Even though the pandemic may have put a pause on world travel for us here in the United States, I still love to look at the pictures of the beautiful places across the globe. My goal is to one day travel to all of these places, but for now the pictures will have to do them justice. Without further ado, here are my personal top three most beautiful places in the world (in no particular order).
1. Cinque Terre
Located along the coast of Liguria (one of the 20 Italian provinces) on the northwest side of the country sit five villages that make up Cinque Terre (which translates to “Five Lands”). Known for the colorful houses that sit on the Mediterranean Sea, I think that spending a week here relaxing would be an absolutely stunning experience. Besides the views, there are also a ton of fun things to do. You can hike, boat, watch the sunset, explore the villages and eat all the amazing Italian food you can imagine. I’ve also heard that the Madonna Bianca Festival is like a scene straight out of “Tangled.” This is a festival in August where people light torches and the entire village it takes place in lights up. These villages seem like a perfect example of Italian life and culture. It would be a beautiful place to go, especially if you like a mix of outdoor activities and town life.
2. Tamil Nadu
This state in Southern India is home to some outstanding examples of Indian architecture. The colorful temple is the Kapaleeshwar Temple in Chennai, which is the capital city in Tamil Nadu. In this state, you can go on tours for architecture, culture or history, you can have a beach day on the coast of the Indian Ocean, and of course hiking or biking are options to see some of the other sights Tamil Nadu has to offer. Besides Tamil Nadu, India has a lot to offer. With 29 total states, there’s something beautiful to see wherever you end up going.
3. Iguazú Falls
This waterfall is on the border of Argentina and Brazil, and it is definitely one of my need-to-see places. I’ve seen Niagara Falls once before, but author Kristen Gilbert claims this waterfall is “unlike any waterfall on earth.” Seems like a must see to me. At these falls, you can walk around to see various views of the waterfall. There are also boats that you can ride to see the waterfall from the bottom. If you’re willing, you can also take a helicopter ride over the falls. I’m not sure if I could do it, but if anyone’s willing to be that high up in the air, the views seem spectacular.
There are quite a few other places in the world I would be more than willing to visit, but these three are at the top of my list. Hopefully a vaccine for the coronavirus will be found soon and people can travel without potentially hurting others. Until then, you can find me looking up more beautiful places that one day I’ll get to see in person.