New York Times 52 Places to Go 2026: My list of five that I suggested
One of the reasons I love writing occasionally for the New York Times travel section is ethics. Yes, I’m a journalist with ethics. No, that’s not like a vulture with table manners. I am ethical and so is the New York Times.
It does not print stories from writers who accept freebies, as in free hotels, flights, tours. These are paid junkets. I do not. It’s ethics left over from 40 years working for newspapers, which fire any reporter who takes a freebie which, essentially, is a bribe.
The other reason I love the Times is its annual 52 Places to Go feature. Every fall, its part-time writers span the globe online looking for interesting places to visit the next year and the Times posts it in January.
The feature always carries the theme: Why this year? Thus, all 52 destinations – one for every week of the year – are timely. Each one has a new development, anniversary or event that makes that place worthwhile that year.
I suggest five a year and this year the Times accepted my entry of Assisi, Italy, (No. 34 on the list.) It is celebrating the 800-year anniversary of the death of St. Francis of Assisi. The beautiful town 100 miles north of Rome has already started a year’s worth of activities to welcome the tens of thousands of pilgrims expected to make the journey.
My other four suggestions are also worth a trip. I thought I would share them with any of you looking for places to visit this year off the beaten path. The list includes one place I will be spending time and writing about next month and, if you’re a sports fan, you’ll be watching on TV.
Clip this link and save it for a long day when you’re tired of looking at your computer and want to stare at a beautiful sunset or snow-capped mountain somewhere.
Assisi, Italy
The year of activities will celebrate the man who shunned riches for a life dedicated to peace, humility and nature. Highlighting the year will be Feb. 22-March 22 when Saint Francis’ body will be displayed to the public for the first time. Also scheduled May 6-9 is the Calendimaggio, an historical reenactment of Assisi with medieval traditions, music and festivities.
Aug. 6-9 will be the Go European Meeting of Franciscan Youth bringing children from around Europe to explore the Franciscan spirit. The Cortile di Francesco in September will feature roundtables, performances and workshops for schools.
Oct. 4 will attract dignitaries from around the world for the Feast of Saint Francis, honoring his impact on the world. Italy has already designated Oct. 4, the date after his death in 1226, as a national holiday.
Take the 2.5-mile hike to Eremo delle Carceri, the monastery where St. Francis prayed, and descend to the grotto where he once slept.
I’ve visited Assisi twice and it is more than just St. Francis. Assisi’s historical center is a maze of alleys lined with potted plants. Hovering over it all is Rocca Maggiore, a 14th-century castle with 360-degree views of the countryside.
Assisi is also in Umbria, Italy’s only region not bordering a sea or another country. Of Italy’s 20 regions, Umbria is the least influenced by outsiders. Umbrian wines are underappreciated and inexpensive. Don’t leave without trying a Montefalco Rosso, which tastes like a Sangiovese but with hints of Merlot, Sagrantino and red berries.
Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy
You don’t have to be a sports fan to enjoy one of two sites of the 2026 Winter Olympics. Called the Queen of the Dolomites, Cortina has opened four five-star hotels and renovated many others.
Four new restaurants opened, including Chalet Franz Kraler, in front of the Olympia delle Tofane, the site of women’s alpine events. The Apollonio-Socrepes cable car opened, and the Faloria Cable Car was renovated.
The surrounding Dolomites, a UNESCO World Heritage site, offer average summer highs of 75 degrees and also panoramic views, vertical cliff walls, green valleys and waterfalls.
The area offers 300 kilometers of hiking trails, 31 kilometers of biking trails and 17 kilometers of mountain bike trails. The Fest de ra Bandes will have 10 concerts in late August. Also, the Queen of Taste in September will feature haute cuisine and Italy’s top chefs in turning central Cortina into an open-air restaurant.
I’ll be covering the Olympics for Colorado Public Radio and National Public Radio so be sure to check out my dispatches starting Feb. 3.
If you want to attend, tickets are still available in Cortina for skiing, sliding sports and curling. Click this link: https://tickets.milanocortina2026.org/
Oulu, Finland
The European Capital of Culture 2026 will emphasize the environment. Climate Clock is a rural trail combining science and nature to inspire environmental awareness. It will feature six permanent artworks in forests, rivers and seashores.
Climate Arena, from May to August, will be workshops and cultural experiences to address challenges of the climate crisis. The year’s celebration will feature Solstice at the Top Ruka, a mountain north of Oulu with famous views of pine trees and lakes when the sun is still out at midnight.
Oulu is Finland’s third-largest city with 216,000 people on the northeast coast of the Gulf of Bothnia. A T-media survey voted Oulu tied with Kuopio as Finland’s second-most attractive city behind Tampere.
In 2025 the European Environmental Agency named Oulu as having the cleanest air in Europe. Its 590 miles of pathways and 300 pedestrian underpasses are the highest per capita in Finland.
Also, the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network has named Finland the Happiest Country in the World for many years running. Go and you’ll see why. Little crime. No poverty. No traffic. Clean. Friendly. In the winter, it’s dark. So what? Snow is beautiful under the lights.
Arusha, Tanzania
Arusha is the base for climbing Kilimanjaro. I climbed it in 1992 when I was 36. I remember the last 1,000 feet of the 19,340-foot peak were covered in snow. Atop the broad rim of the old giant, dormant volcano, the snow was four-to-five inches deep.
Today, climate change is sadly melting Kilimanjaro’s snowcap which has graced photographs around the world for many millenium. UNESCO is leading projects to improve the Arusha area’s water management and reforestation while promoting ecotourism and sustainable practices for tour guides and climbers.
Elewana Explorer, an Arusha adventure company, is offering budget-friendly luxury safaris such as a fourth night free if you stay three straight nights at selected properties. It is also eliminating single supplements.
Arusha will also host two major tourism events: The International Tourism Summit Africa from May 5-11 will focus on developing African tourism with discussions centered on sustainable development, digital transformation and cultural heritage. The Sustainable Tourism Networking will bring in tourism officials from around East Africa in June to discuss conservation efforts and offer community-based experiences.
Kilimanjaro is still worth climbing. The view from the top won’t be as majestic, with the distant peaks only sprinkled with snow instead of covered. But you are still on the roof of Africa and can see the sun come up over a sea of clouds.
It took me five days to complete the climb: 3 ½ up and 1 ½ down. Arusha has numerous companies that organize tours and freelance guides around town will take you up with their guides on a negotiated price.
Debrecen, Hungary
It recently opened one of the most unique and environmentally friendly museums in the world. The Hungary National History Museum moved from Budapest to Hungary’s second-largest city 140 miles (235 kilometers) east of the capital.
Located in the deep forest outside the city of 200,000 people, the museum is made up of three landscaped ribbons of charred wood that look part of the surrounding forest. Designed by the Bjarke Ingels Group, the museum includes exhibition halls, public spaces, research facilities and a central atrium.
On-site researchers are studying ways to stabilize interior climate and reinforcing environmental restoration.
Debrecen will also have its 60th annual Flower Parade, a famous week-long festival in August when domestic artists, troupes and international performers parade down the street.
Floats made up of giant flower arrangements depicting fairy tales, legends and other stories roll through the city. It ends with a street party and fireworks.
When worn out, take a sauna and Jacuzzi at Aquaticum Thermal Spa. It’s designed as an indoor water park featuring 15 different pools and year round feels like a hot beach.