It is an actual registered/legal village with a mayor and city services with a population of 29. Until a few years past 2005 you could get caught up by the water going to it
You'd have to convince one of the four or five families that posses all the housing there to sell it to you. Also it's really not recommended because you have to accept few millions of tourists visiting the site in your window each year and that you have to wait and take the only way in as well. That is why may former inhabitants left and live in the surrounding villages past all the farmlands. There are french state staff that lives there as part of their job and religious staff but even them have a secondary place in the surrounding villages to avoid the tourists bottlenecks.
Oh yeah there is quicksand too.
I am sure I must be doing the maths incorrectly. The wiki for Mont-Saint-Michel says they get 3 million visitors per year. Does this mean an average of over 8000 people descend on this home to a few dozen people daily? And given this would have seasonal variation, is it very crowded in peak months?
From when I visited, the houses were tucked away in the middle (maybe they were hotels?) but the staircases are tiny and there’s only so much to do for an every day person. You’d have to be a shop owner. The donations now support hundreds of sights around France that wouldn’t have funding before. It’s interesting that the place was deserted for a long time until it was brought back to life.
I got to visit MSM last summer during the 79th anniversary of DDay. Seeing WWII bombers flying over the town was absolutely wild. I cannot recommend Normandy more. Its such an amazing region!
> staircase to the top of Huayna Picchu
Me: Googles
Huh, that doesn't look [too bad.](https://www.boletomachupicchu.com/gutblt/wp-content/images/huayna-picchu-escaleras-1.jpg)
Alright, well, that's [anxiety inducing](https://www.incaexpert.com/images/blog-huayna-picchu-6.jpg)
[Holy shit no no no no no no no.](https://www.reddit.com/media?url=https%3A%2F%2Fpreview.redd.it%2Fz4t266qz3fk81.jpg%3Fwidth%3D1080%26crop%3Dsmart%26auto%3Dwebp%26s%3D7d3c1cb7c9b4c93c1db9a4bd321ca90fbef50ede)
That last one isn't part of the trail fortunately! But yeah, the other pics capture the grade, uneven steps, and insane exposure of the path. All that to say that it was one of the most epic things I've done.
All those museums in DC by the capitol. They’re free and range from pretty good to world class amazing.
Edit: The Smithsonians, can't believe I forgot the name.
FUCKING AIRPLANES AND SPACESHIPS HANGING OFF THE CEILING. and then you turn a corner into a side room and the Wright Brother’s airplane is just chillin there. MINDBLOWING.
I went to the museum in DC and thought it was a bit of a let down compared to the AF Museum in Dayton. Now the Udvar-Hazy extension on the other hand is incredible. Although I'm still salty that New York got a space shuttle instead of Dayton.
Just the lobby blew my mind.
Walk in:”OMG a lunar module!”
Next to that: “A Gemini capsule!”
Next to that: “A Mercury Capsule!”
Turn the corner: “Holy shit! A V2!”
Turn left: “Fucking Columbia!” (Apollo 11 command module)
It was space nerd overload and the WW2 plane section is awesome too
Edit: clarifying which Columbia
It was insane going from the natural history museum, where everyone was pretty talkative and loud, then going to the holocaust museum where you could hear a pin drop. both were incredible experiences
I had a similar experience going from the American History Museum ("Isn't America great? Look at all of the great stuff we've done") to the African American History Museum ("oh")
Go there during the Smithsonian's folklife festivals week/weekend, in the summer, whatever it's called. I did that eons ago. One of the museums had some history of Java stuff, so they had some gamelan music outside. Elsewhere, they had a history of farming. I've been to antique farm shows, so no biggie. But the third? HIstory of the blues in America. At the four corners of the Mall, they had four different bands nobody had ever heard of, that would blow away about all name people. Black folks from the Delta and Deep East Texas and such.
And I appreciate that they are REALLY free, vs “free but what we mean is a suggested donation and also we suggest this exact price but I GUESS you can also NOT pay…”
(Which I don’t hold against them, they aren’t like…being greedy. But also I was the person who couldn’t pay and ALSO the one susceptible to the donation requests.)
As someone who works in DC and frequents the museums, I'm always taken aback when I travel and try to enter other cities museums. It's the people's art damnit!!
Dude, I know. I am from Virginia, but I live somewhere else now and hate it. The museums in other places typically aren't as good as the Smithsonian, too.
I think I threw in some money at one of them but yeah, at the time I couldn't afford to pay 20-25$ for each museum which seems to be the going rate. Just being able to walk in was great.
Honestly they probably get more of my money with free admission because between throwing some money at donations, being able to afford upgrades like IMAX, and buying little things, I still spend $10-20 each trip, but now I’ve gone multiple time instead of only being able to go once.
The cherry blossoms on the tidal basin during the spring are one of the most amazing things I have ever seen. I lived nearby so I would walk down there as the sun was coming up and I had the whole place almost to myself.
It’s fucking *incredible*. For those who are unfamiliar, in Game of Thrones most of the Dorne Palace scenes were filmed in the Alcázar, which is like the Alhambra’s little brother.
Came here for this. Admittedly I haven't traveled as much as I wish I could, but this is my favorite thing I've seen. Granada was a delight in general.
The terracotta soldiers in xian. Very unimpressive low key entrance and then you come around a corner and it’s just jaw dropping. Dunno if they’ve changed the entry but it’s very much “under promise, over deliver”. Quite awesome.
Only thing is, do not go during the three main holidays in China around May 1st, Oct 1st and Chinese New Year. The crowds during these periods will be their own type of incredible but not in a good way.
Hahaha, Aussie here currently in China. I was at the Terra-cotta Warriors last Wednesday 1 May. Complete and utter chaos! We had a great guide though who knew how to get through the throngs to the barrier, so we didn’t miss out.
