10 Cities Calling Your Name in 2026 (With Trails, Views, and Really Good Food)

Colca Canyon, Peru

10 Cities Calling Your Name in 2025 (With Trails, Views, and Really Good Food)

Okay, so we've been thinking about this a lot—what makes a destination feel truly worth the journey? And we keep coming back to the same thing: it's the combination of movement and nourishment. The trails that make your legs burn in the best way, followed by meals that make you close your eyes and just... appreciate.

These ten cities have that magic. They're places where you can hike in the morning and eat phenomenally well by evening. Where the landscapes challenge you and the food rewards you. Where honestly? You might just fall a little bit in love.

1. Cape Town, South Africa

Let us start here because Cape Town might be the most stunning city-meets-mountain combo we can think of. Table Mountain looms over everything, and hiking up it (or taking the cable car down after hiking, no judgment) gives you views that make you understand why people move continents for this place.

But then there are the coastal trails—Lions Head at sunrise, the Pipe Track with ocean views that won't quit, the whole Chapman's Peak situation. You could spend weeks just hiking different routes.

And the food? Cape Town is having this incredible culinary moment. The wine lands are right there, so you're getting world-class pairings. The seafood is absurdly fresh. Plus there's this beautiful fusion of cultures that shows up on every menu—Cape Malay spices, traditional braais, innovative fine dining. The Test Kitchen consistently ranks among the world's best restaurants, but honestly, even the neighborhood spots will surprise you.

Trail to Table: Hike Platteklip Gorge up Table Mountain, then head to Kloof Street for everything from Ethiopian food to French bistros.

2. Ljubljana, Slovenia

This one's our sleeper pick—the city nobody talks about enough but probably should.

Ljubljana is this compact, walkable city with a castle on a hill (which you should absolutely hike up to, the views over the old town are chef's kiss). But the real hiking magic happens just outside the city. You're close to the Julian Alps, Lake Bled is an easy day trip, and Triglav National Park is right there.

The food scene is quietly exceptional. Slovenia doesn't get the culinary credit it deserves, but they're doing amazing things with local ingredients. Lots of farm-to-table before that became a buzzword everywhere else. The wine is underrated. And the whole dining culture is just... relaxed and welcoming in a way that makes you want to linger.

Trail to Table: Day hike around Lake Bled, then head over to Oštarija Peglez'n for a delicious meal.

3. Arequipa, Peru

So here's the thing about Arequipa—it sits at 7,660 feet, nestled between three volcanoes, and somehow people casually mention "oh yeah, we might hike El Misti this weekend" like it's a normal thing to summit a 19,000-foot volcano before lunch.

The city itself is stunning—this white volcanic stone everywhere earns it the nickname "White City." But the hiking? Colca Canyon is right there, one of the deepest canyons in the world, and twice as deep as the Grand Canyon. You can watch condors soar at sunrise, then hike down into the canyon and back up (your legs will have opinions about this, but it's worth it).

And Peruvian food in Arequipa hits differently than in Lima or Cusco. There's rocoto relleno—these stuffed peppers that will make you reconsider what you thought you knew about spice. Chupe de camarones, a shrimp chowder that's pure comfort. The picanterías serve traditional dishes perfected over generations. Plus, you're in the middle of pisco country, so... there's that.

The altitude will get you at first (we're not going to lie about this), but once you adjust? The combination of volcanic landscapes and incredible food makes Arequipa feel like a secret that only people in the know talk about.

Trail to Table: Hike the Colca Canyon rim trail for condor views, then return to the city for rocoto relleno and local pisco at a traditional picantería.

Innsbruck, Austria

4. Innsbruck, Austria

Innsbruck sits in a valley completely surrounded by mountains, which means you can literally ski in the morning and be eating schnitzel in a medieval old town by afternoon. In summer and fall, the hiking is phenomenal—cable cars take you up to high-altitude trails, or you can start from the city and just walk into the Alps.

The Nordkette range is right there. You can hike the Zirbenweg (Stone Pine Trail) with panoramic views, or go higher to the glaciers. It's ridiculously accessible hiking for such dramatic alpine terrain.

Austrian food is comfort incarnate. We're talking proper dumplings, spätzle, all the pastries, incredible coffee culture. The wine bars serve local varieties most people have never heard of. And the whole Alpine-meets-urban food scene means you get both rustic mountain huts and refined city restaurants.

Trail to Table: Ride the Nordkettenbahn up, hike the ridge trails, then head to the old town for apfelstrudel and Tyrolean wine.

5. Reykjavik, Iceland

Reykjavik itself is small, but it's surrounded by hiking that feels genuinely otherworldly. Volcanic landscapes, geothermal areas, waterfalls, glaciers—Iceland's hiking is unlike anywhere else.

Mount Esja is right outside the city and offers trails for every level. Then there's the whole Golden Circle with Thingvellir National Park (tectonic plates! rift valleys!). You can day-trip to glacier hikes or multi-day treks in the Highlands.

The food scene has evolved dramatically. Yes, there's fermented shark and puffin if you want the novelty, but Reykjavik's restaurants are doing beautiful things with seafood, lamb, and foraged ingredients. The New Nordic influence is strong here. Plus the hot dog stands are legendarily good, which feels important to mention.

