Top travel tunes for your next adventure

Winter wanderlust in full swing? Me too. The post-holiday season is the perfect time to reflect on the past year—where you’ve been, what you’ve seen, what you’ve heard, tasted, experienced, and learned, and to start dreaming about where you plan to go from here. Maybe you need a winter escape to get you beachside for some serious reflection, or maybe your New Year’s Resolution is to travel more?

I’ve compiled a list of my top three winter destinations to help inspire your travel planning. Destinations are accompanied by the top tunes streamed in that country this week so you can get started with downloading the ultimate international playlist for your winter travels (thanks, Spotify!). What better way to start getting acquainted with a city and its culture than tuning into their top jams? You might just pick up some helpful phrases in the local language, too (but don’t worry, we can help with that)!

Top winter travel destinations:

Playa Tamarindo, Costa Rica

If the winter chill is getting you down, escape to the beautiful beaches of Tamarindo! Costa Rica boasts the “best climate in the world” year-round, but winter months in the northern hemisphere are particularly gorgeous in the Central American country. December- February are the peak months for sea turtle nesting, so if you play your cards right, you might get lucky and see cute baby turtle hatchlings struggling out of the sand to make their way down to the surf while you’re there. Or get in the water yourself! The best months for surfing on the western coast of Costa Rica are January through April.

Costa Rica’s top tunes –

1. Déjala Que Vuelva (feat. Manuel Turizo) by Piso 21

2. Quiero Repetir by OzunaSensualidad by Bad Bunny

3. Sensualidad by Bad Bunny

Malaga, Spain

Some of the cheapest flights to Spain can be found during winter months to the south of the country. If you’re the outdoorsy type but beach bumming isn’t your thing, give Malaga a shot in December through March. Temperatures range from high 40’s to 60’s—beach weather for some, probably not for most. Instead of sunbathing try horseback riding, boating, or hiking through one of the five national parks in the region. A trip to Malaga is the perfect way to treat yourself (and a friend!) — with a relaxing afternoon at the Turkish baths, Hammam followed by an afternoon at the Picasso Museum, stopping for some chocolate churros and café along the way. The only question is will you or your friend get more likes on that scrumptious Insta post of your churros?

Spain’s top tunes –

1. Échame La Culpa by Luis Fonsi

2. EL BAÑO by Enrique Iglesias

3. Corazón by Maluma

Rome, Italy

Rome is always a good idea. The first time I visited Rome was in the middle of December and I’ve been spoiled ever since. It’s definitely more of a low season for tourists in winter and so much easier to take in the gorgeous city. The horror stories you may have heard about waiting in line for hours and hours at tourist attractions, only to be squeezed in, sardine-style as you try to take in the ancient wonders are just not a thing this time of year. Compared to the summer crowds, you’ll breeze right into the Sistine Chapel and can take all the time (and space) you need to take in its beauty. And the food, though. No matter what your dietary preference, Rome has food for you and amazing food at that. Winter is artichoke season and if you haven’t tried artichokes prepared Roman style, you are probably not living your best life. During winter, on the first Sunday of every month, archaeological sites and museums in Rome are all free to the public. The Vatican Museum is open on the last Sunday of every month, too (normally closed on Sundays) and also free!

Italy’s top tunes –

1. Cupido (feat. Quavo)by Sfera Ebbasta

2. Cara Italiaby Ghali

3. Sciroppo (feat. DrefGold)by Sfera Ebbasta

Photo by Juja Han on Unsplash