coastline, high mountains and gently rolling hills plus superb food and wine with a thriving restaurant scene.

Even leaving aside Florence, there’s enough art to keep culture vultures busy for weeks, while outdoors-y types can dive into a whole range of activities.

Add a plethora of fabulous hotels (from agrotourism stays to boutique heritage boltholes and five-star grand dames set in converted castles), and you have all the ingredients of an unforgettable, soul-enriching holiday.

La Serenissima is one of the world’s great romantic destinations, a unique and exotic city built on water by architects who looked to Constantinople, Cairo and Aleppo rather than Rome or Florence.

Home to some of the world’s finest painters – Bellini, Titian, Tintoretto – barely a church is without a masterpiece. Yet so spectacular is the city with its narrow calle (streets) and quiet campi (squares), polychrome marble palaces and gondola-dotted canals, it’s a pleasure just to wander and observe.

What’s more, Venice is no mere floating museum; the Biennale and Punta della Dogana contemporary art centre add a thoroughly 21st-century vibe.

This important, layered city has seen a series of dramatic reincarnations, beginning life as Byzantium (founded c. 660 BC), before being renamed Constantinople in AD 330 (eastern capital of the Roman Empire).

The city finally became known as ‘Stamboul’, or Istanbul, during the Ottoman era, which began in the 15th century when it was captured by the 21-year-old Sultan Mehmed II (aka “Mehmed the Conqueror”), ushering in an era of lavish Sultan-led rule.

In the course of its deliciously rich 1,800-year history, Istanbul has been the capital of three empires. Here East meets West head-on, in a mesmerising, evocative city that its people have always considered the centre of the world.

Yet Istanbul is not just about sightseeing and museums; right now it has as much urban buzz and excitement as any place on earth. Besides making a bold name for itself in art, music, fashion and design, the city is modernising at a breathtaking pace.

The people are lovely, the food is a delight and the city is one of the top shopping destinations on the planet.

Peru is a land of jaw-dropping desert, mountain and rainforest landscapes, dotted with some of the most spectacular archaeological sites in the Americas. The food is fabulous, the people friendly and travel is great value; though roads can be rough and distances long.

The country’s west – where the Nazca lines are found – is dune-rolling desert; the centre rises to glacier-covered Andean peaks with fabulous hiking. To the east, the mountains drop into lush foothills teeming with wildlife – this is where Machu Picchu and the ruins of the Inca Empire are situated. Beyond is the giant Amazon rainforest.

Visits inevitably pass through Peru’s capital and international travel hub, Lima which has some fascinating Spanish colonial buildings and some of the best restaurants in Latin America.

Delhi, Jaipur and Agra – the so-called ‘Golden Triangle’ – lie at the heart of many Indian cultural tours and form the backbone of most first-time visits to India. These three destinations pack in most of India’s most bucket list experiences and all of its unique cultural essence.

Delhi, the capital, presents two distinct faces: Raj-era New Delhi boasts neat tree-lined boulevards and most of the best hotels, while Old Delhi distils a frantic, earthier atmosphere and is dotted with medieval monuments.

Agra is synonymous with the iconic Taj Mahal while Jaipur is the vibrant capital of Rajasthan, an exotic desert state hosting massive forts and exquisite palaces. A few hours from Jaipur is the Ranthambore National Park, one of the best places in India to see wild tigers.

There are good transport links between the three destinations, but for a real treat, take the luxury Mahajaras Express train which shuttles you between the main stops in blissful comfort, as you stare out at India’s uniquely exotic and evocative scenery.

Rome has been on history’s front page for more than 2,000 years; it’s a city of marvels that has seen glory, greatness and triumph – and excess, murder and decadence – in equal measure. Yet despite its dazzling wealth of ancient, medieval, Renaissance and Baroque art and architecture, the Eternal City is no museum piece.

A thriving and modern metropolis among venerable treasures, Rome boasts a hip, 21st-century art scene, world-class theatre, outstanding shopping, superb cuisine and, of course, gelato. One of Europe’s most exciting capitals, Rome is a shining example of la dolce vita; its many piazzas alive with al fresco bars and restaurants.

Tourists call it the Big Apple, New Yorkers call it the Capital of the World and that audacity, energy, wealth, power, humour and cosmopolitan pizzazz makes the ‘city that never sleeps’ one of the most exciting destinations on Earth. Few places rival its skyline views, culture and dynamism.

Relieved of much of its previous street crime, New York now inspires city-loving travellers of all ages and tastes, who thrill to its sights, sounds, museums, arts scene, and shopping. It’s unique in the sheer density of skyscrapers crammed into Manhattan and its heritage as a magnet for ambitious immigrants.

The 277-mile-long Grand Canyon, with a max width of 18 miles and a maximum depth of (only) over a mile, is not the deepest canyon – both Colca Canyon in Peru and Kali Gandaki Gorge in Nepal are more than twice as deep. But the drama of the landscape and the multi-coloured geology of this extraordinary geological phenomenon is unsurpassed.

The gorge, cut over 2 billion years by the Colorado River, resides within the 1.2-million-acre Grand Canyon National Park – the US’s second most visited park.

Helicopter flights are a thrilling way to see it, but other great ways to experience the canyon are viewing platforms, self-driving routes, white-water rafting on the Colorado River and hiking one of the many superb trails.

