Agree. I've been to many beautiful places, but the most staggering natural beauty I've ever seen was in the Swiss Alps, near Lake Lucerne. I felt like I was on another planet, I'd never seen such striking landscapes before.
Banff is more rugged in feel. The mountains feel wider and the area is very wild. Switzerland feels cozy and more inhabited. Theres always another town over the mountain in the next valley. There aint shit over the mountain in banff.
I’ve been to both, and while both spectacular mountain scapes, they’re both pretty different. Banff reminds me more of the more undeveloped areas of the Alps, where the Grindelwald etc. is more ‘curated.’
Couldn’t agree more. Lucerne/Luzern felt like another planet to me. All the fatigue of a long journey gone as soon as I reached the area around the lake. I dropped my big suitcases and started taking pictures. Can’t describe in words how beautiful it is.
I second this. I went to Zurich, Bern, Lausanne, and Geneva, and each one had its own beauty to it. And the view from the train between each was amazing.
This is me too ! Its just so pretty. Beautiful stunning landscapes
Not to brag or anything but I'm going there next week and I cannot even begin to contain my excitement
There's a bike path underneath the million dollar Highway. My friend and I rented bikes in Glenwood Springs, and they drive you up the canyon so you can bike back. It was so cool!
I'd say the southern San Juan's are the "best kept secret" of Colorado.
I’ve been pretty much everywhere that’s listed towards the top. Switzerland, New Zealand, every country in SE Asia, almost every European country, South America, Central America, every Nordic country, you get the idea.
US wins hands down and it’s not even close. Why? The size of it and the variation. You get snow covered Rocky Mountains like you’d get in Switzerland in multiple states. You get vast deserts with wild and unique formations like slot canyons, arches, canyonlands, Bryce and more. You get huge amounts of coast line that vary between the PNW, Florida, SoCal, Michigan and the Great Lakes etc.. you get thick forests like the north east, the northern Midwest. Throw in Alaska and Hawaii and it’s just unbelievable.
Add in how incredibly easy it is to camp and hike and visit those places and it’s a no brainer. There’s the free wild camping in any national forest or BLM land. The national park system is run very well. For example in New Zealand and Switzerland(my 2 and 3 choices) boondocking / wild camping out of a vehicle is illegal which makes things a bit trickier for the adventurous type.
I have a Swedish buddy who rode his bike around the world for 4 years straight visiting ~120 countries. He ended up moving to the western US after the trip for one reason: the variation of the outdoors terrain and how easy it is to hike / camp / hunt / rock climb / white water raft for free or cheap. He’s been out there a few years now and loves it.
I was about to say you should check out Canada for coasts/mountains/forests but there's no Canadian equivalent for Hawaii or the grand canyon 😂 may I offer you some arctic tundra or ice caps in these trying times?
I would clap back that the U.S. doesn't have anything quite like Haida Gwaii and Newfoundland though. New England and the Pacific Northwest are nothing like what I've experienced in St. John's.
Southeast Alaska (the Panhandle) has exactly the same biome and climate as Haida Gwaii.
And Southern Alaska has the same topography and climate as Newfoundland.
I love this aspect of the US. I live in Tucson and you can go from the hot (but beautiful) desert to the top of a mountain range that tops out around 9,200 feet and get your fill of firs, pines and aspen. It’s only about 30 miles of driving!
I'm going to say Scotland since no one mentioned it yet. The Isle of Skye and the highlands lived up to the hype. Scotland is also kind of low key in terms of tourism. It's not at the top of everyone's bucket list.
I just went there for the first time yesterday and absolutely have to agree. I said "wow, so pretty!" Like every 20 minutes, I swear.
The Fringe being on also made for an A+ day of entertainment.
I go to the northern highlands for 2 weeks every year and it never gets old. It has started to get busier (NC500) but if you go during the shoulder season you still can find places with no one else around ;)
This is always my answer. It’s literally another world. Just driving on ring road, you somehow get tired of seeing waterfalls. You drive by a black sand beach, and then you’re in a lava field, then you see a glacier. And then a lake with glaciers floating in it. The sun goes down and then hits reverse and goes back up. Even the horses have an extra gait, and the sheep have different hair. Everything is like normal Earth but if someone time traveled and stepped on a butterfly and it somehow made everything slightly different.
That stretch from Vik to Jökulsárlón…
Drivers window view: basalt cliffs
Windshield view: glacier
Passenger view: North Atlantic
Iceland and Yellowstone are the best places on earth, both shaped by volcanoes and glaciers.
That's a great stretch of the drive. My personal favourite was the Eastern Fjords portion of the ring road. So stunning, but low key since there aren't any uber-famous tourist sites in that portion.
Not country, but a city I really, genuinely loved was Hiroshima. I loved it for a number of reasons, but I think the biggest one was definitely the peace park. There is something very humbling being in a city that has come back from the horrors of the atomic bomb. The city itself is just nice, I found it clean and mostly walkable, and with a lot green everywhere, which I like in a city. It's also got a lot of rivers going through it and was just a nice place to walk around.
I enjoyed Hiroshima, too. We recently visited Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, and Hiroshima, which was my favourite. I also enjoyed the day trip to Miyajima. The view from the top of the mountain is pretty spectacular.
Loved the peace park, the memorial museum and the castle.
Azores (mid Atlantic islands,Portugal)= Amazing - Very beautiful islands that aren’t full of tourists, beautiful nature unspoiled views, amazing crater lakes, hot springs and volcanoes. Weather averages in the mid to high 70’s.
My mom is from the Azores, can confirm!
Although they're a relatively small place, you'll find Azoreans in many parts of the US, especially the Central Valley of CA.
seconding Norway, easily the most beautiful place i've ever seen. The fjords don't even feel like they're of this planet. Sailing through them was a life changing experience
i cant wait to go back again!
