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Best places to play Pokémon Go abroad

Gotta catch 'em all? Find out where to catch Pokémon on holiday.
You’ve caught about a thousand Spearows and Pidgeys, and your Pokédex is looking more like an aviary than an army of powerful pocket monsters. There’s only one thing for it – you need to step away from your immediate vicinity and head abroad to find those rare beauties. You are a dedicated Pokémon trainer, right?

Luckily for you, Pokémon Go was made for travel. So while you’re searching for Pokéstops and walking miles to hatch those eggs, you’ll find all kinds of under-the-radar tourist hotspots – art installations, memorial plaques and historical markers to name a few. You can even download the Poké Radar app to help you locate all those hard-to-catch Pokémon around the world.

To help you plan your Poké-trip, here’s our pick of the best Pokémon-filled destinations…

FLORIDA

How many 5km walks have you endured only to hatch a Rattata? Yes, you can technically cyber-birth those destination-specific Pokémon, but you’re much more likely to find them in their natural habitat. North American exclusive Tauros is one of the rare spots, and you can catch the cheeky bull rampaging through the Everglades, theme parks and shopping malls of Florida. Walt Disney World should be your first Pokémon Go stop in Orlando – if you can handle this odd fusion of childhood nostalgia. Not only is there free Wi-Fi across all parks, there are tonnes of PokéStops, PokéGyms and Pokémon to catch everywhere – with the best locations being Epcot and the Magic Kingdom. What could be cooler than taking over the Cinderella Castle, Haunted Mansion or Pirates of the Caribbean ride?

Check out the real-life animal encounters you can have on your Florida trip.

ITALY

Italy is packed with ancient sites and historic landmarks, meaning those handy PokéStops are in abundance. More importantly, you’ll have plenty of opportunity to take some hilarious snaps – Krabby crawling up the Spanish steps, Horsea taking a dip in the Trevi fountain, and Pikachu propping up the leaning tower of Pisa. Rome’s Colosseum is not only home to a huge population of stray cats, it’s a popular hangout for loads of Pokemon, and you’ll find the likes of Espeon, Umbreon and Makuhita here. While the ancient structure might have staged Gladiator battles in the days of yore, now people are turning up to pit their Pokemon against each other… modern life, eh?

ICELAND

The original Pokémon cartoon wasn’t much of a hit in Iceland, but Pokémon Go has well and truly taken off. With its huge range of natural attractions, from waterfalls and geysers to ice caves and forests, you’re bound to find all species of Pokémon – rock, water, bug, you name it, they’re probably lurking somewhere. You can even join a four-hour Pokemon Go coach tour which takes you to all the Pokémon hotspots where the Icelandic trainers help to lure them. Just remember to check out the Northern Lights, Blue Lagoon and Golden Circle while you’re there too.

DUBAI

The Pokémon craze has reached the UAE, and in true Dubai-style, residents have been buying each other’s top-level Pokémon accounts and paying up to £2,000 in some cases. Luckily, you don’t need to fork out thousands to level up in the millionaires’ playground. There are plenty to catch in Dubai Mall and, thanks to the country’s desert surroundings, loads of fire and ground types too – so while you’re on a dune drive or sunset camel trek, you’ll be able to catch the likes of Onix, Drilbur and Sandshrew. You might be able to bag a few freebies on your search too, as some hotels have been offering free buffets and drinks deals as part of their Pokémon-catching incentives.

ARUBA

If you’re looking for an excuse to head to this Caribbean paradise, you’ll be pleased to know it’s the perfect place for Pokémon trainers. After all, what better way to hatch those eggs than walking along miles of white powdery sand? Most restaurants on Palm Beach offer free Wi-Fi as well, so you can enjoy a seafront Aruban feast while catching lots of water Pokémon like Magikarp, Gyarados and Lapras. Even the resorts and hotels are joining in the fun – Amsterdam Manor Beach Resort recently held a lure session to help trainers catch those rare Pokémon, so look out for similar events on the Pokémon Go Aruba Facebook page.
Ready to catch ‘em all?

Browse our last-minute long haul deals and combine a dream holiday with your important Pokémon training responsibilities.

Don’t forget to check out the best places for travel in 2020, either…

Pssst. Head to the Discover homepage for our latest articles.

Author: Selina Akhtar

Last updated: 09.01.2018

Holiday Type

Destination

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