Hot Spots of 2026: Japan! Croatia! Italy!

This travel journal is part of our TravelStore Passport Diaries Podcast. Watch the full episode below, and for more episodes, visit our Passport Diaries Podcast page or follow us on your favorite podcast platform.

Japan, Croatia, Italy, Alaska, the Azores…what do all these places have in common?

These destinations are hot, hot, HOT in 2026 according to our network of expert Travel Advisors! In response to a poll asking “Where are your clients most excited to go in 2026 and why?” our advisors shared the destinations, travel styles, and interests their clients are experiencing this year. A handful of familiar places shot to the top of the list, and one country dwarfed the rest in terms of popularity (spoiler alert: it’s Japan…but who didn’t see that one coming?)

To break down why these destinations are so “hot”, what travel styles are “heating up”, and how travelers can “cool down” and get away from the crowds in super popular destinations, three of our expert travel advisors join us on our “Hot Spots 2026” Passport Diaries podcast episode. Join us as Lori Ekdahl, Jeanine Mak, and Mona Stephenson take you river cruising down the Danube, shopping through the hustle and bustle of beautiful & busy Kyoto, sailing on a private yacht to the world-famous spas off the coast of Italy, and so much more!

Listen to the full episode of our Hot Spots 2026 Passport Diaries on your podcast platform of choice or watch the full video interview on our YouTube channel.

#1: Japan

On the Hot Spot Scale of a chilly 1 to a toasty 10, Japan is a boiling 15! By far the destination our advisors report their travelers are most excited to travel to this year, Japan takes the #1 spot for many reasons:

The People

Both Lori Ekdahl and Jeanine Mak have been to Japan in the last couple of years. They share that everywhere travelers go in the country, they will meet the warmest, kindest people.

“I mean, that is the heart of Japan. The people are friendly, lovely, kind, helpful… Oh, and the young people! It was so joyful to see them, I mean, they’re so fashionable. These 17, 18-year-olds were dressed to the T, top to bottom in Tokyo and the bigger cities, walking hand in hand. They were so cute and having so much fun.” – Lori Ekdahl

The Craftsmanship

Japan is an artisanship mecca. Lori and Jeanine share they both were welcomed to get hands-on with local families who have been practicing and perfecting their family’s craft for centuries.

“Japan has so many different craftsmen and they’re such experts or artisans in their craft. It’s so fun to see them. When we were there two Christmases ago, we went and got to see how this generational family were making the fans. They were carving out all the woodwork in the fans and it was kind of crazy, just the intricate details.” – Jeanine Mak

“I was able to go to a traditional woodblock artist’s home in Japan and we met a woman who is the latest in her family’s 160 year history as part of the woodblock printing process. These are true, unique, out of the box experiences and that’s what I think people crave and that’s what’s really fun to be able to bring to the table for a client” – Lori Ekdahl

Year Round Destination

Due to its popularity, Japan has been making headlines for its efforts to combat overtourism. Some travelers may be concerned about the crowds in the city and opt for an off-season visit. Jeanine Mak shares that any time is a great time to visit Japan, but she does have a recommendation for future travelers:

“Springtime is really popular in Japan to see all the spring bloom, but go in the fall. I always tell people if you can go in the fall to see the colors change – like at the end of October and November, even the end of November – it’s like fall foliage up in Maine kind of thing. It’s just beautiful.” – Jeanine Mak

Listen to the episode to hear more about traveling by rail in Japan, the incredible shopping, the food scene, Mt. Fuji, and more!

#2: Croatia

Croatia shot to the top of Mona Stephenson’s and Jeanine Mak’s Hot Spots List for 2026 due to its gorgeous, crystal-clear waters perfect for sailing around on yachts.

Super Yachts

“I think what’s specific to Croatia is the super yacht concept. An official yacht is up to 12 people, somewhere in that range, but the super yachting concept is designed for the Croatian waters. And the cabins are up to maybe 38 cabins. It’s very specific to that region and for the price point, it’s hard to match the level of luxury with the size in other places like Italy, France, and Greece” – Mona Stephenson

Mona takes travelers on a yacht experience in Croatia every year, making her the definitive expert on small-vessel sailing in the region. She says everyone who has gone with her on one of these trips says it is a top lifetime experience for them.

The Value

She does have one piece of advice for travelers as the secret gets out about the great value still to be found in Croatian yachting:

“I tell clients, ‘you have to go now’ because one day it might not even be the value that I was mentioning. Right now it’s a great, great value, but after Croatia went to the Euro, there’s been a lot of inflation and a lot of prices have almost doubled in the past five years. It’s gotten really popular, but a lot of people still haven’t done it and word is still getting out.” – Mona Stephenson.

