Figuring out which country to visit next has gotten complicated with all the top-ten destination lists and algorithm-driven travel recommendations flying around. As someone who has been to all five of the countries I am about to talk about and made real mistakes and real discoveries in each one, I learned that the best country to visit depends entirely on what kind of trip you want. Today, I will share what I know from actual experience.
Italy
Probably should have led with this section, honestly. Italy is the country I tell people to visit first if they have never been to Europe. Rome alone could fill a week and you would barely scratch the surface. The Colosseum, the Forum, the Vatican — it is all there and it is all as impressive as people say. Florence has more art per square meter than anywhere I have been. Venice is Venice, which means it is crowded and touristy and also genuinely magical when the light hits the canals right.
But it is the food that brings people back. I had a pizza in Naples from a place with plastic chairs and paper napkins that was the best thing I have ever eaten. No exaggeration. Italian cuisine varies by region in ways that surprise people. Bolognese sauce in Bologna tastes nothing like what you make at home. Gelato in Rome is a religious experience. I am apparently someone who plans entire days around meals when traveling, and Italy rewards that approach more than anywhere else.
Japan
Japan broke my brain in the best way. Tokyo is overwhelming in its energy and density and sheer volume of things to do. Kyoto is the opposite — quiet temples, bamboo forests, the feeling of time moving differently. Hokkaido in the north has landscapes that look like they belong in Scandinavia. Cherry blossom season turns the entire country pink and white and it is exactly as beautiful as every photo suggests.
That’s what makes Japan endearing to us Western travelers — the hospitality culture, called omotenashi, is unlike anything else. People go out of their way to help you, and not because they want a tip. It is just how things work there. The food is incredible and goes way beyond sushi and ramen. Okonomiyaki — savory pancakes you customize at your table — and takoyaki — octopus balls from street vendors — became things I craved for months after coming home.
New Zealand
If you are an outdoors person, New Zealand is the answer to the question you are asking. The landscapes range from beaches to mountains to fjords to glaciers, and all of it is concentrated in a country smaller than most people expect. I did a bungee jump in Queenstown because it felt like the kind of thing you do in New Zealand, and I screamed the entire way down and would do it again immediately.
The Maori culture adds a depth that pure nature destinations often lack. Traditional performances, customs, and art provide cultural context for the land you are walking through. And because the country is relatively compact, you can cover both the North and South Islands in a two-week trip without feeling rushed. I drove the South Island over eight days and felt like I had seen a lifetime of scenery.
France
Paris gets all the attention but France outside of Paris is where I found the most rewarding travel experiences. Provence has lavender fields in summer that are genuinely as purple as the postcards. The Loire Valley has castles that look like they were designed by someone who read too many fairy tales. Bordeaux has vineyards where you can taste wine directly from the barrel and pretend you understand what tannins are.
Paris itself is still worth the trip. The Louvre alone could take days. The Eiffel Tower at night is stunning even though you feel like a cliche for saying so. French cuisine varies by region in a way that rewards deliberate exploration. The cheeses of Normandy are different from the pastries of Alsace are different from the seafood of Brittany. I ate a croissant in a tiny bakery in Lyon at 7 AM that I still think about three years later.
Canada
Canada does not get the respect it deserves as a travel destination. Banff and Jasper in the Rockies have mountain scenery that rivals anything in Switzerland. The northern territories have Arctic landscapes that feel like another planet. And the cities — Toronto is wildly multicultural, Montreal is the closest you get to Europe without crossing an ocean, Vancouver is gorgeous with mountains and ocean in the same frame.
I am apparently someone who plans trips around food markets, and both Montreal and Toronto deliver on that front. Canada is also the best country I have visited for outdoor activities across all seasons. Hiking and fishing in summer, skiing and snowboarding in winter, and the national parks are world-class year-round. The people are genuinely friendly in a way that does not feel forced, which matters more than you think after a long travel day.
So Which One
If you want history and food, go to Italy. If you want cultural immersion and precision, go to Japan. If you want nature and adventure, go to New Zealand. If you want culture and cuisine with regional variety, go to France. If you want wilderness and friendly cities, go to Canada. There is no wrong answer here, only different answers for different travelers. Pick the one that matches what you need right now and save the others for later. You will get to all of them eventually.
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