Where to go, when, in 2024. Discover the best places at the best time, plus over 100 travel ideas for 2024.
January | February | March | April
September | October | November | December
January
Top Destination: Mexico
January is dry and cool across Mexico. It’s an excellent time to explore both the Pacific and Caribbean coastlines, long before the intense heat and humidity of summer.
Travel inland and there are gems to uncover, notably the mountain town of San Miguel de Allende, where Rosewood has a great property. Don’t discount Mexico City – it’s trendy, colourful and a lot of fun.
A plethora of new beach resorts is another reason Mexico is our top pick for January. Like the reimagined Maroma, A Belmond Hotel on the Caribbean coast, and One&Only Mandarina on the Pacific.
January is a great time to explore…
Anguilla & St Barths. Tried, tested and just perfect in January. The Caribbean is for winter beach holidays and we love the Anguilla and St Barths combo.
South Africa. Fly to Cape Town, it’s magical in January. Add on the winelands nearby. See the penguins. Then go north for Africa’s most luxurious safari.
Colombia. January to March is the best time to explore all Colombia can offer, from Caribbean islands to evocative cities and beautiful mountains.
Reasons to travel in January
15th – 21st: 84th edition of The Hahnenkamm Races, the Ski World Cup race in Kitzbühel, Austria
24th – 4th Feb: Mozart Week Salzburg
26th – 28th: Snow Polo World Cup in St Moritz
27th: Venice Carnival starts and runs until February 13th.
All month: A popup yakitori and sake bar on COMO Cocoa Island, Maldives.
February
Top Destination: Antarctica
Antarctica is not a difficult holiday. New adventure cruise ships like the Scenic Eclipse and Quark Ultramarine make the seventh continent very comfortable.
Then there is White Desert, the only luxury accommodation in all of Antarctica, where the space themed Echo Camp is one of the most audacious hotel experiences we’ve ever seen.
Intimate encounters with whales and penguins. Camping out on the ice. Exploring by kayak, helicopter and submarine. January is the peak season. February also offers good conditions, plus better availability and rates on the best boutique cruise ships, and at White Desert.
February is a great time to explore…
Tanzania. Wildebeest have their calves in the Serengeti, creating the greatest show of predator versus prey anywhere in Africa. It’s a magical safari opportunity.
New Zealand. Long days and comfortable weather mean February is good for exploring the entire country. Plus all the national parks and nature destinations are quieter, because the local holiday season has ended.
Cuba. February brings the best weather across the entire country, meaning you can explore beyond Havana and a beach resort.
Reasons to travel in February
9th – 14th: New York Fashion Week
9th – 17th: Rio Carnival in Brazil
10th: Soneva Secret opens in the Maldives.
11th: Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas.
13th: Mardi Gras starts in New Orleans.
15th: Waldorf Astoria Platte Island opens in the Seychelles.
15th – 25th: Berlin International Film Festival
16th – 20th: London Fashion Week
20th – 26th: Milan Fashion Week
26th – March 5th: Paris Fashion Week
March
Top Destination: Finland
A ski holiday, where there is guaranteed snow. An adventure in the great open wilderness, by reindeer, husky or snowmobile. A night in a glass igloo beneath the northern lights.
March is the most beautiful time in Lapland. The warming and lengthening days make Finland an unforgettable destination, for couples and families with young children.
Depending on your spring holiday dates, the second half of February can also be a good time to explore Finland with kids.
March is the time to explore…
Costa Rica. The March weather is sunny and dry, in a tropical country of beautiful nature. Combine a beach holiday with adventures across the volcanic interior.
High altitude resorts in the Alps: Longer days, quieter slopes and sunnier weather. Stay high to get the best snow, like Zermatt in Switzerland, Val Thorens and Val d’Isère in France, and Lech in Austria.
Thailand. New resorts on less explored beaches and islands make Thailand a great beach holiday destination in March, like Anantara Koh Yao Yai, across the bay from Six Senses Yao Noi.
Reasons to travel in March
1st – 3rd: Vendimia, Mendoza’s Grape Harvest Festival in Argentina (far more glamorous than you may think)
2nd: Last day of U2 residency at Sphere in Las Vegas
11th – 16th: Fashion Week Tokyo
22nd: New direct flight starts between Prague and Florence
25th: The original Holi Festival, across northern India and best experienced around Delhi
24th – 31st: Semana Santa festivities across Spain, best experienced in Sevilla
26th – 14th July: Paris 1874: Inventing Impression, exhibition at Musée d’Orsay, Paris
April
Top Destination: Galapagos
Galapagos is an archipelago of many seasons. Different months are better for experiencing different wildlife and doing different activities.