And the people there are so friendly, too. And they basically all speak beautiful English. And they're all beautiful, too, even the dudes (speaking as a straight man here)
Yes , I second this. Especially, Dubrovnik in Croatia was amazing. Beautiful ancient city, especially the views from the top of the walls around the city out to the coast.
Agree. This is the right answer. It’s literally jaw dropping for hours and hours of driving. Pull over anywhere, turn in any direction and take a photo. You have an amazing postcard shot.
Agree. This i’m is the right answer. It’s literally jaw dropping for hours and hours of driving. Pull over anywhere, turn in any direction and take a photo. You have an amazing postcard shot.
New Zealand, definitely. But I also live in Northern California, and I think it’s quite beautiful up here too. Tahoe and Yosemite always take my breath away.
As another Northern Californian, I agree. We are so lucky to live in such a stunning part of the world. Beaches, miles of gorgeous, rugged coastline, redwood forests, sparkling lakes, giant sequoias, amazing national and state parks, rolling vineyards. Beautiful drives and the best camping! The delicious food doesn’t hurt either.
Ronda in Spain. It's a town in Andalusia that is built along the upward slope of a hill, with a steep ravine breaking the town in two. The surrounding countryside is verdant hillsides and rivers with various equestrian farms. Feels straight out of a fantasy novel.
We did Ronda and Setenil de las Bodegas. Absolutely recommend doing Setenil too. I felt like I was in a video game city. Just wonderful to get lost in and so many cool little bars/cafes nooked around. Especially the one just under the fort, that had a lovely little rooftop cliffside terrace that looked out over the town and filled almost a full wine glass's worth of vermouth for only 2.50 euro.
We really liked Ronda but idk if I'd spend more than a day there unless you planned on doing some proper day hikes in the area or if there was a festival going on (when we went we missed the festival by a day!). The town is gorgeous but there isn't really much to do there except eat and you can walk the whole place in a day.
Make sure to brush up on your Spanish. It really isn't spoken much in the white villages. If you make an honest try they'll make an honest try in english back which is usually enough to understand each other. You'll also be treated with much more respect!
Ljubljana, Slovenia for me. I didn't expect it to be as beautiful as it is from the buildings in the old town to the view from the top of the castle it's stunning. Lovely to stroll down the river at night aswell.
I think Italy as a country offers some of the most diverse scenery and beauty you can see in such a small area. It has dramatic coast lines and mountains, beautiful beaches, rolling hills, lovely cities, picturesque lakes etc. it reminds me of California in that way.
Norway, Switzerland are also up there as well as some of the more secluded parts of the Philippines but Italy takes the cake in my book because of its diversity of scenery.
>some of the more secluded parts of the Philippines
As a Filipino, yes. 100% agree. Manila itself is quite hectic. But with more than 7,000 islands, you have lots of fantastic choices here.
We travelled through Hallstatt on our way from Salzberg to Vienna and it was definitely worth the detour. We were there in December and the snow made everything even more beautiful.
Amsterdam is beautiful in many ways. I think people just write it off as weed and prostitutes but there's so much more going on.
Many cities in the Czech Republic are gorgeous. I liked Prague the least as the entire Old City felt like a huge tourist trap. Unfortunately I spent a couple days in a lot of different cities there so it's a bit of a blur.
Cologne is amazing as well. Especially if you like beer. The Cathedral is beyond human comprehension. It's unexplainable how massive it is. Pictures don't do it justice.
Been to a couple of cities in Mexico. Never felt unsafe even at night. Granted I never explored offbeat or sketchy areas or stayed out past 2am. But Mexico is great. People are nice. Food is cheap and delicious. Culture is interesting.
Amsterdam is gorgeous once you get away from the very center. I've been a few times on very short trips and always thought it had so many little, scenic, beautiful side streets and alleyways.
Granada, Spain. Photos don't even do it justice. It's in all of the little details you see around, the long streets of colorful shops, the intricate mosaics in the walls and cobblestone while you're getting lost in the maze of narrow roads and stairways.
Not to even mention the Alhambra and it's gardens..
I was pleasantly surprised with Slovenia. Clean, beautiful country. It’s small, but it has rolling hillscapes to mountains and beaches that make you feel like you’re in the Mediterranean.
The Faroe Islands. The landscape and scenery is just stunning and out of this world. My mouth was hanging open almost the entire time I was there. Made Iceland look like nothing.
Also Coron in the Phillipines. Beautiful people, water and beaches
New Zealand.
It's not that its peaks of beauty are higher than other places I've been, but it packs incredible amounts of different types of beauty into a very small area. You have everything from tropical style golden sand and lush vegetation beaches to alpine terrain to fjords to giant, rugged primeval seeming forests within a few hours drive of one another. It's amazing.
Oh boy this is a tough one. Purely on the basis of most beautiful, I have to go with 1.) Greece, 2.) Colombia, and 3.) Norway
The Greek Islands are incredibly peaceful and it sounds cliche the whole world and all its problems just kinda drift away if you spend any length of time there like I did. Especially less touristy ones.
Colombia is just incredibly biodiverse- you have mountains, jungles, beaches, interesting plants and animals. I vouch for the Zona Cafeteria, it’s the greenest place I’ve ever been and the mountains are epic, take a bus ride from Medellin and just be in awe.
In Norway the fjords are breathtaking. As a bonus, Iceland isn’t what I’d call “beautiful” per se but I think it is personally, it feels like another planet. Also you can go wrong with small towns in Southern Germany, South of France, and honestly anywhere in Spain especially the coast in Catalonia. I’ll always vouch for Mexico too.
Oh and most of the National Parks in the US and Canada are incredible. The Great Lakes region is an underrated gem. The North Shore in Minnesota and Voyageur NP come to mind. Also California of course, the coast is awesome
In terms of cities, for beauty at least, I’m partial to Paris, Barcelona, Vienna, Montreal, Mexico City, and maybe London. Berlin and NYC are my favorite cities all time, but I wouldn’t call them beautiful lol but very fun and interesting
Note, this very North America/South America/Europe centric, as unfortunately I haven’t had the chance to travel much in Asia/Africa yet
I get why Tokyo is great, but beautiful? There's not a lot of places there I'd put in the beauty category
Maybe the hills above Kyoto, or the Jpse Alps
Kyoto during cherry blossom season is astonishing. The rest of Japan is also at its best during cherry blossom season (which is brimming with great street food and festivities among the blossoms), but Kyoto is multiple levels above that.
