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Learn how to easily plan your dream trip to Iceland with helpful guides and tips!

Best (And Worst) Time To Visit Iceland (Month By Month!)

February 19, 2022 //  by  Iceland Trippers //   Leave a Comment

Deciding on the best time to visit Iceland for your needs is one of the most important parts of planning an Iceland trip. If you are unsure where to start, we have made it super easy for you by explaining what you can expect month by month.

This complete guide to the months and seasons of Iceland will fully prepare you for your trip. All of the most common questions are answered, such as when to see special things like the Northern Lights, lupine flowers, and puffins.

Planning your trip to Iceland last minute?

Make sure to book your hotels and tours in Iceland in advance to ensure availability! The longer you wait, the more difficult it gets. Here are my top picks for your trip :

Top Experiences And Tours In Iceland:

• Golden Circle Full Day Tour From Reykjavik (Likely to sell out!)
• Silfra Snorkeling Tour (Includes photos + only small group)
• South Of Iceland Full Day Trip (Our pick!)
• Whale Watching In Reykjavik (On a luxury yacht)
• Northern Lights Bus Tour (Great to go with a local)
• Ice Cave Tour And Glacier Hike (Likely to sell out)

Tickets You MUST book in advance:

• Keflavik > Reykjavik Bus Airport Transfer (Skip the line!)
• Sky Lagoon Entrance Ticket (Includes 7-step spa ritual)
• Blue Lagoon Entry Ticket With Drink (Likely to sell out!)

Top picks for places to stay in Iceland:

• Hotel South Coast (Great central location)
• Grandi Reykjavik (Includes free breakfast)
• Hotel Kria (Close to black sand beach)
• Hotel Skaftafell (Mid-range price)

Iceland is amazing , but it is also a country that must be taken seriously. Winter in Iceland is beautiful, but you must plan accordingly if that is when you are planning to visit. However, even summer has its drawbacks.

Not to worry, we have all the information you need to check off all of your Iceland dreams. The best months to visit Iceland might depend a little bit on the season, but it depends the most on you!

Get a FREE printable “Hidden Gems In Iceland” E-book by joining our private  Iceland Facebook Group  and sharing your photos and asking for tips and tricks.

High and Low Seasons for Visiting Iceland

Like any popular tourist destination, Iceland has an “on” season and an “off” season. These times are otherwise referred to as high and low seasons (with the in-betweens being called shoulders).

The high season is when the majority of the tourists come to visit. This is generally due to the nice weather and ease of access. This is when most people plan their Iceland itinerary !

But just because the weather is colder in the low season does not mean you should not visit! Many people enjoy the low and shoulder seasons more because there are fewer crowds and it is cheaper, making it the best time to travel to Iceland for a lot of people.

You might be surprised to learn that there are indoor and outdoor activities for all of the seasons. Iceland is beautiful inside and out no matter when you visit.

High Season: June-August

Summer, summer, summer! This is the high season in Iceland for the obvious reasons: weather and temperature. It is undeniably the best weather to visit Iceland with much more sun and higher temperatures.

However, this is also by far the most expensive time to visit Iceland. Airfare, hotel fees, food prices–everything costs a pretty penny during the summer.

Not to mention the crowds. The high season is high season because it is when most people visit Iceland.

While the cost and the crowds are pretty big negatives, the high season has phenomenal positives as well. Especially if you are wanting to go to Iceland for the great outdoors. Most roads will be open during this time as well.

At the end of the day, it is all about your priorities. If weather and being able to spend the maximum time outside every day is your top priority, you are going to want to come to Iceland during the high season.

Shoulder Season: Sept-Oct & April-May

Shoulder seasons are the traveling industry’s best-kept secret. Okay, so it is not super-secret, but it still is not something people talk about as much as they should.

We hear about the high and low seasons all the time, but not so much about the shoulder seasons. They are the very beginning and the very ending of the classic tourism season.

This means that there are still more people than in the low season, but not the huge crowds of the high season. Prices are a little higher too, but still generally reasonable.

The best part of the shoulder season is that the weather is still reasonable. It may not be as great as the high season, but still totally tolerable!

Low Season: November-March

The low season in Iceland is during the typical winter months. For a country named after ice, Iceland’s winters are not that bad!

While there are some road closures, the country is still quite explorable and traversable during the cold months. And if you are coming to see the Northern Lights, this is the time to do it!

This is also the time to come if you are on a serious budget and need to take advantage of the low season prices. Traveling does not have to empty out your bank account.

The lack of crowds makes it the best season to visit Iceland on a budget! There are some trade-offs for coming during the off-season in Iceland, but there are some definite benefits too. This is actually our favorite time to go!

As we said above, the best time to visit Iceland depends on your Iceland priorities!

Visit Iceland in Summer if You:

-Love the idea of 24-hour sunshine.  Ah, the midnight sun–you are not alone if this is on your bucket list ! If you have dreamt of Iceland’s 24-hour daylight, the summer might be the best time for you to visit.

-Are enamored with the brilliant green of summer.  Iceland starts greening back up in the spring, but summer is the best time to visit Iceland if you want to see green everywhere.

The iconic lupine flowers bloom in June and July as well, creating swatches of purple across the landscape. If you want to photograph these flowers make sure to time your trip right.

-Want the best chance to spot whales. Whale watching is a popular tour in Iceland. The magnificent beasts can be spotted offshore from April through October, but the peak time to see them is in the summer.

In summer, more species are in the area and boat tours are less likely to get canceled because of weather.

-Plan on camping. Since the weather is calmer and less unpredictable during the summer, camping in Iceland is a better option for this season. You will have the least rainfall and less wind. This is especially good if you are tent camping.

-Are not bothered by crowds. Everyone loves the gorgeous, summer Iceland scenery. And we mean everyone . Iceland is a super crowded place in summer so keep that in mind.

If you hate crowds, you can still do alright coming in the summer. You will just want to visit the less popular places in the country. They may be less popular, but Iceland is amazing no matter where you go.

-Are totally invested in the traditional sense (read: financially).  If you are not concerned about how much your trip to Iceland is going to cost, that saves you a lot of seasonal concerns.

Iceland is stunning in the summer, and we cannot blame you for wanting to visit when everything is so vibrant.

Just keep in mind that it is already expensive to travel to Iceland, let alone during the summer. During the high season, top tourist destinations and locations charge top dollar for everything.

Visit Iceland in Winter if You:

-Want to spot the Northern Lights.  You can see the Northern Lights in the fall, but there is a caveat. You will have to stay up until around 2 am. If staying up all night is not your vibe, then winter is the best time to go to Iceland to see the Northern Lights!

In winter, there are not many daylight hours. The sun is only up from around 11 am to 3 pm. However, the increased darkness means a better chance of spotting the Northern Lights. Around midnight is the best time to spot them, but earlier or later is possible too.

-Want to visit an ice cave. The incredibly-formed ice caves are some of the best natural features in Iceland and can only be visited in the winter. Tours are lead from November to March.

-Love a good winter wonderland.  There is just something magical about the way snow completely changes Iceland’s landscape. Many people absolutely love coming to Iceland during this time of year because of this.

If you love the beauty of winter, then it is the best time to visit Iceland! Keep in mind that snow has drawbacks since some roads will be closed.

-Want to stand out from the crowd.  While a lot of people enjoy Iceland in the winter, the number of people who go is nothing compared to the summer.

If you are looking to do something a little different and unique, winter just might be the best time for your visit to Iceland. It certainly is not a bad time!

Visit Iceland in Fall if You:

-Do not like crowds but still want to see the Northern Lights.  Even though this is the off-season, it is prime viewing time for the Northern Lights.

This is because the weather is so nice! You do not have to freeze to see the Northern Lights, just come during the fall.

An extra bonus is that there are really not very many tourists during this time. Fall is the best time of the year to visit Iceland if you want to miss the crowds and do not mind coming when it is a little colder.

-Love fall colors. Iceland is not a country that is typically praised for its fall foliage, mostly because there are not many trees. However, what trees there are turn golden along with the grasses, to create a beautiful landscape.

-Want to experience the Iceland Airwaves music festival.  If you have not already heard about it then you might not know what a big deal the Iceland Airwaves music festival is. But if you have heard of it then you already know that it is a must-see!

It is a super popular music festival that happens each fall in Iceland. Usually, it is held sometime in November, but do an internet search to find the exact date.

If you love music, this festival is a great addition to your Iceland plans! Fall is the best time to go to Iceland to check it out!

Visit Iceland in Spring if You:

-Love puffins!   Spring is the best time to visit Iceland if you want to see puffins . These adorable birds start arriving around April for their yearly nesting.

Puffins are some of the cutest birds out there, and you can find them all over! If you are coming to catch sight of or photograph them, just check in advance to make sure they will be in the area where you are going.

-Want to road trip without snow.  As we said above, some of the roads can close in the winter. Spring is the best time to come to Iceland for better weather and open roads. That melting snow also helps to make the waterfalls flow stronger.

Not to mention that the world is coming back to life in the most beautiful way! There is something about the colorful bursts of color against the gray of winter that makes spring like no other season.

Best Time to See Northern Lights in Iceland

If you are interested in the Northern Lights, you are interested in Iceland! While there are many different places to see the Northern Lights in the world, Iceland is hard to beat.

Especially considering that there are places where you can watch them from a hot tub! The Northern Lights In Iceland are a huge draw, and if they are the reason you are coming you are not alone!

If you are wondering what is the best month to see the Northern Lights in Iceland, there are a few choices. It is possible to see the Northern Lights any month between the end of September and the end of March.

Just like the sun is out all night during summer, the nights are very long in the winter. The closer to mid-winter you visit, the longer the night and thus the higher chance of seeing the lights.

You definitely will not be able to see them during the summer! Winter is when you should book your Iceland trip if the Northern Lights are a priority.

Cheapest Time to Visit Iceland

Unfortunately, Iceland is one of the more expensive countries to visit. We have gone over and over because we believe the experience is worth the money .

However, there are things you can do to make your trip much less expensive. One of those things is visiting during the Iceland off-season.

If it is your goal to do Iceland without dumping a ton of cash, we absolutely recommend the shoulder seasons or winter. Visiting right before or right after the high season of summer can save you a lot of money.

If saving money is a high priority, winter is absolutely the best time to visit Iceland. And pro tip: use grocery stores to cut down on costs even more!

Iceland Weather Breakdown by Month

So far we have been referring to entire seasons, but we know that is kind of broad. Especially when you are planning the trip of a lifetime!

That is why we are going to break everything about Iceland Weather down month by month . This way you can know exactly what to expect.

After all, sometimes the best time to visit Iceland is simply when it best fits into your life. Whenever you make the trip, our month-by-month breakdown will help you make the most of it.

Iceland Weather in January

Happy New Year! January is a great time to visit Iceland. During this time of year you will find highs of about 36 ° F and lows of about 27 ° F.

Is that warmer than you expected? For a country named after ice, Iceland’s winters are actually quite moderate when compared with a lot of other places in the world!

That being said, January in Iceland is the coldest and windiest month. You will want to bring warm clothing and dress appropriately! Expect lots of snow and ice.

Iceland Weather in February

Honestly, the temperatures do not change much in February. What does change is the hours of daylight!

At the beginning of January, you will only get about 4 hours of daylight a day. By the end of February, this increases to about 10 hours.

February is a great month to come because there is more daylight but the crowds and costs are still at a minimum. Check out our post on things to know before you visit Iceland in February!

Iceland Weather in March

March continues with the increase in daylight hours, with about 13 hours of sunshine a day by the end of the month.

Winter weather continues in Iceland in March , although it starts sticking more to the mountaintops and less to the streets. As with most places, the weather is also better in southern Iceland than in northern Iceland.

However, it is still cold pretty much everywhere. We are getting closer to spring, but you would not really know it yet. The temperatures are still averaging between 27 ° F and 36 ° F.

Iceland Weather in April

The weather finally begins to make a bit of a change in April. Temperatures range between 32 ° F and 41 ° F during this warmer month.

What is more, there is a lot less snow! Spring starts to show its face about this time, with the country beginning to green back up again. Migratory birds start to return, including puffins.

We are also looking at around 17 hours of daylight in April as we officially move out of the low season and into the shoulder season. Don’t forget to check out this post about visiting Iceland in April!

Iceland Weather in May

May is seriously one of the best times to visit Iceland! Especially if you love the sun! The days have 20 hours or more of sunlight. It is also the driest month, with the least rainfall.

The highs are also much closer to 50 ° F, which means you almost do not even need a jacket depending on where you are from.

Of course, you will still want to bring your jackets . While the weather is much more temperate, there will still be some cold days. However, it is totally livable and the country is also becoming so much more green!

Iceland in May is also still shoulder season, which means you will not have to try so hard to find your own space while enjoying the sunshine.

Iceland Weather in June

Welcome to high season! While it is called the high season because it is most popular among tourists, June in Iceland is also the high season for the longest days.

If getting the most out of each day is important to you, then June is the best month to visit Iceland. You can explore for many more hours in daylight.

June nights only last for about 3 hours, beginning around 11:30 PM! Yeah, blackout curtains are a big thing in Iceland summers!

While the highs average around 52 ° F, they can get much higher than that. June is the beginning of summer, and also the beginning of real warmth.

Iceland Weather in July

Now, if you are interested in heat rather than warmth , July might be a better time to visit Iceland. It is the best time of year to visit Iceland for heat, as the hottest month of the year. It is also the least windy month.

The weather in Iceland in July is generally extremely pleasant during this time of the year. While the nights are a little longer, at about 4 hours long, they do not increase by much!

Keep in mind that “hot” does not mean the same thing in Iceland as it does in other places. The average highs are around 56°F. That is part of why it is one of the most popular times to visit because it does not get any warmer than this.

Iceland Weather in August

August is the last month of the high season. While the beginning of the month is still as warm as July, temperatures start to go down by the end of the month.

August is the best time to go to Iceland if you do not mind the crowds due to the fairly standard daylight hours. The sun sets around 9 PM and rises around 5 AM. August has the least cloudy days as well.

