Newcastle tops Rough Guides’ top destinations list for 2018
You might expect to find the likes of Chile, Cuba and South Africa on a list for the top destinations for 2018 but what about Wales or Newcastle?
Rough Guides have released their definitive list of 18 destinations for next year for ‘adventurous, independent travellers’ and the Geordie city has topped the list.
Coralie Modschiedler at Rough Guides said they wanted to include places that are “underrated, up-and-coming or newly back on the tourist map”.
In second place was the new Civil Rights Trail in the USA, Malawi in third and Valletta, Malta, in forth.
Here are a few you might not have expected:
Newcastle
Rough Guides say the northern English city is on the rise. It will host the first Great Exhibition of the North in 2018 (a two-month celebration of northern England artists and innovators) and topped the list for its ‘Geordie geniality, lively nightlife, burgeoning restaurant scene, fantastic museums and architectural feats – which are also friendly on the wallet’. The mixture of Victorian and industrial architecture, deep-rooted traditions and a lively nightlife scene (there’s a huge student population) make a fascinating mix. The beaches of Tynemouth are good surfing spots too.
Wales
When people say some Welsh beaches are more beautiful than the Med, they’re not wrong. It may be a tad colder and prone to rain but the Welsh coast offers some huge stretches of white sand, and best of all, there’s barely anyone on them. Rough Guides calls Wales ‘a magical landscape harbouring jagged peaks, theatrically-sited castles, lush valleys and an epic coastline’. It’s perfect for hiking or cycling holidays – The Cambrian Way, The Coastal Way and The North Wales Way are new routes you can walk, bike or drive to see plenty of wildlife, like Red Kite in Rhayader, or history, like the old mining pit in Rhondda.
Sierra Leone
The West African country has been ravaged by civil war and the 2014-15 ebola outbreak but now it’s firmly on the tourist map for adventurous travellers. You might not know it for its beaches, but you’ll find golden sands on the Western Peninsula coastline . The highest point, Loma Mountains, are a designated non-hunting reserve. You might spot endangered species like the black and white colobus monkey in the rainforests and Tiwai Island Wildlife Sanctuary is home to like the pygmy hippo. There’s also the Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary near the capital, Freetown. It’s also worth visiting the poignant fort on Bunce Island where more than 50,000 people were incarcerated during the country’s tragic slave trade.
Tunisia
The 2015 terrorist attack at a hotel in Sousse is still fresh in people’s minds but the government has increased efforts to strengthen the protection of cities and tourist resorts. Earlier this year, the Foreign Office changed its Tunisia travel advice for British tourists, and tour companies started sending holidaymakers to the north African country again. Although it states that further attacks remain likely, Tunisian security forces are better prepared to tackle threats now. Many locals are reliant on tourism for their livelihood and Rough Guides say people are thrilled to see visitors finally venturing back to the laid-back and relaxed country. The idyllic island of Djerba and the beaches of Hammamet are among the highlights.
Here’s the full list:
1. Newcastle, England
2. Civil Rights Trail, USA
3. Malawi
4. Valletta, Malta
5. Wales
6. Cuba
7. Russia
8. New Orleans, USA
9. Chile
10. Sierra Leone
11. South Korea
12. Jordan
13. Tbilisi, Georgia
14. South Africa
15. Palermo, Sicily
16. Togian Islands, Indonesia
17. Tunisia
18. Belize
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