The Most Beautiful Places In The World

Venice, Italy

Venice is built on more than 100 small islands in a marshy lagoon in the Adriatic Sea. Its stone palaces seemingly rise out of the water. There are no cars or roadways, just canals and boats.

Kyoto, Japan

Kyoto, once the capital of Japan, is a refined city on the island of Honshu with thousands of classical Buddhist temples, as well as gardens, imperial palaces, Shinto shrines and traditional wooden houses. It's also known for formal traditions such as kaiseki dining, consisting of multiple courses of precise dishes, and geisha.

Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Amsterdam is the Netherlands' capital, known for its artistic heritage, elaborate canal system and narrow houses with gabled facades, legacies of the city's 17th-century Golden Age. Its Museum District houses works by Rembrandt and Vermeer at the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum and modern art at the Stedelijk. Cycling is key to the city's character, and there are 400km of cycle paths.

Singapore

Singapore, an island city-state off southern Malaysia, is a global financial centre with a tropical climate and multicultural population. In circa-1820 Chinatown stands the red-and-gold Buddha's Tooth Relic Temple, Little India offers colorful souvenirs and Arab Street is lined with fabric shops. Singapore is also known for eclectic street fare, served in hawker centres such as Tiong Bahru and Maxwell Road.

Florence, Italy

Florence, capital of Italy's Tuscany region and birthplace of the Renaissance, is home to masterpieces of art and architecture.

Istanbul, Turkey

Istanbul is a city in Turkey that straddles Europe and Asia across the Bosphorus Strait. The Old City reflects cultural influences of the many empires that once ruled here.

Lucerne, Switzerland

Lucerne is the ideal starting point for many excursions to the highlights of central Switzerland. A trip up one of Lucerne's regional mountains, the Pilatus or the Rigi the queen of mountains is a must.

Barcelona, Spain

Barcelona has always proved its will to be modern, to follow the latest international tendencies or be ahead of them. To the tourist this is evident specially in its architecture, which so well reflects the general approach to life in this always pulsating city.

Cape Town, South Africa

Cape Town is a port city on South Africa's southwest coast, on a peninsula beneath the imposing Table Mountain. Slowly rotating cable cars climb to the mountain's flat top, from which there are sweeping views of the city, the busy harbor and boats heading for Robben Island in Table Bay.

Chefchaouen, Morocco

Chefchaouen or Chaouen is a city in northwest Morocco. It is the chief town of the province of the same name, and is noted for its buildings in shades of blue.

Bruges, Belgium

Bruges is the capital and largest city of the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium, in the northwest of the country. Along with a few other canal-based northern cities, such as Amsterdam and Stockholm, it is sometimes referred to as The Venice of the North. Bruges has a significant economic importance thanks to its port and was once the chief commercial city in the world. Bruges is well known as the seat of the College of Europe, an elite university institute for European studies regarded as "the EU's very own Oxbridge.

Seville, Spain

Seville is the capital of southern Spain's Andalusia region and a hotbed for flamenco dance, especially in the Triana neighborhood. The city is known for its ornate AlcÃ¡zar castle complex, built during the Moorish Almohad dynasty, and its 18th-century Plaza de Toros de la Real Maestranza bullring. The massive Gothic cathedral is the site of Christopher Columbus's tomb and a famous minaret turned belltower, the Giralda.

Abu Dhabi, UAE

Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, sits off the mainland on an island in the Persian Gulf.In Abu Dhabi the world's largest hand-loomed carpet, the fastest roller coaster, the highest high tea, the tower with the greatest lean, the largest cluster of cultural buildings of the 21st century UAE capital Abu Dhabi isn't afraid to challenge world records.

Beirut, Lebanon

Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon.The Lebanese capital has astonishing art, architecture, food, and hotelsin fact.

