Sehenswürdigkeiten
The experiences worth building a day around, across every destination we cover.
10 Days in Bali · must-see
Cultural Landscape of Bali (Subak, UNESCO)
The rice terraces and water temples of the subak irrigation system, embodying the Tri Hita Karana philosophy; inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2012 and best seen at Jatiluwih.
10 Days in Bali · nature
Tegalalang Rice Terrace
The much-photographed tiered rice paddies north of Ubud, carved into a steep valley and worked by the subak system; small donations are collected per section.
10 Days in Bali · cultural
Tirta Empul temple
A sacred spring temple near Tampaksiring where Balinese Hindus perform the melukat purification ritual in the bathing pools; sarong required.
10 Days in Bali · must-see
Tanah Lot temple
A sea temple on a rock offshore, one of Bali’s most photographed sunset sites; the inner shrine is reserved for Balinese Hindus.
10 Days in Bali · must-see
Uluwatu temple and Kecak dance
A clifftop temple on the Bukit peninsula with a famous sunset Kecak fire dance performed in an open amphitheatre above the sea.
10 Days in Bali · nature
Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary
A forested nature reserve and temple complex in central Ubud, home to long-tailed macaques and three moss-covered temples.
10 Days in Bali · viewpoint
Campuhan Ridge Walk
An easy paved ridge trail on the edge of Ubud between two river valleys; best at sunrise before the heat and crowds.
10 Days in Thailand · must-see
Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew
The former royal residence and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha in Bangkok’s Old City; open daily 8:30am to 4:30pm, with a strict dress code.
10 Days in Thailand · must-see
Wat Arun and Wat Pho
Bangkok’s riverside Temple of Dawn and the Temple of the Reclining Buddha, an easy pair to see with the Grand Palace in one Old City morning.
10 Days in Thailand · market
Chatuchak Weekend Market
One of the world’s largest weekend markets, with thousands of stalls near Mo Chit BTS; a Bangkok fixture if your dates include a weekend.
10 Days in Thailand · must-see
Wat Phra That Doi Suthep
Chiang Mai’s sacred hilltop temple, founded in 1383, about 15 km up the mountain, reached by a 309-step naga staircase, with a golden chedi and city views.
10 Days in Thailand · cultural
Chiang Mai Old City temples
The historic temples inside the moated Old City, including Wat Phra Singh and the ruined brick chedi of Wat Chedi Luang, all walkable from one another.
10 Days in Thailand · local-experience
Elephant Nature Park
A rescue and rehabilitation sanctuary near Chiang Mai founded in 1995, with a hands-off, no-riding model where visitors observe and help feed rescued elephants.
10 Days in Thailand · nature
Phang Nga Bay (island leg)
A bay of sheer limestone karsts including James Bond Island, the signature boat day trip from the Phuket island finish.
10 Days in Vietnam · must-see
Halong Bay (UNESCO)
A seascape of some 1,600 limestone islands and islets rising from emerald water, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List and best seen on an overnight cruise with caves and kayaking.
10 Days in Vietnam · must-see
Hoi An Ancient Town (UNESCO)
A well-preserved Southeast Asian trading port of the 15th to 19th centuries, lantern-lit and largely traffic-free, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1999.
10 Days in Vietnam · cultural
Hanoi Old Quarter
The tangle of historic trading streets around Hoan Kiem Lake, each once named for the guild craft sold there, and the best place to eat and wander in the capital.
10 Days in Vietnam · cultural
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Ba Dinh Square
The monumental square in Hanoi where independence was proclaimed in 1945, and the mausoleum that preserves Ho Chi Minh’s body, with a strict dress and conduct code.
10 Days in Vietnam · cultural
Temple of Literature, Hanoi
Founded in 1070, Vietnam’s first university, with courtyards, pavilions and stone stelae recording the names of doctoral graduates carved on the backs of turtles.
10 Days in Vietnam · museum
War Remnants Museum, Ho Chi Minh City
The city’s most-visited museum, documenting the Vietnam War through photography, aircraft and artillery in the courtyard, and hard-hitting exhibits inside.
10 Days in Vietnam · cultural
Cu Chi Tunnels
The preserved network of Viet Cong tunnels northwest of the city, a national historic site where visitors crawl short sections and see the underground war infrastructure.
10 Days in Vietnam · market
Ben Thanh Market, Ho Chi Minh City
The landmark covered market in District 1 for street food, souvenirs and a sense of the city’s trade; livelier and cheaper at the surrounding night market.
Amalfi Coast · must-see
Costiera Amalfitana (UNESCO)
The entire coastline is a UNESCO World Heritage Site: 11,231 hectares across 15 municipalities, terraced with citrus groves, olive orchards and vineyards.
Amalfi Coast · cultural
Cattedrale di Sant’Andrea, Amalfi
The striped Arab-Norman cathedral dominating Amalfi’s main square, reached by a steep staircase; the crypt holds relics of St Andrew.
Amalfi Coast · cultural
Villa Rufolo, Ravello
A 13th-century villa and garden whose Belvedere terrace hosts the summer Ravello Festival concerts, overlooking the coastline.
Amalfi Coast · viewpoint
Villa Cimbrone and the Terrace of Infinity
A historic garden estate whose marble-balustraded Terrazza dell’Infinito is one of the most photographed viewpoints on the whole coast.
Amalfi Coast · nature
Sentiero degli Dei (Path of the Gods)
An 8km clifftop trail between Bomerano and Nocelle with sweeping views over the coast toward Capri; always open and free.
Amalfi Coast · nature
Grotta dello Smeraldo (Emerald Grotto)
A partly sea-flooded cave near Conca dei Marini where light filters underwater to turn the interior a glowing emerald green; discovered in 1932.
Athens · must-see
Acropolis and the Parthenon
The 5th-century-BC citadel above the city, including the Parthenon, the Erechtheion and the Temple of Athena Nike; inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1987.
Athens · museum
Acropolis Museum
A modern museum built directly over an excavated ancient neighborhood, holding finds from the Acropolis including Parthenon marbles and Archaic-era sculpture.
Athens · cultural
Ancient Agora of Athens
The civic and commercial heart of ancient Athens, with the well-preserved Temple of Hephaestus and the reconstructed Stoa of Attalos.
Athens · local-experience
Plaka and Anafiotika
The old town under the Acropolis, and within it the tiny whitewashed Anafiotika quarter, built by island stonemasons to resemble a Cycladic village.
Athens · market
Monastiraki flea market
A dense market district around Monastiraki Square: antiques, souvenirs, records and street food, busiest on Sunday mornings.
Athens · museum
National Archaeological Museum
Greece’s largest archaeological museum, with over 11,000 exhibits spanning prehistory to late antiquity, including Mycenaean gold from Schliemann’s excavations.
Athens · viewpoint
Lycabathus Hill
The highest point in central Athens, reachable by funicular, with a small chapel at the summit and a full panorama over the Acropolis and the city to the sea.
Bangkok · must-see
Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew
The former royal residence and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, Thailand’s most sacred Buddha image, inside a walled complex of gilded spires.
Bangkok · must-see
Wat Pho (Temple of the Reclining Buddha)
One of Bangkok’s oldest and largest temples, home to a 46-meter gold-leafed reclining Buddha and considered the birthplace of traditional Thai massage.
Bangkok · must-see
Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn)
A riverside temple with a towering, porcelain-decorated prang; best seen at sunset from the opposite bank or climbed in the cooler morning hours.
Bangkok · museum
Jim Thompson House
The teak house and Asian art collection of the American silk entrepreneur Jim Thompson, who vanished in Malaysia in 1967; a calm, guided counterpoint to the temples.
Bangkok · market
Chatuchak Weekend Market
One of the world’s largest weekend markets, with thousands of stalls selling clothes, crafts, antiques and food across a sprawling site near Mo Chit BTS.
Bangkok · local-experience
Yaowarat (Chinatown)
Bangkok’s Chinatown by day is gold shops and Chinese-Thai shophouses; by night its main street becomes a dense strip of street food stalls and neon.
Bangkok · nature
Lumpini Park
A large central park with a lake, monitor lizards and an early-morning crowd of joggers and tai chi groups; a green break from the traffic and heat.
Barcelona · must-see
Sagrada Família
Gaudí’s unfinished basilica, under construction since 1882; the Nativity façade and crypt carry UNESCO World Heritage status. Book timed tickets well in advance.
Barcelona · must-see
Park Güell
Gaudí’s public park above the city, with mosaic-covered terraces, the trencadís salamander, and views over Barcelona to the sea. A UNESCO-listed Gaudí work since 1984.
Barcelona · architecture
Casa Batlló
Gaudí’s 1904 to 1906 renovation of an existing building into a curving, bone-like, mosaic-clad facade on Passeig de Gràcia; a UNESCO-listed work.
Barcelona · architecture
Casa Milà (La Pedrera)
Gaudí’s last civil work (1906 to 1912), an undulating stone facade with a rooftop of sculptural chimneys; UNESCO-listed and open for interior visits.
