This month on Unpacked, we're diving into Afar's just-released Where to Go list—but this year's picks are different. In 2026, we want to lessen the burden on overtouristed destinations and expand visitation to other parts of the world. Our editors carefully selected 24 emerging regions and overlooked locales that will inspire your next great adventure.

For Sweden, that means skipping Stockholm and heading instead to the Stockholm Archipelago—a series of 24,000 islands about the size of Connecticut. It's home to a new 170-mile-long hiking path network launched in October 2024.

In this episode, host Aislyn Greene talks with Katherine LaGrave, Afar's executive editor and host of our Unpacked: Five Questions series. This past summer, Katherine and her cousin spent a week hiking through pine and oak forests, island-hopping by ferry, eating post-hike Swedish meatballs, and sweating in saunas along the archipelago—covering about 62 miles across seven islands.

Plan Your Stockholm Archipelago Trip

Getting There & Around

•       The archipelago is easily accessible from Stockholm via a well-connected ferry system

•       Boat taxis are available for more direct island-to-island transport

•       On the islands, get around by foot or bike—rentals are available

•       Use the Stockholm Archipelago Trail app for offline maps and trail navigation

Where to Stay

•       Grinda Wärdshus—stay at the historic home, once the summer residence of the director of the Nobel Prize Committee

•       Ingmarsö—a farmhouse B&B with private garden access

•       Waxholms Hotell—a newly restored in Vaxholm, the island's capital

•       Thanks to Sweden's Right to Roam laws, you can camp almost anywhere for one night (with stricter rules in nature reserves)

Listen to All Our Where to Go in 2026 Episodes

E1: This Island in the Bahamas Promises Pink Sand, Historic Hideaways, and Perfect Solitude

E2: Why Peru's Second City Might Be Its Best-Kept Secret

Resources

•       Read Katherine's full story and explore all 24 destinations on our Where to Go in 2026 list

•       Learn more about sauna culture in the Midwest (and why there's a right and a wrong way to say it...)

•       Follow us on Instagram: @afarmedia

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