You hear the Falls long before you see them: the roaring cascade of water plummeting down a 50m gorge at a rate of millions of litres per second. The world’s second-largest – but arguably most famous – waterfall is jaw-dropping in its scale and intensity.

The roadside viewpoints offer prime viewing, but there are several other great ways to experience the Falls. Boat trips take you right up to the torrent, and into the foaming spray. Spectacular short helicopter flights offer a unique panoramic view of the scale and surrounding scenery (nervous flyers should head to the top of the nearby Skylon Tower instead).

You can also descend down via old tunnels to extraordinary viewpoints and caves behind the Falls themselves.

Vibrant, confident, cosmopolitan – few cities in Europe can touch Barcelona for sheer style and exuberance. A progressive cultural and fashion scene is offset with a relaxed Mediterranean atmosphere, long sandy beaches and boat-filled marinas.

There are world-class museums, venerating Spanish artists such as Picasso and Miro, though its perhaps best known for its fluid-looking, ornate ‘Modernista’ architecture pioneered by the incomparable Gaudi.

Barcelona also takes its food and drink very seriously – with plenty of chic, experimental cuisine served across tapas bars, gastronomic restaurants and hip concept cafes, not to mention a lively all-night bar scene.

This colourful, beautiful metropolis will delight whether you’re 18 or 80.

The Okavango is the largest inland delta in the world: a maze of grasslands, indigenous forests, islands, channels and lakes covering 17,000 square kilometres that teems with all the big game and spectacular birdlife (more than 400 species). Even if you’re not a twitcher, the feathered creatures here are captivating.

The variety of ecosystems in the Okavango make it a fascinating place to safari; one might spot an elephant swimming, see a malachite kingfisher diving, or bump into a lioness.

Thanks to the Botswana government policy of high-revenue, low-volume tourism, there are very few camps or tourists. Nearly all are based near water, on the mainland – in private concessions or in the Moremi National Park – or on islands, and the real draw of the Okavango is the unique water-based safari opportunities it provides: mokoro (dugout canoe) or speedboat excursions through channels and papyrus reedbeds.

Walking (a real treat near water) and night safaris (when cats mostly hunt and nocturnal creatures come out) are only permitted in private concessions – so not the Moremi National Park.

Even flying into the Okavango on a small plane is one of the best things about the holiday; the views over the vast areas of water are breathtaking.

Alongside the neighbouring Serengeti just south in Tanzania, the Maasai Mara is Kenya’s finest game reserve and the best place in East Africa for a Big Five safari.

The scenery is spectacular, fringed by an escarpment, dotted with hills, and split by the Mara River, inhabited by those famously enormous crocodiles. Big skies, grasslands stretching to the horizon, acacias silhouetted in the sunset – it’s the stereotypical African scenery most safari-goers dream of.

When the remarkable wildebeest migration passes through its 1,800 square kilometres (from August to October), grasslands heave with millions of wildebeest and zebra – and big prides of lion, as well as hyena, leopard and cheetah, enjoying the moving feast. It’s a great spectacle, but being among the creatures is like being in a big herd of cows – only millions of them. If they’re not there, it’s still brilliant.

There is no better way to see the vast expanse of wilderness than from the air – particularly in a floating balloon, at dawn. Expensive, yes, but worth the splurge.

The best way to feel the wild is to be on foot – not permitted in the main reserve. For bushwalking, stay in a neighbouring conservancy and walk with a Maasai. You’ll also be able to visit a village to learn about how man, cattle and wildlife have adapted to live alongside one another – and see the ‘adumu’, the famous traditional jumping dance.

The main drawback – it’s uncomfortably touristy. Everyone wants to come here – in high season there will be as many vehicles as animals.

Dubrovnik, often described as the ‘Pearl of the Adriatic’, has to be one of the world’s most glorious fortified towns.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Dubrovnik is probably Europe’s best example of a late medieval walled city, its architecture and fortifications remarkably well-preserved.

The pedestrian-only Old Town of the former independent Republic of Ragusa (1358-1808) is packed with proud aristocratic buildings, a testament to its past as a wealthy seafaring state.

Aside from outstanding architecture, it offers blissful seascapes, decent pebble beaches, excellent fish restaurants and some of Croatia’s most luxurious hotels.

Touted as the new Riviera, this picturesque and culture-rich hotspot manages to seduce and accommodate everyone from trendsetters and celebrities to honeymooners and cruise ship passengers.

Beyond the obvious attractions – yes, the Parthenon does live up to the hype – Athens has a multitude of unpredictable charms. There are Byzantine churches beside fashionable bars, outdoor cinemas squeezed between apartment blocks and rock concerts in ancient amphitheatres.

The loud, laidback birthplace of democracy has emerged from a tough decade of economic austerity with a renewed creative energy. And the irrepressible locals still know how to party. Some things here will never change – like 300 days of sunshine a year and a 50-kilometre coastline – and they don’t cost a thing.

