As the new year looms and we think about ways in which we can plan some positive and responsible adventures, we are ready to open the door to ‘24. With over 600 tours to choose from, we have picked 24 best places to travel in 2024, each emanating a particularly gorgeous glow about them this year. Here, in reverse order, are our top 24 for ‘24.
24. Sweden
Sweden is going to be the centre of European kitsch and cool in 2024, with Malmö hosting Eurovision this year. We couldn’t possibly choose our favourite Swedish tour, but if you want to focus on Malmö, this superb cycling holiday around the Øresund Strait, starting and ending in Malmö, is probably the one that our jury will give twelve points to this year. The Österlen Way may come in second, which starts just 56km from Malmö. And the iconic Öresund train, which runs from Helsingør in Denmark via Malmö to Gothenburg, is a perfect way to hit the ground running on our Kattegatt cycling holiday.
23. Estonia
If you haven’t been to Estonia, this is a good year to plunge into this Baltic beauty, as Tartu, the country’s second largest city, is European Capital of Culture 2024. This is hardly surprising, as it has a knack of merging historical and happening vibes somewhat seamlessly. You spend a night in Tartu on this cycling holiday that takes you through not only Estonia but also its neighbours, Latvia and Lithuania, over 11 days as well as on this Baltic highlights cycling holiday, over nine days.
22. The Netherlands
If you’re looking for current adventurous trends, our new Dutch bike and boat trips are the perfect co-ord for 24. These are natural adventures that take you not only around the waterways and urban wonders of North Holland’s dykes and dunes, but also the great Dutch cities and green heart of the south. On these trips you spend each night on board a riverboat, with ensuite outward-facing cabins and all meals are included. By day, you can cycle in and around cultural greats such as Utrecht and Rotterdam, Delft or Haarlem. Or natural wonders like the tranquil wetlands of De Biesbosch National Park or Texel, one of the Dutch Wadden Islands and national park.
21. Ireland
It’s been ten years since the Irish tourist board created the Wild Atlantic Way, originally designed to be a driving route around its west coast. However, it then took off in a more sustainable direction, putting remote walking trails, peninsular secrets and island idylls on the map. Walking and cycling the Wild Atlantic Way will always be the best and wildest way to explore it, and our holidays along the Beara Way, Dingle Way and Kerry Way take you to some of its cosiest celtic corners.
20. Greece and North Macedonia
We have seen a demand for e-bike holidays go off the scale over the last year, in particular for cycling holidays that are otherwise categorised as tough, but where you can let the battery take on the battles. One of our most popular is across the mountains of North and Greek Macedonia. Starting on the shores of North Macedonia’s Lake Ohrid in the medieval town of the same name, spend the first five days in North Macedonia, cycling between Lakes Ohrid and Prespa through Galichitza National Park. Then head into the Macedonian region of northern Greece, pedalling through the mountainous terrain of Pelister National Park, luscious lakelands of Kastoria and Vegoritas as well as the elevated wonders of the Pinios Valley. It’s going to continue to be an electric year, we can tell.
19. Bhutan
We may have been seeing signs of Frosty the Snowman in our parts of the world recently but meet the biggest snowman that we know. It’s a Bhutanese beauty – the Snowman Trek – which takes you across the Himalayas for a whole month. This gives you time to enjoy the Himalayan highs over a long period of time, and to immerse yourself so deeply in the mountain magnificence of it all that you will feel like you are, literally, walking in the air. You can also just go for a few snowballs on our other less challenging but equally beautiful Bhutan tours.
18. Bulgaria
The big new word in tourism this year is ‘workation’ and the concept of choosing a destination that you’d normally choose for a holiday as a temporary workplace, is here to stay. The Bulgarian cities of Sofia and Plovdiv have been thriving in the world of workations for a while now, with a low cost of living, plenty of international access and an array of landscapes on their doorsteps to chill at, after a day at ‘the office’. However, in 2024, Bansko is the new one to watch, the ski resort and summer hiking hub that’s only 30mins from Pirin National Pirin Mountains walking break or Rila and Pirin Mountains and Lakes holiday. Work life balance, sorted.
17. Portugal
Another city leading a digital nomad revolution is Lisbon, but the country as a whole is marking the 50th anniversary of the Carnation Revolution against fifty years of an authoritarian regime. Unlike many revolutions, this was a peaceful one that took place on 25 April 1974. Since then, Portugal’s Dia da Liberdade is an annual national holiday on this day, and no doubt there will be some celebrations to mark the big anniversary. We like to think that our natural adventures embrace an all round feeling of freedom at every turn in Portugal, with a coast that not only stretches along the Atlantic but also out to the middle of it, to the Azores and Madeira islands. Also nicely timed, United Airlines will become the first and only airline to offer nonstop flights between New York’s Newark airport and Faro in Portugal, starting 24 May, 2024.
