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Where to Travel in 2023, According to Your Sign
From an adventure on the water for Pisces, to a bustling arts hub for Leo, we share the best 2023 travel destinations for every zodiac sign.
BY KIRAH TABOURN
December 23, 2022
Conde Nast Traveler
We love to look to our astrological charts when it comes to travel planning, and the stars align on a few themes in every sign's horoscope for 2023: It's going to be an exciting year for travel, with all signs seeing some form of revived hope, invitations to create new patterns, and heightened interests in exploring new ways of living. What better than a well-planned trip to embody all of the above?
As you look ahead at how-and why-you plan to travel in 2023 based on your zodiac sign, it may be hard to decide which destination is best suited to you and the astrological weather to come. We have good news. Pulling from Condé Nast Traveler's list of The Best Places to Go in 2023, we've selected the ideal destination for each sign's wants, desires, and cravings in the year ahead. From an adventure on the water for Pisces, to a bustling city for Leo, we share the best places to go in 2023 according to your sign-plus, when to travel (and even the best time to make your bookings).
[Astrologer's note: For the most comprehensive result, read the answer for both your sun sign (the sign determined by your birthday), and your rising, or ascendant, sign (determined using your birth time and location; you can quickly find your rising sign online here in less than 30 seconds).]
For Aries an extremely curious traveler who loves trying new things Kenya has plenty to offer.
Aries: Kenya
You're always ready for a true adventure, and you're willing to travel great lengths for a once-in-a-lifetime trip. Culture shock never really seems to shake you much, as you truly enjoy immersing yourself in new places. When exploring, you're also extremely curious, you want to learn as much as possible, and you love trying new things. It should be no surprise, then, that Kenya is the perfect travel destination for you in 2023. It has it a little bit of everything: dazzling city hotspots, beautiful island stays, incredible and unique restaurants, and of course, safari.
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Here's where to go when everyone else is at Giraffe Manor.
Let's talk timing. The first half of the year is an exciting time for you as Jupiter, the planet of expansion, wisdom, faith, and opportunity, will be in Aries until May 16, which brings travel and the expansion of horizons straight to the forefront of your desires and experiences.
If you've been nursing a travel bug all winter and you're ready to start planning, you may want to wait until the Mars, Mercury, and Uranus retrogrades end (January 12, 18, and 22, respectively) as all three planets' have a hand in any travel spending or planning you do. When planets are direct, you're less likely to make choices you'll later want to change. Take a green light to move forward with plans from late January onward.
In terms of great times to travel to Kenya, Aries season (March 20 to April 20) could be a fun time filled with tons of activity and avenues for self-discovery. However, if you want more time to plan, Sagittarius season (November 22 to December 22) is a perfect time to touch down in Nairobi. Mars, your ruling planet, will be journeying through Sagittarius during this time, which creates a period where you'll be craving adventure and exploring new personal frontiers.
Wales aligns with Taurus's appreciation for places where locals live in harmony with the land.
Taurus: Wales
Look, after the year you've had, you deserve a delicious, relaxing holiday. Yes-delicious. Tasting, sipping, and dining your way through a destination to delight your senses is the ultimate treat-and Wales is the place to do it. The destination is undergoing a foodie renaissance, one that celebrates freshly foraged ingredients; expect to see local seafood, meats, and truffles being used in special menus at one-of-a-kind and hard-to-reach restaurants throughout the countryside.
You're likely someone who cares about the environmental impact of tourism, especially on the local communities and habitats that you visit. It's also likely that you have an interest in destinations where people are living in harmony with the land and in which you can learn more about different environments and conservation efforts. Wales checks all of these boxes with the added bonus of beautiful forest hotels and saunas. What more could you ask for in a responsibly indulgent getaway?
In terms of timing, from May 16, 2023, until May 25, 2024, Jupiter, the planet of expansion, wisdom, faith, and opportunity, will be in Taurus, giving you a broader outlook on life as well as a nice dose of optimism and a craving for exploration and adventure. The Capricorn full moon on July 3 lights up your ninth house of foreign travel, making the first weekend in July a great time for you to land in Wales.
Big changes are coming for Geminis-and Queensland, Australia, speaks to the new way this sign will choose to travel in 2023.
