Feel the hwyl this year with a trip to ‘one of Europe’s most up-and-coming destinations,’ home to mountains, Michelin restaurants and more.
You’ll find BBC journalists all over the world. So who could be better to name the ‘best places to travel in 2025’? And, aware of the negative effects of over-tourism, this inaugural guide has highlighted destinations that are actually welcoming visitors this year, using tourism to “support local communities, protect the environment or preserve their unique cultural heritage.”
This includes everywhere from the world’s first sperm whale reserve in Dominica to the artistic Japanese island of Naoshima, the limestone cliffs of the Dolomites and Greenland’s unspoiled wilderness and majestic fjords. If these all sound a little too incredible (And out of your price range), there’s one destination that won’t require you to even leave these shores.
Named the fifth best place to visit in 2025, Wales is opening its arms wide to visitors with the ‘Year of Croeso’ (aka ‘Year of Welcome’). This year-long campaign is the country’s opportunity to loudly shout about the famous Welsh warm welcome – be you in Barry Island or the Brecon Beacons (Bannau Brycheiniog), Snowdonia (Eryri) or Aberystwyth.
Start planning your summer holiday in Wales today to ‘feel the hwyl’ (an untranslatable Welsh word that means “a stirring feeling of emotional motivation and energy”). The BBC only recommends the Wales Coast Path, the only hiking path in the world that runs the entire length of a country’s coastline, but there are plenty of other places you must visit in Cymru.
Wales is home to three National Parks – Eryri, Pembrokeshire and Bannau Brycheiniog – each with their own unique terrain. Personally, I’d recommend visiting Brecon Beacons for the legendary Waterfall Country and Snowdonia if you love climbing mountains, or why not go dolphin spotting in the deep waters off Pembrokeshire?
If sweeping landscapes aren’t your thing. Wales is full of cosy coastal towns all along the Welsh coast – from Rhyl to Port Talbot via Tywyn. Or what about the colourful village of Portmeirion?
Meanwhile, Ynyshir, Wales’ first two-star Michelin restaurant is a dining experience like no other, with a 30 servings menu and an overnight stay. But you’ll more likely find me on a night out in Cardiff or wild camping in the countryside!
Described as “one of Europe’s most up-and-coming destinations,” the Welsh government’s Brilliant Basics fund has invested £5 million in 29 projects between 2023 and 2025 to support local authorities and national parks in delivering tourism-focused improvements. So there’s never been a better time to visit this incredible country with “virtually no crowds”.
Wales isn’t the only UK destination on BBC Travel’s list. The often overlooked northern English city of Bradford lands in 12th as the UK City of Culture in 2025, which is home to the David Hockney Gallery held in a Unesco World Heritage 1850s mill. Furthermore, the Isle of Man – for “preserving its distinct character and developing a sustainable tourism model” – features in nineteenth.
To read BBC Travel’s 25 best places to travel in 2025 guide in full head here.
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