Have You Seen These Landmarks?
Landmarks always give us a true sense of place. Some of the most beautiful monuments and natural wonders help us connect to a certain place or culture.
In fact, let’s be honest: they even inspire trips around the globe, whether it’s Paris for the Eiffel Tower or even Giza for the ancient pyramids. All these places are icons of their respective cities or countries and their histories, so if any of these are on your bucket list, you should definitely start planning your upcoming trip!
However, before you start packing, let us know which ones sound interesting to you and if you plan to visit them sooner rather than later!
Angkor Wat: Siem Reap, Cambodia
The ancient temples that spread across the Angkor Archaeological Park are one of the most significant archaeological sites in Southeast Asia. This beautiful UNESCO World Heritage Site boasts the remains of the capital of the Khmer Empire from the ninth to the 15th centuries, including the largest religious monument in the world: the expansive Angkor Wat temple complex.
If you want to better understand Angkor Wat’s history and its amazing Khmer architecture, you should definitely consider booking a guided tour.
Sydney Opera House: Sydney
The Sydney Opera House is definitely one of the most sought-after tourist attractions in the world and arguably Australia’s most recognizable building.
It’s located right alongside Sydney Harbour and its well-known bridge. Also known as one of the busiest performing art venues in the world, it hosts plenty of operas, orchestras, ballets, theater plays, and many more.
If you want to get to know the famous Sydney Opera House, all you have to do is take an hourlong guided Sydney Opera House tour. There are also other guided options available, such as a comprehensive backstage tour of the venue.
Petra: Wadi Musa, Jordan
Located around 145 miles south of Jordan’s capital, Amman, the ancient city of Petra has one of the most spectacular archaeological sites in the world, carved into rose-tinged sandstone.
It’s even seen as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. Petra has been long known to be the capital of the wealthy Nabataean Kingdom, somewhere between 400 B.C. and A.D. 106, and the city has extremely intricate architecture in its tombs and temples, as well as a very sophisticated water management system.
Taj Mahal: Agra, India
The Taj Mahal is a mausoleum and tribute to Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan’s adored wife, Mumtaz Mahal. It’s quite an opulent structure, built between the 1630s and ’40s, and it’s also the home of her tomb.
She died after giving birth to their 14th child. The ivory-white marble mausoleum took almost two decades to build and is officially recognized by UNESCO as the greatest achievement of Indo-Islamic architecture, beautifully mixing influences from Persia, India, and the Islamic world.
It’s located in Agra, and you can get to it by train from New Delhi. The ride will take around three hours, but it’s worth every minute.
Machu Picchu, Peru
The ancient Incan citadel of Machu Picchu is perched on a mountaintop in the Peruvian Andes at nearly 8,000 feet above sea level. Right before you visit this astounding site, it’s recommended to spend the evening in the vicinity of Aguas Calientes and adjust to the region’s altitude.
However, it’s also possible to take a long-day trip from the larger city of Cusco. Then, you can take a super early morning bus or, if you feel up for it, a strenuous hike of up to two hours to the citadel.
The Great Wall of China: China
Some parts of it were built around 3,000 years ago, but nevertheless, the Great Wall of China is by far the largest one in the world. Some of the best-preserved sections date all the way back to the Ming dynasty, and they stretch over 5,500 miles.
When you put them together, all the sections ever built measure somewhere around 13,170 miles in length. Probably one of the most popular parts you can visit near Beijing is the Mutianyu section, which is also the longest part of the wall that’s open to tourists. Moreover, it has been completely restored.
Probably the best times to visit this section of the Great Wall are somewhere in the spring and fall, when you will find the perfect weather and a lot of beautiful scenery.
If you’re searching for something more adventurous, you can travel to Jiankou, but prepare yourself for quite a challenging hike with steep inclines and stellar views.
Mount Rushmore National Memorial: Keystone, South Dakota
Another iconic American landmark and a must-see monument in South Dakota is Mount Rushmore. It is located in the picturesque Black Hills, around 25 miles from Rapid City.
If you’re also looking for the best photo opportunity, you need to arrive around sunrise, when the golden light beautifully illuminates the faces of the four U.S. presidents.
Luckily, you will also avoid the crowds, which can get even larger in the summer. If you want to travel here during the summer,, make sure you don’t miss the nightly lighting ceremony, which usually takes place somewhere in between late May and the end of September.
Mont-Saint-Michel: Normandy, France
This medieval Benedictine monastery is definitely one of the most spectacular sights in Europe. It dates all the way back to the 10th century, and it is located atop an island in the bay between the French regions of Brittany and Normandy.
Visitors can easily reach the abbey on foot or by shuttle bus from the car parks. There’s also a craggy rock that houses the fairytale-like abbey, which is connected to land when the tide is lower.
If you get there during a certain period of time in the year, you can see the unusually rapid tides turn Mont-Saint-Michel into an island. If you’re lucky enough to catch this phenomenon, don’t worry about being stuck there; the bridge remains connected all the time.
The Acropolis: Athens, Greece
Just head to the rocky hill in Athens to experience by far one of the most impressive remains of ancient Greek civilization, the beautiful Acropolis. You can wander through the ruins and visit the world-famous Parthenon temple.
In its vicinity, there’s also an Acropolis Museum filled with astounding antiquities and statues unearthed right from the architectural site. They all provide in-depth explanations of the beautiful ancient Greek society.
Easter Island: Chile
The isolated island is situated somewhere 2,200 miles west of Chile in the Pacific Ocean, and it’s by far one of the most mysterious places on this planet.
There are multiple theories that surfaced over time about its Polynesian settlers, the Rapa Nui, and the terrific demise of their civilization. However, what’s left on Easter Island are 1,000+ moai statues.
They are huge, humanlike monoliths spread all over the island. Probably the biggest one, “El Gigante,” measures over 70 feet tall. On the southeast coast, Ahu Tongariki is the largest ceremonial structure, with 15 moai statues sitting side by side.
Mount Fuji: Honshu, Japan
Located around 60 miles west of the Tokyo-Yokohama metropolitan area, Mount Fuji is by far the highest mountain peak in Japan, reaching almost 12,400 feet tall.
The mountain is regarded as an active volcano, even if it has been dormant since its last eruption in 1707. Mount Fuji is also one of the most sacred symbols in the country. Every year, thousands of Japanese people climb it to worship at the shrine located at its peak.
Amazing landmarks come hand-in-hand with amazing memories, so if you better have something to mark those moments, like this super practical Fujifilm Instax Mini 12 Camera!
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