The 10 Most Beautiful Places in The World

How did we establish this ranking of the best destinations in the world?

We started by making a list of all the must-sees mentioned in the Lonely Planet guides, that is to say the thousands of sites and monuments mentioned by our authors for years. After establishing a shortlist, we then asked all members of the Lonely Planet community to vote for their 20 favorite sites. According to a mathematical principle, the places systematically mentioned at the start of this top 20 have won more points than those mentioned on many occasions but at the end of the ranking. We were thus able to establish a top 500. The results were tight, except for site no. 1: with 10,162 votes, it occupied a special place.

Here is, for the first time, the ranking of the best destinations in the world by Lonely Planet. We hope it will inspire you to make a list of your own desires. And while waiting to discover this top 500, here are the first 10 destinations!

1. Temples of Angkor, the Hindu paradise on Earth (Cambodia)

The site that came out on top won a landslide victory, with a 36% gap over the next 

site, while for second place the results were very close. So what is the secret of the success 

of the Angkor archaeological site?The largest temple in the world dedicated to the Hindu 

god Vishnu, dating from the 12th century, Angkor Wat stands out a bit in a predominantly 

Buddhist Cambodia. Huge representation of Mount Meru, the residence of the Hindu gods, 

it is the undeniable centerpiece of the site. It is made up of thousands of sandstone blocks 

adorned with bas-reliefs so delicate and graceful that they seem carved by the gods; they 

illustrate the legends of Ramayana, Mahabharata and Puranas. This magnificent monument 

is the most precious remnant of a Hindu kingdom that once stretched as far as Burma, Laos 

and southern China.

Even in Southeast Asia, so rich in temples, Angkor is out of the ordinary. This complex 

contains more than 1,000 temples, shrines and tombs whose towers rise like those of a city 

lost in the jungle of northern Cambodia.

With nearby Siem Reap served by international flights, Angkor cannot be said to be secret, 

yet the visitor who ventures among the roots piercing ancient walls and the effigies of 

deities covered in vines will have the feel like an adventurer discovering a virgin land 

behind a curtain of greenery.

 Over the centuries, the inhabitants of this heavenly city abandoned Hinduism for 

Buddhism. In the temples, the two mythologies mingle. Arriving at dawn in the ruins of the 

temple of Bayon is a unique experience: the benevolent faces of the Avalokiteshvara, 

bodhisattva of Compassion, then emerge gently in the mist, like celestial apparitions. The 

traveler is also gripped with emotion at the overgrown ruins of Ta Prohm, a 12th-century 

temple almost entirely engulfed in jungle, which has changed little since the arrival of the 

first European explorers at Angkor in the 17th century. Angkor offers such unique 

experiences that travelers often spend several weeks there to soak up the splendor of these 

temples and remains.

Scattered over more than 400 km2 around are sacred pools and stone bridges with ramps 

depicting demons brandishing monstrous serpents, as well as the remains of temples. Some 

have become unmissable, such as the temple of Banteay Srei, whose stone sculptures are 

among the most delicate in Angkor, and Kbal Spean, not far away, with its river bed carved 

with countless linga (symbols of Shiva).

Angkor is a powerful testimony to the ambitions of human creativity and to the 

fundamental human need to leave a lasting mark. The place generates an awareness dear to 

Buddhism: nothing material is eternal; over time, nature always takes back its rights. More 

than just a worthwhile ruin, Angkor is an epiphany carved in stone.

2. Great Barrier Reef, an underwater eldorado (Australia)

The second place in our ranking is occupied by a natural wonder that stretches for more 

than 3,000 km off the northeast coast of Australia. No need to introduce the Great Barrier 

Reef. Let us simply remember that it is the largest coral reef in the world, populated by 400 

species of coral and 1,500 species of fish. Some 30 species of whales, dolphins and 

porpoises have been identified there, as well as 6 species of sea turtles and 17 varieties of 

sea snakes.

The reef is in danger of disappearing or at least losing its splendour. The warming of the 

oceans is responsible for the bleaching and death of corals and nothing suggests that the 

phenomenon can be stopped. For now, the reef remains an underwater paradise for divers 

and snorkelers. Even on the surface and off the Queensland coast, this essential ecosystem 

captivates visitors, with its abundant feathered wildlife and myriad tropical islands and 

beaches.

