With the change of year we tend to do the same thing as always: review the year that is going away and plan the one that begins. And those of us who like to travel find it impossible not to think about the destinations we would like to go and visit. I’m one of those, I can’t help it. And although future trips are a topic that is always running through my head, it is now that I am beginning to see them and plan them with greater enthusiasm. As if in 2025 everything would be possible and on this occasion the Three Wise Men did not bring socks, but plane tickets.
On my list of destinations for 2025 there is a little bit of everything, places that I don’t know yet and places that I would like to return to for one reason or another. There are great trips and also small getaways, and even motorhome trips, so there is a variety of budgets. From Japan to Carcassonne, passing through options as different as Cairo, Puglia, Paraguay, Slovenia or the French Landes. It may seem ambitious, but it is better to aim high to visit as much as possible. If you’re looking for ideas for next year’s vacation, I’m going to tell you where and why I want to go, in case it inspires you.
Japan
Japan is one of the destinations that has fascinated me the most and I always want to return. It is authentic, extravagant, modern and extremely traditional. And it also eats wonderfully. Next year is the perfect time to visit again because Osaka is home to World Expo 2025, which will host more than 160 countries and regions. It is celebrated for six months, from April 13 to October 13, and as trips to Japan tend to focus more on destinations such as Tokyo or Kyoto, it is a good opportunity to learn more about this other great Japanese city, famous for its lively night and suggestive street food.
A trip to Japan must be prepared well and, if you dare and it is your first time, perhaps these tips will come in handy for those who are new to the country of the rising sun. I am clear that in addition to Osaka I would also take the opportunity to return to the Wakayama prefecture, which is something like the spiritual heart of Japan, and to discover the Shikoku region, which I still have in mind and I know that it is a festival of nature and culture in equal parts.
Carcassonne
A closer (and cheaper) plan is to visit Carcassonne, or Carcassonne in Spanish. It is the typical place that I have been leaving and, foolishly, the years have passed and I have never gone. They always tell me that it is a bit ‘paper mache’ and ‘theme park’, referring to the fact that it is very rebuilt and is tremendously touristy, but beyond its spectacular medieval architecture, I would love to delve into its history to learn more about its role strategic centuries ago.
I want to visit its viewpoints, especially those that move away from the citadel to have an impressive panoramic view of the walled city. I want to surround its walls, both internal and external, cross the famous Narbonne Gate, from the 13th century, and of course visit its castle and citadel in detail. It would be perfect to also explore part of the Midi Canal, even better if it is on a boat, and if I have time, visit the Cathar Castles, such as Peyrepertuse or Quéribus.
Cairo
I could say Egypt in its entirety, because I wouldn’t mind at all traveling the Nile again on a cruise with all that it entails. Wonders such as the temples of Luxor, Karnak, the Valley of the Kings, the temple of Hatsepsut, the Colossi of Memnon or the temples of Edfu, Philae and Kom Ombo are never visited enough times. Nor of course Abu Simbel. But if I want to visit Cairo in 2025 it is for a very specific reason, and that is that I have not yet visited the new Grand Egyptian Museum.
Back in the day I visited the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. A place that I remember with special affection because it was capable of transporting you to that not-so-distant time when Egyptologists and explorers studied and excavated from dawn to dusk in search of new tombs and treasures. That is to say, a dusty and somewhat dilapidated museum where there was no room for everything that had to be shown. But now everything is different. The new Grand Egyptian Museum is a majestic work that I am looking forward to seeing. Last October it opened its first 12 rooms, focused on Egyptian society, royalty and beliefs, but that only represents a quarter of what will be the total permanent collection. The full inauguration is scheduled to take place at the beginning of 2025, but taking into account that the museum has taken 20 years to build, this would be a trip that I would leave until the end of the year, because it would not be strange if it suffered further delays.
