The top travel destinations for 2022

As travel starts to feel like an exciting reality once more, we’ve compiled the top destinations for rediscovering the world in 2022. A combination of destinations on the rise and favourites from Booking.com’s travel community, these places range from charming Welsh seaside towns to Taiwan’s second largest city where you’ll find a blend of vibrant night markets and historic temples.

By day, Taiwan’s second largest city is a scenic blend of soaring skyscrapers and historic temples. Must-see sites include the prestigious, 200-year-old Lecheng Temple, the ornate Chenghuang Temple, and the three-hall style Wanhe Temple, each of which showcases grand Taiwanese architecture and the rich cultural past of the city’s ancestors. But Taichung is most famous for its lively night markets, notably the Feng Chia Night Market. Here, an eclectic collection of stalls sell everything from beauty products to sizzling plates of ‘stinky tofu’. Stay at the stylish K Hotel, located just 100 metres from the market.

Found on a walking route known as ‘Rota Romântica’ (so-called for its breathtaking and whimsical scenery) Gramado is not what you’d expect to find in Brazil; it’s a small town surrounded by green mountains and filled with gingerbread-style, timber-framed houses, and is often compared to an Alpine resort. Far more peaceful than most Brazilian metropolises, it’s a place to shop in artisanal boutiques and to indulge in locally-produced chocolate and beer. The best time to visit is late spring (November), when the lavender-blue hydrangeas are in bloom around nearby Lake Negro. Stay in a charming, turreted building in the middle of town at Hotel Sky Gramado.

As the capital of Georgia, Atlanta is a hub of the state’s culture and offers visitors a veritable urban adventure with cuisine, nightlife and heaps of Southern hospitality. Expect world-class restaurants that incorporate more recent food trends like farm-to-table dining into traditional Southern fare with considerable flair. Stay in Midtown Atlanta at the quaint and idyllic Stonehurst Place Bed & Breakfast.

Llandudno is a town that sits on a peninsula on the North Welsh Coast, that offers visitors a quintessential British seaside escape, complete with pier and Victorian promenade lined with pastel-coloured houses. It’s also perfect for exploring the many exceptionally beautiful and often deserted beaches nearby, as well as some fairytale castles. For an unforgettable view of the coastline and Snowdonia National Park, take the tram up to the summit of the formidable limestone headland that overlooks Llandudno, known as The Great Orme. Check into the gorgeous Belmont Llandudno in the middle of town and enjoy a bedroom balcony with sea views.

The capital of the tropical paradise that is the Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo is also one of the Caribbean’s oldest cities. Yet at the same time, it exemplifies the pulse of Dominican culture and is a city where the old perfectly meets the new, with art galleries, plenty of nightlife and a culinary scene that seamlessly blends in with historic, architectural wonders and UNESCO world heritage sites. After a spot of exploring this dreamy island, watch the sunset with a piña colada in a hammock hanging from the palm trees, before heading back to stay at the colourful La Choza Guesthouse.

Found in the heart of Transylvania and full of medieval ambience, the 13th-century city of Brașov will transport you back in time. The city is surrounded by the peaks of the Southern Carpathian Mountains, and is full of romantic, Gothic turrets and towers that create an awe-inspiring skyline. Stay in the heart of Braşov’s Old Town at the highly rated and chic apartment, Quiboo.

Melaka City, the capital of the eponymous state, served as a major trading port in the 15th century. These days, while it’s still rich with heritage buildings and ancient landmarks, travellers can also take in the cool contemporary street art dotted around town with a stroll down Jonker Walk. What’s more, there are ample local boutiques, small museums and restaurants with often spicy and tantalizingly tasty local Nyonya cuisine. Spend the night at the light, modern and spacious Yote 28.

Awash with Renaissance building facades, ornate fountains and polished marble squares, the elegant city of Montpellier is a gem on the South of France’s Mediterranean coast; take a stroll down the graceful waterfront Promenade du Peyrou to sample some French cheese in the market before a visit to the magnificent Cathedral (art enthusiasts should also pay a visit to the Musée Fabre to see some exquisite 15th-century art). Or head to one of the area’s beautiful, wide, white-sand beaches, such as Plage de L’Espiguette, which stretches for around 18 kilometres along the shore. Head back to Montpellier and spend the night in a 14th-century building in the heart of the city, at the delightful B&B "Chambre d'Autres".