Best Places to Travel in 2027 (Top 10 Destinations Ranked)

2027 Travel Rankings · Authority Index

Best Places to Travel in 2027 (Top 10 Destinations Ranked)

Two European Capitals of Culture, two world expos, three World Cups and a wave of headline openings: here are the 10 destinations that rank highest for 2027 in the 5 Reasons to Visit Authority Index, with every score shown.

By 5 Reasons to Visit Editors  ·  8 min read

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Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, host of the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

The short answer: The best place to travel in 2027 is Évora and the Alentejo, Portugal (Authority Score 91.9), followed by Yokohama and Tokyo, Japan (89.2) and Cape Town and the Winelands, South Africa (86.7). The 2027 top 10 is shaped by the European Capitals of Culture in Évora and Liepāja, GREEN×EXPO in Yokohama, Expo 2027 in Belgrade, and the Rugby, Cricket and Women’s World Cups.

Where should you travel in 2027? Last year, our 2026 rankings put Kyoto at the top. For 2027, the map shifts. Next year is unusually rich in reasons to go somewhere specific: two European Capitals of Culture, two world expos, three World Cups and a run of long-awaited hotel and cultural openings. The destinations that rise to the top are the ones where those reasons meet great food, distinctive culture and real value.

As always, we didn’t just pick favorites. Every destination is scored on the five pillars of the 5 Reasons to Visit Authority Index, and every score is shown below, so you can see exactly why each place ranks where it does.

For 2027, the destinations that rise to the top are the ones where a reason to go meets great food, culture and value.

The 2027 Top 10 at a glance

#	Destination	Experience 20%	Access 15%	Value 20%	Distinct 25%	Momentum 20%	Score
1	Évora and the Alentejo, Portugal	92	80	94	93	97	91.9
2	Yokohama and Tokyo, Japan	94	90	80	90	92	89.2
3	Cape Town and the Winelands, South Africa	93	72	88	90	86	86.7
4	Shanghai, China	91	78	80	88	90	85.9
5	Rio de Janeiro, Brazil	88	74	84	86	94	85.8
6	Liepāja, Latvia	82	70	92	88	90	85.3
7	Sydney and Australia’s East Coast	92	74	72	88	95	84.9
8	Belgrade, Serbia	82	76	92	82	90	84.7
9	Park City and Deer Valley, Utah	88	88	68	80	90	82.4
10	Saint-Tropez and the French Riviera, France	88	80	62	90	88	82.1

Pillar scores are 0–100 editorial ratings by 5 Reasons to Visit editors; the Authority Score is their weighted total.

1. Évora and the Alentejo, Portugal

Authority Score: 91.9

Europe’s Capital of Culture meets Portugal’s slow-living wine country.

Why 2027: Évora is one of two European Capitals of Culture for 2027, alongside Liepāja, Latvia, with a year-long program built around “Vagar,” the unhurried Alentejo way of living.

5 Reasons to Visit Évora in 2027

1. A UNESCO-listed walled city with a Roman temple at its heart
2. A full year of European Capital of Culture events
3. Old-vine wine estates and wine hotels across the Alentejo
4. Some of the best value in Western Europe
5. Cork forests, olive groves and whitewashed hill towns

Category leader: Best Value Destination. Stay among the vines at Quinta do Paral.

2. Yokohama and Tokyo, Japan

Authority Score: 89.2

A garden expo gives Japan’s great port city its moment.

Tokyo, a short ride from GREEN×EXPO 2027 in Yokohama.

Why 2027: Yokohama hosts GREEN×EXPO 2027, the International Horticultural Expo, from March 19 to September 26, 2027, just south of Tokyo.

5 Reasons to Visit Yokohama in 2027

1. GREEN×EXPO 2027, a six-month celebration of gardens and green design
2. Tokyo’s food, design and neighborhoods minutes away
3. Cherry blossom season at the expo’s opening
4. World-class rail connections across Japan
5. A port city of waterfront parks and Chinatown streets

Category leader: Most Distinctive Destination.

3. Cape Town and the Winelands, South Africa

Authority Score: 86.7

Ocean, mountains and world-class wine, now with a Cricket World Cup.

Why 2027: South Africa co-hosts the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup with Zimbabwe and Namibia from October 4 to November 21, 2027.

5 Reasons to Visit Cape Town in 2027

1. Table Mountain and the Cape Peninsula
2. Stellenbosch and Franschhoek wine country
3. Strong luxury-to-cost value
4. Safari add-ons a short flight away
5. Cricket World Cup matches in spring

Category leader: Best Luxury Destination.

