80 Gorgeous Travel Photos from Around the World
Updated: Jun. 20, 2019With nearly 200 countries to cover, it would be quite a feat to see the entire planet. With these fascinating photos from around the globe, you've got yourself a head start!
The Sphynx
Let’s begin our world tour with one of the most magnificent and mysterious wonders of the world: The Sphynx, also known as the Sphynx of Giza. Located near Cairo, Egypt and not far from the Nile River, the Sphynx is an enormous limestone statue of the mythical creature that has the head of a human and the body of a lion. No one really can say what it’s meant to depict or even how old it actually is.
Here are more ancient mysteries researchers still haven’t been able to solve.
The Great Pyramid of Giza
Built as burial shrine to the Pharaoh Khufu (who reigned from 2589 to 2566 B.C.), the oldest and largest of Egypt’s great pyramids (located within sight distance of the Sphynx) is the Great Pyramid of Giza. Its sheer enormity is mysterious enough, but it continues to astound in new ways as more archeological discoveries about it are made.
Have you heard of these remote natural wonders?
The Acropolis
The Acropolis of Athens is one of the most famous ancient archaeological sites in the world. Located on a limestone hill high above Athens, Greece, the Acropolis has been a home to kings (as well as the mythological home to Greek gods), a citadel, and the Parthenon temple, which still stands today. Sadly, it’s also been a target of vandalism, but it still stands, reminding the world of Greece’s rich ancient history.
Check out more tourist traps that are actually worth visiting.
Nemea, Greece
The ancient Greek stadium of Nemea, southwest of Athens, is another remarkable ancient site. It’s home to the Sanctuary of Zeus.
Here are the best Greek islands you need to visit.
Mount Nemrut, Eastern Turkey
Crowning one of the highest peaks of the Eastern Taurus mountain range in southeastern Turkey, Nemrut Dağ is the tomb built in the 1st century B.C. by King Antiochus I of Commagene as a monument to himself, according to the United Nation’s World Heritage Convention.
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Machu Picchu
Another of the world’s manmade wonders, Machu Picchu, located in Peru, is believed to have been a royal estate or sacred religious site for Inca leaders, according to History.com. After the Incan civilization was destroyed by the Spanish in the 1500s, Machu Picchu lay undiscovered and unknown except by locals until 1911, despite that this monument to ancient life in Peru stretches over five miles and features more than 3,000 stone steps.
Don’t miss these mind-blowing facts about Machu Picchu.
Easter Island
Easter Island covers roughly 64 square miles in the South Pacific and is located some 2,300 miles from Chile’s west coast and 2,500 miles east of Tahiti, explains History.com. Although it was known as Rapa Nui to its earliest inhabitants, the island became known as “Easter Island” after Dutch explorers discovered it on Easter of 1722. Annexed by Chile in the late 19th century, it’s famous for its 900 some-odd giant stone carvings—buried up to their necks in the ground. Why that is, and how they got there, remains a mystery, although scientists have theories. Easter Island also happens to be one of the most remote places on Earth.
Great Wall of China
The Great Wall of China is not a single wall, but rather a series of walls and forts, totaling 13,000 miles in length. Located in northern China, it’s one of China’s most iconic and recognized symbols. Ordered to be built by Emperor Qin Shi Huang in the third century B.C., the wall was intended to prevent invasions, according to History.com. The best-preserved section was built between the 14th and 17th centuries A.D. during the Ming Dynasty.
Find out what it’s really like to repair the Great Wall of China.
The Roman Colosseum
Also known as the Roman Coliseum, or Flavian Amphitheatre, this massive stone amphitheater is believed to have been commissioned by Emporer Vespasian as a gift to the Roman people in the first century A.D. It was first used for watching gladiators in combat. Having fallen into disrepair by the fifth century, it was used as a source of building materials in the 1700s. Although a full two-thirds of the Colosseum was destroyed over time, the amphitheater remains an iconic symbol of the Roman Empire.
