WHERE TO GO
LE MARCHE, ITALY Celebrating the 500th anniversary of the death of Renaissance painter Raphael, the region of Le Marche is Italy’s hottest spot this year, picked as one of Lonely Planet’s top regions to visit. With the same picturesque hilltop towns as neighbouring Tuscany but without the crowds, there’s also tempting food plus gorgeous countryside and historic palaces. The city of Urbino will be leading the Raphael celebrations.
ARUBA
The Caribbean island has been making a name for its sustainable efforts as well as its gloriously turquoise seas — and the ban on all single-use plastics and non reef-safe sunscreens begins in 2020.
Explore its national park, discover street art in San Nicolas and lounge on beaches galore too.
OR TRY: Costa Rica is aiming to become one of the first carbonneutral countries in 2020, another temptation for visitors alongside its impressive wildlife and adventure experiences. Both make the Lonely Planet list of top 10 countries for 2020.
RIJEKA, CROATIA Swap the crowded streets of Dubrovnik for the new European Capital of Culture (along with Galway in Ireland), Rijeka on Croatia’s northern Adriatic coast.
Discover architecture from the Austro-Hungarian empire, the city’s castle and the Klimtpainted ceilings of the Croatian National Theatre, plus cultural events year-round. Called the gateway to the Croatian islands, it’s ideal to combine city with beach.
OR TRY: Marrakech has been named Africa’s first Capital of Culture for 2020 — there’s contemporary art at the 1-54 Marrakech exhibition this year.
CAIRO, EGYPT Pharaoh fever has been striking London again with the new exhibition of treasures from Tutankhamun’s tomb. And their eventual home in Cairo’s new stateof-the-art Grand Egyptian Museum is due to open in 2020, looking out onto the pyramids from Giza.
The new Sphinx International Airport, which has been running domestic flights in 2019, is also due to open fully in 2020. After flight restrictions were lifted in October by the government, UK airlines are also returning to Sharm el Sheikh too, if you’re combining culture and coast.