Trail to Table: Hike Reykjadalur hot spring trail (swim in the warm river!), then warm up with fresh catch at one of the harbor restaurants.

Cabrales Cheese, Picos de Europa, Spain

6. Picos de Europa, Spain

Okay, so the Picos de Europa isn't a single city—it's a mountain range straddling Asturias, Cantabria, and León—but we're including it because the hiking here is absolutely spectacular and somehow still flies under the radar compared to the Pyrenees or the Alps.

The jagged limestone peaks are dramatic and accessible. You can base yourself in charming villages like Cangas de Onís or Potes and day-hike to places like the Lakes of Covadonga, the Cares Gorge (a trail carved into cliffsides that'll make your heart race), or up to mountain refugios with views that rival anything in Europe.

And the food? This is northern Spain, so we're talking about serious culinary territory. Asturian cider poured from dramatic heights. Cabrales cheese aged in caves. Fabada asturiana that'll restore you after any hike. Fresh seafood from the nearby coast. The whole region celebrates food with the kind of enthusiasm that makes every meal feel like an event.

The best part? You get dramatic mountain hiking without the Alpine price tag or crowds, and you end each day with some of Spain's best regional cuisine.

Trail to Table: Hike the Ruta del Cares gorge trail, then feast on Cabrales cheese and cider in a traditional sidrería.

Vancouver, Canada

7. Vancouver, Canada

Vancouver might be the most outdoorsy major city we know. Mountains on one side, ocean on the other, trails literally everywhere. The North Shore mountains offer everything from the Grouse Grind (nicknamed "Nature's Stairmaster" for good reason) to gentler forest trails.

Then there are the coastal walks—the Seawall, Lighthouse Park, the trails around Deep Cove. You can kayak, hike, and bike all in one day if you're feeling ambitious.

The food scene is phenomenal and incredibly diverse. Outstanding Asian cuisine (some of the best outside Asia, honestly). Fresh seafood everywhere. Farm-to-table restaurants showcasing BC ingredients. The coffee culture is strong. And if you love wine, the Okanagan Valley is close enough for weekend trips.

Trail to Table: Hike the Baden Powell Trail section through Lynn Canyon, then head to the city for dim sum or fresh sushi.

8. Bergen, Norway

Bergen is rain-soaked and beautiful and surrounded by seven mountains, which locals apparently just casually hike up on weekends. Mount Fløyen and Mount Ulriken have trails (and funiculars for the descent if needed), with views over the fjords that are... listen, it's Norway. The views are almost unfairly gorgeous.

But the real hiking happens in the surrounding fjord country—day trips to Trolltunga, Preikestolen, or just random trails through landscapes that look like Middle Earth.

The food leans heavily on seafood (you're on the coast, it's fresh and incredible), but Bergen also has a growing restaurant scene focused on New Nordic cuisine. The fish market is touristy but genuinely worth it. And Norwegian waffles with brown cheese? Unexpected delight.

Trail to Table: Hike Mount Fløyen at sunset, then dine on fresh salmon and local berries downtown.

9. Queenstown, New Zealand

Queenstown calls itself the "Adventure Capital of the World," and while that's marketing, it's not wrong. The hiking around here ranges from lakeside walks to serious alpine routes. The Routeburn Track, the Ben Lomond summit, the Queenstown Hill time walk—there's something for every fitness level.

And you're on the South Island, which means you're surrounded by some of Earth's most dramatic landscapes. Milford Sound is a day trip. Mount Cook is accessible. The whole region is basically a hiking paradise.

The food scene punches above its weight for a town this size. Excellent lamb (obviously), amazing wine from Central Otago (the pinot noir!), and restaurants that understand both high-end dining and casual excellence. Plus the café culture is strong—New Zealanders take their coffee seriously.

Trail to Table: Hike the Queenstown Hill Time Walk for panoramic views, then feast on local lamb and Otago pinot noir.

10. Medellín, Colombia

Okay, hear us out on this one. Medellín has transformed itself dramatically, and while it's known for its innovative urban planning, the hiking around here is genuinely special.

The city sits in a valley with mountains on all sides. Cerro Nutibara offers views from within the city. But venture slightly outside and you've got Arví Park with cloud forest trails, the hike to El Peñol (those stairs up the rock are brutal but worth it), and coffee region hikes nearby.

And Colombian food? So much more than coffee and arepas (though both are excellent). The bandeja paisa will fuel any hike. The fruit you've never heard of. The emerging fine dining scene that's celebrating Colombian ingredients. Medellín's food culture is vibrant and evolving and deserves more international attention.

Trail to Table: Hike in Arví Park's cloud forests, then return to El Poblado for innovative Colombian cuisine and local craft beer.

So there you have it—ten cities where your legs can carry you up mountains and your taste buds can experience something memorable. Places where the journey and the meal feel equally important.

We think what ties these destinations together isn't just the hiking and food (though that helps). It's that they're places where you can feel genuinely alive—where physical challenge meets sensory pleasure, where the landscapes humble you and the meals restore you.

And maybe that's what 2025 should be about? Finding places that remind us we're capable of more than we think, then celebrating that realization over really good food.

The mountains are waiting. So are the meals. Go find both.