The question might sound provocative, I know. But over the years I’ve been increasingly asking myself what is really worth a visit and what not. I guess the question mark started arising because year after year I began to realize how many amazing places and monuments I still haven’t seen. And since life is short enough, I know that I have to choose.
I live in Italy, probably the country that has the highest amount of landmarks. I’m amazed by seeing so many places greatly harmed and having lost a great part of their nature and characteristics. I think at Venice, full of made in China or Taiwan horrible souvenirs, at the countryside around Siena that long ago became known as the ‘Chiantishire’, at Rome and the ridiculous people dressed as Roman gladiators to please tourists willing to go back home with an ‘original’ photo. Obviously this happens almost everywhere.
Rome, The Coliseum
When I visited Mexico I remember the planning to avoid the buses letting off hundreds of tourists shouting and waving. The only way to find a little peace to enjoy the archaeological sites as Tehotihuacan or Palenque was getting up before dawn or arriving at noon, when the sun (and the heat) is at its peak!I’m not quite sure landmarks are a priority any more. I’ve never visited the Taj Mahal in India, the Great Wall in China, Abu Simbel temples in Egypt and lots of other historical places considered a ‘must’ by most people.
Iceland, Westmann Islands. Photo www.icelandictravelmarket.is
Maybe I’m just becoming old, but I tend to avoid historical landmarks more and more. I’m increasingly attracted by the nature and its wonders. I feel far more attracted by the volcanoes in Iceland, the wilderness in Canada, the amazing landscapes in Bolivia, Chile and Argentina.
Coming back to Italy and its countless landmarks and wonders… True, Dolomites have been recently declared a natural heritage of the UNESCO. But if you like to walk just a little, you can admire and enjoy the mountains in all their beauty, in silence and solitude. I’d love to know your view!
I’m pretty much an ‘off the beaten track’ kinda gal, always seeking out the lesser known spots when I travel. My friends all think I’m cracked because I come home with incredible shots of very different things than most ‘tourists’ take. If I can see some notable spots without too much hubub or harrassment I’ll do it. But even then I find that it is often what’s happening across the square or around back of a monument that captures my attention.
I was out with a couple of clients the other day and one of them commented on the fact that I was always taking pictures of the details rather than the panoramas most others were snapping away at.
Here’s to off-the-beaten-track travel.
Interesting issue, and no, I don’t like to visit landmarks… Why? Because everybody does it! I feel no “urge” (or what do you call that?) to go see Christ the Redeemer, or Sugar loaf in Rio de Janeiro unless I have to do a 3 hr rock climb to get there. And then when you get to the summit, you’re suddenly engulfed in a crowd of screaming tourists (on a time schedule…) who all want their own picture of themselves posing in front of the statue. At that moment I DO start to feel an urge: to get the hell out of there
So yeah, when I read that a certain place receives “x” million visitors per year, it automatically becomes uninteresting to me… I would rather spend my time visiting places that are uninteresting to tourists, but where the people who live there are still authentic. Also, I noticed that when you do stuff that requires some serious physical effort, you can be sure that you see very few other tourists…
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I agree with you. We are so influenced by guidebooks but really what I enjoy the most are the places that are not advertised. Of course, some landmark places should be seen because of their history / meaning / influence etc… We went to the Angkor Wat temples in Cambodia during the off peak season and it was really worth it. But we also enjoyed meeting the people there. What an amazing country. As soon as you step off the beaten track, the discovery is very rewarding indeed.
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The pyramids are definitely not to be missed. I’d dreamt about Egypt since I was a little girl, and I wasn’t disappointed. I feel I should also share with you an amazing course I did while I was in Cairo – Sarah Merron of Fire Dragon Coaching teaches strategies that really helped me focus on getting the best out of myself and others around me, for both my work and personal life. She runs courses all over the world, so it’s a fantastic way to combine travel with self improvement. Here’s the link, it’s definitely worth checking out: http://egyptnlptraining.com/
Thanks for stopping by, Donna, and for your valuable comment. I’ve been to Egypt several times, but only for scuba diving, so I did not see much of the country which is surely worth a visit. The idea of putting together a journey with a coaching program is very interesting, indeed. Thanks for sharing. Cheers
I think landmarks got to be called landmarks for a reason. Fashion has little to do with it. It is true that some people just want to see Taj Mahal or Eiffel Tower and that is sufficient for them. Maybe that’s a way of convincing oneself that when money is a problem, seeing the most famous landmarks is the best way of squeezing the most of your money. It was refreshing reading your opinion. I like stepping off the beaten path every once in a while myself. But I also believe there are three kind of place: the crowded with tourist one, the ones worth visiting or the more or less hidden gems and the places that are not worth going to. Happy travels!
