These Are Europe’s 2 Most Incredible Destinations For 2026 According To Expedia

As customary yearly, the Expedia Group has launched its long-awaited report on rising journey traits, and fast-rising locations vacationers ought to keep watch over.

For their Unpack ’26, which used each reserving knowledge and 1000’s of traveler surveys, 2 stunning European locations got here out on prime, and earlier than you attempt to second-guess it, no, it is not a now widely-publicized Albania, a lot much less one other offbeat Greek island that’s featured.

Let’s simply say that in case you love beach-hopping or fondue with limitless Alps views, you’ll positively be aligned with the journey specialists’ prime picks for the 12 months forward:

Savoie, France

Voted one of many prime European locations for 2026, the mountain-traversed Savoie in France is a paradise for nature lovers regardless of season.

We’re speaking rustic chalet stays, deep valleys flanked by towering, snow-capped peaks, crystalline mountain streams, and naturally, sufficient creamy Beaufort cheese to maintain you fueled in between all of the hikes.

If you are in search of a base to discover Savoie, the charming Chambéry is the perfect location: strategically positioned within the coronary heart of the French Alps, on the foot of a medieval fortress, it has fairytale-like Old Town streets, world-class museums, and a plethora of conventional auberges serving mountain delicacies.

From Chambéry, you are a brief drive away from Lake Bourget, a lake bordered by spa resorts and pine forests, the quaint Beaufort, a picture-perfect village up within the Alps well-known for its rustic townscape, and the huge Parc National de la Vanoise:

Covering a whopping 204 sq. miles, it’s speckled with glaciers, postcard lakes, and quite a few mountain climbing trails for these eager on a bit of journey.

Best Time Of Year To Visit Savoie & How To Get There

There is not actually a ‘finest interval’ to go to Savoie, because it all depends upon your journey preferences and what you are hoping to expertise.

For snowboarding and winter sports activities, resorts sometimes function from mid-November by way of early April. As far as mountain climbing and outside actions go, springtime and summer season are supreme because the snow can have melted within the lowlands, and most mountain paths can be accessible.

The best technique to get to Savoie—if Chambéry is the place you are headed—is flying both into Lyon or Geneva, in Switzerland, then transferring by automotive or prepare.

From Lyon, it is a quick 1.5-hour prepare trip to Chambéry, whereas these touchdown in Switzerland’s westernmost metropolis, trains can take as much as 2.5 hours to make the cross-border journey.

Sardinia, Italy

Home to Caribbean-like powdered-sugar white sand beaches hugged by turquoise seas, pastel-colored harbor cities relationship again centuries, and rugged hinterland, Sardinia is Expedia’s second top-pick for vacationers crossing the pond in 2026.

It might not be as standard a summer season vacation spot as Amalfi or the more and more fashionable Sicily, however Sardinia has loads of artifical and pure wonders to maintain you busy for days, if not weeks on finish.

To the north, its aptly-named Costa Smeralda is interspersed with unruffled sandy stretches and nature parks with solely a small fraction of the crowds seen on the Italian mainland. Just offshore, the islet-dotted Maddalena archipelago is much more peaceable, and simply accessible with boat excursions.

Elsewhere in Alghero, you may discover a gorgeous walled city with robust Catalan influences, whereas Bosa, lining the fast-flowing Temo River, is characterised by its pastel-painted, skinny edifices and hilltop Malaspina Castle.

In the equally fascinating south of the island, Cagliari is the compact, deeply historic capital, suffering from medieval gems, Roman ruins, and straddling a picturesque Poetto Beach.

A brief 50-minute drive from Cagliari, Chia is yet one more must-see vacation spot for seaside fans: extra white sands, extra teal-hue waters, plus dunes and pure lagoons. Now, for the tradition buffs on the market, you may’t miss Nora, an historic Roman archaeological website proper by the ocean.

Best Time Of Year To Visit Sardinia & How To Get There

Sardinia is primarily a sunny vacation spot, which suggests you are higher off visiting anytime between late April, when the wet season wanes and temperatures begin rising, as much as mid- and even late October.

The most crowded months are July and August, although if we’re being fairly frank, Sardinia’s tourism hotspots are so unfold out, and so extremely assorted, chances are high you may not often ever really feel such as you’re within the midst of excessive season, whether or not you are lounging on a seaside or exploring a mountain village.

The most thrilling half is that, beginning May 20, 2026, it is possible for you to to fly nonstop from New York (JFK) to Olbia, the gateway to Costa Smeralda within the north of Sardinia.

Flights will run 4 instances every week, and the route will stay energetic all by way of summer season, making Sardinia a handy different sunny getaway for Americans dreaming of Italy.

Vinicius Costa

Vini, our senior lead author at Travel Off Path, has over 60+ international locations underneath his belt (and at present weaving tales from Paris!), and a knack for turning off-the-beaten-path experiences into informative tales that can have you ever packing your luggage.