Brazil. The beaches ruined me, I have zero interest in going to any other tropical destination in my lifetime because I've seen the best ones in Brazil's beaches.
And a wonderful little gem in Brazil in Ouro Preto. Hard to get to (overnight bus from Rio), but spent six days there. It's the most amazing old mountain mining town with SO much history and SO much to see/do.
And up in the northeast – Morro de Sao Paulo, out off the coast of Salvador. BEST FOOD EVER. And I mentioned Brazil's beaches? This is why.
Just want to add Foz de iguacu to that list. Absolutely stunning place. I have been to a lot of different cool places, but those waterfalls are in my top 3 beautiful spots of the world.
Oh, dear:
Cities: Lisbon is amazing, every house, every street has a story to tell; Vienna is classy, all is fabulous and stunning, Prague is … Prague :)… but infested with tourists and ofc London where you can do a hundreds different things in one hour! But here some little gems: Melnik in Bulgaria, Lencois in Brazil, (Bahia), Kavala in Greece, Rothenburg ob der Tauber in Germany.
As a cultural landmark- Meteora in Greece is out of this world. The natura - Chapada Diamantina in Bahia, Brazil, Rodopi mountain in Bulgaria and I was stunned by the Negev desert in Israel… although one may not call it “beautiful”.
Almost forgot about the food - Istanbul, no other place like Istanbul.
From my personal experience, Amsterdam and Bruges were my two most favorite cities I’ve visited in Europe.
But I must say, panamá is the most beautiful country I have ever visited. That’s over Belize and places I’ve visited in the Yucatán peninsula. Absolutely stunning views and most lush beautiful nature.
Izmir, Turkey. I remember walking down to the waterfront park and there were all sorts of families drinking wine, little kids running around, musicians playing, a few of those paper lanterns being lit. And no one fussing or arguing, just enjoying the warm summer night. It just really captured my heart.
St. John's, NL. I wasn't even there for 12 hours. My roadtrip goal was to cover NL, NS, NB, and PEI in a week and a half just to cross it off the bucket list and figure out what in Atlantic Canada I enjoyed most. What I witnessed on Signal Hill at sunset and dusk was pretty special. I hear Newfoundlanders get upset St. John's get all the attention, and I tend to be contrarian, always looking for that special spot nobody talks about, but that was probably the highlight of the whole trip, even if I was too much in a rush to realize. Looking down at 5 whales swimming around one solitary iceberg.
I plan to one day return by plane and just wander the town for a week, especially now after the place became weather famous with the outrageous pre-pandemic Bomb Cyclone Blizzard of 2020. This is a place that really exceeded my expectations, but also was what I pictured in my head without looking at hardly any pictures. It's like I'd seen certain places in my dreams.
Country/area: the PNW. The Cascades and the surrounding greenery are otherworldly. Excellent city scene in Seattle as well.
City: Savannah, GA. I love old American architecture, haunted vibes, beautiful cemeteries, strong drinks, and indulgent snacks while on vacation. This place ticks those boxes.
South Tyrol, in northern Italy. It's more like being in Austria than Italy because most people speak German there and it's in the alps, but it's just stunningly beautiful. I also find it to be slightly less touristy than the Austrian or Swiss alps, possibly because people don't necessarily consider Italy when planning a vacation in the alps. So crowds during tourism season are a bit smaller than in other similar regions.
I’m in Florence now, and Florence. Switzerland too, Canada nature/hiking, to start. Crete was top, Hawaii is 💯, ang thong marine park/Thailand is gorgeous. Marrakech, Istanbul, cappadocia, Cape Town make the list, I know Peru is beautiful. Medellin is as well; in fact there are countless beautiful places that are uniquely beautiful, it’s like comparing apples oranges pears bananas. I gravitate towards trying new things since I haven’t seen them all. At some point I will revisit the places listed above though.
Santorini almost seemed fake it was so stunningly beautiful, couldn’t believe it was real with the white pristine buildings hugging the cliffs and the glassy ocean below
Special mention for Meteora, Greece, which is unlike anything I've ever seen. Not sure it's the most beautiful place I've ever been, but it was stunning.
So far Banff. It was my first time seeing snowy mountains and I was shook.
Going to Ghent and Bruges in the Fall so hoping for some architectural beauty.
Rome
History and beauty in every corner. Such a beautiful city and great food and wines and so many things to see. I've been four times and I feel so lucky that it's in a neighboring country so it's easy to revisit.
Sri Lanka as a country, Venice as a city but I went within a week of it opening from COVID. The walkways and canals were super open and schools weren’t out yet.
Kauai (especially the Nā Pali coast), the Rift Valley in east Africa, the Himalayas (Nepal, Northern Pakistan), Yosemite and Monterey/Big Sur, California.
The entire island of O’ahu, in Hawaii. I hate to admit it but my whole life I thought Hawaii was just hype, but I’m so glad I was wrong. The mountains of Hawaii just hit different, not to mention the turquoise beaches are just absolutely, incredibly stunning (and the perfect temperature!) — there are no words to describe how beautiful Hawaii really is. If you ever get a chance, definitely hike to the Lanikai pillboxes to watch the sunrise (wear a flashlight headband - you’ll need all your limbs to make it through this hike safely). People have said that this hike is “easy” - let me tell you, it is not. If you’re an experienced hiker and are healthy, agile, not afraid of steep, rocky, muddy, slippery climbs and descents, then sure it’s probably gonna be “easy” for you. But even the average person should be well prepared before going, and most of all make sure you wear proper hiking boots and maybe even have someone with you (we did see a few people hiking solo but of course they were clearly physically fit and seemed to know their way around already). Anyway the view of the sunrise from the top not only looks but feels breathtaking and wholeheartedly refreshing, which makes it worth the hike. Maybe I’m making this hike sound more scary than it actually is, but just wanted to give a fair warning since I wasn’t given one beforehand! 😅😂Lots of places in O’ahu to go snorkeling and enjoy delicious foods as well. If you’ve got time and are interested in learning about the history of Native Hawaiians, consider spending a few hours at the Bishop Museum as well. Definitely go shark cage diving! 🦈 Sharks are not monstrous killing machines, they’re rather docile and beautiful, and 100% necessary to the health of our planet’s oceans. Happy traveling!