Do keep in mind that August in Iceland goes quickly from summer to fall. By the end of the month, the slight bite to the air will have you wishing for warm pumpkin pie and spiced apple cider.

Iceland Weather in September

September still has great sunshine for Iceland, but it does go down to just below 12 hours by the end of the month. It is the warmest month with a chance to see the Northern Lights.

Temperatures are still quite nice, and we are back in shoulder season. This means that you can enjoy the nice weather and decent daylight hours without all the crowds of summer.

By the end of the month the likelihood of snow increases. If you visit Iceland in September , you will want to pack your warm clothing!

Iceland Weather in October

October in Iceland is still technically part of the shoulder season, but it is starting to feel much more like the low season of winter. Daylight is down to about 8 hours a day.

In addition, the average temperature is dropping back down to about 41 ° F. While it is not absolute winter yet, the weather should be taken into consideration at this point.

Bring warm clothes and waterproof ponchos. October is the wettest month in Iceland with an average of 14 days with precipitation.

Although it is colder, October is the best time to visit Iceland if you want to explore with as few crowds as possible. The roads are still open and you can still go pretty much everywhere you want.

Iceland Weather in November

Welcome to winter and the off-season in Iceland. November begins the coldest time of the year, although December and January are colder. This is when the snow starts to fully cover the island.

The average temperature is 38 ° F, but it can get much colder. Daylight only lasts about six hours.

We love to visit Iceland in the low season, and really do think it is one of the best times to visit Iceland. You just have to be prepared for the lower temperatures and the weather.

Iceland Weather in December

The last month of the year is one of the coldest months, second only to January. Temperature highs only reach about 39 ° F. It gets as cold as 21 ° F.

In addition, Iceland in December sees quite a lot of precipitation and snow. Daylight hours are generally pretty short.

However, this does make it and January the best time to visit Iceland for the Northern Lights! However, it is also the cloudiest month, meaning the lights can get obstructed.

Iceland Events and Activities by Month

While the weather is a big deal, sometimes it is not as important as what you can do. After all, most weather is survivable if you plan and dress accordingly.

If you are more curious about what is going on than what temperature it will be, we have you covered! We have broken down the events and activities you can do during each month of the year.

You might be surprised by some of your options, especially during the winter!

Iceland in January

Can you even go wrong with New Year’s Eve when you are celebrating in a different country? Especially Iceland!

The country takes this holiday seriously with partying on New Year’s Eve, sleeping on the first, and shopping on the second.

And then there is Christmas–that is right, Christmas extends into January in Iceland, with the last day being on the 6th. If Christmas is your favorite holiday, then the end of December and the beginning of January is definitely the best time to visit Iceland.

Another great January tradition in Iceland is Thorrablot . This pagan celebration was canceled when Iceland went Christian but has had a resurgence in the last couple of centuries.

It is a week-long celebration of an Icelandic tradition that will not disappoint. If you want to feel like a local, prepare yourself for some things you have never eaten before, like rotten shark meat, boiled sheep’s head, and congealed sheep’s blood.

Iceland in February

February is beloved for the Winter Lights Festival . As a celebration of bright and happy things, you will love the way they light the streets with brilliant fluorescence to chase the darkness of winter away.

Öskudagur is basically Icelandic Halloween. The kids dress up in great costumes, and instead of the “trick or treat” chant, sing for their candy.

The Icelandic Food and Fun Festival is a fantastic festival that celebrates Icelandic cooking. And not even the kind that uses blood and rotten shark meat! It is all about using ingredients native to Iceland and enjoying all the culinary joys the country has to offer.

Iceland in March

Did you know that Iceland had its own prohibition period? Beer with an alcohol level of over 2.2% was banned for the majority of the 1900s but legalized again in 1990.

Iceland celebrates this legalization with the unofficial holiday, Beer Day, on the first of March every year! We think you can probably guess what the main activities are. (Drinking beer.)

DesignMarch is similar to the Food and Fun Festival in that it is a celebration of Icelandic creativity. The event features purely Icelandic products and goods.

Continuing in a similar fashion, the Reykjavik Folk Festival honors centuries of traditional music and song.

Iceland in April

Iceland celebrates Easter for days just like Christmas. Honestly, we do not know why more countries do not do holidays like this! Celebrating with just one day is so minimal!

Easter lasts from Holy Thursday to Easter Monday in Iceland. It is generally spent with family, rather than with huge parties.

April’s other holiday is the first day of summer. Given the dark of winter and the light of summer, and the very small in-betweens, Iceland actually does not traditionally recognize spring and autumn as seasons. So summer starts in April!

Iceland in May

The Reykjavik Art Festival is a big deal in May! People come from all over the world to participate in and experience creativity and fun.

If art is not your thing, May still might be the best time to visit Iceland with the Rite of Spring Festival. We know, we know, we just told you there is no spring in Iceland.

But when Iceland gave up its traditional calendar, they adopted spring and autumn into their new calendar. And they like to welcome spring with heartfelt jazz and folk music!

Iceland in June

It should come as no surprise that a country that willingly eats rotten shark meat celebrates the sea! Iceland’s Festival of the Sea happens in June, and it honors the country’s long tradition of seafaring.

Iceland also celebrates its independence from Denmark every June 17th. Like the 4th of July in the United States, Iceland National Day is a country-wide affair filled with parades, concerts, and general enjoyment of Icelandic culture.

Summer Solstice takes advantage of the Midnight Sun with all-night rock concerts. You can also join the locals in watching the sun set and rise all within the course of 2-3 hours.

Another unique Iceland festival is the International Viking Festival . It is a days-long holiday event that pays tribute to Iceland’s fierce Viking history.

Iceland in July

Innipukinn Festival is another music festival that happens in July. If you are not already getting the sense that you can hit up a music festival basically anytime you visit Iceland, well, you can. Icelandic people really love their music, okay?

They mix things up a bit with LungA , a festival specific to the Icelandic town of Seyðisfjörður . This festival still has music (as any good festival does) as well as art!

Iceland in August

Verslunarmannahelgi–say that five times fast, we dare you! Honestly, if you can pronounce it once we will be impressed. Verslunarmannahelgi happens the first weekend of August and is a quick bank holiday (kind of like Labor Day in the US). People generally celebrate by going camping.

Gay Pride comes the second weekend of August, and nowhere celebrates it as Reykjavik does! With parades, parties, and concerts, this is truly a vibrant and fantastic event.

If you like running, (like, really like) then the third weekend of August is the best time to visit Iceland! This is when the Reykjavik Marathon occurs, and it is another event that attracts people from all over the world!

The marathon wraps up with Menningarnott , a fantastic cultural celebration with cultural events, fireworks, and you guessed it, great music!

Iceland in September

The capital city of Reykjavik has two festivals in September, making it the best time to visit Reykjavik if you are wanting to have some fun during the shoulder season.

First is the Reykjavik International Literary Festival . This one is not just a big deal to Iceland, it is actually the biggest literary festival in Northern Europe!

Next is the Reykjavik International Film Festival . There is just something about literature and film that make them go hand in hand. Both of these festivals draw people from all over the world, but especially the film festival!

Iceland in October

Iceland Airwaves is another music festival but centers on indie and alternative music rather than the traditional folk and rock music of so many other festivals. Of course, folk and rock music still abound!

Iceland also celebrates Halloween in October, although they have not been celebrating it as long as other countries and do it a little differently. It is more of an adult holiday, but still features costumes!

Iceland in November

November does not have a whole lot going on in the realm of festivals and events. What it does have, though, it makes sure to do well.

Frostbiter is Iceland’s Horror Film Festival. So while Iceland does not have much going on in November, it is still the best time to visit Iceland if you love horror!

Iceland in December

Sorry not sorry, but Iceland has the best Christmas lights. Seriously, you have to check them out! Because the country is so dark all the time in December, they go all out with the Christmas lights.

And the way they make such a contrast against the dark? Unbeatable.

Everything about Iceland Christmas is simply unbeatable. From the concerts to the food to the country’s own unique and fun traditions, you will absolutely love it.

New Year’s Eve is filled with fireworks, bonfires, and singing. There are even costumes!

And they do not wrap things up and go to bed at midnight. Iceland New Year partying lasts long into the early hours of the next day.

December is the best time of year to travel to Iceland if you love all the December holidays!

When is the Worst Time to Visit Iceland?

Honestly, there is really no bad time of year to visit Iceland as long as you plan accordingly. After reading this article, you should have a good idea of what each month has to offer in terms of weather, natural events, and festivals.

As long as you visit when you want to and pack according to the season , you will be in Iceland at the right time.

If you want to see the Northern Lights, summer is the worst time to visit Iceland. But, if you want clear roads for your rental car and warm weather, then winter is the worst time to visit.

So, When is the Best Time to Visit Iceland?

At the end of the day, the best time to visit Iceland is 100% up to you! Whatever your interests are and your budget will determine when you should visit this amazing country.

After all, this is your trip to Iceland. Plan it around what you want to see and do.

Do you want the midnight sun and purple, lupine flowers? Come during summer. Hate crowds and overpaying, but want decent weather? Give shoulder season a try. Does your Iceland bucket list involve the Nothern Lights or ice caves? Winter is your best bet!

Iceland is gorgeous year-round, and you really cannot go wrong no matter when you visit!

We hope our guide to the best time to visit Iceland has been helpful! Feel free to let us know when you decide to go in the comments below. What is your favorite time to travel to Iceland?

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When is the best time to visit Iceland in 2024?

Mar 7, 2024 • 5 min read

Summer is the best time to take an Iceland road trip © Klaus Vedfelt / Getty Images

There’s no such thing as the perfect time to visit Iceland as the weather is notoriously whimsical and the best season for your trip depends entirely on what you want to experience.

Mid-summer is glorious with eternal daylight courtesy of the midnight sun. This is the time for hiking, camping and exploring the wilderness, and when most services are open. The down side is many destinations will be packed with tourists.

We've got all the information you need about the highs and lows of different seasons. Whenever you choose to visit Iceland, pay attention to forecasts and road conditions and follow any safety advice issued by Icelandic authorities . 

December to January is best for seeing the Northern Lights

Christmas lights brighten up the darkness and a festive spirit is in the air as the dark season nears its peak. Frost glitters and snow transforms landscapes into winter wonderlands. Christmas markets are held in Heiðmörk outside Reykjavík, in Hafnarfjörður and on Ingólfstorg square in Reykjavík, which has the added bonus of an ice rink. If conditions are right, the first ski resorts open up.

The sparse daylight means that you have a better chance of seeing the Northern Lights, especially outside populated areas where there is less light pollution (find a Northern Lights forecast here ). Joining tours is advisable. While it is possible to drive yourself, road conditions are often slippery and snowstorms are common.

Festivals worth checking out in winter include Dark Music Days and þorrablót mid-winter feasts, celebrated around the country. For the brave, restaurants often serve special þorri food.

February to March is the best time for snow sports and hot springs

It’s still dark and cold so communities brighten up the darkness with events like the Winter Lights Festival in Reykjavík and List í ljósi festival in Seyðisfjörður in the East. In narrow fjords in the Eastfjords and Westfjords, inhabitants celebrate the return of the sun with sólarkaffi and have pancakes. Snow sports become more enjoyable as daylight gradually returns.

Spring is an abstract concept in Iceland as the weather doesn’t always play along. It can still be cold and snowy, but the days get longer and the sun sometimes shines on skiers – this is often the best time for snow sports. The first of the migrant birds arrive and slowly but surely, nature springs back to life. Around Easter, events like Easter egg hunts are a fun family activity. In Ísafjörður, the Aldrei fór ég suður music festival is held and Ski Week  is around the same time.

April to May is the best time for off-peak travel

While the weather is still unreliable, temperatures gradually rise. The first flowers blossom and trees bud. Migrant birds arrive in flocks and lambs and foals are born. Migrant whales have also returned and with better weather, whale watching is more enjoyable. The bird-watching season begins, although some areas may be closed due to nesting.

There are relatively few tourists around and if conditions are good, this can be a good time for a  road trip . Look out for off-season discounts on accommodation and activities. However, not all tours and services have opened up yet.

The first Thursday after April 18th is the official First Day of Summer in Iceland, which is celebrated with parades and events around the country – even though the weather rarely plays along.

June to August is the best time for outdoor recreation

While there’s no good weather guarantee, this is your best chance of sun and warmish temperatures. Late June to early August is when most Icelanders go on vacation, filling up campgrounds wherever the best weather is forecast. This is the height of the tourist season – and height of the whale-watching season – so whatever you have planned, it’s best to book ahead.

Expect crowds at the most popular destinations, like on the South Coast and the  Golden Circle . But as it’s bright all night, you can beat the crowds by traveling either super early or late. In July, Highland roads open up, but you'll need to book a tour or hire a 4WD vehicle equipped for F-roads and crossing rivers (if that’s your plan). Summer is the best season for hiking, biking and horseback riding. Around mid-August, wild berries ripen.

Summer is also festival season. Fishermen’s Day is a national celebration held in every seaside town on the first weekend of June. Around June 21, summer solstice is celebrated on Grímsey island, Iceland’s northernmost inhabited island. The Reykjavík Arts Festival is held every other year – the next one is on in June this year (2024).

Bræðslan music festival is held in Borgarfjörður eystri on the last weekend of July. Verslunarmannahelgi  is a weekend in August that is packed with festivals and events, and Reykjavík Pride has various events held throughout the city, culminating in the Pride Parade.

Reykjavík Culture Night and the Reykjavík Marathon are held on the third weekend of August.

September to November is best for cultural events

Nights grow colder and camping is no longer advisable as fall rolls into winter. The weather is often good, though, so hiking can still be enjoyable. Pay attention to weather forecasts and bring warm clothing. Nature starts to change colors, painting forests and heather yellow, orange and red. Þingvellir National Park is at its most beautiful.

Road tripping is still possible and there will be fewer travelers around. However, winter is around the corner, so roads get slippery as soon as the temperatures drop and conditions can get stormy.

