Lake Bled is a glacial lake that lies in the municipality of Bled, located in northwestern Slovenia. The picture perfect lake features a small island in the middle which is home to the Assumption of Mary Pilgrimage Church. You can often hear the bell of the church ringing, as it is believed that visiting the church to ring its bell brings good luck. The romantic church is a popular place to have a weeding, as is the nearby Bled Castle. Visitors to Lake Bled can enjoy a walk around the lake, try their hand at fishing, or take a swim in its lovely emerald waters in the summer months. There are also ample opportunities for hiking in the nearby Triglav National Park. The closest airport to Bled is the Airport Joze Pucnik Ljubljana, just outside the city of Kranj. See more pictures of Lake Bled, Slovenia
Mount Fuji is the highest mountain in Japan, standing an imposing 3,776.24 meters (12,389 feet) tall. It is considered an active volcano, with its last eruption in the early 1700s. Often depicted in Japanese art, the iconic mountain is well known as a symbol of Japan and is a prominent feature of Tokyo’s skyline. The well-formed cone of this stratovolcano is visually almost symmetrical. Climbing the mountain has become a popular excursion for tourists from around the world, with over 300,000 persons reaching the summit each year. Climbing between October and May is strongly discouraged due to the cold temperatures. Many climbers choose to make the climb at night in order to be at or near the summit for a breathtaking sunrise. See more pictures of Mount Fuji, Japan
With 4.5 million residents, Sydney is the largest and most populous city in Australia. The city is located on the Southeastern coast of Australia on the Tasman Sea. Sydney is well known for being an international center of commerce, culture, entertainment, and tourism. The city features many iconic places, structures, and parks, including the Sydney Opera House, the Harbour Bridge, Bondi Beach, Hyde Park, Luna Park, and the Royal Botanical Gardens. The city is also known for its stunning architecture in a variety of both classic and contemporary styles. Sydney is also famous for its love of sports, the most popular being rugby. Visiting the city is a breeze with an impeccable public transportation system and a massive range of accommodation options. See more pictures of Sydney, Australia
Monument Valley is a an area know for its impressively formed sandstone buttes. The region is part of the Colorado Plateau, located in the Navajo Nation on the border between the states of Arizona and Utah in the American Southwest. Encompassing much of the area surrounding Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, Monument Valley is an important part of Native American heritage. For a $5 fee, visitors to Monument Valley can take a 2-3 hour scenic drive over a 17 mile (27 km) dirt road, which is open from 6:00am-8:30pm from May to September, and 8:00am-4:30pm from October to April. Other visitors may chose to enjoy a multi-hour or overnight horseback ride to some of the more spectacular views and sites. If you’re interested in a unique view of Monument Valley you can even take a hot air balloon ride over the area. Visitors who are arriving via car can only access the park via Highway 163. There are two hotels near Monument Valley, and the nearest town of Kayenta, Arizona, is about 20 miles (32 km) away. Monument Valley is part of a greater network of attractions called the Grand Circle which also includes Grand Canyon National Park, Mesa Verde National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Canyonlands National Park, Zion Canyon National Park, Capitol Reef National Park, and Arches National Park. See more pictures of Monument Valley, Arizona and Utah, USA
The Anasazi Pueblo People were an ancient culture of Native Americans who were believed to have lived as long ago as the 12 century BCE. These ancient peoples are known for the impressive pueblo homes, made of mud, stone, or carved into canyon walls, which are today called the Anasazi Ruins. These ruins can be found at many sites in the American Southwest, including Mesa Verde National Park, Canyon de Chelly National Monument, Dark Canyon Wilderness, and other sites predominately located in the states of Colorado, Arizona, and Utah. All of these ruins are sacred places and should be treated with respect when visited. See more pictures of Anasazi Ruins, USA
Niagara Falls, located in both Ontario, Canada and New York, USA, is the name of a group of three individual waterfalls: American Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, and Canadian Falls (aka Horseshoe Falls). Together, these waterfalls are the most powerful in North America. Niagara Falls is situated between the twin cities of Niagara Falls, New York, USA and Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. Horseshoe Falls has the highest drop at 173 feet (53 meters), while the waters flowing over American Falls tumble about 100 feet (30 meters). More impressive, though, is the sheer amount of water flowing over Niagara Falls, up to 202,000 cubic feet (5,700 cubic meters) per second during peak flow. A small island called Goat Island separates the American and Canadian sections of the falls. Niagara Falls is a very popular tourist destination, drawing over 28 million tourists per year. Visitors can take a tour on the iconic Maid of the Mist boat, enjoy a ride on the Niagara Scenic Trolley, or splurge on a Flight of Angels helium balloon ride for a unique aerial view. At night, Niagara Falls is lit up by colorful floodlights creating a breathtaking scene like no other. See more pictures of Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, and New York, USA
The breathtaking paradise of the nearly 1000 islands that make up the sovereign state of the Solomon Islands is a haven for divers, snorkelers, and beach loungers alike. The Solomon Islands are located in the Oceania region of the Pacific Ocean, East of Papua New Guinea, and are home to just over half a million people. The ancient peoples of the Solomon Islands first arrived an estimated 32,000 years ago, and were known for headhunting and cannibalism before the arrival of Europeans in the late 1500s. Today, the Solomon Islands area has been rising in popularity as a destination for scuba divers, though the growth of tourism has been slowed due to lack of infrastructure and transportation difficulties. But for those who can get there, the Solomon Islands are an unmatched slice of heaven on Earth. See more pictures of Solomon Islands
The Matterhorn is a large, jadged mountain standing 4,478 meters (14,692 ft) tall on the border of Switzerland and Italy. One of the highest peaks in the Pennine Alps, the Matterhorn is also known as Monte Cervino in Italian, or Mont Cervin in French. The mountain is famous for being one of the most deadly to summit, with over 500 climbers dying on it since it was first climbed in 1865. Today, many climbers summit the Matterhorn each year, and all the faces of the mountain have been ascended in all seasons, though even the easiest route to the top is considered a fairly difficult climb. See more pictures of Matterhorn, Switzerland
