Our 2026 Travel Wishlist

​We only have one tradition in our house, but it is taken very seriously. Every January we start the new year by sitting down together, opening a map of the world, taking a realistic look at our finances and putting together our Travel Wishlist for the year ahead. We take this ritual very seriously - thinking about our goals, timing, and priorities, and always trying to push ourselves to try something new or different each year (since traveling continues to shift our perspective and blow our minds, even after all these years). It’s one of our favorite times of year, with 12 glorious months in front of us to see, explore, and experience as much of the world as we can, in order to enrich ourselves, be more knowledgeable in travel destinations and continue to develop epic new Designed Trips for you. 

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1. Tanzania & Kenya: Zanzibar, Arusha, the Serengeti, Amboseli, & Nairobi
East Africa has topped our travel wishlist for as long as we can remember, and we’ll finally be making it happen with a 2+ week long adventure through Tanzania & Kenya. We’ll start with some relaxed beach time on the shores of Zanzibar before hopping on a short flight to Arusha, where we’ll head off for a 6-day safari across Northern Tanzania, exploring Tarangire National Park, Ngorongoro Crater, and following the great migration through the Serengeti during the country’s short dry season (which also happens to be calving season!). From there, we’ll shoot back to Arusha and cross into Kenya by land, spending a few days hanging out with massive herds of elephants and views of Kilimanjaro at Amboseli National Park, before cruising up to Nairobi for a couple of nights. A Safari Designed Trip is one of our most requested, and is honestly a dream come true for us. Stay tuned and follow our trip on social media - we leave in less than a week!

2. Panama & El Salvador
Central America has always been one of our favorite travel destinations, and this year we’re headed to Panama, a place that we've somehow still never been. After a direct flight from Madrid to Panama City, we’ll spend a couple of weeks traversing the country, from isolated islands, to mountain towns surrounded by lush jungles. From there, the plan is to hop on a short flight to El Salvador, a place we’ve only ever passed through. Another country with an unreal combination of beautiful beaches, scenic volcanoes, and incredible culture, that’s recently become much safer to visit (at the price of an extremely questionable government). But more than anything, we’re coming back for the pupusas. Oh. My. God. If you’ve never had a pupusa, consider this your sign. Our 2026 Central American adventure will most certainly result in another new Designed Trip (or two!), so keep an eye out if you’re itching for an adventure as well.

3. Balearic Islands (Menorca?)
Living less than an hour from Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza, and Formentera makes weekend getaways to the Balearic Islands mandatory each summer. This year, we’re planning on a quick villa vacay with some of our amigos in early June. The island? Still to be determined, but probably Mallorca or Menorca. Their dreamy coves and turquoise waters are just too tempting. 

4. Turkey -or- Brazil -or- Indonesia 
We’ve spent the last few summers hopping across the Greek Islands, and as tempting as it is to head back again this year, we’ve decided it’s time for a change. While this year’s escape from the hot and humid doldrums of August is still up in the air, we have started to narrow down the list:

• Turkey: We’ve been dreaming of a trip to Turkey for ages, but it somehow still hasn’t come to fruition. Two weeks discovering Istanbul, Cappadocia, and the Turquoise Coast is definitely happening, and this may be the year. 
• Brazil: A place that’s seemed overwhelming to us for a long time, in most part because it’s so big that it feels like we’d need at least a month just to scratch the surface. Still, we continue to be drawn to Brazil’s rich culture, varied landscapes, tropical weather, and amazing beaches. 
• Indonesia: We’ve been to Bali (and Lombok) a few times, and to us, it never gets old. Its wonderfully unique version of Hinduism, gracious and welcoming people, delicious food, beautiful natural landscapes and temples are in a lot of ways, unbeatable. With that said, our next trip to Indonesia will undoubtedly include stops to see Orangutans in the wild in Sumatra and the temples of Yogyakarta, on Java.

5. Copenhagen
Denmark’s capital seems to perfectly blend a modern and innovative culture, with rich history and a charming, cozy vibe (we’re all about that Hygge!). It’s a weekend trip from Valencia that’s long overdue. Ryanair, if you’re listening, this is a route that needs to be added to the flight schedule asap. 

6. Krakow
We’ve been told over and over again what an amazing city Krakow is and this year, it might finally be time that we see it for ourselves. With its medieval old town, Jewish quarter, and close proximity to the dark, but important history at Auschwitz, there are too many reasons to make the trip to Poland this year.

7. Laos
Last making an appearance on this annual list in 2021, we’re sad to say we didn’t make it to Laos that year (or anywhere else in Asia, sadly). A mountainous country bordered by Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar, and China, Laos has been on the backpacker circuit for decades now, yet it’s still far less-visited than most of its neighbors. Known for stunning natural landscapes, Buddhist culture (with temples and monasteries dotting the country), and French colonial architecture, it’s really a must-visit destination in SE Asia, but we somehow haven’t been there. We’re not sure how the year will shake out, but this could be a good option for the holiday season.

8. Tallinn
We’ve long been obsessed with Tallinn, Estonia’s historic capital city, placed on the country’s northern shores, where the Baltic Sea meets the gulf of Finland. It’s just one of those under-the-radar destinations that’s so intriguing, with a Nordic and Eastern European cultural fusion and the authenticity (we hope) of Europe’s less-traveled cities.

9. ​Thailand
We made an unexpected and quick stop in Bangkok in 2025, and were instantly reminded of how much we love this country. This, along with some friends’ recent travel stories, has us itching to get back as soon as we can. This time, we’ll head south to the islands, exploring some spots off the backpacker circuit but with the same amazing food, beaches, culture, people and relaxed SE Asia energy that we dream about (especially now, in the depths of winter!)

​Sitting in our cozy office during the first week of January, we never know what the year will bring. If we will hop around the world to all of these places, or if new interests, opportunities, or a desire to stay put, will change the course. But right now, we’re ready to go. Ready for an adventure, the delightful discomfort of somewhere new and foreign, to learn, observe and listen. And we’ll come home with more knowledge, contacts, information, and a deeper understanding to help you have enriching travel experiences too. The world is small and the possibilities in 2026 are endless. So let’s get going!