Barcelona · cultural
Barcelona Cathedral and Gothic Quarter
The Gothic cathedral at the heart of the medieval quarter, surrounded by narrow lanes, Roman wall fragments and small squares such as Plaça del Rei.
Barcelona · viewpoint
Montjuïc Castle
A 17th-century hilltop fortress overlooking the port, reachable by cable car, with panoramic views over the whole city and the Mediterranean.
Barcelona · market
La Boqueria market
The city’s best-known covered food market off Las Ramblas, dense with produce, seafood and tapas counters.
California Coast Road Trip: Highway 1, San Francisco to Los Angeles · nature
McWay Falls, Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park
An 80-foot waterfall dropping onto a cove beach, one of the rare "tidefalls" in the world. Viewed from a small highway-side pullout; there is no beach access.
California Coast Road Trip: Highway 1, San Francisco to Los Angeles · architecture
Bixby Creek Bridge
A 1932 concrete arch bridge that was among the longest of its kind when built; the most photographed span on the Big Sur coast, with pullouts at each end.
California Coast Road Trip: Highway 1, San Francisco to Los Angeles · cultural
Hearst Castle
William Randolph Hearst’s hilltop estate above San Simeon, designed by Julia Morgan; visited by guided tour with reservations, and closed on major holidays.
California Coast Road Trip: Highway 1, San Francisco to Los Angeles · viewpoint
17-Mile Drive
A private, gated scenic loop through Pebble Beach past the Lone Cypress and famous golf links; a per-vehicle fee applies and is refundable with a qualifying restaurant purchase.
California Coast Road Trip: Highway 1, San Francisco to Los Angeles · nature
Point Lobos State Natural Reserve
Dramatic headlands, hidden coves and more than five miles of trails just south of Carmel, with sea lions, seals and, in winter, migrating whales.
California Coast Road Trip: Highway 1, San Francisco to Los Angeles · cultural
Old Mission Santa Barbara
The 1786 "Queen of the Missions," an active parish still open for self-guided and docent tours, with a landmark twin-towered facade.
California Coast Road Trip: Highway 1, San Francisco to Los Angeles · viewpoint
Nepenthe
A Big Sur cliffside restaurant open since 1949 with a panoramic terrace over the south coast; a classic stop for a meal with the view.
Cape Town & the Winelands · must-see
Table Mountain Aerial Cableway
A rotating cable car climbs Table Mountain in about five minutes; on clear days the summit gives views over the whole Peninsula. Weather-dependent: high wind closes it without notice.
Cape Town & the Winelands · must-see
Robben Island (UNESCO)
The island prison where Nelson Mandela and other political prisoners were held under apartheid; ferry tours from the V&A Waterfront are led by former inmates where possible. A UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Cape Town & the Winelands · must-see
V&A Waterfront
A working harbour turned dining, shopping and museum district, and the departure point for Robben Island ferries and Cableway shuttles.
Cape Town & the Winelands · nature
Cape Point and Cape of Good Hope
The dramatic southern tip of the Cape Peninsula within Table Mountain National Park, with a funicular up to the old lighthouse and coastal walking trails.
Cape Town & the Winelands · nature
Boulders Beach penguin colony
A land-based African penguin colony on a sheltered beach near Simon’s Town, with boardwalks for close, protected viewing; part of Table Mountain National Park.
Cape Town & the Winelands · nature
Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden
One of the great botanical gardens of the world, on the eastern slopes of Table Mountain, with a treetop canopy walkway and summer outdoor concerts.
Cape Town & the Winelands · architecture
Stellenbosch historic centre
Oak-lined streets of Cape Dutch, Georgian and Victorian architecture in South Africa’s second-oldest town, easily explored on foot between tastings.
Cape Town & the Winelands · local-experience
Franschhoek Wine Tram
A hop-on hop-off tram-and-bus combination linking several Franschhoek wine estates, so a group can taste without anyone driving.
Cappadocia · must-see
Göreme Open Air Museum
A cluster of rock-cut Byzantine monasteries and churches with surviving frescoes, the core cultural site within the UNESCO-listed national park.
Cappadocia · viewpoint
Uçhisar Castle
The highest point in Cappadocia, a natural rock cone honeycombed with carved rooms and tunnels, with a 360-degree view over the region from the top.
Cappadocia · must-see
Derinkuyu Underground City
A multi-level underground city carved to shelter thousands of people with ventilation shafts, wells, stables and rolling stone doors, among the deepest of the region’s subterranean settlements.
Cappadocia · nature
Pasabag (Monks Valley)
A valley of multi-headed fairy chimneys, some historically used as hermit cells, among the most recognizable rock formations in the region.
Cappadocia · nature
Rose Valley and Red Valley
Adjoining valleys named for the color their rock takes at sunset, laced with hiking trails, small rock-cut churches and viewpoints between Göreme and Çavuşin.
Cappadocia · local-experience
Avanos pottery workshops
A riverside town where potters still work the local red clay from the Kızılırmak river using techniques passed down through generations of workshops.
Cappadocia · cultural
Zelve Open Air Museum
A former cave-dwelling valley settlement, inhabited until the mid-20th century, with churches, a mosque and homes carved directly into the rock.
Corfu · must-see
Corfu Old Town (UNESCO)
A living Venetian-era town of arcades, churches and squares between two fortresses; a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2007.
Corfu · must-see
Old Fortress (Palaio Frourio)
The seaward Venetian fortress on a rocky promontory; climb the lighthouse point for the classic view back over the town.
Corfu · cultural
Achilleion Palace
The neoclassical palace built for Empress Elisabeth of Austria (Sisi), with statue-lined gardens and views over the south of the island.
Corfu · nature
Paleokastritsa monastery and coves
A 13th-century clifftop monastery above a cluster of turquoise coves; boat trips run to nearby sea caves.
Corfu · nature
Canal d’Amour, Sidari
Wind-sculpted sandstone channels and coves at the island’s northwest tip; swim through the narrow "canal" between rock walls.
Corfu · viewpoint
Mount Pantokrator
Corfu’s highest peak (about 906m) with a monastery at the top and, on a clear day, views to Albania and Italy.
Corfu · viewpoint
Kanoni and Mouse Island (Pontikonisi)
The much-photographed view of the Vlacherna monastery on its causeway and tiny Pontikonisi beyond, just south of Corfu Town.
Crete · must-see
Palace of Knossos
The largest and best known Minoan palatial complex, excavated and partly reconstructed by Arthur Evans; inscribed by UNESCO in 2025 as part of the serial "Minoan Palatial Centres" World Heritage site.
Crete · nature
Samaria Gorge National Park
A roughly 16km gorge hike through Europe’s longest canyon, from the Omalos plateau down to the coastal village of Agia Roumeli; a UNESCO Man and the Biosphere reserve, open only in season with a strict daily entry window.
Crete · architecture
Chania Old Town and Venetian Harbour
A layered Venetian-and-Ottoman port town: the curved harbour, the Egyptian lighthouse, the domed Yali Tzamisi mosque, and lanes of restored merchant houses now holding restaurants and shops.
Crete · museum
Heraklion Archaeological Museum
One of Greece’s most important museums, holding the world’s foremost collection of Minoan art and artefacts, including finds from Knossos, Phaistos and the other Minoan palatial sites.
Crete · beach
Elafonisi Beach
A shallow lagoon and pink-tinged sand beach on a small islet connected to the mainland by a sandbar, at Crete’s southwest tip; a protected Natura 2000 habitat and nesting site for loggerhead sea turtles.
Crete · nature
Balos Lagoon and Gramvousa Island
A turquoise lagoon on the Gramvousa peninsula facing a small island with a 16th-century Venetian fortress; reached by boat from Kissamos, by 4x4 track, or on foot.
Crete · cultural
Spinalonga Island
A small fortified island off Elounda: a Venetian sea fortress later used as a leprosy colony from 1903 to 1957, one of the last in Europe, now a protected archaeological site reached by boat.
Crete · architecture
Rethymno Old Town and the Fortezza
A well-preserved Venetian old town beside a long town beach, overlooked by the 16th-century Fortezza fortress on the headland above the harbour.
Dubai · must-see
Burj Khalifa and At The Top
The world’s tallest building, with observation decks on levels 124/125 and 148; book the sunset slot well in advance for the best light over the city.
Dubai · viewpoint
Dubai Frame
A 150-meter picture-frame structure straddling old and new Dubai, with a glass-floored sky bridge and views over both the historic Zabeel side and the modern skyline.
Dubai · architecture
Palm Jumeirah
The palm-shaped manmade island visible from space, now lined with resorts, beach clubs and The Pointe boardwalk with its fountain show.
Dubai · architecture
Dubai Marina
A dense waterfront district of skyscrapers along an artificial canal, walkable via the Marina Promenade with restaurants, boat tours and beach access at JBR.