16. Germany
Germany is carrying over its carbon-friendly train prices into 2024, after a very successful launch of the Deutschland Ticket in 2023, which costs €49 for travel on all services, except on the speedy intercity ones. In addition, young people up to the age of 14 travel free on Deutsche Bahn, when travelling with adults. So get training, hiking and cycling in Germany, for the ultimate 2024 wanderlust. Another ticket worth keeping an eye out for is on the new Paris to Berlin ÖBB Nightjet direct night train which, as of December 2023, goes three times a week between the two great capitals (Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday).
15. Albania
There has been a lot of bigging up the Balkan beauty of Albania of late, one of the most recent accolades was being featured on National Geographic Traveller’s Cool List for 2024. We didn’t even realise we were cool 12 years ago, when we started bringing keen hikers to the country’s Accursed Mountains and beyond. Given that Albania swapped dictatorship for democracy only thirty years ago, and has kept its beauties hidden under a bushel ever since, we’re over the moon that it’s being recognised at last.
14. Australia
Another National Geographic Traveller winner was the state of Victoria in Australia although we can’t pretend to be Aussie trailblazers, as we’ve only just started offering natural adventures there this year. However, Victoria gets our vote too as you can see with this Cycling the Murray to Mountains Rail Trail holiday. Explore the Victorian Alps, as they are sometimes called, starting in Beechworth and ending in Bright, cycling through a region that is not only gorgeous but also a gastronomical hub. As most meals are included in this tour, with wine tastings and fine menus en route, this is both an epic and epicurean adventure.
13. Accessible Camino de Santiago
The Camino de Santiago is one of our most popular hiking tours, with many routes to choose from. This year was a special one for us, however. We were honoured to support Sylvia Bailey and her daughter Catherine as they took on the full Camino Frances in the summer of 2023. When they told us that Sylvia is a wheelchair user living with Multiple Sclerosis, we admit that we were a little bit wary. However, we were quickly won over by their wisdom and willingness to try and so we jumped on board and did what we could to put things in place for them. We hope to do the same for others in the future, but really, the main heroes of this story are Sylvia and Catherine, who kindly shared their experiences with us in this blog.
12. Hungary
Hungary’s elegant capital, Budapest, is celebrating 150 years since its creation, although you would be forgiven for thinking it was a lot older. It does, of course, date back to the 4th century, but the actual capital was founded 17 November 1873, when the towns of Pest, Buda and Óbuda were adjoined. Budapest 150 celebrations began in November 2023 and will last for a whole year. On our Hungary tours, you arrive in style into Budapest, on a Danube riverboat which takes you not only to the capital but also the medieval towns of Szentendre and Esztergom (the former capital), all of which you explore on cycling and walking tours. One of the other glories of these trips is that this region is located on the famous Danube Bend, where a collection of hills redirect the river round to flow south. Making it a wonderful part of the world to just go with the flow.
11. Norway
The trend for swapping downhill for more sustainable cross-country skiing is definitely happening and our new trips to Norway’s wild and wonderful Valdres region will definitely convert you. Valdres is gateway to Jotunheimen National Park, one of our favourites with summer hikers, and home to Norway’s highest peaks, including Galdhøpiggen. Choose between holidays based in either Vaset, a small family-friendly skiing area at 1,000m, or Beitostølen (900m), which is 50km further north at the foot of Jotunheimen’s high mountain peaks. Both places open up Narnia-like Nordic landscapes, with traditional mountain lodge hotels, that have the obligatory saunas and stargazing to greet you at the end of the day.
10. Greece
Greece is packed with epic eco adventures, but this year we want to bring your attention to the Zagori region in the Pindos Mountains, as it was awarded UNESCO status for its Cultural Landscape in October 2023. On our walking holiday in this region, you get to explore the stone villages, or Zagorochoria, and the iconic stone bridges that link them, and which have just earned UNESCO status. These are still very much off the tourist trail, as are all our holidays in the Pindos Mountains up near the Albanian border.
9. England
Of all our England tours, we are shining a light on the South West Coast Path this year, as it is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2024. Local communities may not be making a song and dance about this, but we think it’s definitely worth celebrating. When it was founded as a charity five decades ago, there would have been many community volunteers and committed conservationists who made it happen. And it’s still a charity worth supporting today, as this is a coastal spectacle on steroids, and also the UK’s longest walking trail at over 1,000km. It’s simply a piñata of peninsulas, a celebration of coves and joined up thinking at its most joyous, and you won’t struggle to find fifty beautiful spots to celebrate at as you walk along it.
8. Czech Republic
If you are keen to check out Czechia, and you also love train travel, then you also want to check out the new European Sleeper route which is launching in March 2024. Head to bed in Amsterdam or Brussels, and wake up in Prague, with the Brussels connections particularly good for UK travellers. This is because you can take a morning or afternoon Eurostar from London to Brussels, which arrives in time to catch the sleeper to Prague. Wake up for coffee on the banks of the Elbe, in time to start this superb cycling holiday along the Prague to Vienna Greenway. Note that there are women-only couchettes on this train, which you can opt for at time of booking, and if you are keen to have one then book early. However, many people share mixed gender couchettes on European sleeper trains too.