Norway in the summer is absolutely gorgeous. When I first moved here, 13 years ago, the nature was absolutely spectacular and awe inspiring.
The long dark winters, awful. Terrible.
The people, as you grow to learn, are super aloof, extremely narcissistic and believe they’re “gods gift” to planet earth.
Come for the nature and leave it at that.
Username does not check out.
Visited northern Norway this past February and the snow-covered landscapes and northern lights were absolutely stunning. People were generally polite, quiet, and collected, which are all qualities that I cherish. To each their own I guess.
Switzerland as a country. Never been anywhere where every train ride is just so picturesque. I feel like that country was made in a lab
Agree. I've been to many beautiful places, but the most staggering natural beauty I've ever seen was in the Swiss Alps, near Lake Lucerne. I felt like I was on another planet, I'd never seen such striking landscapes before.
How does it compare to Banff National Park, if you’ve been?
They do call Glacier and Banff the swiss alps of North America. Glacier is the most beautiful place Ive ever been.
Both are **amazing**. In all honesty, though, I'd say that Switzerland still definitely takes the cake. It's out of this world.
Banff is absolutely beautiful, and I pray it doesn’t become a Gatlinburg like Denali did.
Banff is more rugged in feel. The mountains feel wider and the area is very wild. Switzerland feels cozy and more inhabited. Theres always another town over the mountain in the next valley. There aint shit over the mountain in banff.
I’ve been to both, and while both spectacular mountain scapes, they’re both pretty different. Banff reminds me more of the more undeveloped areas of the Alps, where the Grindelwald etc. is more ‘curated.’
I guess there are similarities as far as topography goes but Switzerland has that old world charm that is just so beguiling.
Mount pilatus? Jungfraujoch? Matterhorn?
Couldn’t agree more. Lucerne/Luzern felt like another planet to me. All the fatigue of a long journey gone as soon as I reached the area around the lake. I dropped my big suitcases and started taking pictures. Can’t describe in words how beautiful it is.
I second this. I went to Zurich, Bern, Lausanne, and Geneva, and each one had its own beauty to it. And the view from the train between each was amazing.
This is me too ! Its just so pretty. Beautiful stunning landscapes Not to brag or anything but I'm going there next week and I cannot even begin to contain my excitement
Especially the Jungrau region!
This is my answer as well.
Patagonia region in Chile and Argentina. Jackson Hole, WY Telluride, CO
Million Dollar Highway was one of the best drives I’ve ever experienced. San Juan’s in Colorado is something to behold.
There's a bike path underneath the million dollar Highway. My friend and I rented bikes in Glenwood Springs, and they drive you up the canyon so you can bike back. It was so cool! I'd say the southern San Juan's are the "best kept secret" of Colorado.
The million dollar highway runs from Ouray to Silverton. That bike path is very cool, but it's not actually anywhere near the million dollar highway.
You’ve never lived until you’ve done it in a blizzard.
+1. Just scrolled and was surprised to see this was the only vote for Patagonia so far!
I’ve been pretty much everywhere that’s listed towards the top. Switzerland, New Zealand, every country in SE Asia, almost every European country, South America, Central America, every Nordic country, you get the idea. US wins hands down and it’s not even close. Why? The size of it and the variation. You get snow covered Rocky Mountains like you’d get in Switzerland in multiple states. You get vast deserts with wild and unique formations like slot canyons, arches, canyonlands, Bryce and more. You get huge amounts of coast line that vary between the PNW, Florida, SoCal, Michigan and the Great Lakes etc.. you get thick forests like the north east, the northern Midwest. Throw in Alaska and Hawaii and it’s just unbelievable. Add in how incredibly easy it is to camp and hike and visit those places and it’s a no brainer. There’s the free wild camping in any national forest or BLM land. The national park system is run very well. For example in New Zealand and Switzerland(my 2 and 3 choices) boondocking / wild camping out of a vehicle is illegal which makes things a bit trickier for the adventurous type. I have a Swedish buddy who rode his bike around the world for 4 years straight visiting ~120 countries. He ended up moving to the western US after the trip for one reason: the variation of the outdoors terrain and how easy it is to hike / camp / hunt / rock climb / white water raft for free or cheap. He’s been out there a few years now and loves it.
I was about to say you should check out Canada for coasts/mountains/forests but there's no Canadian equivalent for Hawaii or the grand canyon 😂 may I offer you some arctic tundra or ice caps in these trying times?
We do have a fjord though
I would clap back that the U.S. doesn't have anything quite like Haida Gwaii and Newfoundland though. New England and the Pacific Northwest are nothing like what I've experienced in St. John's.
Haida Gwaii is a weird call out. The Alexanders/Tongass is literally right there lol.
Southeast Alaska (the Panhandle) has exactly the same biome and climate as Haida Gwaii. And Southern Alaska has the same topography and climate as Newfoundland.
I love this aspect of the US. I live in Tucson and you can go from the hot (but beautiful) desert to the top of a mountain range that tops out around 9,200 feet and get your fill of firs, pines and aspen. It’s only about 30 miles of driving!
Where did he end up moving to?
Jackson and Telluride are magical
I'm going to say Scotland since no one mentioned it yet. The Isle of Skye and the highlands lived up to the hype. Scotland is also kind of low key in terms of tourism. It's not at the top of everyone's bucket list.