Dubai · cultural
Jumeirah Mosque
One of the few mosques in Dubai open to non-Muslim visitors, via guided visits run by the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding.
Dubai · cultural
Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood and souks
Restored wind-tower houses and narrow lanes in Bur Dubai, next to the Textile Souk, with the Gold and Spice Souks a short abra ride away across the Creek in Deira.
Dubai · architecture
Burj Al Arab (exterior)
The sail-shaped icon of 1990s Dubai remains visible from Jumeirah Beach and by boat, though the hotel itself is closed to guests for an 18-month restoration beginning in 2026, expected to reopen around late 2027.
Fiji · must-see
Mamanuca Islands
A cluster of small sandy islands near Nadi, ringed by reef; the easiest place to snorkel, day-cruise and resort-hop in Fiji.
Fiji · nature
Yasawa Islands and the Blue Lagoon
A remote volcanic chain northwest of Nadi with dramatic peaks, white beaches and the famous Blue Lagoon; manta rays visit in season.
Fiji · nature
Sigatoka Sand Dunes National Park
Fiji’s first national park on the Coral Coast: wind-sculpted coastal dunes and a significant Lapita-era archaeological site.
Fiji · nature
Tavoro (Bouma) Waterfalls, Taveuni
Three forest waterfalls in Bouma National Heritage Park on Taveuni, reached by walking tracks with pools for swimming.
Fiji · nature
Rainbow Reef, Somosomo Strait
One of Fiji’s premier dive sites in the strait between Taveuni and Vanua Levu, famous for soft corals and the Great White Wall.
Fiji · nature
Garden of the Sleeping Giant
An orchid garden in the hills above Nadi, once a private collection, now an easy half-day green escape near the airport.
Fiji · local-experience
Cloudbreak surf break
A world-class reef break off Tavarua in the Mamanucas, one of the most celebrated waves in the South Pacific.
French Riviera (Cote d'Azur) · must-see
Promenade des Anglais and the Baie des Anges
Nice’s seven-kilometre seafront walkway, laid out from 1824 and named for the British residents who funded it, and a centrepiece of the city’s 2021 UNESCO inscription as a Winter Resort Town of the Riviera.
French Riviera (Cote d'Azur) · museum
Musee Matisse
A collection of nearly 600 Matisse works spanning his career, housed in a restored Genoese villa in the olive-grove setting of the Cimiez gardens above Nice.
French Riviera (Cote d'Azur) · museum
Musee National Marc Chagall
Opened in 1973 with Chagall’s own involvement, the first national museum in France dedicated to a living artist, holding nearly 1,000 works across painting, drawing, ceramics and sculpture.
French Riviera (Cote d'Azur) · museum
Musee Picasso, Chateau Grimaldi
A seafront medieval castle in Antibes' old town where Picasso worked in 1946, leaving behind the paintings and sketches that became the founding collection of the museum that opened in his name in 1966.
French Riviera (Cote d'Azur) · museum
Fondation Maeght
A hillside modern-art foundation above Saint-Paul-de-Vence, established in 1964 as the first independent art foundation in France, with more than 13,000 works across its collection.
French Riviera (Cote d'Azur) · cultural
La Croisette and the Palais des Festivals
Cannes' palm-lined seafront boulevard and the Palais des Festivals et des Congres, host each May to the Festival de Cannes, one of the most prestigious film festivals in the world.
French Riviera (Cote d'Azur) · viewpoint
Jardin Exotique d’Eze
A botanical garden of succulents set in the ruins of Eze’s medieval fortress, 429 metres above the sea, with a panorama that stretches from Italy toward Saint-Tropez on a clear day.
French Riviera (Cote d'Azur) · nature
Iles de Lerins
Two small islands a 15 to 20 minute ferry ride from Cannes' Vieux-Port: pine-forested Sainte-Marguerite with its Man in the Iron Mask fortress, and the quieter monastic island of Saint-Honorat.
Great Barrier Reef & Cairns · must-see
Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (UNESCO)
The world’s largest coral reef system, inscribed as World Heritage in 1981, with roughly 2,500 individual reefs and over 900 islands across 348,000 sq km.
Great Barrier Reef & Cairns · nature
Wet Tropics of Queensland / Daintree Rainforest (UNESCO)
One of the oldest continually surviving tropical rainforests on Earth, protected as a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1988.
Great Barrier Reef & Cairns · nature
Mossman Gorge
A boulder-strewn, crystal-clear gorge at the southern edge of the Daintree, with an Indigenous-guided Dreamtime Walk run by the local Kuku Yalanji community.
Great Barrier Reef & Cairns · must-see
Skyrail Rainforest Cableway & Kuranda Scenic Railway
Two ways to cross the same rainforest range: a cableway over the canopy one way, a heritage steam-era railway through it the other.
Great Barrier Reef & Cairns · local-experience
Cairns Esplanade Lagoon
A free public swimming lagoon on the Cairns waterfront, the practical answer to the fact that Cairns has no swimmable ocean beach.
Great Barrier Reef & Cairns · nature
Michaelmas Cay
A coral sand cay and seabird sanctuary on the outer reef, reached by day-boat, combining a snorkel site with a protected bird-nesting island.
Great Barrier Reef & Cairns · beach
Four Mile Beach, Port Douglas
A long, patrolled sandy beach along Port Douglas, backed by the Coral Sea on one side and the town’s cafes on the other.
Greece in 10 Days: Athens, Mykonos & Santorini · must-see
Acropolis and the Parthenon
The 5th-century-BC citadel above Athens, including the Parthenon, the Erechtheion and the Temple of Athena Nike; inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1987.
Greece in 10 Days: Athens, Mykonos & Santorini · museum
Acropolis Museum
A modern museum built directly over an excavated ancient neighborhood, holding finds from the Acropolis including Parthenon-era sculpture.
Greece in 10 Days: Athens, Mykonos & Santorini · must-see
Kato Mili windmills, Mykonos
A row of stone windmills on a treeless hill at the edge of Mykonos Town, once used to grind grain in the island’s strong winds; the most photographed skyline in the Cyclades.
Greece in 10 Days: Athens, Mykonos & Santorini · must-see
Little Venice, Mykonos
A row of white houses with wooden balconies built directly over the sea, once a haunt of merchants and smugglers; now the island’s best-known sunset spot for a waterfront drink.
Greece in 10 Days: Athens, Mykonos & Santorini · cultural
Delos archaeological site
A small uninhabited island near Mykonos holding one of the richest archaeological sites in Greece, mythological birthplace of Apollo and Artemis; inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1990.
Greece in 10 Days: Athens, Mykonos & Santorini · must-see
Oia Castle and the caldera sunset point
The ruined Venetian castle above Oia’s harbour is Santorini’s most famous sunset viewpoint, looking straight down the caldera toward the volcano.
Greece in 10 Days: Athens, Mykonos & Santorini · cultural
Ancient Akrotiri
A remarkably preserved Bronze Age Minoan settlement buried by the same eruption that formed the Santorini caldera, sometimes called the "Pompeii of the Aegean."
Hoi An · must-see
Hoi An Ancient Town (UNESCO)
An exceptionally preserved Southeast Asian trading port of the 15th to 19th centuries, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1999; the original street plan and hundreds of heritage buildings survive.
Hoi An · must-see
Japanese Covered Bridge
The 400-year-old covered bridge with a small temple built into it, the emblem of Hoi An and one of the Ancient Town heritage-ticket sites.
Hoi An · cultural
Tan Ky Ancient House
A two-century-old merchant house blending Vietnamese, Chinese and Japanese influences, still owned by descendants and open as one of the ticketed heritage buildings.
Hoi An · beach
An Bang Beach
Hoi An’s main beach, a long stretch of sand with beach bars and seafood shacks a short ride from the Ancient Town; a good sunrise spot.
Hoi An · local-experience
Tra Que vegetable village
A working herb village where visitors plant and water the beds and join cooking classes using the produce, between the town and the beach.
Hoi An · nature
Cham Islands (Cu Lao Cham)
A cluster of eight islets 15 to 18km offshore, a UNESCO Man and the Biosphere reserve with coral reefs, reached by boat for snorkelling and diving day trips.
Hoi An · cultural
My Son Sanctuary (UNESCO)
The ruined tower-temples of the Champa Kingdom, built between the 4th and 13th centuries, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List and about an hour from Hoi An.
Hoi An · nature
Marble Mountains
Five marble and limestone hills between Hoi An and Da Nang, riddled with caves and Buddhist shrines and topped with panoramic viewpoints.
Hokkaido · must-see
Otaru Canal
A stone-warehouse canal district lit by gas lamps at night, the signature image of this former herring and trading port.
Hokkaido · nature
Farm Tomita
Hokkaido’s best-known lavender farm, with striped rows of purple, red and yellow flowers across rolling Furano hillsides in summer.
Hokkaido · must-see
Odori Park and Sapporo TV Tower
A long, narrow park running through central Sapporo, host to the Snow Festival in February and summer beer gardens; the TV Tower stands at its eastern end.