April falls in the middle of it all. It’s after the rains, so snorkelling and diving visibility should be good, plus the lush green landscape is at its prettiest.
It’s also a rare month where you can witness tortoise and turtle hatching, along with whales and the courtship rituals of birds. Note it’s not the best month for any of these sightings, but in April you can experience it all.
Final tips: April is also low season and you get much better choice and value for the best Galapagos cruises. Plus it’s lovely and warm. And good for exploring mainland Ecuador too.
April is the time to explore…
Nepal. April is the main trekking season in the Nepalese Himalayas, from the Everest region to regions only just being discovered by discerning travellers, like Upper Mustang and Manaslu.
Mauritius. April is a month to look towards Mauritius for a tropical beach holiday. There’s usually great weather and it can be good value now too.
Japan. The sakura season may be the busiest time to visit Japan, but wow, it’s beautiful! And such a cultural spectacle to enjoy too.
Reasons to travel in April
All Month: Tulip Festival Amsterdam
8th: A total solar eclipse will pass over Canada, the USA and Mexico
11th – 14th: Augusta Golf Masters, in Georgia, USA
12th – 14th & 19th – 21st: Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival, California
13th: I am a Dragon, The True Story of Alessandro Mendini, exhibition at Triennale Milano
20th: The 60th edition of the Venice Biennale opens – discover it with this complete Biennale travel experience.
26th: New direct flights between Prague and the Azores islands commence
May
Top Destination: France
There’s always such excitement in the air, all across France in May. Summer is on its way, iconic events are taking place, and people are in a great mood.
May usually offers long days and great weather across the entire country, yet it’s long before the peak season. We’ve found it’s when the service is at its best.
The best thing about May is an opportunity to explore many different destinations, from Champagne to the French Riviera, Paris to Corsica. It could be a perfect time for you to do a road trip through lesser visited France too.
May is the time to explore…
USA. May is great for a multi-destination trip across the States, whether it’s New York, a ranch experience in Montana, Alaska or even California.
Faroe Islands. A wild and remote island destination in the north, one of very few places in Europe yet to be properly explored. Flight connections make it a great combination with a city trip to Copenhagen. Read about 2023’s EliteTrip to the Faroe Islands.
Madeira. A Portuguese island of wild landscapes and so many outdoor experiences. May brings great weather and there are direct flights from Prague five times per week.
Reasons to travel in May
1st: One&Only Kea Island opens, close to Athens
6th: 2024 Met Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. This year it’s titled “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion.”
9th – 12th: Taylor Swift has four shows in Paris, then three in Stockholm from the 17th to 19th May.
16th – 27th: Cannes Film Festival
17th – 19th: Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix at Imola (Ferrari’s home circuit)
20th – 9th June: Roland-Garros tennis in Paris
24th – 26th: Monaco Grand Prix
June
Top Destinations: Namibia & Botswana
Combine these two experiential destinations in Southern Africa. June is the coolest month of their dry season, so expect lovely daytime temperatures and pack a down jacket for the evenings.
Namibia is for wilderness adventures, like the rhinos around Etosha and a scenic flight over the world’s oldest desert. You will be awed by the scale of majesty of mother nature here.
June in Botswana is for the safari of a lifetime, when the Okavango floods and hundreds of thousands of animals migrate into the game reserves.
You need around a week for each country and the combination has been made easier thanks to a new direct flight route. It’s really easy to add on a couple of days in Victoria Falls too.
June is the time to explore…
Greece. Island resorts have opened, the weather shouldn’t be too hot, and you avoid the midsummer masses. These are our favourite beach hotels.
Iceland. The longest days of the year make June a fabulous time for Iceland. With all the daylight you can explore far and wide in a relatively short amount of time.
Portugal. Like Greece, June and May are ideal times to explore Portugal. Expect 30-degree beach weather but not over the top temperatures that make cities like Lisbon impossible.
Reasons to travel in June
1st: Champions League Final at Wembley, London
3rd: A new flight between Prague and Brindisi, Puglia, starts.
4th – 30th: T20 Cricket World Cup in the Caribbean and United States
12th: KOKS Ilimanaq, the world’s most remote Michelin-starred restaurant, opens for the season in Greenland.
13th – 16th: Art Basel 2024
14th – Euro 2024 football begins. The Czech Republic plays Portugal on the 18th in Leipzig, then on the 22nd and 26th in Hamburg.
20th: Summer Solstice – will you experience it somewhere special?
21st – 29th: EuroPride Thessaloniki
27th – 29th: Gnaoua & World Music Festival in Essaouira, Morocco (Africa’s largest music festival).
