The original bucket list—the destinations every Socratic follower desired to visit—was the Seven Wonders of the World. Those yearning for adventure should consult a new list to prepare for a post-pandemic existence.
These marvels include archaeological and natural features that appeal to many modern tourists. The New Seven Wonders of the World campaign started in 2000 with 200 monuments. The New 7 Wonders Foundation in Zurich, Switzerland, coordinated the popularity survey by Canadian-Swiss Bernard Weber. The final results were in Lisbon, Portugal, in 2007. Continue reading to learn more about the World’s New Seven Wonders.
“Seven Wonders of the World” is a phrase you’ve undoubtedly heard before. You may even be able to give them names. Do you need to brush up on your knowledge? The Great Pyramid of Giza, Rhodes’ Colossus, Alexandria’s Lighthouse, Mausoleum, Temple of Artemis, and Zeus Huh Statue. You’d think there’d be a new, updated list by now. However, keep in mind that “fresh” is a relative phrase.
In 2000, a Swiss organization began searching for the New Seven Wonders of the World. Given that compiled the original list in the 2nd century BCE and that just one item (the Giza Pyramids) still stands, it seemed appropriate to update it. More than 100 million votes online or in text messages, signifying global consensus. The final findings, announced in 2007, drew both cheers and jeers since they couldn’t remove certain notable nominees, such as Athens’ Acropolis. Are you in favors of the new list?
Dolmens of Antequera, Spain
The three megalithic mounds near the Andalusian city of Antequera—70 miles from Córdoba—offer an intriguing glimpse into a culture of farmers who prospered in the Guadalhorce Valley throughout the Neolithic period and Copper Age, similar to Stonehenge in England.
The structures resemble gigantic caverns with stone pillars and flat ceilings and are burial chambers.
Each rock may weigh up to 180 tones, dwarfing the 40-ton stones at Stonehenge. For Direct flights from Delhi to USA, travelers may combine a tomb tour with tapas tasting at the sustainable Santo Domingo cookery institute in Arachidonic. Stay at the Royal Hideaway Hotel La Bobadilla, with 63 rooms and views of the olive groves.
Lebanon’s Baalbek
With the Parthenon and the Colosseum, the ancient Roman ruins of Baalbek would create holy Direct flights to Chennai from USA travel trifecta. The 2,000-year-old, 65-foot-tall remains, 50 miles east of Beirut, show the empire’s extreme eastern reaches.
Built to honor Jupiter and Bacchus, Baalbek is the world’s most famous temple complex, resembling a city. The Hotel Palmyra, which has entertained the Shah of Iran, Nina Simone, and other cultural elite since opening its doors in 1874, is commonly the beginning and stopping point for private trips led by Red Savannah.
Canada’s Nahanni
The Maryland-sized Nahanni National Park Reserve, located more than 850 miles north of Vancouver as the crow flies, is home to North America’s most unique geological formations. The huge spirit water of Nailicho (Virginia Falls) cascades down 300 feet of vertiginous cliffs.
Compared to Niagara Falls, it’s twice the height yet barely attracts roughly 1,500 visitors each year. Paddling is still the best way to see the park’s glacier-carved canyons, granite spires, and lonely lakes. Passengers will enjoy the company of a geologist or a First Peoples guide for a week and a “camp boat” that will set up tents and provide private chefs and hot showers.
Australia’s Top End Rock Art Seven Wonders
Australia’s Aboriginal communities date back millennia. Look no farther than Australia’s so-called Top End, the northernmost edge of the Northern Territory, where an expanse of sparsely inhabited orange-hued territory the size of Portugal is home to a constellation of magnificent rock drawings, some dating back more than 60,000 years.
Prehistoric marine creatures, vicious snakes, and the arrival of Dutch tall ships in brilliant ochers and reds may all surround Kakadu National Park and Mount Borrowdale, a sacred mountain. Off-road vehicles and the presence of an Aboriginal elder are required to reach the most brilliant tableaux. Venture North Safaris offers five-night tours from Darwin, with guides that include relatives of the original painters setting up glamping camps along the route.
South African Kelp Forests Seven Wonders
The kelp forests 10 miles south of Cape Town, featured prominently in the Academy Award-winning documentary My Octopus Teacher, comprise a shallow underwater rainforest more than twice as big as the Grand Canyon—and a home to millions of animals. The giant vines thrive when Atlantic tides meet Antarctic currents, a phenomenon of upwelling. Local guide Hanlie Prinsloo, a world-record-holding free diver, offers multiday group trips. She’ll point out colorful animals like spiky-finned rockfish and pearl-color red Hottentots. During tank-free descents, Prinsloo will explain how the seaweed collects gases from the atmosphere through photosynthesis, making it a potent weapon against climate change, over sundowners at a private home near penguin-filled Boulders Beach.
San Agustin is a Colombian city
The moabi on Easter Island most closely resemble the roughly 500 megalithic statues guarding San Agustin. The figurines, erected some 2,000 years ago and abandoned in the 1300s, are thought to represent grave marks.
Mira viva, a Latin American outfitter, suggests spending two days here to appreciate the expressive carvings, a 400-mile journey from Bogotá. Stay at Monastery San Agustin, a coffee estate turned boutique hotel, and combine your vacation with a trip to Salto de Bordon’s, the continent’s tallest waterfall at 1,312 feet, second only to Iguazu.
Sri Lanka’s Sigiriya
In the fifth century, Sigiriya’s historic palace was excavated into an ethereal rock mound by King Kashyap. It contains elaborate cisterns and gardens, frescoed tunnels, and a winding stairway to the 660-foot-tall castle known as Lion Rock. It is now possible to visit as a day excursion from Colombo, 100 kilometers southwest.
Remote Lands, an Asia specialty, provides a trip that starts with torches before dawn so you can ascend the nearly 1,200 stairs to the summit in time to see the sunrise. However, the inauguration of Resplendent Dam bulla, which is now under development and will include luxurious “tree pod” rooms linked by canopy walkways, will solidify the area’s standing as a stand-alone destination.