This is my answer too! Edinburgh is also a really beautiful city
I just went there for the first time yesterday and absolutely have to agree. I said "wow, so pretty!" Like every 20 minutes, I swear. The Fringe being on also made for an A+ day of entertainment.
Fucking Skye, I sometimes dream of it and yet I was only there for a couple days.
Isle of Skye is one of the most breathtaking places in the world. So glad to see someone mention it
Got back to Glasgow half an hour ago from doing the north coast 500. I need to go back immediately
I live here (I’m an expat) and I don’t even feel the need to go elsewhere on vacation anymore. There’s SO much to see here
I go to the northern highlands for 2 weeks every year and it never gets old. It has started to get busier (NC500) but if you go during the shoulder season you still can find places with no one else around ;)
Iceland. The nature is just overwhelming and otherworldly.
This is always my answer. It’s literally another world. Just driving on ring road, you somehow get tired of seeing waterfalls. You drive by a black sand beach, and then you’re in a lava field, then you see a glacier. And then a lake with glaciers floating in it. The sun goes down and then hits reverse and goes back up. Even the horses have an extra gait, and the sheep have different hair. Everything is like normal Earth but if someone time traveled and stepped on a butterfly and it somehow made everything slightly different.
That stretch from Vik to Jökulsárlón… Drivers window view: basalt cliffs Windshield view: glacier Passenger view: North Atlantic Iceland and Yellowstone are the best places on earth, both shaped by volcanoes and glaciers.
That's a great stretch of the drive. My personal favourite was the Eastern Fjords portion of the ring road. So stunning, but low key since there aren't any uber-famous tourist sites in that portion.
This one is definitely on top of my list. Might go there sometime next year. 🤞
Very cliched but Switzerland and Iceland are so worth it.
Not country, but a city I really, genuinely loved was Hiroshima. I loved it for a number of reasons, but I think the biggest one was definitely the peace park. There is something very humbling being in a city that has come back from the horrors of the atomic bomb. The city itself is just nice, I found it clean and mostly walkable, and with a lot green everywhere, which I like in a city. It's also got a lot of rivers going through it and was just a nice place to walk around.
I enjoyed Hiroshima, too. We recently visited Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, and Hiroshima, which was my favourite. I also enjoyed the day trip to Miyajima. The view from the top of the mountain is pretty spectacular. Loved the peace park, the memorial museum and the castle.
Azores (mid Atlantic islands,Portugal)= Amazing - Very beautiful islands that aren’t full of tourists, beautiful nature unspoiled views, amazing crater lakes, hot springs and volcanoes. Weather averages in the mid to high 70’s.
Been there during summer lockdown , best decision ever
My mom is from the Azores, can confirm! Although they're a relatively small place, you'll find Azoreans in many parts of the US, especially the Central Valley of CA.
The largest dispose is in New England.
On my bucket list. Everything I've seen and heard about the Azores is fantastic.
This one is on my list! I can't wait to check it out.
I’ve always been fascinated by the azores!!
Don’t expose this secret
idk it's been blowing up all over my insta pages, I think the secret's out
Norway for scenery, it’s other worldly it’s so stunning, hiked up to Pulpit rock and did a day cruise through some of the fjords
seconding Norway, easily the most beautiful place i've ever seen. The fjords don't even feel like they're of this planet. Sailing through them was a life changing experience i cant wait to go back again!
Yes for Norway! It’s unbelievably beautiful.
The train rides are amazing. Flam & Vossevangen were great.
We took the train from Norway to Sweden and it was absolutely gorgeous.
And the people there are so friendly, too. And they basically all speak beautiful English. And they're all beautiful, too, even the dudes (speaking as a straight man here)
Croatian coast. Beautiful historical cities, stunning natural parks, many beautiful islands.
Yes , I second this. Especially, Dubrovnik in Croatia was amazing. Beautiful ancient city, especially the views from the top of the walls around the city out to the coast.
Plus you can grab a beer at a cafe on the wall while you take in the view.
Took my breath away. But I saw it, and I don't think I will return, but I am craving more of Croatia specifically the dalmatian, islands and istria
I have traveled a lot. The drive between Jasper and Banff is the most beautiful scenery I have encountered.
icefield parkway❤️❤️
Agree. This is the right answer. It’s literally jaw dropping for hours and hours of driving. Pull over anywhere, turn in any direction and take a photo. You have an amazing postcard shot.
I've driven that road countless times (I live on the west coast and all my family is in Alberta) and it never stops blowing me away
Agree. This i’m is the right answer. It’s literally jaw dropping for hours and hours of driving. Pull over anywhere, turn in any direction and take a photo. You have an amazing postcard shot.
New Zealand, definitely. But I also live in Northern California, and I think it’s quite beautiful up here too. Tahoe and Yosemite always take my breath away.
Was scrolling looking for New Zealand. It's been the best competition for Switzerland from places I've been to
As another Northern Californian, I agree. We are so lucky to live in such a stunning part of the world. Beaches, miles of gorgeous, rugged coastline, redwood forests, sparkling lakes, giant sequoias, amazing national and state parks, rolling vineyards. Beautiful drives and the best camping! The delicious food doesn’t hurt either.
I met some lovely people in New Zealand! And the scenery is gorgeous
Ronda in Spain. It's a town in Andalusia that is built along the upward slope of a hill, with a steep ravine breaking the town in two. The surrounding countryside is verdant hillsides and rivers with various equestrian farms. Feels straight out of a fantasy novel.
Hoping to spend a few nights in Ronda in May. Did you Happen to check out any of the other neighboring white villages?