Hokkaido · nature
Shiretoko National Park
A remote peninsula in northeast Hokkaido where marine and terrestrial ecosystems meet, inscribed as a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site in 2005 for its seasonal sea ice and wildlife.
Hokkaido · nature
Niseko Annupuri and Mount Yotei views
The ski slopes and hiking trails of the Niseko United area, with near-constant views of the near-symmetrical volcanic cone of Mount Yotei.
Hokkaido · museum
Sapporo Beer Museum
A red-brick former brewery building tracing the history of Japan’s first beer brand, with a tasting hall on site.
Hokkaido · nature
Blue Pond, Biei
A striking blue-tinted pond formed by a volcanic disaster-prevention dam, its color shifting with light and season.
Istanbul · must-see
Hagia Sophia
A 6th-century Byzantine cathedral turned Ottoman mosque turned museum turned mosque again; part of the Historic Areas of Istanbul UNESCO site.
Istanbul · must-see
Sultan Ahmed Mosque (Blue Mosque)
The early-17th-century mosque famous for its interior blue Iznik tilework, directly across the square from Hagia Sophia and still an active place of worship.
Istanbul · must-see
Topkapı Palace
The Ottoman sultans’ residence for roughly four centuries, now a museum of imperial treasures, relics and courtyards overlooking the Bosphorus and Golden Horn.
Istanbul · must-see
Basilica Cistern
A 6th-century underground water reservoir, columns rising out of shallow water lit for atmosphere, including two carved Medusa-head column bases.
Istanbul · cultural
Süleymaniye Mosque
The great 16th-century mosque complex designed by the architect Sinan for Suleiman the Magnificent, with gardens and a terrace overlooking the Golden Horn.
Istanbul · market
Grand Bazaar
One of the world’s oldest and largest covered markets, thousands of shops under 15th-century vaulted ceilings; expect to bargain and to get pleasantly lost.
Istanbul · local-experience
Bosphorus ferry crossing
A short public ferry between the European and Asian shores puts the strait, the palaces and the bridges in view for the price of a transit card fare.
Istanbul · viewpoint
Galata Tower
A 14th-century Genoese watchtower with a circular observation deck giving a 360-degree view over the Old City, the Golden Horn and the Bosphorus.
Kenya-Tanzania Safari Route · nature
Masai Mara National Reserve
Kenya’s flagship reserve and the northern terminus of the Serengeti ecosystem, with dense predator populations and the July to October river crossings.
Kenya-Tanzania Safari Route · must-see
Serengeti National Park (UNESCO)
A UNESCO World Heritage site of 1.5 million hectares of savannah, home to the annual migration of vast herbivore herds, one of the most impressive natural events on earth.
Kenya-Tanzania Safari Route · must-see
Ngorongoro Conservation Area (UNESCO)
A UNESCO natural and cultural World Heritage site combining wildlife conservation with Maasai pastoralist rights, and containing the world’s largest intact caldera.
Kenya-Tanzania Safari Route · nature
Great Migration river crossings
The seasonal mass crossings of wildebeest and zebra through the crocodile-filled Mara River, at their peak from July to October on both sides of the border.
Kenya-Tanzania Safari Route · museum
Olduvai Gorge Museum
A museum within the Ngorongoro Conservation Area at one of the world’s most important early-human fossil sites, rebuilt and expanded with a Maasai cultural exhibit.
Kenya-Tanzania Safari Route · local-experience
Hot air balloon safari
A dawn flight over the plains followed by a bush breakfast, offered in both the Masai Mara and the Serengeti; a splurge with a separate flight-day reserve fee.
Kenya-Tanzania Safari Route · local-experience
Maasai village cultural visit
A cultural visit to a Maasai community; choose operators with direct community revenue-sharing, ask consent before photographing, and avoid staged, broker-mediated stops.
Koh Samui · must-see
Big Buddha (Wat Phra Yai)
A 12-meter golden Buddha on the small islet of Koh Faan, reached by a causeway on the northeast coast; free to enter with a dress code.
Koh Samui · cultural
Wat Plai Laem
A colorful modern temple complex near the Big Buddha, built over a lake, with an 18-armed statue of the goddess Guanyin and a large laughing Buddha.
Koh Samui · nature
Hin Ta and Hin Yai (Grandfather and Grandmother Rocks)
Naturally suggestive rock formations at the south end of Lamai beach, a famous and much-photographed Samui landmark.
Koh Samui · local-experience
Fisherman’s Village, Bophut
A row of restored wooden Chinese-Thai shophouses turned into restaurants, bars and boutiques, with a lively Walking Street night market on Fridays.
Koh Samui · nature
Angthong National Marine Park
A protected archipelago of 42 limestone islands about 28 km from Samui, with a hidden lagoon, viewpoints and snorkeling; visited by boat tour.
Koh Samui · nature
Namuang Waterfalls
Two inland waterfalls in the island’s jungle interior; Na Muang 1 has a pool at its base, and the higher Na Muang 2 is a taller cascade.
Koh Samui · beach
Chaweng Beach
The island’s flagship beach: a seven-kilometer sweep of white sand and clear water, the busiest and most facility-rich stretch on Samui.
Kyoto · must-see
Fushimi Inari Taisha
The head shrine of Inari, approached through thousands of vermilion torii gates climbing Mount Inari; open 24 hours and free to enter.
Kyoto · must-see
Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (UNESCO)
A UNESCO listing of seventeen component sites across Kyoto, Uji and Otsu, including 13 Buddhist temples, three Shinto shrines and one castle, inscribed in 1994.
Kyoto · must-see
Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion)
A gold leaf-covered Zen pavilion reflected in its garden pond, part of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto UNESCO listing.
Kyoto · architecture
Nijo Castle
The 1603 residence of shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu, with "nightingale floors" designed to creak as a security measure, and formal gardens; UNESCO-listed since 1994.
Kyoto · nature
Arashiyama Bamboo Grove and Tenryu-ji
A towering bamboo path beside Tenryu-ji, a Zen temple whose garden is another component of the UNESCO Kyoto listing, on the bank of the Katsura River.
Kyoto · must-see
Kiyomizu-dera
A wooden temple built without nails on a hillside stage over Higashiyama, part of the UNESCO listing, with sweeping views back over the city.
Kyoto · market
Nishiki Market
Known as "Kyoto’s Kitchen," a nearly 400-meter covered market street with over 100 shops and stalls selling seafood, pickles, sweets and kitchenware, dating to around 1310.
Lisbon · must-see
Jeronimos Monastery (UNESCO)
The Manueline-style monastery begun in 1502 to honor Vasco da Gama’s voyages; inscribed jointly with Belem Tower on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1983.
Lisbon · must-see
Belem Tower (UNESCO)
The fortified Manueline tower built around 1514 to defend the Tagus and commemorate Vasco da Gama’s expedition; inscribed with the monastery on the same 1983 UNESCO listing.
Lisbon · must-see
Sao Jorge Castle
The hilltop Moorish-era castle overlooking Alfama and the Tagus; the walk up is steep but the ramparts give the best 360-degree view of the city.
Lisbon · local-experience
Tram 28
The vintage yellow tram climbing from Martim Moniz through Alfama, the Se Cathedral, Baixa and Chiado to Estrela and Campo de Ourique; a cheap, if crowded, way to see the hills.
Lisbon · must-see
Praca do Comercio
The grand riverside square rebuilt after the 1755 earthquake, framed by yellow arcades and opening straight onto the Tagus.
Lisbon · museum
National Azulejo Museum
A former convent tracing the history of Portugal’s decorative tin-glazed tiles, with a rooftop cafe view over the eastern Tagus waterfront.
Lisbon · local-experience
LX Factory
A former industrial complex under the 25 de Abril Bridge, now workshops, bookshops, restaurants and murals; a popular weekend brunch spot.
Madrid · must-see
Museo del Prado
One of the world’s premier art museums, home to Velazquez’s Las Meninas and Goya’s Black Paintings; part of the UNESCO-listed Paseo del Prado landscape.
Madrid · must-see
Museo Reina Sofia
Spain’s national modern art museum, home to Picasso’s Guernica along with major Dali and Miro holdings.
Madrid · museum
Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza
The third point of the Art Triangle, a private collection spanning eight centuries of European painting.
Madrid · nature
Retiro Park (UNESCO)
A 120-hectare former royal garden with the Crystal Palace, a rose garden and a boating lake; inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2021 alongside the Paseo del Prado.
Madrid · must-see
Palacio Real (Royal Palace)
Europe’s largest royal palace still in official use, with over 3,000 rooms including the Throne Hall and Gasparini Room; used for state ceremonies rather than as a residence today.
Madrid · must-see
Plaza Mayor
The grand 17th-century arcaded square at the heart of old Madrid, historically used for markets, bullfights and public events.
