Amazing Bucket List Destinations Around the World
“Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did,” Mark Twain once said. This world has so many breathtaking sights that it’s difficult to choose just 15. However, these incredible destinations around the world are all must-sees on everyone’s travel bucket list. Don’t daydream about what could have been; instead, get out there and do it.
#1 Egypt’s Pyramids of Giza
Seeing the Giza Pyramids should be on everyone’s bucket list. The Great Pyramid of Giza, the most famous of this group, is one of the ancient Seven Wonders of the World, standing just outside Cairo. Their construction has remained a mystery for 4,600 years.
#2 Ireland
The Emerald Isle is a magical place that everyone should visit at least once, with magnificent, haunting castles that radiate the romantic feel of Ireland, ancient sites like Newgrange, and breathtaking natural beauty along its coasts. And, as the home of some of the world’s friendliest people, this amazing island is likely to keep you coming back for more.
#3 Santorini, Greece
This Greek island in the southern Aegean Sea is unlike any other. The coastline is surrounded by black sand beaches, and white-washed buildings perch atop cliffs overlooking brilliant azure waters. Santorini is what remains after one of the world’s most deadly volcanic eruptions, leaving a pristine, picturesque city filled with fantastic Greek food and wonderful people.
#4 Petra, Jordan
There are numerous ancient monuments around the world, but few are as captivating as Petra in Jordan. Scholars believe Petra was built in the first century B.C. and was forgotten after a series of earthquakes. You must first pass through the narrow Siq Valley, where the massive pillars gradually rise into view, to see this vast and unique red city carved into the rock face by Nabataeans.
#5 Cinque Terre, Italy
Cinque Terre is a collection of five equally beautiful towns on northern Italy’s Ligurian coast. Cinque Terre is truly not to be missed, from the breathtaking scenery that will make you feel as if you’ve stepped into a living postcard to the welcoming people, fantastic food, and fabulous wine.
#6 Glacier National Park, Montana
Glacier National Park provides visitors with the opportunity to see turquoise-colored glacial lakes and rivers, as well as jagged cliffs that soar above the clouds. The incredible natural wonders of this region, dubbed the “Crown of the Continent,” may make you feel as if you’ve entered a dream world. Unsurprisingly, it has served as the backdrop for a number of films, including “What Dreams May Come.”
#7 Rome, Italy
As one of the world’s oldest and most beautiful cities, you can visit sites where Julius Caesar once stood, such as the Colosseum. It was finished in 80 A.D. and is still the world’s largest amphitheater nearly 2,000 years later. Every street has an imperial Roman Ruin, from the Colosseum to the Roman Forum, Trevi Fountain, Vatican City, and the Sistine Chapel.
#8 Tanzania
A safari in Africa is a must for any travel enthusiast, and Tanzania is frequently voted the best country on the continent for doing so. Tanzania is home to safari favorites such as the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and Serengeti National Park, which are home to millions of wildebeest that form one of the most incredible sights on our planet as they migrate through the area year-round.
#9 Galapagos Islands
The Galapagos Islands, located off the coast of Ecuador, are another one-of-a-kind destination. This evolutionary microcosm provides some of the best up-close-and-personal wildlife encounters on the planet. Snorkel with sea lions and turtles, walk through desolate lava fields, and observe blue-footed booby mating rituals.
#10 Alaska
One of the best places to see the Northern Lights, Grizzly bears catching their dinner, glaciers calving icebergs, and even polar bears walking across the ice is America’s last great frontier. This incredible adventure land offers a plethora of experiences amid wild, rugged, and jaw-dropping scenery.
#11 Swiss Alps
The Swiss Alps have some of the most dramatic natural scenery in Europe. Colorful wildflowers bloom across lush green meadows in Switzerland’s alpine mountains, gradually giving way to breathtaking snow-covered rocky peaks. In the winter, the Alps provide some of the best skiing in the world.
#12 Machu Picchu, Peru
The Incas’ lost city was widely unknown outside the immediate area until Hiram Bingham’s discovery was published in a 1911 book called “Across South America.” Because the Spanish colonists were unaware of its existence, much of the Incan architecture and design survived. The mist-shrouded Huayna Picchu Mountain rises nearly 1,000 feet above stone ruins, terraces, and plazas at the site.
#13 New Zealand
You might think you’ve stepped into heaven in this country where the mountains meet the sea. Spend a day exploring Milford Sound, dubbed the “eighth wonder of the world” by Rudyard Kipling. Cliffs rise vertically from dark waters, and waterfalls cascade gently down mountain peaks that soar into the sky.
#14 Australia’s Great Barrier Reef
The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s oldest and largest living coral reef, with over 400 different species. Dolphins, tropical fish, rays, sea turtles, giant clams, and many other marine species can be found. Diving here is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
#15 Antarctica
While visiting Antarctica is not easy, it is an experience you will never forget. After passing through the waters of Orne Harbor, you’ll be greeted by hundreds of squawking penguins tending to their young in this desolate landscape where iceberg peaks rise up to 300 feet above sea level. Other animals you might see include humpback and minke whales, leopard and fur seals, cormorants, and albatrosses.