2025 Travel Destinations: 4 Unmissable Places to Visit This Year

New Year’s resolutions are all about dedicating time, effort, and resources to self-improvement.

For those of you who are resolving to explore and learn more about the world through travel, it can be difficult to know where to start. Seven continents and over 190 countries – there’s a literal world of possibility for your next trip.

In the spirit of broadening your horizons (without the accompanying overwhelming feeling of deciding where on earth to go next), here are four destinations you can’t miss this year:

Italy

There are so many reasons why Italy is a popular destination year over year. It’s a land of delectable food and wine, but moreover, Italy is rich with historic treasures, natural wonders, and cultural delights.

Some of the world’s most iconic pieces of history live in Italy: The Colosseum, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, St. Mark’s Square, the Academy Museum and Michelangelo’s David.

But for those looking to explore further, you can delve into the spirit of Italy by seeking out its must-sees AND hidden gems on tour with Collette. Culturally immersive small group tours offer a unique look at this popular destination.

Here are our suggestions to get closer to culture in Italy this year:

Best of Italy

Experience the history, culture, art and romance of Venice, Florence, and Rome, plus get to know local people on this small group tour.

The Best of Italy is a perfect blend of must-sees with immersion into local culture. As an example, take a look at your time in Venice on this tour: You’ll go on a gondola ride and get to know the people whose livelihood is rooted in the canals. Travellers get a taste of Venetian craftsmanship when they visit a local remèr oar-making workshop, one of only a handful still active in the city.

Some more ways this tour connects you with local people?

• Participate in a hands-on cooking class dedicated to Romagna’s garganelli and strozzapreti pastas alongside an Italian chef.
• Delve into Venice’s classical music heritage whilst attending a live performance of the Four Seasons by Vivaldi.
• Learn how farmers and fishermen work in the Po River Delta during a pontoon boat sailing.
• Meet students and teachers at a culinary arts vocational high school, where you’ll taste traditionally made Parmigiano cheese and Balsamic vinegar.

Tuscan & Umbrian Countryside

On a journey through the less-traveled country roads of Umbria and Tuscany, this small group tour shares another side to the Italy you’ve come to love. With time in Florence, you can explore some must-sees, but the Tuscan & Umbrian Countryside tour truly brings travellers off the beaten path to get closer to culture.

This tour is delectable for foodies, especially. You’ll savour regional specialities and Italian wine with every dinner, but that’s just the beginning. Imagine searching for truffles with a local expert and his truffle-sniffing dogs. Sitting down for a home-cooked meal in one of Umbria's country homes. Sampling pecorino sheep-milk cheese at a local farm in the Orcia Valley. Savouring Brunello red wine during a musical tasting at a winery in Montalcino.

If you’re on the hunt for a mouth-watering trip this year, add this tour to your list.

Old World Sicily and Malta

Italy is for foodies, for history buffs, for cultural connoisseurs, for fashionistas, for first timers and 10th-timers. Between mountains and islands and the iconic cities in between, there is truly something for everyone in Italy. And for many travellers, Sicily offers a glimpse into Italy that gives them a new understanding of the country and its culture.

The Old World Sicily and Malta tour includes six nights in Sicily to help you discover how ancient traditions blend into modern society in the largest Mediterranean island.

Spending three nights at a centrally located hotel in Taormina is critical to enjoy the city like a local. After exploring Mount Etna (on an off-roading adventure) and exploring the city’s Duomo, you’ve got time to explore on your own. There’s something so special about grabbing a bite to eat at a small café somewhere new and watching everyday life unfold.

Iceland

Settled over a thousand years ago by the Vikings, Iceland sits in the North Atlantic Ocean and has a culture deeply rooted in its ancient heritage. Pristine nature forms and stark landscapes are just the beginning. With the nickname “the Land of Fire and Ice,” it’s a destination of contrasts perfect for adventurous travellers to explore.

Iceland is a popular destination for travellers each year, and Collette offers a small group tour to get travellers closer to its culture.

The Best of Iceland

From ethereal lava fields to thundering waterfalls and coastal villages, the Best of Iceland tour earns its name.

