Helen Iatrou

Dark sky sanctuaries. Floating nightclubs. Blueberry farms. Indigenous-owned lodges. These are just some of the facets of Afar’s list of top 25 places to go in 2025. This year, we have focused on some of the world’s most fascinating and lesser-visited countries, regions, and cities where you won’t find crowds of travelers angling for the same Instagram Reel. From Chios, Greece, and Columbus, Ohio, to Guyana and Jordan, these destinations (presented in alphabetical order) are bound to inspire another year of joyful and intentional travel. Where will you go first?

Travelers in Athens on Monday, August 12, watched as a cloud of smoke and ash billowed above the Acropolis as a result of a massive wildfire that burned 24 miles northeast of the Greek capital.

Brought under control by Wednesday morning, Greece’s worst wildfire this year claimed the life of one woman, injured dozens including firefighters, razed around 124,710 acres of land, and destroyed or damaged about 100 homes and businesses.

A dreamy vacation in Greece is, without a doubt, more sought-after than ever. The Mediterranean destination has already surpassed prepandemic visitor numbers. In 2023, the country of 11 million received over 32.7 million international arrivals compared to 31.3 million in 2019. Credit ratings agency Fitch expects this figure to reach 34.5 million in 2024, prompting concerns about overtourism.

While most visitors tend to make a beeline for antiquity-rich Athens, the whitewashed cave houses of Santorini, and glitzy party isle Mykonos, there’s much more to explore in Greece.

Lovers and honeymooners gravitate to Santorini to meander amid cliffside cave houses that hover almost imperceptibly above a lustrous, inky Aegean Sea.

A catastrophic volcanic eruption some 3,600 years ago, which saw half the island swallowed by the sea, is responsible for the dizzying visuals. Famed for its sunsets, photogenic blue-domed whitewashed churches, and intensely mineral white wine, Greek tourism’s poster child has long epitomized romance.

Instantly recognizable by its astounding luminous turquoise seas enclosed within soaring craggy bluffs, Greece’s Insta-famous Shipwreck Beach is Zakynthos’ claim to global fame. An unwavering favorite among Travel + Leisure readers, the beach, known in Greece as Navagio, frequently tops best beach lists.

Dodge Meteora’s heaving queues in favor of a road trip through rugged, out-of-the-way Agrafa, which means “unwritten.” Rent a four-wheel drive to explore this little-known corner of Central Greece. Internet signal is unreliable in these parts – as is Google Maps – so be sure to consult the advice of locals and follow road signs. Base yourself at Montanema, self-sustained stonebuilt lodgings embedded high up in northeastern Agrafa’s fir-forested Anthohori gorge. Hike to the Anthohori waterfalls or head out on a mushroom foraging expedition.

“Shhhhh! Quick!” exclaims veteran Costa Rican naturalist Conrad Weston as he lowers his binoculars and slinks into the damp rainforest with the reflexes and vigor of someone half his age. Silent-mode camera in hand, the tall, lanky birder captures an image of the white-throated shrike tanager. He is breathless with excitement over spotting this curious yellow-chested bird, which sports black wings and a fan-like tail, in Costa Rica’s Corcovado National Park.

With its winning trifecta of sandy beaches, boutique hotels, and unpretentious tavernas, the Greek island of Milos seduces couples, water lovers, and gastronomes alike. There's no denying the Cycladic isle, where the famed Venus de Milo marble statue was unearthed by a farmer in 1820, is breathlessly romantic. Otherworldly landscapes sculpted by wind and sea shot to fame via Instagram in recent years, transforming the once low-profile island into a sought-after hot spot.

Travel + Leisure’s 2024 It List. These new resorts are all about international flair. Escape to a new luxury lodge in Bhutan, an all-inclusive redefining ski vacations in Japan, a rarified resort on Greece’s Ionian Sea, and an Icelandic retreat that’s purposely in the middle of nowhere.

The best new hotels of the year, all visited and reviewed by Travel + Leisure's expert editors and contributors. Our annual guide to the most game-changing hotel openings (and reopenings) has taken Travel + Leisure editors and contributors to 39 countries on six continents. We started with a list of more than 200 soon-to-open hotels, and T+L editors and reporters visited nearly 130 of them over the last 12 months.

A great hotel can define an entire trip. So each year, AFAR’s team of experts selects the world’s best new and renovated arrivals, whether it’s an Edwardian landmark in central London, a high-design hideaway in Marrakech, or a canvas-walled luxury camp set against the Utah desert’s sweeping rock formations.

The 31 hotels we chose all opened in 2023 and were personally visited by our global network of seasoned editors, writers, and travel advisors. We vetted each of the properties for their noteworthy locations, standout design, exemplary service, and remarkable guest experiences.

On this site, in the 1950s and ’60s, shipping magnates, celebrities, and everyday sunseekers gathered at the aptly named Asteria (“stars” in Greek), a mini Monte Carlo–styled, movie-set beach club. Those with the deepest pockets lounged at one of the 100 cabanas offering more privacy.

In the footprint of these cabanas, architectural firms Audo, A6Architects, and K-Studio teamed up with interior design studio Muza Lab to reimagine the legendary seaside location as a five-star resort from the One&Only brand.

Greece’s islands are spell-binding. In his travelogue, The Colossus of Maroussi, Henry Miller said this Mediterranean country made him feel “free and whole.” I only understood his words when I first visited my family’s homeland, over three decades ago. Not long after, I moved to Athens so that I could spend every possible minute exploring and island hopping. I’ve never looked back. Because why would I?

But with more than 227 Greek islands to choose from—and that’s only the inhabited ones—how do you know which spot is for you?

Heli-skiing on virgin snow in Antarctica for a cool $2.2 million. A polar bear safari in an “off-limits” area of Norway’s Svalbard for $300,000. How about tracking snow leopards in the Himalayas with renowned explorers for $100,000?
Big-ticket travel experiences like those are indicative of the “quiet luxury” trend which began in the world of fashion, with timeless lines trumping brand-blaring outfits.
Now, stealth wealth is spilling into the travel industry, as one-percenters are increasingly forgoing glitzy see-and-be-seen destinations, such as Capri, for more discreet getaways.

With their lush hillsides and calm seas, Greece’s Ionian Islands are one of my favorite destinations. I always find myself returning to Corfu to track down a new-to-me beach. Varying from broad swathes of wind-whipped sand dunes to far-flung, pebble-strewn coves, the hardest decision I have to make is where to lay my towel.