New York Times reveals which 52 places to visit around the world in 2022

A prestigious annual list has revealed the top 50 destinations to visit in 2022 – and two surprise Aussie locations made the cut.

The world is pretty big place, which is why any kind of list that narrows down the best places to visit is a welcome read.

As one of the most prestigious travel lists in the world – the annual New York Times ‘52 Best Places to Travel’ countdown is always packed full of locations you may never have dreamt of – or others that have slipped and stayed on your bucket list.

This year, the publication selected locations that highlight places around the globe where travellers can be part of the solution.

“Our annual list of destinations to visit this year looks at spots where visitors can be part of the solution to problems like overtourism and climate change,” wrote The New York Times.

So from Canada to the Caribbean, where in the world should we be heading in 2022?

Start brushing up on your Italian, because at the top of the list is the seaside town south of Venice known as Chioggia.

Canal Vena bordered by historic buildings in the old town of Chioggia, a coastal town situated on a small island at the southern entrance to the Lagoon of Venice.

“Built on a cluster of islands in the Venetian lagoon, with centuries-old buildings rising from the canals in all their decadent glory, Chioggia is called “piccola Venezia,” or little Venice,”: the NYP wrote.

“Venice is so worried about being overwhelmed once again after the pandemic that it is planning to resort to surveillance cameras and cellphone data to control the crowds; visiting other culturally rich places like Chioggia can help relieve the pressure.

“During a time of increased awareness of overtourism, this miniature Venice is a delightful alternative for travellers looking for a lesser-known destination.”

Queens, New York, USA view with the Queensboro Bridge towards Manhattan at dusk.

Rounding out the top three, Queens scored bronze position for the city’s delectable assortment of “home cooking” – so make sure you visit with a loose belt.

“There’s probably nowhere else in the world where you can sample the home cooking of more than 150 different countries within such a compact space,” says the restaurant critic Robert Sietsema for the publication.

“The Queens restaurant industry was slammed by Covid-19, but now it’s recovering because we’re a borough of family-centred communities where the restaurants take care of their own,” Jonathan Forgash added, a chef and borough resident who founded Queens Together, a non-profit, in March 2020.

Summerland Beach has been named by the New York Times as one of the top 50 places in the world to visit in 2022.

It’s no surprise the Daintree came in at number 52 around the world.

A little closer to home, two Aussie destinations crept into the top 52 – with the Summerland Peninsula on Phillip Island coming in at 24 and the Daintree Rainforest rounding out the list in the 52nd position.

For Phillip Island, the obvious drawer card is the cluster of tiny penguins that emerge from the surf, waddling up toward nests that dot the beach.

Dubbed as the penguin parade, the cute moment has gained popularity since the 1920s with spectators keen to see the world’s smallest penguin breed. Currently, the penguin population now sits at around 35,000 breeding-aged birds, up from 12,000 in the 1980s.

For the full list, click here