Madrid · architecture
Gran Via
Madrid’s early 20th-century boulevard of theaters and department stores, anchored by the winged Edificio Metropolis.
Maldives Overwater Villas · nature
Hanifaru Bay manta ray and whale shark aggregation
A shallow bay in Baa Atoll where tidal currents funnel plankton, drawing up to 200 reef manta rays at once; a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve since 2011, snorkeling only.
Maldives Overwater Villas · local-experience
Ithaa Undersea Restaurant
The world’s first undersea restaurant, 5 metres below the surface at Conrad Maldives Rangali Island, seating 14 guests inside a glass dome with a 270-degree reef view.
Maldives Overwater Villas · nature
House reef snorkeling
Most overwater villa resorts sit on their own fringing reef, so snorkeling gear and a ladder off the deck are usually all that separate you from coral and reef fish.
Maldives Overwater Villas · nature
South Ari Marine Protected Area whale sharks
The world’s only site with reliable year-round whale shark encounters, snorkeled by boat from resorts along South Ari Atoll.
Maldives Overwater Villas · cultural
Male Friday Mosque (Hukuru Miskiy) and Islamic Centre
A coral-stone 17th-century mosque and the modern golden-domed Islamic Centre in the capital, worth a stop for travelers connecting through Male before or after a resort stay.
Maldives Overwater Villas · local-experience
Overwater spa treatments
Many resorts build dedicated overwater spa pavilions with glass floor panels or open decks above the lagoon, pairing a massage with a direct view of the reef below.
Maldives Overwater Villas · local-experience
Traditional dhoni boat cruise
A sunset or dolphin-watching cruise on a traditional wooden Maldivian dhoni, the same boat type used for whale shark and manta excursions.
Miami · architecture
Art Deco Historic District, South Beach
Roughly 800 Art Deco, Mediterranean Revival and MiMo buildings in a National Register district; guided walking tours run from the Art Deco Welcome Center on Ocean Drive.
Miami · cultural
Vizcaya Museum and Gardens
The 1914 to 1922 Mediterranean Revival winter villa of industrialist James Deering, with a 34-room house and Italian-style gardens on Biscayne Bay; a National Historic Landmark.
Miami · museum
Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM)
A contemporary art museum in a Herzog & de Meuron building on Biscayne Bay, focused on art of Latin America, the Caribbean and the African diaspora. Closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Miami · museum
Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science
A 250,000 square foot science museum opened in 2017 with a spherical planetarium and a 500,000-gallon aquarium, next to PAMM in Museum Park.
Miami · must-see
Wynwood Walls
An outdoor street-art gallery founded in 2009, with more than 80,000 square feet of murals from artists across dozens of countries set across six former warehouses.
Miami · nature
Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park and Lighthouse
A state park on the southern tip of Key Biscayne with a beach and the 1825 Cape Florida Light, the oldest standing structure in Miami-Dade County; climb the tower for skyline and Stiltsville views.
Miami · local-experience
Zoo Miami
The only subtropical zoo in the continental US, with more than 500 species across four miles of walkways in the south of the metro. Open daily with last entry at 4pm.
Morocco: Marrakech, Sahara & Chefchaouen · must-see
Jemaa el-Fna
Marrakech’s central square: food stalls, storytellers and musicians take over at nightfall, with the souks opening directly off it by day.
Morocco: Marrakech, Sahara & Chefchaouen · cultural
Bahia Palace
A late 19th-century palace of courtyards, carved cedar ceilings and tiled rooms, within walking distance of Jemaa el-Fna.
Morocco: Marrakech, Sahara & Chefchaouen · must-see
Jardin Majorelle
The cobalt-blue garden created by painter Jacques Majorelle and later restored by Yves Saint Laurent; a shaded escape from the medina heat.
Morocco: Marrakech, Sahara & Chefchaouen · must-see
Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou
A fortified earthen ksar on the former caravan route between the Sahara and Marrakesh, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987 and a common stop en route to the desert.
Morocco: Marrakech, Sahara & Chefchaouen · must-see
Erg Chebbi dunes and camel trek
Morocco’s tallest dune field, up to around 150 meters; the classic experience is a camel trek at sunset into a desert camp for the night.
Morocco: Marrakech, Sahara & Chefchaouen · nature
Todra Gorge
A dramatic limestone canyon with walls rising up to 300 meters, narrowing to about 10 meters at its tightest point; a common stop between Ait Benhaddou and Merzouga.
Morocco: Marrakech, Sahara & Chefchaouen · must-see
Chefchaouen blue medina
The blue-and-white washed old town, built into the Rif mountainside; wandering the lanes without a fixed plan is the main activity.
Morocco: Marrakech, Sahara & Chefchaouen · nature
Akchour waterfalls and God’s Bridge
A day-hike from Chefchaouen into Talassemtane National Park to a natural limestone arch and waterfalls in a narrow gorge.
Mykonos · must-see
Delos archaeological site (UNESCO)
The mythical birthplace of Apollo and, after 167 BC, a free-trade port that became the commercial hub of the eastern Mediterranean; an exceptionally extensive site of temples, mosaics and merchant houses inscribed by UNESCO in 1990.
Mykonos · must-see
Windmills of Kato Mili
A row of restored 16th-century Venetian-era windmills on the hill above the harbor, the single most photographed skyline on the island.
Mykonos · must-see
Little Venice (Alefkandra)
A row of colourful, balconied houses built directly into the sea at the edge of Chora; the island’s best-known sunset quarter and a hub of cafes and bars.
Mykonos · cultural
Panagia Paraportiani
An asymmetrical white 15th-century church made of five separate chapels fused together beneath one dome; the most photographed church on the island.
Mykonos · cultural
Ano Mera and Panagia Tourliani Monastery
The island’s main inland village, built around a monastery founded in 1542 that holds Mykonos’ protector icon; the pedestrianized square around it is known for grilled meats and kopanisti cheese.
Mykonos · viewpoint
Armenistis Lighthouse
A working lighthouse on the island’s northern tip, lit since 1891, reached by a scenic road from Agios Stefanos; one of the quietest, least crowded sunset spots on Mykonos.
Mykonos · beach
Paradise and Super Paradise Beaches
The island’s best-known party beaches on the south coast, with beach clubs, all-day music and, at Super Paradise, a scene running continuously since the early 1970s.
Mykonos · beach
Elia Beach
The longest beach on the island, with a calmer, more lounge-and-swim atmosphere than Paradise, and a long stretch of sunbeds, tavernas and bars.
New York City · must-see
Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island
The harbor monument and the immigration station behind it, both part of the same National Park Service site; reach both by ferry from Battery Park.
New York City · nature
Central Park
An 843-acre park through the middle of Manhattan, cared for by the nonprofit Central Park Conservancy under agreement with the city; the Upper West Side and Midtown both border it.
New York City · must-see
Empire State Building Observatory
The Art Deco tower’s 86th-floor observation deck, open 365 days a year with timed-entry reservations recommended.
New York City · architecture
The High Line
A free elevated park built on a former freight rail line, running about a mile and a half from Gansevoort Street to 34th Street on the West Side.
New York City · must-see
Brooklyn Bridge
Walk the pedestrian promenade between Manhattan and Brooklyn for the classic skyline views, then continue into Brooklyn Bridge Park.
New York City · museum
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
One of the world’s largest art museums, on Fifth Avenue at the edge of Central Park; plan for at least half a day.
New York City · viewpoint
Top of the Rock Observation Deck
The 67th, 69th and 70th floor decks at Rockefeller Center, with the Empire State Building itself in the view; widely considered the best sunset observation deck in the city.
Paris · must-see
Eiffel Tower
The 1889 iron tower that defines the skyline; book lift or stair tickets in advance and go early or late to avoid the longest queues.
Paris · museum
Musée du Louvre
The world’s most-visited museum: the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo, and enough galleries to fill several days. Time-slot booking is required.
Paris · museum
Musée d’Orsay
The Impressionist and Post-Impressionist collection, housed in a converted Belle Époque train station on the Left Bank.
Paris · must-see
Notre-Dame de Paris
The Gothic cathedral, fully reopened in 2025 to 2026 after the 2019 fire and restoration; free nave entry, timed booking recommended, towers open separately.
Paris · must-see
Basilique du Sacré-Cœur
The white-domed basilica atop Montmartre, open daily with free entry to the nave and a climbable dome for a 360-degree view of Paris.
Paris · cultural
Paris, Banks of the Seine (UNESCO)
The stretch of riverbank from the Île Saint-Louis to the Eiffel Tower, inscribed as a single UNESCO World Heritage site since 1991, covering Notre-Dame, the Louvre and the Grand Palais.
Paris · viewpoint
Palais de Chaillot and Trocadéro
The esplanade facing the Eiffel Tower across the Seine, widely considered the best framed view of the tower, day or night.
Peru: Cusco & Machu Picchu · must-see
Machu Picchu (UNESCO)
The 15th-century Inca citadel at 2,430m, built without mortar and inscribed as a UNESCO mixed World Heritage site since 1983.
