This Atlantic island is Tripadvisor’s no.1 trending destination for 2026

Based on 12 months of review data from its global travel community, Tripadvisor has revealed the destinations travellers think are worth the hype in 2026.

Every year, global travel advice and booking platform Tripadvisor releases its Travellers’ Choice Awards: Best of the Best Destinations. The awards recognise destinations that receive a high volume of exceptional reviews and opinions from the Tripadvisor community over a 12-month period – shining a light on the places travellers love visiting and are most excited about.

The 2026 awards have just been announced, celebrating 270 destinations across 60 countries. As one of the seven award categories, Tripadvisor’s top Trending Destinations in the World reveal emerging places travellers think are worth the hype. The top result for 2026? A small island in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.

Madeira on the rise

Explore Madeira’s stunning mountainous coasts. (Image: Unsplash/Julia Solonina)

The Portuguese island of Madeira has been crowned the number one trending destination in the world by Tripadvisor for 2026. Often referred to as the ‘Hawai‘i of Europe’, the autonomous region of Portugal’s striking topography is an obvious drawcard. Volcanic coastal cliffs, natural pools, black sand beaches, dramatic ravines and wild waterfalls laced by jungle all invite exploration, with hiking one of the island’s most popular activities.

The Portuguese Island offers lush landscapes and wild waterfalls. (Image: Unsplash/Claire Bodry)

Located off the coast of North Africa in the Atlantic Ocean, Madeira also offers a warm, subtropical climate year-round, making it an excellent destination to visit in low and shoulder seasons. Beyond its lush natural flora, the island’s vibrant architecture reflects its diverse heritage – from monasteries and Baroque churches to colonial Portuguese military forts and traditional thatched-roof houses.

Food-focused travellers are spoilt for choice, too. The island boasts fresh seafood by the coast and hearty meat dishes inland, with specialties including limpets grilled in garlic, butter and lemon, and espetada, bay leaf-marinated beef skewers. Sprawling organic farms harvesting exotic fruits are another highlight.

Tripadvisor’s top trending travel destinations for 2026

Tbilisi is the vibrant capital of Georgia. (Image: Unsplash/Neil Sengupta)

1. Madeira, Portugal
2. Tbilisi, Georgia
3. Chicago, USA
4. Quy Nhon, Vietnam
5. Puerto Escondido, Mexico
6. Milan, Italy
7. Glasgow, UK
8. Abu Dhabi, UAE
9. Recife, Brazil
10. San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina

Following Madeira, Tbilisi – the capital of Georgia – is another place Tripadvisor has named as an emerging destination worth watching. Dramatic valleys meet the cobbled streets of the old town, where Georgian Orthodox churches and domed 17th-century baths attest to its fascinating history.

Milan’s famous Duomo. (Image: Unsplash/Caleb Stokes)

Other trending travel destinations for 2026 include the coastal city of Quy Nhon in Vietnam, renowned for its excellent seafood and relaxed beaches, and the vibrant Mexican port town of Puerto Escondido, where surf grommets flock for top-notch combers. Italian fashion capital Milan and Scottish cultural hotspot Glasgow – boasting a legacy of Victorian heritage – also featured on the list, along with Argentina’s jaw-dropping alpine town of San Carlos de Bariloche.

Where else is popular in 2026

Along with its Trending Destinations list, Tripadvisor has also revealed its Top Destinations for 2026, showcasing users’ most loved spots across the world. And the results aren’t exactly surprising. Coming in at first place is Bali, the tropical Indonesian hotspot Aussies know and love, followed by the cosmopolitan cities of London and Dubai.

1. Bali, Indonesia
2. London, UK
3. Dubai, UAE
4. Hanoi, Vietnam
5. Paris, France
6. Rome, Italy
7. Marrakech, Morocco
8. Bangkok, Thailand
9. Crete, Greece
10. New York City, USA