Two days later we made the **very** wise move of going to the Great Wall early in the morning. Virtually no one there when we went up. By the time we came down 3 hours later, the queue was for miles - dudes at the back would be queuing for probably 3-4 hours just to get to the ski-lift which takes you up.
Totally agree! They’re absolutely stunning.
For anyone planning to see them, the rooms are numbered 1-3 with room 1 being the biggest room with the most soldiers, and room 3 being the smallest with the least amount of soldiers. Before I went, I was advised that instead of going from 1-3, go 3-1 to avoid being potentially underwhelmed. Following that advice worked out well for me and my fellow travelers, and we were all overwhelmed in awe.
The history of the place is amazing. The fact that the emperor starting working on his tomb pretty much as soon as he took the reins. The fact that it was lost for so long. The idea that all the soldiers were individually and differently decorated. And all armed. Etc etc. just mind blowing to me. (at least one severely dissenting view. 😳).
China is weird like that.
Some tourist attractions are glitzed and commercialised up to ridiculously over-the-top levels.....and then some are "here's this random nothing of a gate that leads to a spectacular palace"
You can't truly appreciate their size until your standing next to them, seeing wrinkles in the bark wider than your body, and hearing the sap popping and creaking as it works it's way up the tree. It just hits you all at once and you feel... tiny.
I live nearby and I never cease to be amazed that it’s so near me, something that isn’t anywhere else. When I get a day off work I go to Sequoia or Yosemite. Seriously American redditors get you parks pass! Support our parks they’re astonishing!
Hey, I just realized I have Thursday off…
The Path of the Gods hike in the Amalfi coast. It's absolutely incredible, the views you get from there are some of the best in the world, also, the Road to Hana on Maui. Highly recommend the Shaka guide app to play on your trip it tells you when to pull off and go look at waterfalls.
I have never loved a hike more than Path of the Gods. I have hundreds of photos from when I did it several years ago in the off season (highly recommend winter visits). Beautiful flowers everywhere, a TON of animals (cats, dogs, mules, etc), and the most stunning views I’ve ever seen. We stayed in Atrani, which was lit up all different colors from the coastline lights. Amazing food, incredible architecture/city design, and it was so SO tiny and cozy. My family and I stayed over Christmas and New Years. We witnessed the most insane fireworks show, in this tiny town, nestled inside this tiny crevice of the mountain. We had a rooftop terrace so we saw the entire night sky. The show lasted well over an hour and started with a lone burning star on a zip line (?) that slowly descended through the entire town before landing in the Mediterranean Sea. During the star’s descent, the local priest read the Bible’s Christmas story in full Latin on loudspeakers. We just sat in awe with a massive burning star floating past our heads and the priest’s voice booming off the walls of the valley. Even though I’m not religious, it was honestly one of the most sacred experiences I’ve ever had - and the fireworks that followed the star’s watery death made US fireworks shows look like toddlers with sparklers. I’ve traveled a good deal throughout Europe and SouthEast Asia, but the Amalfi coast holds a very special place in my heart and I can’t wait to go back someday.
Honestly id argue all of those scenic places are great, you just need REALLY good weather. I went to the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland and it was beautiful, highly recommend it for a day out, very peaceful.
On the topic of Ireland, as an Irish person, highly recommend the caves. There are a good few to visit, such as the Aillwee in the Burren.
I now live in Scotland and have totally fallen in love with wild camping in the Trossachs here.
Second this. Some may think it's just Angkor Wat (which is amazing in itself) but there is basically a whole city worth of ruins and walls and man made lakes. It's insane. Best place I've ever been to and I've been to a few places.
The Louvre in Paris has a well deserved reputation. There is SO MUCH in there that nobody ever talks about. When I visited, I spent hours just looking at sculptures and barely even got to any of the paintings.
The nearby Musée d'Orsay is also pretty dope. The museum itself was originally built as a train station in the late 19th century and I had a great time just admiring its architecture in addition to the art on display there.
I love that Musée d'Orsay is full of paintings that were rejected from the Louvre because Impressionism was not sophisticated enough to be allowed in the Louvre. Now who's laughing?
Le Louvre was going to be my answer too. People love to post pictures of the huge crowd in front of the tiny Mona Lisa, but there are so many other things to see in there, so many amazing pieces of art. You can easily spend several days in there.
Yes! When my sister was planning our trip to London and Paris, this was the one thing I wanted to do. I was fine doing whatever else but I really wanted to see the Catacombs. It did not disappoint. A couple months before the trip, a podcast I listen to did an episode on the Catacombs and it was interesting learning about the history.
I like creepy/morbid things and was so excited for the catacombs but I found them very upsetting once I was actually down there. It sunk in that I was basically in a mass grave and it spooked me.
Agree with all the other comments but leaving the catacombs was something that got me- we basically emerged from a non-descript door on a side street somewhere in Paris! No idea where the f uck we where relative to where we entered.
I had very low expectations, but my daughter wanted to go. We had the best tour guide. He knew so many interesting details about each property. A must see for those visiting Chicago!
We did the sunset one two years ago. It was bright and full daylight at the beginning, and by the end we got to see the city all lit up from a bit out on the lake. It was so beautiful. And not just the end—the whole tour.
Scrolled to find this. I was so sick of seeing cathedrals on my eurotrip and I wasn’t excited at all to visit. But wow. I could have stared at the outside for hours, and the inside was one of the most ethereal experiences I’ve ever had. Can’t wait to go back
The inside almost made me religious, and I've been an atheist for 30 years.
The light through the windows cast on the pillars was the most beautiful man-made thing I've seen in my life.
I was just in Barcelona and would argue the whole city meets this standard. As busy as it is I was blown away by how insanely beautiful the whole city was.
This is one of the only places I paid the few coins for the audio tour and I'm 1000% glad I did. It's an amazing building, but there's so much you see that you don't actually "see" without it being pointed out.
