“Awe: An emotion variously combining veneration and wonder, that is inspired by authority or by the sacred or sublime”

Sometimes when you travel, you arrive at a place and can’t help but feel a bit disappointed. You might even feel guilty for feeling that way. Isn’t everything supposed to be exciting and wonderful when you travel?

Sometimes, unfortunately, that feeling is inevitable. Maybe something you built up in your mind ends up being disappointing. It happens to every traveler. 

However, some places in this world are so fantastic that it is nearly impossible for them to be a letdown. Here is a list of 20 awe-inspiring locations that will definitely not disappoint!

Compiled from my personal travels, these are the places that made me truly feel the sensation of AWE. 

In no particular order… 

1. Arriving at the top of Machu Picchu, Peru covered in clouds

2. The view of Mount Vesuvius and surrounding Sorrento, Italy 

3. The island and centuries old Hindu temples of Bali, Indonesia

4. The Salt Flats of the Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia

5. The still-active Arenal and Poas Volcanoes in Costa Rica

6. The view of the Alps from the top of Mount Rigi in Switzerland

7. The “Eagles Nest” in Berchtesgaden, Germany

8. The gaping interiors of Mammoth Cave in Kentucky, USA

9. The Blue Grotto near the island of Capri, Italy

10. The Hagia Sofia Mosque/Museum in Istanbul, Turkey

11. The isolated ruins of Banteay Top near Sisophon, Cambodia

12. The wild Serengeti & Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania

13. Gazing out over the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland

14. Standing alone on a portion of the Great Wall of China at Mu Tian Yu

15. The hoodoo rock formations of Zion National Park in Utah, USA

16. The colorful cliff-sides on the Greek Island of Santorini

17. The majestic Aldeyjarfoss Waterfall in Iceland

18. The Great Pyramids of Giza in Cairo, Egypt

19. The walled city of Dubrovnik, Croatia

 20. The Arabic style palace-fortress of the Alhambra in Granada, Spain