Budapest, Hungary

Budapest, Hungary's capital, is bisected by the River Danube, and the 19th-century Chain Bridge connects its hilly Buda district with flat Pest. A funicular runs up Castle Hill to Buda's Old Town, where the Budapest History Museum traces life from Roman times onwards. Trinity Square is home to 13th-century Matthias Church and the turrets of the Fishermen's Bastion, which offer sweeping views.

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Buenos Aires, Argentina's big, cosmopolitan capital, is known for its European atmosphere, passionate tango and vibrant nightlife. Its center is the 16th-century Plaza de Mayo, lined with stately buildings including Casa Rosada, the iconic, balconied presidential palace. In Microcentro, Florida Street is the main shopping thoroughfare, leading to Plaza San MartÃn, a busy park that was once the site of a bullfighting arena.

St. Petersburg, Russia

St. Petersburg is a Russian port city on the Baltic Sea. Founded in 1703 by Peter the Great.

Busan, South Korea

Busan, a large port city in South Korea, is known for its beaches, mountains and temples. Busy Haeundae Beach has a Folk Square with traditional games such as tug-of-war, while Gwangalli Beach is a nightlife hub with views of modern Diamond Bridge. Beomeosa, a Buddhist temple built in 678 C.E., is at the base of Geumjeong Mountain, which offers challenging hikes.

Cartagena, Colombia

Cartagena is a modern port city on Colombia's Caribbean coast. At its core is the walled Old Town, with 16th-century plazas, cobblestone streets and colorful colonial buildings. With a tropical climate, the city is a popular beach destination. Reachable by boat are the nearby shores of Isla de BarÃº and Islas del Rosario, known for their coral reefs and scuba diving.

Charleston, SC

Charleston, the South Carolina city founded in 1670, is defined by its cobblestone streets, horse-drawn carriages and pastel pre-Civil-War-era houses, particularly in the bustling French Quarter and Battery areas. The Battery promenade and Waterfront Park both overlook Charleston Harbor, while Fort Sumter, a Federal stronghold where the first shots of the Civil War rang out, lies across the water.

Dubrovnik, Croatia

Dubrovnik is a city in southern Croatia fronting the Adriatic Sea. It's known for its distinctive Old Town, encircled with massive stone walls completed in the 16th century. Its well-preserved buildings range from baroque St. Blaise Church to Renaissance Sponza Palace and Gothic Rector's Palace, now a history museum. Paved with limestone, the pedestrianized Stradun (aka Placa) is lined with shops and restaurants.

Edinburgh, Scotland

Hilly Edinburgh, Scotland's capital, has a medieval Old Town and an elegant Georgian New Town, with gardens and neoclassical buildings. It's home to Arthur's Seat, an extinct volcano in Holyrood Park with sweeping views from its peak. Looming over the city is hilltop Edinburgh Castle, home to Scotland's crown jewels and the Stone of Destiny, traditionally used in the coronation of Scottish rulers.

Havana, Cuba

Havana, Cuba's colorful capital, is known for the Spanish colonial architecture of its 16th-century Old Havana core, including Castillo de la Real fort, now a maritime museum, and the pre-revolutionary Capitolio. 1950s American-made cars line the city's streets and rumba groups play in the painted alley CallejÃ³n de Hamel. Salsa emanates from clubs and cabaret is still performed at the famed Tropicana.

Hong Kong, China

Hong Kong is impressive from many anglesbeneath the towering skyscrapers, It's also known for its lively food scene from Cantonese dim sum to extravagant high tea and its shopping, with options spanning chaotic Temple Street Night Market to the city's innumerable bespoke tailors.

Isfahan, Iran

Isfahan, also Romanized as EsfahÄÂn historically also rendered in English as Ispahan, Sepahan, Esfahan or Hispahan, is the capital of Isfahan Province in Iran, located about 340 kilometres south of Tehran.

Jaipur, India

Jaipur, the capital of India's Rajasthan state, evokes the royal family that once ruled the region and that, in 1727, founded what is now called the Old City, or "Pink City" for its trademark building color. At the center of its stately street grid (notable in India) stands the opulent, collonaded City Palace complex, which today houses several museum collections of textiles and art.