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Citadel of Qaitbay
The Citadel of Qaitbay is a fort that was built to protect from invasion by the Sultan Qaitbay in the late 15th century in Alexandria, Egypt. It’s adjacent to the lighthouse of Alexandria, another wonder of the ancient world. Buried beneath the sea nearby is the sunken palace of Cleopatra, one of the creepiest things found at the bottom of the world’s oceans.
Althorp Estate, England
The Althorp Estate, sitting on 13,000 acres of Northamptonshire, Warwickshire, and Norfolk, in England is the ancestral home of the Princess Diana’s family, the Spencers. After Princess Diana’s tragic death in 1997, she was buried on a tiny island in a lake on the property.
Here are more English landmarks frequented by Princess Diana.
The Western Wall of Jerusalem
The Western Wall, located in Jerusalem, is also known as the Wailing Wall and is one of the last remaining walls of the ancient Jewish Temple, which was destroyed in 70 A.D. by the Romans. Although the wall itself wasn’t originally a particularly important part of the temple, it’s now considered a holy place by Jews and non-Jews alike, who come from all over the world to pray, meditate, and leave handwritten prayers in crevices of the wall.
Notre-Dame Cathedral
Notre-Dame de Paris, also known as Notre-Dame Cathedral, is one of the world’s most famous cathedrals. It was designed and built during the Middle Ages on the ruins of two earlier churches and is considered one of the greatest examples of French Gothic architecture. On April 15, 2019, a fire broke out in the cathedral, damaging its famed latticework roof and spire. The process to rebuild it is underway. Along with the Eiffel Tower, it’s one of Paris’s most well-known landmarks—check out these mind-blowing facts about the Eiffel Tower.
The Erta Ale Volcano
Discovered in the 1960s and still active, the Erta Ale volcano is known for its persistent lava lake. Although visitor numbers have increased significantly over the past years, the volcano is considered a risky travel destination both because of volcanic activity and political unrest in the area.
Learn about the most extreme travel adventures in the world.
Hot spring in Iceland
This hot spring near Eyjaog Miklaholtshreppur in Iceland is a prime example of the almost unfathomable and peculiar beauty of hot springs (springs made of water that’s been heated by subterranean volcanic activity). Iceland’s also home to the Blue Lagoon hot spring, one of the world’s greatest beauty destinations.
A beach in Sweden
If you’ve never been to Sweden, you might be surprised to find solid rock rather than sand beneath your feet. Go in the summer and you’ll be able to enjoy nearly 24 hours of daylight.
Feast your eyes on the beaches with the best seashells.
Giant’s Causeway
The Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland lies on the edge of the Antrim Plateau between Causeway Head and Benbane Head (northeast of Londonderry). Here you’ll find some 40,000 of these naturally-formed basalt pillars, some as tall as 82 feet high, each jutting out of the cliff faces, forming what looks like a staircase into the sea.
Discover more naturally gorgeous rock formations around the world.
Mount Everest
In this photo, a Nepalese man runs with his national flag during a marathon race commemorating the first successful ascent up Mount Everest, the tallest mountain in the world, by New Zealander Edmund Hillary and his Sherpa guide Tenzing Norgay in May of 1953.
Ice formation in the mountains of Slovenia
This photo shows the effects of an ice storm on a perfectly ordinary pine tree in the Dinaric Alps in Slovenia. The Dinaric Alps are a mountain range in Southern and Southeastern Europe, separating the Balkan Peninsula from the Adriatic Sea. They stretch all the way from Italy through Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro, Kosovo, and Albania.
Find out more about other tiny countries you may not know existed.
Slovenia’s heart-shaped road
Herzerlstraße’—a heart-shaped road amidst lush vineyards—is a man-made wonder in the tiny country of Slovenia. These heart-shaped islands and lakes around the world are equally beautiful!
