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Best places for a first trip abroad

Somewhere that rewards a first trip rather than testing it: easy to get around, hard to get truly lost, and forgiving when the plan falls apart on day two.

How these were picked

  • Straightforward transit from the airport
  • Enough English signage to navigate without stress
  • A compact core, so a wrong turn costs minutes not hours

The picks

01
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Lisbon
Portugal

Tiled hills, cheap seafood, and the best sunset spots in Western Europe.

Stay: 3–5 days, or 5–7 with Sintra and the coastGo: March to May, and September to October
Full Lisbon guide →|3-day itinerary →
02TokyoJapan

The most rewarding big city on earth for people who like to wander.

Stay: 5–7 days, or 10 with a Kyoto legGo: Late March to early April, and October to November
Full Tokyo guide →|3-day itinerary →
03BarcelonaSpain

A beach, a mountain and Gaudí, all reachable on foot from a single apartment.

Stay: 4–5 daysGo: May to June, and September to early October
Full Barcelona guide →|3-day itinerary →
04RomeItaly

Three thousand years of layers, and the best carbonara within a mile of anywhere.

Stay: 3–4 daysGo: April to May, and late September to October
Full Rome guide →|3-day itinerary →
05ParisFrance

Better on the second visit, when you stop trying to see everything.

Stay: 4–5 daysGo: April to June, and September to October
Full Paris guide →|3-day itinerary →
06AmsterdamNetherlands

A city best seen from a bike, once you get out of the centre.

Stay: 3 daysGo: April to May, and September
Full Amsterdam guide →|3-day itinerary →
07New York CityUnited States

Pick two neighbourhoods a day and stop trying to do the rest.

Stay: 4–5 daysGo: Late April to June, and September to October
Full New York City guide →|3-day itinerary →
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