With domestic and international travel finally opening up again as COVID-19 restrictions have begun to loosen, many of us find ourselves itching to go somewhere new after nearly two years spent inside.
More specifically, they’re expecting 28.4% growth in domestic travel in the new year, as well as a 228% bump in spending by international travelers in the U.S.That being said, knowing that we want to go somewhere new and where that somewhere new actually is are two very different things.
Discovered in 1911, Machu Picchu is believed to be the Inca Empire’s most amazing architectural feat. Composed of temples, palaces, terraces, monuments, complexes, and water channels, the citadel receives over 1.5 million visitors each year.
The Pamukkale thermal pools have been a popular tourist destination since antiquity; wealthy Romans used to retire here in order to enjoy the healing waters as frequently as possible. Their cottony appearance (the word Pamukkale literally means “cotton castle”) is caused by the high levels of calcium carbonate in the mineral water.
Built in the 12th century, Spiš Castle was an important political, cultural, and economic center for the Kingdom of Hungary. In the centuries since, several movies have been filmed on the castle’s grounds, including, “Dragonheart,” “The Lion in Winter,” and “The Last Legion.”
The Potala Palace is located on Red Mountain, some 12,000 feet above sea level. For hundreds of years, the palace was the winter residence of the Dalai Lama, and, as a result, is an important location in the history and development of Tibetan Buddhism.