June 27th – July 6th: Montreal Jazz Festival
June 28th – July 7th: Südtirol Jazzfestival Alto Adige, probably Europe’s largest jazz festival in South Tyrol
29th: Tour de France starts, in Florence
July
Top Destination: Peru
Peru is a safe, enchanting and eye-opening destination for a family summer holiday, especially with children aged around eight and older.
The accommodation is spectacular, from historical hotels by Belmond in Cusco, to private estates in the mountains and on the beach. Every destination is so different from home, whether it’s Machu Picchu, the Sacred Valley, Amazon or Lake Titicaca in the south.
It’s a country that you could explore for two or three weeks and have a different experience every single day. Yet it’s also a calm and relaxing destination for spending time together as a family and discovering something new.
July is the time to explore…
Kenya. As massive herds of wildebeest and zebra cross the Mara River, July is the most thrilling time for a Maasai Mara safari. We recommend combining Angama Mara with a stay at their private Angama Safari Camp.
Switzerland. Hiking, biking, kayaking and helicopter rides across the Alps. Music and cultural events in the cities. And a serenity that’s not easy to find elsewhere in Europe during July.
Canada. Clear skies, warmer weather and long days provide good reasons to enjoy outdoor adventures in Canada. It’s a country we can curate as your private outdoor playground.
Reasons to travel in July
1st – 14th: Wimbledon tennis, London
5th – 20th: Montreux Jazz Festival, Switzerland
5th – 23rd February 2025: Barbie, The Exhibition, at London Design Museum
11th – 13th: Nadaam, Mongolia’s traditional national festival
14th: Final of Euro 2024, in Berlin
19th – Aug 31st: Salzburg Summer Festival
21st: Tour de France ends. Uniquely, it ends in Nice not Paris this year.
26th – Aug 11th: Summer Olympics, Paris
25th – 28th: Comic-Con International San Diego.
August
Top Destination: French Polynesia
French Polynesia is as lush and dreamy as the postcards throughout summer. You need a lot of time to make a journey to the South Pacific worth it, another reason why August is also a good month to go.
We recommend exploring at least two islands. Bora Bora is the most famous. We also love The Brando, one of the world’s best private island resorts.
Once you’re in the South Pacific why stop at French Polynesia? August is great for Fiji too. It’s also ideal for exploring northern parts of Australia.
Or perhaps combine a tropical beach holiday with a few days skiing on New Zealand’s South Island. When you have three weeks, the South Pacific presents travel experiences that are hard to even dream of.
August is the time to explore…
Norway. Many of our clients are starting to look north rather than south for their summer holidays. The big open spaces and tranquillity of Norway are perfect for coming together as a family.
Maldives. Maldives in August is fantastic value compared to Europe, especially for a family beach holiday. Traditionally it’s one of the worst months for rain, but there’s been very little summer rain over recent summers in the Maldives. Usually it’s just a quick overnight downpour.
Indonesia. There’s more than Bali on this vast tropical archipelago. A lot more. Summer is the best time to go in terms of the climate, and because you need at least two weeks to explore different islands.
Reasons to travel in August
2nd – 26th: Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Scotland
17th: Independence Day in Indonesia, with huge country-wide celebrations
17th – 24th: Hamilton Island Race Week, Australia, our favourite yachting event of the year
21st, 22nd, 24th & 25th: Coldplay at Ernst Happel Stadium, Vienna
23rd – 25th: Netherlands Grand Prix, Max Verstappen’s home event
24th – 26th: Notting Hill Carnival, a street festival in London
28th: La Tomatina, the world’s biggest food fight, near Valencia
28th – 7th Sept: Venice Film Festival
September
Top Destination: Italy
Italy can be a different type of holiday every time you go. A spa break in the Dolomites, a beach holiday in Sicily, exploring art in Venice or Rome, a quiet week on the Italian lakes.
September is a great month for every type of Italian holiday except skiing. Plus there are events like the Tuscany wine harvest to experience.
It’s also better value compared to August and significantly quieter. And if 2024 is like 2023, September will still offer real summer temperatures and atmosphere.
September is the time to explore…
Champagne. September is wine harvest time across most of Europe and the most glamorous place to experience this is in Champagne.
Spain. September is very much still summer time in Spain, especially in Andalusia and on the Balearic islands like Mallorca. It’s time for a beach holiday combined with city and cultural exploration.
Rwanda. An excellent month to do gorilla trekking and chimpanzee trekking, at the end of the dry season and after the peak summer travel season.