White Cliffs of Dover
Around 70 million years ago, the part of Great Britain known now as the White Cliffs of Dover was submerged beneath a shallow sea whose bottom was made of chalk, according to the Dover Museum. “Since the time of the chalk sea, the chalk has been lifted out of the water by movements of the earth’s crust.” The White Cliffs of Dover are now an iconic sight along England’s eastern shoreline.
Indulge your inner Anglophile with our countdown of things to do in London.
Dragonsblood Trees in Socotra
According to the Global Trees Campaign, Dragonsblood Trees grow in only one place in the world: the island of Socotra, 250 miles off the coast of Yemen. The otherworldly tree is revered for its red resin, also known as “cinnabar.”
Check out more jaw-dropping pictures of the world’s most amazing trees.
Dead Sea
Turquoise blue with salt crystals jutting out of it, the Dead Sea, located in both Jordan and Israel, is the lowest point on earth. The Dead Sea’s extremely salty waters and mineral-rich mud are world famous for being therapeutic, and the water’s so buoyant, it’s almost impossible not to float.
Great Barrier Reef
Visit Queensland, Australia to see this view of the breakwaters rising near the edge of the continental shelf of the Agincourt Reefs in person. The coral reef is endangered—here are more places to visit before they disappear.
Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls is always spectacular, but not always as deserted as on this winter morning when this photo was taken.
You won’t want to miss this zoomed out view of the famous waterfall.
Gocta Waterfall
This Peruvian waterfall, known as Gocta Waterfall, is 2,529 feet high—at one point it was considered the third highest waterfall in the world, but it’s now ranked as 15th. It was discovered only recently, in 2002, by the German explorer Stefan Ziemendorff.
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Loch Ard Gorge
The Loch Ard Gorge in Victoria, Australia was named for a ship that sank nearby, according to Visit Melbourne. The Loch Ard was a clipper ship bound for Melbourne from England that sailed on March 2, 1878, and sank three months later. Only two people survived, a 15-year-old boy named Tom and a 17-year-old girl named Eva, and the two rock pillars are named for them.
Shipwreck of the Elviscot
The Elviscot sank in the 1970s near Pomente, Elba Island, Italy. It’s not far from the beach, in water that’s only 52 feet deep, making it a popular diving destination.
Discover the 10 most gorgeous shipwrecks around the world.
Shipwreck of the SS Thistlegorm
Another shipwreck, the SS Thistlegorm, which sank in 1941 in the Red Sea off the coast of Egypt, has become a favourite of aquatic life—swimming inside the cargo hold is a school of Vanikoro Sweepers.
Are you ready for these creepy ghost ship mysteries?
Penguins in Antarctica
The Adelie penguins might be clumsy on land, but when hunting—or being hunted—in the water, they can swim up to 9.3 miles per hour.
These adorable photos of baby animals will melt your heart.
Bats in Indonesia
Here we see hundreds of bats sleeping in a cave above the altar of what is appropriately known as the Temple of Bats in Bali, Indonesia.
Discover the most amazing temples in the world.
Zebras and ostriches in Namibia
This photo of zebras drinking with ostriches at a waterhole was taken in Etosha National Park in Namibia. These funny photos of animals will make your day.
Whale in Argentina
This whale gliding in the waters of the Peninsula Valdez, in Patagonia, Argentina is a Southern Right Whale that migrates each year from Antarctica to give birth and feed its young.
Before you book your next trip, learn about the places that have been ruined by tourism.
Red Kangaroo in New South Wales
Here, a young red kangaroo stands at the edge of a watering hole in New South Wales, Australia. Red kangaroos hop on their hind legs at speeds of over 35 miles per hour. They are native to Australia’s deserts and grasslands, and when they gather, it’s a “mob.” Literally.
Ayers Rock in Australia
Ayers Rock is located in the Northern Territory of Australia, which is part of the Australian Outback (the remote parts of Australia that are largely unpopulated except by native tribes). The Aboriginals call the rock “Uluru” and believe it is magical.