Gemini: Queensland, Australia
This may sound dramatic, but March 2023 is the beginning of the end of travel as you knew it. A pretty major shift occurs on March 23 when Pluto leaves Capricorn (the sign it's been in since 2008) to dip its toes in Aquarius until June 11, then returning to Capricorn until 2024. Pluto is associated with complete and total change, extremes, power, destruction, and cellular-level transformation. With its entrance into Aquarius, Pluto brings these themes to your world view, heightening your sense adventure and exploration, and challenging how you experience cultures different from your own, and how you share those experiences with the world. This is huge. While Pluto will only be in Aquarius for a little over two months in 2023, it's the beginning of a 20-year transformation in your mental and spiritual experience.
With that being said, you may become drawn to more ethical and sustainable travel moving forward, specifically in a way that centers decolonization, environmental sustainability, and conservation, with the goal to learn how to be a better human. Something you may choose to explore is developing a greater understanding of Indigenous communities and their cohabitation with nature. All of the above makes Queensland, Australia, a top 2023 travel destination for you.
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You're the type of traveler who enjoys getting lost in a busy city crowd as much as you love getting off the grid and disappearing into nature. You also enjoy feeling like you're on the edge of the world, so coastal destinations where you can feel the sun on your skin as you stare out into an abyss is a nice touch. The Australian government has been taking steps to return land to its Native people, leading to new Indigenous-led travel experiences throughout Queensland in particular. You may want to plan ahead to explore the sprawling northeastern state during their spring or summer time, in the last few months of 2023; however, Leo season (July 23 to August 23) tends to be warm and dry in Queensland and would be a great time to spend an extended holiday down under.
The wineries beach towns and chic new restaurants on California's central coast hit all the right notes for Cancers.
Cancer: Central California Coast, U.S.
You're the type of traveler who loves to learn through immersive experiences while traveling; you'd love an activity like a vineyard tour that allows you to learn about the processes and systems involved in wine-making. Speaking of wine, you do love to treat yourself on vacation. More than anything, you're seeking magical, even spiritual moments when you travel, and that's what you're likely to find on California's central coast.
Sharing your zodiac sign, the U.S. is a nation with a Cancer Sun, Mercury, Venus, and Jupiter, so it's not difficult to find Cancerian-like comfort in certain classic American experiences-like a road trip or a rail journey. Americans and visitors alike can make an incredible vacation out of road or rail trips up or down the coast of California, where not only the landscapes are breathtaking, but the people, food, and culture are too. In the case of the central coast, the landscape includes redwoods, beach towns, tasting rooms, and chic new restaurants in an overlooked swath of California wine country. A trip like this is an excellent way to reconnect with your body, the land, and loved ones.
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After all, 2023 will bring you some ease in your relationships and genuinely fun times with friends. A few periods throughout the year promise to make this trip even more enjoyable: On March 7, Saturn enters Pisces, making way for less restriction and heaviness in your relationships and marking a shift in your worldview that signals the start of new ways of engaging with the world around you. Two months later, on May 16, Jupiter will enter Taurus, a part of your chart that corresponds to friends and community. This could lead to opportunities to connect with new people, especially through travel. From this point on, throughout the year, consider it always a good time to take this trip with ones you love.
Marrakech offers the adventure Leos crave alongside beauty in the form of gorgeous riads sweeping desert landscapes and...
Leo: Marrakech, Morocco
When you travel, you like to adventure and look good doing it-from enjoying every meal at a dreamy restaurant to taking long walks through city centers while absorbing all of its sights, smells, and sounds. Marrakech has everything you look for. It's a bustling city you could explore for days or even weeks, with serene hotel stays, and an exciting art scene. Plus, imagine the gorgeous photos you'll be able to snap in the rocky otherworldly desert. Marrakech is perfect for you as someone who can definitely take the heat and make the most of a city dense with culture.
The last few years have been trying to say the least, but a certain type of relief arrives in the spring of 2023, giving you space to take a breath and pour back into yourself-consider this the time to take your rejuvenating vacation. Jupiter, planet of expansion, faith, wisdom and opportunity, is traveling through your ninth house of travel, spirituality, and foreign lands until May 15. Additionally, eclipses in Aries and Libra in April and October start to shake up your desire to explore the world and learn more about it. In sum: Aries Season (March 20 to April 20) is a great time for traveling abroad, but the entire time Jupiter is in Aries (until May 15) is a nice window for your trip to Marrakech.
The Loire Valley is home to stunning châteaux and dreamy landscapes-ideal for Virgos that appreciate refined dining, culture, and nature.
