TikTok has revealed its pick of the hottest destinations for the coming year – and it throws up more than a few surprises.
The social media platform has become a go-to for travellers looking for inspiration, with TikTok reporting searches for holiday content is up 131 per cent year-on-year.
Revealing exclusively to the Daily Mail the destinations that look set to be on travellers’ wish-lists in 2026, the platform says search data shows that lesser-known European escapes, including unexpected city breaks, are expected to soar next year.
Elsewhere classic Mediterranean destinations and alternative staycations look likely to be on people’s travel wishlist.
Central Europe dominates the intel on potential city breaks, with Frankfurt, Germany‘s financial hub – officially known as Frankfurt-on-the-Main set to woo weekenders away from the likes of Berlin, Hamburg and Cologne.
And tiny Liechtenstein, which sits betwixt Switzerland and Austria, looks set to grab a slice of the tourism pie, thanks to its beautiful mountains, views of the Rhine and turreted castles.
TikTok says the rise of ‘slow travel’ has put the fairytale country on the map for tourists as they seek alpine relaxation.
In the UK, St Andrews Lakes in Kent has also seen a burst of interest, says the social media platform.
It’s a tiddler! But Liechtenstein fulfils travellers’ desire for fairytale destinations, says TikTok
The waterscape is on the site of a former quarry and boasts blue water that wouldn’t be out of place in the Med.
It’s become a hit thanks to its sauna, lodge accommodation and activities; there’s an aqua park, open water swimming, kayaking and paddleboarding.
Two Italian destinations could be on travellers’ radars when peak booking season arrives in January.
Resort town Milano Marittima, on the less well-known Adriatic coast, is garnering interest, as is Bologna.
The birthplace of Spaghetti Bolognese, also home to the world’s oldest university, is rivalling big hitters Venice and Rome thanks to low-cost flights with Ryanair and British Airways.
Plenty of favourites also look likely to continue to attract huge amounts of tourists with Spain’s Malaga and the Costa Brava receiving plenty of attention.
When it comes to cities, TikTok says Copenhagen, Budapest, Florence and Naples also featured in the most popular destinations searched.
This week, the Daily Mail reported on another rising trend for 2026: Extreme Day Trips.
In a former quarry in Kent, just an hour outside of London, St Andrew’s Lakes – known for its blue waters – is on TikTok’s list of popular staycations for 2026
Who needs Venice? Bologna is also set for a bumper year according to the social media platform
TIKTOK’S 2026 TRAVEL TREND PREDICTIONS
- Milano Marittima, Italy
- Liechtenstein
- Frankfurt, Germany
- Bologna, Italy
- St Andrew’s Lakes, UK
Fans of the ‘Cinderella’ style adventures, which see travellers jetting off at dawn to European beach or city destinations before turning on their heels and returning to their own bed at night, say the trips have all the highs of international holidays, without the financial outlay.
With a raft of low-cost carriers – including Ryanair, easyJet, WizzAir and Jet2, already offering flights from as little as £15 each way, it’s feasible to see some of Europe’s most famous tourist spots for around £30 to £50 return, provided you can handle an airport twice in one day.
While almost all airlines already allow travellers to search for such day trips, increased demand could see carriers promoting ‘day return’ destinations in the way the railway industry does.
Travel groups dedicated to swapping tips on Extreme Day Trips, known as ‘EDTs’, have emerged in recent years, with fans of the sub 24-hour breaks sharing tips, such as destinations with airports that are close to tourist centre
What sort of EDTs are currently available? A Ryanair flight that gives you nearly eight hours on the ground in Barcelona costs £48.98 return based on February flights departing London Stansted.
Or a day trip to the Christmas market in Nantes, France, costs just £35, based on travel on December 1st with easyJet from London Gatwick.
The Extreme Day Trip concept was the brainchild of Michael Cracknell, who started a private Facebook group dedicated to quick hops three years ago.
The private group now has more than 336,000 members, with thousands of posts clocked up every month.
Day trip destinations regularly mentioned include Alicante, Berlin and Venice, as well as Christmas market destinations across Europe – with one adventurous traveller touting Bahrain as a viable day return destination this week.
Fans of the brief adventures say they are ‘low commitment and high buzz’ and more cost effective for many because there are no accommodation costs involved – you get to sleep in your own bed at night.
The trend has also spawned a website, extremedaytrips.com, which is operated by Rick Blyth.
He told the Daily Mail this week: ‘Extreme Day Trips work because they give people an exciting, low-cost escape without the faff of annual leave, hotel costs or extensive planning.
‘With an early start, you can see so much in 10-12 hours on the ground at your chosen destination and you always get that “I can’t believe we did that” feeling when you get home.’
The day tripper has been to destinations all over Europe including the icy summit of the Chamonix glacier and Lisbon with his mum.
He says it’s possible to traverse international boundaries by the time most people have only had their morning coffee if you’re prepared to get up early.
Does he think ‘day return’ tickets will happen anytime soon? Blyth says carriers may be happy to stick with their current model.
‘I’m not sure we’ll see a formal “day return” ticket introduced by the airlines any time soon, as they already price flights dynamically.
‘A fixed day return product might actually make less sense for them than simply continuing to offer those early out and late back rotations that already work perfectly for business travellers and Extreme Day Trippers alike.’