Peru: Cusco & Machu Picchu · must-see
Sacsayhuaman
The massive dry-stone Inca fortress above Cusco, built with blocks weighing up to hundreds of tonnes; the setting for the Inti Raymi festival.
Peru: Cusco & Machu Picchu · cultural
Ollantaytambo ruins
A royal Inca estate and fortress with steep terraces and a monolithic Sun Temple, above the only Inca town still inhabited on its original grid.
Peru: Cusco & Machu Picchu · cultural
Pisac ruins and market
An Inca ceremonial complex with terraces and cemetery above a town famous for its artisan market, busiest on Sundays.
Peru: Cusco & Machu Picchu · architecture
Qorikancha and Cusco Cathedral
The Inca Empire’s principal sun temple, over which the Spanish built the Convent of Santo Domingo, and the colonial Cathedral on the Plaza de Armas.
Peru: Cusco & Machu Picchu · nature
Rainbow Mountain (Vinicunca)
A mineral-striped ridge above 5,000m reached by a long drive and a demanding high-altitude walk; only attempt it after acclimatizing.
Peru: Cusco & Machu Picchu · nature
The Sacred Valley (Valle Sagrado)
The chain of Inca sites and market towns along the Urubamba river between Cusco and Machu Picchu, lower and greener than Cusco.
Phuket · must-see
The Big Buddha (Phra Phuttha Ming Mongkhon)
A 45-meter marble-clad Buddha on Nakkerd Hill above Chalong, with sweeping views over the south of the island; free to enter with a dress code.
Phuket · cultural
Wat Chalong (Wat Chaiyathararam)
Phuket’s largest and most visited temple, with a 60-meter golden chedi said to house a Buddha relic; the spiritual heart of the island.
Phuket · architecture
Old Phuket Town
Restored Sino-Portuguese shophouses, cafes and street art along Thalang, Dibuk and Krabi roads; UNESCO named Phuket a Creative City of Gastronomy in 2015.
Phuket · viewpoint
Promthep Cape (Laem Promthep)
The southernmost tip of the island and its most famous sunset viewpoint, with a lighthouse, a small museum and a sea-goddess shrine.
Phuket · nature
Phang Nga Bay and James Bond Island
A bay of sheer limestone karsts rising from emerald water, including Khao Phing Kan (James Bond Island); reached by longtail or speedboat day tours from Phuket.
Phuket · nature
Similan Islands National Park
A protected Andaman archipelago known for clear water, snorkeling and diving; the park closes every year from May 15 to October 15 for ecosystem recovery.
Phuket · beach
Freedom Beach
A 300-meter white-sand cove near Patong reachable only by longtail boat, with no dock; among the prettiest and least developed beaches on the island.
Queenstown · must-see
Skyline Gondola and Luge
A cableway climbing about 450m above the town to Bob’s Peak, with panoramic lake and mountain views, a luge track, and the Stratosfare buffet restaurant.
Queenstown · must-see
Shotover Jet
A high-speed jet-boat ride through the narrow Shotover Canyon, one of Queenstown’s most popular adventure activities.
Queenstown · must-see
Kawarau Gorge Suspension Bridge (AJ Hackett Bungy)
The site of the world’s first commercial bungy jump, opened in November 1988 by AJ Hackett and Henry van Asch, still operating today.
Queenstown · cultural
TSS Earnslaw steamship
A coal-fired steamship built in 1912 that still cruises Lake Wakatipu, with views of the engine room in action.
Queenstown · cultural
Arrowtown historic village
A well-preserved 1860s gold-rush town with original miners’ cottages, a Chinese settlement site, and standout autumn colour along its main street.
Queenstown · nature
Queenstown Gardens
A peninsula park at the edge of the town centre, with mature trees, a disc golf course and quiet lake views away from the main strip.
Queenstown · viewpoint
Glenorchy and the Paradise valley
A scenic drive from Queenstown to the head of the lake, continuing into the Paradise valley’s beech forest and mountain scenery, used as filming locations for major fantasy films.
Rajasthan Golden Triangle · must-see
Taj Mahal (UNESCO)
The white marble mausoleum built by Emperor Shah Jahan for Mumtaz Mahal between 1631 and 1648, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1983.
Rajasthan Golden Triangle · must-see
Agra Fort (UNESCO)
The 16th-century red sandstone Mughal fortress with palaces, audience halls and mosques inside a long enclosure wall; UNESCO-listed since 1983.
Rajasthan Golden Triangle · cultural
Amber Fort (Amer), Jaipur
A hilltop Rajput fort-palace begun in 1592, famed for its mirrored Sheesh Mahal; part of the Hill Forts of Rajasthan heritage.
Rajasthan Golden Triangle · architecture
Hawa Mahal, Jaipur
The five-story Palace of Winds, built in 1799 with hundreds of latticed windows so royal women could watch the street unseen.
Rajasthan Golden Triangle · cultural
City Palace, Jaipur
The royal palace complex built from 1729 under the city’s founder, still partly home to Jaipur’s royal family and open as a museum.
Rajasthan Golden Triangle · cultural
Jantar Mantar, Jaipur (UNESCO)
An early-18th-century observatory of about twenty monumental masonry astronomical instruments, the best preserved of India’s historic observatories.
Rajasthan Golden Triangle · architecture
Qutb Minar, Delhi (UNESCO)
The early-13th-century red sandstone tower, over 70m tall, at the heart of a complex with the oldest mosque in northern India.
Rajasthan Golden Triangle · cultural
Fatehpur Sikri (UNESCO)
Emperor Akbar’s late-16th-century capital, abandoned after about a decade, including one of India’s largest mosques.
Rome · must-see
Historic Centre of Rome (UNESCO)
The whole historic core, first inscribed in 1980 and extended in 1990, including the Forums, the Mausoleum of Augustus, the Pantheon and the Holy See’s extraterritorial properties.
Rome · must-see
Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill
A single combined ticket covers the amphitheatre, the Forum and the Palatine; entry is timed and books out days ahead in season.
Rome · must-see
Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel
Miles of papal collections ending in Michelangelo’s ceiling and Last Judgment; book a timed entry to skip the walk-up line that can run hours.
Rome · must-see
Pantheon
The best-preserved building of ancient Rome, a working church since the 7th century with the world’s largest unreinforced concrete dome.
Rome · must-see
Trevi Fountain
The Baroque fountain everyone throws a coin into over their shoulder; go before 8am or late at night to see it without the crowds.
Rome · museum
Galleria Borghese and Villa Borghese gardens
A compact, timed-entry museum with Bernini sculptures and Caravaggio paintings, set inside Rome’s largest central park.
Rome · must-see
Piazza Navona
A Baroque square built over an ancient stadium, anchored by Bernini’s Fountain of the Four Rivers.
San Francisco and Napa Valley · must-see
Golden Gate Bridge
The 1.7-mile suspension bridge opened in 1937, painted "International Orange" for visibility in the fog; a free welcome center and a walkable sidewalk make it the city’s signature sight.
San Francisco and Napa Valley · must-see
Alcatraz Island
The former federal penitentiary in San Francisco Bay, closed in 1963 and now a National Park Service site; reached by ferry with advance reservations that sell out.
San Francisco and Napa Valley · local-experience
Fisherman’s Wharf and PIER 39
The northern waterfront tourist hub with sea lions, an aquarium, boat tours and historic ships; touristy but the launching point for bay cruises and Alcatraz ferries.
San Francisco and Napa Valley · museum
de Young Museum
The fine-arts museum in Golden Gate Park, with American, textile and global collections and a free observation tower over the park and city.
San Francisco and Napa Valley · market
Oxbow Public Market
A 40,000-square-foot riverside food market in downtown Napa with artisan vendors, an oyster bar and local produce; the easy, walkable food stop in wine country.
San Francisco and Napa Valley · local-experience
Napa Valley Wine Train
Restored antique rail cars offering multi-course dining, tasting and winery tours through the valley, departing from downtown Napa.
San Francisco and Napa Valley · local-experience
Robert Mondavi Winery
A historic estate in Oakville central to the modern Napa Cabernet story, offering seated tastings and vineyard tours by reservation.
Santorini · must-see
Oia and the Castle sunset point
The ruined Venetian castle above Oia’s harbour is the island’s most famous sunset viewpoint, looking out over the caldera and the volcano.
Santorini · cultural
Ancient Akrotiri
A remarkably preserved Bronze Age Minoan settlement buried by the same eruption that formed the caldera, sometimes called the "Pompeii of the Aegean."
Santorini · cultural
Ancient Thera
Hellenistic and Roman ruins on a high, windswept ridge between Kamari and Perissa, reached by a switchback road or a steep footpath.
Santorini · nature
Nea Kameni volcano and Palea Kameni hot springs
A short boat trip to the still-active volcanic islet in the middle of the caldera, with a walkable crater and a stop to swim in naturally warm, sulphur-tinted water.