Note from Matt: Please do still consider travelling to Marrakech and the Atlas mountains, despite the devastation caused by the earthquake. The local people are heavily dependent on tourism and will suffer further if tourists stop visiting. Marrakech sustained some damage, but the souks and Jamaa el-Fnaa are still open and buzzing and the spirit of the people is unbowed. Indeed, according to people I know who have been recently, it’s quite inspiring to see how they are fighting back in the face of adversity…

Morocco’s former capital blends buzzing street life with atmospheric architecture and vibrant Arab culture, suffused with a liberal sprinkling of French influence – which adds up to an exotic,  intoxicating and entirely unique holiday destination.

Known as the Red Rose city, thanks to the dusky pink hue of its buildings, Marrakech is best known for its UNESCO World Heritage-listed Medina (Old City), which is packed with souks and completely encircled by five-metre thick walls, built a thousand years ago.

Visitors can expect beautiful boutique hotels set in old riads, a flourishing food scene and a vibrant shopping experience.

Maybe it’s the bright sunshine that lights up the city’s majestic plazas for most of the year – even in winter – but Madrid always seems to have that feel-good factor.

Some visit Spain’s capital for its three world-class art museums – the Prado, the Reina Sofia and the Thyssen – but most simply come for the exceptional food, great boutique shopping and vibrant nightlife. Indeed, there are few world capitals where it’s so easy to slip into the local way of life.

This is one place where even the best-laid sightseeing plans are likely to go astray.

With 65 miles of Golden Age canals lined with handsome gabled houses and criss-crossed by photogenic bridges, the Dutch capital is perfect for lazy boat tours, romantic wanders or gentle bike rides.

For the culturally inclined, world-class art awaits in the Van Gogh Museum and Rijksmuseum. For those of a less high-brow disposition, big draws are the many inviting cafés – some old-fashioned, others trendy – and a nightlife as lively and decadent as you want it to be.

The city is very digestible in a weekend; you can stroll from one side to the other in half an hour.

One of Europe’s most popular year-round holiday destinations, Andalusia has it all: long sandy beaches, spectacular mountains, national parks of extraordinary biodiversity, and fascinating cities that more than recall the centuries when Andalusia was the wealthy, sophisticated capital of Moorish Spain.

After decades in the doldrums, it’s found its mojo again: alongside its World Heritage Sites, pretty White Villages and passion for traditional fiestas, flamenco, sherry and horses, you’ll find a dazzling array of new contemporary art museums, boutique hotels and restaurants. Lively invigorating and full of sunshine, Andalusia promises you’ll never be bored.

Most people come to the lush valleys and hills of the Loire to visit the fairytale chateaux – more than a thousand of them, earning a 280km swathe of the Loire Valley a UNESCO World Heritage Site listing.

What’s less well known is that this family-friendly region, often dubbed the ‘garden of France’ for its vast agricultural output, has rich, fertile soils that produce superb local food and wine, and support some of the world’s finest decorative gardens. It’s a region of idyllic landscapes – peppered with a fascinating troglodyte (cave) cultural history – and authentic French villages.

The famous ‘La Loire à Vélo’ route allows you to see and experience at leisure by bike.

With more than 2,000 to choose from, there’s a Greek island for every mood, budget or occasion.

From the cliff-hanging hamlets of volcanic Santorini to the glamorous five-star resorts of Mykonos, the ancient ruins of rugged Crete to the traditional medieval villages of Chios, each island has its own distinct character. But all share pristine beaches, brilliant sunlight, a laid-back lifestyle where time slows to a crawl, and that quintessential, undefinable ‘Greek Island’ experience that’s impossible to get anywhere else.

Drift off to the sound of cicadas, eat fresh lobster with sand between your toes, stay up all night dancing beneath the stars – these classic islands are a place to instantly unwind.

Editor: Individual Greek island guides coming soon – stay tuned…

Recognised as the birthplace of the Renaissance, Florence harbours an estimated one million works of art, some 70 museums and more than 60 churches crammed into a compact plain surrounded by on three sides by hills.

The city’s small size (pop. 365,000) makes it simple to navigate, while its 11 million annual visitors guarantee a constant buzz, although during peak season, the sheer volume of tourists can seem overwhelming.

This being Tuscany, food and wine are of primary importance, and there are restaurants galore, from authentic, family-run trattorias to outposts of gourmet, new-wave Tuscan cuisine. Florence is also famed for its fashion brands: Pucci, Gucci and Ferragamo all started here. With so much to see, this capital of culture merits multiple visits.

One of the most beautiful cities in the world, Cape Town is a melting pot of diverse cultures and ideologies with a fascinating past. While it attracts visitors year-round, the city is at its most seductive in summer when locals and tourists come out to play.

It offers dramatic landscapes, glorious beaches of golden sand, and a kaleidoscope of multicultural entertainment attracting everyone from outdoor adrenaline junkies to nightlife-loving party animals.

But where Cape Town truly excels is in its culinary adventures, with world-class restaurants and street markets to explore, alongside terroir-driven wines from the nearby Cape Winelands.

Sensual and sultry Havana is the coolest city in the Caribbean. Her salty Spanish colonial streets fizz with music, her art shines a light on revolutions, and her architecture – a handsome jumble of Spanish villas, churches, art deco towers, and baroque mansions line promenades, tight historic streets, and her famous winding ocean-facing road, the Malecón.

Go for the live music, dance, art, the new bars and restaurants, and the Cuban wit, and to witness the last bastion of communism in the western hemisphere. Havana is enigmatic, energetic, maddening, and safe, and is perfect for couples, families and history-curious folk.