4. Shanghai, China

Authority Score: 85.9

A spectacular new opera house joins the skyline.

Shanghai, China.

Why 2027: The Snøhetta-designed Shanghai Grand Opera House opened on October 17, 2026, giving travelers a dramatic new reason to visit in 2027.

5 Reasons to Visit Shanghai in 2027

1. The new Shanghai Grand Opera House and its walkable roof
2. The Bund and the Huangpu waterfront
3. Some of Asia’s most exciting restaurants
4. Historic lanes of the former French Concession
5. High-speed rail to Suzhou and Hangzhou

Inside the Shanghai Grand Opera House.

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5. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Authority Score: 85.8

The first Women’s World Cup in South America puts Brazil center stage.

Why 2027: Brazil hosts the FIFA Women’s World Cup from June 24 to July 25, 2027, the first time the tournament has been held in South America.

5 Reasons to Visit Rio de Janeiro in 2027

1. The Women’s World Cup across Brazilian host cities
2. Copacabana, Ipanema and Sugarloaf Mountain
3. A buzzing food and music scene
4. Strong value for international visitors
5. Easy trips to Paraty and the Costa Verde

Category leader: Fastest-Rising Destination.

6. Liepāja, Latvia

Authority Score: 85.3

Europe’s other 2027 Capital of Culture is a Baltic seaside surprise.

Liepāja, Latvia, a 2027 European Capital of Culture.

Why 2027: Liepāja shares the title of European Capital of Culture 2027 with Évora, with a program themed “(un)rest” and hundreds of events planned along the Baltic coast.

5 Reasons to Visit Liepāja in 2027

1. A full European Capital of Culture program
2. Wide Baltic beaches and seaside parks
3. A lively music heritage
4. Some of the best prices in the European Union
5. Few crowds, for now

Category leader: Best Budget Destination.

7. Sydney and Australia’s East Coast

Authority Score: 84.9

The Rugby World Cup returns to Australia for the first time since 2003.

Why 2027: Australia hosts the Men’s Rugby World Cup from October 1 to November 13, 2027, with the final at Stadium Australia in Sydney.

5 Reasons to Visit Sydney in 2027

1. The Rugby World Cup final in Sydney on November 13
2. Harbor beaches, bridge climbs and ferry rides
3. Spring weather in October and November
4. Easy add-ons to the Great Barrier Reef and wine regions
5. One of the world’s great food cities

Category leader: Best Event Destination.

8. Belgrade, Serbia

Authority Score: 84.7

A World Expo turns the Balkans’ liveliest capital into a global stage.

Belgrade, Serbia, host of Expo 2027.

Why 2027: Belgrade hosts Expo 2027, a specialized World Expo, from May 15 to August 15, 2027.

5 Reasons to Visit Belgrade in 2027

1. Expo 2027 Belgrade, May through August
2. The Kalemegdan fortress above two rivers
3. Legendary nightlife and river clubs
4. Exceptional value
5. A fast-growing restaurant scene

9. Park City and Deer Valley, Utah

Authority Score: 82.4

One of North America’s biggest ski expansions keeps growing.

Why 2027: Deer Valley’s East Village expansion continues to add lifts, terrain and new luxury hotels, about 40 minutes from Salt Lake City International Airport.

5 Reasons to Visit Park City in 2027

1. Thousands of acres of new ski terrain at Deer Valley
2. New slopeside hotels in East Village
3. Easy access from Salt Lake City
4. Summer hiking, biking and festivals
5. A lively historic Main Street in Park City

Category leader: Best Adventure Destination. Why Deer Valley East Village is the ski trip to book.

10. Saint-Tropez and the French Riviera, France

Authority Score: 82.1

The Riviera’s most anticipated new hotel arrives in summer 2027.

Saint-Tropez, on the French Riviera.

Why 2027: Le Mas Bellevue Saint-Tropez, from Oetker Hotels, is scheduled to debut in June 2027 between Saint-Tropez and the beaches of Pampelonne.

5 Reasons to Visit Saint-Tropez in 2027

1. Le Mas Bellevue Saint-Tropez, opening June 2027
2. The beaches of Pampelonne
3. Hilltop villages and Provençal markets
4. Rosé country on the doorstep
5. Easy connections from Nice

First look at Le Mas Bellevue Saint-Tropez.

