Five destinations that have led travel demand for years, counted down from No. 5 to No. 1, with what to know about getting there, entry requirements, and relocating.
Entry requirements depend on the passport you hold, not the country you're flying from. Before you book, confirm the rules for your nationality with the destination's official government source, and check your own government's travel advisory.
Santorini's whitewashed villages cling to the cliffs of a flooded volcanic caldera, with famous sunsets over Oia, black- and red-sand beaches, crisp Assyrtiko wines, and the Bronze Age ruins of Akrotiri. Visiting in April, May, or October means thinner crowds and lower prices than the peak summer months.
Santorini (Thira) Airport (JTR) has year-round flights from Athens and, in summer, seasonal nonstop flights from many European cities. Ferries and high-speed catamarans run from the Athens-area ports of Piraeus and Rafina and link Santorini with other islands such as Mykonos and Crete. Travelers from outside Europe usually fly into Athens and connect by air or sea.
Arriving by cruise ship? Greece charges each cruise passenger a fee at every port call, and Santorini sits in the highest tier: €20 per person from June through September, with lower rates in spring and autumn. The fee is usually added by the cruise line. Santorini also limits cruise arrivals to 8,000 passengers a day, so some sailings may be rerouted in peak season.
Since April 10, 2026, non-EU travelers register fingerprints and a facial image at their first Schengen border crossing under the new Entry/Exit System, so allow extra time. ETIAS, the EU's new €20 travel authorization for visa-exempt visitors, has no confirmed start date and isn't accepting applications, so avoid any website offering early ETIAS applications. Hotels and rentals across Greece also charge a per-room, per-night Climate Resilience Fee that varies by property type and season.
EU, EEA, and Swiss citizens can live and work in Greece freely. Non-EU remote workers can apply for Greece's Digital Nomad visa, which requires monthly income of about €3,500 from employers or clients outside Greece. People living on pensions or other passive income can look at the Financially Independent Person visa.
Greece's Golden Visa grants renewable residence to non-EU nationals who buy qualifying property. In high-demand areas, including Santorini, the minimum is €800,000, invested in a single property of at least 120 square meters.
London pairs royal landmarks and centuries of history with world-class theater in the West End, food markets like Borough Market, and wide green parks. Many of its major museums, including the British Museum, the National Gallery, and Tate Modern, are free to enter.
London is served by six airports. Heathrow, the largest, has nonstop flights from every inhabited continent and connects to central London on the Elizabeth line. Gatwick, Stansted, Luton, London City, and Southend handle many European and low-cost routes. From continental Europe, Eurostar trains run directly to London St Pancras from Paris, Brussels, and Amsterdam.
The ETA costs £20 per person, including children, since April 8, 2026. It's valid for two years or until your passport expires, whichever comes first, and allows multiple visits of up to six months each. Apply only through the official GOV.UK website or the UK ETA app; approval usually takes minutes, but allow three working days. EU citizens with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme don't need one. The UK isn't part of Schengen, so time in London doesn't count toward your Schengen 90 days.
British and Irish citizens can live and work in the UK freely. Since Brexit, EU citizens without status under the EU Settlement Scheme need a visa to move to the UK, the same as everyone else. The ETA is for visits only and doesn't allow work or long stays.
The main routes include the Skilled Worker visa, which requires a job offer from a licensed UK sponsor; the Global Talent visa for leaders in fields such as science, technology, and the arts; and the Youth Mobility Scheme for young people from participating countries. Most long-term visas also require paying the Immigration Health Surcharge upfront. London's rental market is competitive and among the most expensive in Europe, so budget accordingly.
Paris offers the Louvre, the Musée d'Orsay, and the Eiffel Tower alongside café terraces and neighborhoods like Le Marais and Montmartre, with easy day trips to Versailles, Giverny, and the Loire Valley châteaux. Budget for higher prices at major sites: since January 14, 2026, visitors from outside the EU (European Union), Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway pay €32 at the Louvre instead of €22, and places such as Versailles and Sainte-Chapelle also charge these visitors more.
Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) is one of Europe's largest hubs, with long-haul flights from around the world, and Orly handles many European and domestic routes. Eurostar connects Paris with London, Brussels, and Amsterdam, and France's high-speed TGV network links the city with the rest of France and neighboring countries.