Sydney has matured in recent years to become one of the world’s most dynamic and glamorous cities.

Blessed with a magnificent harbour, great beaches and a semi-tropical climate, Australia’s biggest metropolis delights with superb food and drink, world-class shopping, pristine scenery, big skies and effervescent, friendly people.

It’s a mecca for outdoor activities and adventures, and the ideal base for exploring the other wonders of this marvellous country. The big drawback? You won’t want to return home.

Long before David Livingstone named them for his Queen, the locals living on either side of the Zambezi River called the Victoria Falls ‘Mosi-oa-Tunya’; ‘the smoke that thunders’. And rightly so, for visiting in late summer – with the Falls in full spate – is a deafening, soaking and humbling experience. Stretching for almost a mile across the Zambezi River, the falls plummet more than 100m into the Bakota Gorge – twice the height of Niagara Falls.

While the Falls are downright impressive,  it’s the area’s array of activities – from Big Five game drives and white-water rafting, to helicopter flips and bungee jumping – that has turned the area encompassing Livingstone (Zambia) and Victoria Falls town (Zimbabwe) into Africa’s adventure playground.

Bangkok is one of South East Asia’s most complex and contradictory cities. Gritty but glamorous, lively but laid-back, the Thai capital is a hive of frenetic street activity with traffic gridlock that grinds the place to a halt for hours.

It’s home to the region’s best fine dining restaurants, as well as tasty street food stalls, sleazy girlie bars and sleek cocktail spots. It’s the address for retro hipster markets and posh designer stores, lofty luxury hotels and charming B&Bs.

Perhaps surprisingly, it’s also a tranquil haven dotted with tropical gardens and glinting temples.

Whatever your penchant, Bangkok’s almost certainly got it covered.

No city has a setting more beautiful than Rio, nor a population more devoted to the enjoyment of life. Locals (cariocas) call Rio simply ‘A Cidade Maravilhosa’ (The Marvellous City), and are too transfixed by its beauty – and their own – to do anything other than enjoy themselves, staying up late to party and rising early in the golden morning light to swim or surf in the cool ocean. It’s the ultimate destination for healthy hedonists – hang glide, surf or hike by day and party all night.

Beyond the beach, though, there is culture here too if you know where to look – some great art and architecture, some interesting museums and the notorious favelas; for nature lovers, the city is surrounded by hummingbird-filled rainforest.

The biggest draw of all though is, of course, Rio’s world-famous Carnival – like a pilgrimage to Mecca, everyone should see it at least once.

Asia’s most cosmopolitan city dazzles like no other, with its pretty puzzle of mountains and harbour, malls and markets, high-rises, temples and trams.

The landscape constantly amazes, while the pace of life is relentlessly exciting day and night – Hong Kong doesn’t so much tick boxes as fill them out in technicolour.

Superb food and shopping are two of Hong Kong’s main draws, but don’t come expecting the bargains of yesteryear from the city’s famous markets.

However, Hong Kong’s million-dollar harbourside views won’t cost you a bean, and the five-minute hop across Victoria Harbour on the iconic Star Ferry is the perfect introduction to the city.

Turkey’s holiday heartland is a swathe of mountain-backed coastline blessed with spectacular beaches, verdant uplands and a profusion of classical ruins, not to mention world-renowned cuisine.

Good roads and public transport make it easy to range widely and independently across this beautiful area, one perfectly suited to outdoor activities ranging from trail walking to canyoning, paragliding to kayaking.

From busy resorts like Bodrum to somnolent seaside paradises like Kekova, there’s something for beach lovers, culture vultures, outdoor enthusiasts and young families alike.

This little Central American country is half the size of Virginia yet it packs in a continent’s worth of landscapes. There are dramatic mountain ranges studded with smoking volcanoes, wild beaches pounded by rolling surf and fringed with coral reef and pristine, bird-trilling rainforests.

More than ten percent of the country’s landscapes are protected. You’re coming here for the wealth of wildlife – from vast schools of hammerhead sharks gathering over reefs at Cocos Island, to the turtle-wriggling beaches of Tortuguero and the jaguar-prowled forests of the Osa Peninsula. See it all on canopy walkways and zip-lines, kayaking or white-water rafting down rainforest-choked rivers, or hiking to see waterfalls.

The Chinese capital sits at the heart of the national consciousness as its political, cultural and emotional nexus.

A vast city, Beijing is best known for its ancient temples, palaces and proximity to the Great Wall of China, but dig a little deeper and you’ll find a thriving contemporary art scene, walkable old neighbourhoods with stylish cafes and boutiques, and a culinary safari of regional Chinese delicacies.

A megacity in the making, vast malls and skyscrapers are juxtaposed with a shrinking number of charming traditional hutong (historic residential alleyways) and backstreet lanes.

Greater affluence and an increasingly youthful vibe have created a diverse dining and nightlife scene, while mall shopping is a well-catered-to pastime for Beijingers.

With talcum-powder fine beaches, coral reefs, Mayan temples set in hummingbird-filled jungles and clear-water rivers teeming with life, the Maya Riviera mixes exotic beachside luxury with romantic light adventure.

