After what was for many of us a long, cold winter, summer has finally begun to peek through the clouds. And you know what that means? It's time to book a summer holiday. Multiple holidays, if you ask us.
But as travel booking season begins, many of us face the big decision: where on Earth do we go? While the world's most famous destinations are still top of many of our bucket lists, they'll always be there – and sometimes it's worth thinking outside the box, exploring cities in countries you've never traveled to before, or ditching the summer holiday altogether for something a little different.
So if you're looking to get ahead of the curve, we've got good news: travel brand Expedia has just released this year's travel trends, according to stats from its platform.
These stats compare summer holiday booking habits from December 2024-March 2025 to the same period the year before – and three destinations have come out on top. In third place, we've got Tbilisi, Georgia's capital, up 145 percent as travelers get stuck into its culture, nightlife and things to do . Coming in second we've got Basel (up 185 percent) and Zurich (up 225 percent), meaning Switzerland has officially come out on top this year.
That's followed by Gothenburg, Sweden , for which searches are up by 135 percent year-on-year. You can trust us on that one – we visited Gothenburg ourselves, and it immediately made it to our list of Europe's most underrated destinations . But all of this is no surprise – from Iceland to Norway, 'coolcations' have emerged as one of the biggest travel trends over the last year: we wrote about it here .
But it's not just European city breaks topping the charts this summer. Expedia has also released some emerging long-haul destinations, with Nha Trang, Vietnam up by 160 percent and Cairns in Australia up by 155 percent. Rio de Janeiro (one of our best cities in the world ) is up 135 percent – just in time for its Festa Junina in June.
Top tips for booking holidays this summer
Hey, it's not just the destination you've got to think about. Wherever you go, there are ways of traveling smarter, not difficult – whether it's saving your hard-earned cash or avoiding the crowds. So get your notepad at the ready – Expedia's released its top tips for travel this year too.
- Sunday is the cheapest day of the week to book a holiday, according to Expedia's 2025 Air Hacks report
- For the cheapest flights and accommodation, June 12th is the cheapest time to go on your next holiday (and July 19-26 is the most expensive)
- To avoid the crowds, travel on August 27 or 31 when airports will be at their least busy (June 20 and July 25 are expected to be the busiest)
- June 13 or 24 are apparently good days to book for the cheapest possible deals ahead of summer
- If you're looking for a Mediterranean holiday, you're best off visiting in April or May
ICYMI: Europe's best beaches to visit in summer 2025, ranked
Plus: These 31 bars have just been added to a prestigious world-best list.
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