Travel’s rebound has revealed the depth of our drive to explore the world. Why do we travel? For food, culture, adventure, natural beauty? This year’s list has all those elements, and more.

A buzzing city ready for a coronation, a brand-new airport link and a prehistoric colossus.

A walkable gem without the crowds, just a short bullet train ride from Tokyo.

The majesty and awe of towering buttes in a setting fit for Hollywood.

A misty Scottish Stonehenge, with all of the mystery and far fewer visitors.

Pastries that rival France’s best, with a side of adventure tourism on the North Island.

Spotting stars in the streets and counting galaxies in the sky.

A haven for koalas and other wild creatures, healing after devastating wildfires.

Cycling through the canyons and valleys of one of Europe’s last untamed waterways.

Feast first, dance later, in a hub of innovative West African cuisine.

A clear-skied hot spot where aurora seekers are likely to spy their dazzling prize.

Blinding white dunes and aquamarine pools in an otherworldly natural water park.

Cliff-top fortresses and rhododendron forests on a revived trekking trail.

Learn to climb a palm tree, visit a temple during an annual festival and get a sustainable taste of village life.

Adventure in the Blue Ridge Mountains, and on dinner plates downtown.

A rebounding center of art and adobe with centuries-old ties to Mexico.

Creole culture, giant ferns and hummingbirds that don’t back down from a staring contest.

1,000-foot dunes and crashing waves along a nearly uninhabited coastline.

470 miles of mountains, glaciers and grizzlies from the comfort of a glass dome.

Savoring an endangered street-food tradition on the often overlooked island of Kyushu.

An island paradise where crater lakes change color and nine-foot dragons roam.

Celebrating queer culture’s diversity and L.G.B.T.Q. athletes from around the globe.

Rock art, sandstone pillars and a glimpse at a lost Saharan history.

New flavors and ancient winemaking traditions in tiny hilltop towns and green valleys.

A sunny Mediterranean morsel whose charming streets are studded with Roman monuments.

A two-wheeled thrill ride leads to mountainside settlements where Hmong and Tay culture lives.

A historic frankincense-trading center where the desert erupts in waterfalls.

An island of music and white-sand beaches ripe for rediscovery as the United States eases travel restrictions.

A mystical new museum and garden with all you need to write your own fairy tale.

The shape-shifting sandstone heart of a continent and its Indigenous heritage.

A slope-side nirvana for coffee geeks, waterfall hikers and white-water rafters.