It's a shiny new year, so this month on Unpacked, we're diving into Afar's ⁠⁠⁠⁠Where to Go list⁠⁠⁠⁠: 24 emerging regions and overlooked locales to explore this year. Like East London, where a billion-pound investment has transformed the 2012 Olympic Park into a creative powerhouse. In this episode, host Aislyn Greene talks with ⁠Nick DeRenzo⁠, Afar's editorial director of newsletters (sign up here!) and a self-described Londoner at heart. Nick makes the case for hopping on the Elizabeth line and devoting time to the East Bank cultural quarter, where you can order a David Bowie costume at the V&A East Storehouse, dine on Chinese-Texas barbecue on a canal barge, and sweat it out in a community sauna. Plan Your East London Getaway (First, explore our ⁠London travel guide⁠.) Stay ⁠Moxy London Stratford⁠ for budget-friendly stays ⁠The Stratford⁠, an Autograph Collection hotel ⁠The Gantry⁠, a Curio Collection by Hilton property Eat and Drink ⁠Barge East⁠, a restaurant on a canal barge Chinese-Texas-style Uncle Hon’s BBQ ⁠Badu Café, a Black-owned coffee shop run by a youth athletics nonprofit Snacks and drinks along ⁠Hackney Bridge⁠, an incubator space in an old candy factory See and Do Explore ⁠Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park⁠, the heart of the East Bank cultural quarter Visit the ⁠V&A East Storehouse⁠ to see 250,000 objects—and use the "Order an Object" program for a personalized curator experience Catch a show at ⁠Sadler's Wells East⁠, dedicated to non-ballet dance Soak at ⁠Community Sauna Baths⁠, a not-for-profit with Scandinavian vibes Dance at ⁠Coven⁠, London's first permanent Black-owned queer venue since the 1970s Coming in 2026 ⁠V&A East⁠ museum dedicated to East London design opens April 2026 BBC Music Studios moving to the area in 2027 London College of Fashion campus now open Resources Follow Nick on ⁠Instagram⁠ Explore ⁠Afar's Where to Go in 2026 list⁠ Follow us: ⁠@afarmedia⁠ Listen to All the Episodes in our Where to Go 2026 Series 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 E3: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The New 170-Mile Hiking Network Connecting Stockholm's Dreamy Archipelago⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ E4: ⁠⁠⁠Route 66 Turns 100—and Albuquerque Is Ready to Celebrate ⁠⁠⁠ E5: ⁠⁠Why Morocco's Chill Capital Deserves Your Attention ⁠⁠ E6: ⁠⁠Three Hours From Nashville, the South's Next Great Food Capital Is Waiting⁠⁠ E7: ⁠⁠The French Riviera's Last Stop Before Italy—and Its Best-Kept Secret ⁠⁠ E8: ⁠⁠Skip the Serengeti Traffic Jams for This Under-the-Radar Kenyan Safari ⁠⁠ E9: ⁠The Pacific Northwest's 80-Mile Playground Just Got Even Better ⁠ E10: ⁠The White Lotus Architect Designed a Hotel in This Vietnamese City—Now the World Is Noticing⁠ E11: Malaysia's Most Overlooked Island Is a Feast for Every Sense E12: The Texas City Getting a Juneteenth Museum, FIFA World Cup Matches, and a Cowgirl Museum Expansion E13: The South Australian City That Punches Above Its Weight E14: East London's Olympic Park Has Transformed Into a Cultural Powerhouse (this one!) Stay Connected Sign up for our podcast newsletter, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Behind the Mic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. And explore our other podcasts, ⁠⁠⁠⁠View From Afar⁠⁠⁠⁠, about the people and companies shaping the future of travel, and⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Travel Tales⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, which celebrates first-person narratives about the way travel changes us. Unpacked by Afar is part of⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Airwave Media⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠'s podcast network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Where to Go in 2026: East London's Olympic Park Has Transformed Into a Cultural Powerhouse

