Nothing promotes relaxation like contemplation of beautiful views. Which country has the most of them? The British travel agency Rough Guides decided to answer this question. 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 European-American eyes. Therefore, Russia is not even in the top twenty, but you and I know that the most beautiful country is it. Therefore, they placed it on the 10th place in the rating.
10.Russia
Our country is the largest in the world. And the larger the territory, the more variety of landscapes, and, therefore, the more places worth visiting. The Russian climate ranges from arctic to subtropical.
- In the north, travelers admire the northern lights, endless ice fields and bright summer herbs.
- In the south, they bask in the Black Sea in summer and fly off the mountains on skis in winter.
- In the east, enjoy the vast green sea of forests and bathe in clear waters the most beautiful lake in the world - Baikal.
- However, modest daisies and birch groves, which have chosen the middle zone of the European part of Russia, have become the true symbols of Russia. They are modest yet full of quiet charm. As well as the Russian people.
9. USA
Perhaps the national pride of Americans was hurt by the fact that the United States was only in ninth place in the top 10 most beautiful countries. Well, not being exceptional in everything.
This huge country combines all the climatic zones of the Earth. There you can find landscapes for all tastes: from the snow-covered forests of the north to the scorching deserts of the south. As well as the tropical California coastline, the ominous Louisiana swamps, the idyllic countryside of Maryland and the vast prairies.
8. Iceland
Surprisingly, tourists loved Iceland's harsh northern beauty with its coal-black beaches (volcanic rocks are to blame for this), luxurious curtain of northern lights and overall gloomy flavor. All this serves as a pleasant variety against the background of more traditional beauties of other countries.
Travelers are advised 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, disappeared peoples of the past, is distinguished by its striking beauty. Travelers who set foot on Mexican soil for the first time do not know where to run. Whether to the beaches of the Pacific Ocean, where you can play "water sloth", basking in the shallow water, or to the urban exoticism of Mexico City? Or go to the very depths of the country, which beckons with mysterious ruins and mysteries of ancient civilizations?
The country's landscapes stretch from the classic white sand beaches of the California coast, through the desert, cactus-covered areas of the center of the country to the lush rainforests of the south.
Mexico is a thunderous mixture of Indian cultural traditions and Spanish colonialism, giving the world some of the finest examples of contemporary art. And sombrero, tequila, tacos and Salma Hayek!
6. Indonesia
Exotic Indonesia conquered the hearts of travelers with the diversity of its landscapes, which can only compete with the diversity of its peoples.
The Indonesian archipelago includes 17.5 thousand islands. And each island is at least a little bit different from its neighbors - both in nature and in inhabitants. More than 500 different languages are spoken in the country!
One of the most popular places is Bali and Lombok, where tourists admire the peculiar religious buildings, and surfers enjoy conquering the waves.
And people go to the island of Borneo to touch the wild tropical nature. Perhaps you are lucky and you will see the "forest man", the orangutan, in their natural environment.
5. South Africa
The only African country on the list is definitely very beautiful. And it is huge - in area it is about as if Spain were attached to France. In addition to Table Mountain, which serves as the hallmark of the state, they come here to feed the penguins, who calmly walk along one of the 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, the sweetness of which can be felt while tasting local wines.
4. Italy
A rare area of the world has received as much praise for its beauty as Italy. This small country has an astounding variety of landscapes, from the gentle slopes of Chianti, where the best grape varieties are grown, to the sparkling sandy beaches of the Amalfi Coast and the rugged and restrained beauty of the Dolomites.
And also Italy is simply strewn with antique and medieval architectural monuments. Rome, Florence and Venice are steeped in history mixed with romance, and houses with tiled roofs seem to have appeared straight from a fairy tale.
And only the lazy one did not sing the praises of Italian food, and then, probably, because his mouth was full.
3. New Zealand
The "Lord of the Rings" opened the real beauty of this island state to the world. It was the New Zealand landscapes that director Peter Jackson borrowed for his version of Middle-earth. The New Zealanders themselves have long known about the beauty of their homeland, which they affectionately call Godzone, which translates as "the personal possession of God."
As for visitors, few people, once in New Zealand, do not fall in love with its green hills, vast beaches, primeval forests, snow-capped mountains and dormant volcanoes. The charm of the country is added by its peculiar ecosystem, where wingless birds have taken the place of mammals.
2. Canada
The country of maple syrup, wild geese and beavers took the honorable second place in the selection of the most beautiful countries. Man never conquered the vast expanses of this North American state.
The Yukon province has remained wild, and despite its size (5% of the country's territory), only 0.1% of the Canadian population lives there. Densely populated Toronto and Montreal provide a striking contrast to it, where tourists can fully taste the Canadian urban culture and admire the monuments from the time of the first settlers.
The mountains of British Columbia are a magnet for ski and snowboard lovers, and Instagram users love to take selfies against the backdrop of the turquoise waters of the beautiful (and very cold) Lake Louise.
1. Scotland
When asked which country is the most beautiful, most Rough Guides readers named Scotland.Although we Russians may be offended by the Eurocentricity (and even rather Anglocentricity) of the survey, it is difficult to argue with the beauty of Scotland.
Windswept rocky shores, transparent mountain lakes, majestic castles and wondrous beauty of the valley, where a carpet of heather and many other flowers is spread ... Isn't this one of the most beautiful places in the world?
And if you add in the cover of millennia of history, as well as excellent whiskey, it becomes clear why Scotland is one of the the most popular tourist destinations in the world... And the Scottish authorities are doing their utmost to develop the infrastructure necessary for the comfort of travelers. Even on the slopes of the Scottish mountains, you can play golf, cycle and walk.
Just don't bring a bagpipe home with you as a souvenir - the neighbors won't thank you.