The key facts
- The 'Best of the World' list has been published since 2012; the 2027 edition features 25 destinations, six of them European
- Santander awaits two museums in 2027, and Normandy will mark the millennium of William the Conqueror's birth
- The Tricity is the third Polish destination on the list after Białowieża Forest (2019) and Łódź (2022)
Six European destinations in the 2027 list
National Geographic has presented its annual 'Best of the World' selection — 25 destinations that the editorial team recommends including in 2027 itineraries. The list has been published since 2012 and is aimed at travellers seeking adventure, an interest in the past, or the pleasure of strolling through unfamiliar cities. Six spots went to Europe: Vestland in Norway, Poland's Tricity (Gdańsk, Gdynia and Sopot), Leipzig in Germany, Normandy in France, Santander in Spain and Dumfries and Galloway in Scotland.
What makes the European entries notable
The magazine describes Vestland as a place of 'epic fjord adventures and wellness journeys' with sheer cliffs, turquoise water and waterfalls. Leipzig is recommended for music trips — it has an opera house, concert halls and jazz clubs; the existing 5.3-kilometre 'Music Trail' is set to be complemented by a second route of 7.2 km. Normandy made the list in connection with the 'Millennium 2027: European Year of the Normans' programme, timed to the millennium of William the Conqueror's birth: during 2027, more than 1,000 events will take place, including concerts, medieval feasts and street theatre performances. In Santander, a branch of the Reina Sofía Museum will open in 2027, and the Museum of Prehistory and Archaeology will move to a new building — the magazine notes that Cantabria 'often remains in the shadows', but its capital is ready to change that. Dumfries and Galloway is recommended for lovers of quiet trails and dark skies: in the summer of 2027, the Scottish Dark Sky Observatory is due to open in the UNESCO Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere.
Poland's Tricity: three cities, three stories
The Tricity is already the third Polish destination in National Geographic's selections, after Białowieża Forest (2019) and Łódź (2022). The authors of the list invite readers to 'discover the revitalised waterfronts and bold Baltic flavours in three seaside cities that are finding their identity'. Gdańsk is known for the Long Market, the medieval Crane, the Museum of the Second World War and the European Solidarity Centre; the site of the former Gdańsk Shipyard is gaining new functions as a space for meetings, art events and gastronomy. Sopot is famous for its spa traditions and closeness to nature, and Gdynia for its modernist architecture and the history of Poland's maritime economy: in 2026, the Gdynia Modernism Centre was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Mayors' reactions and 2027 events
At a press conference, Gdańsk's mayor Aleksandra Dulkiewicz called the city 'a city of freedom, solidarity and openness' and emphasised that 'this recognition belongs to the residents of Gdańsk'. Sopot's mayor Magdalena Czarzyńska-Jachim noted that experts from around the world have recognised the resort's exceptional atmosphere and the quality of its tourism offering. Gdynia's mayor Aleksandra Kosiorek drew attention to the symbolic nature of the moment: the distinction was received in the year of the centenary of Gdynia being granted city status. In 2027, Gdynia will host the main regattas of the world sailing championship in several classes, as well as the Kolosy festival — a national gathering of travellers, sailors and mountaineers. Gdańsk hosts the St Dominic's Fair and the Shakespeare Festival, and Sopot hosts a literary festival. The region's cuisine draws on Kashubian traditions and Baltic fish, and it is easy to move between the three cities without a car.
Destinations beyond Europe
Outside Europe, the list includes, among others, Salvador in Brazil, where for the first time in decades the carnival will take place immediately after the Festa de Iemanjá — the largest festival of the Candomblé religion; Malawi, called Africa's 'best-kept secret', where thanks to the efforts of the authorities and conservation organisations the 'big five' can be seen in Liwonde National Park and Majete Wildlife Reserve; as well as Luxor in Egypt, Chengdu in China, the Riviera Maya in Mexico and the Pacific Coast Highway in California. The full list: Vestland (Norway), Penang (Malaysia), Luxor (Egypt), Madison (Wisconsin, USA), Puerto Rico, Dumfries and Galloway (Scotland), Niigata Prefecture (Japan), Chengdu (China), Pacific Coast Highway (California, USA), Jaipur (India), Grenada, Salvador (Brazil), Cape Froward National Park (Chile), Santander (Spain), Normandy (France), Ozarks (USA), Halifax (Nova Scotia, Canada), Armenia, Melbourne (Australia), Leipzig (Germany), Baltimore (Maryland, USA), Malawi, Riviera Maya (Mexico), Tricity (Poland), Kuélap (Peru).
