Travel guide recommendations for Cottbus included in the 'Marco Polo' travel trend book for 2026 - Travel guide suggests Cottbus for 2026 trips, listed in the "Marco Polo" trendbook
In the upcoming year, travel enthusiasts in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland have much to look forward to, as the "Marco Polo Trend Guide 2026" unveils a diverse array of destinations and activities. This comprehensive guide, featuring 40 selections worldwide, highlights undiscovered landscapes, new luster, fresh perspectives on the familiar, sustainability, and exciting events.
One of the standout recommendations is the city of Ulm, known for its minster with the world's tallest church tower, and a strong research landscape, ideal conditions for start-ups, and a reputation as a "hotspot for bright minds."
The Zittau Mountains, a mini-mid-mountain range in the southeastern corner of Saxony, are promoted as an enchanted fairy-tale landscape, still relatively unknown to many. The steam railway running daily between Zittau and Oybin in the Zittau Mountains is a notable attraction, offering a glimpse into the region's rich history.
The Zittau Mountains Nature Park, located at the tripoint of Germany, Czechia, and Poland, offers stunning panoramic views and a cultural landscape without long wait times, making it an ideal destination for those seeking a more tranquil travel experience.
Set-jetting, or fans wanting to see filming locations, is a major trend identified in the "Marco Polo Trend Guide 2026." Moritzburg Castle near Dresden, featured in the film "Three Hazelnuts for Cinderella," is one such destination.
Cottbus' Ostsee, an artificially created lake by flooding an open-pit mine with Spreewater, is set to become the largest artificially created lake in Germany. With a maritime-style city quarter featuring beaches, boat moorings, and cycling and jogging trails, it promises to be a popular summer destination.
The Ostsee Fjord, along the Schlei, offers picturesque and invigorating landscapes for weary city dwellers, with small manor houses, thatched-roof houses, and beaches. The Schlei has also improved mobility in rural areas through the "Smile24" model project, making it possible to have a car-free vacation.
The "Marco Polo" Trend Guide 2026 also recommends the cities of Cottbus, Regensburg, Salzburg, Basel, and the regions of the Ostsee (Cottbus' artificially created lake), Schlei (a fjord-like body of water in Schleswig-Holstein), and the Zittau Mountains.
In Tyrol, Ellmau at the Wilder Kaiser is a film village noted for the film "The Mountain Doctor." Another unique destination is Bergstraße-Odenwald, a geopark spanning across Hesse, Baden-Württemberg, and Bavaria, where 500 million years of Earth's history can be experienced in a small space.
Lastly, the Kyffhäuser, a geopark in Thuringia and Saxony-Anhalt, offers a landscape of contrasts with steep gypsum cliffs, salt springs, karst springs, and deep caves like the Barbarossa cave.
The selection of trends for the "Marco Polo Trend Guide 2026" was made by a jury consisting of futurologist Anja Kirig, travel guide author Jens Bey, editor Jan Düker, tourism consultant Martin Petrich, Professor Harald Zeiss (Harz University in Wernigerode; expert for sustainable tourism), and MairDumont publisher Stephanie Mair-Huydts.
In addition to these destinations, the guide also highlights the trend of "Coolcation," where travelers explore Europe's corners that don't heat up as much during summer due to climate change, with recommended destinations including the High Tatras (Slovakia), the Faroe Islands (Denmark), or the Wicklow Mountains (Ireland).
As the travel industry continues to evolve, the "Marco Polo Trend Guide 2026" provides valuable insights into the upcoming year's most exciting destinations and activities, ensuring that adventurous spirits will have plenty to explore.
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