My family on the subway ride to la sagrada-familia: "oh yeah. do we really have to see another church?"
My family when we come up from the subway station and get first site: "holy crap! what is that?
When I came up from the subway last year the woman in front of me turned, saw it and screamed. Then we made eye contact and we both burst out laughing.
It did have impact on first sight, for sure.
I like reading that.
I am a lifelong Midwest guy and was working in the SF Bay area years ago.
I was at a college that was at the top of a large hill. From the parking area you could see the entire Bay with the Golden gate bridge in the distance and planes coming into SFO. There were container ships underway, and just everything you could think.
It was absolutely gorgeous.
I mentioned it to a guy I was working with, and he was just "eh, I see it every day."
I suppose losing perspective can kind of suck.
It does have to be seen in person. Photos just can’t convey the scale. Every photo of it is comparable to taking a photo of the full moon with your cell phone.
Had never been there. Was driving cross country when in realized I was close by so I took what I thought was a 90 minute detour (round trip) to "look at the hole."
I was there all damn day. It was mesmerizing.
We visited the Grand Canyon for the first time last month.
There are no words to describe it, and pictures don't come close to capturing its awesomeness.
We also visited and hiked in Arches and Sedona. Both of which are amazing but not as breathtaking as The Grand Canyon.
Grand Canyon is the best in Arizona but also coming down route 89A switchbacks into oak creek canyon near Sedona is also a view the first time I saw it couldn’t believe it
New York City's Central Park is a perfect escape from the city rush while still being right in the middle of it all; it's a magical place no matter the season.
It threw me off how it's like, right there when you get off the subway. I walked up the stairs into the light and that shit was just across the street. Such a weird feeling.
Rome in general was absolutely amazing to me, it’s so beautiful how the city blends old and new. It was incredible to turn a street corner and see a stray cat lounging on the ruins of an ancient building!
Agreed it is one of the only buildings I have ever been in which took my breath away, the weight of history really hits you. I also hate the fact that it is no longer a museum.
Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Went for the first time last year and barely had time to see everything in a day. It’s like the Smithsonian crossed with Disney World, with creative exhibitions of actual spacecraft. We even got to speak with actual astronauts.
The Vatican museum, the Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter’s basilica are all definitely worth it. The art is incredible, plus the scale of St. Peter’s is unreal
Vatican was easily the place I was least interested in visiting on my family trip to Italy when I was a teen. My dad was raised Catholic so it was a non-negotiable on the itinerary.
I’m still talking about how incredible it was 15 years later. Absolutely one of the most spectacular things I’ve experienced in my life, and I’m a well-traveled atheist. So glad I went!
I was not prepared for the gigantic size of St. Peter's Basilica. I knew it was huge but it really didn't compute how big it actually is.
Also paying the ticket to go to the duomo is 100% worth it imo
The crazy thing is that Teddy Roosevelt wasn’t even supposed to be President. A bunch of business people rallied around him being VP for McKinley because they saw him as a threat to their business interests and wanted him in a job where he couldn’t do anything politically.
Murder is bad and all, but you can’t argue the historical significance of assassinations.
Santorini was somehow more impressive to me in person than the social media/Instagram pictures made it seem. Something about being able to see the remnants of an absolutely huge natural disaster was really appreciable.
The part I shouldn't say is that other islands in the area that are less popular are equally, if not more beautiful and cheaper to stay on.
Everyone keep going to Santorini though. I'ma take my next vacation on another island for less money while I pull up pictures of the caldera.
The Museum of Science and Industry is one of the few remaining buildings erected for the World’s Columbian Exposition. It being situated right on the lake is stunning.
I got to the Field Museum around noon, and still hadn't finished making my first pass around the place when it closed. Absolutely amazing place, I look forward to going back.
I feel incredibly lucky to have been in the path of totality for April 8 one. I was at 95% for the one in 2017 and would never have believed it was worth traveling to see totality, but the difference is….well, like night and day.
To anyone that hasn’t seen an eclipse. 98% occlusion is like, “That was kind of cool, I guess.”. 100% occlusion is a mind bending cosmic brain meltingly amazing experience.
Path of totality or nothing.
Yeah, partiality is neat and all, but the sun is still shockingly bright right up until the last seconds before totality. It’s like someone turns off the lights outside, in the middle of the day. It gets cold and quiet in an instant and there’s a sunset in every direction. Above you there’s a yawning hole in the sky, wreathed in flame. I felt like I was falling upward into it.
I know why eclipses occur and I had traveled to see this one, I knew what to look for, had read all about them, and so on, and I was still woefully unprepared for seeing it in person. There’s nothing at all like it.
You are not kidding. Seeing it on TV doesn't do justice to the actual experience. I fortunately live where the zone of totality passed through for the one on April 8th. I'd never seen a total solar eclipse. The difference between a 99% partial and a total is almost literally the difference between night and day. I was very fortunate to get to see it from my backyard and have clear skies. I took a bunch of photos and video. I captured my wife's reaction, and even though I'm practically dead inside, I still find it moving to watch that. It is so dang cool to see that live, and in person.
I saw that shit with my own eyes. Unbelievable. One of the coolest things I’ve ever seen. I didn’t know what to expect and it was more awesome and beautiful and bizarre and unforgettable than I could ever have imagined.
I dragged my parents out to see totality. They weren't interested, but I sold them on the idea of a day trip to spend some time together.
When darkness fully fell, they were flabbergasted. It's all they talked about on the drive back.
We didn't even get to see the eclipse as it was cloudy. It just got dark. Still amazing.
Driving south down the Pacific Coast Highway from San Francisco to Big Sur, ideally during spring. There’s a reason it’s the most traveled highway in the world—the scenery is absolutely stunning. It’s beautiful regardless but north to south presents better views as you’re hugging the cliffs.
