56 Places on My Ideal Itinerary: International Edition

*8-Minute Read*

Unfortunately, I can't remember my sole trip abroad. After all, no one can remember being in Canada as a one-year-old. Fortunately, like my last post, I've used Pinterest to compile a list of places in 56 different countries across six of the seven continents (sorry, Antarctica) that can be seen below:


1) Argentina - El Ateneo Grand Splendid is one of the world's most beautiful bookstores, as it is located inside an old theater in Buenos Aires.

2) Australia - Bondi Beach is located in a town of the same name (a suburb of Sydney) and is home to the Icebergs ocean pool, several restaurants, and even a farmer's market.

3) Austria - Hallstatt is a town in the Salzkammergut Lake District that is known for its beauty, as you can see in the picture below.

(Photo Credit: Smithsonian Magazine)

4) Bahamas - Atlantis Resort dominates Paradise Island, as it consists of several types of suites, numerous restaurants, marine life sites, beaches, a water park, and more.

5) Bolivia - Salar de Uyuni, or the Uyuni Salt Flat, is a prehistoric lake and the current record holder for the largest salt flat in the world near the town of Potosi.

6) Brazil - Christ the Redeemer, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, is a large statue of Christ looking down on Rio de Janeiro.

7) Canada - Banff National Park, located in an Albertan town of the same name, is filled with mountains, glacial lakes, and wildlife.

8) Cayman Islands - Rum Point on Grand Cayman Island is a tropical destination that is ideal for swimming, snorkeling and, of course, drinking rum.

San Alfonso del Mar Resort (Photo Credit: USA Today)

9) Chile - San Alfonso del Mar Resort (meaning St. Alfonso of the Sea) in Algarrobo is not only a beach-side hotel, it is home to the largest pool in the world.

10) China - Great Wall of China is another one of the Seven Wonders of the World that serves as the northern Chinese border.

11) Colombia - Salt Cathedral of Zipaquira is a Roman Catholic church that was built within the underground tunnels of a salt mine.

12) Cook Islands - Aitutaki, or "a little paradise," consists of 15 islets scattered across a turquoise lagoon.   

13) Croatia - Blue Cave on Bisevo Island gets its name for what happens in between 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. on sunny days; the sun's rays shine through an underwater opening to illuminate the cave with blue light.

14) Czech Republic - Bohemian Switzerland National Park near Hrensko consists of forests and valleys, filled with rock towers, ravines, labyrinths, rare animal species, and more.

15) Egypt - Pyramids of Giza is the oldest ancient wonder of the world and the country's most famous attraction.

16) England - Warner Bros. Studio Tour teaches you about the "filmmaking magic" behind the Harry Potter movies.

17) Fiji - Cloud 9 is the only restaurant I would fly across the world to; it is a two-story pizza bar that floats on turquoise blue waters.

18) Finland - Kakslautten Arctic Resort, located alongside a river of the same name, is where you stay in a domed hotel room to watch the Northern Lights through the glass ceiling.

19) France - Gorges du Verdon, or Verdon Gorge, is an ideal destination for kayaking, rafting, hiking, bird-watching, and more.

20) French Polynesia - Conrad Bora Bora Nui is, unsurprisingly, a five-star hotel; one- and two-story overwater bungalows as hotel rooms seal the deal on that one.

(Photo Credit: Conrad Hotels and Resorts - Hilton)

21) Germany - Neuschwanstein Castle is a white, Romanesque revival palace and the former retreat of King Ludwig II of Bavaria that looks down upon the village of Hohenschwangau.

22) Greece - One of the Resorts with Cave Pools on the island of Santorini; they are private pools with Mediterranean views right outside of your hotel room.

23) Iceland - Blue Lagoon is where you can immerse into bright-blue, geothermal seawater, an ideal day for a spa day near the town of Grindavik.

24) India - Taj Mahal is Shah Jahan's resting place: a massive, ivory-white mausoleum in Agra that has become a UNESCO World Heritage site.

25) Indonesia - Pantai Merah, or Pink Beach, is aptly named; it is a place on Komodo Island where pink sand meets turquoise waters.

26) Ireland - Old Library, associated with Trinity College Dublin, is known for its "long room" and the Book of Kells exhibition.