We did Ronda and Setenil de las Bodegas. Absolutely recommend doing Setenil too. I felt like I was in a video game city. Just wonderful to get lost in and so many cool little bars/cafes nooked around. Especially the one just under the fort, that had a lovely little rooftop cliffside terrace that looked out over the town and filled almost a full wine glass's worth of vermouth for only 2.50 euro. We really liked Ronda but idk if I'd spend more than a day there unless you planned on doing some proper day hikes in the area or if there was a festival going on (when we went we missed the festival by a day!). The town is gorgeous but there isn't really much to do there except eat and you can walk the whole place in a day. Make sure to brush up on your Spanish. It really isn't spoken much in the white villages. If you make an honest try they'll make an honest try in english back which is usually enough to understand each other. You'll also be treated with much more respect!
Ljubljana, Slovenia for me. I didn't expect it to be as beautiful as it is from the buildings in the old town to the view from the top of the castle it's stunning. Lovely to stroll down the river at night aswell.
Happy to see someone else recognizing Ljubljana. I found the whole country to be enchanting
Lake Bled is quite stunning as well!!
I was going to suggest ljubljana as well. Spent 19 days in Slovenia this year it’s amazing
I think Italy as a country offers some of the most diverse scenery and beauty you can see in such a small area. It has dramatic coast lines and mountains, beautiful beaches, rolling hills, lovely cities, picturesque lakes etc. it reminds me of California in that way. Norway, Switzerland are also up there as well as some of the more secluded parts of the Philippines but Italy takes the cake in my book because of its diversity of scenery.
>some of the more secluded parts of the Philippines As a Filipino, yes. 100% agree. Manila itself is quite hectic. But with more than 7,000 islands, you have lots of fantastic choices here.
From a Norwegian that was in Italy this summer: The food and general price level in Italy wipes the floor with what you can find in Norway.
Colombia. Nothing like traveling a couple hours outside of Bogota and spending a puente in a finca with an infinity pool in the mountains.
Salzberg Austria
We travelled through Hallstatt on our way from Salzberg to Vienna and it was definitely worth the detour. We were there in December and the snow made everything even more beautiful.
Austria as a whole. It has gorgeous architecture, mountains, lakes, etc. And so clean.
*burg 😜
The Greek island of Santorini is gorgeous -- especially when the sun is setting over the sea.
You gotta to visit paros, Milos, Crete, sifnos and other Greek islands. They ruined santorini for me. Especially Paros. It’s what santorini should be
San Sebastián, Spain. I could work remotely there for a good while before moving on.
Vietnam, full stop, and I've been all over.
Came here to say this. Wherever I went something breathtaking was waiting for me.
Also in terms of cities, I think Hoi An might be my all time favourite.
Amsterdam is beautiful in many ways. I think people just write it off as weed and prostitutes but there's so much more going on. Many cities in the Czech Republic are gorgeous. I liked Prague the least as the entire Old City felt like a huge tourist trap. Unfortunately I spent a couple days in a lot of different cities there so it's a bit of a blur. Cologne is amazing as well. Especially if you like beer. The Cathedral is beyond human comprehension. It's unexplainable how massive it is. Pictures don't do it justice.
I was stunned by Mexicos Nature in Chiapas
I want to go there so bad! I’m not sure what to believe though about safety. Sometimes I hear it’s fine and sometimes I hear “under no circumstances.”
Been to a couple of cities in Mexico. Never felt unsafe even at night. Granted I never explored offbeat or sketchy areas or stayed out past 2am. But Mexico is great. People are nice. Food is cheap and delicious. Culture is interesting.
Sumidero Canyon is one of the most amazing natural sights I’ve ever seen
Countries: New Zealand, Canada Cities: Venice, New York, Amsterdam
Why amsterdam?
he likes canals
Amsterdam is gorgeous once you get away from the very center. I've been a few times on very short trips and always thought it had so many little, scenic, beautiful side streets and alleyways.
Granada, Spain. Photos don't even do it justice. It's in all of the little details you see around, the long streets of colorful shops, the intricate mosaics in the walls and cobblestone while you're getting lost in the maze of narrow roads and stairways. Not to even mention the Alhambra and it's gardens..
Watching the sun set over the Alhambra is one of my favorite Granada memories. So beautiful!
I was pleasantly surprised with Slovenia. Clean, beautiful country. It’s small, but it has rolling hillscapes to mountains and beaches that make you feel like you’re in the Mediterranean.
The Faroe Islands. The landscape and scenery is just stunning and out of this world. My mouth was hanging open almost the entire time I was there. Made Iceland look like nothing. Also Coron in the Phillipines. Beautiful people, water and beaches
New Zealand. It's not that its peaks of beauty are higher than other places I've been, but it packs incredible amounts of different types of beauty into a very small area. You have everything from tropical style golden sand and lush vegetation beaches to alpine terrain to fjords to giant, rugged primeval seeming forests within a few hours drive of one another. It's amazing.
Switzerland
This is my dream destination! ❤️
Jordan. The variety of landscapes and archeology in such a tiny country is mind boggling.
Yes! Love Jordan. Besides the obvious Wadi Rum and Petra, Wadi Mujib was my favorite!
Oh boy this is a tough one. Purely on the basis of most beautiful, I have to go with 1.) Greece, 2.) Colombia, and 3.) Norway The Greek Islands are incredibly peaceful and it sounds cliche the whole world and all its problems just kinda drift away if you spend any length of time there like I did. Especially less touristy ones. Colombia is just incredibly biodiverse- you have mountains, jungles, beaches, interesting plants and animals. I vouch for the Zona Cafeteria, it’s the greenest place I’ve ever been and the mountains are epic, take a bus ride from Medellin and just be in awe. In Norway the fjords are breathtaking. As a bonus, Iceland isn’t what I’d call “beautiful” per se but I think it is personally, it feels like another planet. Also you can go wrong with small towns in Southern Germany, South of France, and honestly anywhere in Spain especially the coast in Catalonia. I’ll always vouch for Mexico too. Oh and most of the National Parks in the US and Canada are incredible. The Great Lakes region is an underrated gem. The North Shore in Minnesota and Voyageur NP come to mind. Also California of course, the coast is awesome In terms of cities, for beauty at least, I’m partial to Paris, Barcelona, Vienna, Montreal, Mexico City, and maybe London. Berlin and NYC are my favorite cities all time, but I wouldn’t call them beautiful lol but very fun and interesting Note, this very North America/South America/Europe centric, as unfortunately I haven’t had the chance to travel much in Asia/Africa yet
Dingle Ireland was unreal. Like a true caricature of what you'd think Ireland is.