A lone cable drum on a remote beach in Norway
About 600 miles south of the North Pole, Northern Svalbard is a Norwegian archipelago known for its rugged, remote terrain of glaciers, frozen tundra, reindeer, arctic fox, and polar bears. Here is an incredibly lonely and haunting photo of a lone cable drum that somehow washed ashore on a Northern Svalbard beach.
Ndebele woman
Travelling the world, you’ll come across people who look completely different from the people you know. For example, this photo, taken in South Africa, is of a woman from the Ndebele tribe wearing her tribe’s traditional dress and neckwear.
A reveller at the Cologne Carnival in Germany
A traditional reveller at the traditional Cologne Carnival in Cologne Germany celebrates in front of the Cologne Cathedral.
Take the road less travelled in these underrated European cities.
Carnival, Les Cayes, Haiti
Carnival performers parade in the streets of Les Cayes, during Haiti’s three-day Carnival festivities.
The Ganges River
The Hindu culture sees the Ganges River, which flows through India and Bangladesh, as a holy place. Here, a couple performs a ritual on the first day of the nine-day Hindu festival of Navratri.
Discover these helpful hints for Canadians travelling to India for the first time.
A Buddhist monk in Myanmar
Buddhism in Myanmar (formerly, Burma) is practiced by 90 per cent of the country’s population. Pictured here is a Buddhist monk at a Myanmar monastery.
None of these 10 attractions in southeast Asia will leave you disappointed!
Maori man in New Zealand
Descended from Polynesian settlers who arrived in New Zealand before 1,000 AD, the Maoris had formed a unique culture by the end of the 1800s. One facet of that culture is body art. Maori tattoos are called moko and are known for their fine artistry.
Nuiqsut boy
Nuiqsut, Alaska, is a tiny city in northeastern Alaska that was incorporated in 1975. Its population was just under 450 in 2015, and its economy is based primarily on subsistence hunting, fishing, and whaling.
Sunrise at Stonehenge
Stonehenge is one of the world’s most mysterious archeological treasures, which makes it a magical, albeit crowded, place to celebrate the summer solstice. Go a month later, and you’ll have the whole place to yourself.
This is the most-booked tourist attraction on TripAdvisor.
Ice hotel, Sweden
The Icehotel in Norrbotten County, Sweden is open year-round, even in summer. Here’s what it’s like to actually stay in an ice hotel, this one in Quebec.
Gardens by the Bay, Singapore
These “supertrees” can be found in Gardens by the Bay, Singapore’s huge botanical garden that is one of Asia’s foremost garden destinations.
Gunung Mulu National Park, Malaysia
Pictured is the incredible canopy walk in the rainforest at Gunung Mulu National Park in Sarawak, Malaysia. It’s one of the world’s longest canopy walks.
The Little Mermaid, Copenhagen, Denmark
At Langelinje Pier you will find one of Copenhagen’s most famous tourist attractions: The sculpture of The Little Mermaid, according to Visit Copenhagen. Unveiled in August 1913, the statue was a gift from Danish brewer Carl Jacobsen to the City of Copenhagen and was inspired by the Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale of the same name.
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The Iditarod dog sled race
The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race is a 1,049-mile trek through some of the most extreme wilderness in the nation. The first one was held in 1973. This photo was taken during this year’s race and shows the dogs of Montana musher Brett Bruggeman.
Illulisat, Greenland
Illulisat is the home of the Jakobshavn Glacier, which is the largest glacier outside Antarctica. Many people assume that Greenland is nothing more than a sheet of ice. But this adorable home says otherwise.
Cottage, County Clare, Ireland
This thatched-roof cottage can be seen in County Clare, Ireland.
Here are more incredible things to do in Ireland off the beaten path.