It’s great for couples: with strings of romantic, low-lit beachside hotels, where you can sip cocktails in the Jacuzzi to the sound of lapping waves and trilling cicadas. With big resorts with toddler-friendly pools and waterslides, and a legion of carefully-curated adventure parks it’s good for families too.

And there’s plenty of adventure – with forests littered with astonishing Mayan ruins, reef and cave dives, snorkelling with whale sharks or manatees, creek kayaking, zip-lining and hikes through pristine rainforest.

The city-state of Dubai is the most populous of the seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates (UAE), located on the south coast of the Arabian Gulf.

Yet it’s a total one-off; from audacious architecture and shiny mega-malls to busy Dubai Creek and its glittering gold souk, this cosmopolitan Arabian hub is a shrine to excess like no other. By day, it’s all about soaking up the sunshine on the city’s many long, golden beaches and splashing in the turquoise sea.

After dark, you’ll be losing yourself in the souks and haggling for carpets, feasting on Arabic food, and enjoying the balmy nightlife. Casual diners can snack on shawarma wraps and sip fresh mango juice, while luxe-loving jetsetters can savour degustation menus by internationally-renowned chefs, and drink cocktails at some of the world’s best hotels.

Dubai for families

By many standards Dubai is an exceptional place – when they do something here it’s usually either the biggest in the world, or a world first. Perhaps not surprising then that few, if any, cities can rival Dubai for a family holiday.

Hotels are exceptionally family-friendly, with plenty of bed and bedroom configurations, kids’ meals, space for play and facilities galore (including kids’ clubs). Then, there’s a prevalence of good weather, golden sand beaches and waterparks – a heady mix for any kid.

Even a trip to the shopping mall – usually an occasion of dread for the little nippers – can yield skiing, ice skating, giant aquariums, waterfalls, cinemas, oversized toy shops and more in Dubai’s mega shopping malls slash entertainment centres.

Last, but not least, there there are a ridiculous number of specialist family attractions and activities on offer. Here’s our round-up of some of the best.

One of the world’s busiest and most-populated cities, Japan’s capital can be quite a culture shock for first-timers. In places, it’s overrun with crowds, concrete and high-rise, yet you’ll also find quiet neighbourhoods, sprawling parks, and traditional gardens.

There’s cutting-edge tech and ever-changing fashions, but also a fondness for the traditional ways that underpin society – you’ll see that in the way people bow. It’s become cliched to say Tokyo is where old meets new – but it’s true.

Here you can still (and must) experience the unique traditions of Japan: stay in a ryokan (a traditional inn), feast on a kaisheki-ryori dinner, partake in a traditional Japanese tea ceremony (regaled in a kimono), and perhaps, even, train to be a samurai (or a ninja).

And it’s absolutely true that Tokyo is one of the great culinary capitals – you could dine out on something different every night for a month and still have barely scratched the surface.

It may be home to Hollywood and Beverly Hills, but the City of Angels is more than just a la-la land of celebrities and Real Housewives.

This vibrant metropolis manages to check all the cosmopolitan capital boxes, from a buzzy art scene to top-notch dining.

Of course, it’s not all metro-fabulous here, and LA’s near-perfect natural setting between ocean, mountains and desert is a dream for outdoor adventurers – and who couldn’t love the weather?

But at the heart of it all is Hollywood, the economic wheel that keeps this celebrity drop-top rolling on.

For nature in the raw, nowhere on earth compares to Iceland. Pocked by volcanoes, rocked by tectonic forces and coated in vast ice sheets, this strange volcanic island offers a smorgasbord of wild, weird experiences.

In a single day, you could find yourself hiking onto a glacier, strolling across a black sand beach, delving into a frozen ice cave, descending into a petrified lava tube or chilling out in a geothermal lagoon under the flickering lights of the Northern Lights Aurora Borealis.

Iceland is a paradise for nature lovers and adventurous travellers: savour every second.

Remote, windswept and thinly populated, New Zealand’s South Island isn’t the obvious candidate for international tourism celebrity.

But for many people who live in the post-industrial cities of Western Europe and North America, this place is a primordial playground where you can ski, snowboard, hike, kayak and bungee jump to your heart’s content. The only factories here are wineries, breweries and Queenstown – a place devoted entirely to carefree fun.

The fact that most Kiwis are terribly nice makes travelling here even more pleasant. Strip away the backpacker veneer, however, and you’ll find a much more complex and intriguing destination coloured by compelling Maori culture.

And for nature and outdoor adventure, there are few places, if any, that can match it.

A compact, sexy, urban retreat, Copenhagen is arguably the most stylish, progressive and tastiest of all the Nordic capitals.

Copenhagen stands out on the cultural front. Spend afternoons gazing at Gothic churches, browsing ultra-modern design shops, or taking in a clutch of cutting-edge modern art and design museums, before spending long evenings in quiet cafés and laidback jazz clubs.

It’s also become a foodie capital – the wildly experimental Noma, voted the world’s best restaurant – has spawned an exciting culinary scene of worldwide acclaimed restaurants, alongside farmers’ markets and a strong local produce movement.

A network of canals begs to be explored by boat or kayak, while castles, royal gardens and Viking exhibitions, offering a glimpse into the city’s rich and varied past, enthral every visitor. Indeed, whatever your interests, sophisticated, culture- and character-filled, foodie Copenhagen never disappoints.