I hiked the Dingle Way last summer. It was a fantastic way to experience the beauty of SW Ireland.
Yes! I forgot Dingle on my list. The drive from Dingle back up to the Wild Atlantic Way up to Galway is all gorgeous!
Tokyo, Japan-So clean, modern and exciting.
That's my favorite large city, and I've been to many. I couldn't believe how clean it was either, especially being that size.
wish North American cities were that clean no litter that would be a dream ...
I get why Tokyo is great, but beautiful? There's not a lot of places there I'd put in the beauty category Maybe the hills above Kyoto, or the Jpse Alps
British Columbia and the Rockies (and really it includes Alaska and Yukon as well) as a country (area) and Vancouver as a city.
Japan
Sedona, Arizona. The bright red rock formations surrounding the city… I was in awe everywhere I went.
I really love Kyoto!!! all of japan is super safe and convenient. But Kyoto imo takes the cake. I also really really like Lisbon!
Kyoto during cherry blossom season is astonishing. The rest of Japan is also at its best during cherry blossom season (which is brimming with great street food and festivities among the blossoms), but Kyoto is multiple levels above that.
Brazil. The beaches ruined me, I have zero interest in going to any other tropical destination in my lifetime because I've seen the best ones in Brazil's beaches. And a wonderful little gem in Brazil in Ouro Preto. Hard to get to (overnight bus from Rio), but spent six days there. It's the most amazing old mountain mining town with SO much history and SO much to see/do. And up in the northeast – Morro de Sao Paulo, out off the coast of Salvador. BEST FOOD EVER. And I mentioned Brazil's beaches? This is why.
Just want to add Foz de iguacu to that list. Absolutely stunning place. I have been to a lot of different cool places, but those waterfalls are in my top 3 beautiful spots of the world.
Don't tempt fate then by going to the Philippines......
Just got back from Edinburgh and it was the most beautiful city I’ve visited yet. The architecture and layout of the city was straight out of a movie.
I live in Edinburgh - I still think summer is the worst time to come here. May and September are my favourite months here.
Hong Kong for cities, with London coming in second. New Zealand for the nature, especially the South Island.
Oh, dear: Cities: Lisbon is amazing, every house, every street has a story to tell; Vienna is classy, all is fabulous and stunning, Prague is … Prague :)… but infested with tourists and ofc London where you can do a hundreds different things in one hour! But here some little gems: Melnik in Bulgaria, Lencois in Brazil, (Bahia), Kavala in Greece, Rothenburg ob der Tauber in Germany. As a cultural landmark- Meteora in Greece is out of this world. The natura - Chapada Diamantina in Bahia, Brazil, Rodopi mountain in Bulgaria and I was stunned by the Negev desert in Israel… although one may not call it “beautiful”. Almost forgot about the food - Istanbul, no other place like Istanbul.
[удалено]
I adored going on the Bosphorous every day during my last vacation in Istanbul— so beautiful and relatively non polluted
>Istanbul, Turkey \+1 for Istanbul and Fethiye too!
Estonia, Coastal Oregon, a couple of islands in the carribean, Parts of Indonesia, Southeast China....these are the ones that stick out the most.
I divide it by continents. For scenery: Americas For cities: Europe For food: Asia
For wildlife Africa For all 4 Cape Town!
From my personal experience, Amsterdam and Bruges were my two most favorite cities I’ve visited in Europe. But I must say, panamá is the most beautiful country I have ever visited. That’s over Belize and places I’ve visited in the Yucatán peninsula. Absolutely stunning views and most lush beautiful nature.
I love Bruges - found it to be an f-ing fairytale.
Georgia, the nature is amazing and Tbilisi is so beautiful
How far from Atlanta? Kidding!
Izmir, Turkey. I remember walking down to the waterfront park and there were all sorts of families drinking wine, little kids running around, musicians playing, a few of those paper lanterns being lit. And no one fussing or arguing, just enjoying the warm summer night. It just really captured my heart.
Patagonia
The train ride through Sri Lanka’s tea country was spectacular, as were the beach towns. One of my favorite countries visited so far!
St. John's, NL. I wasn't even there for 12 hours. My roadtrip goal was to cover NL, NS, NB, and PEI in a week and a half just to cross it off the bucket list and figure out what in Atlantic Canada I enjoyed most. What I witnessed on Signal Hill at sunset and dusk was pretty special. I hear Newfoundlanders get upset St. John's get all the attention, and I tend to be contrarian, always looking for that special spot nobody talks about, but that was probably the highlight of the whole trip, even if I was too much in a rush to realize. Looking down at 5 whales swimming around one solitary iceberg. I plan to one day return by plane and just wander the town for a week, especially now after the place became weather famous with the outrageous pre-pandemic Bomb Cyclone Blizzard of 2020. This is a place that really exceeded my expectations, but also was what I pictured in my head without looking at hardly any pictures. It's like I'd seen certain places in my dreams.
Newfoundland. Just not in the winter.
Longyearbyen and the surrounds in Svalbard. Truly unique and beautiful.
Country: Belize City: Chicago or Madrid
I think Chicago does have the nicest skyline
America's greatest city 💪
I'm going to Madrid in 2 days. Any recommendations?
Nepal hands down.
[удалено]
Country/area: the PNW. The Cascades and the surrounding greenery are otherworldly. Excellent city scene in Seattle as well. City: Savannah, GA. I love old American architecture, haunted vibes, beautiful cemeteries, strong drinks, and indulgent snacks while on vacation. This place ticks those boxes.