3. Machu Picchu, the Inca enigma (Peru)

Only a few votes separated the second winner from the third. However, they differ in every 

way... The blissful contemplation of Machu Picchu from the Sun Gate after four grueling 

days of trekking on the Inca Trail has become a rite of passage during any trip to Peru. The 

city, dating from the 15th century, is surrounded by a spectacular Andean landscape and 

suspended above the void, but its main attraction lies in the mystery that surrounds it. It is a 

real enigma. The hypotheses are not lacking – royal retreat, temple of the virgins of the 

Sun, landing strip for extraterrestrials – but none could be confirmed. Even Hiram 

Bingham, the American amateur archaeologist who discovered the ruins in 1911 and 

excavated there for years, didn't really know what he was looking for (he died mistakenly 

believing he had discovered Vilcabamba, the legendary lost city of the Incas .) Today, you 

can stroll through the mysterious perched city, giving free rein to your imagination. Don't 

miss the ascent of Huayna Picchu, the craggy Andean peak that overlooks the ruins, along 

the dizzying path to the Temple of the Moon.

4. Great Wall of China, Imperial Wall (China)

 Each country has its flagship monument; in China, this monument crosses almost the 

whole country. The Great Wall is not a wall like the others, but an imposing maze of 

fortifications extending over 8,850 km through the rugged terrain of the north of the 

country. Built in successive phases over more than a millennium, the Great Wall ultimately 

failed in its mission - the fight against the Mongol invasions - but became the emblem of 

the Ming dynasty, the greatest power that reigned in the Far East until the advent of Mao 

Zedong.

Contrary to what is said, the Great Wall is not visible from space, but faced with this 

building which seems to stretch as far as the eye can see, we could be convinced. A few 

stalwarts walk the entire wall, but even if you settle for just one section, you will be 

impressed by its indestructible aura. Choose from imperial grandeur (near Beijing), military 

precision (Gansu) or ageless desolate landscapes (Inner Mongolia).

5. Taj Mahal, the Mughal pearl (India)

How to achieve architectural perfection? Start with a few acres of gleaming white marble, 

and add a few thousand semi-precious stones chiseled and set in elaborate Islamic designs. 

Choose a sublime setting on the banks of a sacred river, in a sumptuous garden with perfect 

symmetry. Wrap it all up in an intriguing love story. You get the Taj Mahal.

Built in the 17th century in India by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan to serve as a mausoleum 

for his favorite wife Mumtaz Mahal, the Taj has been attracting travelers for centuries. 

Ironically, at the end of his life, the Emperor was imprisoned by his son at Agra Fort, from 

where the direct view of the Taj was the only memory of his lost fortune.

Despite the flood of visitors it attracts, the Taj Mahal continues to open the doors of a 

vanished era. The specters of Mughal India skirt the glittering marble of the courtyards, 

slipping under the arcades and behind the trellises. No other Indian monument so perfectly 

reflects the customs and atmosphere of that time.

6. Grand Canyon National Park, an exceptional natural spectacle (United States)

 When you contemplate this deep fault in the earth's crust, two billion years stretch before 

your eyes. The numbers do not leave you indifferent. Set ablaze by the setting sun, covered 

in oceans of mist or sprinkled with snow crystals, this 450 km long and almost 2 km deep 

corridor is to nature what cathedrals are to architecture. Facing the Grand Canyon, you will 

feel both tiny and grown up, moved and serene, poet and mute. As explorer John Wesley 

Powell said, “The wonders of the Grand Canyon are unspeakable and cannot be expressed 

in words.” We had to try anyway. Come hike, raft the fiery Colorado, observe condors and 

black bears, or simply be amazed.

7. Colosseum, theater of Roman cruelties (Italy)

 Nothing like a Roman battle arena to awaken the historian who sleeps in you. A symbol of 

ruthless power, this massive 50,000-seat amphitheater is the most fascinating of Roman 

remains. Gladiators clashed here and the condemned faced wild beasts in front of the 

beleaguered crowd. Two thousand years later, the influence exercised by this place on the 

visitor has remained intact.

The “Colosseo” first impresses with its size (however, the amphitheater was so named, not 

because of its dimensions, but because of the Colossus of Nero, a statue erected nearby). 