San Francisco often gets second billing to its celeb-filled sister down south, but the stunningly-pretty bayside city full of Victorian manses and fog-shrouded, steeply-sloping streets packs plenty of charm. What started as a boomtown during Gold Rush days has emerged as one of the US’s most vibrant and interesting metropolises.

From brand-name attractions (the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz) and artsy offerings (museums and galleries galore), to diverse neighbourhoods conveying their own hyper-local style – not to mention the innovative chefs fuelling (arguably) the State’s best culinary scene – it’s easy, as Tony Bennett croons, to leave your heart in San Francisco.

San Sebastian – also known as Donostia – has the charm of an elegant, aristocratic beach resort, mashed up with some of the best fine dining in the world. With 18 Michelin-starred restaurants in total – the most stars per square kilometre of anywhere outside of Kyoto – foodies come flocking from all over the globe to taste its boundary-pushing cuisine. There are hundreds of informal, laid-back bars, too, nearly all serving glorious pintxos (the Basque of tapas, skewered on toothpicks) late into the night.

The setting is pure enchantment: three beautiful beaches (including the enormous city centre La Concha and Zurriola, the Basque country’s top surfing beach) framed by emerald mountains facing the rolling Atlantic. It’s a gateway to the Basque Country, too – home to rolling green countryside, fishing villages, wineries and historic buildings so dramatically set that they were used in Game of Thrones.

San Sebastian is a city of great character, with an active, as well as an indulgent, side: try surfing, paddle a kayak or SUP to the pretty wooded islet of Santa Clara, or cycle the invigorating coastline.

The Highlands is a land of tartan-clad myth and legend: a dramatic, mountainous region, twice the size of Wales, slashed with jagged lochs and peppered with gnarled castles.

It’s a magnet for history buffs, a world-class adventure playground and a hotspot for wildlife enthusiasts: magnificent stags roam across mist-shrouded moorland while golden eagles soar overhead.

There are wild, deserted beaches to tramp and empty roads snaking through forest-fringed glens sprinkled with whisky distilleries – perfect road-trip territory.

And for the end of the day, there are cosy castle hotels where you can tuck into wild venison or salmon from the rushing rivers.

Uluru, the world’s largest rock monolith, is synonymous with Outback Australia. Alongside the Sydney Opera House, it is perhaps Australia’s most iconic sight.

But The Rock is at the centre of a living cultural landscape known as the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, a vast area of desert containing several other major draws – the domes of Kata Tjuta, Walpa Gorge and The Valley of the Winds. A few hours away, in neighbouring Watarrka National Park, is another extraordinary natural phenomenon – Kings Canyon.

It’s the place to come to experience the Australian outback, Crocodile Dundee-style. As well as admiring the jaw-dropping geology, you can sleep out in swag bags, sample bush tucker, dine under a billion stars and spot kangaroos.

Now under the control of its traditional owners – the ‘Anangu’ – the park offers a unique opportunity to experience and learn about the planet’s oldest living culture – the indigenous Aboriginal people. The local Anangu people offer a variety of excellent tours and activities – from guided walks to didgeridoo lessons and dot painting workshops.

Tropical North Queensland is a global eco-tourism hotspot, blessed with two of the world’s greatest natural wonders: the Great Barrier Reef and the ancient rainforests of the World Heritage-listed Daintree National Park.

While most tourists looking to experience them head for backpacker-central Cairns, those looking for a more upscale, genteel base could no better than Port Douglas, Queensland’s smartest beach destination. The swanky, cosmopolitan town is home to upscale restaurants and shops, spas, swish hotels and a yacht-filled marina, and has increasingly become both a culinary and wellness destination.

It’s the ideal base from which to explore both reef and rainforest. It’s also a great place to experience and appreciate indigenous Aboriginal culture. The local Kuku Yalanji people have lived in the Daintree area for over 50,000 years and offer excellent and authentic guided forest walks, art classes and food gathering excursions.

No longer Japan’s capital, but still very much the country’s traditional heart, Kyoto wears its past with pride.

More than 1,000 years as Japan’s political, spiritual and cultural centre have left an incredible legacy of World Heritage temples, shrines and palaces.

Shop for traditional crafts, splurge on the most sublime Japanese cuisine, stroll in pristinely-manicured gardens and spend the night at a historic inn. You might even spot an enigmatic geisha or two. Kyoto is where old Japan still lives and breathes.

Cappadocia is a fantasy land where the soft rock has weathered into a profusion of arches, caverns and eye-popping protuberances that resemble gigantic mushrooms or massive meringues.

The locals have followed nature’s example, hollowing the volcanic stone into homes, barns, fresco-painted Byzantine-era churches, and even so-called underground cities, enormous warrens where whole communities once sheltered from raiding Saracens and Mongols.

Of particular appeal to the culturally curious and to walkers alike, Cappadocia has in recent years acquired a wealth of architecturally distinctive and delightful hotels.

The natural beauty and culture of this World Heritage Site can now be experienced in levels of comfort and sophistication not associated with Turkey’s steppe interior.

From Matt: despite Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, we’ve left Russian content up on our site. There’s no reason you can’t add Russia to your travel bucket list for future visits. The war, and Putin, won’t last forever, and then we hope you go back. There are many innocent Russian people whose livelihoods depend on tourism, suffering greatly too from the actions of this evil dictator and his cronies.