7. Spain
Spain is one of our most popular destinations for natural adventures, but this year’s Spanish spotlight is on the city of Valencia, which is the European Green Capital for 2024. It’s also capital of the region of the same name, where we have several cycling holidays. Such as this one that starts in the inland region of Alicante in Biar, in the foothills of the Sierra de Mariola, takes you through the medieval marvels of Valencia such as Cullera and Xàtiva before arriving into the region’s magnificent capital city. Or go coastal the whole way, starting in the town of Alicante on the Costa Blanca and also finishing in the city of Valencia. Other epic español expeditions include cycling from Madrid to Valencia and from Aragon to Valencia.
6. Kosovo
While Kosovo marks the 25th anniversary since the end of the Kosovo War in 2024, it also sees the continued signs of peace. Because, from January 2024 citizens of Kosovo can travel to the EU without requesting a visa, for periods of up to 90 days in any 180-day period. This also applies to EU citizens travelling to Kosovo. While it may still only be partially recognised as a state, we are rather partial to it at The Natural Adventure. It’s safe, sustainable and its walking terrain is utterly sublime. The country’s energy for change and growth is also palpable on our Kosovo holidays, where you’ll meet the warmest people walking in Bjeshkët e Nemuna National Park, summiting Gjeravica Peak (2,656m), or just enjoying cafe life in medieval, and now very multicultural cities like Prizren.
5. France
It’s France’s year in the Olympic limelight, and they will do it with finesse and finery, without a doubt. If you are lucky enough to get tickets to the Olympics and Paralympic Games, or you just want to be soaking up the Olympic atmosphere, you could enjoy a few of our holidays that are easily accessible from Paris, such as cycling from Fontainbleau to Versailles, or you could put together a peloton of pals and cycle from Amsterdam to Paris. Less energetic, but just as exquisite, check out this bike and boat holiday between Paris and Bruges, which you can do in either direction. With nice timing, Spanish rail company Renfe is extending its daily Madrid-Marseille service through to Paris in 2024.
4. Italy
Continuing with the athletic theme, the Tour de France starts in Italy for the first time ever in 2024, with the Grand Depart in Florence. Although it is back on Giro d’Italia territory for the 12th time, this is the first time the race has started on the Italian side of the border. Another fun first fact, the Tour de France isn’t finishing in Paris this year either, because of the Olympics, with cyclists crossing the line in Nice. However, if you want to join the Firenze frenzy, you can cycle from Pisa to Florence, Florence to Siena or walk the Path of the Gods from Bologna to Florence.
3. Turkey
You may be stuffed with turkey by now, but bear with us as we put the country as a centrepiece on the table of travel options this year. There has been so much bad news internationally over the last two years, that the earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria was dropped off the media headlines too quickly. However, please remember that both countries were severely affected by the series of earthquakes which killed over 55,000 people on 06 February 2023. Although our holidays don’t operate in the earthquake region, we do feel that this is a good year to start building up the country’s pride of place as well as its tourism coffers. Whether you’re walking the Lycian Way, St. Paul or Carian Trails or trekking up Mount Ararat, this is a country where you can marry modern and medieval, maritime and mountains, myth with pure magic.
2. Scotland
Many of us share a cup of kindness with Scotland at New Year without even realising it, linking arms to sing Auld Lang Syne. This is the traditional Scottish song sung at the stroke of midnight to say farewell to the year before and hello to the one ahead. We salute Scotland throughout most of the year, however, the majority of our Scotland tours starting in March and then closing their doors by the end of October. Rest assured that, in such a welcoming country for outdoor adventurers, nature and wildlife lovers, you will make acquaintances you will never forget.
1. Morocco
We were deeply saddened by the devastation and loss caused by the earthquake in Morocco, on 08 September 2023. It affected many areas in the Atlas Mountains that our keen hikers know well, and thanks to all of you for donating to our Moroccan partner, Mohamed’s, fundraising efforts. Moroccans have worked tirelessly to get their country back on its feet, and we are over the moon to have all of our adventure holidays back on course. This is why we are putting Morocco at the top of our go-to list for 2024, and why we are also planning to have our own company retreat there this year. From trekking or cycling in the Atlas Mountains to sauntering across the Sahara, or combining hiking with staying in traditional homestays, we always feel on top of the world when we go to Morocco and we wish our friends and colleagues there continued healing and recovery.
We hope that our 24 for 2024 have given you food for thought, and don’t hesitate to contact us for more inspiration or information. In the meantime, wishing you a happy new year from everyone at The Natural Adventure. And, most of all, a peaceful one.