Santorini · beach
Red Beach
A striking beach of red volcanic sand and cliffs near Akrotiri, one of the island’s most photographed stretches of coast.
Santorini · viewpoint
Skaros Rock
A dramatic bare volcanic outcrop just below Imerovigli, once a medieval fortress; an easy clifftop walk with some of the island’s best caldera views.
Santorini · local-experience
Fira to Oia caldera-edge path
A roughly 10km trail along the caldera rim through Firostefani, Imerovigli and the villages beyond, with a view around almost every bend.
Seminyak · beach
Seminyak Beach
A long, flat, west-facing stretch of sand that is Bali’s easiest sunset spot, lined with beanbag beach bars; strong currents make it better for walking than swimming.
Seminyak · cultural
Petitenget Temple (Pura Petitenget)
A seaside temple at the north end of the strip, one of a chain of sea temples along Bali’s southwest coast; ceremonies are held here through the year.
Seminyak · local-experience
Potato Head Beach Club
The landmark grass-amphitheatre beach club on Petitenget Beach, a Seminyak icon for sunset drinks; a cover charge applies in the golden-hour window.
Seminyak · beach
Double Six Beach
The lively southern stretch toward Legian, with beginner surf, a long line of sunset bars and a relaxed evening scene.
Seminyak · must-see
Tanah Lot temple
A sea temple on a rock offshore northwest of Seminyak, one of Bali’s most photographed sunset sites; the inner shrine is reserved for Balinese Hindus.
Seminyak · must-see
Uluwatu temple and Kecak dance
A clifftop temple on the Bukit peninsula south of Seminyak, with a famous sunset Kecak fire dance in an open amphitheatre above the sea.
Seoul · must-see
Gyeongbokgung Palace
The largest of Seoul’s Five Grand Palaces, the main Joseon-dynasty royal palace, with a free twice-daily Royal Guard Changing Ceremony in front of Gwanghwamun Gate.
Seoul · cultural
Bukchon Hanok Village
A hillside district of over 900 traditional hanok houses between Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung and Jongmyo, still partly residential.
Seoul · cultural
Changdeokgung Palace and Huwon (Secret Garden)
A UNESCO World Heritage palace known for its rear garden, Huwon, laid out to follow the natural contours of the land rather than a strict grid.
Seoul · market
Bukchon and Insadong walking area
A traditional arts and antiques street between Jongno and Bukchon, good for tea houses, calligraphy shops and hanbok rental.
Seoul · viewpoint
N Seoul Tower, Namsan
A hilltop communications tower with an observation deck over the whole city, reached by cable car or a walking trail through Namsan Park.
Seoul · market
Gwangjang Market
One of Seoul’s oldest traditional markets, known for bindaetteok (mung bean pancakes), knife-cut noodles and a dense street-food alley.
Seoul · nature
Han River parks (Hangang)
Eleven riverside parks along the Han River, used for picnics, cycling and river cruises, each with its own facilities and character.
Sicily · must-see
Late Baroque Towns of the Val di Noto (UNESCO)
Eight towns in south-eastern Sicily, including Noto, Ragusa and Modica, rebuilt after the 1693 earthquake in a unified late Baroque style; a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2002.
Sicily · must-see
Villa Romana del Casale
A 4th-century Roman villa near Piazza Armerina with over 3,000 square meters of mosaics, the finest and most extensive Roman mosaics still in situ anywhere; UNESCO-listed since 1997.
Sicily · nature
Mount Etna (UNESCO)
Europe’s highest and most active volcano, with a 500,000-year eruptive history; the summit area was inscribed as a natural UNESCO World Heritage site in 2013. Cable car and guided 4x4 trips reach the upper craters.
Sicily · must-see
Neapolis Archaeological Park, Syracuse
The Greek theatre, Roman amphitheatre and the Ear of Dionysius limestone quarry, part of the wider UNESCO site covering ancient Syracuse and the Necropolis of Pantalica.
Sicily · must-see
Ancient (Greek) Theatre of Taormina
A 3rd-century BC Greek theatre, later expanded by the Romans, framed by views of Mount Etna and the sea; still an active summer performance venue for the Taormina Arte festival.
Sicily · nature
Aeolian Islands (UNESCO)
A volcanic archipelago that has shaped the science of volcanology for over two centuries, giving its name to the Vulcanian and Strombolian eruption types; a natural UNESCO World Heritage site since 2000.
Sicily · must-see
Valley of the Temples, Agrigento (UNESCO)
The best-preserved group of Greek Doric temples outside Greece, on the southern coast; a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1997.
Sicily · must-see
Arab-Norman Palermo and the Cathedrals of Cefalù and Monreale (UNESCO)
A serial UNESCO site of nine monuments blending Western, Islamic and Byzantine styles, including the Palermo Cathedral, the Palatine Chapel and the Zisa Palace; inscribed in 2015.
Singapore · must-see
Gardens by the Bay
A waterfront park of engineered "Supertree" structures, the Flower Dome (a Guinness World Record for the largest glass greenhouse) and the Cloud Forest indoor waterfall, next to Marina Bay Sands.
Singapore · viewpoint
Marina Bay Sands SkyPark Observation Deck
A 360-degree observation deck atop the three towers of Marina Bay Sands, with views over the bay, Gardens by the Bay and the city skyline.
Singapore · nature
Singapore Botanic Gardens
A 19th-century tropical garden and Singapore’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site, with the National Orchid Garden and rainforest patches within the city.
Singapore · local-experience
Sentosa Island
A resort island reached by cable car, monorail or a short walk over the causeway, home to Universal Studios Singapore, beaches and several resort hotels.
Singapore · must-see
Merlion Park
The waterfront home of Singapore’s half-lion, half-fish mascot statue, looking across the bay to Marina Bay Sands.
Singapore · cultural
Buddha Tooth Relic Temple
A Tang dynasty-style Buddhist temple and museum in the heart of Chinatown, said to house a tooth relic of the Buddha, with a rooftop garden.
Singapore · cultural
Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple
A vividly colored Hindu temple dedicated to the goddess Kali, at the heart of the Little India district.
Sri Lanka Round Trip · must-see
Sigiriya Rock Fortress (UNESCO)
A 5th-century royal citadel atop a 180-metre granite outcrop, reached by staircases and galleries past rock frescoes and the famous Lion’s Paw entrance.
Sri Lanka Round Trip · must-see
Dambulla Cave Temple (UNESCO)
Five cave shrines carved into a rock face, holding 157 Buddha statues and around 2,100 square metres of mural painting, in continuous use since the 3rd century BCE.
Sri Lanka Round Trip · must-see
Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, Kandy (UNESCO)
The shrine housing Buddhism’s most venerated relic, at the center of the UNESCO-listed Sacred City of Kandy.
Sri Lanka Round Trip · must-see
Kandy to Ella scenic train
One of the world’s most scenic rail journeys, winding through tea plantations, tunnels and mountain viaducts on the way up into the hill country.
Sri Lanka Round Trip · viewpoint
Nine Arches Bridge, Ella
A colonial-era stone viaduct completed in 1921, surrounded by tea plantations and jungle, famous for the passing hill-country train.
Sri Lanka Round Trip · nature
Nuwara Eliya tea plantations
Rolling tea estates around Sri Lanka’s highest town, with factory tours explaining Ceylon tea production and tastings.
Sri Lanka Round Trip · nature
Yala National Park
Sri Lanka’s most visited national park and home to one of the world’s densest leopard populations, along with elephants and abundant birdlife.
Sri Lanka Round Trip · must-see
Galle Fort (UNESCO)
A fortified colonial town on Sri Lanka’s southwest coast, founded by the Portuguese and developed by the Dutch, the best-preserved European fort city in South and Southeast Asia.
Sydney · must-see
Sydney Opera House
The sail-roofed performance house on Bennelong Point, a UNESCO World Heritage site and Sydney’s defining silhouette.
Sydney · must-see
Sydney Harbour Bridge
The world’s largest steel arch bridge, walkable on its pedestrian path or climbable via the paid BridgeClimb to the summit.
Sydney · nature
Royal Botanic Garden Sydney
Harbourside gardens between the Opera House and the CBD, with Mrs Macquarie’s Chair and its classic view at the far point.
Sydney · nature
Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk
A roughly 6km sandstone cliff-top trail from Bondi past Tamarama and Bronte to Coogee, with ocean pools and beaches along the way.
Sydney · must-see
Taronga Zoo
A zoo on the harbour’s north shore, reached by ferry, where the animal enclosures share the same views as the CBD skyline.
Sydney · cultural
The Rocks historic precinct
Sydney’s oldest neighbourhood: cobbled lanes, colonial buildings, and the weekend Rocks Markets for crafts and food.
Sydney · nature
Greater Blue Mountains Area (UNESCO)
A eucalypt-forested plateau about two hours west of Sydney, with the Three Sisters formation above Katoomba and deep sandstone gorges.