Peter the Great’s exquisite maritime imperial capital has dazzled visitors since its founding in 1703; the city’s wide boulevards, spectacular churches and glittering palaces forming a backdrop to 400 years of Russia’s turbulent history.

Seismic events have left their mark on St Petersburg, most particularly the revolutions of 1917, which took place in the city’s streets and squares, and World War II, in which the city survived a gruelling 900-day siege, resulting in the deaths of over one million of the inhabitants through starvation.

Originally designed as a ‘Window on the West’, St Petersburg continues to fulfil that role today. This most European of Russian cities has always been characterized by dynamic change and a restless energy that inspired Russian intellectuals and politicians throughout its existence, as it still does today.

Russia’s vibrant cultural capital attracts creative minds of all kinds, and a programme of renovation in the city centre has seen world-class art galleries, restaurants and bars opening up, alongside super-stylish hotels.

More than three decades after the Wall fell, Berlin still seems to be in a perpetual state of flux and this extraordinary dynamism shows through in the city’s innovative fashion, culture and arts scenes. Before you can say ‘uber-hip’, your favourite boutique, gallery or nightclub has shut, moved or reopened as something else.

Berlin’s reputation as a den of decadence is well deserved, but there’s so much more to this cosmopolitan, history-laden capital. You’ll find some of the world’s finest museums, sophisticated cuisine, inviting green spaces and an incredible tapestry of buildings historic and modern – testimony to a rich, tumultuous past.

Knowing it’s the home of Santa would normally be enough to get any kid (and maybe even some of us adults) excited about a holiday here, but Lapland is no one-trick playground.

One of Europe’s last great wilderness areas, Lapland is a vast panorama of lakes, moors and coniferous forest – an outdoor adventure paradise. Santa aside, visitors come for the snowy thrills: husky dog sledding, snowmobiling, ice fishing, ice skating, and ice slides. You can also learn to build igloos, sleep in igloos, (luxury ones if you don’t fancy the real thing), and dine and sleep in restaurants and hotels made from ice.  Every bucket list winter activity is here, and more.

Don’t discount summer though for excellent hiking, biking, fishing and even husky dog sledding – on wheels. The lack of urbanisation, with associated artificial lighting, also makes it one of the best places to see the Northern Lights at their glorious best.

Whenever you go, be sure to experience the local specialty: a smoke sauna, followed by a (freezing?) dip in a lake. (Warning: the kids may opt out of this one, especially if you follow strict Finnish tradition and take off all of your clothes).

Also look out for the colourful local Sami people, who still follow traditions dating back centuries, living a sustainable lifestyle in perfect harmony with this harsh environment and its wildlife.

The Amazon Basin covers an area half as big again as India and with as great a variety. And like the Himalayas or the Sahara, it is the landscapes which overwhelm – huge waterfalls tumbling off table-top mountains, black, coffee-with-milk and blue rivers so wide you cannot see the far bank, fragrant cloud forests covered in wispy moss. While the Amazon is fabulous for bird life, it is not a safari destination. Larger animals are almost impossible to see in the dense forests.

Visits vary enormously – from stays in jungle lodges as easy and comfortable as a Southeast Asian beach hotel, to full-on expeditions – depending on the hub location you choose. The Amazon is suitable for all ages and all levels of fitness, though in general, any visit will involve some adventurous activity – short hikes, swimming in rivers or lakes and sitting in launches – often on hard seats.

Agoraphobes take note; Namibia is probably not for you. But if you love wildlife and wide-open spaces, pristine landscapes and towns in a time warp, then this quiet corner of southern Africa should be top of your list.

You won’t need more than a night in Windhoek, the capital city, and from there the country is your sandy seductive oyster: south to the ancient dunes of Sossusvlei, west to the quirky seaside town Swakopmund, or north to the game-rich plains of Etosha and verdant rivers of the Zambezi region.

It’s wild, welcoming and one of the most affordable destinations in Africa.

This jewel box of splendid architecture has it all, from fascinating history to haute couture and world-class art, and a beguiling, endearing culture enriched by cavernous beer halls, traditional Bavarian garb and incomparable oompah bands. In October it hosts the world-famous, irrepressible and irresistible Oktoberfest.

One of Europe’s oldest capitals, Lisbon is also one of the most charming and genuine, emerging as a hip and affordable destination after years in the shadows.

There’s more than Fado clubs and cute trams in the ‘City of Seven Hills’: Lisbon offers outstanding historic monuments, intimate winding lanes, enchanting views and the river Tagus, lined with cafés and promenades, bathed in radiant light.

The food and wine, shopping and exuberant nightlife are superb. Sandy beaches for surfing, swimming or sunbathing are a short hop away, while seaside Cascais, the fabled resort of Estoril, and romantic Sintra make unforgettable day trips.

A 25-mile sliver of land just offshore from Miami that’s home to golden beaches, superb food & drink, and a feast of stunning Art Deco architecture  – all infused with a beguiling Cuban-inspired vibe. It’s also a great base for thrilling air boating & alligator spotting in the wilds of the Everglades.

This centuries-old fishing port, filled with beautifully restored, centuries-old wooden houses, has long bewitched visitors, from Vikings and Hanseatic merchants to modern-day travellers. It’s  also the main gateway to exploring Norway’s magnificent fjords.