I was worried I'd be let down by Venice, but it absolutely was everything it was made out to be. Actually, everywhere I've been in Italy has exceeded expectations - Lake Como and Milan as well.
The Smithsonian Museums in Washington, D.C., are incredibly enriching and free to visit, offering extensive collections that cover everything from natural history to art.
Schloss Neuschwanstein and the castles around it too, like the one from his family. Its a little bit expensive but damn that dude built coloured lights into the backgrounds that he built in his castle of his favorite operas and theaters. COLOURED LIGHTS. That was 1869. If you're into gold and glamour, expensive shit, history and a little bit architecture then its truly amazing.
Bavaria for the win
Petra, Jordan. It’s insane. I’ve been all over Europe, but this was the only country I’ve been in the Middle East and it was nuts.
As a side note, safari in Tanzania was a scooch overrated. Still awesome, 100% would do again, but a little overrated.
I'd walked around for a couple hours and went to head back to the bus stop but got lost trying to find the bus stop and ended up at a scenic lookout where you could see huge mountains in the distance. I'm from a fairly flat area and had never seen mountains like that in my life. As I was looking at them there was a busker nearby playing some sort of Chinese string instrument that I'd never seen but it was some of the loveliest music I'd ever heard. That combined with the view was one of the most magical moments of my life.
I’ve lived in Vancouver my whole life and travelled a lot. When I go to other famous (and also beautiful) parks, I’m usually just a little bit disappointed because I’m so spoiled by Stanley Park.
I've only been to a handful of countries, but nearly every US state, most many times over, and dozens of National Parks - Vancouver, notably Stanley Park, is the best place on Earth. Just the perfect balance of diversity in it's city, nature, everything.
Mont Saint Michel in Normandy, France. It looks like the home of a particularly prosperous wizard.
And it's been around for more than 1,000 years. It shows up on the Bayeux Tapestry (made in the 1070s). Edit: I removed an erroneous x.
It is an actual registered/legal village with a mayor and city services with a population of 29. Until a few years past 2005 you could get caught up by the water going to it
How does one become a resident there
You'd have to convince one of the four or five families that posses all the housing there to sell it to you. Also it's really not recommended because you have to accept few millions of tourists visiting the site in your window each year and that you have to wait and take the only way in as well. That is why may former inhabitants left and live in the surrounding villages past all the farmlands. There are french state staff that lives there as part of their job and religious staff but even them have a secondary place in the surrounding villages to avoid the tourists bottlenecks. Oh yeah there is quicksand too.
I am sure I must be doing the maths incorrectly. The wiki for Mont-Saint-Michel says they get 3 million visitors per year. Does this mean an average of over 8000 people descend on this home to a few dozen people daily? And given this would have seasonal variation, is it very crowded in peak months?
From when I visited, the houses were tucked away in the middle (maybe they were hotels?) but the staircases are tiny and there’s only so much to do for an every day person. You’d have to be a shop owner. The donations now support hundreds of sights around France that wouldn’t have funding before. It’s interesting that the place was deserted for a long time until it was brought back to life.
I got to visit MSM last summer during the 79th anniversary of DDay. Seeing WWII bombers flying over the town was absolutely wild. I cannot recommend Normandy more. Its such an amazing region!
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Machu Picchu. It’s truly breathtaking. Most of Peru is absolutely stunning.
Especially if you have the nerve to climb up the deathtrap staircase to the top of Huayna Picchu. Absolutely stunning landscape and ruins.
We didn’t do the Inca trail but did this hike the day of. I thought I was going to die but the view was 900000/10 worth it!
> staircase to the top of Huayna Picchu Me: Googles Huh, that doesn't look [too bad.](https://www.boletomachupicchu.com/gutblt/wp-content/images/huayna-picchu-escaleras-1.jpg) Alright, well, that's [anxiety inducing](https://www.incaexpert.com/images/blog-huayna-picchu-6.jpg) [Holy shit no no no no no no no.](https://www.reddit.com/media?url=https%3A%2F%2Fpreview.redd.it%2Fz4t266qz3fk81.jpg%3Fwidth%3D1080%26crop%3Dsmart%26auto%3Dwebp%26s%3D7d3c1cb7c9b4c93c1db9a4bd321ca90fbef50ede)
"Handrails are for pussies" -countless ancient architects... And civil engineers in the Galactic Empire.
If they fall off, the gods wanted them dead and they weren't fit to serve in our army anyway.
That last one isn't part of the trail fortunately! But yeah, the other pics capture the grade, uneven steps, and insane exposure of the path. All that to say that it was one of the most epic things I've done.
Yeah I climbed it once but never saw that last one
You can claim Machu Picchu mountain instead, also a gorgeous view but without the terrifying staircase.
I always tell people this: “you think, there’s no way Machu pichu lives up to the hype and you’re right, it’s better.”
My wife just said to me earlier tonight…”I can’t believe we went to Machu Picchu last year!’ A magical place and the food of Peru was unbelievable!
Going there next week. This is pure hyppppe
All those museums in DC by the capitol. They’re free and range from pretty good to world class amazing. Edit: The Smithsonians, can't believe I forgot the name.
I lost my shit at the Air & Space Museum. Amazing
FUCKING AIRPLANES AND SPACESHIPS HANGING OFF THE CEILING. and then you turn a corner into a side room and the Wright Brother’s airplane is just chillin there. MINDBLOWING.
Go to the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center. That's where the SR-71, Space Shuttle Discovery, and Enola Gay are all displayed
Check out the Air Force Museum in Dayton Ohio.
I went to the museum in DC and thought it was a bit of a let down compared to the AF Museum in Dayton. Now the Udvar-Hazy extension on the other hand is incredible. Although I'm still salty that New York got a space shuttle instead of Dayton.
I definitely want to go back and see it again. It's incredible they were able to get all that stuff for the museum.