Three kind of places… Interesting! Thank you so much Laura for stopping by and commenting.
We try to split our time between famous places and little-known places. There are generally strategies by which you can avoid the worst of the crowding and commercialism. For instance in overcrowded American National Parks like Yellowstone, if you get 100 yards away from the parking lot and the coke machines, you’ll find yourself nearly alone. And, yes, there is a REASON there are so many people there. Because they are worth seeing or experiencing.
Lots of interesting comments on this post, and it’s great having you contributing. Thanks for stopping by and take the time to tell your view.
I still visit historic landmarks but my knowledge about them had turned in the last years. Nowadays its more and more a question about when to visit them than to where to find them. On the other hand the best travel experiences I have always made ‘on the way’ to the landmarks and not in front of them
That’s interesting. Finding out the right timing is indeed so important, as it can completely change your experiencing a landmark. One of my luckiest visit to landmarks was in Tehotihuacan (Mexico). It took me a while to reach the site from Mexico city and I was there around noon of a sunny and hot day. And the heat was my ally, since there were only a few people visiting the site and the place looked magic.
I’m currently in Panama City and just came to terms with the fact that I really don’t want to see the Panama Canal. I was going to go because I thought I should and I was dreading it, instead I decided to go to a fish market and had a wonderful time eating ceviche.
Mmmmm… I guess I would have done the same. Love markets, the buzz, the people… and ceviche…
Yea, landmark could be hilariously crowded plus the souvenir sellers could be frustrating, but we usually still take time doing that. As already pointed out by many, they are landmarks because of some reasons. I like to explore that reason/history, and match it up with what I see. The best time to see landmarks is off season, where sometimes you can get the whole view for yourself. Of course this often mean we have to go in colder weather
But I’m not a landmark hunter. Those things that are not so popular are sometimes offer same or better experience. I love to do both landmarks and other stuff, especially the beauty of nature and ancient ruins. We typically just see everything attracted us along the way
Solitude or crowds… let me think about that. I am the bloke that will chat to anyone, but my tent is always facing away from the crowd. I like solitude and may visit landmarks on occassion, There are a few that I really want to see but mostly I have an itch to sail on the Nile, The Amazon, The Yangtze and a few other great rivers, rather than stand in the queue to get to top of the Eifell etc.
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Uhm… I’ll say that we’re somehow similar. I visited many landmarks and certainly more will come. But the emotions I felt looking at the sunset on Lake Atitlan, or admiring the pink dunes in the desert at sunrise are unique.
I would have to agree with you on this. The best experiences I have had traveling are with people I met. Yes, there are some great things to see. There are some hidden gems when you travel. But seeing the Eiffel Tower is not the same as meeting someone in Paris and having them show you around the city and how they live.
I agree with you, although I’m aware this is a controversial question. I’m not denying the value of historical landmarks, but I think that traveling is much more than that. As you say, it’s meeting people, sharing experiences, being jaw-dropped when facing amazing wilderness, feeling your heart beating when facing the smile of a small child. Traveling, in my view, has to do with humanity and the wonders of our planet (so long as they will resist…). Landmarks are a piece of these wonders, but I believe there’s much more than that..
Some it seems just have a running list in their heads of “must see” landmarks. It is essentially a sporting event to get to them, be in line first, see them, and go home with a medal/snow-globe of the Eiffel Tower as proof you were there. However, I do think if you look at famous landmarks beyond the tourist aspects, they are still impressive and worth seeing nonetheless, especially for the first time. After studying many for years on paper, to see some of the landmarks in Europe for the first time had so much more of an impact on me. Natural attractions do have a certain appeal. Perhaps its like you say, the solitude you can uncover at most.
Oh, I agree. Lots of landmarks are really impressive, no doubt about that. What is really a pity, at least in my view, is that they are so often flooded by thousands of people who often do not even appreciate them but visit because it’s a must, and they can imagine going back at home without a picture of themselves and whatever the landmark in the background… But this is something we can’t change. Only cope with…