Nothing promotes relaxation as the contemplation of beautiful views. And in which country are there the most? The answer to this question decided to give the British travel agency Rough Guides. It asked its readers to rank the countries of the world in terms of their beauty.
However, since the agency is English-speaking, the countries there are familiar to the European-American eye. Therefore, Russia is not even in the top twenty, but we all know that the most beautiful country is it. Therefore, they placed her on the 10th place in the rating.
10. Russia
Our country is the largest in the world. And the larger the territory, the greater the diversity of landscapes, and, therefore, the more places worth visiting. The Russian climate varies from arctic to subtropical.
- In the north, travelers admire the northern lights, vast ice fields and bright summer forbs.
- In the south - they bask in the Black Sea in the summer and fly off the mountains in winter skiing.
- In the east, they enjoy the vast green sea of forests and swim in the clear waters of the most beautiful lake in the world - Lake Baikal.
- However, modest daisies and birch groves became the true symbols of Russia, which have chosen the middle lane of the European part of Russia. They are modest, but full of quiet charm. Like the Russian people.
9. USA
Perhaps the national pride of the Americans was hurt by the fact that the United States was only in ninth place in the top 10 most beautiful countries. Well, not everything is exceptional.
This huge country combines all the climatic zones of the Earth. There you can find landscapes for every taste: from the snowy forests of the north to the scorching deserts of the south. And also the tropical coast of California, the ominous swamps of Louisiana, the idyllic rural landscapes of Maryland and the vast expanses of the prairies.
8. Iceland
Surprisingly, the tourists liked the harsh northern beauty of Iceland with its coal-black beaches (volcanic rocks are to blame for this), a magnificent curtain of the northern lights and the overall gloomy color. All this serves as a pleasant variety against the background of the more traditional beauties of other countries.
We advise travelers to plunge into the hot springs - you can swim in them even in winter.
7. Mexico
The ancient land, which gave shelter to the great and, alas, to the disappeared peoples of the past, is notable for its catchy beauty. Travelers who set foot on Mexican land for the first time do not know where to escape. Either to the beaches of the Pacific Ocean, where you can play "water sloth", basking in shallow water, or to the city exotic of Mexico City? Or go to the very depths of the country, which beckons the mysterious ruins and mysteries of ancient civilizations?
The landscapes of the country extend from the classic snow-white sandy beaches of the California coast, through the desert, cactus-covered areas of the center of the country up to the luxurious tropical forests of the south.
Mexico is a thunderous mixture of Native American cultural traditions and Spanish colonialism, which has given the world some of the best examples of contemporary art. And also sombrero, tequila, tacos and Salma Hayek!
6. Indonesia
Exotic Indonesia captivated the hearts of travelers with the diversity of its landscapes, which only the diversity of the peoples living in it can argue with.
The Indonesian archipelago includes 17.5 thousand islands. And each island is at least a little different from its neighbors - both in nature and in its inhabitants. The country speaks more than 500 different languages!
One of the most popular places is Bali and Lombok, where tourists admire the peculiar places of worship, and surfers enjoy the conquest of the waves.
And on the island of Borneo go to touch the tropical wildlife. Perhaps you are lucky and you will see a "forest man", an orangutan, in a natural environment.
5. South Africa
The only African country on the list is certainly very beautiful. And it’s huge - in terms of area, it’s almost as if Spain is attached to France. In addition to Table Mountain, which serves as a visiting card of the state, people come here to feed the penguins, who quietly walk along one of the best beaches in the world, a couple of steps from the capital, Cape Town.
And on the hills of the Western Cape, grapes are grown, you can feel all the sweetness of it during a tasting of local wines.
4. Italy
A rare region of the world has received as much praise for its beauty as Italy. This small country has an amazingly wide variety of landscapes: from the gentle slopes of Chianti, where the best grapes are grown, to the sandy beaches of the Amalfi coast sparkling in the sun and the harsh and restrained beauty of the Dolomites.
And Italy is just strewn with antique and medieval architectural monuments. Rome, Florence and Venice are fanned with history in half with romance, and houses with tiled roofs seemed to have appeared directly from a fairy tale.
And only the lazy did not sing praises of Italian food, and that is because, probably, his mouth was full.
3. New Zealand
The true beauty of this island nation was revealed to the world by the Lord of the Rings. It was New Zealand landscapes borrowed for his version of Middle-earth by director Peter Jackson. New Zealanders themselves have long known about the beauty of their homeland, which they lovingly call Godzone, which translates as "personal possession of God."
As for newcomers, few people, having arrived in New Zealand, do not fall in love with its green hills, vast beaches, primeval forests, snow-capped mountains and dormant volcanoes. The country’s charm is added by its peculiar ecosystem, where wingless birds took the place of mammals.
2. Canada
The country of maple syrup, wild geese and beavers took an honorable second place in the selection of the most beautiful countries. The vast expanses of this North American state have never been conquered by man.
The Yukon Province has remained wild, and despite its size (5% of the country), only 0.1% of the Canadian population lives there. A striking contrast with it is densely populated Toronto and Montreal, where tourists can fully enjoy the Canadian urban culture and admire the monuments from the time of the first settlers.
The mountains of British Columbia, like a magnet, attract ski and snowboard enthusiasts, and Instagram users love to take selfies against the turquoise waters of the beautiful (and very cold) Lake Louise.
1. Scotland
Answering the question of which country is the most beautiful, most readers of Rough Guides called Scotland. Although we, the Russians, may be offended by the Eurocentricity (and even rather Anglocentricity) of the survey, it is difficult to argue with the beauties of Scotland.
Caressed by the winds, rocky shores, transparent mountain lakes, majestic castles and wondrous beauty of the valley, where a carpet of heather and many other flowers is spread out ... Aren't these some of the most beautiful places in the world?
And if you add here also the cover of a thousand-year history, as well as excellent whiskey, it becomes clear why Scotland is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. And the Scottish authorities are striving to develop the infrastructure necessary for the comfort of travelers. Even on the slopes of the Scottish mountains, you can play golf, cycle and hike.
Just don’t bring bagpipes with you as a souvenir - the neighbors will not thank you.
