Kerala has earned a spot on Rough Guides list of the world's top travel destinations for 2026, with the popular guidebook publisher highlighting the state as a must-visit location for the year ahead.
1. Marrakech, Morocco
Marrakech doesn't quietly welcome you. It sweeps you off your feet.
Colour, sound and movement characterise every little corner of the 11th century city, explaining why it remains one of Morocco's most-visited places.
To feel its pulse, step into the Medina, the old walled heart of the city, where narrow lanes twist past spice stalls, handicraft workshops and open courtyards, all converging on a square that seems to stay awake 24/7.
2. Crete, Greece
For a journey into the beginnings of Greek history, Crete is the most glorious place to start.
Greece's largest and most inhabited isle, located far south on the Libyan Sea is widely regarded as the cradle of the Minoan world, a civilisation that flourished a millennia ago, leaving behind a islandscape rich in archaeological treasures.
Among them, the Palace of Knossos stands out: A vast complex where ancient wall paintings and ingenious design tell tales from 4,000 years ago.
3. Bali, Indonesia
This little utterly unique corner of Indonesia delivers remarkable variety for just one island.
In Bali's north, misty cascades plunge through jungle valleys, while the south opens out onto bewitching beaches edged by rolling surf.
It draws all types of travellers -- nature lovers who prefer dawn sessions on the waves or the livewire folks who appreciate its nightlife that stretches till morning and also the faithful looking for quiet sanctuaries steeped in ritual.
4. Tokyo, Japan
What does Tokyo not have to delight visitors?
Glass skyscrapers cheek-by-jowl with medieval shrines and palaces. A legendary food culture. Excting nights that blur into morning, giving this postmodern city its electric charge. Traditional tea rooms and tranquil gardens quietly anchor it to the past.
5. Rome, Italy
Roma's global appeal needs little explanation.
Monuments, ruins, churches, cathedrals, galleries, musuems, fountains, statues, markets transform public squares such that the city is one giant open-air wonderland still rooted in the Middle Ages.
And the food? Ooh la la! It is a world capital of gastronomy. Its cuisine is celebrated far beyond Italy's borders, with even remote Pacific islands today tucking into pizza and pasta.
6. Istanbul, Turkiye
The magic of this vast city, that stands both on the crossroads of history and the intersection of Europe and Asia, reveals itself through its neighbourhoods, where layers of the past and modern life unfold side by side.
Wander through Beyoğlu, lined with grand avenues and echoes of 19th-century Europe, before crossing into Sultanahmet, home to the city's most revered Islamic landmarks.
7. Sicily, Italy
The sunny island at the boot of Italy stands apart from the rest of the country for the amalgamation of myriad influences, gained over centuries, it showcases.
It's a surprise package that delivers so much, from sunlit shores, celebrated wines, rich flavours and striking architecture.
But yet everything carries a character all its own and unmistakably Sicilian in spirit.
Kerala
Our own Kerala has also secured a place among the world's top travel destinations for 2026, earning the 16th position on this list.
That's a recognition that reflects the global appeal of all that it offers -- gorgeous landscapes, be they hills, beaches, forests or kuttinad (backwaters); deep-rooted, numerous religions and culture; the breadth of its cuisine; its beautiful traditions and breathakingly quaint towns and villages.
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