The Next New Thing: Niche Travel

So long, one-size-fits-all travel. Today’s travelers are seeking more than just cookie-cutter vacations—they want experiences that speak to their unique passions and interests. Whether you’re a classicist tracing the roots of Western civilization, a family historian eager to explore your genealogy, or a watch lover diving into the art of Swiss timepieces, these five itineraries are perfect for those seeking their own niche thrills.

In Greece, travelers encounter ancient history around every corner. Start in Athens, using the art-filled New Hotel Athens as your homebase. Located striking distance from the Acropolis, the property was designed by the Campana Brothers (the first Brazilian artists to exhibit work at MoMA) and a dozen architecture students from the University of Thessaly to ensure Greek history and culture were woven throughout the 79-room property. Look out for folklore-inspired art, life-sized tree sculptures made from recycled wooden scraps from the old Olympic Palace Hotel, and copper-colored wash basins in the shape of fragmented rocks, evoking the Olympic gold medals and the ruins of the Acropolis.

Continue the Greek odyssey in the eastern Cyclades, where the island of Delos just reopened an archeological museum devoted to uncovering the site’s rich history as the most sacred place in Ancient Greece. A highlight of the museum are the original lion sculptures from the Terrace of the Lions, originally built around 600 BCE by Naxians in honor of the god Apollo. While there are no accommodations on the island, Mykonos’s Kalesma Hotel is situated in Aleomandra, a peninsula on the island’s rugged northwest end, where Apollo was said to have stabled his horses. It’s a perfect spot for those who love Greek mythology and ancient history, with a series of 12 suites and 15 villas that spread across a scenic hillside, resembling a traditional Cycladic village. This year, the property will add 19 new accommodations, a second pool, and an all-day Greek taverna.

Geneva’s watchmaking legacy stretches to the 16th century, when members of the French Protestant Church fleeing religious persecution brought their skills to the region, establishing the city as a hub for high-quality timepieces. By the 18th century, Geneva became the epicenter of Swiss watchmaking, thanks to innovations like the “Geneva Seal”—a prestigious hallmark that guaranteed the highest standards of craftsmanship. Guests of La Réserve Hotel and Spa Genève can immerse themselves in the fascinating world of Swiss mechanical watchmaking by partially disassembling and resembling a hand-wound ETA 6497 movement under the watchful eye of a master-watchmaker. After, embark on a self-guided tour of the city’s horological landmarks and attractions, being sure to visit the Patek Philippe Museum (home to a library entirely devoted to watchmaking!), the “cabinotiers” of the Saint-Gervais district, and the famous flower clock in the Jardin Anglais park, made from around 6,500 flowering plants and shrubs!

One of the most famous baronial castles in Ireland, Dromoland Castle Hotel, was once the ancestral home of the O’Briens—the Barons of Inchiquin—who are one of the few native Gaelic families to possess a royal Irish heritage. Today, many touches from the past remain — from O’Brien ancestral portraits to Waterford crystal chandeliers, and Georgian antiques. Guests can dive into this fascinating history on tours offered every Wednesday and Saturday. Beyond the castle, history lovers can visit the iconic 15th-century Bunratty Castle—regarded as the most complete and authentic castle in Ireland. It’s accessible via the Folk Park, a reconstructed Irish village complete with thatched cottages, working blacksmiths, and traditional farmhouses. For those interested in uncovering their own Irish roots, Dromoland Castle’s in-house genealogist, Lorna Moloney, helps trace family connections and arrange visits to related towns, graveyards, and castles.

Long before Palm Springs was a modernist design hub, it was, and continues to be, an important site for Native Americans. Some archaeological evidence suggests the first Native people resided in the area for more than 8,000 years; today, the Greater Palm Springs area spans five tribes representing two major Native cultural groups. Travelers can learn about this important history at the year-old Agua Caliente Cultural Museum, which, at 48,000 square feet, is the country’s second-largest Native American cultural center. The exhibits explore the lives and legacies of the Cahuilla Indians who originally inhabited Coachella Valley as well as the role of the region’s mineral-rich natural hot springs in their customs and healing rituals. The museum features an exhibition gallery, an educational classroom, a teaching garden, plus a dedicated spa (which opened last spring) with 22 private mineral baths, six pools and whirlpools, and 15 treatment rooms. Bed down at the nearby Parker Palm Springs, the former home of the Western movie star Gene Autry and the one-time playground of everyone from the Rat Pack to Barbara Streisand. The ultimate splurge is the two-bedroom Gene Autry Residence, with 2,200 square feet of living space along with a full kitchen, dry sauna, and a secret screening room hidden behind a vintage 1939 ‘Home on the Prairie’ (starring Gene Autry) movie poster.

As one of the first regions in California to embrace modern winemaking techniques, Napa Valley played a central role in putting the U.S. on the global wine map. While it doesn’t have the grand chateaux of France or the millenia-old history of Georgia, Napa is drawing niche travelers for its sustainability cred (nearly 90 percent of the region is under permanent or high levels of protection from development), legendary hospitality and dining, ideal Mediterranean climate, and unbreakable Napa Valley spirit (in good times and bad, through floods, earthquakes, and wildfires). History lovers won’t want to miss a visit to Calistoga’s Petrified Forest, which was formed following a volcanic eruption over 3 million years ago; the seven-course “Tasting on the Rails” dinner aboard the Napa Valley Wine Train, featuring refurbished century-old Pullman train cars pulled by 1950s-vintage Streamliner locomotives; and a tasting experience at Simon Family Estate’s appointment-only salon in downtown Napa, situated in a discreet third-floor space that was once part of the Napa Opera House.