Wow places in the world

Rome for historical sites
New York for sheer scale of buildings
Cape Town for food

In Istanbul this week and can now add that to the list

Which cities, outside of Watford, have given you the wow factor?

 

I was quite impressed with the trams in Blackpool.

I saw one decapitate a pigeon though which put me off a bit.

Hoping Vegas next month will be the first one to chalk up on my Wow list. Splashed out on a helicopter tour to include the Hoover Dam & Grand Canyon.

 

Dubrovnik
Bruges
Washington

 

Dresden
Krakow

 

Amsterdam.
Bucharest.
Budapest.

 

Cape Town

 

If you ever get the chance I can highly recommend Cusco. The culture, the food, the Incan-architecture as well as Spanish imperial architecture, the number of archaeological sites within an hours drive of the place plus a day out to visit the lost city of Machu Picchu.

You will not find a place like it anywhere in the world.

 

Barbados

 

Hampster jam was a bit meh for me to be honest. I did enjoy the young ladies dancing in their newsagent coke a cola fridges but it was hardly a wow.

 

Kathmandu

 

South Harrow

 

Warsaw has some very nice sights.

 

OP said city not 5hitty


edit: he didn't but I'm leaving the comment here cos it's funny.

 

Mostar

 

Havana
Belmopan
Chichen Itza
Hockliffe

 

Forgot that one, truly amazing.

 

Playa de las Americas ... lot's of WOW! when I was there

However for sights it's hard to top Angkor

 

Peckham all day long

 

Agree with Cape Town. If you can tie in a visit to Cape Town with a safari, that is a WOW holiday.

Wife is talking about the family going to Costa Rica in a few years. My poor bank balance will be properly ****ed. Anyone been?

 

Yes. Very, very beautiful country. Probably the most beautiful for countryside that I've been to.

This place, monte verde, in the cloud forests was especially memorable:-

http://www.monteverdeinfo.com

We had a ice fresh fruit breakfast and spent the day riding horses down the mountain. Absolutely stunning. Not enough adjectives.

 

I've been out there for business. It is a wonderful destination and has surprisingly good infrastructure and in some ways it can be idealic. But I would suggest you go through a specialist as there are real extremes and long distances involved. The Americans are starting to frequent the country now as a tourist destination so sooner may be better than later.

Edit - just been in touch with an aquaintance who used these people last year. He rates them.

www.costaricatravelplan.co.uk/costa-rica-holidays.htm

 

The South Pacific.

 

Chicago
Modica, Sicily

 

Provence - Spent all my summer holidays when I was young at my auntie and uncle's house near Aix-en-Provence. Just beautiful.
Barcelona - Gaudi's architecture
San Francisco - Alcatraz Island
New York - jaw-dropping!

 

Vicarage Road Stadium

 

Israel. Nothing says wow like beautiful beaches, women and views; all whilst ducking rockets. Parts of Scandinavia too are pretty incredible.

 

Varanasi is the most fascinating place I've been to.

Also, Rajasthan state in the NW.

And pretty much all of Iceland.

 

Honolulu
San Francisco
Washington DC
New York
San Diego
Las Vegas
St Petersburg Russia)
Tallin (Estonia)

 

I done been to France and Spain and Scotland.

So perhaps the more pertinent response is places i'd like to go:

Petra
Fiji
Louisiana (the southern US in general)
Angkor
Haifa

 

Wouldn't say San Francisco or San Diego were wow places - good fun but not wow

 

Crete had some outstanding areas when I went there. Samara Gorge, Knossos and Elefonisi were wonderful experiences for very different reasons.

Excellent value for money and great cuisine.

 

The drive from Lake Tahoe to Yosemite or San Francisco. Either way you go, it's awesome.

Lisbon is bloody cool, especially if you take the effort to go across the Tagus to the the Cristo Rei (like a mini Christ the Redeemer)... I can only imagine what the actual Cristo Redentor is like.

Driving along the north coast of Devon, up through Porlock to Lynton. On a sunny day, hitting that bit of the A39 where you peak over the moors and end up within a split second seeing the nice sea about 200 feet below you. Likewise, driving out of Lynmouth to the south east you've got rocks and overhanging green trees. A must if you're down there and it's sunny.

The Alps, as you break over that first peak and stare into the snow-covered bowl you're about to head down into, if you're into winter sports.

Lake Como or Capri in Italy.

Arriving in Vegas at dusk.

Got Dubrovnik and the Northern Lights on my list. Want to see Texas too.

 

Wasn't that impressed with Belmopan. Chichen Itza was easily the most impressive of the three Mayan sites I visited (Tulum and Coba the others) but I lost the roll of film with all my pictures from that day.

The OP says cities, but I'm not a big fan of cities. Prefer beaches, mountainscapes, deserts or jungles. There are often many common features to major cities.

 

I've not been to Costa Rica, but been to Nicaragua. Similar geography, great people, fantastic steaks and lobster and a fraction of the price of CR.

Clive would love it there too.

 

Hong Kong
Shanghai
Kuala Lumpur
Berlin
Budapest
Buenos Aires