The Landes by motorhome
Another trip I would like to take in 2025 is to tour the Landes by motorhome. Traveling through France in a motorhome is a comfortable and pleasant experience, because the country has a long ‘motorhome’ tradition and is very well prepared for it, with equipped campsites and many service points. Here, carrying the house on your back is culture and the Landes, as many other travelers have confirmed to me, is a perfect territory for this type of trip.
The Landes is an environment of wild nature and many will also assure you that here you will find the best oysters in the world, what more could you ask for? On my map I have already marked points such as the Capbreton Stockade, the Huchet Current, the Contis lighthouse, the Orx marsh, the Hossegor lake, the small chapel of Sainte-Thérèse and, of course, both the Navarrosse beach such as the Mailloueyre Biological Reserve. I have calculated about eight days to explore the Landes coast, I think it may be enough.
Paraguay
Paraguay is one of my great pending subjects on the American continent and for some time I have felt that I owe it a good trip. When I have traveled through South America, for one reason or another, I have had to skip Paraguay, and it was enough that the Lonely Planet guide included it in its Best in Travel 2025 list to make me see that this is the time. Surrounded by Brazil, Argentina and Bolivia, Paraguay tends to remain a little hidden, little visited and even a little misunderstood. Despite being located in the heart of the continent, travelers too often overlook it, mistakenly assuming that it is lacking in attractions, and I hope that in 2025 it can confirm that it does indeed have a lot to show and offer.
Asunción will be the gateway, where between the Plaza de Armas, the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption, the Cabildo, the National Pantheon of Heroes and the House of Independence I already have at least a couple of days. But in reality I prefer to leave the capital aside a little to dedicate more time to places such as the Jesuit missions of the Santísima Trinidad de Paraná and Jesús de Tavarangue, which are World Heritage Sites, Encarnación, known as the ‘pearl of the south’, the Defensores del Chaco National Park, in case I run into a puma, jaguar or tapir, or other charming places like Yaguarón or San Bernardino, where I can have a tereré cool next to Lake Ypacaraí. The Iguazú Falls are just a stone’s throw from Ciudad del Este, so I don’t rule out taking advantage and returning to one of the natural spectacles that has captivated me most in my travels.
Slovenia
Oh, Slovenia. My big frustrated trip of 2020. Everything ready, everything prepared, and Covid arrived to disrupt everything, close borders and leave us at home without trips. I hope that 2025 will be the time to remove this thorn and finally get to know one of the countries with the greatest scenic beauty in Central Europe. It is not a distant destination nor does it require a large budget, so it is perfect for spending a long week behind the wheel of a rental car. Plus, the city of Nova Gorica, next to the Italian border, will be the European Capital of Culture in 2025, so even better.
I am clear that my route will take me through Ljubljana, of course, and of course also to Lake Bled, where on the island of Bled the Church of the Assumption has been waiting for five years for me to photograph it. I want to fulfill my original plan and enter the Vintgar Gorge and also pass through other lakes, such as Bohinj and Jasna. I would love to do rafting on the Soča River and without a doubt visit the famous Predjama castle and visit a cave, either Postojna or Skocjan. And I wouldn’t want to leave without first passing through the charming medieval city of Piran.
Puglia
With all this I have enough to have a 2025 full of travel, but in case something fails I have a small wild card saved in Puglia (or Apulia), the ‘heel of the boot’ of Italy. It is true that it is gaining popularity lately, but it is much less known and visited than other Italian regions. I know that it is famous for its landscapes, for its architecture, for the authenticity of its people and, of course, for its gastronomy. And also for the La Notte della Taranta festival, which is held every summer in Lecce and brings together more than one hundred thousand people around the traditional music of the Salento region.
Puglia is 100% Mediterranean, simple but monumental, and with coasts where the water takes on impossible turquoise tones. The plan would be to reach Bari, its capital, and from there take a route by car that takes me through towns like Polignano a Mare, Monopoli or the picturesque Alberobello, famous for its trulli houses with conical roofs. Pass through Lecce, known for its baroque, tour the Gargano National Park and, if possible, one day sleep in a masseriathe old agricultural estates that, in some cases, have been adapted to offer rustic stays.
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