2025 Best in Travel cities
Toulouse
city|France
Often referred to as "Paris in miniature," Toulouse is a maze-like city overflowing with art galleries in repurposed industrial spaces, excellent food and scenic river and canal banks. Time your visit for the 2025 reopening of Musée des Augustins, a 14th-century cloistered convent that has been a beacon of Toulouse's art scene since 1795.
Highlights
01
Catch a live gig at Le Saint des Seins, jazz at Le Taquin or classical music at Théâtre du Capitole – Toulouse is a UNESCO City of Music after all.
02
Take an architectural tour and don’t miss Romanesque Basilique St-Sernin and neoclassical landmark Capitole.
03
Shop for a picnic of local produce at Marché Victor Hugo or grab a cassoulet lunch in an eatery above the covered market.
"The 9m-tall (29.5ft) mechanical Minotaur is an emblematic figure who resonates with the image of Toulouse, a labyrinthine city with incredible cultural projects, heritage and excellent food."
François Delarozière, artistic director, Halle de la Machine
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Puducherry (Pondicherry)
city|India
Located on the Bay of Bengal in South India, Puducherry (formerly Pondicherry) has attracted visitors with its Gallic architecture, reflecting its history as a French colony until 1954, as well as its temples and spiritual centers. Now the city is beckoning beachgoers, thanks to an ongoing effort to restore the sandy coastline.
Highlights
01
Take a stroll through historic White Town, with its pastel-hued buildings that could just as easily be on the French Riviera.
02
Check out the everchanging displays at the government-run Puducherry Contemporary Art Gallery, which opened in 2022.
03
See artefacts from the Chola and Vijayanagar empires displayed alongside elegant French antiques at the Puducherry Museum.
"Puducherry is rooted in its heritage yet cosmopolitan, with thousand-year-old Kolam rituals, games of pétanque by the bay, basilica bells and experimental sonic artists who invent their own instruments, all in one place."
Sid Saikia, innkeeper, Gratitude Heritage
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Bansko
city|Bulgaria
Known for being a winter resort town, Bansko is in the midst of a transformation into a year-round destination, for both outdoor experiences and location-curious professionals. This charming Bulgarian village has become one of the world’s top hubs for digital nomads, attracting remote workers and adventure lovers in equal measure.
Highlights
01
Breakfast on a banitsa – a traditional morning pastry with cheese – at Samun bakery.
02
Embrace winter in Bansko and go skiing on the slopes from December to April.
03
Support a local gem at The Art of Irina – this Bansko artist is known for her satirical paintings that serve as a unique souvenir from your travels.
"We love that Bansko feels like a village in the middle of nature yet hosts the most diverse variety of people from all backgrounds – a baba (grandma) in the street, a local family, world-schoolers, nomads."
Anne and Christian, owners of The French Guy Bakery
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Chiang Mai
city|Thailand
Chiang Mai thrills with its elegant blending of distinctive flavors. In this city, greetings often revolve around whether you've eaten yet, demonstrating the importance of food in Thai culture. From passionate discussions about the best vegetable for a basil stir-fry to perfecting intricate layers of sweet, sour, salty and spicy tastes, Thai cuisine celebrates the taste of complexity.
Highlights
01
Experience Chiang Mai Food Festival, a yearly event held in January celebrating the best food the city has to offer.
02
Wander Friday morning’s Kad Baan Hor Market where Yunnanese Muslims and tribespeople sell food unlike anything else in the city.
03
Belly up to the all-you-can-eat khantoke dinner, accompanied by traditional theater performances, at Old Chiang Mai Cultural Centre.
"Northern Laap spicy meat salad incorporates cumin, blood and bile. It’s recently gone from dying dish to number one choice for hungry teens. Try Laap Bunker or Laap Duang Dee Mee Suk for an authentic taste."
Govit Thatarat, founder, Review Chiang Mai
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Genoa
city|Italy
Few places in Italy are “undiscovered,” but Genoa feels like a treasured secret. With a new high-speed-train connection in the works, now is the time to seek out this stately city with superlative culinary chops, a stunning seaside and a well-earned reputation as one of Italy’s most historically and culturally vibrant cities.
Highlights
01
Wander through the alleyways known locally as caruggi to capture the soul of the city and discover the sumptuous Palazzi dei Rolli.
02
Indulge in endless versions of pesto (ideally on trofie pasta or focaccia) at the Mercato Orientale – and everywhere else.
03
Walk the coastline to tiny Boccadasse and experience Cinque Terre vibes without leaving the city.
"There’s something special about Genoa. Like many families, we moved abroad to find new opportunities, before, like many families, we realized that everything we needed was waiting for us at home."
