Portugal Is The Country Everybody Will Be Visiting In 2017

Chilly Iceland was hot with travelers in 2016, and Thailand had its heyday the year before that. But next year’s hotspot just may trounce them both with its mix of stunning beaches, historic towns, vibrant cities and lush islands. 

Yup, one particular country has been cropping up on list after list after list of predictions for the 2017 travel year: It’s Portugal, the destination of your most stunningly beautiful dreams.

Portugal has long been popular with travelers clued into its adventurous nature activities, historic cities and famous wine.

But it looks like visitors will be stopping over even more in 2017: Travel + Leisure recently named Portugal its Destination of the Year, calling attention to the fact that U.S. travel to Portugal increased 22 percent in the last 12 months. The travel experts at Fodor’s put the country’s Minho region on their “Go List” for next year, and Lonely Planet calls the Azores one of the world’s best regions to visit in 2017. Skift reports Portugal’s tourism “boom” shows “no signs of slowing,” as European visitors head there in droves.

It’s safe to say we’ll be hearing LOTS about Portugal in 2017. Some highlights to consider for your forthcoming to-see list:

Lisbon and Algarve: The popular city and beaches

A first-timer’s trip to Portugal should include the capital city of Lisbon, which gets plenty of attention for its scenic day hikes and scene-y nightlife. A 2.5-hour drive brings you to the Algarve, Portugal’s equally popular coastal region, where you can search for the perfect hidden beach.  

Minho: The lesser-known wine region

Fodor’s calls Minho the most beautiful part of the country, with a national park that sounds straight out of a fairytale. This stunning river valley also turns out an incredible (and cheap!) local wine.

Comporta: The beach you may not have heard of

If buzzy Lisbon sounds like too much action, Comporta will be your best friend. This uncrowded fishing village is a hit with Europe’s rich and famous.

MAAT: The newest museum on the map

Lisbon’s stunning Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology opened in October with a building design that will make architecture fans swoon. It’s just one of several top-notch museums in the area.

The Azores: The islands that put Hawaii to shame

Dubbed the “next Iceland,” these increasingly popular islands some 800 miles off the coast won’t be a secret much longer. Head over now to go free diving, waterfall rappelling, volcano hikes and whale watching before everyone else. 

See you there!

CORRECTION: A previous version of this post mentioned “colonial towns” and “Lisbon bay.” Language has been updated to reflect that Portugal was a colonizer and Lisbon sits near the River Tagus.