The 22 Most Beautiful Places In The World

Oia, Santorini, Greece

All of the Greek islands are undeniably beautiful, but head to the hillside town of Oia for some of the best views of the bright blue Aegean Sea. Photo Getty/Berlin Harald Braun.

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The 22 Most Beautiful Places In The World

Japan in Cherry Blossom Season

While Japan is beautiful year-round, the few weeks each spring when cherry trees across the country explode with blossoms is a particularly pretty time to visit. Photo: Getty

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The 22 Most Beautiful Places In The World

Marrakesh, Morocco

Located at the foot of the Atlas Mountains, Marrakesh has changed little since the Middle Ages. You could spend days here wandering around maze-like alleyways discovering the city's colorful souks, palaces and gardens. Photo: Getty/Cultura Travel/Tim E White

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The 22 Most Beautiful Places In The World

Bora Bora, French Polynesia

With turquoise lagoons, coral reefs and overwater bungalows, this small island in the South Pacific is basically heaven on Earth. Photo: Getty/Matteo Colombo

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The 22 Most Beautiful Places In The World

Tamil Nadu, India

Most travelers head to North India for its Mughal palaces and forts, but the Southern state of Tamil Nadu is where most of the country's major Hindu temples are found, including the brightly-colored Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple seen here and the Meenakshi Temple Complex, which is so large it's considered a mini-city. Photo: Getty

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The 22 Most Beautiful Places In The World

Torres del Paine National Park, Chile

If you're looking to get off the grid, head to Chile's Patagonia region for some of the most beautiful mountain views you'll ever see. Photo: Getty/Chao Photography

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The 22 Most Beautiful Places In The World

Forbidden City, Beijing, China

Located in the center of Beijing, the Forbidden City was the imperial palace of China's emperors for five centuries and is one of the most beautifully preserved examples of ancient Chinese architecture. Photo: Getty/Dusko Almosa

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The 22 Most Beautiful Places In The World

Amalfi Coast, Italy

There are so many beautiful places in Italy it's hard to pick just one—but the Amalfi Coast's idyllic hillside towns, like Positano, bump it to the top of our must-see list. Photo: Getty/Slow Images

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The 22 Most Beautiful Places In The World

Krabi, Thailand

Located on southern Thailand's west coast, this province's coastline is dotted with limestone cliffs and hundreds of islands just offshore in the Andaman Sea, making it one of the world's most popular beach vacation destinations. GETTY CARLINA TETERIS. Photo: Getty/Carlina Teteris

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The 22 Most Beautiful Places In The World

Fiordland National Park, New Zealand

Each year starting in the end of November and peaking in early December, fields of bright purple Russell Lupins bloom across New Zealand's South Island. One of the most beautiful spots to go Lupin-spotting is in Fiordland National Park, home to the equally gorgeous Milford Sound. Photo: Getty/Rolf Hicker

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The 22 Most Beautiful Places In The World

Bagan, Myanmar

This ancient city in central Myanmar is made up of thousands (yes, thousands) of Buddhist temples and pagodas. One of the prettiest views is from above—we recommend going for a hot air balloon ride at sunrise.

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The 22 Most Beautiful Places In The World

Havasu Falls, Arizona

Before you can swim in these beautiful blue-green waters located near Grand Canyon National Park, you have to hike ten miles to get there. Trust us, it's totally worth the trek.

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The 22 Most Beautiful Places In The World

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Abu Dhabi, UAE

With 82 domes and enough room to accommodate 40,000 worshippers, the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is not only one of the largest mosques in the world but also one of the most beautiful with a marble courtyard featuring mosaics of flowers native to the Middle East.

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The 22 Most Beautiful Places In The World

Lisbon, Portugal

Situated on a series of hills over the Tagus River, Portugal's scenic capital is brimming with magnificent views, pastel-colored buildings and charming yellow streetcars.

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The 22 Most Beautiful Places In The World

Fernando de Noronha, Brazil

While the rest of the world descends upon Rio for the Olympics, head to this remote volcanic archipelago (located about 200 miles off Brazil's coast) that is famous for pristine white-sand beaches and crystal-clear waters filled with sea turtles and dolphins.

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The 22 Most Beautiful Places In The World

St. Basil's Cathedral, Moscow, Russia

Legend has is that after St. Basil's Cathedral was completed in the 16th century, Ivan the Terrible had the architect blinded to prevent him from creating anything as stunning ever again.

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The 22 Most Beautiful Places In The World

Cape Town, South Africa

It might take nearly a full day of travel to reach Cape Town, but the city's sweeping vistas from Table Mountain and miles of beaches are totally worth the long haul.

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The 22 Most Beautiful Places In The World

Blue Lagoon, Iceland

Located southwest of Reykjavik, Iceland's famous Blue Lagoon gets its trademark color from the silica-rich waters that feed it. And it isn't just pretty—the geothermal water is great for your skin too.

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The 22 Most Beautiful Places In The World

Sossusvlei, Namibia

Located in Namibia's coastal desert, the remote Sossusvlei region is home to the world's tallest sand dunes including one that is nearly a quarter-mile high.

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The 22 Most Beautiful Places In The World

Paris, France

It's hard not to fall in love with a city like Paris. Every arrondissement is full of postcard-worthy architecture, idyllic city parks seem to outnumber the people...and the food! Even that's beautiful—macarons, anyone?

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The 22 Most Beautiful Places In The World
The 22 Most Beautiful Places In The World

Hawa Mahal, Jaipur, India

While Jaipur is known as the "Pink City" for the trademark color of its buildings, Hawa Mahal, which translates to Palace of the Winds, is one of the most beautiful examples of the city's rosy-hued architecture. Photo: Getty

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The 22 Most Beautiful Places In The World

New York City, New York

We couldn't help adding our hometown to this list. While New York is undeniably noisy and crowded, don't knock it until you've watched the sunset over the Manhattan skyline–which is just plain beautiful.

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The 22 Most Beautiful Places In The World