World’s best cities, culture and natural treasures for 2018 revealed in the traveller’s bible
Wondering where to travel next year? Wonder no more. The travel editors of one the most recognised magazines, National Geographic, have chosen the best destinations for 2018 and we cannot agree more with their selection.
In their annual recommendation for best trips, they have selected 21 locations according to interesting cities, nature or cultural background.
“The No. 1 question we get from our 9.6 million readers is, ‘Where should I go next?’ Our Best of the World list responds to that question with 21 timely destinations that make for a year of transformative travels,” said George Stone, National Geographic Traveler editor in chief.
“With 15 international editions, National Geographic Traveler has a global team of writers, photographers and travel experts who helped build our list and report on these stellar places.”
Harar in Ethiopia, dominated the category of culture and ranked number one overall. It caught the editors’ attention for its maze of alleys lined with colourful walls in the Old Town, and for the reputation as a City of Saints that boasts 82 mosques.
Tourists also love it for Ethiopia’s best beer, strongest khat (an ubiquitous narcotic plant), and the highest quality coffee.
Cleveland in Ohio, USA, rocked in the cultural section as well. It has become a place where visitors can celebrate the industrial city’s revival with numerous venues for indie music, hip-hop and arts.
Tétouan in Morocco was chosen for traditional artisans that carry on creating carpets, but mainly for the contemporary Moroccan arts that blossom in vast proportions there.
“We looked for cities that bustle with new energy and intrigue; parklands that percolate with vitality and ecological protection; and communities rich in local character that offer opportunities for cultural engagement,” Stone said.
The mixture of Persian, Arab, Byzantine, Ottoman, Russian, and Soviet-influenced architecture made Georgia’s capital Tbilisi number one in the category of cities, and the magazine recommends it to experience its authentic charm.
Being Europe’s largest village, Dublin is a place where everybody can feel at home and Sweden’s third largest city, Malmo, is a new mecca for foodies.
The most miraculous nature can be found on the island of lemurs, Madagascar. It is home to about 100 species of the beautiful animal and to a wholesome and unique ecosystem.
Albania offers large underwater spaces full of “sunken aqueducts, shipwrecks, and rarely visited caves are a few of the relatively untouched treasure” and the Argentinian province of Jujuy is the right place where you can “hang with nature-made rock stars”.
Stone said: “Packed with surprise, humour and relevance, our list advances our National Geographic mission to explore, conserve and share unforgettable stories about the best of our world.”
The 2018 Best of the World destinations are:
CITIES
- Dublin, Ireland
- Malmö, Sweden
- Phnom Penh, Cambodia
- San Antonio, Texas
- Santiago, Chile
- Sydney, Australia
- Tbilisi, Georgia
CULTURE
- Cleveland, Ohio
- Friesland, Netherlands
- Harar, Ethiopia
- Labrador, Canada
- Oaxaca, Mexico
- Tétouan, Morocco
- Vienna, Austria
NATURE
- Albania
- Jordan Trail, Jordan
- Jujuy Province, Argentina
- Madagascar
- Oahu, Hawaii
- Ruaha NP, Tanzania
- Seoraksan National Park, South Korea
