What I Wish for Travel in 2026

As the year comes to an end, I feel the need to pause — not to plan more routes or new itineraries, but to reflect on how we choose to travel.

Over the years, I’ve watched travel become faster and more compressed. More places, less time. More photos, fewer memories. And somewhere along the way, intention started to disappear.

For 2026, my wish is simple: to travel intentionally.

Travel that begins with curiosity rather than urgency. Travel where the question isn’t “how much can I see?” but “how deeply can I experience this place?”. Travel that respects where we are and the people who live there.

Intentional travel means choosing depth over volume. It means staying longer, walking more, listening more. It means leaving space in the day for conversations, for pauses, for moments that aren’t planned — and often become the most meaningful.

Portugal, especially, is ideal for this kind of travel. It’s a country that reveals itself slowly. In the rhythm of daily life, in small rituals, in the way stories are told over a coffee or a glass of wine. These things don’t show up on a checklist. They need time.

For 2026, I hope travellers choose:

• fewer places, experienced with care

• connection over consumption

• understanding over rushing

• journeys that feel personal, not packaged

  
  

I also wish for travel that feels more human. Less pressure to capture everything, more freedom to simply be present. Less performance, more authenticity.

This is how I design my journeys at Portugal Journeys With Peppe. Not to show everything, but to help people feel where they are. To leave with stories, not just photos. which I love to take by the way!

As we look ahead to 2026, I hope that travel becomes a bit slower but packed with emotions, more conscious, and more memories.

The journeys we remember most happily aren't the most hectic; they're the ones that stay with us long after we've come back home.

Happy 2026 everyone, I'll be here waiting for you.

Peppe.