Just the lobby blew my mind. Walk in:”OMG a lunar module!” Next to that: “A Gemini capsule!” Next to that: “A Mercury Capsule!” Turn the corner: “Holy shit! A V2!” Turn left: “Fucking Columbia!” (Apollo 11 command module) It was space nerd overload and the WW2 plane section is awesome too Edit: clarifying which Columbia
Did you visit Udvar Hazy Center? You would doubly love it, I think.
The Old Timer from The Transformer Movies is there. The SR71. Edited for correct nomenclature.
It was insane going from the natural history museum, where everyone was pretty talkative and loud, then going to the holocaust museum where you could hear a pin drop. both were incredible experiences
I had a similar experience going from the American History Museum ("Isn't America great? Look at all of the great stuff we've done") to the African American History Museum ("oh")
Go there during the Smithsonian's folklife festivals week/weekend, in the summer, whatever it's called. I did that eons ago. One of the museums had some history of Java stuff, so they had some gamelan music outside. Elsewhere, they had a history of farming. I've been to antique farm shows, so no biggie. But the third? HIstory of the blues in America. At the four corners of the Mall, they had four different bands nobody had ever heard of, that would blow away about all name people. Black folks from the Delta and Deep East Texas and such.
And I appreciate that they are REALLY free, vs “free but what we mean is a suggested donation and also we suggest this exact price but I GUESS you can also NOT pay…” (Which I don’t hold against them, they aren’t like…being greedy. But also I was the person who couldn’t pay and ALSO the one susceptible to the donation requests.)
As someone who works in DC and frequents the museums, I'm always taken aback when I travel and try to enter other cities museums. It's the people's art damnit!!
Dude, I know. I am from Virginia, but I live somewhere else now and hate it. The museums in other places typically aren't as good as the Smithsonian, too.
I think I threw in some money at one of them but yeah, at the time I couldn't afford to pay 20-25$ for each museum which seems to be the going rate. Just being able to walk in was great.
Honestly they probably get more of my money with free admission because between throwing some money at donations, being able to afford upgrades like IMAX, and buying little things, I still spend $10-20 each trip, but now I’ve gone multiple time instead of only being able to go once.
The cherry blossoms on the tidal basin during the spring are one of the most amazing things I have ever seen. I lived nearby so I would walk down there as the sun was coming up and I had the whole place almost to myself.
I would love to retire in Washington DC and just visit all the museums and take them all in at a leisurely pace. Too expensive for me though.
The portrait gallery is fantastic and usually empty.
The Alhambra in Granada, Spain ... especially at night.
It’s fucking *incredible*. For those who are unfamiliar, in Game of Thrones most of the Dorne Palace scenes were filmed in the Alcázar, which is like the Alhambra’s little brother.
I believe it was filmed in the Seville Alcazar actually
Came here for this. Admittedly I haven't traveled as much as I wish I could, but this is my favorite thing I've seen. Granada was a delight in general.
Milford Sound and the drive to it from Queenstown New Zealand.
This!! And Mt Cook as well.
The terracotta soldiers in xian. Very unimpressive low key entrance and then you come around a corner and it’s just jaw dropping. Dunno if they’ve changed the entry but it’s very much “under promise, over deliver”. Quite awesome.
Only thing is, do not go during the three main holidays in China around May 1st, Oct 1st and Chinese New Year. The crowds during these periods will be their own type of incredible but not in a good way.
Hahaha, Aussie here currently in China. I was at the Terra-cotta Warriors last Wednesday 1 May. Complete and utter chaos! We had a great guide though who knew how to get through the throngs to the barrier, so we didn’t miss out. Two days later we made the **very** wise move of going to the Great Wall early in the morning. Virtually no one there when we went up. By the time we came down 3 hours later, the queue was for miles - dudes at the back would be queuing for probably 3-4 hours just to get to the ski-lift which takes you up.
Totally agree! They’re absolutely stunning. For anyone planning to see them, the rooms are numbered 1-3 with room 1 being the biggest room with the most soldiers, and room 3 being the smallest with the least amount of soldiers. Before I went, I was advised that instead of going from 1-3, go 3-1 to avoid being potentially underwhelmed. Following that advice worked out well for me and my fellow travelers, and we were all overwhelmed in awe.
This is my answer too! Words will never do it justice. You're the first person I've come across who agrees.
The history of the place is amazing. The fact that the emperor starting working on his tomb pretty much as soon as he took the reins. The fact that it was lost for so long. The idea that all the soldiers were individually and differently decorated. And all armed. Etc etc. just mind blowing to me. (at least one severely dissenting view. 😳).
China is weird like that. Some tourist attractions are glitzed and commercialised up to ridiculously over-the-top levels.....and then some are "here's this random nothing of a gate that leads to a spectacular palace"
The Grand Teton, Yellowstone and The Redwoods
The Tetons are one of the most picturesque mountains in the world.
Went for a hike there a few years ago and the scenery is so stunning it's hard for your brain to compute that it's real.
The Redwoods!! Absolutely amazing!!
You can't truly appreciate their size until your standing next to them, seeing wrinkles in the bark wider than your body, and hearing the sap popping and creaking as it works it's way up the tree. It just hits you all at once and you feel... tiny.
I always enjoyed going there when it's foggy and seeing these massive trees disappear into the clouds.
I love sequoia national park, I’ve been twice. Redwoods is next on my list, I love big trees!
I live nearby and I never cease to be amazed that it’s so near me, something that isn’t anywhere else. When I get a day off work I go to Sequoia or Yosemite. Seriously American redditors get you parks pass! Support our parks they’re astonishing! Hey, I just realized I have Thursday off…
The Duomo in Florence is freaking amazing. We went right before sunset when the crowd was basically gone, and it was incredible.
I nearly died climbing up there but the views made it worth the struggle.
That climb is not for anyone who is either claustrophobic, not in good shape, or has a fear of heights.