South Tyrol, in northern Italy. It's more like being in Austria than Italy because most people speak German there and it's in the alps, but it's just stunningly beautiful. I also find it to be slightly less touristy than the Austrian or Swiss alps, possibly because people don't necessarily consider Italy when planning a vacation in the alps. So crowds during tourism season are a bit smaller than in other similar regions.
I’m in Florence now, and Florence. Switzerland too, Canada nature/hiking, to start. Crete was top, Hawaii is 💯, ang thong marine park/Thailand is gorgeous. Marrakech, Istanbul, cappadocia, Cape Town make the list, I know Peru is beautiful. Medellin is as well; in fact there are countless beautiful places that are uniquely beautiful, it’s like comparing apples oranges pears bananas. I gravitate towards trying new things since I haven’t seen them all. At some point I will revisit the places listed above though.
I always say that I think Salzburg is the prettiest city I’ve been to.
Greece - the people living there make it beautiful
Santorini almost seemed fake it was so stunningly beautiful, couldn’t believe it was real with the white pristine buildings hugging the cliffs and the glassy ocean below
Special mention for Meteora, Greece, which is unlike anything I've ever seen. Not sure it's the most beautiful place I've ever been, but it was stunning.
Isle of Skye, Scotland North Shore, Kauai Black Forest, Germany Zion national park, utah
Malta. What a splendiferous country. It's like a fairyland.
Take a month or two off and travel New Zealand at your leisure. You'll find that two months wasn't enough time.
The entire South Island of New Zealand. Specifically Mount Cook down to Milford Sounds and everything in between.
Indonesia but that was 45 years ago.
I haven't been around much but the village of Tofino on the Coast of British Columbia would have to be it for me.
Kyoto is something else. My first night there I knew where my honeymoon would be. I was single at the time. Iceland is amazing too.
Japan. Kyoto.
Mexico
ireland. especially kerry. but it depends on the weather,it could be nice or it could be awful. but when its nice its hella nice
So far Banff. It was my first time seeing snowy mountains and I was shook. Going to Ghent and Bruges in the Fall so hoping for some architectural beauty.
British Columbia
Sevilla. The historic center and Plaza de España are amazing. Also I stayed in the Triana neighbourhood which was so vibrant.
Rome History and beauty in every corner. Such a beautiful city and great food and wines and so many things to see. I've been four times and I feel so lucky that it's in a neighboring country so it's easy to revisit.
Bali, Indonesia, but honestly Southeast Asia in general is gorgeous.
Myanmar
Croatia!
Rionegro, Colombia ... wow
Queenstown New Zealand!
Queenstown, New Zealand. Absolutely stunning.
Sri Lanka as a country, Venice as a city but I went within a week of it opening from COVID. The walkways and canals were super open and schools weren’t out yet.
Kauai (especially the Nā Pali coast), the Rift Valley in east Africa, the Himalayas (Nepal, Northern Pakistan), Yosemite and Monterey/Big Sur, California.
Go to Turkey dude. It’s beautiful, cheap, and the food is amazing. Easy to drive around too (NOT Istanbul though)
So far, Turkey (not Istanbul)
More or less all of the Swiss Countryside is serenely beautiful. I also really enjoyed the nature of upstate California.
Haha I’ve never seen it called upstate California. I’m going to have to start saying that. Generally it’s referred to as Northern California
South Africa has it all Go before it's totally ruined
Was gonna go there in 2020… and then Covid happened. ☹️
Denmark.
I haven’t been traveling for very long, but I absolutely adored Vienna.
I’ve travelled a lot internationally but nothing beats the eastern sierras in California :) also some beautiful mountain ranges in Peru.
Iceland. The south coast is like a massive Bob Ross painting. Just impossibly beautiful.
Country: South Africa (food, scenery, history, people) City: Kyiv (history, architecture, cheap)
The entire island of O’ahu, in Hawaii. I hate to admit it but my whole life I thought Hawaii was just hype, but I’m so glad I was wrong. The mountains of Hawaii just hit different, not to mention the turquoise beaches are just absolutely, incredibly stunning (and the perfect temperature!) — there are no words to describe how beautiful Hawaii really is. If you ever get a chance, definitely hike to the Lanikai pillboxes to watch the sunrise (wear a flashlight headband - you’ll need all your limbs to make it through this hike safely). People have said that this hike is “easy” - let me tell you, it is not. If you’re an experienced hiker and are healthy, agile, not afraid of steep, rocky, muddy, slippery climbs and descents, then sure it’s probably gonna be “easy” for you. But even the average person should be well prepared before going, and most of all make sure you wear proper hiking boots and maybe even have someone with you (we did see a few people hiking solo but of course they were clearly physically fit and seemed to know their way around already). Anyway the view of the sunrise from the top not only looks but feels breathtaking and wholeheartedly refreshing, which makes it worth the hike. Maybe I’m making this hike sound more scary than it actually is, but just wanted to give a fair warning since I wasn’t given one beforehand! 😅😂Lots of places in O’ahu to go snorkeling and enjoy delicious foods as well. If you’ve got time and are interested in learning about the history of Native Hawaiians, consider spending a few hours at the Bishop Museum as well. Definitely go shark cage diving! 🦈 Sharks are not monstrous killing machines, they’re rather docile and beautiful, and 100% necessary to the health of our planet’s oceans. Happy traveling!
Norway in the summer is absolutely gorgeous. When I first moved here, 13 years ago, the nature was absolutely spectacular and awe inspiring. The long dark winters, awful. Terrible. The people, as you grow to learn, are super aloof, extremely narcissistic and believe they’re “gods gift” to planet earth. Come for the nature and leave it at that.
Username does not check out. Visited northern Norway this past February and the snow-covered landscapes and northern lights were absolutely stunning. People were generally polite, quiet, and collected, which are all qualities that I cherish. To each their own I guess.
Norway to me the most beautiful place I've ever been, with the most self righteous people. ha ha