Réttir sheep and horse roundups are held in the countryside, and the Reykjavík International Film Festival takes place in the capital. In East Iceland, the Days of Darkness festival is held around Halloween and the Iceland Airwaves music festival is held in Reykjavík. Advent is approaching and Christmas preparations begin. This is a great time for visiting galleries and museums, going to concerts, relaxing in heated swimming pools, and feasting on good food.

This article was first published February 2021 and updated March 2024

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Best Time to Visit

The Best Time to Visit Iceland

While there are many unique travel opportunities , various adventures, and great events year-round in Iceland, the best time to visit Iceland  is in  June  when the weather starts to warm up and the country experiences 24 hours of sunlight.

However, if you're planning your first trip to Iceland , the best time of year to explore this Nordic island nation really depends on what you're looking for—whether you prefer warmer weather and outdoor events or you don't mind a little bit of cold for a great nightlife scene. When it comes to deciding what time is right for your trip, you should consider when to expect the biggest and smallest crowds, warmest or coldest weather, and highest or lowest costs for airfare and accommodations.

Peak Season in Iceland

Undoubtedly, July through the early August is the busiest time of year for Iceland's tourism industry, but crowd sizes and travel prices start going up in May and June and don't really start going down until September. If you're looking to avoid lots of tourists and to save money on your trip while still being able to access popular attractions, you might consider visiting in the shoulder season, which happens from early April to mid-June and mid-September to early November each year. 

The dead of winter, which runs from early December through mid-March, is the official off-season for Iceland, but a boom in year-round tourism since 2008 has resulted in prices for airfare and accommodations stabilizing over the years as more travelers have discovered the joys of this Nordic country's coldest season. However, you can still find great prices on last-minute airfare and even some special travel deals from the United States this time of year.

Weather in Iceland

Don't let the name Iceland fool you: The winters here aren't particularly bad; temperatures average 32 degrees Fahrenheit in the lowlands and 14 degrees Fahrenheit in the highlands for most of the season.   However, temperatures can dip down to 22 degrees below zero in the northern part of the country, so you'll want to avoid that area if you visit during the winter. June is the country's driest month of the year, while July is the warmest month of summer, with an average temperature of a pleasant 60 degrees Fahrenheit, and the  weather in Iceland  usually stays mild until late August.

When to See Natural Phenomena in Iceland

Known as a country of mystical landscapes and breathtaking vistas, one of the main reasons people visit Iceland is to enjoy its natural phenomena, including the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights), the Midnight Sun, and the Polar Nights.

While nearby Norway may be home to the best places to see the Northern Lights , there are plenty of great spots in northern Iceland to catch a glimpse if you visit from mid-October through March, a period known as the Polar Nights when the country experiences up to 19 hours of darkness a day. However, if you're a creature of the sun, you may prefer to travel in the summer instead when the Midnight Sun results in over 20 hours of daylight from June through August.

While some attractions might not yet be open in March or April, which is the best time to see the snow giving way to lush greenery and wildlife, you're sure to find plenty worthy of exploring. Spring is particularly great for visiting unique destinations like the many remote hot springs spread across the country as their access roads are buried under snow all winter.

Events to Check Out

• Puffins arrive on the island each year in April.
• National Beer Day is held each year on March 1, celebrating the end of Iceland's prohibition. There are several craft beers now available. Pubs and restaurants throughout the country celebrate.

Summer in Iceland is one of the best times to visit because the weather is pleasant and the sun barely sets. If you'd prefer longer days to explore the outdoors and hike the defrosted fjords, you'll love that there are about 20 hours of daylight (on average) each month of this season. Along with seasonal events—including outdoor concerts and festivals celebrating art, culture, and music—Iceland provides ample opportunity during the summer to explore the highlands and thawed fjords, swim in crystal-clear mountain lakes, and hike around the gorgeous island landscape.

The drawback to summer, though, is that prices are generally higher across the board—on food, accommodations, attractions, rentals, and airfare. Additionally, lines are longer, hotels fill up, and restaurants run out of room on their reservation lists as tourists flock to the most popular spots during the long daylight hours of Iceland's summer.

• The Viking Festival takes place in June in Hafnarfjörður. It's the oldest festival of its kind in the country.
• June 17 is Icelandic National Day, a celebration of the young country's independence. 

If you visit in September through mid-October, you'll have an even better opportunity to enjoy the hot springs since there will be fewer crowds and you won't have to rely on snow melting to access these remote destinations. Additionally, some of the best opportunities to see the Northern Lights are on clear autumn nights in late October through early December, before winter weather settles in and blocks the view with thick clouds.

• The annual Iceland Airwaves music festival takes place in Reykjavik in November and showcases new music from around the world.
• One of Iceland's oldest traditions is réttir, an annual island-wide sheep round-up that take place during September.

Summer has the benefit of long days but come winter, daylight shrinks to about five hours in a period called the  Polar Nights . If you can endure little sunlight, the question of when to visit Iceland suddenly becomes much harder because Iceland also has many bolder things to offer in winter: never-ending nightlife  in Reykjavik , infinite chances to view the  Northern Lights , and plenty of outdoor snow activities such as skiing, snowboarding, and snowmobiling.

The colder part of the year is also when flight prices to Iceland fall drastically and local hotels suddenly cut prices by more than half. Budget travelers wondering when to go to Iceland should aim for February or March because those months have more daylight than the earlier winter months but still the smallest crowds and the lowest prices.

• Winter means Christmas markets, which are abundant throughout Iceland. One of the best is Heiðmörk Christmas Market, about a 20-minute drive from Reykjavík.

The best time to visit Iceland depends on what you're looking for, but June is one of the best months for visiting. It's before the peak tourist season begins and the midnight sun phenomenon is incredible to experience.

The off-season is the cold winter months, especially from November to April. Prices go up in the weeks around the holidays, but outside of those dates it's the cheapest time to visit Iceland.

The peak season in Iceland is July and August when the days are at their warmest. Prices start going up in May and June, but you'll still find cheaper rates than you will in the late summer.

Guide to Iceland. "Weather in Iceland & Best Time To Visit." Retrieved February 10, 2021.

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The Arctic Circle

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A Local’s Guide: What Is the Best Time to Visit Iceland?

Table of contents.

I’ve said it countless times and I’ll repeat it until I’m blue in the face: Iceland is a magical place.

No matter where you’re from or how well-traveled you are, its wild landscapes will take hold of your senses and fill you with wide-eyed awe. Over a million tourists flock to this remote island every year—three times the entire native population! But what is it that brings them here?

Volcanic mountains, black sand beaches, lava flows and moss fields, glaciers, fjords, waterfalls, geysers—and don’t get me started on the northern lights—all of these dramatic delights are what bucket lists were made for.

So, you might be planning your very own Nordic adventure soon. With so many sights to see, the first question on your mind is: “What is the best time to visit Iceland?”

As with most of life’s mysteries, the answer is not that straightforward, but stick with me to the end and you’ll learn everything you need to book your flight to Reykjavík without a second thought. Without further ado, let’s break the ice!

So, What Is the Best Time to Visit Iceland?

The short answer would be: there is no best month or season.

You see, while there are plenty of adventures in Iceland to keep you busy for a long time, not all locations or activities are available year-round. Choosing when to come depends entirely on what you’re hoping to find: Are you more of a hiker or a skier? Do you want to see the Highlands or tour the ice caves? Does your idea of a perfect holiday include whale watching or chasing the aurora borealis?

To help you choose your personal best time to visit Iceland, I’ve put together a rundown of what each season has to offer. Knowing the pros and cons, you’ll be able to plan your next trip around the activities you want to do, and the weather too.

Your Guide to the Seasons in the Land of Ice and Fire

The seasons are as varied as the topography, and each offers a distinct way to enjoy the landscape. Read on to learn more about what to expect throughout the year, from the weather to hours of daylight to the activities you can do.

Visiting Iceland in Winter

As the Earth slings along its orbit , Iceland gains one beautiful coat of paint after another. This transformation is most evident from November through March, when the island lives up to its chilly name. In the pale wintry light, the mountains and valleys are covered with deep blankets of snow, while the glaciers and ice caves emit an enchanting glow.

Temperature, weather, and daylight

Fast facts:

• Average temperatures run around -15ºC in the north and −5 °C in the south (5 and 23 °F)
• January and February are the coldest months
• Winters are twice as windy as summers, with speeds averaging around 6.4 m/s (14.2 mph )

People often imagine Iceland as perpetually frozen, but that’s far from the case. In the south, for example, temperatures are known to be remarkably mild, which makes winter hiking in Iceland not only doable, but enjoyable. Thanks to the moderating effects of the Gulf Stream, which flows along the southern and western coasts, the temperatures there average around -5 to 0 °C (23 to 32 °F).

The northern part of the country, however, lies just below the Arctic Circle and sees colder winters with average temperatures around −15 °C (5 °F). Out in the open wilderness, what really makes the difference are the winds; being greeted by an icy gale will instantly bring you to shivers. That’s why you need to know the golden rule: “Layers, layers, layers!” As any Nordic will tell you, there is no bad weather—only bad clothing.

So what are some activities you can look forward to in winter?

Ride into the icy wilderness

Powered by 4×4 drive, you can enter otherwise inaccessible regions and let your inspiration lead the way. Snowshoe to the peaks of dormant volcanoes, scale frozen waterfalls, hike across lava fields, and revel in the ever-changing landscapes on a winter hiking adventure in Iceland . As soon as the sky darkens, keep an eye out for the Northern Lights above.

Hike your way across giant glaciers

When we’re talking about the best time to visit Iceland for hiking, winter is a strong candidate for two reasons. The first is the ethereal beauty of the frozen landscapes, whose vivid colors and bewitching glimmer cannot be reproduced in summer, when the snowmelt reveals an unpleasant layer of volcanic ash. The second is the added challenge of facing the harsh winter conditions, which makes the objective all the more exciting (for some).

Bask in the radiant glow of crystal caves

Iceland’s caves are among my favorite sights in winter. There are two types to distinguish here: regular caves covered in sheets of perennial ice, and glacier caves, which are created when running water or geothermal heat carves a tunnel to the heart of a glacier. Their mesmerizing deep blue walls make for the perfect photo backdrop.

Visiting Iceland in Spring

Spring is Iceland’s off-season and the lull before the onrush of summer tourists. This means that, from late March to late June, you’ll be able see the highlights of your checklist, but without the crowds—or heavy expenses.

Iceland is a pricey destination, and visiting off-season is a good way to get your dream vacation without necessarily breaking the bank. Flight tickets, car rentals, entrance fees and other expenses will set you back significantly less while still delivering an experience to remember.

In these milder months, temperatures range from 0 to 10 °C (32 to 50 °F) and you can expect to have 10-13 hours of daylight. That should be more than enough to fill your daily itinerary to the brim.

Go huffin’ for puffins in early April

With its colorful beak and tuxedo attire, the Atlantic puffin is one of the most recognizable symbols of Iceland. These cute birds tend to nest along the island’s rocky coastline in early April, giving curious hikers a chance to snap memorable photos. You can find plenty of puffins on the South Coast or deep in the northwestern region of Westfjords.

Catch a glimpse of the largest mammals on Earth

Another favorite springtime activity in Iceland is whale watching. You can spot many different species circling the island, including minke, humpback, sperm whales and orcas. The two easiest ways of doing so are either driving to the coast of the North Iceland region (the towns of Húsavík and Akureyri are a safe bet) or simply going on a whale-watching boat tour in Reykjavík.

Witness some of the country’s 10,000 waterfalls

Come springtime, Iceland’s waterfalls are fed by abundant meltwater—these misty curtains rush and roar through glacial valleys and fjords with the beat of a thousand drums. Some of my favorites are the famous Gulfoss, which sits on the Golden Circle sightseeing route, the 200-meter Glymur located outside the capital, or the towering cascade of Seljalandsfoss, which can be admired from a nearby footpath that leads to a cave behind it.

Visiting Iceland in Summer

Summer is without a doubt Iceland’s peak season, when this frozen giant fully wakes from its slumber. With every corner of the island at your disposal, the opportunities are endless. Between June and August—Iceland’s warmest months—you’re free to go hiking the Laugavegur Trail or, surprisingly, ski touring in Iceland .

Temperatures in the summer range anywhere from 5 to 18 °C (41 to 64 °F) with 20-22 hours of daylight. The season is dry by Iceland’s standards, while the frequent winds make the days and nights pleasantly cool. Nevertheless, sudden changes in weather can happen at any time, so try to keep an eye on the forecast .

High season for hiking

While most people hike the Laugavegur Trail at this time, some prefer getting away from the crowds. Way, way away. If you belong to the latter group, hiking the Hidden Trails in Iceland is an immersive tour of the Icelandic wilderness that will scratch the itch of seclusion. Just note that a tour like this requires you have a professional guide by your side.

If you’ve ever wondered what an Iceland volcano hike actually looks like, this is the best time and place to find out. For more inspiration, check out our overview of best places to hike in Iceland . 

But if you’d like to explore away from the more popular Highlands, you can always head to the North in search of the finest volcano ski touring in Iceland. No wonder they call it the Land of Ice and Fire!

Heal your body and soul in natural hot springs

As one of the most volcanically active places in the world, Iceland is full of hot springs, which are created when groundwater heated by the Earth’s crust emerges onto the surface. Iceland’s hot springs can be found scattered all over the island (especially if you hike the hidden trails of Iceland ), along with man-made geothermal pools like the Blue Lagoon, which is a great summer spot for basking in the midnight sun.

Ski the slopes from summit to sea

Despite joining the backcountry fray later than most major destinations you know, this rugged snowland comfortably shreds with the best of them. The excellent backcountry ski touring on the Troll Peninsula is proof of that. For starters, there’s no tree skiing because, well, there are hardly any trees to speak of. Secondly, due to the island’s unique geography, you’re on perfect corn all the way to the mountain-kissing sea.

Trek through the surreal Icelandic wilderness

Many hikers consider summer to be the best time to travel to Iceland. Whether you’re going for a classic Laugavegur Trail guided hike or you’re on a mission to hike and climb the Three Peaks of Iceland , the colorful rhyolite mountains, jet-black sand beaches, and ancient fields of radiant moss will have you buzzing with vibrant hues and shapes.

