Tripadvisor Just Ranked the World’s Best Travel Experiences — Here’s the Countdown
The 2026 Travelers’ Choice Awards highlight the tours, treks, cruises, and city experiences travelers rated highest worldwide.
Tripadvisor’s Travelers’ Choice “Best of the Best” list is basically a popularity contest with receipts: it’s based on a year’s worth of standout traveler reviews, and only a tiny slice of experiences make the cut.
This time, the focus isn’t where to go — it’s what to actually do once you get there. The 2026 Best of the Best Things to Do list highlights the tours, treks, cruises, and cultural experiences travelers rated highest around the world.
10. Amanda Cruise — Ha Long and Lan Ha Bay, Vietnam
This overnight cruise from Hanoi takes travelers through the limestone scenery of Ha Long and Lan Ha Bay, with kayaking, meals, deck views, and time to actually relax instead of rushing from stop to stop.
The reviews point to the comfortable cabins and attentive service as part of the appeal. This is the kind of experience that makes sense for travelers who want Vietnam’s famous bay views without trying to piece the logistics together themselves.
9. Krakow–Zakopane: Cable Car, Chocholow Baths, Cheese & Vodka — Poland
This full-day trip from Krakow packs in a little bit of everything: mountain scenery, a cable car ride, thermal baths, local cheese, and vodka.
It’s not exactly a slow travel day, with an 11- to 12-hour duration, but that’s also why travelers seem to like it. You get a full taste of the Zakopane region without needing to rent a car or plan the transfers yourself.
8. Inca Trail 4-Day Trek to Machu Picchu — Cusco, Peru
The classic Inca Trail is one of those travel experiences that actually lives up to the hype. I’ve done it myself, and it remains one of my favorite life experiences — not just favorite travel experiences.
This four-day trek to Machu Picchu includes camping, meals, educational stops, and a return by Vistadome train. It’s physically demanding, and you do need to be prepared for the altitude and early mornings, but walking through the Andes and reaching Machu Picchu the way the Incas once did is hard to beat. I put together my own Inca Trail guide and packing list after doing the trek, because this is one trip where having the right layers, shoes, and expectations makes a huge difference.
7. London Small Group Tour of Historical Pubs — United Kingdom
A historical pub tour in London feels almost too obvious, but apparently, travelers are loving this one. The small-group format takes visitors through local pubs while mixing in architecture, history, and plenty of old London atmosphere.
This is a smart pick for travelers who like their sightseeing with a drink in hand. It also sounds much more fun than wandering into a random tourist pub near a major landmark and hoping for the best.
6. Berlin’s Best: 2 Hour Walking Tour Third Reich and the Cold War — Germany
Berlin is one of those cities where a good guide can completely change the experience. This two-hour walking tour focuses on the Third Reich, the Cold War, the Berlin Wall, and the places where major historical events unfolded.
The tour is short, which makes it easy to fit into a packed itinerary, but it still gives travelers context beyond just seeing the landmarks. For a city as layered as Berlin, this is important.
5. Beatles Magical Mystery Tour — Liverpool, United Kingdom
The Beatles Magical Mystery Tour in Liverpool landed at No. 5, which makes sense for music fans and nostalgia travelers. The experience includes Beatles landmarks, stories, photo stops, and plenty of music along the way.
It’s also one of the more specific tours on the list. You either care deeply about seeing Beatles history in Liverpool, or you don’t. But clearly, a whole lot of travelers do.
4. Amsterdam All-Inclusive 90-Minute Canal Cruise by Captain Jack — Netherlands
A canal cruise in Amsterdam is hardly a new idea, but this one stands out for its smaller-group feel and all-inclusive setup. Travelers mention the views, photo opportunities, and commentary from the captain and guide.
At 90 minutes, it’s also a practical win. You get the canal experience without losing half a day, which is ideal in a city where it’s very easy to overbook yourself.
3. Barcelona in 1 Day: Sagrada Familia, Park Güell, Old Town & Pickup — Spain
Barcelona can be a lot to tackle in one day, especially if you’re trying to hit Sagrada Familia, Park Güell, and the Old Town without spending your whole trip staring at maps and ticket times.
This tour bundles the major stops together with pickup and guide commentary, which explains the appeal. It’s not the most offbeat way to see Barcelona, but for first-time visitors with limited time, convenience is a real selling point.
2. Peaceful Hiroshima & Miyajima UNESCO 1 Day Bus Tour — Japan
This Hiroshima and Miyajima day tour combines powerful historical sites with natural beauty, including Peace Memorial Park and time on Miyajima.
The description that stands out here is “well-balanced,” because that’s exactly what this kind of day needs to be. It’s reflective, organized, and gives travelers space to take in places that deserve more than a rushed photo stop.
1. The Unvanquished Tour in Porto City Center — Portugal
Tripadvisor’s No. 1 travel experience in the world for 2026 is The Unvanquished Tour in Porto City Center, which also won the top global spot in 2024.
This 2.5-hour walking tour covers Porto’s history, architecture, culture, and local food and drink recommendations with a small-group setup. Reviewers praised the local guides, personal stories, and practical recommendations, which is exactly what a great city tour should do: help you understand where you are and what you want to do next.
Portugal has been having a major travel moment for years, but this ranking says something more specific. Travelers aren’t just looking for pretty streets and good wine. They’re looking for a way into the city, and apparently, this Porto tour delivers.
If this list has you mentally rearranging your travel plans, Tripadvisor also recently ranked the top places in the world to visit in 2026, and that countdown is worth a look if you’re deciding where to go next.
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Beautiful places to visits. I’d love to tour Amsterdam!
well written and information posting.
I will have to check these destinations out. Thanks for sharing.
We keep hearing about how amazing Barcelona is! Would love to go but after all the stories of rude folks and flying, I’m too nervous to fly.
This is cool. You don’t hear too much about Portugal, but it sounds wonderful.
Glad I traveled all over China in the 90s and early 80s before everywhere was over run by tourists both international and domestic. Would go a week without seeing a Western face and everywhere was not flooded with trinket shops. Some amazing scenery that is hard to enjoy now due to the crowds.
That Japan trip sounds amazing
So many amazing places on this list I’ve only been to Amsterdam but hope to visit more places on this list soon!
Going to Amsterdam for the first time this summer – I’m for sure gonna check out a cruise like that.
So cool to see the Inca Trail make the top 10! You’re completely right about it living up to the hype—it’s exhausting but totally unforgettable. Now I really want to check out that Porto walking tour, keeping the #1 spot for two years is insane.