Nearly 3km wide and 80m high, and with enough water to fill 36 Olympic swimming pools every minute, the Iguazu Falls on the border of Brazil and Argentina, are one of the world’s great natural wonders.

As are their rainforest surroundings – protected by two national parks covering over 2,200 sq km of sub-tropical Atlantic coastal rainforest and with some of the highest biodiversity on Earth.

Alongside the main attraction, there’s plenty to do and see – from rainforest hikes to white-water rafting, and a string of gorgeous falls-side hotels and true rainforest retreats.

Cambodia’s most visited city is home to the spectacular Khmer temple city of Angkor Wat and dozens of other dazzling ruins buried deep within the jungle. But it’s no tourist honeypot – it’s charming and wonderfully atmospheric too.

With its unique tapestry of ancient history, culture, and natural wonders, Egypt is a country – and a bucket list destination – like no other. It’s a captivating land of mystical allure that unfolds like a living museum.

But if you’re interested in a trip that ticks off all the bucket list sights relating to the ancient Egyptians, you need to plan on (at least) three stops.

First Cairo, Egypt’s capital, home of the incredible Pyramids of Giza, and the astonishing new pyramids and tombs being constantly discovered in nearby Saqqara. The world-renowned Egyptian Museum here holds a treasure trove of ancient Egyptian artefacts, including those found in the tomb of the boy pharaoh Tutankhamun.

Second, 700km to the south is Luxor, home of the extraordinary tomb-filled valleys, and the colossal temples at Karnak.

Third, further south still, exotic Aswan, your staging point for visiting one of the world’s greatest ancient sites at Abu Simbel, the Temple of Ramasses II.

Cruises down the legendary Nile river, in the footsteps of the great pharaohs, will take in all the major stops. Most visitors will fly from Cairo to Luxor, then cruise to Aswan, but you can cruise all the way from Cairo. You can also cruise from Aswan to Abu Simbel across the beautiful and less-crowded Lake Nasser. Wherever you start from, it’s an unforgettable odyssey watching Egypt’s rich tapestry of history, culture, and timless landscapes slowly unfold.

The Czech capital is a city of bold innovation in cuisine, the arts and sport, yet its winding old streets host Gothic spires, Renaissance castle halls and baroque facades speak to an eternal quality of art pervading everyday life. It’s especially known for classical music; Dvorak was from here, Mozart a frequent visitor.

The exotic ‘Spice Island’ is home to a beguiling mix of Swahili, Persian, Omani and African cultures, in a setting of dreamy postcard-perfect white sand beaches. Oh, and there’s pristine, world-class diving and snorkelling too.

A magical Middle Eastern mix of ancient sites, sublime scenery, enchanting eco-lodges, spas and superb diving. It’s most famously home to the lost city of Petra, and the salty waters of the enigmatic Dead Sea.

This alluring, spiritual land of ancient temples, lush tea plantations, delicious aromatic cuisine and pristine beaches is tropical paradise meets cultural splendour – a delight for both cultural and adventure travellers. Highlights include the Sigiriya Rock Fortress and swimming with blue whales.

This idyllic archipelago is a lot more than a tropical paradise with azure waters and swaying palm trees. Dramatic scenery, volcanoes, seas filled with marine life make for an adventurers paradise; the aloha spirit and exuberant Polynesian culture make it uniquely unforgettable.

To many, Antarctica is the ultimate cruise prize, for the wildlife, the incredible scenery and the sheer remoteness. You’ll be surrounded by mountains, some of them 8,000 feet high, their peaks and ridges softened by snow.

On fine days, the sky is an unfiltered cobalt blue. Vast, blue-white icebergs in dramatic shapes are strewn across the freezing sea. Penguins bustle about their business, seals bask on the rocks and whales feed in plankton-rich waters.

Stepping ashore is an incredible feeling, as is kayaking slowly through the ice. Some companies allow camping on the ice and even skiing, while others offer underwater drones and even tethered hot air balloons.

More immersive itineraries also visit South Georgia to see the enormous colonies of king penguins and follow in the footsteps of Shackleton, while others visit the Falklands, for its concentration of wildlife and military history.

A visit here is a life-changing experience. You’ll see wildlife that exists nowhere else, from prehistoric-looking iguanas to penguins, blue-footed boobies, giant tortoises and sharks. Extraordinary wildlife encounters take place against a backdrop of ancient volcanoes, jagged lava rocks, cacti and beaches of powdery white.

A dreamscape of sun-kissed beaches, crystal-clear lagoons, and vibrant coral reefs teeming with marine life, with a laid-back island culture. Peppered with luxurious resorts and indulgent spa retreats, it’s no wonder it’s a haven for romance – if you can’t afford the price tag.

One of China’s most awe-inspiring archaeological sites and tourism attractions, the incredibly life-like terracotta warriors (and military horses) were commissioned in the 3rd century BC by Emperor Qin Shihuang to guard his monumental underground mausoleum on the advent of his death.

First unearthed by accident near Xi’an in 1974, to date more than 6,000 life-size warriors have been found – each unique – with an estimated 2,000 more yet to be excavated. The thousands of life-sized warriors are set in infantry formation in three vast covered pits.