Visiting Iceland in Fall

And finally we have fall, our off-peak, when the foliage casts away its green pigment and dons a bright autumnal coat. If you’re looking for the best season to visit Iceland for some peace and quiet in gorgeous scenery, September and October is the time to do it.

Throughout this short season, the temperature fluctuates between 2 and 6 °C (36 to 43 °F), which is still pleasant enough for multi-day trips in the wilderness. Even though the nights are not as long as in winter, more stable weather conditions significantly increase your chances of catching the northern lights when you hike and drive through isolated Iceland .

With no crowds to mess up your plans, you can map out whatever itinerary you’d like. In particular, if you’re looking for off-piste adventures, a backcountry skiing and van trip in Iceland will let you hit the open road to discover out-of-bound gems that may otherwise be busy or inaccessible.

Participate in “réttir”—Iceland’s annual animal roundup

Sheep are an integral part of Iceland’s culture, economy, and identity. Nowhere is this more evident than in rettir , one of Iceland’s longest traditions. Every fall, local sheep and horse farmers band together to gather their animals, which had been left to roam the mountains all summer. After the wrangling is done, a huge celebration ensues, complete with picnics, live music, dancing and drinking long into the night.

Hunt for wild mushrooms and berries

Fall is a wonderful time to go out looking for tasty treats to sweeten your day. In late August and September, a favorite local pastime is making jams and juices from hand-picked blueberries, crowberries, strawberries, and redcurrants. Also, after a productive day in the field, a hearty mushroom stew is just what the doctor prescribed. And the best part is—you can do all of this within the capital area.

Chase the northern lights

First of all, you should know that there’s no guarantee you will see the aurora borealis on your trip to Iceland. There’s always an element of luck to this pursuit. That being said, you can maximize your chances by knowing when to visit Iceland. 

Winter has more night hours on average, but fall profits from much stable weather. Generally, the period between September and December is the sweet spot, while February and March are strong contenders as well. For more info, you can check out professional photographer Tate Drucker’s tips on how to see the northern lights in Iceland .

Good-to-know Info For Visiting Iceland

Getting to and from iceland.

There are two ways of reaching Iceland: by airplane or by ferry. Around 20 airlines offer regular flights to Keflavík, the country’s main international airport. Located about 50km (31 mi) southwest of Reykjavík, this is where the majority of tourists arrive. To reach Iceland by ferry, you’ll need to board the Smyril Line from Denmark. This method is used by people who prefer to bring their own car.

Accommodation in Iceland

Like any tourist destination worth its salt, Iceland has a wide selection of accommodation options for international travelers, from high-class to no-budget. On the cheaper side, there are plenty of Airbnbs, hostels, and camping grounds available at all times. For a more luxurious experience, you can find dazzling downtown apartments, 5-star hotels, and cozy glass igloos for watching the northern lights.

Getting around Iceland

Iceland’s road system is extensive and fairly simple to navigate. The easiest way to get around is to follow the Ring Road, which circles the entire island connecting the most densely populated areas of the country. It’s open year round, except in case of extreme blizzards. To enter the Highlands, you need to take the F-roads, unpaved tracks that require 4×4 Jeeps. You can usually use them between June and August.

Travel costs in Iceland

Iceland is not the most affordable tourist destination, but there’s always a way to manage your budget, even if you’re hiking in Thorsmork or other remote spots. Your expenses will depend on what kind of experience you’re looking for. If you’re open to using local transportation, sleeping in hostels or camping, you could make do with around $80 a day. If you plan on renting a car, dining in restaurants, paying for museum fees and activities like whale watching, you’re looking at $250 or more a day.

Safety tips for Iceland

You’d be hard pressed to find a safer country anywhere. With one of the lowest crime rates in the world and no dangerous predators to speak of, Iceland is as good as it gets. The only real danger lies in the whims of Mother Nature. You should always be prepared for sudden changes in weather. In case of snowstorms and blizzards, don’t go into the wilderness without a guide and proper equipment, and make sure to check the forecast and road conditions regularly.

Why go on a guided trip in Iceland

If you’re just planning on sticking to the Ring Road and visiting the odd museum or marketplace in town, you’ll be just fine on your own. But for anything bigger, like exploring the ice caves, hiking on glaciers, or trying the best hikes in Landmannalaugar Valley , you’ll need a guide by your side. Their knowledge of the terrain, weather, history, and—most importantly—proper safety procedures are indispensable for any outing in the Icelandic wilderness.

In recent years, specialized trips for all-women and 50+ groups have become popular as well. These would be difficult to coordinate on your own, but organized trips, such as the co-ed hiking tour of Thorsmork for over 50s or the women’s great hiking voyage in Iceland , are a great choice if you’re traveling solo or interested in joining others of a similar age or gender.

Oh, the Bittersweet Temptation of Choices!

I hope I’ve managed to make your decision process at least a little bit easier. Planning a big trip like this is not an easy task, especially with so much conflicting information floating around the internet. 

When choosing the best time to visit Iceland, it’s important to consider your budget, timeframe, and which activities you’d like to try. No matter your age, experience, or fitness level, there’s enough wonders in this tiny corner of the world to keep you busy year round.

That would be all from me. Thanks for reading and safe travels!

Are you ready to enter the Land of Ice and Fire? Choose your best time for an adventure in Iceland and revel in its wild charms!

Albert is the owner of Amarok Adventures and has guided adventure treks in Iceland, Greenland, South America and Nepal. He has also worked as a documentary and travel photographer for international magazines. He has lived in Iceland since 2015, traveling the country discovering hidden gems and loads of adventure off the beaten path — always with his camera in tow.

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Flights, car hire and hotels booked .mid May , 7 nights - Iceland Forum

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Need advice on booking side trips please.

Staying nr Gullfoss overnight

Day 2 , long drive to stay at Hofn to explore the area

Stay 3 nights , Jokursarlon Glacier boat trip , maybe Glacier trip .

Would like to see the sunset over the glacier if the weather is good .

On day 5 Visit and stop at Fjallsarlon , boat trip . Also Skaftafell . Vik area and stay in Hella 2 nights .

Enjoy the area maybe get the ferry over to Westman .

Last night we drive from Hella and stay nr the airport for an early flight home.

But should we maybe do the whale watching this day in Reykjavik as we have the whole day . But we will be back tracking so

Not sure …….

12 replies to this topic

Wouldn’t let me amend

1 night Gullfoss

3 nights Hofn

2 nights Hella

Any advice would be really helpful .

Your drive on Day 2 is without any stops around 6 hours and you will drive past all the sights on the south coast

On your way back you could spot - but again a 5 hour drive without any stops

You also are only interested in den Gulfoss? You could skip the city & whale watching and to the golden circle on Day 1 for example

I wouldn't do two boat trips.

Sunset mid May is VERY late, and not so much sunset as a gradual dimming. It stays twilight until the wee hours of the morning.

Thank you .

We have booked the Lilja Guesthouse in Hofn for 3 nights.

Should we change this to 2 nights and have a night elsewhere ?

I had thought 2 nights in Hella was maybe too long ….

Not keen on one night stays but it seemed to work for Gullfoss .

It’s 40 minutes one way from your accommodation to the lagoon and back, would def stay one night around Vik to do the NP & Canyon on the way back

The more i look into it the more i get confused

For a 7 night south coast visit, I'd stay:

1) Near Airport on Reykjanes Peninsula or in the city

2) Near Golden Circle

3) Near Kirkjubæjarklaustur

4) Near Jokulsarlon

6) Westman Island

7) near airport.

It is likely WAAAAY too late to find accommodation now, but maybe give it a shot to see if you can do this?

Hopefully I’ve found a few hotels in Vik with availability .

Is seems a lot of back tracking …..

Thanks for your help….

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I'd really like to see the northern lights but also do things like visit geysers and go dog sledding. Is there a good time of year when I could do all that, or do you have to basically choose going for the northern lights in winter or going in the summer for other activities? One other problem is that there are certain times of the year I can't take any time off work, which are January, April, July and October, so I couldn't go in those months.

Also it seems to me that most people (from the UK at least) go to Iceland for a long weekend, maybe 4 or 5 days. Is there enough to do if I wanted to go for, say, 10 days?

I think the ,,best" time is in late December !

The place is snowy, and ,,Christmassy". Everywhere you go, there are Christmas decorations which make the land beautiful. Snow all over, and dogsledding and snowmobiling at it´s best. Frozen waterfalls and northern lights, and what is better than sitting down in a cosy pub, after a day of shopping for Christmas gifts?.

Yepp, right now, is the best time !!

See this: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2584410564311.2131028.1075907659&type=3

Answering as a tourist it's a difficult question to answer. It's almost like 2 different countries in winter or summer.

As a 1st visit with 10 days I would go for summer. The days will be very long and you will be able to see the fantastic countryside. The driving is easy and hassel free, many of the sites are close to the ring road and you can drive the whole of the ring road in 10 days.

Go in the winter and it's a different country, magical if it is snow covered and the waterfalls are clothed in ice. Most people go for a shorter time in winter, as you say 3 - 5 days. The weather will be cold, possibly snow and ice and days are short. And you may or may not see the Northern Lights.

Whichever you choose I am sure you will want to return in the opposite season. I visited 1st in spring, then twice in summer, then twice in winter. And glad I did it that way as we were able to see so much of the country.

Late August. Fall colors have begun, crowds are gone, some prices may have started to fall if you go past September 1, days are still long with endless golden light at end of day, temps are from about 40's to low 60s. Great time of year. But in truth every time of year is a great time!

That's helpful, thanks - I think I may have to look at it as two separate holidays!

This topic has been closed to new posts due to inactivity.

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The 50 Best Places to Travel in 2024

• An Insider's Guide to Paris — Luxury Hotels, Vintage Shops, and the City's Best Restaurants Included
• This Southern U.S. City Was Named One of the Best Places to Travel in 2024
• 5 Coastal Towns in Alaska That Are Adorable in Any Weather
• T+L's Review of Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ Seven Seas Grandeur
• This Exclusive Helicopter Dining Experience Is the Best Way to See the 'Grand Canyon of Mallorca’
• Where to Go in 2024 The 50 Best Places to Travel in 2024 An Insider's Guide to Paris — Luxury Hotels, Vintage Shops, and the City's Best Restaurants Included This Southern U.S. City Was Named One of the Best Places to Travel in 2024 5 Coastal Towns in Alaska That Are Adorable in Any Weather T+L's Review of Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ Seven Seas Grandeur This Exclusive Helicopter Dining Experience Is the Best Way to See the 'Grand Canyon of Mallorca’ CLOSE Part of Where to Go in 2024

Where to go in 2024, according to Travel + Leisure editors — for cultural immersion and major travel bragging rights.

Since 1971, Travel + Leisure editors have followed one mission: to inform, inspire, and guide travelers to have deeper, more meaningful experiences. T+L's editors have traveled to countries all over the world, having flown, sailed, road tripped, and taken the train countless miles. They've visited small towns and big cities, hidden gems and popular destinations, beaches and mountains, and everything in between. With a breadth of knowledge about destinations around the globe, air travel, cruises, hotels, food and drinks, outdoor adventure, and more, they are able to take their real-world experience and provide readers with tried-and-tested trip ideas, in-depth intel, and inspiration at every point of a journey.

Well, you knew it was coming. This year, more than 20 Travel + Leisure staffers weighed in to create this hand-picked list of the places that thoughtful, curious travelers should consider in 2024.

These are the destinations that have captured our imaginations, the spots where T+L editors want to spend their own time in the year ahead. Among the picks are Canada's Métis Crossing, which headlined our October 2023 issue ; Istanbul, for which our editor in chief makes a compelling case ; and Paris, because there's a little thing called Les Jeux Olympiques coming up.

Other, lesser-known places are on the rise. Consider the small towns of Sonoma County, where new businesses are doing big things ; a remote corner of Australia, where expedition ships are the way in; a Himalayan hideaway where visitors are left breathless and not just because of the altitude.

We hope this list inspires you to see the world in a new way in the coming year. We'll see you out there.

— Edited by Paul Brady and Maya Kachroo-Levine  

Travel + Leisure

Destination by Category

For cultural immersion, ålborg, denmark.