Carolina, local pastry chef
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Pittsburgh
city|USA
What a feeling Pittsburgh inspires. This city effortlessly combines its industrial past with its artisanal present – its affordability and charm draws all manner of artists and creators. Walk around Butler St to witness the alchemy at local coffee shops, boutiques, independent restaurants and breweries. Soon you’ll understand Pittsburgh's particular brand of magic, at once disarming and familiar.
Highlights
01
Pull up to a communal table in the beer hall of bright, cheerful Lorelei for an incredible cocktail or wood-fired pizza in East Liberty.
02
Have fun at iconic amusement park Kennywood. Its century-old wooden roller coasters – yes, plural – are a must.
03
Ride the Duquesne Incline up to Mt Washington for stunning perspectives of the city and the three rivers.
"Pittsburgh’s affordability makes it accessible – for small business owners, for artists, for tech start-ups, for restaurateurs – and its accessibility makes it vibrant."
Pete Kurzweg, owner of Lorelei, Independent Brewing and Hidden Harbor
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Osaka
city|Japan
It’s apt that Expo, the world’s largest show of innovative design and scientific invention, is back in Osaka for a second time in 2025 – the city is, after all, one of the most open-minded and dynamic in Japan. Enjoy world-class museums and don't miss the city's tastiest Japanese dishes with delicious vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options fairly easy to find.
Highlights
01
Have your camera ready for Dōtonbori’s signs – the warm glow of this district’s neon lights will linger in your memory forever.
02
Explore the majestic white fortress that is Osaka Castle – it’s a 1930s reconstruction, but impressive nonetheless, with an excellent museum inside.
03
Soak in Spa World, an onsen (Japanese bath house) amusement park where hot water and a little kitsch combine.
"The most distinct aspect about the city is its locals. Osakans are some of Japan’s most friendly, welcoming and comedy-loving people, so conversations will always have jokes thrown in."
Jonathan Lucas, promotions specialist, Osaka
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Curitiba
city|Brazil
A city that values its citizens as well as its tourists, Curitiba is an immersive yet low-key experience. Hop on an e-bike to visit its singular sites, like the architectural gem that is Museu Oscar Niemeyer and one of the city’s largest parks, Barigui, that powers its facilities through a small hydroelectric plant with an artificial waterfall and lake.
Highlights
01
Appreciate art, sculpture and an exhibit about architect Niemeyer at Museu Oscar Niemeyer, a striking museum that still looks modern 20 years after it opened.
02
Smell the flowers in the Jardim Botânico, a slice of greenery with sculpture, water features, paths and an elegant greenhouse.
03
Take a sublime train ride between Curitiba and Morretes through mountains and rainforest on the Serra Verde Express.
"A city is only good for tourists if it’s good for its citizens. Curitiba always innovates and takes care of maintenance. Tourists don’t just visit tourist attractions, they experience our city."
Tisa Kastrup, communication and curation, Curitiba Tourism
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Palma de Mallorca
city|Spain
Vibrant food and arts scenes, a rich local-crafts heritage and curious historical monuments collide in stylish Palma, on the sunny Balearic island of Mallorca. In 2025, this ancient, Mediterranean-hugging regional capital will debut a long-awaited, green-driven waterfront promenade. Sidestep the high season and discover how Palma (which is working to balance tourism and the needs of residents) has grown into a dynamic year-round destination.
Highlights
01
Dive into the world of Catalan artist Joan Miró; the unmissable Fundació Miró Mallorca includes two studios, Son Boter and Taller Sert.
02
Stay in a soulfully converted historic building, such as Palma Riad, Portella Palma or Can Cera.
03
Join a two-wheel city tour or rent a bike and cycle along the seafront to further-flung beaches.
"One of my favorite literary corners in Palma is El Terreno district. Wandering its steep narrow streets we follow in the footsteps of such authors as Gertrude Stein, DH Lawrence and Camilo José Cela."
Marina Alonso De Caso, founder of La Salina bookshop, Santa Catalina
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Edmonton
city|Canada
Edmonton, Alberta, has long been celebrated for its fringe festival and bohemian Old Strathcona district. Today the city is doubling down on its downtown with the opening of the Ice District, the second-largest sports and entertainment complex in North America. Further enrich your visit by learning about Indigenous history at Royal Alberta Museum's Human History Hall.
Highlights
01
Join the Edmonton International Fringe Festival for 11 days of live shows in parks, small theaters and on the streets.
02
Enjoy arts, boutique shopping and multicultural food on Whyte Ave, the main artery of the Old Strathcona neighborhood.
03
Peruse the province’s natural and cultural history at the Royal Alberta Museum, western Canada’s largest, refreshed and relocated in 2018.
"Discover mom and pop gems in Chinatown, rent e-bikes in Old Strathcona to zip around North America’s largest stretch of urban river valley parkland."
Linda Hoang, social media strategist
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