Banff National Park
Love this. Drive the ice fields parkway between jasper and Banff for a real treat.
The drive between Jasper and Banff with all the scenic routes is INCREDIBLE!! 11/10 would recommend
Moraine Lake, despite being a tourist trap, is the most beautiful place I've ever been to.
The Path of the Gods hike in the Amalfi coast. It's absolutely incredible, the views you get from there are some of the best in the world, also, the Road to Hana on Maui. Highly recommend the Shaka guide app to play on your trip it tells you when to pull off and go look at waterfalls.
I have never loved a hike more than Path of the Gods. I have hundreds of photos from when I did it several years ago in the off season (highly recommend winter visits). Beautiful flowers everywhere, a TON of animals (cats, dogs, mules, etc), and the most stunning views I’ve ever seen. We stayed in Atrani, which was lit up all different colors from the coastline lights. Amazing food, incredible architecture/city design, and it was so SO tiny and cozy. My family and I stayed over Christmas and New Years. We witnessed the most insane fireworks show, in this tiny town, nestled inside this tiny crevice of the mountain. We had a rooftop terrace so we saw the entire night sky. The show lasted well over an hour and started with a lone burning star on a zip line (?) that slowly descended through the entire town before landing in the Mediterranean Sea. During the star’s descent, the local priest read the Bible’s Christmas story in full Latin on loudspeakers. We just sat in awe with a massive burning star floating past our heads and the priest’s voice booming off the walls of the valley. Even though I’m not religious, it was honestly one of the most sacred experiences I’ve ever had - and the fireworks that followed the star’s watery death made US fireworks shows look like toddlers with sparklers. I’ve traveled a good deal throughout Europe and SouthEast Asia, but the Amalfi coast holds a very special place in my heart and I can’t wait to go back someday.
Honestly id argue all of those scenic places are great, you just need REALLY good weather. I went to the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland and it was beautiful, highly recommend it for a day out, very peaceful.
On the topic of Ireland, as an Irish person, highly recommend the caves. There are a good few to visit, such as the Aillwee in the Burren. I now live in Scotland and have totally fallen in love with wild camping in the Trossachs here.
Angkor Wat
Second this. Some may think it's just Angkor Wat (which is amazing in itself) but there is basically a whole city worth of ruins and walls and man made lakes. It's insane. Best place I've ever been to and I've been to a few places.
The Louvre in Paris has a well deserved reputation. There is SO MUCH in there that nobody ever talks about. When I visited, I spent hours just looking at sculptures and barely even got to any of the paintings. The nearby Musée d'Orsay is also pretty dope. The museum itself was originally built as a train station in the late 19th century and I had a great time just admiring its architecture in addition to the art on display there.
The d'Orsay is rad. Definitely worth a day.
I love that Musée d'Orsay is full of paintings that were rejected from the Louvre because Impressionism was not sophisticated enough to be allowed in the Louvre. Now who's laughing?
And for that reason I like Musée d'Orsay better the Louvre. Yes, I said it.
Le Louvre was going to be my answer too. People love to post pictures of the huge crowd in front of the tiny Mona Lisa, but there are so many other things to see in there, so many amazing pieces of art. You can easily spend several days in there.
I walked 13 kilometres inside the Louvre when I visited, taking in some exhibits twice, and I still felt like I missed out on a lot.
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Arches National Park in Utah. Seems like a different planet
Arches is great, but Zion! I have never been somewhere so beautiful.
Both are great, I equally liked the Bryce national park.
I raise you Monument Valley during sunset and a lightning storm. I've never seen anything more stunning. It's why Forrest Gump stopped running.
ZION!Just visited,so beautif-UNREAL/MUST SEE!!!
Everyone skips over Canyon Lands NP, and crowds to Arches. Which as a Utah native, I appreciate.
Islands in the sky at Canonlands, with a stop at Dead Horse state park at sunset. That's a bucket list day right there.
Utah does not get talked about enough. It really is like a different world.
As an Australian, Utah is all I hear about and it does look amazing. The international tourism board is obviously doing it's job.
This comment section is my new bucket list
Catacombs in Paris.
Yes! SO unsettling...
Yes! When my sister was planning our trip to London and Paris, this was the one thing I wanted to do. I was fine doing whatever else but I really wanted to see the Catacombs. It did not disappoint. A couple months before the trip, a podcast I listen to did an episode on the Catacombs and it was interesting learning about the history.
I like creepy/morbid things and was so excited for the catacombs but I found them very upsetting once I was actually down there. It sunk in that I was basically in a mass grave and it spooked me.
What really got me is that we just got to see a _fraction_ of what's down there.
Agree with all the other comments but leaving the catacombs was something that got me- we basically emerged from a non-descript door on a side street somewhere in Paris! No idea where the f uck we where relative to where we entered.
The Architecture Boat Tour in Chicago. Such a great time and something a little different from typical tourist activities.
I had very low expectations, but my daughter wanted to go. We had the best tour guide. He knew so many interesting details about each property. A must see for those visiting Chicago!
This is the first one that truly seems like a tourist trap but is actually one of the best tourist activities in its host city.
Just don’t go when Dave Matthew’s band is in town.
We did the sunset one two years ago. It was bright and full daylight at the beginning, and by the end we got to see the city all lit up from a bit out on the lake. It was so beautiful. And not just the end—the whole tour.
Chicago is a beautiful city.
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la sagrada familia--especially the interior.
Scrolled to find this. I was so sick of seeing cathedrals on my eurotrip and I wasn’t excited at all to visit. But wow. I could have stared at the outside for hours, and the inside was one of the most ethereal experiences I’ve ever had. Can’t wait to go back
The inside almost made me religious, and I've been an atheist for 30 years. The light through the windows cast on the pillars was the most beautiful man-made thing I've seen in my life.