Alexander Farnsworth/Getty Images

It rates as Denmark’s fourth-largest city, with around 120,000 residents, but out-of-the-way Ålborg might seem an unlikely international-travel hub. That's not stopping Scandinavian Airlines, which is betting on the compact, alluring city with newly launched flights from Newark Liberty International, which will run three times a week from April through October. The cobbled streets of Ålborg’s old town are lined with half-timbered houses and pastel exteriors; the attractively refurbished waterfront — where you’ll find the newly renovated Pier 5 Hotel — is another walkable district. The city’s rich cultural scene includes a modern art museum , an architecture center, and, a short drive away, Regan Vest , a Cold War museum that opened in a former bunker in February 2023. Indeed, Ålborg is a gateway to the wider region of North Jutland, with its dramatic coastline around the town of Skagen, long a draw to Danish artists; windswept dunes of Thy National Park ; and 2,000-year-old Viking ring fortresses which have, at long last, been collectively designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site . — Peter Terzian

Cartagena, Colombia

Sofia Jaramillo

A perennially hot destination, Colombia is coming into its own as a luxury escape these days, thanks to a ton of excitement in and around Cartagena, on the country’s Caribbean coast. In 2023, the city welcomed Casa Pestagua , a 16-room boutique hotel within a restored 17th-century building, in the historic center. Now, the same owners are working to open bungalows on Isla Barú, a popular day-trip spot, before the end of 2023. Sustainability minded travelers can find their fit at Blue Apple Beach , an eco-hotel on Tierra Bomba Island, just off the coast, that’s B Corp certified and generates half its power from solar, as T+L recently reported . In 2024, Disney's “Encanto”-themed tour of Colombia will debut, shining more light on Cartagena, one of the many stops on the itinerary. And there’s even more growth in the pipeline: Delta Air Lines is adding new nonstop flights to Cartagena from Atlanta in December 2023, a Four Seasons hotel is on the horizon, and the nation is investing in an airport expansion that will serve an ever-increasing number of visitors. — Susmita Baral

Eastern & Oriental Express, a Belmond Train

Courtesy of Belmond

After a four-year pause, this luxury train that crisscrosses Southeast Asia will ride again in February. Several new itineraries will be available on the revamped Express, which has 15 cherry wood–clad cabins and vibrant Malay-inspired decor. The Essence of Malaysia journey, for example, takes travelers from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur, with side trips to Langkawi, for snorkeling in Pulau Payar Marine Park, and Penang, among the greatest food cities on the planet. Alternatively, a Wild Malaysia option includes a stop at Taman Negara National Park, where visitors might spot a Sumatran rhino or tiger. “These ‘slow travel’ journeys give our guests the opportunity to rest their mind, rekindle, and reconnect,” said Dan Ruff, the CEO of Belmond. Much like a storied ocean liner, the majestic Eastern & Oriental Express is a destination unto itself, with a sultry piano bar car; an open-air lounge with wicker furniture where passengers can watch the Malaysian jungle rush by; and two restaurant carriages serving Peranakan food. You may not have had "eating laksa on a luxury train" on your 2024 bingo card, but you really should. — Maya Kachroo-Levine

Christian Kain

For one month between June and July, soccer — or should we say fußball — will take over Germany, as the nation hosts the 2024 UEFA European Football Championship. Held every four years, the tournament for men’s national teams will take place in 10 cities across Germany, including Berlin, Cologne, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Hamburg, and Munich. “This will be an incredible, not-to-be-missed moment,” said Sofia Markovich , a travel advisor on T+L's A-List who specializes in Austria and Germany. “I expect interest to go through the roof as this is a major sports event — second only to the World Cup.” Even casual fans should find the atmosphere thrilling, Markovich said, particularly those who happen to pass through game-day destinations while cruising the country’s rivers . One host city deserves a particular spotlight thanks to the new Rosewood Munich , which opened in October. Set across two buildings (one, formerly the headquarters of the State Bank of Bavaria, the other, a Baroque residence), the 132-key property is steps from the charms of Old Town, including the leafy Maximiliansplatz, and walkable to one of Europe’s most surprising surf spots: the rapids of the Isar River . — Liz Cantrell

Métis Crossing, Alberta

Amber Bracken

“This is not a place where you look at old things behind glass,” said Juanita Marois, the CEO of Métis Crossing, one of Canada’s most compelling Indigenous tourism projects. “This is an immersive destination where you experience the culture and the warmth of the Métis people through our land, water, skies, buildings, food, and programs.” The 688-acre retreat, which writer Carleigh Baker detailed in T+L’s October 2023 issue , is today home to a 40-room lodge, a cultural center, and campgrounds. Depending on the season, visitors can learn about traditional crafts, enjoy festivals held on-site, or head out for bird-watching, canoeing, or snowshoeing. A new addition to Métis Crossing is a collection of eight Sky Watching Domes , luxe stand-alone suites with panoramic skylight windows. From the Domes, Marois explained, “guests can listen to Indigenous stories of the night skies, see the stars, and view the aurora borealis." — Jalyn Robinson

Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park, Georgia

Getty Images

It’s not every day the U.S. gets a new national park, but 2024 could see this central Georgia destination enter the fold. Presently managed as a national historical park, Ocmulgee is home to large earthen mounds, including temple complexes, created by numerous Native American peoples over thousands of years. Should Congress approve the new designation in 2024, Ocmulgee will become the first national park in the state and the first in the U.S. to be co-managed by a nation whose ancestors were removed from the area: the Muscogee (Creek) were forcibly relocated from central Georgia as a result of the Indian Removal Act of 1830. “We now have an opportunity to come back and not feel like we are visiting, but to feel like we are coming home,” said Tracie Revis, a member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and the director of advocacy for the Ocmulgee National Park & Preserve Initiative, a community group. The gateway to the park is the city of Macon, where the Muscogee (Creek) Nation flag flies alongside the Stars and Stripes, and the street signs are being replaced with ones written in both Muscogee and English. A particularly opportune time to visit will be in September, for the town’s annual Indigenous film festival . — Liz Cantrell  

Rajasthan, India

Aparna Jayakumar

India’s northwestern state of Rajasthan, with its wealth of iconic hotels and cultural attractions, is one of the best-known among U.S. travelers. It also promises new delights in the coming year, with several new addresses in Jaipur worth planning a trip around. There's Villa Palladio , a delightful nine-room hotel on the outskirts of town created by the Swiss-Dutch team behind Bar Palladio , an Instagram favorite in the city center. The Johri is a beautifully designed five-room property with a chic cocktail bar and organic vegetarian restaurant on the ground level, tucked away in a heritage townhouse in Jaipur's Old Town. Meanwhile, the Anantara hospitality group is set to launch its first-ever property in India next year. The 150-room, new-build Anantara Jaipur Hotel is designed with India's ballooning market for destination weddings in mind: it will have event facilities that can accommodate as many as 2,500 guests. In the meantime, the city and wider region are becoming more accessible than ever, thanks to a new six-lane expressway that connects Jaipur to New Delhi, a major hub for international flights. — Flora Stubbs

Shinta Mani Mustang, Nepal

Courtesy of Shinta Mani Mustang

A once-forbidden kingdom is now home to some truly palatial digs. Nepal’s Mustang district, which opened to outsiders in 1992 , is a place to watch in 2024 thanks to this stunning, 29-suite hotel, which welcomed its first guests in August. Shinta Mani Mustang, the latest property from the Bensley Collection, delivers the luxurious wellness experiences and thoughtful design that devotees of the brand have come to expect. Guests can spend their days trekking the surrounding Annapurna and Dhaulagiri mountain ranges, searching for rare wildlife like the Pallas’s cat and Tibetan wolf, horseback riding, and visiting local villages. “What caught my attention was that the outstanding aesthetics and architecture are in sync with sustainable and responsible tourism,” said Carole Cambata, an advisor on T+L's A-List and expert in Himalayan travel. “They sourced local building materials and used Indigenous construction methods.” The noteworthy opening comes at a time of positive change: in April, the Nepal Mountaineering Academy and the Nepal Tourism Board partnered on a program to educate the country’s first-ever class of LGBTQ+ trekking guides, CNN reported , in an effort to make Nepal’s hiking and climbing industries more inclusive. “Nepal is one of Asia’s most progressive countries for LGBTQ+ people due to laws that forbid gender identity discrimination,” said John Clifford , another A-List advisor. “Visitors to the country can even select ‘other’ as an option for gender identification on their visas.” — Samantha Falewée

Tallinn, Estonia

Nina Ruggiero/Travel + Leisure

This country’s literacy and secondary education rates consistently rank near the top in Europe, especially among women, so it should come as no surprise that Tartu, the university city to the southeast of Tallinn, has been designated Europe’s Capital of Culture for 2024 . Still, for first-timers to the Baltics, there’s no better place to get schooled than the country’s capital city, Tallinn: its walled Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the best-preserved examples of Medieval architecture in the world. PoCo Art Museum , which opened in May with pop art by Andy Warhol, Banksy, David Hockney, and Jeff Koons, is now one of nearly 50 art institutions in the city, joining Fotografiska (world-renowned photography), Kumu Art Museum (contemporary Estonian art), and Kadriorg Art Museum (early European and Russian art). After soaking in the culture, head for the Noblessner district , an industrial shipyard area turned seafront hot spot that’s now bursting with stylish cafes, shops, and Estonia’s first restaurant with two Michelin stars, 180° by Matthias Diethe . (You might also try a “ smoke sauna ” at Scandi-chic Iglupark .) As for where to stay, the new Nunne Boutique Hotel has views over Old Town’s Towers Square . —  Nina Ruggiero

Warsaw, Poland

Christopher Larson/Travel + Leisure

The thriving contemporary art scene in Warsaw, which is home to art-circuit stalwarts like the Foksal Gallery Foundation and Raster Gallery , will get a big boost in 2024, when the Museum of Modern Art in Warsaw finally moves into its own headquarters. Founded in 2005, the museum has burnished the city’s art reputation for two decades, with its holdings of both foreign and Polish work, despite operating out of temporary spaces. The new HQ will be part of a 22-acre arts district centered on the existing Palace of Culture and Science, a Stalinist skyscraper that towers over the city. The museum, along with a new 800-seat TR Warszaw Theater nearby, was designed by Thomas Phifer and Partners , the architecture firm behind other notable institutions, including the Glenstone Museum in Maryland and portions of New York’s Corning Museum of Glass . — Denny Lee

For the Food and Drinks

The austrian countryside.

Journey south of Vienna and you’ll find two of the regions that give the countryside of Austria its fairy-tale quality. Styria has rolling hills and hiking trails, with the medieval city of Graz at its heart. Mellow, rural Burgenland is home to Lake Neusiedl, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Both regions have a long, rich history of winemaking, and in recent years, have become the site of a burgeoning natural wine scene. Cult producers such as Winery Maria and Sepp Muster and Alice & Roland Tauss should be at the top of any visitor’s list, as should Burgenland’s beloved vintners Gut Oggau and Meinklang . Then, round out a visit to the country with a stay at Rosewood Schloss Fuschl , a meticulously restored 15th-century castle opening on the shores of a small lake near Salzburg in spring 2024. — Peter Terzian

Mérida, Mexico

Itzel Garrido/Travel + Leisure

The capital of Yucatán, this city has long been popular with Mexican travelers drawn to its Maya ruins, cerulean-blue cenotes, restored haciendas, and incredible food . But it has a growing acclaim among international visitors — especially LGBTQ+ travelers, who often describe Yucatán as very gay friendly . Mérida’s historic beauty and laid-back cantina culture might explain why LGBTQ+ retirees have embraced the city in recent years, buying homes and bringing their friends along. Those not ready to make a full-on move will find lots of designer hotels carved out of stately mansions, not to mention wonderful shopping and plenty of food tours, both in the city and in the surrounding countryside, which is punctuated by haciendas, many of which host pop-up events or even overnight guests. Plans for a sprawling new “ Yucatán Central Park ,” with a food market and amphitheater, remain hazy, as does an exact timeline for the arrival of the ballyhooed Maya Train , which is nearing completion and should make it easier to hop between Mérida and popular seaside spots such as Cancún and Tulum. — Denny Lee

Sonoma County, California

Gentl & Hyers

More than double the size of Napa, Sonoma might offer twice as much to do. It’s not just about the wine — though with the addition of a new American Viticultural Area (AVA) called West Sonoma Coast last year, Sonoma County now has 19 AVAs slinging chardonnay, pinot noir, and zinfandel at established wineries, such as Flowers and Scribe , and new ones, including Vérité Wines . There’s also a long coastline to explore, from Bodega Bay up to Sea Ranch, where the dreamy, cliff-top Sea Ranch Lodge is newly renovated . Inland, the opening of Dawn Ranch shines a spotlight on Guerneville , a crunchy town along the Russian River known for its LGBTQ+ scene and proximity to the Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve. Tear yourself from the 22-acre haven, with tree house–like cabins, creekside glamping tents, and alfresco redwood tubs at the idyllic spa, to bike into town where the reimagined Piknik Market serves one of Oprah’s favorite biscuits . The changes coming to Sonoma County in 2024 are largely shaped by the area’s most famous chefs: in Healdsburg, California, Noma alum Stu Stalker debuted the plant-based restaurant Second Story, above Little Saint and down the street from Michelin three-starred SingleThread and chef Dustin Valette’s The Matheson . Restaurant powerhouse Charlie Palmer plans to launch his hotel brand, Appellation , in Healdsburg by the end of next year. — Maya Kachroo-Levine

For Big-city Thrills

Tessa Desjardins/Travel + Leisure

“It’s a classic Asian megacity: frenetic, neon-lit, and overwhelming to the senses,” said Jack Tydeman , a Southeast Asia specialist at Audley Travel and member of T+L's A-List. But change is coming to Bangkok, in the form of many megaprojects, including Dusit Central Park, which is slated to open in 2024, with the 259-room Dusit Thani Bangkok Hotel and a multi-terraced roof park. Also coming soon will be King Rama IX Memorial Park, a park that honors the sustainability initiatives of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej. Meanwhile, Lumpini Park , Bangkok’s original public green space, is getting a massive refresh next year that will add a new food hall, a vegetable farm, and a sports club ahead of its centennial. Even while sprinting to finish these new developments, Bangkok is finding time to slow down and prioritize wellness. Luxury travel network Virtuoso recently named Thailand as just one of five “emerging self-care destinations” worldwide, noting that “travelers are seeking a more spiritual journey, turning to Thailand for more than the traditional Thai massage.” The forthcoming Aman Nai Lert Bangkok , slated for 2024, is sure to deliver, with 52 spacious suites overlooking Nai Lert Park and a multifloor wellness sanctuary. — Susmita Baral

Courtesy of Cleveland Museum of Natural History

The year ahead has the Land set to shine, thanks to national and international events, world-class cultural expansions, and the rebirth of historic hotels. It all starts in April, when the NCAA Women’s Final Four comes to the state-of-the-art Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse and a total solar eclipse sweeps over the city on April 8, 2024. Cleveland will see even more action when the Pan-American Masters Games crisscross the city July 12-21. And in November, The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, which was held in Brooklyn in 2023, will return home. Meanwhile, many institutions are in the midst of revitalization. The Cleveland Museum of Natural History is nearing completion of its multiyear $150-million expansion, with updated exhibits and new public spaces in University Circle. Karamu House , the nation’s oldest Black producing theater, will debut a new restaurant, outdoor stage, and an additional venue in the Fairfax neighborhood. The city’s oldest hotel will reopen in 2024 after extensive renovations as a Marriott Autograph Collection called Hotel Cleveland. Also coming is the Fidelity Hotel, a new boutique property with a speakeasy that's slated to launch in a landmark building downtown. There’s development along the Cuyahoga River and Lake Erie, too, where paved hiking and biking trails are livening up a waterfront that has, for many decades, been underutilized. — Jennifer Salerno Yong

