Top 10 Luxury Travel Destinations for 2027: The Virtuoso Ranking, Country by Country
Virtuoso's 2027 Luxe Report, drawn from more than 3,100 advisors in 50+ countries, puts Japan first for the first time in the report's history, ahead of Italy, France, Greece and Spain. Here is the full top ten what each destination is best for, and what a private trip starts at.
- Japan is No. 1 for 2027 for the first time, overtaking Italy; France, Greece and Spain complete the top five.
- Seven of the ten are European; Japan, South Africa and the United States are the exceptions.
- Greece takes the honeymoon crown, while Italy, Japan, France and the United States are on the family list.
- A private trip starts from about US$650 per person, per night (Croatia) to US$1,000–1,500 (Japan and South Africa).
- The scarce weeks go first: the best Japan rooms book nine to twelve months ahead.
- China, Antarctica, Iceland, Egypt and Norway lead the rising list, outside the top ten.
The short answer
The 2027 Virtuoso Luxe Report, released on 30 September 2026 from more than 3,100 Virtuoso advisors in over 50 countries, ranks the world's top luxury destinations for 2027 as follows. Japan is No. 1 for the first time in the report's history, ahead of Italy.
- Japan — the first-ever No. 1; from about US$1,000–1,500 per person, per night
- Italy — No. 1 last year, still the best all-rounder; from about US$800–1,000 per person, per night
- France — Paris and a slower region; from about US$800–1,000 per person, per night
- Greece — the new honeymoon No. 1; from about US$800–900 per person, per night
- Spain — Barcelona, Andalusia and the Balearics; from about US$750 per person, per night
- Croatia — the Adriatic by yacht; from about US$650 per person, per night
- South Africa — the only African country in the top ten; from about US$1,000–1,500 per person, per night
- Portugal — Europe's quiet luxury; from about US$750 per person, per night
- United Kingdom — London, Scotland and the Highlands; from about US$800–1,000 per person, per night
- United States — from Miami to the canyons of the West; from about US$1,000 per person, per night
This page is the country-by-country companion to our wider read of the report, Luxury Travel Trends 2027.
How to read the ranking
- Europe dominates. Seven of the ten are European. Japan, South Africa and the United States are the only exceptions, one each from Asia, Africa and North America.
- Japan and Italy swap places. Italy led the 2026 report with Japan just behind; for 2027 they exchange the top two spots.
- Cities follow countries. The top city list reads Tokyo, Kyoto, Barcelona, Paris, Rome, Athens, London, Lisbon, Budapest and Amsterdam, so most of these countries bring a city that ranks in its own right.
- Demand is not momentum. The top ten measures overall demand. The destinations gaining the most momentum are China, Antarctica, Iceland, Egypt and Norway.
1. Japan: the first-ever No. 1
Japan overtakes Italy at the top of the ranking for the first time in the report's history, and Tokyo and Kyoto are the No. 1 and No. 2 cities, so the country holds both the top destination and the two top cities. A luxury trip here is built on access: a temple opened to you at dawn, cherry blossom from a private ryokan, a sushi counter held for you alone. The blossom and autumn weeks are the scarce ones, and the rooms that define them book nine to twelve months ahead.
Best for: first-time visitors who want culture, food and privacy; families, since Japan is on the Virtuoso family list. A private trip starts from: about US$1,000–1,500 per person, per night.
Plan it: Japan travel guide · best time to visit Japan · how many days in Japan.
2. Italy: No. 1 last year, still the best all-rounder
Italy slips to No. 2 after leading the 2026 report, but it is still the broadest all-rounder in the top ten: it is on Virtuoso's family list, No. 4 for honeymoons, and Rome is the No. 5 city. Private Italy is access more than itinerary: a terrace above Positano, a Renaissance palazzo opened after hours, family-hosted wine dinners.
Best for: families, honeymoons and first-time visitors who want art, food and coast in one trip. A private trip starts from: about US$800–1,000 per person, per night.
Plan it: Italy travel guide · best time to visit Italy · a five-day Lake Como itinerary.
3. France: Paris and a slower region
France holds No. 3, with Paris the No. 4 city and a place on the family list. It rewards a slower plan: the Louvre after dark, a villa above the Côte d'Azur, lavender fields at golden hour. The best French trips pair Paris with one region rather than trying to see all of them.
Best for: Paris plus one region; families; couples who want a slow, private week. A private trip starts from: about US$800–1,000 per person, per night.
Plan it: France travel guide · planning a private multi-country Europe itinerary.
4. Greece: the new honeymoon No. 1
Greece is No. 4 overall and, for 2027, takes the honeymoon crown from Italy. The Greek Isles are also the No. 3 cruise itinerary, and Athens is the No. 6 city. Private Greece is the Acropolis Museum after closing, a gulet toward islands the ferries never reach, and a caldera sunset with nobody else on the terrace.
Best for: honeymoons, island-hopping by private boat, couples and small groups. A private trip starts from: about US$800–900 per person, per night.
Plan it: Greece travel guide · best time to visit Greece.
5. Spain: Barcelona, Andalusia and the Balearics
Spain is No. 5, and Barcelona is the No. 3 city, the highest-ranked city outside Japan. The country is a set of very different trips: Andalusian palaces, a yacht through the Balearics, and tables that reinvented how the world eats. Choose one or two, not all three.
Best for: food-led trips, city breaks in Barcelona, summer by yacht. A private trip starts from: about US$750 per person, per night.
Plan it: Spain travel guide.
