Arrábida Natural Park is a nature enthusiast’s dream; scuba dive in the Professor Luiz Saldanha Marine Park, hike the Serra da Arrábida, spot bottlenose dolphins in the Sado Estuary Nature Reserve, or birdwatch in Moinho de Maré da Mourisca. The name Arrábida comes from the Arabic word for “place of prayer,” and the region’s rich cultural heritage is on display at the Convent of Arrábida, the neighbouring Moorish castle in Sesimbra, the Oceanic Museum, and São Simão – one of the last remaining artisan tile workshops.
The “Peninsula de Setubal” is a renowned wine region. Stop by notable winemakers like José Maria da Fonseca, founded in 1834, and producers of the oldest table wine company in Portugal, Quinta de Alcube, Quinta da Bacalhôa, and Quinta do Piloto. Don’t miss pairing a glass of Moscatel wine with the famous local cheese, Queijo de Azeitão. Engage in cheese-making workshops at Quinta Velha or enjoy the freshest catch at O Farol. For accommodations, Hotel Casa Palmela, under the Small Luxury Hotels umbrella, offers a tranquil stay and is one of the few private properties within the national park, where construction has been banned since 1975. The same family has owned this 170-acre estate since 1826 – it features original stone floors, 18th-century tiles, whitewashed stone walls, and a tiny chapel. Christine Chitnis
Albania
Go for: Beautiful beaches and low-cost accommodation
Once the preserve of adventurous holidaymakers, Albania is set to establish itself as a significant player in 2025. Despite being a little smaller than Switzerland, its appeal lies in its impressive diversity, which compactly encompasses a sweep of Alps, ancient forests, fairytale villages, two UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and a crystalline coast to rival anything Greece can offer.
This year sees the launch of an all-new InterContinental hotel and the country’s first transatlantic flight jetting off from Tirana – the country’s capital – as well as the creation of a whole new airport in Vlora by the prettiest beaches on the Ionian sea, the ‘pearl of Albania’. (This happily eliminates the chance of enduring tangled traffic jams that have previously plagued holidaymakers coming from Tirana).
The government planned to attract 10 million tourists by 2025, a target it smashed by 2023, so this may well be the final year it is enjoyably – and relatively – quiet. Plonk yourself on a sun lounger at one of the many beach clubs or book a table at the slow-food restaurant Mullixhiu, where you can eat for £10 a head and marvel at your luck at enjoying such spoils at such prices. Rosie Conroy
Athens Riviera, Greece
Go for: Landscaped coastline beside a historic city, where world-class hotels continue opening their doors
For all its beauty – sparkling waters dotted with kaiki boats, wild beaches, and a bougainvillaea-splashed coastline that soaks up 300 days of sunshine a year – it’s shocking how under-the-radar the Athens Riviera has remained in this aesthetic-obsessed age. (On Instagram, the hashtag #athensriviera has a modest 114,000 posts – compare that with Santorini’s 8.1 million and Mykonos’ 5.6 million.)
A former holiday hotspot for stars and royalty, the area faded from popularity in the early noughties following Greece’s debt crisis and the closure of a nearby US airbase. But 2025 is the Riviera’s year of revival, with new developments set to elevate the 60-kilometre stretch just 30 minutes from Athens’ city centre.
The most Goliath of these is The Ellinikon, an ambitious $8 billion undertaking on the former Ellinikon International Airport site that will be completed in phases from 2025 and is projected to create 70,000 jobs. A host of big-name residential, cultural and hospitality projects dominate its masterplan, including a surf-inspired Kengo Kuma-designed waterfront mall, a Mandarin Oriental resort and a Hard Rock hotel and casino due for completion in 2027. The real jewel, however, is a lushly landscaped coastal park – Europe’s largest – that will open by the end of 2025, doubling the green space in a capital notorious for its lack of it.
link