Reasons to travel in September
6th – 11th: New York Fashion Week
10th – 15th: Cannes Yachting Festival
13th – 17th: London Fashion Week
17th – 23rd: Milan Fashion Week
21st – October 6th: Oktoberfest, Munich
22nd: Autumn Equinox. Sun and shadow creates the illusion of a snake slithering down the pyramid of Kukulcán in Chichen Itza, Mexico
23rd – October 1st: Paris Fashion Week
October
Top Destination: Seychelles
New private island resorts are the reason we picked The Seychelles as one of our top destinations for 2024. It’s a reinvigorated destination we expect to come back into vogue.
October is one of the best months to travel, mostly because of the climate. By October it’s already cold at home, while it’s warm, tropical, dry and sunny in the Seychelles.
Consider staying at more than one Seychelles island. We like Six Senses Zil Pasyon on Felicite Island, Four Seasons Resort Desroches Island and expect great things at the new Waldorf Astoria Platte Island.
October is the time to explore…
Turkey. It’s still warm enough for a beach holiday, for example in Bodrum, or at Bijal in Antalya, where the season now extends all through October. And it’s a cooler time to discover Istanbul.
Australia. October is the best month for exploring Australia’s diversity. It’s not too hot anywhere and the lengthening days help you experience a lot in one holiday.
Morocco. The best month weather wise to explore all of Morocco, from the souks and cities to the Atlas Mountains and Sahara Desert.
Reasons to travel in October
All Month: International White Truffle Fair in Alba, Piedmont
10th – 13th: New York City Wine & Food Festival
10th – 19th: Berlin Festival of Lights
12th – 20th: 37th America’s Cup sailing regatta, in Barcelona
14th – 18th: The inaugural Hong Kong Performing Arts Festival
16th – 20th: Frankfurt Book Fair, the world’s largest celebration of literature and publishing
21st – 22nd: Jidai Matsuri (Festival of the Ages) in Kyoto, celebrating Japan’s history
25th – 21st April 2024: The World of Tim Burton, exhibition at London Design Museum
November
Top Destination: Bhutan
The dry and sunny autumn months are the best time to discover Bhutan, a remarkable kingdom in the Himalayas.
Few other destinations can match Bhutan’s combination of authenticity and genuine five-star hospitality. This is a country that will effortlessly immerse you in a very different time and place, faraway from western culture and ideas.
You certainly won’t be roughing it. Bhutan’s collection of ultra luxury lodges, by brands like COMO, Aman and Six Senses, is one of the finest on the planet.
November is the time to explore…
Saudi Arabia. Many new resorts are slated to open in Saudi Arabia during 2024, adding to Six Senses Southern Dunes and the resorts around Alula. By November you should have a great choice of new hotels for a holiday.
India. New resorts and infrastructure also make India an increasingly attractive choice for the most discerning travellers too. November is a good time for countrywide exploration.
Argentina. Hopefully political instability will have subsided by November, as it’s the best month to go exploring this wonderful country, from Buenes Aires to the vineyards of Mendoza and down to Patagonia.
Reasons to travel in November
2nd: Day of the Dead (El Día de los Muertos), a celebration of dead ancestors in Mexico
2nd – 5th: Alma, a festival of spirituality and wellbeing at Six Senses Ibiza
9th – 17th: Pushkar International Camel Fair, India
21st – 23rd: Las Vegas Formula 1 Grand Prix
26th – 28th: Chiang Mai Lantern Festival, Thailand
30th – April 21st 2025: Barbara Kruger – No Comment, exhibition at ARoS Aarhus Kuntsmuseum
December
Top Destination: Oman
A private camp deep in the Arabian sand dunes. A beach resort on the Indian Ocean, seemingly many kilometres from anywhere. An escape to rugged red mountains.
Oman is a destination for explorers, where vast landscapes meet excellent hospitality and a string of good five-star hotels. If you were excited about visiting the desert or mountains of the UAE, Oman is going to blow your mind.
December is a lovely time to visit, especially as a combination with Dubai. You’ll have good weather for the beach, desert and mountain.
December is the time to explore…
Antigua and Turks & Caicos. It’s time for winter sun and these two Caribbean countries have excellent private island resorts for escaping the cold of home.
Vietnam. December is warm enough for beach days and cool enough for exploring the rich history, tribes and landscapes of this misunderstood destination. Zannier Bai San Ho is one of the newer resorts changing perceptions about luxury holidays in Vietnam.
Brazil. It’s warm and vibrant everywhere, the Christmas and New Year celebrations are brilliant, plus it’s a good time to see wildlife in the Amazon.
Reasons to travel in December
Throughout December: Christmas markets bring charm to many European cities, like Cologne, Salzburg, Vienna, Gothenburg and Copenhagen.
21st: Winter Solstice. Events at Angkor Wat and Luxor Temple showcase the ingenuity of these ancient structures.
25th: Where will you celebrate Christmas in 2024?
31st: And where will you be for New Years Eve?