Fort Worth, Texas

Mariah Tyler

Offering classic Western experiences like bull riding, cattle drives, and stock shows, Fort Worth, Texas, is booming, bringing in $3 billion in tourism revenue last year alone. With all of the renewed interest in the city, luxury hotels are flocking to Cowtown’s Cultural District. The Crescent Hotel, Fort Worth opened in November, home to the first-ever wellness club by Canyon Ranch and a Mediterranean restaurant by Food Network chef Preston Paine. Bowie House, Auberge Resorts Collection , is slated to open its doors December 2023, with a tree-lined pool terrace, chic spa, and upscale chophouse called Bricks and Horses. Walking distance from both hotels is The National Cowgirl Museum , which will run a 2024 exhibit honoring the Mexican female horseback riding tradition of escaramuza charra . Looking ahead, the National Juneteenth Museum is scheduled to open in the city’s Historic Southside neighborhood in 2025. — Mariah Tyler

Turkey’s style capital is seeing a resurgence of life along the Bosphorus, thanks in part to the Galataport, the world’s first underground cruise ship terminal with a pedestrian promenade and the Renzo Piano–designed Istanbul Museum of Modern Art just above. Another neighborhood anchor is the 177-room Peninsula Hotel , spread out over four buildings, three of which date to the early 1900s. Highlights include a glittering pool facing the Hagia Sophia; a sprawling, subterranean spa; and Gallada, a rooftop restaurant from whiz kid chef Fatih Tutak, whose eponymous restaurant is Turkey’s first to earn two Michelin stars. The hotel staff wears posh uniforms courtesy of Arzu Kaprol, a designer who has a boutique in the nearby Paket Postanesi, a historic post office turned chic shopping mall. Also on the waterfront, in Beşiktaş, the lavish Çırağan Palace Kempinski has been reimagined by local interior designer Serdar Gülgün, with rooms that lean into Ottoman-era grandeur (think tulip-pattern motifs and mother-of-pearl furniture). Finally, don’t miss The Basilica Cistern, open again after a five-year closure, and now hosting contemporary art exhibits amid the ancient columns. — Jacqui Gifford

Kansas City, Missouri

Jonathan Tasler/Courtesy of Visit KC

World famous for barbecue and jazz, KC is now staking a claim as a global leader in sports and entertainment — and not just because of Taylor and Travis . In March, the Kansas City Current, of the National Women's Soccer League, will open the first-ever purpose-built stadium for women’s pro sports. “It will be a destination for sports lovers and will inspire generations of girls to follow their dreams,” said Katie Mabry van Dieren, CEO and curator of The Strawberry Swing , a brand that organizes events and pop-ups in the city, as well as Shop Local KC , a string of boutiques. The stadium’s construction has spurred other developments around the city, including the forthcoming Origen Hotel KC , a 118-room boutique property; the massive Berkley Beer Garden; and an extension of the free KC Streetcar that will serve the Berkley Riverfront area. Also coming soon is the country’s first entertainment district of its kind, the Rock Island Bridge , a reclaimed rail crossing over the Kansas River. “Visitors will be able to enjoy two levels of entertainment with food from two restaurants and three bars, plus a covered event space with a dance floor and open veranda seating overlooking the river and city,” a source told T+L of the High Line–inspired project that will connect Kansas City, Missouri, and Kansas City, Kansas. — Jalyn Robinson

Raf Willems/Getty Images

Just when you think Sin City can’t get any bigger, louder, or glitzier, Las Vegas turns it up another notch. On the heels of blockbuster residencies from Adele , Katy Perry, and Lady Gaga, U2 kicked off their inaugural stint at the long-anticipated Sphere this fall. Filmmaker Darren Aronofsky’s immersive sci-fi production “Postcard from Earth” will also show off the new arena’s 16K LED display, beginning this fall and continuing through 2024. Formula 1 and Netflix’s Formula 1: Drive to Survive captured a growing American audience for the international racing circuit, and the Las Vegas Grand Prix will hit The Strip Nov. 16-18, 2023, and again Nov. 21-23, 2024. It won’t be the only megaevent on the sports calendar: Las Vegas will host Super Bowl LVIII on Feb. 11, 2024, at Allegiant Stadium, marking the first time the game will take place in Nevada. Still not enough? The 67-story Fontainebleau Las Vegas will open in December with 3,700 rooms and a ton of buzzy restaurants, including a Casa Dragones Tasting Room and a Chinese noodle den from the restaurateur behind Wagamama and Hakkasan. — Elizabeth Rhodes

Louisville, Kentucky

Nick Simonite/Courtesy of Hotel Genevieve

The Kentucky Derby will celebrate its 150th anniversary on May 4, 2024, as well as the debut of the redesigned Churchill Downs Paddock, which is coming off a multiyear, $200-million renovation. Those that can’t make race day can brush up on the event’s history and culture year-round at the Kentucky Derby Museum , which has interactive exhibits on subjects like Black horsemen’s contributions to racing . Continue on theme at Derby City Hotel, a Canopy by Hilton property, which will open in downtown Louisville this summer with 168 rooms plus a rooftop pool and bar, or opt for another new property, such as The Myriad Hotel, Common Bond Hotel Collection , or the trendy Hotel Genevieve by Bunkhouse Group. Also coming in 2024 is “Ali,” a musical about the Louisville icon, which opens at the Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts in the fall. There’s news on the spirits scene, too, including the launch of Bourbon and Belonging – Kentucky’s Queer Bourbon Week, a statewide celebration running Oct. 3-6, 2024, that will have events in Louisville and beyond. — Elizabeth Rhodes

Alessandra Amodio/Travel + Leisure

As close as you can get to Europe without the transatlantic flight, this island city of nearly 2 million is newly relevant in the year ahead, thanks to forward-thinking infrastructure that’s made it one of the greenest and most visitor-friendly spots in North America. The Réseau Express Métropolitain, or REM, is a new automated light rail system that Canada’s Globe and Mail calls “ Montreal’s biggest public transit project in more than half a century ,” with a growing number of stations coming online in the years ahead. (All of them are or will be “ universally accessible .”) The Grand Quay, the city-center pier that many cruise ships use, has a new attraction in the form of the Port of Montreal Tower , a blocky observation spire that echoes the look of the famed Habitat 67 nearby. Meanwhile, the city’s bike-sharing program, Bixi, which launched back in 2009, is still going strong and now offers an all-you-can-bike monthly pass for just $14 that makes using the system a no brainer; the city’s 560 miles of bike lanes help, too. The recently renovated Vogue Hotel Montreal Downtown, Curio Collection by Hilton , and the new-in-2023 Honeyrose Hotel, Montreal, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel , join the four-year-old Four Seasons in adding a touch of luxury that had, perhaps, been missing in the heart of the city. That said, Montreal has more than 24,000 hotel rooms — and plenty of Airbnbs — across the metro area, which will make it an ideal last-minute destination for eclipse watchers who want to be in the path of totality on April 8. — Paul Brady

When Paris hosts 329 distinct sporting events next summer, the whole city will be on display: the first-ever Olympic Games breakdancing competition will be at Place de la Concorde; beach volleyball courts will skirt the Eiffel Tower; and the opening ceremony’s Parade of Nations will sail down the Seine River. The host city of the 2024 Summer Olympic Games (July 26-August 11) and Paralympic Games (August 28-September 8) will welcome visitors with a flurry of new hotels and restaurants. Chateau des Fleurs is an extravagant new stay in the eighth arrondissement with 19th-century style and an haute Korean restaurant. Celebrated hotel designer Martin Brudnizki just unveiled two projects : the 50-room Grand Mazarin , in the Marais, and La Fantaisie in the ninth. And the hoteliers behind the Hôtel Dame Des Arts , which appeared on T+L’s 2023 It List , unveiled their train-themed Hôtel des Grand Voyageurs in Saint-Germain-des-Prés in October. The legacy establishments have new life, too: Hotel Plaza Athénée , named the best hotel in Paris by T+L readers, has a French restaurant, Jean Imbert au Plaza Athénée, which recently scored two Michelin stars, to say nothing of the property’s brand-new Dior Spa. And the sumptuous La Tour d’Argent restaurant just got a sensational facelift. Meanwhile, “numerous museums and institutions will host sports-related exhibitions, films, performances, workshops, and kids’ programming throughout the summer,” writer Lindsey Tramuta reported in T+L’s November 2023 issue. For those in need of a sports break, La Galerie Dior and Fragonard Musée du Parfum are two new additions to the scene worth checking out. — Maya Kachroo-Levine

For Moments on the Water

Coastal alaska.

Cruising is back in a big way, and Alaska's Inside Passage is leading the charge. In 2023, the state saw ships including Regent’s Seven Seas Explorer and Carnival’s Luminosa for the first time, while Royal Caribbean recently sent Brilliance of the Seas north for the first time in years. The new Klawock port, on Prince of Wales Island, is poised to welcome large ships in the 2024 season with food and retail outposts, exhibits detailing Indigenous culture and history, and nature trails. Skagway, a well-known port that’s home to Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park and the scenic White Pass and Yukon Route Railway, is getting a 550-foot floating pier, which will allow the port to host two megaships simultaneously beginning in the 2024 season. Lately, that season has been getting longer: most companies run trips May to September, but Norwegian Cruise Line had October sailings in 2023, which gave passengers a look at Alaskan life during a quieter season. Considering Alaska is projected to notch 1.65 million cruise travelers on around 700 voyages this year, opting for a shoulder season trip in 2024 might not be a bad idea. —  Nina Ruggiero

Coastal Norway

Sebastian Lamberg Torjusen/Courtesy of Salmon Eye

Long known for its cutting-edge design and architectural marvels like the Oslo Opera House, Norway has lately doubled down on building big. “Over the last few years, we’ve seen a surge in new attractions,” confirmed Katrine Mosfjeld, the chief marketing officer for Visit Norway. In seaside Oslo, the new luxury hotel Sommero is a study in adaptive reuse, inside a landmark building from 1930 originally designed by famed Norwegian architects Andreas Bjercke and Georg Eliassen. Four hours southwest, in Kristiansand, the Kunstsilo , or Art Silo, is another repurposed wonder: the one-time industrial complex will reemerge in 2024 as a museum devoted to Nordic modernist art. Up the coast, in Bergen, Iris Expedition Dining is a new tasting-menu destination located in Hardangerfjord, inside a floating sculpture known as the Salmon Eye. North of the Arctic Circle, the long-awaited Six Senses Svart promises to be one of the hottest openings anywhere when it finally debuts. The ring-shaped resort, at the base of the Svartisen glacier, aims to be off-grid, carbon-neutral, and emissions-free, with a zero-waste dining program and a “design lab,” as the hotel calls it, meant to foster further innovation. — Taylor McIntyre

Douro River, Portugal

Courtesy of Tauck

As recently as a decade ago, almost nobody was talking about wine tourism in Portugal. These days, “you have to see the Douro River,” said Sheree M. Mitchell , a T+L A-List advisor based in the country and the president of Immersa Global. “It’s non-negotiable.” Mitchell’s preferred way to do it is on a yacht charter, which gives guests the chance to spend a few hours or days hitting quintas , or wine estates, and dining at Michelin Guide–approved restaurants like Castas e Pratos . Cruises are a more affordable option, and lines are expanding their presence on the river, which cuts across Spain and Northern Portugal before reaching the Atlantic in the city of Porto. Tauck , a favorite among T+L readers, unveiled the Andorinha in 2021, which will sail 33 wine-country itineraries in 2024. Another T+L reader favorite, Viking, will have four ships on the Douro in the year ahead, visiting towns such as Peso da Régua and Pinhão, in the heart of port country. And AmaWaterways recently announced a special November 2024 departure that will “explore the history of the Black and African diaspora in Lisbon and along Portugal's stunning Douro River,” according to the brand. — Maya Kachroo-Levine

Faroe Islands

This remote, starkly beautiful archipelago in the North Atlantic just got way more accessible. Summer 2023 saw Atlantic Airways launch nonstop flights from New York Stewart International, 70 miles north of New York City, to Vágar Airport, in the islands. “This direct flight is not only about easier transport to our great ocean nation, but a means of creating a bridge between two worlds,” Jóhanna á Bergi, CEO of Atlantic Airways, told T+L. The news seems to have been warmly received by U.S. travelers. Melissa Lee , a Northern Europe specialist on T+L’s A-List said she has seen an uptick in interest in the Faroes. "Previously, you could only get there from Copenhagen, or Reykjavik, Iceland.” Once there, a world of adventure awaits, with activities including cold-water surfing , traditional knitting , and hiking to places such as Sørvágsvatn, the so-called lake above the ocean . Then there’s the top-flight dining: the restaurant Roks in Tórshavn, the Faroe Islands’ capital, is an offshoot of Koks, the Michelin two-starred restaurant in Greenland which is presently on hiatus. — Liz Cantrell

Kimberley, Australia

Bruno Cazarini/Courtesy of Silversea Cruises

This destination in northwest Australia, also called The Kimberleys, is home to ancient wonders: dinosaur tracks; striated geological formations, some 350 million years old, known as Bungle Bungles; waterfalls and reefs that seem unmoored from time; and Aboriginal history from what some call the world’s oldest continuous culture . Lately, though, some of the world’s top cruise lines have caught on to all the upside and are racing to offer thrilling expedition-style itineraries that combine all this history with modern-day adventures, such as sightseeing flights by helicopter, paddling, Zodiac tours, scuba diving, and cultural excursions. Silversea will have its Silver Cloud in the region from May through September, doing 10- to 17-day trips, with a maximum of 200 passengers. Seabourn is also bullish on the destination, and its newest expedition ship, the 132-suite Seabourn Pursuit , will spend June, July, and August cruising the region. (Both lines are perennial favorites among T+L readers .) Also operating on this remarkable stretch of coast are several Australian companies , including Coral Expeditions and True North Adventure Cruises , as well as private yacht charters like those organized by Yotspace . — Paul Brady