Virgo: Loire Valley, France
You have been in a non-stop grind since the beginning of 2020, and you're long overdue for a proper treat-yourself type of vacation. The great news is that 2023 offers plenty of opportunities to let loose and expand your horizons. Our suggestion? Head to the Loire Valley in France. After all, you aim for sensual and immersive travel experiences; you look to sink your teeth into a new location by seeking out the most delicious local food, cultural attractions, and nature it has to offer. And let's be honest, you like an air of luxury to your accommodations as well-what's the point of a vacation if you're not going to treat yourself? The Loire Valley is the perfect place to spend a week or two, as you tour stunning châteaux and breathtaking landscapes living a real-life dream. The region will hit all of your notes and then some, giving you a one-of-a-kind experience of luxury, romance, and true rest and leisure that you need after three years of hard work. You deserve it.
In 2023, Libras will be on a transformative path to self-discovery, and destinations like Sharjah-home to dazzling new art galleries and historic architecture-are the perfect setting.
Libra: Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
You care a lot about learning new things while traveling, soaking up facts about the local customs and geography, and finding opportunities to practice the language whenever you can. You're a true traveler who loves to meet others during your explorations. This is why Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates is the perfect 2023 destination for you. Sharjah is quickly becoming the new cultural capital of the United Arab Emirates, and it's home to dazzling new art galleries and incredible architecture–but it also has luxury beachfront resorts you can relax at.
You'll be craving all of the above next year, as 2023 marks the beginning of a new transformative cycle for you that leads to self-discovery through new supportive partnerships. While the work grind gears up when Saturn enters Pisces starting on March 7, entertainment, fun, and pleasure become more accessible to you then as well. Use any newfound confidence and creativity emerging during this time to expand out of your comfort zone and find new ways of enjoying life.
Gemini season (May 21 to June 22) tends to be a particularly fun time for you to travel, and a particularly nice window is when Mercury travels through Gemini from June 11 to 26, signaling a period where you can really immerse yourself in a new place and learn a lot. If Sharjah's June temperatures put you off (typically ranging from 80 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit), then consider Sagittarius season (November 23 to December 20) the next best time for you to travel. Talk about a great holiday trip.
The Yucatán Peninsula, with archaeological sites and strong food traditions, appeals to Scorpio's desire to immerse itself in a destination's heritage.
Scorpio: Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico
When you travel, you like to immerse yourself in the traditions and heritage of the places you visit. In particular, you may find a lot of enjoyment in visiting cultural monuments and taking in the architecture, which makes the Yucatán such a great place for you. There are stunning sites to visit in between delicious meals at local restaurants. You may choose to book a few nights in a boutique property where you can experience a luxurious stay and truly unwind in the ways your body and spirit really need and deserve.
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Scorpio is a sign often associated with transformation, after all, but that word feels like an understatement when referring to what you've been moving through over the last three years. But it's time for congratulations-change and relief greets you in the spring of 2023. On March 7, Saturn leaves fixed air sign Aquarius for the more adaptable water sign Pisces, releasing the feeling of being anchored and held in place that you've been experiencing since early 2020. Your focus will then shift from building a stable foundation for your life toward the need to prioritize your pleasure, enjoyment, and creativity. A particularly good time for long-distance travel for you is right after this, when your ruling planet, Mars, journeys through the sign Cancer from March 25 to May 20. Venus, the planet of love, beauty and relationships, also joins Mars in Cancer from May 7 to June 5, making the entire spring a lovely time to head to the Yucatán and explore.
Sagittarius is ready to explore this year, and places with the grandeur of antiquity have a special type of appeal.
Sagittarius: Egypt
As a true student of life and the designated traveler of the zodiac, you are no stranger to adventure. Over the last few years, however, you may have experienced restrictions and limitations in your ability to jet set around the world, with the pandemic being only one reason you've been more tethered to your local environment. In 2023, you encounter shifts to that reality, as Saturn leaves Aquarius for Pisces on March 7. This could lead to a deeper interest in your heritage and ancestry, sparking travel plans to visit homelands or relatives.
You likely appreciate visiting old kingdoms, palaces, and places that show the grandeur of antiquity this year. You may also have a soft spot for places where the sun is an important aspect of the culture, which is why Egypt (the ancient epicenter of Western astrology) is a perfect destination for you in 2023. There hasn't been a better time to visit now that the Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza is set to open. Maybe you'll also want to spend time cruising up the Nile River, or check out a brand new eco-resort on the Red Sea. You'll thank yourself for prioritizing fun when you finally touch down for vacation amidst a busy year.
