Savvy vacationers know that probably the most rewarding discoveries usually emerge from trying past the apparent. From trending ‘it’ locations to flashy lodge openings to a seemingly endless feed of ‘better of’ lists—we’re inundated with choices and spoiled for alternative. So the place to go subsequent?
You would be forgiven if none of those places are in your 2026 journey bingo card—but. However these 4 locations deserve a second search for their distinctive design credentials and burgeoning artistic scenes. The cherry on prime? Every boasts a superb design-led property that opened inside the final two years.
Genoa, Italy
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Genoa was as soon as the powerhouse of the Mediterranean, rivaling Venice as a maritime republic. At this time as one strolls via the slender caruggi—Genoese for the alleyways winding via town middle—it is laborious to inform if Genoa is falling aside or being put again collectively, and therein lies the wonder. This can be a metropolis that hasn’t been sanitized for basic vacationer consumption.
Town’s strategy to preserving architectural heritage whereas integrating trendy design sensibilities provides a masterclass in considerate city improvement. An extended-awaited high-speed rail line, scheduled to start partial service in 2026, will dramatically enhance entry to this missed maritime capital.
Genoa’s artistic renaissance facilities across the UNESCO-listed Palazzi dei Rolli system – grand palazzos that when hosted visiting dignitaries. At this time, these are being reimagined by up to date Italian designers who perceive that genuine luxurious does not require ranging from scratch. Lorenzo Bagnara’s store By way of Garibaldi 12 exemplifies this evolution: a Sixteenth-century palazzo the place unique frescoes and gilded moldings function backdrop to Kartell furnishings and Ginori tableware.
For panoramic views solely Mom Nature can design, take the historic Zecca-Righi funicular to its closing cease—the views over the sprawling port and Apennine foothills remind you why this metropolis commanded maritime empires.
Keep: Palazzo Durazzo (opened 2023), itself one of many historic Palazzi dei Rolli relationship to the Seventeenth century. Proprietor-architect Emanuela Brignone Cattaneo and designer Cesare Barro spent seven years finishing the painstaking renovation of this 12-suite stunner. The most recent addition is two-bedroom Gli Ambasciatori, with views over the historic middle and glimpses of the ocean and the Lanterna lighthouse.
Good, France
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Gone are the times when Good was seen merely as an arrival airport and gateway to glitzier spots alongside the Côte d’Azur. Over the previous few years Good has emerged as a fascinating vacation spot in its personal proper.
Historic Vieux Good pulses with genuine Niçois tradition, that includes slender cobblestone streets and colourful baroque buildings. Artistic power buzzes in La Libération neighborhood—Good’s reply to New York’s Brooklyn—the place unbiased boutiques, native eating places, and wine bars create an genuine counterpoint to the extra clichéd Riviera scene alongside the picturesque Promenade des Anglais.
Good’s design credentials prolong past artwork into structure and concrete planning. Studio Libeskind’s sculptural ICONIC improvement showcases how town embraces daring up to date design whereas respecting its Belle Époque heritage.
Town’s place makes it an excellent base for design pilgrimages: Roquebrune-Cap-Martin for Le Corbusier’s Cabanon; Saint-Paul-de-Vence for Josep Lluís Sert’s Fondation Maeght; and, in close by Vence, Matisse’s masterpiece Chapelle du Rosaire – which the artist himself referred to as his ‘crowning achievement.’
Keep: Hôtel du Couvent, opened in summer time 2024, occupies a fantastically restored Seventeenth-century convent the place up to date French design sensibilities meet monastic tranquility. The property exemplifies the brand new Good aesthetic: subtle restraint with sudden moments of visible drama.
Cairo, Egypt
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There is a sure buzz about Cairo nowadays that is not possible to disclaim. A global group of creatives and entrepreneurs have taken discover. This transformation extends from the galleries of leafy Zamalek—the place areas like Tintera showcase pictures and rising artists—to the rebirth of downtown Cairo itself.
Cairo is a metropolis the place Twenty first-century creativity coexists with millennia of architectural historical past. In a megalopolis of 23 million, figuring out the place to focus turns into important. The artistic momentum facilities round downtown’s Khedival Cairo district, the place Belle Époque and Artwork Deco buildings are being reworked into hybrid areas combining retail, hospitality and cultural programming.
What makes Cairo notably compelling now could be its emergence as a artistic hub for the broader Center East and Africa area, attracting designers, artists and cultural entrepreneurs who see alternative within the metropolis’s distinctive place between custom and modernity.
Keep: Immobilia Cairo, curated by hospitality platform Egypt Past, is a set of residences within the metropolis’s first skyscraper—a Nineteen Thirties Artwork Deco landmark. Every residence retains unique particulars whereas being crammed with historic antiques and artwork from Cairo’s main galleries. Personal terraces supply downtown views, whereas providers embrace insider entry to town’s finest cultural experiences.
Northern Seashores, Australia
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Whereas Sydney’s japanese seashores (assume: Bondi) seize headlines and crowds, the Northern Seashores have quietly advanced right into a compelling vacation spot for up to date coastal design. Stretching from Manly to Palm Seashore, the area’s artistic renaissance stems from its distinctive geography – dramatic headlands, pristine seashores, and bushland creating pure boundaries that protect every suburb’s distinct character.
This isolation has fostered a group of architects, designers, and makers creating a distinctly Northern Seashores aesthetic: uncooked pure supplies, indoor-outdoor dwelling and relaxed sophistication that feels easy but thought-about.
Newport exemplifies this evolution, the place warehouse areas have reworked into studios for furnishings makers and ceramic artists. In the meantime, Avalon’s fundamental road options unbiased shops like Maker & Monger, the place Australia-made homewares replicate the area’s dedication to craftsmanship over mass manufacturing.
Keep: Jonah’s at Whale Seashore reopened 2024 after in depth renovation. The transformation by Sydney-based Hecker Guthrie honors the positioning’s Nineteen Thirties heritage whereas creating completely up to date lodging. Every of 11 rooms options customized native furnishings, floor-to-ceiling home windows framing Pacific Ocean views and locally-sourced supplies connecting friends to this outstanding shoreline’s distinctive character.
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