Since April 10, 2026, non-EU travelers register fingerprints and a facial image at their first Schengen border crossing under the new Entry/Exit System, so allow extra time. If you're taking Eurostar from London, French border checks happen at St Pancras before you board. ETIAS, the EU's new €20 travel authorization for visa-exempt visitors, has no confirmed start date and isn't accepting applications, so avoid any website offering early ETIAS applications.
EU, EEA, and Swiss citizens can live and work in France freely. Everyone else needs a long-stay visa matched to their purpose, such as work, study, or family. People who can support themselves without working in France can apply for a long-stay visitor visa. Applications are made through the official France-Visas website.
For skilled professionals, founders, researchers, and investors, the Talent Passport (passeport talent) offers a multi-year residence permit. Most long-stay visas must be validated online within three months of arrival, so keep track of that deadline.
Cancún combines the turquoise Caribbean beaches of its Hotel Zone with reef snorkeling, swimmable cenotes, the ferry to Isla Mujeres, and day trips to Maya sites such as Chichén Itzá, Tulum, and Cobá. The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June through November, and sargassum seaweed can reach the beaches in the warmer months, so factor both into your dates.
Cancún International Airport (CUN) is one of Latin America's busiest airports, with nonstop flights from across North America, Europe, and Latin America. The Tren Maya railway links the Cancún airport area with destinations across the Yucatán Peninsula, including Tulum and Mérida. Travelers from Asia, Africa, and Oceania usually connect through Mexico City, a European hub, or the United States. If you connect through the US, you'll need US transit authorization, such as an ESTA or visa, even if you never leave the airport.
All visitors need an FMM (Forma Migratoria Múltiple) immigration record. At major airports, including Cancún, it's processed digitally, and the fee is usually included in your airfare. Visitors to Quintana Roo, the state that includes Cancún, Tulum, and Playa del Carmen, must also pay the Visitax state tourism fee. Pay it only on the official Visitax website, since lookalike sites charge extra.
To live in Mexico, most people apply for temporary or permanent residency at a Mexican consulate outside Mexico, usually by showing sufficient income or savings. After you arrive, you exchange the visa for a residence card at Mexico's National Migration Institute (INM).
When entering on a residency visa, tell the immigration officer you're completing the exchange (canje) rather than visiting as a tourist, and avoid the automated entry kiosks, since being recorded as a tourist can derail the process.
Rome layers nearly three thousand years of history, from the Colosseum and Roman Forum to the Pantheon, with the Vatican Museums and St. Peter's Basilica next door and relaxed trattorias in neighborhoods like Trastevere. Since February 2, 2026, visitors who aren't Rome residents pay €2 for timed access to the Trevi Fountain's lower basin between 9 a.m. and 10 p.m., while viewing from the piazza above remains free.
Rome Fiumicino (FCO) is Italy's main hub, with long-haul flights from North America, the Middle East, Asia, and Africa, and the Leonardo Express train runs straight to Roma Termini. Ciampino serves many low-cost European flights. Italy's high-speed trains connect Rome with Florence, Naples, Milan, and Venice.
Since April 10, 2026, non-EU travelers register fingerprints and a facial image at their first Schengen border crossing under the new Entry/Exit System, so allow extra time. There's no separate border check to visit Vatican City from Rome. ETIAS, the EU's new €20 travel authorization for visa-exempt visitors, has no confirmed start date and isn't accepting applications, so avoid any website offering early ETIAS applications.
EU, EEA, and Swiss citizens can live and work in Italy freely. Non-EU citizens need a national long-stay visa matched to their purpose. Italy's Digital Nomad visa, launched in April 2024, is for highly qualified remote workers earning about €28,000 a year from sources outside Italy. The Elective Residence visa suits retirees and others living on passive income, but it doesn't allow work, including remote work.
Most work visas require your Italian employer to obtain authorization (nulla osta) first, and many categories are also subject to annual quotas. After arriving on any long-stay visa, you must apply for a residence permit (permesso di soggiorno) within eight working days.
Entry, visa, and residency rules change often. VoyageMais reviews this page regularly, but always confirm current requirements with official government sources before you book or apply.