If your passport’s been giving you side-eye, BBC Travel just dropped the nudge you need: a 2026 roundup that runs from lagoon-draped Polynesia to the heart of Chile’s wine country. It’s a list built on culture, sustainability, and the kind of local flavor that pairs beautifully with a glass (or mocktail, depending on where you land). As wine-obsessed wanderers, we sifted through the highlights with an eye toward terroir, tradition, and trips that do more good than harm.
As BBC Travel puts it: “From a Polynesian island ringed by blue lagoons to the heart of Chile’s wine country.” —BBC Travel
Let’s start with Chile. If “wine country” is your love language, the valleys radiating out from Santiago (think Maipo, Casablanca, Colchagua) are the ultimate pronunciation guide. Carménère is the headliner, but don’t sleep on País and coastal Sauvignon Blanc where Pacific breezes give the grapes a cool-footed elegance. The win here isn’t just in the glass; it’s in how you travel. Pick small producers, book vineyard tours that emphasize biodynamics, and lean into slow travel. You’ll taste the difference and leave a lighter footprint.
Hop across the Río de la Plata from Buenos Aires and Montevideo steps out with modern parks, classic tango, and a green heartbeat. Uruguay’s calling card is Tannat—deep, structured, and fantastic with the country’s famous asado. Montevideo’s relaxed vibe means you can surf the city’s rambla by day and dig into local parrillas by night. Look for wineries focused on water conservation and native biodiversity. Sustainable sipping isn’t just a buzzword here; it’s policy-meets-practice.
Meanwhile, Montenegro is having its “hidden gem” moment without selling its soul. The coastline brings the Adriatic postcard, but the mountain trails—new routes linking villages—are the story. Montenegro’s indigenous Vranac can be rustic or remarkably polished, depending on where you drink it and who made it. If you want to travel like a local, hike, eat from farm tables, and buy your bottles from family-run cellars. Sun, salt, and a grape that loves limestone? Sign us up.
Then there’s Abu Dhabi, where the cultural compass is spinning toward a blockbuster year of openings. In the words of BBC Travel: “A sense of anticipation is hanging in the desert air.” —BBC Travel Between the Zayed National Museum, a digital art temple in TeamLab Phenomena, and the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi, you’ve got a curated crash course in ambition. Alcohol laws here vary and deserve respect; consider this a destination for leisurely museum days, sunset mocktails, and thoughtful dining. Not every great trip needs a wine pairing—sometimes the pairing is architecture and perspective.
Algeria also makes the cut with ancient ruins and thinner crowds—catnip for travelers allergic to lines. Historically, Algeria had a robust wine industry under French rule, but modern drinking culture is limited and deeply contextual. That’s okay. Archaeology beats oenology here. Reserve your tasting for a future stop and keep your focus on the Sahara’s geometry, Roman stones, and the living tapestry of Saharan towns.
Threading through BBC’s list is a core idea: travel can be both joyful and responsible. Think a little harder about where your money lands. Book local guides, choose lodgings that employ and train in-community, and seek producers—wine or otherwise—who steward their land. Sustainability isn’t a mood board; it’s a set of choices repeated until they become habit.
Quick hits for the wine-curious traveler:
- Chile: Carménère for plush spice; País for a lighter, heritage-driven sip; coastal whites for sea-breeze finesse.
- Uruguay (Montevideo base): Tannat with grilled beef; look for producers experimenting with amphora and lower-impact farming.
- Montenegro: Vranac with Adriatic seafood and mountain cheese; explore micro-producers off the main drag.
- Abu Dhabi: Embrace culture-forward days; swap tastings for galleries and gardens. Hydrate, appreciate, repeat.
- Algeria: Go for ruins, rock art, and desert stillness; save the bottle hunt for another leg.
Bottom line: the BBC Travel list isn’t about bucket lists—it’s about better lists. Destinations that welcome you in, share something meaningful, and ask for your respect in return. Whether you’re chasing tannins in Chile or starbursts of modern art in the Emirates, the win is traveling with intent. The side benefit? You’ll taste (and remember) more.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20251209-the-20-best-places-to-travel-in-2026
