The best trips of 2025 according to the Sun Travel experts
WE’VE had a corker of a year, travelling far and wide to hunt the best bargain getaways, newest spine-tingling attractions and hottest resorts to share with you, our wonderful readers.
From a behind-the-scenes look at the first new theme park to open in Orlando in 25 years, to discovering secret speakeasys on board the world’s largest cruise ship, here are The Sun Travel’s top trips from 2025.
EPIC UNIVERSE, FLORIDA
Lisa Minot, Head Of Travel
UNIVERSAL’S hugely anticipated third theme park opened this year and I was among the very first to get a sneak peek.
I can definitely say the reality surpassed my high expectations. The attention to detail, sheer scale and truly immersive nature of the five new “worlds” that make up the £7billion park are astonishing.
From the breathtaking recreation of 1920s Paris in the Wizarding World Of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic, to the technicolour dreamscape of Super Nintendo World, there is something for every age and interest.
Families with younger kids will love How To Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk, a whimsical recreation of the movie franchise’s Viking village, complete with colourful longboats.
And thrill-seekers will enjoy Dark Universe with its Monsters Unchained and Curse Of The Werewolf attractions as well as the Stardust Racers dual-launch coaster in Celestial Park.
In 2025, visitors were restricted to one-day tickets to the new park, to manage capacity and give as many people the chance to visit as possible.
But from next year, Epic will be included on 14-day multi-park tickets, meaning you can pop in and out as many times as you like.
BAHAMAS CRUISE
Sophie Swietochowski, Assistant Travel Editor
IT has been my year for cruising, from sampling a knock-out cheese souffle on board Oceania’s new Allura to sipping frozen margaritas on the glossy sun deck of Princess Cruises’ Sun Princess.
However, none of these ships were as mindboggling as Star Of The Seas. Royal Caribbean’s newest colourful giant shares its title of “largest cruise ship in the world” with sister ship, Icon Of The Seas.
You need a whole week at sea to sample all the non-stop activities and to sink a beer or cocktail in every one of the 19 or so bars (save room for a punchy boulevardier from the coffee-themed Rye & Bean).
Much of what is on board has already been seen on Icon, including the thrill ride Crown’s Edge that sends passengers free-falling towards the ocean, their plummets saved by a harness as they dangle from the edge of the 16th deck.
What’s unique to Star, though, is the Lincoln Park Supper Club, an all-singing immersive dining experience that takes passengers back to the jazz boom of Chicago in the roaring Twenties.
It is costly for speciality dining but, my word, you’ll be well fed and watered. If you like martinis, you won’t regret booking this.
OSEA ISLAND, ESSEX
Caroline McGuire, Head of Travel (Digital)
PICTURE a private island with two outdoor pools, white clapboard houses and a huge sandy beach and you are more likely to be imagining somewhere exotic in the Caribbean than Essex.
But Osea is a private island linked to the mainland by a causeway you can only drive over for a few hours every day – which means you are marooned for most of the day and night.
Osea has several houses available to rent, from one-bedroom studios to 12-bedroom mansions, the largest featuring a recording studio that has been used by everyone from Stormzy to Rihanna.
It also has a tiny pub, a yoga studio, a bar and a huge event space where people can hold parties for up to 200 people.
I was there for a friend’s 50th and we spent a glorious 48 hours swimming in the sea, going on walks, eating, drinking and generally considering ourselves incredibly lucky to be in such a magical place.
You can only go to Osea if you are booked to stay in one of the properties but they are available to the public, with rooms from £60pp a night.
INDIA
Kara Godfrey, Deputy Travel Editor
INDIA has long been on my wish list to travel to, but as a young woman, I was always extremely wary.
However, Intrepid’s Women Expeditions meant I could tick off all of the top bucket list attractions while staying safe with a local female guide.
So I could visit the famous pink palace of Jaipur, and the stunning Taj Mahal in Agra.
But it also meant we got to experience this vast country like a local, meeting female rickshaw drivers and staying at the rustic Chandelao Garh – a 17th century former fort which is now a hotel with 20 rooms.
And, with Virgin Atlantic launching more flights to India in the New Year, it’ll be easier to get there than ever before.
SARDINIA
Cyann Fielding, Travel Reporter
ITALY is full of stunning, historic cities and hidden gems, but one island destination, thought to be a top spot to visit in 2026, offers a serene escape in the Mediterranean Ocean.
Sardinia is closer to Africa than mainland Italy, so boasts warming breezes and the smell of olive trees in the air.
If I am heading to a hot country, I prefer to be somewhere where everything I could want is at my fingertips – and Hilton’s Conrad Chia Laguna Resort achieves this.
Many of its stylish, sprawling rooms have small private gardens looking out to Chia Beach, surrounded by cream-coloured limestone.
The Conrad also has relaxing pools ideal for a refreshing dip before stretching out on one of the sun loungers.
For a touch of indulgence, the spa has a circuit of saunas, hot tubs and steam rooms ideal for a rejuvenation session.
The plush Hilton resort is just an hour from Cagliari – the island’s vibrant capital – which boasts a rich history and is the ideal spot for a day trip.
Return flights with British Airways in January start from a bargain £35 per person.
FINLAND
Alice Penwill, Travel Reporter
I’VE always been a fan of a hot holiday and since I live in the UK, who can really blame me?
But after heading to Finland for a winter adventure, I now think chilly getaways could be the way forward.
After a variety of activities from hiking through a snowy blueberry farm in outer Jyväskylä to taking a dip in a frozen lake in the city of Tampere – after a hot sauna, of course – I came to appreciate and love the cold.
One of the most special nights was at Revontuli Lakeland Village, in Hankasalmi, Jyväskylä Region, where I was able to get all cosy and enjoy a beautiful snow-scape from the comfort of a pretty igloo.