Listen to the episode to hear more about sailing around Croatian waters, how Mona designs special experiences for her groups, the spa culture in Croatia, and more!

#3: Italy

Italy has reigned as the top destination for United States travelers for many years, so it is no surprise this wonderous, richly cultured country claimed high billing on our Hot Spots 2026 list. When asked for some of their favorite destinations in Italy, our three podcast guests laugh at the impossibility of choosing. Italy has so many gorgeous places to explore that travelers could travel there their entire lives and never run out!

Favorite Spots

“I always say that Italy is one of those countries that you can go to the top 10 cities in Italy and not even scratch the surface. So you can go to Italy for 10 or 15 years and still not have seen some of the best towns.” – Mona Stephenson

“It’s really hard to narrow a favorite spot. For me, the Amalfi Coast and Sorrento, the Limoncello, food, pasta, walking the streets, shopping… I mean, all of Italy is amazing.” – Lori Ekdahl

The History

For Jeanine Mak, it’s all about the history found in every nook and cranny of Italy.

“I was just enthralled with all the living history that was around, right? You’re just walking down the street, or you’re just sitting at a modern café, and you turn around and you see ancient ruins, or there’s the colosseum. It’s just so fun! You can’t get that in very many places. It’s just so well preserved in Italy, no matter where you go.” – Jeanine Mak

Hidden Gems

For Mona Stephenson, she recommends the lesser known coastal destinations known for their spa culture:

“We recently did a week-long sailing off the coast of Naples and we went to Procida and Ischia. Ischia is a little island that’s very famous for spas, for geothermal spas, amongst other things. These are a little more off the beaten path places that are very authentic, very local, and a unique way to see the Amalfi Coast.” – Mona Stephenson

Listen to the full episode for more wonderful Italian adventures and hidden gems.

#4: River Cruising

River Cruising definitely made it high on the list of what our advisors’ clients are excited to try this year – some for the first time! Very different from an ocean cruise, sailing serenely down a river is a great way to reach the heart of a country.

Slow Travel

“It’s slow, it’s so much more personal. You hear the tagline, ‘You either sail through Europe on a river or to Europe on an ocean.’ Both are great, believe me, but the river has a different feel.” – Lori Ekdahl

“It is truly like a boutique hotel on the river. You go and every day you’re at a different port and you just open your door and you’re in a new city. And you’re in the city center! I think that’s the fun part about it. And, it appeals to all things ‘Foodie’. If you’re a foodie, the food that’s on board is phenomenal.”

Shore Excursions

When it comes to getting off the ship and onto shore to explore the country, river cruise lines shine for their special experiences.

“I can’t believe some of the tours that we’re going to be doing on the Danube in May. Really interesting. And a lot of the river cruise lines, like AmaWaterways and Riverside, will have exclusive experiences. They’ll be, like, an exclusive after hours at the Belvedere Palace. It’s really fun and they make it special and unique.” – Lori Ekdahl

Check out the episode for more special shore excursions, cycling around small European towns, and more!

#5: Portugal & The Azores

Portugal was also one of the highly recommended destinations for travelers in 2026. For Jeanine Mak, her girls’ trip to the Azores left a lasting impression and after her trip she has booked custom trips to the Azores for many of her clients.

Off The Beaten Path & Untouched

“I just love it, it’s great. It’s kind of still a little bit off the beaten path and there are multiple different islands you can go to and they all have outdoor activities and good food. And, it’s actually relatively inexpensive still because Portugal in itself is kind of still untouched. It is a little bit on the more affordable side, when you think about Italy and all these other places. There’s not a lot of tourism going there yet. We did a girls’ trip there a couple years ago, and it was just fabulous. Since then, we’ve been sending more people there to relax. They have great spas, great food, and great active options. We biked, we kayaked, we saw dolphins… it was just beautiful.” – Jeanine Mak

Lisbon Adventures

Lori Ekdahl spent time in the capitol, Lisboa (Lisbon), and had amazing experiences including touring the city by sidecar motorcycle!

“What a hoot! We had our driver, we didn’t drive, but my husband’s on the back and I’m in the little sidecar, zipping through the narrow streets of Lisbon. What an adventure and how fun and just very outside of the box.” – Lori Ekdahl

Listen to the episode to hear more about the food, wine, and craftsmanship waiting to be discovered in Portugal!

Many more places made our Hot Spots of 2026 list, including Alaska, Bali, Peru, the Galapagos, and Africa. For each of these stunning destinations, we have expert travel advisors to help you plan your next adventure. So now the question comes over to you: where are you most excited to travel in 2026 and beyond?

Listen to our full Passport Diaries episode to hear some great real-life stories of when travel insurance came to the rescue, tips and inside looks, and more!