CNN Travel’s 20 Best Places to Visit in 2020

(CNN) — Whether you want to relax on a remote island off the coast of Africa, ride Germany’s coolest trains or spot howling monkeys in South America, there is much to explore heading into a new decade in 2020.
Japan will be hosting the Summer Olympics, Jamaica will be marking the late Bob Marley’s 75th birthday, and Washington will be on pins and needles for much of the year preparing for the US presidential election.
But the world is clearly in upheaval. As CNN Travel editors gathered to nominate some of their favorite places for their annual list, AND 2 of our favorite destinations at the Baltic Sea are included in their top picks!

Come and see us in Tallinn, Estonia and Copenhagen, Denmark in 2020 with Nordic Experience

A safe way and enjoyable way to tour, is with a local guide full of passion, spark, knowledge and enthusiasm, and oh boy do we have the fantastic guides for you at Nordic Experience. We have built an incredibly close network of brilliant people, who are ready to take on the world, once it´s back on it´s feet.

Estonia, book your private tour in Tallinn, Estonia here: Tallinn Tours

Don't be surprised if you hear more about Northern European country's bustling food scene in the new year.

 

Don’t be surprised if you hear more about Northern European country’s bustling food scene in the new year. Courtesy of Visit Estonia

While Estonia may not yet be synonymous worldwide with haute cuisine, this Nordic-like country in Northern Europe can hold its own.

Don’t be surprised if you hear more about its bustling food scene in 2020. Most notable is the Bocuse d’Or Europe, a live cooking contest that pays homage to the late French chef Paul Bocuse, happening in late May. Estonia has participated in the culinary show for a decade, but this is the first time the country will play host to it.

With more than 100 restaurants on the White Nordic Guide (a restaurant guide featuring the best of the best in Nordic and Baltic countries), Estonia’s allegiance to homegrown and homemade is evident in such Tallinn restaurants as O, a fine dining spot with a Nordic-nature inspired menu.

 

20 beautiful European cities with hardly any tourists

In spite of a thriving and growing food and drink scene, Estonia is, perhaps, better known for its beauty and natural, wide-open spaces. Outdoor enthusiasts could plan an entire trip around Estonia’s comprehensive bog network. Since the country is relatively small (about the size of New York state) with a small population, it makes for seamless, uncrowded and affordable explorations. All camping facilities, for example, are free!

Add a smattering of spas, a bevy of castles and ancient, silent forests, and it’s not hard to see why Estonia is on the rise.

 

Don’t miss: No matter which part of town visitors stay in, Tallinn’s Old Town is worth a wander. –– Stacey Lastoe

To see the best of old town book our Tallinn Old Town Walking Tour.

 

Book your private tour in Copenhagen, Denmark here: Copenhagen Tours