Tokyo · must-see
Senso-ji
Tokyo’s oldest temple, founded in 628, reached via the Kaminarimon gate and the Nakamise shopping street; the main hall opens early and free of charge.
Tokyo · cultural
Meiji Jingu
A shrine to Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken set inside a 70-hectare forest grown from about 100,000 donated trees, a genuinely quiet walk minutes from Harajuku and Shibuya.
Tokyo · viewpoint
Tokyo Skytree
At 634 meters, the tallest tower in the world, with observation decks at 350m and 450m giving 360-degree views over eastern Tokyo and, on clear days, to Mount Fuji.
Tokyo · local-experience
teamLab Planets TOKYO
A museum you walk through barefoot, wading through water and immersive light installations; among the most-visited single attractions in Tokyo.
Tokyo · market
Tsukiji Outer Market
About 460 shops and stalls that remained after the wholesale fish market moved to Toyosu in 2018; the go-to spot for an early breakfast of fresh sushi and street food.
Tokyo · must-see
Shibuya Scramble Crossing
The world’s busiest pedestrian crossing, best seen once at street level and once from above at a Shibuya Sky or station-side cafe viewpoint.
Tokyo · nature
Ueno Park and Ameyoko
Tokyo’s classic cherry-blossom park, home to several museums and a zoo, with the dense, informal Ameyoko market street running along its southern edge.
Tuscany · must-see
Historic Centre of Florence (UNESCO)
The dense Renaissance core of Florence, inscribed by UNESCO in 1982 as an incomparable artistic achievement built up over six centuries.
Tuscany · must-see
Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore (Duomo)
Florence’s cathedral, one of the largest churches in the world, topped by Brunelleschi’s dome; the complex includes the Baptistery and Giotto’s bell tower.
Tuscany · museum
Uffizi Gallery
One of the world’s most important art museums, housed in a 16th-century Vasari-designed building, with collections spanning the 13th to 20th centuries including Botticelli and Leonardo.
Tuscany · museum
Galleria dell’Accademia (Michelangelo’s David)
The state museum founded in 1784 that has housed Michelangelo’s David since 1873, alongside a collection of 15th- and 16th-century Tuscan paintings.
Tuscany · must-see
Piazza del Campo and Historic Centre of Siena (UNESCO)
Siena’s shell-shaped medieval square, ringed by the Gothic Palazzo Pubblico and Torre del Mangia; the wider historic center was inscribed by UNESCO in 1995.
Tuscany · must-see
Historic Centre of San Gimignano (UNESCO)
A walled medieval town whose patrician families once built around 72 tower-houses as symbols of wealth and power; 14 survive today, inscribed by UNESCO in 1990.
Tuscany · nature
Val d’Orcia (UNESCO cultural landscape)
A cultivated countryside of clay hills, cypress avenues and Renaissance hill towns south of Siena, protected by UNESCO since 2004 as a landscape shaped by Renaissance ideals of good governance.
Tuscany · local-experience
Chianti Classico wine region
The historic wine territory between Florence and Siena marked by the Gallo Nero (black rooster) symbol, home to Chianti Classico DOCG production since 1924.
Two Weeks in Japan · must-see
Senso-ji
Tokyo’s oldest and most visited temple, entered through the giant red Kaminarimon lantern gate and the Nakamise-dori shopping street.
Two Weeks in Japan · must-see
Shibuya Crossing
The famous scramble crossing outside Shibuya Station, best seen once at street level and once from a cafe or observation deck above.
Two Weeks in Japan · cultural
Meiji Jingu
A forested Shinto shrine dedicated to Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken, a short walk from Harajuku through a dense inner-city forest.
Two Weeks in Japan · nature
Owakudani and Lake Ashi, Hakone
A volcanic valley reached by ropeway, known for its sulfur vents and black eggs, followed by a cruise on Lake Ashi toward the Hakone Shrine torii.
Two Weeks in Japan · must-see
Fushimi Inari Taisha
Thousands of vermilion torii gates climbing Mount Inari, Kyoto’s most photographed shrine and free to visit at any hour.
Two Weeks in Japan · must-see
Kiyomizu-dera
A wooden temple built without nails on a hillside stage overlooking Kyoto, part of the Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto UNESCO listing.
Two Weeks in Japan · nature
Arashiyama Bamboo Grove
A dense bamboo path on Kyoto’s western edge, best walked early morning before the tour groups arrive, near the Togetsukyo Bridge.
Two Weeks in Japan · must-see
Osaka Castle
A rebuilt keep on the site of the original 16th-century castle, set in a large park with a museum inside and cherry trees around the moat.
Two Weeks in Japan · must-see
Dotonbori
Osaka’s neon canal-side food and entertainment strip, home to the giant Glico running-man sign and some of the city’s best street food.
Two Weeks in New Zealand · must-see
Hobbiton Movie Set
The preserved film set of the Shire near Matamata, toured on foot through the hobbit holes and the Green Dragon Inn.
Two Weeks in New Zealand · nature
Waitomo Glowworm Caves
Limestone caves lit by thousands of glowworms, seen on a boat glide through the dark grotto.
Two Weeks in New Zealand · nature
Tongariro Alpine Crossing
One of New Zealand’s finest day walks across the volcanic terrain of Tongariro National Park, past emerald crater lakes.
Two Weeks in New Zealand · must-see
Milford Sound, Fiordland (Te Wāhipounamu UNESCO)
The signature fiord of Fiordland National Park, part of the Te Wāhipounamu World Heritage Area, with sheer cliffs and waterfalls seen best by boat.
Two Weeks in New Zealand · nature
Franz Josef Glacier
A glacier flowing down into temperate rainforest in Westland Tai Poutini National Park on the West Coast, seen on walks or scenic flights.
Two Weeks in New Zealand · viewpoint
Skyline Queenstown
A gondola up Bob’s Peak for a panorama over Queenstown, Lake Wakatipu and the Remarkables, plus a luge track.
Two Weeks in New Zealand · cultural
Waitangi Treaty Grounds
The Bay of Islands site where the Treaty of Waitangi was first signed in 1840, with a museum, carved meeting house and war canoe.
Ubud · must-see
Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary
A forested nature reserve and temple complex in the heart of Ubud, home to hundreds of long-tailed macaques and three moss-covered temples.
Ubud · viewpoint
Campuhan Ridge Walk
An easy paved ridge trail between two river valleys on the edge of town; the classic Ubud walk, best at sunrise.
Ubud · nature
Tegalalang Rice Terrace
The photogenic tiered paddies north of Ubud, carved into a steep valley and worked by the subak system; donations are collected per section.
Ubud · cultural
Ubud Palace (Puri Saren Agung)
The historic royal palace on the main street, free to enter by day and a nightly stage for traditional Balinese dance performances.
Ubud · must-see
Tirta Empul temple
A sacred spring temple near Tampaksiring where Balinese Hindus perform the melukat purification ritual in the bathing pools; sarong required.
Ubud · cultural
Goa Gajah (Elephant Cave)
A 9th-century cave sanctuary and bathing-pool complex just southeast of Ubud, with a carved cave mouth and shaded gardens; sarong required.
Ubud · nature
Jatiluwih rice terraces (UNESCO)
The sweeping UNESCO-listed subak terraces on Mount Batukaru’s slopes, part of the Cultural Landscape of Bali; greener and quieter than Tegalalang.
Zanzibar · must-see
Stone Town (UNESCO)
A dense Swahili trading-port old town blending Arab, Indian, Persian and European influences, with elaborately carved wooden doors and a still-active bazaar. Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000.
Zanzibar · cultural
House of Wonders and the Old Fort
The former Sultan’s ceremonial palace, one of the tallest buildings in East Africa when it was built, next to the older Omani Old Fort on Stone Town’s seafront.
Zanzibar · local-experience
Spice farm tour, Kizimbani area
A guided walk through a working spice farm outside Stone Town, tasting cloves, cinnamon, vanilla and pepper that once made Zanzibar the world’s largest clove exporter.
Zanzibar · nature
Prison Island (Changuu)
A small island off Stone Town, home to a colony of Aldabra giant tortoises and the ruins of a former quarantine station, reachable by a short boat ride.
Zanzibar · nature
Jozani Chwaka Bay National Park
Zanzibar’s only national park and the last stronghold of the endemic Zanzibar red colobus monkey, alongside mangrove boardwalks.
Zanzibar · nature
Mnemba Atoll
A protected reef atoll off the northeast coast, widely rated as Zanzibar’s best diving and snorkeling site, reached by boat from Michamvi or Matemwe.
Zanzibar · local-experience
Nungwi dhow-building beach
Traditional wooden dhow boats are still built by hand on Nungwi’s beach, alongside the town’s swim-at-any-tide shoreline and sunset bars.
Zanzibar · local-experience
The Rock Restaurant, Michamvi Pingwe
A small restaurant built on a rock outcrop off Michamvi Pingwe beach; guests walk out at low tide or are ferried by small boat at high tide.