The Most Beautiful Places in the World, According to Avid Travelers on Reddit
It's time to refresh that bucket list of yours.
If you asked me to narrow down the most beautiful places I've ever been, I probably couldn't answer. As corny as it sounds, our planet is full of hidden gems that will have your jaw drop and never close back up again, and with this in mind, I still can't believe someone managed to put together a list of the "Seven Natural Wonders of the World." There are… so many more?
Which leads me to my next point. If I want to know what the actual most gorgeous, iconic, mind-blowing places in the world are, I won't resort to commonly accepted travel rankings. You'll find me scavenger hunting in the depths of Reddit instead, where experienced travelers share their honest and (hopefully) original takes.
Lucky for me—and for you, too—someone on the social media platform recently asked exactly that question, and wondered what the most beautiful places people have been to are, according to their experience. "What's the most beautiful country (or city) you have ever visited?" reads the question posted in r/Travel. It continued, "Just trying to get travel ideas now that I have a full-time remote job. Time is passing. I'm getting old. I need to explore the world more."
The top-rated comment might come as a surprise at first, but if you think about it, it makes total sense. It is Switzerland that brings home the gold medal, and Redditors were quick to sing its praise. "Switzerland as a country," reads the comment. "Never been anywhere where every train ride is just so picturesque. I feel like that country was made in a lab."
To another user, who agrees with the opinion, Switzerland feels like being "on another planet" thanks to its incredible natural beauty. There is, however, a price to pay for all that marvel. "I've lived in Switzerland for the past 8 years and can highly recommend Bern. It's a beautiful, unique city, and you're able to [take] day trips to many iconic Alpine locations," adds one Redditor. "But, as anyone who has ever visited Switzerland would agree: 'Prepare your wallet.'"
For the silver medal, according to Reddit, you don't have to travel too far from Switzerland—as in, you can stay in Europe. "I'm going to say Scotland since no one mentioned it yet," reads the second most-liked comment. "The Isle of Skye and the highlands lived up to the hype. Scotland is also kind of low key in terms of tourism. It's not at the top of everyone's bucket list." And don't forget about Edinburgh, either! While Scotland's lush and incredibly green landscapes are arguably its most iconic trait, a few Reddit users highlighted the beauty of the Scottish city, too, together with Glasgow.
The third spot on the list goes to one user's personal ranking, and this time, US-based travelers will be pleased to know that the destinations involved are much closer to home than the top two. First on the Redditor's ranking is the Patagonia region in Chile and Argentina, followed by Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and Telluride, Colorado.
It isn't really a surprise—the Americas are, in fact, gorgeous, and even avid travelers will tell you you don't need to go far to witness some staggering natural beauty. One person, who replied to the latter comment, took the time to praise the US and its landscapes.
"I've been pretty much everywhere that's listed towards the top. Switzerland, New Zealand, every country in SE Asia, almost every European country, South America, Central America, every Nordic country, you get the idea," they said. "[The] US wins hands down and it's not even close. Why? The size of it and the variation."
According to them, you can get it all in the US. Swiss-like Apls? Check—you've got the Rocky Mountains. Vast deserts? Also check—and add in the canyons, too. Coastline? There's a bunch of that, from Florida to SoCal and the Great Lakes. "You get thick forests like the north east, the northern Midwest," they continue. "Throw in Alaska and Hawaii and it's just unbelievable."
While these are the top picks, the thread goes on quite a bit. If you want more travel info, you can check it out directly on Reddit via this link right here.
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