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It's a shiny new year, so this month on Unpacked, we're diving into Afar's ⁠⁠⁠⁠Where to Go list⁠⁠⁠⁠: 24 emerging regions and overlooked locales to explore this year.  Like East London, where a billion-pound investment has transformed the 2012 Olympic Park into a creative powerhouse.  In this episode, host Aislyn Greene talks with ⁠Nick DeRenzo⁠, Afar's editorial director of newsletters (sign up here!) and a self-described Londoner at heart. Nick makes the case for hopping on the Elizabeth line and devoting time to the East Bank cultural quarter, where you can order a David Bowie costume at the V&A East Storehouse, dine on Chinese-Texas barbecue on a canal barge, and sweat it out in a community sauna.  Plan Your East London Getaway (First, explore our ⁠London travel guide⁠.)  Stay     ⁠Moxy London Stratford⁠ for budget-friendly stays     ⁠The Stratford⁠, an Autograph Collection hotel    ⁠The Gantry⁠, a Curio Collection by Hilton property   Eat and Drink     ⁠Barge East⁠, a restaurant on a canal barge    Chinese-Texas-style Uncle Hon’s BBQ     ⁠Badu Café, a Black-owned coffee shop run by a youth athletics nonprofit    Snacks and drinks along ⁠Hackney Bridge⁠, an incubator space in an old candy factory   See and Do     Explore ⁠Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park⁠, the heart of the East Bank cultural quarter    Visit the ⁠V&A East Storehouse⁠ to see 250,000 objects—and use the "Order an Object" program for a personalized curator experience      Catch a show at ⁠Sadler's Wells East⁠, dedicated to non-ballet dance      Soak at ⁠Community Sauna Baths⁠, a not-for-profit with Scandinavian vibes    Dance at ⁠Coven⁠, London's first permanent Black-owned queer venue since the 1970s   Coming in 2026     ⁠V&A East⁠ museum dedicated to East London design opens April 2026    BBC Music Studios moving to the area in 2027     London College of Fashion campus now open   Resources     Follow Nick on ⁠Instagram⁠     Explore ⁠Afar's Where to Go in 2026 list⁠     Follow us: ⁠@afarmedia⁠      Listen to All the Episodes in our Where to Go 2026 Series  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  E3: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The New 170-Mile Hiking Network Connecting Stockholm's Dreamy Archipelago⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  E4: ⁠⁠⁠Route 66 Turns 100—and Albuquerque Is Ready to Celebrate ⁠⁠⁠  E5: ⁠⁠Why Morocco's Chill Capital Deserves Your Attention ⁠⁠ E6: ⁠⁠Three Hours From Nashville, the South's Next Great Food Capital Is Waiting⁠⁠ E7: ⁠⁠The French Riviera's Last Stop Before Italy—and Its Best-Kept Secret ⁠⁠ E8: ⁠⁠Skip the Serengeti Traffic Jams for This Under-the-Radar Kenyan Safari ⁠⁠ E9: ⁠The Pacific Northwest's 80-Mile Playground Just Got Even Better ⁠  E10: ⁠The White Lotus Architect Designed a Hotel in This Vietnamese City—Now the World Is Noticing⁠  E11: Malaysia's Most Overlooked Island Is a Feast for Every Sense  E12: The Texas City Getting a Juneteenth Museum, FIFA World Cup Matches, and a Cowgirl Museum Expansion  E13: The South Australian City That Punches Above Its Weight  E14:  East London's Olympic Park Has Transformed Into a Cultural Powerhouse (this one!)    Stay Connected     Sign up for our podcast newsletter, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Behind the Mic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. And explore our other podcasts, ⁠⁠⁠⁠View From Afar⁠⁠⁠⁠, about the people and companies shaping the future of travel, and⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Travel Tales⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, which celebrates first-person narratives about the way travel changes us.   Unpacked by Afar is part of⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Airwave Media⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠'s podcast network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Unpacked by Afar is your weekly guide to where to go, how to travel, and everything worth unpacking in between. Each week, host Aislyn Greene and the Afar team travel the world and dig into the big questions behind every great trip, from the best new hotels and national parks to traveling more responsibly. Some weeks we follow a story through music, food, and culture. Others we tackle a tricky topic, share our favorite destinations, or help you plan where to go next. Because the travel world is complicated. We're here to help you unpack it.

Unpacked by Afar | Travel Smarter, More Responsibly

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