National Geographic Traveller (UK) has announced its list of 35 extraordinary destinations to inspire your travels for 2023. One Irish county has made the list.
The purpose of National Geographic’s latest travel list, Best of the World 2023, is to inspire readers’ travel plans. This way, you can get a head start on the renewed travel landscape.
For 2023, the Best of the World list is focused on travel destinations and experiences that benefit both tourists and the communities they visit.
County Wicklow, aka the Garden of Ireland, has made it into this year’s family section of National Geographic’s Best of the World 2023 list.
Irish county named in Best of the World 2023 list – what the list is about
As told on the National Geographic website, “our list highlights some of the most exciting and exceptional experiences on the planet”.
Across five categories, adventure, culture, nature, family, and community, they have outlined the most stunning landscapes and cultural experiences that you should have on your radar for 2023.
Global editors at the magazine select 25 entries. Then, an additional ten are added from the UK edition.
Editor of National Geographic Traveller (UK), Pat Riddell, says, “The annual list reflects the travel landscape as we see it for the 12 months ahead.
“With options on your doorstep, a short hop across to Europe or much further afield, this year’s 35 destinations offer insight into a vast array of experiences available for visitors from far and wide”.
County Wicklow has made the cut – an amazing place for family
In this year’s list, County Wicklow has made it into the family category. It joins the likes of Colombia, Trinidad and Tobago, and San Francisco.
The magazine praises Wicklow for being “crammed with mountain trails for hikers and bikers, stately Palladian mansions, wild waterfalls and an underrated coast”.
Beyond the Trees Avondale also gets a big mention for being home to Ireland’s tallest slide. It also features the “exhilarating new walkway that gently ramps up to immerse visitors in the tree canopy itself”.
This is a big factor for Wicklow featuring in the family category. The magazine outlines, “the whoops you hear spraying about inside are from adults and kids alike”.
The rest of the list – the most incredible experiences around the world
In the culture category, you will find the likes of Italy’s Appian Way, where “The goal is a pilgrimage through history, with stops at scenic villages and archaeological sites as well as planned overnight accommodation at the end of each day’s journey”.
For nature, the Scottish Highlands receive praise for their “austere beauty”. Also, the move to “return the Highlands to its original woodlands, by reintroducing former flora and fauna in a process called ‘rewilding’”.
In the adventure category, New Zealand gets a mention for being “the country that brought you bungee jumping”. This adventure-worthy country also has remarkable skiing opportunities and biking routes.
Finally, for the likes of the newest category, community, the Dodecanese Islands in Greece are given praise. The cast “an alluring spell stemming from their rocky beauty and feisty history”. You can check out the full Best of World 2023 list here.