Jerusalem, palestine

Jerusalem, a Middle Eastern city west of the Dead Sea, has been a place of pilgrimage and worship for Jews, Christians and Muslims since the biblical era. Its Old City retains significant religious sites concentrated around the Temple Mount compound, including the Western Wall, sacred to Judaism, and the Dome of the Rock, a 7th-century Islamic shrine with a gold dome.

London, U.K.

London, England's capital, set on the River Thames, is a 21st-century city with history stretching back to Roman times.

Luang Prabang, Laos

Luang Prabang, the capital of Luang Prabang Province in northern Laos, lies in a valley at the confluence of the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers. It's known for its many Buddhist temples, including the gilded Wat Xieng Thong, dating to the 16th century, and Wat Mai, once the residence of the head of Laotian Buddhism.

Mexico City, Mexico

Vancouver, a bustling west coast seaport in British Columbia, is among Canada's densest, most ethnically diverse cities. A popular filming location, it's surrounded by mountains and invites outdoor pursuits of all kinds, but also has thriving art, theatre and music scenes. Vancouver Art Gallery is known for its works by regional artists, while the Museum of Anthropology houses preeminent First Nations collections.

Muscat, Oman

Muscat, Oman's port capital, sits on the Gulf of Oman surrounded by mountains and desert. With history going back to antiquity, it mixes high-rises and upscale shopping malls with landmarks such as the 16th-century Portuguese forts, Mirani and Jalali, looming clifftop over Muscat Harbor. Its modern, marble-clad Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, with gleaming 50m dome and prodigious Persian carpet, can accommodate 20,000 people.

New York, NY

Home to the Empire State Building, Times Square, Statue of Liberty and other iconic sites, New York City is a fast-paced, globally influential center of art, culture, fashion and finance.

Paris, France

Paris, France's capital, is a major European city and a global center for art, fashion, gastronomy and culture

Prague, Czech Republic

Prague, capital of the Czech Republic, is bisected by the Vltava River. Nicknamed "the City of a Hundred Spires," it's known for its Old Town Square, the heart of its historic core, with colorful baroque buildings, Gothic churches and the medieval Astronomical Clock, with a popular show. Completed in 1402, pedestrian Charles Bridge is lined with 30 statues of saints.

Quebec City, Canada

QuÃ©bec City sits on the Saint Lawrence River in predominantly French-speaking QuÃ©bec province. Dating to 1608, it retains its fortified colonial core, Vieux-QuÃ©bec and Place Royale, with narrow streets, stone buildings and a European feel. This area is site of the famous, towering ChÃ¢teau Frontenac Hotel and imposing Citadelle of QuÃ©bec. The Petit Champlain district's cobblestone streets are lined with bistros and boutiques.

Quito, Ecuador

Quito, Ecuador's capital, sits high in the Andean foothills at an altitude of 2,850m. Constructed on the foundations of an ancient Incan city, it's known for its Spanish colonial buildings dating back more than 500 years. It all can be taken in from the TelefÃ©riQo, a gondola ride up the Pichincha volcano, with the Parque Vulqano amusement park at its base.

Riga, Latvia

Riga, Latvia's capital and largest city, is a cultural center with museums and concert halls known for its wooden buildings, medieval Old Town and art nouveau architecture. Set on the Baltic Sea at the mouth of the River Daugava, it offers a wide range of water activities, from canal boat tours to beach swimming.

San Francisco, CA

San Francisco, in northern California, is a city on the tip of a peninsula surrounded by the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay. It's known for its hilly landscape, year-round fog, iconic Golden Gate Bridge, cable cars and colorful Victorian houses.

