It’s always good to think about what you hope to achieve in the coming months, including where you would like to travel next. To help you out, we asked travel experts to share with us the places that are on their radar in 2026. Covering entire nations as well as regions, cities, and even individual neighborhoods, Condé Nast Traveler’s Best Places to Go features destinations in the Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia, and even extends all the way south to Oceania. This year we are highlighting destinations for the first time in GermanyAustria Switzerland For this global bucketlist. What are the best places to enjoy wellness in this region that is known for its baths and spas? What are some of the best festivals and hotel openings in this region? Where can you get some peace and tranquility? We recommend six places that you should visit in the coming year.
Our ethos is to be a part of the community. Global guide You can also find out more about the Best Places to Go in 2026—find more travel inspiration here.
The Best Travel Destinations in Germany, Austria and Switzerland for 2026
Amrum, Germany
Highlights: The miles of sandy beaches promise tranquility, cool sea breezes, wide open spaces, and peace.
You rarely hear the Frisian dialect of Öömrang spoken anymore on Amrum, as Diane Kruger does in the film she stars in that’s named for the North Sea island. The local youth prefer to surf teach these days than pursue whaling. Some things, however, will never change: If you have seen Fatih Akin’s Amrum you’ll recognize the island’s stunning beach right away—it alone is worth the trip.
Kniepsand, a sandbank more than seven miles in length and up to a half-mile wide that faces the sea, shifts yearly. The seemingly endless expanses of sand you see after traversing the wooden boardwalks of the dune belt is one of Europe’s most beautiful beaches. When you rent a traditional wicker Strandkorb beach chair, you’re free to decide yourself just where to place it—perhaps in the family area watched over by volunteer lifeguards or maybe you’ve found a splendid and more isolated spot among the shifting dunes. Amrum’s West Coast is ideal for kite- and windsurfing or trail-running along the 16-mile route that circles the island.
Amrum’s east side, which faces the mainland, is softer and merges seamlessly into the intertidal Wadden Sea – a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site. You can explore the coast on foot or by renting a bike to see just how varied it is. You can get a deeper sense of it on a guided Wattwanderung, a hike over the Wadden mudflats to the neighboring island of Föhr. Many gourmets and cooks enjoy a botanical tour through the salt marshes.
The Seekiste Restaurant is a great place to dine and visit. Seeblicker Esszimmer Restaurant where they host summer barbecues and experiment with local products. Visit to get traditional Frisian raisin and Cream Cake or fresh crispbread. Café Schult Or the Claussen Bakery. Blaue Maus, the iconic pub in Amsterdam is a great place to enjoy a drink at night.
These establishments are all old and have been around for many years. While new, stylish openings can be rare, they happen. Three spacious apartments will be available to rent in 2026 from the Eldorado team. Residents and visitors alike agree that the natural beauty of the island will remain its main attraction. While the picture-perfect lighthouse and the moving St. Clemens cemetery—whose “talking gravestones” have long biographies carved on them—are definitely must-sees on Amrum, ultimately it is the peaceful atmosphere, the rhythm of the tides, the wind, the big skies, and those magical shifting dunes that make this island an extraordinary destination.
