From beautiful sandy beaches to impressive city skylines, there are plenty of places travel enthusiasts want to tick off their bucket lists.
As the new year begins, many might be thinking about where their next trip will be.
Research has revealed the popular bucket list destinations for 2026 by analysing UK Reddit conversations and Google search trends.
Japan tops the list, with 36 mentions on the busy forum site and 192 upvotes.
The Asian destination has plenty to offer, from bustling streets in its cities and vibrant markets, to historic temples and shrines.
Locations including Kawaguchiko, Kanazawa, and Takayama are drawing tourists in with their mixture of culture, nature and history. Japan scored 10 out of 10 overall.
Spain followed in second place and accumulated 130 votes, accounting for 26 Reddit mentions, according to the study by Titan Travel.
Scoring 9.25 out of 10, the European spot has been popular with Brits for years but tourists are saying there is ‘still so much of the country they’ve yet to explore’.
Japan proved to be the top bucket list destination, with 36 mentions on the busy forum site and 192 upvotes
Spain followed in second place and accumulated 130 votes, accounting for 26 Reddit mentions, according to the study by Titan Travel
There are plenty of beach resorts including Málaga, Granada, Javea, and Nerja, as well as city locations like Madrid and Barcelona.
France and Italy ranked joint-third with a bucket list score of 8.75.
France received 79 votes and 23 mentions on Reddit, while Italy gathered 163 votes and 19 mentions.
Travel enthusiasts hope to enjoy exploring the Alps, Paris and historic southern towns.
Meanwhile, Italy draws in tourists with its food scene and sun-drenched countryside.
Iceland ranked fifth, followed by Greece, Thailand, Australia, Canada and New Zealand rounding off the top ten countries.
Thailand worked out to be the most searched for destination and around six in ten holidaymakers shared they favour experience-packed trips instead of more traditional holidays.
Travel trends seem to be shifting, as Tripadvisor’s Travellers’ Choice Awards 2025 revealed some of the most popular spots of 2025.
France and Italy ranked joint-third with a bucket list score of 8.75
The travel review site collated a list of the spots that received ‘a high volume of above-and-beyond reviews’ over the year.
Out of the eight million listings on Tripadvisor, only one per cent managed to secure the badge of excellence from the site.
London claimed the top spot and impressed with its historic landmarks, bustling streets and food and drink scene.
Tripadvisor describes the capital as ‘many worlds in one’ and claims ‘no two days are the same’ there.