The Mississippi River

Courtesy of Viking

New ships are bringing fresh interest to one of America’s most storied waterways, meaning now’s the time to consider river cruising closer to home. “The Mississippi River is such an important part of American history,” said Adam Peakes, president of Hornblower Group, the parent company of American Queen Voyages. The line will have two ships on the Mississippi in 2024, both of which are already booking up for summer. “Many of our cabin categories are nearly at capacity almost a year in advance,” Peakes added. Other brands are also betting on the river: the Viking Mississippi launched in 2022, with 193 Scandi-chic suites, all with private verandas; American Cruise Lines has launched three new ships on the Mississippi in the past three years. There are new draws on land, too. In Memphis, the newly completed riverfront Tom Lee Park has an installation by artist Theaster Gates and a pavilion named for Tyre Nichols; the expansive riverfront attraction — a collaborative effort from Studio Gang, Scape Studio, and numerous other architectural and design firms — sits just south of Beale Street and is connected to the city via the River Line, a walking and cycling path. Meanwhile Natchez, Mississippi, is these days “filled with surprises, thanks in large part to a cohort of young natives who wandered away and then returned home with new ideas,” according to Southern Living ; come December, the town hosts holiday markets akin to those in Central Europe, as T+L recently reported . In St. Louis, the newest 21c Museum Hotel recently opened in a renovated, century-old YMCA building, with numerous permanent art installations as well as rotating shows and a beautiful, all-day cafe. And, of course, there’s always New Orleans . — Paul Brady

Courtesy of Cunard

Few voyages are as iconic as a transatlantic crossing aboard a Cunard ocean liner. So when the new Queen Anne departs Southampton, England, in May 2024, expectations will be sky-high for the first new Cunard ship to launch since the Queen Elizabeth in 2010. The 1,498-cabin vessel is slated to sail to Lisbon and will then spend its first summer in the Mediterranean. It will also represent an evolution for the 183-year-old brand: Queen Anne will have four new restaurants, including an omakase venue and an Indian dining room, alongside more familiar options such as the Princess Grill and Queens Grill, all overseen in partnership with U.K. chef Michel Roux, Jr. A top-deck wellness studio, with yoga and other fitness classes, will be another noteworthy addition to the ship. A third distinction: Queen Anne will be captained by Inger Klein Thorhauge, the first woman to hold that rank for Cunard. For all the new, some familiar traditions will remain, including proper high tea service and, naturally, an outpost of the Golden Lion pub pouring Cunard’s own microbrews. — Paul Brady

Seven Seas Grandeur

Courtesy of Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Slated to launch in November 2023, Seven Seas Grandeur will be the sixth ship from Regent Seven Seas Cruises, a luxury line that T+L readers consistently say is one of their absolute favorites thanks to no-nonsense, all-inclusive pricing and fabulous suites. The newcomer will feature fresh takes on the elevated dining, shore excursions, and entertainment already found on ships such as Seven Seas Splendor and Seven Seas Explorer , said Andrea DeMarco, the brand’s president. “ Grandeur is inspired by our rich heritage, but we’re reimagining signature restaurants and offering 15 exceptional suite categories to only 746 guests,” she explained. Among the no-expense-spared features of the new ship will be a multimillion-dollar, 1,600-piece art collection that counts among its trophies a handful of Picassos and a custom Fabergé Egg. (Fittingly, the ship’s godmother is Sarah Fabergé, the director of special projects for the jewelry house.) Grandeur ’s inaugural season will be in the Caribbean, but it will head for the Mediterranean in April before returning to the U.S. in August. — Elizabeth Rhodes

For Nature Lovers

Amboseli national park, kenya.

Courtesy of Angama

This 151-square-mile expanse, close to the border with Tanzania, is famed among safari insiders for its big-time wildlife: Amboseli has a well-earned reputation for elephant spotting, with massive herds roaming the dusty plains, along with all sorts of other charismatic creatures including cheetah, giraffe, and zebra. Camps and lodges surrounding the park tend to be basic, which is one reason the fall 2023 opening of the richly appointed Angama Amboseli is so exciting. The second? The 10-suite lodge is the first spinoff of the Angama Mara , a destination hotel that's among the best safari lodges in the world, according to T+L readers . The new property, located about 45 minutes driving from Amboseli National Park, on a private wildlife conservancy, will offer game drives as well as cultural experiences organized in partnership with local communities. Another draw: Angama Amboseli will have unparalleled views of the peak of nearby Mount Kilimanjaro, including from private patios attached to every suite. — Paul Brady

Aspen Mountain, Colorado

Jesse Hoffman/Courtesy of Aspen Snowmass

The legendary ski destination is getting its biggest makeover in four decades this season, with the opening of a new lift, a high-speed quad known as Hero’s that will make accessible a fresh 153 acres of fluffy powder. The project will increase the mountain’s skiable terrain by some 20 percent, adding more than a dozen new chutes, glades, and trails for intermediate and expert skiers. “The quad is a game-changer for Aspen,” said Maureen Poschman, a spokesperson for the Aspen Chamber Resort Association. “The new terrain is a big area, it’s high-altitude skiing, and it’s a bit of a hedge against climate change,” she noted. Not that you have to be a pro skier to find something to love in ever-evolving Aspen, which experienced an influx of residents the past few years . The cultural calendar is as packed as ever; Balenciaga and Hermès now have shops in the heart of town; and scene-y restaurants, including a Sant Ambroeus coffee bar, keep popping up. Where to stay? Mollie Aspen is the newest luxury hotel in town, slated to open in December with 68 rooms designed by Post Company, plus a rooftop plunge pool and terrace, right in the middle of it all. — Denny Lee

Big Sky, Montana

Mark Hartman

Just an hour from Yellowstone National Park, this wild, wide-open area offers heart-pumping activities such as fly fishing, hiking, horseback riding, and skiing at every turn. So, thankfully, a new retreat from hospitality brand One&Only is slated to bring some rest and relaxation to Big Sky in 2024. Situated between Lone Mountain and the Spanish Peaks, the 73-room Moonlight Basin will provide convenient access to 5,850 skiable acres, with a dedicated gondola connecting guests to Big Sky’s terrain, plus a private ski lodge and a Chenot spa. (The resort will also have 19 villas and 62 private residences.) The first U.S. outpost of One&Only, Moonlight Basin arrives a few years after another five-star resort, Montage Big Sky , which opened in 2021, with 139 rooms, six dining venues, a bowling alley, a huge spa, and, naturally, ski-in, ski-out access. — Alisha Prakash

Hokkaido, Japan

Courtesy of Club Med

Travelers are flocking back to Japan , but in the year ahead, they should look beyond Tokyo and Kyoto. Hokkaido, the northernmost of Japan’s main islands, has a sterling reputation for food — its biggest city, Sapporo, is famous for miso ramen — and its Shiretoko National Park is a natural wonder with excellent hiking and photogenic waterfalls. Hokkaido is also, insiders know, one of the world’s premier ski destinations thanks to simply phenomenal snow . The center of the action is the village of Niseko, which has plenty of hotels, homestays, and resorts — but has gotten a touch easier to visit thanks to the 2022 opening of Club Med Kiroro. The something-for-everyone property has two distinctive concepts, Club Med Kiroro Peak , for guests age 12 and older, and the new-in-2023 Club Med Kiroro Grand , a family-friendly alternative. These all-inclusives are helping to eliminate the intimidation factor when booking a Japanese ski week, by rolling up everything from accommodations and equipment rentals to off-the-mountain entertainment and kids' clubs. Another perk? Club Med Kiroro Grand will also have the brand’s first-ever Japanese onsen alongside other wellness facilities including soaking tubs and saunas. — Danielle Pointdujour

KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Sven Musica/Courtesy of Madwaleni River Lodge - Babanango Game Reserve

This out-of-the-way South African province, sometimes shortened to KZN and located on the country’s eastern coast, is moving into the spotlight. “KwaZulu-Natal has two World Heritage Sites — the iSimangaliso Wetland Park and the majestic uKhahlamba Drakensberg National Park — and is popular for its beaches, safari parks, green hills, and temperate weather,” said Julian Harrison , a safari expert and longtime member of T+L’s A-List. It’s also home to an ambitious rewilding project backed by the Emcakwini Community Trust , which began reintroducing once-endemic species including black rhino, cheetah, elephant, giraffe, and lion in 2018; today, it’s known as Babanango Game Reserve . Harrison also points to other conservation efforts, such as those underway at andBeyond Phinda Private Game Reserve , which is monitoring critically endangered Temminck’s ground pangolins. The newly opened Madwaleni River Lodge is the place to stay, said Raza Visram , another A-List expert. “The intimate lodge has 12 beautifully designed tents that overlook the White Umfolozi River,” he explained. There’s also Sala Beach House , an oceanfront escape on Thompson’s Bay that writer Heather Richardson detailed in T+L’s September 2023 issue . Coming soon in KZN will be The Homestead , a 12-suite eco-lodge in the province’s western Nambiti Game Reserve. — Samantha Falewée

Mababe, Botswana

Dana Allen/Courtesy of Wilderness

Long considered one of Africa’s most exclusive safari destinations, Botswana has a huge array of five-star lodges, operated by the likes of African Bush Camps, andBeyond, and Great Plains Conservation. But the most compelling new place to stay isn’t one with high thread count sheets or over-the-top amenities: Mokete, a new safari lodge from Wilderness , is worth the trip because it will only exist until 2026, when the operator pulls down the tents and carries away any sign the nine-suite escape was ever there. The temporary enclave will be situated east of the famed Okavango Delta, in the heart of a 124,000-acre tract known as the Mababe Concession, which has considerable populations of lion, elephant, and buffalo, plus a huge variety of birds. Wildlife watching is the thing here, with all-day game drives and guided nature walks. Mokete is all about an elemental connection with the outdoors, down to the design of the guest quarters: each tent will have a retractable roof so guests can stargaze from bed — and hear the calls of hyenas from the surrounding bush. — Paul Brady

New Zealand

It’s time to take it off your once-in-a-lifetime list and just go : earlier this year, Delta launched service from Los Angeles to Auckland, and United Airlines plans to start a San Francisco to Christchurch route in December. That’s on top of an existing Air New Zealand nonstop between Auckland and New York City that launched in 2022 . “Any time of year is a great time to visit,” said Sarah Farag , a member of T+L’s A-List and the Auckland-based owner and director of Southern Crossings , a luxury travel firm. “Our summer months are always popular,” Farag said of the December to March period, “but those who come at other times are well-rewarded with captivating colors during autumn harvest season, snow-capped adventures and spectacular stargazing in the winter, and fabulous fishing and hiking in spring.” There’s a growing number of enticing stays, including the new exclusive-use villas at Flockhill Lodge , set on a working sheep station, and the Clifftops at Anderson Cove , a tented camp above the Northland coast. Christchurch has recently seen the opening of two new boutique properties, the sleek, modern Mayfair and the artsy Observatory Hotel ; meanwhile the beloved Huka Lodge in Taupo is getting a makeover. If the outdoors are a priority, turn an eye to the North Island’s Wairarapa Dark Sky Reserve , the country’s second, which was certified earlier this year, or the new Tom Doak–designed golf course which just opened at Te Arai Links . — Peter Terzian

For Beach Vibes

Anna maria island, florida.

Flavio Vallenari/Getty Images

Compared to some brand-name Florida destinations, this island south of Tampa Bay is way under the radar. But it's cultivated a loyal following, thanks to its no-high-rises shoreline, incredible sunsets, and small-town feel. Case in point: Anna Maria Island is a place where most people tool around by golf cart or beach cruiser, and almost all the sherbet-hued clapboard homes are vacation rentals. In an effort to keep things copacetic, the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, which works on the island, inked a partnership with Leave No Trace this summer, making Anna Maria the first destination in Florida to work with the nonprofit. Meanwhile, new developments fit right in with the vibe: Mello on the Beach , a hotel that opened in July, offers vibrant retro-style apartments on the Gulf of Mexico, while the villas of Joie Inn , which opened in 2021, still feel super-fresh. On the dining scene, the cocktail bar Doctor’s Office recently added a “dining room” to its string-lit outdoor garden, and coming soon to the island is Bohemian, a restaurant from repeat James Beard semifinalist Jeannie Pierola. Getting there has gotten easier thanks to growth at Sarasota-Bradenton International, which added nonstops to four new domestic destinations in 2023. A planned terminal expansion looks to be right-sized, too: the airport aims to add five gates next year. — Jennifer Salerno Yong

Coastal Campania, Italy

Courtesy of Hotel La Palma

It’s no wonder Campania — the southern Italian region that’s home to Amalfi, Capri, Positano, and Sorrento — is having a bit of a hotel boom: visitors have been flocking to this splashy coastal destination over the past few years. The renaissance kicked off with Il Capri Hotel , which opened on the island last spring, offering travelers a boutique option inside a neo-Gothic villa reminiscent of a Venetian palazzo. Next, Oetker Collection, the luxury hotel brand behind the celeb-loved Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc in Antibes, France, debuted its first Italian hotel in June: the glamorous, 50-room Hotel La Palma is a fresh take on a property that originally opened in 1822. Then there’s the new Convento di Amalfi , a 52-room Anantara with a cliffside pool, set in a 13th-century Capuchin convent. Airlines have also taken note of the increased demand: American Airlines and Delta are both launching new routes to Naples next year, the former from Philadelphia, the latter from New York City. Lindblad Expeditions, meanwhile, will have its new Sea Cloud II in southern Italy this coming May, for an 11-day itinerary that will take guests to the ancient ruins of Pompeii and the Amalfi Coast’s most beautiful seaside villages, with a focus on Italian food and wine. —  Nina Ruggiero

Taylor McIntyre/Travel + Leisure

The land of pura vida just keeps getting better, which is why Costa Rica was just named T+L’s 2024 Destination of the Year . Surfers can find their bliss at the new, boho-chic Sendero hotel, which opened in February in oceanside Nosara, on the Nicoya Peninsula. A few hours north, the Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo has added the new Virador Beach Club, updated its golf course (while cutting water usage), and opened Wellness Shala, a spa that offers healing treatments with local ingredients like cacao, coconut, and volcanic mud. Nearby, the community of Las Catalinas has announced a new mixed-use space, La Rambla, which will promote spending time outside and car-free living. Forward-thinking tour operator Intrepid Travel has launched new trips that shine a light on the Terraba community, one of Costa Rica’s eight Indigenous groups. Meanwhile local outfitters such as UrriTrek are now offering guided hiking trips on the 174-mile Camino de Costa Rica , a trail connecting the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. — Samantha Falewée

