The 20 Most Beautiful Places in the World

Cinque Terre is a collection of colourful fishing villages built on cliffs overlooking the Mediterranean on the Italian Riviera. It’s not only gorgeous to look at, but with its fresh seafood, pesto, and wines, it’s a foodie destination too.

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Located on Whitsunday Island off the Queensland coast, Whitehaven Beach is made up of 98% pure silica sand, which is why it’s such a brilliant white. The powdery soft sand doesn’t retain heat so you can comfortably go barefoot. However, sunglasses to protect your eyes against the glare are recommended.

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In the 1980s romantic fantasy The Princess Bride they were called the Cliffs of Insanity and the Cliffs of Moher really are insanely beautiful. They’re one of Ireland’s most popular attractions, so if you want to avoid the crowds, go outside of the summer season.

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With its dramatic forest-covered peaks and waterfalls, Milford Sound could easily be in Middle Earth. Then again, it is located in Fiordland National Park, one of the filming locations for the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Overlooking the St. Lawrence River, Quebec City effortlessly blends grand colonial buildings with modern architecture. To see it at its fairytale best, go in the winter. But summer is pretty delightful, too.

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Canaima National Park is known for two things: Angel Falls, the world’s highest waterfall, and the plateau-like formations known as tepuis. The most spectacular of these is Mount Roraima, which has steep cliffs on three sides and lies on the borders between Venezuela, Brazil, and Guyana.

Located in the Lake Powell Navajo Tribal Park, Antelope Canyon is the world’s most photographed slot canyon. Note that you can only visit with an authorized tour guide.

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The Atlantic Ocean Road connects several islands off Norway’s west coast through a series of causeways, viaducts, and bridges. Driving along this tourist route is not for the fainthearted, but it is one of the most spectacular road trips you can go on.

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Bagan used to be the capital of the Kingdom of Pagan and between the 11th and 13th centuries, more than 4,000 temples, pagodas, and monasteries were built here. Over half of these can still be seen today and Bagan is one of the richest archaeological sites in Asia.

The Namib is one of the world’s oldest deserts and also one of the best places to go stargazing. It’s home to the Skeleton Coast with its rusting shipwrecks, a fascinating array of animals, high dunes and the sand-covered ghost town of Kolmanskop.

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Because of their remoteness, the Marquesas have remained untamed. Their lush mountains and scenic valleys, waterfalls and quiet coves and Polynesian beauties inspired French painter Paul Gauguin and Belgian singer-songwriter Jacques Brel, both of whom spent their final years in this paradise.

Legend has it that Hvitserkur, a rock formation jutting from the sea in the north of Iceland, is actually a troll that turned to stone when it was caught in daylight. You can spot seals here, and if you go during the colder months, you might be lucky enough to see the rock against the backdrop of the Northern Lights in one of the world's top spots.

Rich in history and a cornucopia of Mediterranean treats like wine, cherry tomatoes, eggplant and goat’s cheese, Santorini is one of the most popular Greek islands. With its whitewashed houses overlooking the blue Mediterranean, it’s one of the most picturesque too.

The Zhangye National Geopark is known for the Zhangye Danxia landform, a series of rocky mountains. What makes these mountains so special is that mineral deposits have caused the rocks to boast strata in different colours, almost like a layer cake.

There are many castles fit for a fairytale princess, but the one that they all aspire to be is Neuschwanstein. This castle, built in the late 1800s for King Ludwig II of Bavaria, was the inspiration for the Sleeping Beauty Castle in Disneyland.

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On the border between Chile and Argentina, in the stunning Patagonia region, lies a lake known as Lake General Carrera if you’re on the Chilean side and Lake Buenos Aires if you’re on the Argentinean side. You’ll find beautiful marble caves and amazing rock formations that you can explore by kayak.

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Banff National Park is home to some truly breathtaking spots. One of these is the Valley of the Ten Peaks, where the mirror-like surface of Moraine Lake reflects the blue of the sky, the white and dark brown of the mountains and the dark green of the coniferous forests.

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Yellowstone was the world’s first national park and is famous for its geysers. The combination of mountains, forests, waterfalls and wildlife can easily make you forget that you’re actually in a huge volcanic caldera.

The Okavango Delta is an inland delta that forms a vast oasis of green in what is otherwise a very dry region. In summer, the abundance of water and food attracts animals such as giraffe, elephant, lion, leopard, rhino, zebra and many species of antelope. The best way to explore is in a mokoro, a type of dugout canoe.

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There can be incredible beauty in ruin and if there’s one city that proves this, it’s the Cuban capital. Its grand but dilapidated buildings and classic cars lend Havana a nostalgic air but you’ll need to visit soon, before things change too much following Fidel Castro’s death.