Valparaiso, Chile

ValparaÃso is a port city on Chile's coast. It's known for its steep funiculars and colorful, clifftop homes. La Sebastiana, the quirky former residence of Chilean poet Pablo Neruda, is now a museum with far-reaching Pacific views. During the 19th century, an influx of European immigrants left their mark on the city's architecture and cultural institutions, many of which congregate around downtown's Plaza Sotomayor.

Vancouver, Canada

Vancouver, a bustling west coast seaport in British Columbia, is among Canada's densest, most ethnically diverse cities. A popular filming location, it's surrounded by mountains and invites outdoor pursuits of all kinds, but also has thriving art, theatre and music scenes. Vancouver Art Gallery is known for its works by regional artists, while the Museum of Anthropology houses preeminent First Nations collections.

Vienna, Austria

Vienna, the capital of Austria, lies in the country's east on the Danube River. Its artistic and intellectual legacy was shaped by residents including Mozart, Beethoven and Sigmund Freud. The city is also known for its Imperial palaces, including SchÃ¶nbrunn, the Habsburgs' summer residence. In the MuseumsQuartier district, historic and contemporary buildings display works by Egon Schiele, Gustav Klimt and other artists.

Washington D.C.

Washington, DC, the U.S. capital, is a compact city on the Potomac River, bordering the states of Maryland and Virginia. It's defined by imposing neoclassical monuments and buildings including the iconic ones that house the federal government's 3 branches: the Capitol, White House and Supreme Court but also its museums and performing-arts venues such as the Kennedy Center.

Queenstown, New Zealand

The Queenstown region is world-famous for adventure and is the birthplace of many iconic activities including commercial bungy jumping and jet boating.

Sydney, Australia

Sydney Australia is one of the world's most loved cities,There are always plenty of things to do in Sydney during the warmer months from sightseeing and world-class dining, to great walks and fun in the sand at one of Sydney's idyllic beaches.

Salzburg, Austria

Salzburg is storybook Austria. Standing beside the fast-flowing Salzach River, your gaze is raised inch by inch to the Altstadt's mosaic of graceful domes and spires, the formidable clifftop fortress and the mountains beyond. It's a view that never palls.

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Rio de Janeiro is one of the most visited cities in the Southern Hemisphere and is known for its natural settings, Carnival, samba, bossa nova, and balneario beaches such as Barra da Tijuca, Copacabana, Ipanema, and Leblon.

Shanghai, China

Shanghai is the largest Chinese city by population and the largest city proper by population in the world.Shanghai is a popular tourist destination renowned for its historical landmarks such as The Bund, City God Temple and Yu Garden as well as the extensive Lujiazui skyline, many skyscrapers, and major museums including the Shanghai Museum and the China Art Museum. It has been described as the "showpiece" of the booming economy of mainland China.

Rome, Italy

Rome, Italy's capital, is a sprawling, cosmopolitan city with nearly 3,000 years of globally influential art, architecture and culture on display. Ancient ruins such as the Roman Forum and the Colosseum evoke the power of the former Roman Empire.

Stockholm, Sweden

Stockholm, the capital of Sweden, encompasses 14 islands of the vast Stockholm archipelago on the Baltic Sea. The cobblestone streets and ochre-colored buildings of medieval Gamla Stan, the old town, are home to a 13th-century cathedral, the royal palace of Kungliga Slottet and its underground armory, cafes and restaurants. Ferries and sightseeing boats shuttle passengers between islands, beneath more than 50 bridges.

Kashmir, Pakistan

Kashmir is a geographical region situated between India, Pakistan and China. Throughout the course of the history the geographical extent of the kingdom of Kashmir kept changing, however by the mid-19th century, the term Kashmir geographically denoted only the valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal mountain range. Today, it denotes a larger area that includes the Indian administered territories of Jammu and Kashmir (which consists of Jammu, the Kashmir Valley, and Ladakh), the Pakistan administered territories of Azad Kashmir and GilgitBaltistan, and the Chinese-administered regions of Aksai Chin and the Trans-Karakoram Tract.