1
Great Wall of China
Beijing · China★ 4.9
21,000km of fortification snaking over forested ridges. Hike a wilder stretch like Jinshanling at dawn and you can have whole watchtowers to yourself.
Best forHiking · history
CountryChina
Go inSep–Oct
World wonders, sights worth the journey.
The ten places that still stop you in your tracks, ancient, monumental and unforgettable. Ranked by sheer wow, with how to see each one without the worst of the crowds.
Some sights live up to every photo you've seen, and then some. These are the wonders we'd build an entire trip around, with the timing and the angle that make them sing.
2
Machu Picchu
Cusco region · Peru★ 4.9
The Inca citadel above the Sacred Valley, wrapped in cloud at sunrise. Book entry permits months ahead and ride the first bus up.
Best forRuins · hiking
CountryPeru
Go inMay–Sep
3
Petra
Ma'an · Jordan★ 4.8
The rose-red city carved into desert canyon walls, walk the narrow Siq early, then climb to the Monastery before the heat sets in.
Best forRuins · hiking
CountryJordan
Go inMar–May
4
Taj Mahal
Agra · India★ 4.8
The white-marble mausoleum that turns pink at dawn and gold at dusk. Enter at sunrise from the east gate for the softest light.
Best forArchitecture
CountryIndia
Go inOct–Mar
5
Colosseum
Rome · Italy★ 4.7
Rome's 2,000-year-old amphitheatre, book the arena-floor and underground tour to stand where the gladiators actually fought.
Best forHistory
CountryItaly
Go inApr–Jun
6
Pyramids of Giza
Cairo · Egypt★ 4.8
The last surviving ancient wonder, 4,500-year-old tombs on the desert edge of a modern megacity. The Grand Egyptian Museum sits beside them and needs a day of its own. Go inside a pyramid only if small spaces do not bother you.
Best forHistory
CountryEgypt
Go inOct–Apr
7
Angkor Wat
Siem Reap · Cambodia★ 4.9
The largest religious monument on Earth, a Khmer temple-city best seen as it emerges from the dawn mist. A three-day pass and a guide is the way to do it. Bayon and Ta Prohm repay the afternoon, once the sunrise crowd has gone.
Best forRuins
CountryCambodia
Go inNov–Feb
8
Christ the Redeemer
Rio de Janeiro · Brazil★ 4.6
Arms outstretched 700m above Rio, with the bay, beaches and Sugarloaf laid out below. The cog train from Cosme Velho beats the vans. Go early: the statue is in cloud by mid-morning far more often than the photographs suggest.
Best forViews
CountryBrazil
Go inMay–Oct
9
Chichén Itzá
Yucatán · Mexico★ 4.6
The Maya pyramid of El Castillo, where the equinox sun casts a serpent of shadow down the steps. It is the busiest site in Mexico by ten in the morning. Arrive at opening, or take Uxmal instead and have it nearly to yourself.
Best forRuins
CountryMexico
Go inNov–Mar
10
Grand Canyon
Arizona · USA★ 4.8
A mile-deep, 446km gash in the earth that no photograph has ever truly captured. Hike below the rim at dawn.
Best forHiking · views
CountryUSA
Go inApr–Jun · Sep
All 10, mapped
10 picks on this list
FAQ
What counts as a world wonder?+
A sight that stops you whether it is ancient, natural or engineered. This list runs from the last surviving classical wonder to Inca, Khmer and Maya cities and a canyon.
Which world wonder is hardest to reach?+
Machu Picchu and Petra, both of which need a domestic connection and a ticket booked ahead. Angkor Wat is the easiest of the ancient sites to fold into a wider trip.
How far ahead do I need to book?+
Months for Machu Picchu, where entry permits are capped daily. The Colosseum's arena-floor tour and the interiors at Giza also go well ahead in high season.
What is the best time of day to visit?+
Opening, almost without exception. Every site here is busiest between ten and two, and the light is better at either end of the day.
Can I see several on one trip?+
Angkor Wat and the Great Wall pair with the rest of Asia, and Petra and Giza sit close enough for one Middle East itinerary. Machu Picchu and Chichén Itzá are trips of their own.
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