If you scroll through your Instagram feed, you will find at least 10 people with “Wanderlust” written in their bios. You will find another 28 people following every travel vlog page to ever exist. Traveling, exploring new places, meeting new people, and knowing new stories, are something that excites everyone. No matter how much of a couch potato anyone is, they do crave an escape; travel is that escape. The world is full of beautiful places- explored and unexplored. So to escape the inevitable, and explore the horizons, TIMES came out with its list of World’s Greatest Places 2023.
What is This List?
Every year, TIMES curates the World’s Greatest Places list after cataloging and surfing through various trends, ratings, and patterns in the travel industry. In 2023, the travel industry will be back in full force, but there will also be significant changes in our travel habits. The environment is changing as a result of rising prices and growing demand for sustainability and authenticity.
“The list we selected reflects a couple of big trends in travel right now: sustainability, and authenticity. Many locations on this list are finding ways to let tourists visit with a more limited environmental impact. And many have responded to travelers’ desire to have unique, local experiences by offering indigenous-led tours or curated homestays.” says TIMES.
With an emphasis on places that provide unique and thrilling experiences, TIMES contacted its global network of journalists and writers for suggestions in order to compile a list.
The “Far-Flung And Familiar Spots”
The list included 50 “far-flung and familiar sites,” from Egypt’s Giza and Saqqara to France’s Dijon, a hotbed of food. India’s Mayurbhanj and Ladakh, which have been chosen for their endangered tigers and historic temples, as well as their adventures and cuisine, respectively, are among the sites that have been chosen.
The places included in the list are home to the world’s richest culture and vibrancy. Some have historical architecture, some have the nightlife everyone wants to experience at least once.
What makes these places special is the core value that is instilled in all of them- warmth and welcoming culture. Some of these places are well-known tourist spots with swarms of people making their way toward them every year. While some are rather calmer and less busy places; that being their specialty- peace of mind.
Tampa, Florida
Willamette Valley, Oregon
Rio Grande, P. R.
Tucson, Arizona
Yosemite National Park, California
Bozeman, Montana
Washington, D.C.
Vancouver, Canada
Churchill, Manitoba
Dijon, France
Pantelleria, Italy
Naples, Italy
Aarhus, Denmark
St. Moritz, Switzerland
Barcelona, Spain
Timisoara, Romania
Sylt, Germany
Berat, Albania
Budapest, Hungary
Vienna, Austria
Brisbane, Australia
Kangaroo Island, Australia
Dominica
Mexico City, Mexico
Guadalajara, Mexico
Torres del Paine National Park, Chile
Pantanal, Brazil
Medellín, Colombia
Ollantaytambo, Peru
Roatán, Honduras
Ladakh, India
Mayurbhanj, India
Kyoto, Japan
Nagoya, Japan
Isan, Thailand
Phuket, Thailand
Jeju Island, South Korea
Luang Prabang, Laos
Giza and Saqqara, Egypt
Chyulu Hills, Kenya
Musanze, Rwanda
Rabat, Morocco
Dakar, Senegal
Loango National Park, Gabon
Freetown Peninsula, Sierra Leone
The Red Sea, Saudi Arabia
Aqaba, Jordan
Jerusalem, Israel
Sharjah, UAE
Tuamotu Archipelago, French Polynesia