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Travel: to, the hottest? destinations - of 2009!
Europe
15. BERLIN
Packed with cultural treasures, hip nightclubs, cutting-edge dining options, and no less than three opera houses, Berlin is Europe's first true 21st-century metropolis. Yet, even after two decades of German reunification, its rechristened capital still has the feel of a city on the verge: Berlin's art scene rivals that of London, except you can actually afford to buy a painting from the local galleries. A spurt of innovative restaurants could be the envy of Paris, but their reasonable prices are distinctly un-Left Bank. The same holds true for accommodations: new, cool, and refurbished hotels abound, but again, at rates nowhere near those of other European capitals. The city's immense affordability is one reason to visit, but its outsized art collections, fascinating history, trendy neighborhoods, and teeming nightlife are what will keep you captivated while you're there.
Why Go In 2009: While we'd gladly visit Berlin every year, 2009 gets special dibs, as November 9 marks the twentieth anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. A series of special commemorative events are planned throughout the year (www.mauerfall09.de), with the city's open spaces, buildings, and museums serving as the celebratory focal points – visitors can expect to see facades tricked out with light installations, specially commissioned public art displays, and exhibits focused on the history of the wall itself. The festivities culminate with a grand celebration at the Brandenburg Gate, complete with artistic performances, concerts, and a street festival, on November 9.
16. CAPPADOCIA
Located in the center of Turkey, approximately 450 miles from Istanbul, Cappadocia is a Salvador Dali painting come to life. This bizarre, lunar-like landscape is dotted with extraordinary “fairy chimney” rock formations, dramatic gorges, troglodyte houses, subterranean chapels, underground cities that once sheltered early Christians, and exquisite hotels carved out of the area’s abundant soft stone. Make pottery in Avanos, go wine-tasting in Urgup, and rise with the lark and take to the skies in a hot-air balloon for a bird's eye view of Goreme National Park’s dramatic valleys and conical rock formations.
Why Go In 2009: Most American tourists are still reluctant to venture beyond Istanbul and Turkey’s Mediterranean coast, so go now before word spreads that Cappadocia has reached beyond backpackers and archeology buffs to appeal to a more luxury-minded set. The Serinn House (www.serinnhouse.com), a boutique design hotel in Urgup with just five rooms (when was the last time you stayed in a WiFi-equipped cave?), opened in early 2007. Also, due to the favorable exchange rate (though Turkey aspires to adopt the euro and join the European Union, the Turkish lira will remain in circulation through 2009), Turkey is both exotic and affordable.
17. ICELAND
The name may suggest a barren, frigid land, but Iceland offers some of the most awe-inspiringly diverse landscapes on the planet. A single day’s travel will uncover volcanoes, endless waterfalls, glaciers, geysers, geothermal hot springs, cold deserts, northern lights, and moonscape landscapes. Reykjavik, the nation's capital city, has an intimate population of fewer than 200,000, yet boasts a brag-worthy nightlife and shopping district. Plus, with flights from the Eastern seaboard lasting just over five hours, it's the closest sampling of European culture you can get.
Why Go In 2009: After a near brush with bankruptcy in late 2008, the value of the Icelandic krona has dropped dramatically, making this once expensive destination affordable for American tourists – look for highly discounted vacation packages and airfares through providers like the country’s flagship carrier, Icelandair. While any major new tourism infrastructure developments are expected to be put on hold as the economy attempts recovery, the benefits of enhancements made in recent years can still be reaped, including road improvements that now allow travelers access to some of the country’s more remote pristine pockets.
18. MONTENEGRO
Montenegro has come a long way since its shaky days following Yugoslavia's breakup. With medieval cities and ancient monasteries, over 200 miles of coastline, a plethora of beaches, soaring Dinaric Alps, four national parks, and two UNESCO World Heritage Sites, this gem of a country – often overshadowed by fashionable neighbor Croatia – offers travelers a spectrum of outdoor and cultural experiences – at much more reasonable rates.
Why Go In 2009: Currently ranked as the second fastest growing tourism market in the world (falling just behind China), you’ll need to head here fast, before rates rise to match Montenegro's mounting popularity. Luckily, travel will be easier than ever as of June 2009, when Montenegro Airlines expands its service to Tivat via London Gatwick. Meanwhile, Aman Resorts (www.amanresorts.com) is slated to celebrate the opening of its newly branded Sveti Stefen island resort, a former fishing village and modern-day celebrity retreat that closed for the Aman takeover and luxury makeover last year. This highly anticipated development has consequently sparked other luxury hotel negotiations in the region (the Four Seasons among them), as well as the pending transformation of Tivat's Port Montenegro into a marina for mega yachts.
19. SARDINIA
The second largest island in the Mediterranean (situated southwest of mainland Italy), Sardinia – historically influenced by Phoenician, Greek, Carthaginian, and later, Roman rule – stands out for its warm hospitality and charm. As you explore – whether by biking, hiking, horseback riding, sailing, or riding in an antique train - you'll discover ancient ruins, exquisite wines, fresh local cuisine (think ricotta and suckling pig), and over 1,000 miles of soft white-sand beaches fronting turquoise waters. Base yourself in the northeastern part of the island at Costa Smeralda, a celebrity magnet renowned for luxury hotels, high-end boutiques, and expensive real estate, or in Budoni, an emerging seaside destination of just 4,000 residents.
Why Go In 2009: Sardinia remains largely off the radar for non-Italian travelers and noisy tourism developers alike, offering vacationers better value and more seclusion than other Italian hotspots. But it’s only a matter of time before all of that changes – Chia Beach, on the southern, less-developed part of the isle was recently named one of the best European beaches of 2008 by readers of the U.K.'s Daily Telegraph, and low-cost European airlines continue to increase service to this once not-so-accessible isle (Jet2.com, for one, is launching an Edinburgh to Olbia route come May).
20. WARSAW
Warsaw today is a testament to the perseverance, strength, and, ultimately, revitalization of Poland. The capital city, once beaten down by two iniquitous powers – the Nazis and the Soviets – which both attempted to strip the Poles of their heritage, culture, and beliefs, has reclaimed its legacy, rebuilt and restored its landmarks, and looks to the future as a proud, newfangled city. Holocaust survivors and former down-and-out Varsovians mingle with a bright, progressive youth. Bullet holes embedded in surviving WWII buildings stand not far from drab Soviet-era blocks and shiny new skyscrapers, while the UNESCO-listed Old Town, really a 50-year-old imitation of the bombed-out original, draws unapprised tourists who like its Prague-like charms.
Why Go In 2009: Poland uses the zloty, making affordability a major draw here over other European cities that are now on the euro. Aside from giving visitors a good dose of WWII and Red history, Warsaw boasts a burgeoning after-dark scene in up-and-coming neighborhoods like Fabryka Trzciny, the old part of the Praga district, where the latest in the city's reinvention is showcased with new galleries and restaurants. The superlative nightlife landscape pours out over the whole of Warsaw, too, with a blend of boho bars, clubs housed in unusual spaces (be it a former fort or art museum), underground discos, and hip cafes. Don’t miss popping into one of the few remaining, and somewhat controversial, Communist-era "milk bars" for cheap pierogies and borscht.
