Top 10 cities to visit in 2016

Keen to start planning next year’s adventure?

These are the cities you’ll want to be including in your itinerary, according to Lonely Planet.

The travel bible has released it’s anticipated Top 10 Cities to Visit list, drawn from submissions by Lonely Planet staff, authors as well as travellers, bloggers and tweeters.

Here are the cities they say are worth exploring next year:

1. Kotor, Montenegro

Lonely Planet says: It’s one of the most photogenic spots in all of Europe.

2. Quito, Ecuador

Lonely Planet says: With 21st-century infrastructure springing up around the colonial architecture, there is something for both the high-end tourists and the adventure-seeking backpackers.

3. Dublin, Ireland

Lonely Planet says: With over 40% of the population under 30, the place pulsates with youthful vibrancy, optimism and creativity.

4. George Town, Malaysia

Lonely Planet says: George Town is one of Asia’s most inventive and diverse arts communities.

5. Rotterdam, Netherlands

Lonely Planet says: Rotterdam is the future… now. The Netherlands’ second-biggest city became a canvas for visionary architects like Rem Koolhaas.

6. Mumbai, India

Lonely Planet says: This powerhouse of fashion, finance and film looks set for a stellar 2016 as India’s economy booms.

7. Fremantle, Australia

Lonely Planet says: Enjoy the live-music rooms, hipster bars, boutique hotels and craft-beer breweries.

8. Manchester, UK

Lonely Planet says: The city has experienced an art attack of revamps and openings, including the Whitworth gallery, HOME (another multi-art form centre), and the pantheon-like Central Library.

9. Nashville, Tennessee, US

Lonely Planet says: The crooners on lower Broadway may still sing of heartbreak and ruin, but everyone else is having a ball in this Southern boom town.

10. Rome, Italy

Lonely Planet says: As the nickname implies, the Eternal City never goes out of fashion.