Where to Go in 2023

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For those of you who are ready to get back to exploring big cities and cultural hubs but who aren't sure where you should start, Expedia has created a list of the top 10 cultural capitals to visit in 2023. The cities were selected based on the number of major cultural events occurring in each destination, as well as the level of its lodging demand and interest online.
The 10 cities were some of the top trending locations on Expedia's site based on its data for booked travel from 2021 through 2023, as of September 2022. I have been to all except Dubai.

Here’s the list:

1. Edinburgh-though we went mostly to play golf, the Fringe Festival (Edinburgh Tattoo) sounds like a great time.

2. Lisbon, Portugal-my second visit last month, and I become more impressed each time. Food is outstanding and affordable.

3. Tokyo-everyone should go at least once, as the food and culture are over the top! And so clean and safe.

4. Dublin-a bar on every corner, history on every street, a drunk on every corner.

5. New York City-save your money and maybe you can go at least once!

6. Sydney-wish I could go back, it offers a bit of everything.

7. Dubai

8. Montreal-feels like being in France without the a$$holes. Great French food.

9. Munich-probably one of the best places in all of Europe to visit, great beer halls, fun loving culture.

10. Bangkok-probably been a dozen times and can't wait to go back! The food, tailored clothing and religious monuments are outstanding. Nicest people in the world!

Where do I plan to go? I would like to visit my adopted Greek brothers in Athens, sip Champagne in Champagne, cycle in Germany, and visit one new country, such as Slovakia, Bulgaria, Slovenia, or Estonia.
Quiz: What is the world's oldest airline?
Established in the Netherlands just two months prior to Avianca, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (officially named Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij N.V., or “Royal Aviation Company”) is the oldest extant airline in the world. The first KLM-operated flight traveled from London to Amsterdam in May 1920. Onboard were the pilot, two journalists, newspapers, and a letter from the Mayor of London to the Mayor of Amsterdam. Four years later, KLM launched the longest air route at the time, from Amsterdam to Jakarta. Another groundbreaking event took place in 1946 with the first scheduled flights from Europe to New York. KLM merged with Air France in 2004, although both retained their individual operations and branding.

I have not been on a KLM flight since the 70s or 80s!!! But I have seen their planes in Amsterdam, Frankfurt, and Vienna. It seems their reputation as of late is always late or cancelled!!!
I was streaming Amazon Prime lately, watching "Jack Ryan", a CIA analyst with a PhD in economics, who morphed into a super agent like Jack Bauer. What made it interesting is that they filmed some episodes in many European cities that I have visited, like Athens, Budapest, Vienna, Istanbul, Prague, London, Rome, and Moscow.
From the Navigator:

With the new year just around the corner and travel (mostly) back to business as usual, it seems that everyone and their mother is making predictions about which destinations will be trending in 2023, and no one can seem to agree.

First, let’s look back at 2022. According to flight database company, ForwardKeys, the most visited destinations of the year were the Dominican Republic, Turkey, Costa Rica, Mexico, and Jamaica. We have been to Costa Rica twice, and I have been to Turkey twice (love Istanbul and the Grand Bazaar).

Looking forward to 2023, there is a city that’s trending on nearly everyone’s list. Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam topped Kayak’s trending travel list and came in 2nd on Google’s. That’s about where the similarities end. Google’s #1 spot was claimed by London and had only one US destination (New York). Meanwhile, nearly all of Kayak’s top 10 winners were countries in Asia and Oceania. I prefer Hanoi, more culture and better weather.

Airbnb’s 2023 predictions gave their top spot to Málaga, Spain but Australia and New Zealand also made an appearance on their list. All three sound good to me.

The most unique list this year was made by Lonely Planet. Their team curated a list of destinations that includes destinations ranging from Ghana to Bhutan. Not sure about Ghana.

Perhaps these lists will give you some travel inspiration for next year or maybe you’ll want to choose a less trendy destination. Either way, you can’t go wrong with any of these picks for your next adventure.

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