The connection to nature on this tour is incredible. You’ll:

• Travel the Golden Circle to see Iceland's most iconic natural wonders, including the Mid-Atlantic Ridge in Thingvellir National Park where you can walk between two continents.
• Go whale watching in Skjálfandi Bay with specialized RIB Zodiac boats.
• Ascend the massive Langjökull glacier via mountain truck.

But you’ll get to know some local people (and critters), and learn what’s important to them, too.

Travellers learn how locals use Iceland’s geothermal energy to cook food and taste “lava bread,” which is submerged into the earth and cooked for 24 hours. You’ll travel to Grenjaðarstaður where you will visit and learn about the traditional Icelandic turf settlement homes. You’ll interact with Icelandic horses and their caretakers. Plus, you’ll visit Jóhanna’s goat farm where she helped to bring this unique breed, dating back to the time of Iceland’s settlement, back from the brink of extinction.

Greece

Classical ruins from the legendary days of yore, jaw-dropping landscapes you have to see to believe, and philoxenia — the unbeatable hospitality you’ll receive: This is Greece. From Homer to home-cooked meals, venture on a journey to the land where epic poems and epic cuisine meet in a destination that tops bucket lists every year.

Here are two tours where age-old legends and monuments intertwine with warm sunshine and island-style living:

Exploring Greece & Its Islands

This comprehensive journey explores Greece's most important ancient monuments and offers time to enjoy the brilliance of the Mediterranean. Another perk on this tour? A taste of local culture.

In Olympia, go beyond ancient history and get to know current-day Greece with a visit to a local farm. Meet the owners of the fourth generation, family-run property and enjoy a tasting of local wines, olive oil, homemade jams, marmalades, and sweets.

You’ll learn to cook some of the region’s best dishes during a Mediterranean cooking experience followed by a traditional Greek lunch. On your way to Nafplio, stop at a family-owned ouzo distillery producing Greece’s signature anise-flavored aperitif.

Greece Island Hopper 

From to the ruins of Athens to the bright rooftops of Mykonos and Santorini – embrace the country at its best on this tour. In addition to experiencing different sides of the country, this tour perfectly balances must-see inclusions, a look at local culture, and plenty of free time to explore your own way.

Here are some highlights:

• Take in the view from the Acropolis, home to the legendary Parthenon.
• Discover the picture-perfect village of Oia on Santorini.
• Get a glimpse into the 15th century BC at the excavation site of Akrotiri.
• Indulge in local food and wine accompanied by traditional music.
• Enjoy three days at leisure in Mykonos, the whitewashed island in the Aegean Sea.

United Kingdom

Is it cheating to include a destination in this list that includes multiple countries? Maybe. But each country in this nation offers a unique draw for travellers.

Are you itching to embrace the charm of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, or Wales? Maybe a few countries at once?

In the U.K., cathedrals, castles, palaces, and country houses span history and tell centuries of stories. And these small group tours get you closer to the local history and culture.

Countryside of the Emerald Isle

From remote islands and historic Dublin, to less-traveled roads and charming villages, this tour brings together the best of the Emerald Isle.

By heading on a deep dive of this one country, travellers get to know the different landscapes that make it unique. Explore the vibrant city of Glasgow, with its industrial heritage. Take in the natural beauty of the Highlands and get to know Inverness. Then you’ll wrap your journey in the bustling capital city of Edinburgh.

We held a virtual event in 2024 where Collette Tour Manager Laura Goodman gave a comprehensive look into this tour (and offered some incredible storytelling by sharing some Scottish lore). Check it out here!

Book Your 2025 Travel with Collette

Ready to get out there and explore the world in 2025? Collette can help.

Booking a tour with Collette means you get to experience all the joy, wonder, and exhilaration of your destination without the stress, worry, and anxiety that can come with coordinating complicated travel plans. Our regionally based design teams seek out the best restaurants, activities, and day trips, so all you have to do is enjoy them.

When you’re ready to book your tour, call us or see your travel professional and ask for Collette.