The task of compiling a definitive list of the best places to travel is both exciting and daunting in any given year. After all, there are always inspiring locations and experiences on our bucket lists. As a result, whenever we get together in the fall to begin the process of making this list, we do so with great care. We ask our well-traveled network of writers from all over the world—and, for the first time this year, editors from other Condé Nast Traveler markets—to pitch, endorse, defend, and ultimately agree on the places we think you, as our readers, will want to travel to the most over the course of the upcoming year.

Our list of the 23 best places to travel in 2023 includes both old favorites that are worth revisiting and less-traveled, even once-inaccessible regions that are ready to welcome visitors. However, each of these destinations is united by highly anticipated new offerings and advancements. Whether you’re looking for extraordinary excursions through ancient rainforests, a thriving culinary scene driven by terroir, or stunning cultural calendars packed with world-class music and rare art exhibits, this destination has something for everyone.

Additionally, we are of the opinion that these locations are connected in more ways than one: a chance to spend more time with the communities where you live, travel more slowly, and connect with people in a more meaningful and happy way. What could better express our hopes for the coming year?