I cried standing beneath those windows, just awed by the beauty of the light and space. Architecture has never ever affected me that way anywhere else
I was just in Barcelona and would argue the whole city meets this standard. As busy as it is I was blown away by how insanely beautiful the whole city was.
This is one of the only places I paid the few coins for the audio tour and I'm 1000% glad I did. It's an amazing building, but there's so much you see that you don't actually "see" without it being pointed out.
The most beautiful piece of architecture I’ve ever seen. I’m convinced Gaudi wasn’t human.
My family on the subway ride to la sagrada-familia: "oh yeah. do we really have to see another church?" My family when we come up from the subway station and get first site: "holy crap! what is that?
When I came up from the subway last year the woman in front of me turned, saw it and screamed. Then we made eye contact and we both burst out laughing. It did have impact on first sight, for sure.
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Kyoto. All of it
Ryo Anji zen garden and the Kiyomiza Dera (temple) are my two favorites in Kyoto.
Fushimi Inari is absolutely stunning. Proposed to my fiancée there!
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grand canyon
I was fortunate enough to live there. And even getting to see it on the daily doesn’t make it any less majestic.
I like reading that. I am a lifelong Midwest guy and was working in the SF Bay area years ago. I was at a college that was at the top of a large hill. From the parking area you could see the entire Bay with the Golden gate bridge in the distance and planes coming into SFO. There were container ships underway, and just everything you could think. It was absolutely gorgeous. I mentioned it to a guy I was working with, and he was just "eh, I see it every day." I suppose losing perspective can kind of suck.
If you're still in the SF area, I highly recommend Muir Woods.
First thing I thought of. It redefined my concept of "big"… AT AGE 26. It has to be seen in person to be understood.
It does have to be seen in person. Photos just can’t convey the scale. Every photo of it is comparable to taking a photo of the full moon with your cell phone.
Had never been there. Was driving cross country when in realized I was close by so I took what I thought was a 90 minute detour (round trip) to "look at the hole." I was there all damn day. It was mesmerizing.
It’s one of the places I’ve been in my travels where pictures simply don’t do it justice.
We visited the Grand Canyon for the first time last month. There are no words to describe it, and pictures don't come close to capturing its awesomeness. We also visited and hiked in Arches and Sedona. Both of which are amazing but not as breathtaking as The Grand Canyon.
Grand Canyon is the best in Arizona but also coming down route 89A switchbacks into oak creek canyon near Sedona is also a view the first time I saw it couldn’t believe it
Yosemite
We just won the Half Dome pre-season lottery (really it was a group effort). and absolutely cannot wait (my knees and back probably can)!
Bring gloves (like gardening gloves) for the section with cables- your hands will thank you
I don’t believe in a higher being, but I get swayed a little when I see Yosemite Valley. Looks like it was hand crafted to perfection.
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I dragged my family there. They did not want to go but they didn't want me to go alone. They were wow'd.
New York City's Central Park is a perfect escape from the city rush while still being right in the middle of it all; it's a magical place no matter the season.
I fight with who ever says The Coliseum is overrated.
I know a place for that.
I thought the Forum and hill was the real shit.
The Forum was by far the coolest thing I saw in Rome. Definitely sparks the imagination.
It’s so hard for my brain to comprehend how fucking old it is
It threw me off how it's like, right there when you get off the subway. I walked up the stairs into the light and that shit was just across the street. Such a weird feeling.
Rome in general was absolutely amazing to me, it’s so beautiful how the city blends old and new. It was incredible to turn a street corner and see a stray cat lounging on the ruins of an ancient building!
The Hagia Sophia / “Ayasofya” in Istanbul, though I preferred when it was a museum
Agreed it is one of the only buildings I have ever been in which took my breath away, the weight of history really hits you. I also hate the fact that it is no longer a museum.
Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Went for the first time last year and barely had time to see everything in a day. It’s like the Smithsonian crossed with Disney World, with creative exhibitions of actual spacecraft. We even got to speak with actual astronauts.
The space shuttle Atlantis experience will absolutely blow anyone away, doesn't matter how into space stuff you are
The British Museum in London is worth every bit of hype for history buffs, with artifacts that span the breadth of human civilization.
The Vatican museum, the Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter’s basilica are all definitely worth it. The art is incredible, plus the scale of St. Peter’s is unreal
Vatican was easily the place I was least interested in visiting on my family trip to Italy when I was a teen. My dad was raised Catholic so it was a non-negotiable on the itinerary. I’m still talking about how incredible it was 15 years later. Absolutely one of the most spectacular things I’ve experienced in my life, and I’m a well-traveled atheist. So glad I went!
I was not prepared for the gigantic size of St. Peter's Basilica. I knew it was huge but it really didn't compute how big it actually is. Also paying the ticket to go to the duomo is 100% worth it imo
The Taj Mahal is an enduring symbol of love, renowned for its stunning beauty and intricate craftsmanship.
Any National Park in the U.S will NOT dissappiont!!!Ty,Theodore Roosevelt.SHIT IS REAL!!!
The crazy thing is that Teddy Roosevelt wasn’t even supposed to be President. A bunch of business people rallied around him being VP for McKinley because they saw him as a threat to their business interests and wanted him in a job where he couldn’t do anything politically. Murder is bad and all, but you can’t argue the historical significance of assassinations.
Sydney Harbour (Australia) Angkor Wat (Cambodia) Cappadocia (Turkey) Valley of the Kings (Egypt) Mont St Michel (France)
Santorini was somehow more impressive to me in person than the social media/Instagram pictures made it seem. Something about being able to see the remnants of an absolutely huge natural disaster was really appreciable. The part I shouldn't say is that other islands in the area that are less popular are equally, if not more beautiful and cheaper to stay on. Everyone keep going to Santorini though. I'ma take my next vacation on another island for less money while I pull up pictures of the caldera.
Either The Field Museum or The Museum of Science and Industry. Both in Chicago.