When it comes to timing, note that your ruling planet Jupiter spends the first five months of the year in Aries, marking a period where fun, creative, and pleasurable experiences are a top priority. This is an excellent time for travel, especially for any type of exploration that gets your blood flowing and adrenaline pumping. Summer is a special period for travel as well, notably during Leo season (July 23 to August 23), when the sun lights up your ninth house of foreign travel.
Mustang allows Capricorns a much-appreciated the chance to rest and refresh amid beautiful landscapes.
Capricorn: Mustang, Nepal
When it comes to travel, you prefer to escape for peace of mind, with a particular interest in spiritual retreats and beautiful destinations where you can either go to work or to just get back in touch with nature. This is why Mustang, Nepal, could be an ideal travel destination for you in 2023. While you don't necessarily need flashy accommodations, you do pay attention to detail and are appreciative of ease and well-designed, functional builds. The new Mountain Lodges of Nepal, opening throughout 2023, could be exactly the type of accommodations you're looking for, where you can unplug and tune in to the splendid nature of this magical landscape. It's time to get out of the house and stretch your legs in 2023, after all-you've spent the last five years dealing with some form of restriction or limitation, and the last three years may have been particularly tight financially.
But a major shift occurs when your ruling planet, Saturn, leaves Aquarius for flexible and dreamy water sign Pisces on March 7. Finally, you'll feel some relief from the constrictive state you've been in for so long. This change shifts your focus from supporting yourself in survival mode to a burgeoning responsibility to explore more of the world around you. Virgo season (August 23 to September 22) is a great time to travel to Mustang as you're usually feeling intense wanderlust that time of year. Just be careful not to plan travel on the days that Mercury goes retrograde and direct (August 24 and September 16 respectively)-other than that you should have a great trip.
Recently reopened Taiwan, with two years worth of hotel and restaurant openings and a new performing arts center, taps into Aquarius's love of the arts and culture.
Aquarius: Taiwan
When it comes to travel, you enjoy immersing yourself in art and culture. You have a special ability to hold your own and blend in anywhere, even if you stand out with an eclectic look. While you can have a great time exploring new places solo, you do prefer a travel partner, especially for international journeys. Consider inviting your favorite person to a vacation in Taiwan. This exciting country is a great destination for scratching that itch for true cultural stimulation, as there are two years' worth of hotel and restaurant openings to check out alongside the spectacular, recently opened Taipei Performing Arts Center.
That's not the only reason Taiwan will speak to you, though. Looking at your horoscope, you've undergone massive transformation over the last three years and deserve a moment to reflect on how far you've come since March 2020 when Saturn, your ruling planet, first entered Aquarius. Your journey toward self-discovery since then has likely been treacherous, but hopefully rewarding as you wrap it up and embark on a new one when Saturn enters Pisces on March 7. From that point forward, your focus will shift toward ways you can invest in yourself. Your ruling planet transits Pisces for three years, giving you plenty of time to explore your newfound freedom and financially plan for your future. You may start to feel a tighter grip around your wallet, so it may make more sense to plan one big trip for the end of the year as your priorities shift in the spring. All that is to say, fall is likely the best time for you to visit Taiwan, especially while Venus transits Libra, your ninth house of foreign travel from November 8 to December 4. Get ready to have the art-filled vacation of your dreams.
Western Japan will satiate the travel desires of Pisces with stunning natural spaces and plenty of water.
Pisces: Western Japan
As a born explorer, you'll take almost any excuse to get out of town and see different parts of the world. You're the type of traveler who craves intensity and immersion in the destinations you visit, and you're a bit of a romantic at heart who seeks out transformative experiences. Your appetite for adventure is also much like your taste for beautiful accommodations and stunning natural environments: insatiable.
For someone who wants to be transported to a different world when you travel, western Japan is the perfect destination to satiate your wanderlust. Water tends to be an important element to your life in general, and intentionally seeking out locations with deep ties to water will be soothing to your soul and psyche. Consider an expedition cruise from Osaka while you island hop and explore the breathtaking land and seascapes.
Scorpio season (October 23 to November 21) is an excellent time for you to plan international travel, especially in 2023 as Mars will be transiting Scorpio throughout the season, making a special alignment with the Sun on November 18. You'll likely want to be in a faraway land at this time anyway, so why not plan ahead?
