There are, incredibly, more than 156,000 travel destinations listed on TripAdvisor. Of this list, which places rise to the top?
According to the recently released TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice awards — based on reviews of destinations and their attractions, restaurants and hotels — the best-of-the-best places to visit include historic European cities, quiet islands and Asian hot spots, plus one bustling metropolis in the U.S.
Some of the top travel destinations are historic favorites; others are genuinely surprising. All are world-class and beloved by tourists across the globe.
Did your favorite place make the cut?
Stay: Royal Beach Tel Aviv
Overlooking “The Med,” this five-star resort is a true beauty located right on Tel Aviv’s promenade, making it easy to enjoy Neve Tzedek, Carmel Market and the Port, all of which feature amazing restaurants, art galleries, shopping and museums.
The No. 1 hotel in Tel Aviv, according to TripAdvisor reviews, the Royal Beach Tel Aviv has 4.5 stars, with travelers regularly using superlatives like “excellent,” “amazing” and “wonderful!”
Stay: Ovolo Woolloomooloo
The No. 1 hotel in Sydney, with 5 stars from travelers, is the Ovolo Woolloomooloo, The property overlooks Sydney Harbour and is within walking distance to many of the city’s most popular sites. Its wharf location and artwork-filled interior make it a hip and modern place to stay in a city that is just as hip and modern.
Reviews tout the hotel’s freebies and value and exclaim it is “the coolest place on earth.”
Sydney, Australia
From cobblestone streets and contemporary art museums to epic views and “the marvelous Sydney Opera House [which] looks like a great origami sailboat, floating peacefully in a harbor,” Sydney has so much charm it had to make the list.
Travelers single out the appeal of Cockatoo Island in the Sydney Harbor, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that once served as the home of a prison, and today combines history with exemplary views and places to stay and eat.
Said alanbuz of Montreal, “I love this city because of its cosmo atmosphere, greenery, shopping, the restos, the sea! What is not to love?”
Tel Aviv, Israel
When many travelers think of Israel, they picture its historic capital of Jerusalem. But for cosmopolitan charm, the Mediterranean-facing city of Tel Aviv is the place to go. TripAdvisor calls Tel Aviv a “youthful and modern metropolis” and highlights the city’s thriving arts community, beaches, clubs and bars. While you can certainly find history in Israel’s second-largest city (visit Jaffa, the oldest part of the metropolis), Tel Aviv is indeed thoroughly modern.
The city’s top sights can be found in the neighborhood of Neve Tzedek, where a maze of winding streets house the city’s hottest theaters and museums. TripAdvisor user JorgeJar of the United Kingdom called it “a little gem at the heart of Tel Aviv.”