Cape Cod Cottage, in North Truro, Massachusetts
The classic “Cape Cod”-style house, a small, wood-shingled structure with a steeply gabled roof and dormer windows, originated in where else? Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Cape Cod is instantly recognizable to anyone who’s ever been there by its incredible sweeping sand dunes.
Houses in Nyhavn, Denmark
These houses along the Nyhavn waterfront of Copenhagen are decorated for Christmas. Stay for December 31 and experience Denmark’s “lucky” New Year’s tradition.
The Breakers mansion, Newport, Rhode Island
If you’re thinking of visiting iconic homes from around the world, you won’t want to miss The Breakers, the mansion built for the Vanderbilt family in Newport, Rhode Island.
Imperial Palace, Beijing, China
The Imperial Palace, located in Beijing China, is the largest palace in the world.
Learn the difference between a castle and a palace.
Château de Chenonceau, Loire Valley, France
Just a few hours drive from Paris, the Loire Valley offers numerous castles and vineyards. This 16th-century castle spans the River Cher and in 1560 was home to the first every fireworks display in France.
Istana Nurul Iman Palace, Brunei
The largest residential palace in the world is the Istana Nurul Iman Palace, which is the home of the Sultan of Brunei.
The Ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, Vatican City, Italy
As far as art destinations go, the Sistine Chapel may very well be the jewel on the crown of our planet. Michelangelo’s ceiling fresco, painted for Pope Julius II between 1508 and 1512, famously depicts the Creation of the World and the Fall of Man.
Find out why Italy is the world’s best country for road trips.
Trafalgar, Santorini, Greece
The picture-perfect island of Santorini is nicknamed the “precious gem of the Aegean.” You’ll love the iconic whitewashed villages, swimming in the glistening blue waters and gazing at unforgettable Greek sunsets.
Venice, Italy
This photo is of San Marco Canal with the Campanile on San Marco Square in Venice. Nearby, you’ll find the village of Burano, one of the 11 most colourful towns in the world.
Cathedral Square, Havana, Cuba
Tourists visit Cathedral Square as a cat lays under the sun in Havana, Cuba.
Don’t miss our ranking of the most affordable European capital cities.
Prague, Czech Republic
Prague is the capital and largest city in the Czech Republic, the 14th largest city in the European Union, and the historical capital of what was once the country of Bohemia.
The New York City skyline
This view of New York City’s famous skyline is seen from across the Hudson River in Weehawken, New Jersey.
These are the New York City attractions you need to see at least once.
The Bean, Chicago
Let’s not forget Chicago’s magnificent skyline, which is uniquely reflected here in Chicago’s Bean sculpture, officially called Cloud Gate. Use our list of things to do in Chicago as your guide!
Peggy’s Cove, Nova Scotia
We’re not in the city anymore as we visit Peggy’s Cove in Nova Scotia. This fishing village (notice the lobster traps) stands on the province’s Lighthouse Route and is a popular tourist destination.
Check out the most quirky roadside attractions across Canada.
Champillon, Champagne, France
France’s celebrated Champagne region is a UNESCO World Heritage site; the structures belong to the Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa, where you can take in views of the vineyards that stripe the hills of Épernay and the villages of Champillon and Hauviller. It’s all just 45 minutes by train from Paris.
Tuna Auction in Tokyo, Japan
Speaking of fish, pictured here is a tuna auction taking place at the Tsukiji fish market in Tokyo, Japan. The tuna in the photo is priced at ¥30.4 million, or over $270,000!
Signs in Key West, Florida
This “intersection” is at the southernmost point in the entire United States, and the signs provide “directions” and actual distances to many other locales all over the world.
Consider adding these experiences to your Key West bucket list.
This unpronounceable sign
“Llanfynydd” is a village in Wales whose name you might be able to pronounce if you’re actually from there. Otherwise, best of luck. Still, it’s worth a visit.
Next, check out the 10 royal vacation spots you can visit.
