Expedia has done the work to give us all some inspiration for our 2023 travel plans. For those of you who are ready to get back to exploring big cities and cultural hubs but who aren’t sure where you should start, Expedia has created a list of the top 10 cultural capitals to visit in 2023. The cities were selected based on the number of major cultural events occurring in each destination, as well as the level of its lodging demand and interest online.
The 10 cities were some of the top trending locations on Expedia’s site based on its data for booked travel from 2021 through 2023, as of September 2022.
Here’s the list:
1. Edinburgh
2. Lisbon, Portugal
3. Tokyo
4. Dublin
5. New York City
6. Sydney
7. Dubai
8. Montreal
9. Munich
10. Bangkok
“Among the world’s cultural capitals are cities rich with unforgettable experiences and celebrations,” Expedia shared with Thrillist in a statement. “Visit Edinburgh to enjoy the world’s largest arts and media festival or Sydney to celebrate WorldPride, coming to the city for the first time in February 2023.”
Many of these cities are already top destinations in their own right—you’ve probably thought about traveling to Dublin before. But Expedia chose these events specifically because there will be marquee events in those cities this year, like the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. If you want to leap back into the world, choosing to visit one of these cities at any time of the year is a great choice. But, to go even further, you could plan to go when outdoor markets, festivals, and other cultural events are taking place.
