The Most Beautiful Places in the World
For travelers who crave beauty with a side of mystery, these 30 hidden gems around the world deserve a spot on your bucket list.
Emerald Lake, Canada
Located in the Rocky Mountains, Emerald Lake boasts vibrant glacial waters surrounded by forested banks and President Range mountains.
Umbria, Italy
Umbria is known as the “green heart of Italy” with its ancient hilltop towns and rural landscapes. It is also known for growing some of Italy’s best produce.
Baja California Sur, Mexico
Baja California Sur is where desert meets sea in the most breathtaking way—think wide sandy beaches, shallow turquoise coves, pink cliffs, and rugged mountains. It’s no wonder this slice of Mexico is often named one of the world’s most beautiful places.
Aracely Quintero Rodríguez, Flickr
Lake District, England, UK
Lake District has a stunning scene of glacial lakes, rugged peaks, rolling green countryside, and charming market towns.
It’s considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and continues to be a popular holiday destination in England.
Caño Cristales, Colombia
Caño Cristales is a stunning colorful river in Colombia that is known as one of the most naturally beautiful places in the world.
It boasts vivid reds, yellows, greens, blues, and blacks that are produced by algae and river plants.
Mario Carvajal, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Girona, Spain
Girona is one of the most historic cities in Spain.
With its medieval walls, narrow winding streets, beautiful old buildings, and ancient Jewish Quarter, it’s a dream destination for history and architecture lovers.
Patronat de Turisme Costa Brava Pirineu de Girona, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Muğla, Turkey
With its dreamy coastline, upscale resort towns, and the iconic Blue Lagoon, Muğla easily earns its place among the world’s most beautiful destinations.
Lefkada, Greece
Lefkada is an island gem and a a treasure trove of sandy beaches, turquoise waters, impressive cliffs and seaside villages.
Marseille, France
Marseille is France’s oldest city, dating back to roughly 600 BC.
It boasts a vibrant old port area, spectacular historic sites, diverse architecture, and unforgettable views of the coast.
Le Morne Brabant, Mauritius
This dramatic peninsula is crowned by its namesake peak, rising 556 meters above sea level. From the top, you'll get sweeping ocean views—including the optical illusion known as the 'underwater waterfall'.
Lapland, Finland
Lapland’s breathtaking snowy landscapes, beautiful lakes and magical natural phenomena like the Northern Lights and Midnight Sun make it a popular winter wonderland for travelers seeking a stunning, snowy holiday.
Istria County, Croatia
Istria County is a beautiful heart-shaped peninsula with rolling hills and a colorful coastline lined with old stone buildings.
Wander through the hilltop towns and take in the historic charm.
Michal Klajban, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Laguna Colorada, Bolivia
Laguna Colorada is a beautiful shallow salt lake that stretches across 6,000 hectares. The water boasts a deep crimson color and the shoreline is often lined with bright flamingos.
Tyrol, Austria
Tyrol’s alpine charm is hard to beat—think emerald meadows, mirror-like mountain lakes, snow-capped peaks, and cozy wooden chalets tucked into the hillsides. It's one of Austria’s most breathtaking hidden treasures.
Barbados
Barbodos is easily one of the best vacation spots in the world as it has some of the clearest waters in the Caribbean, stunning coral reefs, white sandy beaches and colorful towns.
Berit, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
The Faroe Islands
These magical islands are brimming with windswept mountains, jagged coastlines, emerald green hills, waterfalls, and even charming turf-roofed houses.
Vincent van Zeijst, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Morbihan, France
Known as the perfect blend of coast and countryside, Morbihan charms with historic towns, pine-covered beaches, dramatic cliffs, and secluded coves.
Kyoto, Japan
Known as the cultural capital of Japan, Kyoto is an intriguing metropolis full of Buddhist temples, imperial palaces, gardens, and traditional wooden houses.
Basile Morin, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Florence, Italy
Florence boasts some the world’s most beautiful cobblestone streets, elegance palaces, medieval chapels, and the romantic Arno River.
The whole city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Shark Bay, Western Australia
Shark Bay is Australia’s largest bay, home to over 1,000 km of pristine beaches, calm blue waters, rare plants, vibrant wildlife, and starry night skies.
Algarve, Portugal
Algarve boasts sparkling azure waters, secluded coves, whitewashed fishing villages and an excellent food scene.
Sa Pa, Vietnam
Sa Pa is known for its terraced rice fields, lush green mountains, white water-rivers, and winding roads leading down to the valley floor.
Murcia, Spain
Murcia offers 250 km of sandy coastline, rolling olive groves, sun-soaked vineyards, medieval castles, and the breathtaking Sierra Espuña mountains.
Dorset, England, UK
Dorset is one of England’s best seaside getaways full of iconic places, medieval castles and romantic wind-swept heaths.
Joshua Tree, USA
Two desert ecosystems come together in this national park to form stark landscapes, covered with rugged rock formations and twisted Joshua trees.
It also has stunning sunrises and sunsets, and some of the best stargazing skies.
Scottish Highlands, Scotland, UK
The Scottish Highlands boast a dramatic coastline, craggy peaks, and a blissful countryside. From the scenic Glenfinnan Viaduct to the blue depths of Loch Ness there is plenty of stunning sights to see.
Raja Ampat Islands, Indonesia
A true tropical escape, these jungle-draped islands offer powdery white beaches, crystal-clear lagoons, vibrant coral reefs, and a rich array of wildlife.
Ariandi Lie, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Crete, Greece
Crete is the largest of the Greek islands and it is packed with romantic beaches, dramatic gorges charming old towns, and striking mountain views.
Milford Sound, New Zealand
Known as one of the most scenic corners of the world, Milford Sound boasts towering mountain peaks, plunging cliffs, rainforests, waterfalls, and an array of wildlife.
Thingvellir National Park, Iceland
Thingvellir National Park is a constantly changing geological landscape full of waterfalls, lakes and ridges. It’s easy to see why Iceland is considered one of the most beautiful places on Earth.
Ville Miettinen, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