The Museum of Science and Industry is one of the few remaining buildings erected for the World’s Columbian Exposition. It being situated right on the lake is stunning.
I got to the Field Museum around noon, and still hadn't finished making my first pass around the place when it closed. Absolutely amazing place, I look forward to going back.
The Art Institute of Chicago is amazing as well. Truly one of the best museums in the world.
Plitvice Lakes National Park in Croatia is a serene haven of cascading lakes and waterfalls that look spectacular no matter the season.
Kyoto's historic temples offer peaceful retreats and are a testament to traditional Japanese architecture and style.
A total solar eclipse. That was fucking awesome.
I feel incredibly lucky to have been in the path of totality for April 8 one. I was at 95% for the one in 2017 and would never have believed it was worth traveling to see totality, but the difference is….well, like night and day.
To anyone that hasn’t seen an eclipse. 98% occlusion is like, “That was kind of cool, I guess.”. 100% occlusion is a mind bending cosmic brain meltingly amazing experience. Path of totality or nothing.
Yeah, partiality is neat and all, but the sun is still shockingly bright right up until the last seconds before totality. It’s like someone turns off the lights outside, in the middle of the day. It gets cold and quiet in an instant and there’s a sunset in every direction. Above you there’s a yawning hole in the sky, wreathed in flame. I felt like I was falling upward into it. I know why eclipses occur and I had traveled to see this one, I knew what to look for, had read all about them, and so on, and I was still woefully unprepared for seeing it in person. There’s nothing at all like it.
You are not kidding. Seeing it on TV doesn't do justice to the actual experience. I fortunately live where the zone of totality passed through for the one on April 8th. I'd never seen a total solar eclipse. The difference between a 99% partial and a total is almost literally the difference between night and day. I was very fortunate to get to see it from my backyard and have clear skies. I took a bunch of photos and video. I captured my wife's reaction, and even though I'm practically dead inside, I still find it moving to watch that. It is so dang cool to see that live, and in person.
I saw that shit with my own eyes. Unbelievable. One of the coolest things I’ve ever seen. I didn’t know what to expect and it was more awesome and beautiful and bizarre and unforgettable than I could ever have imagined.
I dragged my parents out to see totality. They weren't interested, but I sold them on the idea of a day trip to spend some time together. When darkness fully fell, they were flabbergasted. It's all they talked about on the drive back. We didn't even get to see the eclipse as it was cloudy. It just got dark. Still amazing.
Driving south down the Pacific Coast Highway from San Francisco to Big Sur, ideally during spring. There’s a reason it’s the most traveled highway in the world—the scenery is absolutely stunning. It’s beautiful regardless but north to south presents better views as you’re hugging the cliffs.
The interior of La Sagrada Familia was the most beautiful thing I've seen.
Yellowstone
Paris's Eiffel Tower might seem cliché, but once you're looking out over the city from the top, you really understand why it's a must-see.
Rome's Colosseum is a monumental testament to ancient Roman architectural and engineering prowess that’s just as impressive today.
The Amalfi Coast’s picturesque villages perched on cliffs offer views so stunning they seem surreal.
Alhambra in Granada, Spain, is a stunning complex of palaces and gardens that showcases the elaborate Islamic architecture.
I was worried I'd be let down by Venice, but it absolutely was everything it was made out to be. Actually, everywhere I've been in Italy has exceeded expectations - Lake Como and Milan as well.
Muir Woods
Going over the Golden Gate, through Marin to Muir Woods in itself Is breathtaking.
Crater Lake, OR is the most beautiful piece of scenery I’ve ever saw.
The Louvre in Paris isn't just about the Mona Lisa; its vast collections can mesmerize any art lover for days.
Tokyo's Tsukiji Market offers an authentic and bustling experience where the energy and freshness of the seafood are unmatched.
The Smithsonian Museums in Washington, D.C., are incredibly enriching and free to visit, offering extensive collections that cover everything from natural history to art.
The Museum of Egyptian Antiquities in Cairo is home to an overwhelming collection of ancient artifacts, including royal mummies and golden treasures.
i don't care what anyone says, the sheer power of niagara falls is worth visiting. It is incredible even if the town sucks
Most of the museums in London. Especially the Natural History Museum
Schloss Neuschwanstein and the castles around it too, like the one from his family. Its a little bit expensive but damn that dude built coloured lights into the backgrounds that he built in his castle of his favorite operas and theaters. COLOURED LIGHTS. That was 1869. If you're into gold and glamour, expensive shit, history and a little bit architecture then its truly amazing. Bavaria for the win
Petra, Jordan. It’s insane. I’ve been all over Europe, but this was the only country I’ve been in the Middle East and it was nuts. As a side note, safari in Tanzania was a scooch overrated. Still awesome, 100% would do again, but a little overrated.
Damn! Highly disagree re Tanzania. The Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Tarangire—my husband and I always say that it was a perfect trip. No notes.
Garden of the Gods Eta: Colorado
Having pizza in Naples. The tomatoes they use are so damn good. Amazing.
I loved Stanley Park in Vancouver and think about it often
I'd walked around for a couple hours and went to head back to the bus stop but got lost trying to find the bus stop and ended up at a scenic lookout where you could see huge mountains in the distance. I'm from a fairly flat area and had never seen mountains like that in my life. As I was looking at them there was a busker nearby playing some sort of Chinese string instrument that I'd never seen but it was some of the loveliest music I'd ever heard. That combined with the view was one of the most magical moments of my life.
I’ve lived in Vancouver my whole life and travelled a lot. When I go to other famous (and also beautiful) parks, I’m usually just a little bit disappointed because I’m so spoiled by Stanley Park.
I've only been to a handful of countries, but nearly every US state, most many times over, and dozens of National Parks - Vancouver, notably Stanley Park, is the best place on Earth. Just the perfect balance of diversity in it's city, nature, everything.