Category leaders for 2027

• Best Value Destination: Évora and the Alentejo, Portugal
• Most Distinctive Destination: Yokohama and Tokyo, Japan
• Best Luxury Destination: Cape Town and the Winelands, South Africa
• Fastest-Rising Destination: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
• Best Budget Destination: Liepāja, Latvia
• Best Event Destination: Sydney and Australia’s East Coast
• Best Adventure Destination: Park City and Deer Valley, Utah

How the 5 Reasons to Visit Authority Index works

Each destination is scored from 0 to 100 by 5 Reasons to Visit editors on five pillars, then weighted and added together:

Experience Depth (20%)

Culture, food, landscapes and how much there is to do

Accessibility (15%)

Flights, transportation and ease of getting around

Value (20%)

What the trip delivers for what it costs

Distinctiveness (25%)

How hard the experience is to find anywhere else

Momentum (20%)

What is new or happening there in the year ahead

The scores are editorial judgments, not a statistical survey, which is why we publish every pillar score in full. The index is refreshed each year so the rankings reflect what is new.

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What changed from 2026

In 2026, timeless cultural capitals led the way, with Kyoto, Lisbon and Queenstown at the top. The 2027 list leans harder on momentum: places where a once-in-a-generation event or a major opening makes next year the year to go. Portugal stays on the list, moving from Lisbon to the Alentejo, and Cape Town returns, this time with a Cricket World Cup.

Plan Your 2027 Travel

Big events book up early. Lock in flights and hotels for Rugby World Cup and Women’s World Cup dates now, and compare stays for every destination on the list.

Search Stays and Flights for 2027

Compare hotels and fares to every destination on the list.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best places to travel in 2027?

According to the 2027 5 Reasons to Visit Authority Index, the best places to travel in 2027 are Évora and the Alentejo, Portugal, Yokohama and Tokyo, Japan, Cape Town and the Winelands, South Africa, Shanghai, China, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Liepāja, Latvia, Sydney and Australia’s East Coast, Belgrade, Serbia, Park City and Deer Valley, Utah and Saint-Tropez and the French Riviera, France.

What is the number one place to travel in 2027?

Évora and the Alentejo, Portugal ranks number one in the 2027 5 Reasons to Visit Authority Index, with a score of 91.9. Évora is one of two European Capitals of Culture for 2027, alongside Liepāja, Latvia, with a year-long program built around “Vagar,” the unhurried Alentejo way of living.

What are the biggest travel events of 2027?

Major 2027 events include GREEN×EXPO 2027 in Yokohama, Japan (March 19 to September 26), Expo 2027 in Belgrade, Serbia (May 15 to August 15), the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil (June 24 to July 25), the Men’s Rugby World Cup in Australia (October 1 to November 13), the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia (October 4 to November 21), and the European Capitals of Culture in Évora, Portugal, and Liepāja, Latvia.

What are the European Capitals of Culture for 2027?

The European Capitals of Culture for 2027 are Évora, Portugal, and Liepāja, Latvia. Évora’s program is built around “Vagar,” the Alentejo way of living, and Liepāja’s around the theme “(un)rest.”

How does the 5 Reasons to Visit Authority Index rank destinations?

5 Reasons to Visit editors score each destination from 0 to 100 on five pillars: Experience Depth (20%), Accessibility and Convenience (15%), Value and Affordability (20%), Distinctiveness (25%) and Momentum (20%). The weighted pillar scores are added together to produce each destination’s Authority Score. The scores are editorial judgments, published in full so readers can see how each ranking was reached.

What is the best budget destination for 2027?

Liepāja, Latvia, is the best budget destination in the 2027 Authority Index, combining a full European Capital of Culture program with some of the lowest prices in the European Union. Évora and the Alentejo in Portugal is the best overall value.

What is the best luxury destination for 2027?

Cape Town and the Winelands, South Africa, is the best luxury destination in the 2027 Authority Index, thanks to its mix of ocean, mountains, wine country, safari access and strong luxury-to-cost value.

How is the 2027 list different from 2026?

The 2026 list was led by Kyoto, Japan. The 2027 list puts more weight on what is happening next year, from the European Capitals of Culture and two world expos to the Rugby, Cricket and Women’s World Cups, alongside major new openings in Shanghai, Saint-Tropez and Deer Valley.

Keep Reading

• Best Places to Travel in 2026 (Top 10 Destinations Ranked)Last year’s Authority Index rankings
• Quinta do Paral: The Alentejo Wine Estate Up for European Winery of the Year, Where You Can Sleep Among the VinesWhere to stay in our No. 1 region

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This article may contain sponsored or partner content and affiliate links; see our Editorial Policy & Advertiser Disclosure. Rankings are editorial; event dates and openings are subject to change.