The 10 best travel experiences of 2018

From market visits and cooking classes in Florence to a guided climb atop the Sydney Harbour Bridge in Australia, TripAdvisor has compiled an inaugural ranking of top travel experiences around the world.

For their first Travellers’ Choice awards for Experiences, TripAdvisor used an algorithm that took into account a business’s reviews, opinions and popularity with travelers over the last year.

Overall, 345 bookable experiences, tours, and activities from their website made the cut, including everything from cruises and day trips to food, beer and wine experiences.

With a five out of five bubble rating from its 1 458 reviews, Walkabout Florence Tours scored the top spot on the international list for its local market tour in Florence and cooking class.

After their shopping trip to the local market, guests take a minibus to a Tuscan farmhouse where they cook a multicourse meal that includes bruschetta, roast pork and tiramisu.

Bruschetta. Picture: iStock

A bike tour around Berlin and a full-day sightseeing tour of New York round out the top three global experiences.

The inaugural ranking of top activities and experiences from TripAdvisor comes as rival Airbnb continues its push to position itself as a full-service, online travel agency.

The short-term vacation rental site has aggressively expanded its Trips and Experiences services, in which travellers can sign up for guided tours and activities hosted by local guides.

TripAdvisor has also broken down top experiences by country and category to facilitate travel planning.

Here are the top 10 experiences around the world in 2018:

1. Cooking Class and Lunch at a Tuscan Farmhouse with Local Market Tour from Florence – Florence, Italy

2. Berlin Bike Tour – Berlin, Germany

3. New York in One Day Guided Sightseeing Tour – New York City, New York

New York City

4. Sydney BridgeClimb – Sydney, Australia

5. Vatican VIP Experience: Exclusive Breakfast at the Vatican with Early Access to Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel – Rome, Italy

6. New Orleans Cooking Class – New Orleans, Louisiana

Jambalaya

7. Rotorua Maori Hangi Dinner and Performance – Rotorua, New Zealand

8. Best of Niagara Falls Tour from Niagara Falls, Ontario – Niagara Falls, Canada

9. Vancouver to Victoria and Butchart Gardens Tour by Bus – Vancouver, Canada

10. Wild Wicklow Tour including Glendalough from Dublin – Dublin, Ireland

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.