We can say goodbye to the usual postcards, because in 2027 the real flex will be finding a destination off the radar where overtourism doesn’t exist. Yet creative cities, astonishing landscapes, and film-worthy places await us. Time Out has spotted the vibe shift, selecting many lesser-known destinations, all worth discovering.
Here is the ranking of the 41 most undervalued destinations worldwide to travel in 2027.
The Most Underrated Destination to Visit in 2027
To claim the top spot is Bukovina, in northeastern Romania. While Transylvania continues to attract attention with castles and vampire legends, here you discover another side of the country: dense forests, blooming meadows and mountain villages where traditions still take center stage.
The standout feature? The eight UNESCO-listed painted monasteries, with vividly colored frescoes turning façades into true works of art. You can also embark on exploring the Via Transilvanica, a hiking route that traverses the country. In Ciocănești, moreover, even the houses are decorated: a fairy-tale aesthetic, no filters needed.
The Top 10
In second place is South Dakota, United States: among the sculpted landscapes of the Badlands and the bison herds of Custer State Park, the road trip takes on a contemporary western vibe. Third place goes to the Asturias’ cities, Spain. Oviedo wins with art and architecture, Gijón blends beaches and urban life, while Avilés leans into medieval charm and culture. All this with cider and seafood cuisine.
Fourth is the Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica, where you enter documentary nature-writing mode: tropical forest, macaws, sloths and remote beaches. In fifth place, San Martín, Peru, replaces the overused routes with the biodiversity of high-altitude Amazon and waterfalls nestled in greenery. Sixth is Zambujeira do Mar, Portugal: spectacular cliffs and golden sands offer a quieter alternative to the Algarve. Seventh is Bisbee, Arizona, former mining town turned into a small bohemian universe between vintage finds, music, and eccentric venues.
The eighth position goes to Shenzhen, China, where driverless taxis, futuristic museums and creative districts meet. Ninth is Carry-le-Rouet, France, with turquoise coves and a Mediterranean mood away from the spotlight of the Côte d’Azur. Closing the top 10 is Tioga Pass, California: Yosemite’s scenic road offers alpine lakes and incredible viewpoints, especially during the summer open season.
The Complete Ranking
Surprises continue well beyond the tenth position. They include the surreal Skopje, with monumental statues and theatrical architecture, the isolated Brown Station in Antarctica and São Tomé and Príncipe, an African archipelago still little represented on wish lists. There’s also room for Mongolia, for the tropical atmospheres of Côn Đảo and for the unexpected Bentonville in Arkansas.
Here is the complete ranking of the 41 undervalued destinations to travel in 2027 according to Time Out:
- Bukovina, Romania;
- South Dakota, United States;
- Asturias, Spain;
- Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica;
- San Martín, Peru;
- Zambujeira do Mar, Portugal;
- Bisbee, Arizona, United States;
- Shenzhen, China;
- Carry-le-Rouet, France;
- Tioga Pass, California, United States;
- Filandia, Colombia;
- Azores, Portugal;
- Cartagena, Spain;
- Georgian Military Road, Georgia;
- Morne Seychellois National Park, Seychelles;
- Ishikawa, Japan;
- Skopje, North Macedonia;
- Mongolia;
- The Hague, Netherlands;
- Macau, China;
- Con Dao, Vietnam;
- Malmö, Sweden;
- Gibraltar;
- Southern Tunisia;
- Bwlch Mountain, Wales;
- São Sebastião, Brazil;
- Prince Edward Island, Canada;
- Tasmania, Australia;
- Valle de Cochamó, Chile;
- Newcastle, Australia;
- Brown Station, Antarctica;
- Cuenca, Ecuador;
- Karpathos, Greece;
- Lake Bacalar, Mexico;
- Srebrenik, Bosnia and Herzegovina;
- São Tomé and Príncipe, Gulf of Guinea;
- Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico;
- Eastern Highlands, Zimbabwe;
- Gippsland, Australia;
- Turku, Finland;
- Bentonville, Arkansas, United States.
