An incredible city that is an impressive 20C in January has been named the best place to travel to in 2026, and it’s under four hours from the UK. This place is known for its fascinating history, great food and interesting things to do, and it’s a popular city break destination for Brits with flights available from budget airlines for as little as £30. The travel experts at Rough Guide have named the best places to go in 2026, with Marrakech coming out as their top choice. 

They analysed over 30,000 tailor-made trip enquiries sent to their local travel experts to reveal where travellers are looking at most for the upcoming year. Marrakech is a massive city in Morocco, known for its stunning architecture, history and food. These insights from tourists were combined with the expertise of local guides, identifying which places were evolving to become tourism hotspots. Marrakech is the place to be in 2026, according to the results. 

Marrakech has a slew of things to do for tourists, and one of its top-rated attractions is the Medina. However, there are also plenty of traditional markets to visit, as well as restaurants and cafes where you will get tasty local cuisine. 

In January, Marrakech enjoys highs of around 20C. This would be a welcome temperature for those who want to visit the historic city but don’t want to suffer through summer highs of up to 38C.

Budget round-trip journeys to the Moroccan capital often cost as little as £30 with carriers such as Ryanair, easyJet and Wizz Air.

According to Rough Guides, you should spend your time in Marrakech walking through the souks early in the day, visiting a traditional hammam like Les Bains de Marrakech for a full scrub, steam, and clay mask experience, and eating dinner at the Djemaa el-Fnaa food stalls.

Rough Guide travel expert Mohammad said: “Don’t rush the souks: go early, start with mint tea, and ask questions even if you’re not buying. Sellers often share stories behind their goods, and that’s where the real connection (and sometimes the best deals) begin.”

The experts praise Marrakech for not being directly designed for tourism. Rather, the everyday life that happens around you is part of its charm. 

Rough Guides identified 20 destinations that tourists should consider visiting in 2026, with some of them located in the UK. The top 20 list was:

1. Marrakech, Morocco
2. Crete, Greece
3. Bali, Indonesia
4. Tokyo, Japan
5. Rome, Italy
6. Istanbul, Turkey
7. Sicily, Italy
8. Lisbon, Portugal
9. Hanoi, Vietnam
10. Bangkok, Thailand
11. Paris, France
12. Tenerife, Spain
13. Amalfi Coast, Italy
14. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
15. Budapest, Hungary
16. Kerala, India
17. Dalmatian Coast and Dubrovnik, Croatia
18. Kruger National Park, South Africa
19. Yucatán, Mexico
20. Seville, Spain