The self-declared Nature Island, Dominica has been voted the best island in the Caribbean for the past two years in T+L’s World’s Best Awards , thanks in part to its serene tropical rain forests, enticing hot springs, and gushing waterfalls. There’s also an ever-growing number of resorts and hotels, such as the InterContinental Dominica Cabrits Resort & Spa , which opened this year, and the forthcoming Anichi Resort & Spa, Autograph Collection , and Tranquility Beach Resort — Curio — a Collection by Hilton . Also of note is the new 32-nautical-mile Waitukubuli Sea Trail, which takes sea-kayakers along the island's western coast from Scott’s Head to Capuchin; Soufrière Outdoor Centre can supply equipment, an itinerary, and a guide. And there’s another element to Dominica’s story that’s capturing the attention of travelers who care about sustainability. The volcanically active country plans to commission its first geothermal power plant in 2024, and in the meantime gets about a quarter of its overall power from hydroelectric sources. It’s also home to what T+L has called one of the world’s most eco-friendly resorts, Coulibri Ridge . — Annie Archer

Hawai’i Island

Courtesy of Rosewood Resorts

“We welcome mindful visitors to Hawai‘i Island,” said Ilihia Gionson, the public affairs officer of the Hawai'i Tourism Authority, in an interview with T+L. Commonly known as the Big Island, the destination is planning for a meaningful 2024, with the help of returning visitors. “Travelers have the opportunity to help mālama , or care for, our natural resources and support our community to ensure a regenerative model of tourism that is sustained for generations,” Gionson said. The theme of mālama is more significant than ever this year following the devastating fires that impacted both Hawai’i Island and Maui in 2023. Those looking to support relief efforts have many choices, including the Hawaii Red Cross, the Lāhainā Restoration Foundation, and more . Travelers ready to return might consider Kona Village, an iconic hotel that reopened in 2023 as a Rosewood Resort following its closure in 2011. “Each villa feels like your own little beach house,” Nicole Hollis, the interior designer of Kona Village, told T+L . Various events are on the island’s cultural calendar in the year ahead, including the Kona Brewers Festival in March and the Big Island Chocolate Festival in April. — Christine Burroni

Los Cabos, Mexico

Mariah Tyler/Travel + Leisure

With its rugged desert-meets-ocean landscape, 350 days a year of sun, and stunning five-star resorts, Los Cabos isn’t exactly an unexpected choice for a dreamy vacation. But 2024 promises to be a big year for the Baja California destination, thanks to all the new resorts coming to Cabo del Sol, the 1,800-acre community just east of Cabo San Lucas with two miles of beach and two 18-hole golf courses. Four Seasons Resort Cabo San Lucas at Cabo Del Sol and Soho House Beach Club are expected to open in the first part of 2024; Park Hyatt Los Cabos at Cabo Del Sol will join them by the end of the year. On the southern shore of the peninsula — and not far from the Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal , a T+L reader fave — there’s even more happening: the resort community of Quivira Los Cabos will welcome the 120-room St. Regis Los Cabos at Quivira by late 2024, with access to 2.5 miles of beach and its own Jack Nicklaus golf course. — Danielle Pointdujour

Mallorca, Spain

Lara D'Agostino/Travel + Leisure

The sparkling waters, delicious food, and laid-back atmosphere are all still here — and Americans are loving United’s summertime nonstop service from Newark Liberty International. In the year ahead, though, they’ll be visiting for the booming luxury hotel scene, which is poised to help this island steal the spotlight from its western neighbor, Ibiza. One must-see is Son Bunyola , a Virgin Limited Edition retreat on Mallorca’s northwest coast, with three miles of beautiful coastline backed by olive groves. Sir Richard Branson first purchased the property in 1994, as T+L recently reported , but it only opened to guests this summer, with 26 rooms and suites, plus three villas. Nearby is The Lodge Mallorca , a Small Luxury Hotels of the World retreat that opened in May, which has wood-fired dining and extensive wellness programming. Then there’s the first hotel from 22-time Grand Slam champion and Majorcan Rafael Nadal, whose new Zel lifestyle brand has opened — what else? — Zel Mallorca , an approachable, beachy hotel in partnership with Meliá, the Spanish operator. Coming soon, said Clare Watkins, an expert in the Balearic Islands at Red Savannah , are more exciting properties: Four Seasons Resort Mallorca at Formentor will be a top-to-bottom refresh of a century-old hotel, while Mandarin Oriental Punta Negra, Mallorca, will have 131 rooms, plus 44 suites and nine bungalows, overlooking the sea just outside Palma. — Danielle Pointdujour

For Adventurous Travelers 

Alula, saudi arabia.

Didier Marti/Getty Images

Of all the ambitious tourism developments in Saudi Arabia, AlUla may be the most enchanting, which may explain why Qatar Airways recently launched new flights to the destination from its Doha hub. This huge sweep of red rocks and desert in the country’s northwest is home to Hegra, a 2,000-year-old archeological site filled with soaring tombs carved by the Nabataean civilization, the same one that built Petra, in modern-day Jordan. After touring ancient history, visitors can retreat to decadent contemporary hotels, including a forthcoming 36-room luxury resort at Hegra that will sensitively incorporate parts of an old railway station and fort. A short drive away, in AlUla’s Old Town, the contrast of old and new continues; the new 30-room eco-hotel Dar Tantora , for example, eschews electricity in favor of candlelight. In the year ahead, more fresh thinking will touch down in AlUla, courtesy of Wadi AlFann, or Valley of the Arts, a permanent showcase of works from big-name international artists. The best way to see it might be from on high, duringca April’s “AlUla Skies” festival, when helicopters and hot air balloons will soar above Instagram-worthy monuments. —  Jacqui Gifford

Bahia, Brazil

Marta Tucci

This coastal state, situated between the Amazon and Rio de Janeiro, is the sort of place most Americans never quite get to — and that’s a shame. Its coastline offers some of the most mythical surf-and-sand spots in the world, including Itacaré, which is home to the community-minded Barracuda Hotel & Villas , and the boho-chic enclave of Trancoso, a place that “first captured the imagination of the international creative set back in the 1980s,” as T+L reported in the September 2023 issue . “The beaches are some of the most picturesque in Brazil,” said Paul Irvine , an expert in the country and member of T+L’s A-List. But, he added, there’s more to Bahia than the coast. “We’ve started sending our more adventurous clients to the Chapada Diamantina National Park ,” he said, “which has its own vibrant, off-grid hippy culture.” While high-end hotels in the area are in short supply, more villa accommodations are popping up all the time. One thing to keep in mind for 2024: Brazil stopped requiring a visa for U.S. citizens back in 2019, but the country’s tourism officials have said that the mandate will return on Jan. 10, though further details on how to apply and any fees have yet to be announced. — Paul Brady

Northern Pakistan

Courtesy of Intrepid Travel

The northern reaches of this South Asian nation have a growing profile in the adventure-travel world, thanks to striking topography, high-elevation lakes, and precipitous peaks. Consider that, in 2023, Intrepid Travel launched a 12-day women-only expedition to the region, a first for the tour operator, which has similar trips in places such as Jordan, India, and Morocco. Intrepid will return in 2024 — with departures in May, September, and October — taking women to ancient villages, alpine lakes, and historic forts; travelers will have ample opportunity to meet with locals in areas that would be off-limits if men were part of the group, according to Intrepid. Other outfitters are heading to Northern Pakistan as well. Wild Frontiers will debut a brand-new, 14-day walking adventure that will no doubt challenge the bodies and minds of those who are up for it, with several full-day hikes, some above 4,000 meters (13,123 feet). The payoff comes in the form of staggeringly beautiful landscapes — not to mention the chance to make connections with people you meet along the way and see historic gems in Islamabad, the trip’s jumping off point. — Alisha Prakash

Peru's Trekking Routes

In a country where all roads seemingly lead to spectacular scenery and historic finds, there’s much more to explore beyond majestic Machu Picchu. These days, travelers have more options for getting off familiar routes thanks to the efforts of companies such as Alpaca Expeditions , an Indigenous-owned outfitter that will lead its first-ever, all-women hiking trip on the Salkantay Trail in 2024. Operated by women — including guides, porters, drivers, chefs, and other staff — for women, the seven-day adventure will include stays high in the Andes and cultural experiences such as cooking classes and farm visits that aren’t typical on more popular Inca Trail trips. Meanwhile the tour operator Intrepid Travel debuted in 2023 a 12-day expedition on the Great Inca Road in northern Peru. Starting in Huaraz and culminating at the Inca site of Huanuco Pampa, the trek will immerse hikers in this less-visited region’s nature and culture, including plentiful archeological sites. — Alisha Prakash

South Australia

ROBERT LANG/Courtesy of South Australia Tourism Commission

Visitors to this low-key state may feel like they’re in on a big-time secret with all that’s happening lately. The biggest news may be Australia’s new national park, Nilpe­na Ediacara , which opened in April and gives travelers a look at the oldest known fossils on the planet. “They’re about 550 million years old,” Mary L. Droser, an American paleontologist, explained in a recent interview with T+L . Across South Australia’s wine country, meanwhile, hotels such as Le Mas Barossa , Sequoia Lodge , and The Vineyard McLaren Vale are gateways to the hundreds of vineyards and cellar doors just outside of Adelaide, the state capital. “South Australia is known as the wine state for a reason,” said Tim Duval, the winemaker at John Duval Wines . Travelers can learn about small-batch wineries (including Duval’s) at Artisans of Barossa ; sample eco-conscious shiraz at Bird in Hand ; and enjoy a tasting in The Cube, a five-story structure fashioned after an unfinished Rubik’s Cube, at d’Arenberg . Another notable stay can be found on Kangaroo Island, where the famed Southern Ocean Lodge is slated to reopen in December after the disastrous bushfires of 2020. — Samantha Lauriello

Tatiana Kashko/Getty Images

This small South Asian island nation has big things on offer. “You can cover a lot of ground in two weeks, with loads of variety in the landscapes, from gorgeous beaches to lush jungles to high mountains to historic cities,” said Catherine Heald, co-founder and CEO of Remote Lands, a luxury travel firm. This year, the tea company Dilmah opened two boutique stays under its Reverie brand, Kayaam House and Ahu Bay ; Sri Lankan–owned hotel group Uga is debuting Uga Riva in Negombo this November; and for foodies, Red Savannah recently rolled out a culinary tour of Sri Lanka. Political unrest in 2022 took the destination off the table for many travelers, acknowledged Rachel Cooper , a South Asia travel expert at Red Savannah. But, she added, "the new government has introduced measures to protect and encourage a positive traveler experience throughout the country.” — Susmita Baral

Where to Go in 2024

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Finland Chevron

The Best Time to Visit Finland

By Condé Nast Traveller

The best time to visit Finland can vary because every season in the Nordic country brings a different kind of charm. If you're seeking sunlight, the sun barely sets in the summers, whereas winters are your best bet at catching a glimpse of the northern lights dancing in the skies. In autumn, Finland is bathed in shades of crimson and gold, and the springtime is temperate and green. The best time to visit Finland depends on what lighting excites you the most: 24/7 daylight , or the neon green aurora borealis against the night skies? Here’s a quick guide to the best time to visit Finland.

• What is the best time to visit Finland? • What is the best time to visit Finland for the northern lights? • What is the best time to visit Finland for snow? • Temperature in Finland throughout the year • Plan your trip

What is the best time to visit Finland?

The best time to visit Finland is in the summer, between June to August , when the temperature ranges between 53°F and 73°C. The days are unusually long in the summer, with 20 to 22 hours of sunlight a day. Museums, castles , and other tourist attractions are open for longer during this time of the year, allowing you to explore long after the usual opening hours. Since winters last for nearly seven months in Finland, summer is also the best time to explore Finland’s 40 national parks and many nature hikes. This is also the season for festivals in Finland; for example. the 10-day Naantali Music Festival , which features classical music artists from around the world, takes place in June.

Shoulder season in Finland spans from April to May, which is to say: springtime. The temperatures usually hover between 32°F and 50°F. There are fewer crowds and nightly rates at hotels take a dip. Speaking of shoulder season, visit Finland in autumn, between September to November, when the temperature fluctuates between 41°F and 59°F, and the country's trees are plentiful shades of yellow and crimson. As it goes with shoulder season, hotels and airfare tend to be cheaper, and there are fewer tourists.

Winter in Finland, which is from December to March, is not for the faint of heart, with temperatures ranging between 14°F and 41°F and sunlight present only three to four hours a day. But this might also the most rewarding time to visit Finland because winter is northern lights season.

What is the best time to visit Finland for the northern lights?

Finland is one of the best countries in Europe where you can chase the northern lights. The northern lights are visible all year round, but they are seen only once the sun sets. Since there's minimal nighttime during the summer in Finland, the best time to spot the aurora borealis is during the winter season, from December to March, when days are actually just nights.

The northern lights are easiest to spot when you’re away from the cities. The secret recipe for a great sighting is clear skies, low light pollution, and long winter nights. If you’re lucky, you may spot the aurora in Helsinki itself, but your best bet is to head north to Lapland, Kemi, Rovaniemi, Muonio, Ivalo, Kakslauttanen, Levi, or Saariselkä.

What is the best time to visit Finland for snow?

Even if you don’t get lucky with the northern lights, the good thing about visiting from December to March is that there are plenty of winter activities to do while you're in Finland. November marks the beginning of the snow season in Finland. Stay in an ice igloo; go skiing or dog sledging; race rally cars through the Arctic; and visit Santa Claus’ home in Rovaniemi.

How many days do I need for a trip to Finland?

The number of days totally depends on your itinerary. If you wish to just explore the capital of Helsinki and places close by, a four- or five-day trip is sufficient. However, if you wish to see Lapland and more, plan a 10-day trip.

A version of this article originally appeared in Condé Nast Traveller India .

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