Today, Lonely Planet unveils its annual collection of the best travel destinations, trends, journeys and experiences to have in the year ahead. The experts at the world’s leading travel authority reveal the top 10 countries, cities, regions and best value places to visit in Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2019.
Sri Lanka – the island opening up to new travelers like never before – claims the coveted spot as the number one country to visit in 2019. Denmark’s “capital of cool”, Copenhagen, is named the number one city for its world-renowned food scene and credentials as a design powerhouse. The number one region is the Piedmont area of Italy, home to Leonardo Da Vinci and new UNESCO heritage sites.
Each year, Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel is selected by a panel of judges based on nominations from Lonely Planet’s vast community of editors, researchers, locals and influencers. The outcome is an eclectic list of destinations with unique, compelling and topical reasons to visit in the year ahead – as well as underlying travel trends to look for. Lonely Planet also selects the best New Openings, Places to Stay, Food Experiences and Attractions for Kids.
“These are the places to experience in 2019,” said Lonely Planet Destination Editor Trisha Ping. “They might be coming into their own, celebrating a once-in-a-lifetime event or simply have been overlooked for too long – whatever the reason, now is the time to plan a trip.”