27) Italy - A Gondola Ride in Venice, the town where canals replace roads.

28) Jamaica - Montego Bay is the third-largest city in the country where you can relax on the beach, ride down the river on a bamboo raft, spend the night in an overwater bungalow, and more. 

29) Japan - Okinawa Main Island is filled with beaches and many other attractions, such as an aquarium and war memorials.   

30) Jordan - Sea of Salt, more commonly known as the Dead Sea, is the lowest point on earth surrounded by Negev Desert.

31) Malaysia - Batu Caves are all located inside a limestone hill in Gombak (near Kuala Lumpur) and some of them are temples.

Dining at Conrad Resort Rangali Island
(Photo Credit: jetsetter.com)

32) Maldives - Conrad Resort Rangali Island, with its overwater and underwater villas, was voted as the "best resort in the world" twice.

33) Mexico - Hidden Beach on Marieta Islands is a sandy paradise within a sea cave that has become a national park.

34) Montenegro - Kotor is a fortified town alongside the Adriatic Sea and Mount Lovcen.

35) Netherlands - Van Gogh Museum in the capital of Amsterdam displays the artwork of Vincent Van Gogh (1853-1890), one of my favorite artists.

36) New Zealand - Cathedral Cove, located in Hahei on the Coromandel peninsula, consists of a beach with a cave.

37) Norway - Geirangerfjord is a fjord with several waterfalls by the town of Geiranger.

38) Panama - San Blas Islands are a group of islands in the San Blas archipelago that serve as the top vacation destination of the country.

39) Peru - Huacachina is a town that is entirely surrounded by a desert, where people sand-sled, sand-surf, and sand-buggy.

40) Philippines - Kawasan Falls is a swimming hole and waterfall with turquoise-blue water that is located within the Barangay Matutinao mountains on Cebu Island.

41) Poland - Zakopane, located on the southern Polish border, is home to the world's largest ice maze, Dunajec Gorge, and other attractions.

42) Portugal - Benagil Cave is an open-sky sea cave located in a small town of the same name.

43) Russia - Peterhof State Museum Reserve in St. Petersburg is a series of palaces and gardens that was built in response to the Palace of Versailles in France.

44) Scotland - Jacobite Steam Train is not only a beautiful, 84-mile round trip; it is also served as the Hogwarts Express in most of the Harry Potter films.

45) Singapore - Gardens by the Bay is an award-winning destination where you can admire the gorgeous greenery walking on the ground and above ground.

Predjama Castle (Photo Credit: Business Insider)

46) Slovakia - National Park High Tatras in the northern region of the country consists of the Tatra mountain range, glacial lakes, waterfalls, unique plants, and rare animal species.

47) Slovenia - Predjama Castle in Postojna Cave Park has been the largest cave castle in the world for over 800 years.

48) South Africa - Boulders Beach in Simon's Town (near Cape Town) is, unsurprisingly, home to white sand and, surprisingly, home to penguins.

49) Spain - La Sagrada Familia, or The Holy Family, is a cathedral in Barcelona that has been under construction since 1882 and is expected to be completed in 2026.

50) Sweden - One of the Ice Hotels, as there are at least two, because that just has to be cool... literally and figuratively.

51) Switzerland - Glacier Express is a panoramic train that follows its track across the Swiss Alps, from St. Moritz/Davos to Zermatt and vice-versa.

52) Tanzania - White Sands Beach Bungalows is a hotel on the sand in Jambiani on the Zanzibar islands. 

53) Thailand - Koh Kood, or Koh Kut, is the fourth largest island in the country and is an ideal place for those who are looking for a quiet beach vacation.

54) Turks and Caicos - Beaches Resort doesn't only include the white-sand beach right beside it; there's also a water park, 21 restaurants, five bars, and more to explore at this large resort on the island of Providenciales.

55) United Arab Emirates - Dubai Mall consists of numerous shops and restaurants, ten hotels, two observation towers, an aquarium, and more.

56) Wales - Hay on Wye is a small town that is world-renowned for its large amount of bookshops.


So, for anyone whose traveled abroad, feel free to comment on your experience(s). Especially if you've been to any of these 56 particular spots. Is there anywhere else that I should look into? Please let me know!

- Liv