Making your way through the 80 arcades and being seated in a few minutes was probably 

no small feat: slip into the shoes of a Roman and imagine having to jostle with the other 

spectators. Magistrates and high dignitaries sat in the lower tiers, closer to the action; 

wealthy citizens occupied those in the middle; the plebs sat on top. Women, considered 

second-class citizens, were relegated to the top of the bleachers and forced to crane their 

necks to catch a glimpse of the spectacle.

Despite the horror of the fighting, there is no denying the grace and majesty of the 

compound. The rather disturbing guided tour (not to be missed) will show you the 

Colosseum in its dark light: in the bowels of the arena all the horror, violence and dirtiness 

of gladiatorial combats are revealed. This underground labyrinth, the hypogeum, made up 

of corridors and ramps containing cages, is as vast as it is complex. Imagine the cries of 

animals, the stench, the chaos of wounded men and dead or dying animals, and you will 

understand how heartbreaking and bloody these Roman spectacles could be.

8. Iguazú Falls, crashing waterfalls (Argentina - Brazil)

 

The Guaraní word designating the place where the Iguazú flows from the plateau to join the 

Paraná is really weak: the Great Water. Indeed, the force of these waterfalls is 

extraordinary, and the boats posted on the foaming pools below look like frail matchsticks. 

Footbridges allow you to approach the waterfalls, which are set in a corner of humid 

subtropical forest forming a national park of 55,000 ha populated by animals, in particular 

jaguars.

9. The Alhambra, Spain's Moorish masterpiece (Spain)

The Alhambra in Granada is one of the most spectacular medieval monumental ensembles, 

and one of the finest examples of Islamic art in the world. It is also the most tenacious 

witness to eight centuries of enlightened Muslim rule in medieval Spain. The fortified 

towers of the Alhambra dominate the city: its red walls can be seen from afar above the 

cypresses and elms, with the snow-capped peaks of the Sierra Nevada as a backdrop.

Inside, a network of sumptuous palaces and irrigated gardens that have inspired many 

dreams and legends. The contrast between the meticulousness of the ornaments and the epic 

dimensions of the Alhambra makes all its charm. The perfectly proportioned gardens of the 

Generalife are a striking evocation of Paradise, while the interior of the Alhambra shines 

with unearthly beauty. In the center, the Nasrid Palaces (Palacios Nazaríes), with countless 

rooms, are the most precious treasure of the Alhambra. Harmonious balance between space, 

light and shade, water and greenery, they must plunge the sovereign into the heart of an 

earthly paradise. The walls are covered with ceramic tiles, muqarnas (corbels), vaults and 

stucco ornaments, and the Court of the Lions (Patio de los Leones) is a masterpiece of 

Islamic geometric tracery. In a nutshell, the Alhambra is the most beautiful monument in 

Spain.

10. Hagia Sophia, the fusion of beliefs (Turkey)

Part basilica, part mosque, part museum, Hagia Sophia (Aya Sofya) in Istanbul is unlike any 
other monument, defying categorization as it defied the laws of architecture when it was 
built 1,500 years ago . The Byzantine Emperor Justinian I dreamed of a church capable of
eclipsing the wonders of Rome, its rival, and whose majesty would also be that of an earthly
 paradise. His wish was granted. Hagia Sophia, which became the main Orthodox church, 
still dominates the city. It is an immense, almost cosmic space, creating an impression
 of unheard-of grandeur – all the more so for thetime. Inside, it reveals its treasures one
 by one: huge columns brought back from various cities of ancient Greece and the Roman 
Empire, and vast galleries decorated with sparkling mosaics. And then, grandiose,  rising
 above the smooth marble, the famous dome, which imitates the shape of the vault of 
heaven – better, however, to forget that it has collapsed several times.
The history of Hagia Sophia is as extraordinary as the  building: indeed, few monuments
have undergone so many metamorphoses. After being looted by the Crusaders,  it was
transformed into a mosque after the capture of Constantinople by the Ottomans in 1453, 
as evidenced by its four gigantic minarets – surprisingly, the new mosques of Istanbul 
(notably the famous Blue Mosque) took over this architectural feature. In 1935, it was 
deconsecrated and transformed into a museum. Entering it nevertheless remains a spiritual 
experience, whether to marvel at a golden fresco sparkling in the evening light, or 
to embrace Christian masterpieces and Islamic calligraphy with the same gaze. 
Like Istanbul the Magnificent, Hagia Sophia stands at the crossroads of continents and 
beliefs.