CNN Travel: A Greek city among the top tourist destinations

After nearly three years of travel disruptions and complications, many countries have abandoned most pandemic restrictions. People are traveling internationally and there is plenty of idle demand spread around the world.

Points Guy director Clint Henderson says now is the best time to book your dream vacation because he expects prices for flights to international destinations to rise dramatically due to increased demand as more countries ease restrictions on the Covid.

International tourism was expected to reach 65% of pre-pandemic levels by the end of 2022, according to the United Nations World Tourism Organization, with some regions recently reaching levels closer to 80% or 90% of their 2019 arrivals. .And experts are cautiously optimistic about the continued travel recovery.

CNN Travel has singled out 23 destinations, cities and countries around the world worth visiting this year. Among them a Greek.

Poland

Poland tops the list not only for its beauty but also as a sign of “solidarity with a country that, in turn, has shown solidarity with the people of Ukraine.”

Western Australia

For the April 20 total solar eclipse, a phenomenon that will last around one minute, the town of Exmouth and the wider Ningaloo Peninsula are the focus of many tourists who have been planning a visit to the area for more than a year. There will be outdoor viewing platforms where viewers can safely watch the solar wonder (with protective glasses, of course), as well as musical performances, educational opportunities to learn about science and astronomy, and a three-day Dark Sky Festival.

Liverpool, England

The English port city of Liverpool, known around the world as the birthplace of the Beatles, is adding another chapter to its musical legacy.

In May, it will be the host city for Eurovision 2023, bringing an influx of thousands of flag-waving fans from across the continent. It is an opportunity for the city to recover. In June, the city will celebrate 25 years of the Liverpool Biennia l contemporary visual arts festival, as more than 30 international artists and collectives take over spaces in the city until September.

England is also marking the Year of the Coast in 2023, with food festivals and beach cleans along the country’s coastline.

Charleston, South Carolina

In 2023 the US city will open the International Museum of African American Culture, which will showcase the history of black people and their descendants. The museum is located on the shoreline of the Cooper River at the point where many Africans first set foot in North America.

Visitors in late May and early June can enjoy the world-famous Spoleto Festival featuring opera, theater, dance, musical performances and artist talks. And foodies should mark March 1-5 on the calendar for the Charleston Food and Wine Festival and sample Lowcountry favorites.

Vilnius, Lithuania

The capital of Lithuania celebrates its 700th anniversary on 25 January 2023. To mark the milestone, there is a year-long programme, including music festivals and exhibitions.
The entire city center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as are Venice and Vienna. Vilnius makes the list thanks to its Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque buildings, all in a medieval rhombus design, but is best known for its Baroque architecture.

Fiji

Sparkling blue waters, extensive coral reefs and hundreds of peaceful islands: Fiji is always in the spotlight. But why go there in 2023? First, the country reopened post-Covid in late 2021, meaning visitor numbers to the South Pacific paradise have yet to fully recover.

While the country is known for its underwater beauty, take the opportunity to explore its above-ground treasures as well. The country’s only UNESCO World Heritage Site is the town of Levuka, a former capital and major port, which is full of British colonial-era buildings among coconut and mango trees.

Manaus, Brazil

With the Amazon rainforest facing significant threats, two communities around Manaus, the capital of Brazil’s Amazonas state and gateway to the river, have used the pandemic to become even more environmentally friendly.

Juma Amazon Lodge , about 50 miles south of the city, is now fully powered by a new $400,000 solar plant, whose 268 twin panels float nearly 40 feet in the air (meaning no trees had to be cut down). They have also built a biogas system to increase the efficiency of organic waste treatment, reducing annual carbon emissions by eight tonnes.

Meanwhile, Anavilhanas Jungle Lodge, northwest of Manaus on the Rio Negro River, has opened an off-grid “advanced base” during the pandemic, which is 30 miles from the main lodge and accessible only by river.

Guests can take long jungle treks through the area that are home to jaguars, pumas and giant armadillos at one of the Amazon region’s most remote lodges, then spend the afternoon in a hammock or by the pool. For 2023, the lodge is planning overnight stays in a creekside tent for small groups.

Thessaloniki, Greece

There are many reasons to visit the second largest city in Greece, according to CNN Travel, noting that UNESCO has named it a culinary capital. In fact, it makes special reference to the renewed Modiano market.

On a popular waterfront and close to beautiful beaches and inland mountains, Thessaloniki is definitely a contender for one of the best holiday destinations in Europe. What could make it even better? “How about a shiny new subway system? All being well, November 2023 is expected to see the opening of the main line of a major infrastructure project that will finally connect the city center with its international airport. Driverless trains will take passengers through tunnels whose excavation has added to Thessaloniki’s already rich catalog of archaeological discoveries, many of which will be on display in specially designed museum stations,” reports CNN Travel.