6. Croatia: the Adriatic by yacht
Croatia enters the top ten at No. 6, and the Mediterranean is the No. 1 cruise itinerary in the same report. We plan Croatia together with Montenegro: walled cities such as Dubrovnik, island-hopping by private yacht, and long lunches in a coastal konoba.
Best for: yacht charters, couples, small groups who want sea and history together. A private trip starts from: about US$650 per person, per night.
Plan it: Croatia & Montenegro travel guide · best time to visit Croatia · island-hopping by yacht.
7. South Africa: the only African country in the top ten
South Africa is No. 7 and the only African country in the top ten. It pairs the Cape with the bush, so one trip can hold a vineyard lunch and a morning game drive. Family safaris, dry-season game viewing and conservation stays are the three ways we most often shape it.
Best for: a first safari, families with older children, a safari paired with the Cape. A private trip starts from: about US$1,000–1,500 per person, per night.
Plan it: South Africa travel guide · which country has the best luxury safari.
8. Portugal: Europe's quiet luxury
Portugal is No. 8 and Lisbon the No. 8 city. It is Europe's quiet luxury: golden light, secret coastlines, and a discretion the well-informed have only recently discovered. It suits travelers who want Europe without the crowds that surround the other names on this list.
Best for: travelers who want Europe without the crowds, long lunches and coast. A private trip starts from: about US$750 per person, per night.
Plan it: Portugal travel guide.
9. United Kingdom: London, Scotland and the Highlands
The United Kingdom is No. 9, with London the No. 7 city. Private Britain is a private view of the Crown Jewels, a sleeper train through the glens, and a castle of your own in the Highlands. Our guide covers London, Edinburgh, Glasgow and the Highlands.
Best for: multigenerational trips, London plus Scotland, history and country houses. A private trip starts from: about US$800–1,000 per person, per night.
Plan it: United Kingdom travel guide.
10. United States: from Miami to the canyons of the West
The United States closes the top ten and is on the family list. It spans Miami's water and warmth, the canyons of the West and the energy of New York. For travelers based outside the US it is also the most underrated trip on the list.
Best for: families, city-and-landscape trips, repeat visitors. A private trip starts from: about US$1,000 per person, per night.
Plan it: United States travel guide.
Which one should you choose?
- Culture and food: Japan or Italy.
- A honeymoon: Greece, the No. 1 honeymoon destination for 2027, then Italy.
- A family trip: Italy, Japan, France or the United States, all on Virtuoso's family list.
- A first safari: South Africa.
- Quiet luxury and fewer crowds: Portugal.
- The sea: Greece or Croatia, the Mediterranean being the No. 1 cruise itinerary.
On the rise: not in the top ten, but worth planning now
China leads the destinations on the rise, followed by Antarctica, Iceland, Egypt and Norway. If one of them is on your list, start with the guides to Antarctica, Iceland, Egypt and Norway, or compare seasons for all of them in the best time to visit, by destination.
When to book
Demand concentrates on the same places and the same weeks, so the scarce inventory goes first. For Japan, the rooms that define the blossom and autumn weeks book nine to twelve months ahead. If you are combining destinations, how to plan a luxury itinerary covers nights per stop and pace.
Estimated investment
From about US$650 per person, per night for Croatia to US$1,000–1,500 for Japan and South Africa, based on double occupancy and scaled to your dates, party size and level of privacy. These are starting points, not final quotes; your advisor confirms the figure once the trip is tailored.
Your Virtuoso privileges
As a Virtuoso member, Forest Travel includes benefits reserved for Virtuoso guests at the finest luxury hotels, at no added cost: a room upgrade on arrival when available, daily breakfast for two, a property credit toward dining or spa, and early check-in with late check-out when the hotel allows.
Start the conversation
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Questions, answered.
According to the 2027 Virtuoso Luxe Report, the top ten are: 1 Japan, 2 Italy, 3 France, 4 Greece, 5 Spain, 6 Croatia, 7 South Africa, 8 Portugal, 9 United Kingdom and 10 United States. The report was released on 30 September 2026 and draws on more than 3,100 Virtuoso advisors in over 50 countries.
Japan. It overtakes Italy in the 2027 Virtuoso Luxe Report, the first time it has held the top spot, and Tokyo and Kyoto are also the No. 1 and No. 2 cities.
Greece is the No. 1 honeymoon destination in the 2027 Virtuoso Luxe Report, followed by Bali, the Maldives, Italy and French Polynesia. Greece takes the title from Italy, which led the previous year.
Virtuoso's family list is led by Italy, Japan, Costa Rica, the United States and France. Multigenerational travel is also the No. 1 trend in the 2027 report.
China is the top destination on the rise, followed by Antarctica, Iceland, Egypt and Norway. They sit outside the top ten, which measures overall demand, not momentum.
As a starting point for a private trip, per person and per night: Japan and South Africa from about US$1,000–1,500; Italy, France and the United Kingdom US$800–1,000; Greece US$800–900; Spain and Portugal about US$750; Croatia about US$650; the United States about US$1,000. Your advisor confirms the final figure once the trip is tailored to your dates and party.
Demand concentrates on the same places and weeks, so the scarce inventory goes first. For Japan, the rooms that define the cherry blossom and autumn weeks book nine to twelve months ahead. Start earlier for peak weeks and for several destinations in one trip.
It is Virtuoso's annual forecast of luxury travel, based on a survey of its advisors. The 2027 edition, released on 30 September 2026, covers more than 3,100 advisors in over 50 countries and ranks destinations, cities, honeymoon and family trips, cruises and trends.
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