10 worldly wonders to see before you turn 100

These man-made marvels and awe-inspiring naturals wonders are the ultimate bucket-list fodder. How many have you ticked off?

1. Machu Picchu

The epic journey to this Incan citadel in the Peruvian clouds should be integral to the experience; plan on it taking a few days, passing through farming villages and staying in traditional lodges on the way.

2. Petra

The ancient red-rock city, cut into the canyons of Jordan, is the ultimate archaeological adventure; to date it’s estimated that only about 15 per cent of the city has been unearthed. Stayed tuned…

3. Uluru

The iconic monolith of our Red Centre, and the sacred heart of Australia, Uluru is believed to be around 600 million years old. Book a tour with the traditional owners to get real insight into some of this impressive history.

4. Mayan Ruins

The best known of the Mesoamerica’s classic civilisations, the ruins of this ancient people are scattered throughout Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador, for the really intrepid.

5. Grand Canyon

Get an eagle’s-eye view of this mammoth natural wonder on the Skybridge, a horseshoe-shaped cantilever bridge with a glass walkway with vertigo-inducing views straight down.

6. Great Wall of China

At a whopping 8851 kilometres long, most people walk only a small portion before moving on, but you can actually camp overnight in a watchtower. Don’t just pitch a tent though; book a tour for privileged (and legal) access.

7. Taj Mahal

Four million hopeless romantics flock here each year, so time your visit for the early morning, before the school groups arrive, and when you’re finished, head to the nearby Tomb of I’timād-ud-Daulah, known as the ‘baby Taj’.

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8. Angkor Wat

This stone ‘model’ of the cosmic world is the largest religious monument ever, spanning 162 hectares, so you will need at least three days to do it justice.

9. Pompeii

This Roman-era town is a breathtaking glimpse into history. Arrive in the early afternoon when crowds are smaller; you will have hours left to explore (it closes at 5pm in winter, 7.30pm in summer) and you’ll need it as it is vast. Hiring an audio guide is helpful.

10. Versailles

This exquisite, gilt-drowned palace has been a tourist attraction for centuries; always buy your tickets before you arrive or take an English group tour for instant access.

Travel + Leisure just crowned the world’s best trains for 2026, and the results might reroute your next holiday.

Forget the airport security queue. Forget the middle seat. Forget the bloke in 14C who reclines the second the seatbelt sign turns off. Travel + Leisure just dropped its 2026 World’s Best Awards, and the train category is basically a love letter to slow, scenic, ridiculously plush travel – voted on by roughly 661,000 readers who have very strong opinions about onboard spas and pisco sours. Here’s who made the cut.

1. Andean Explorer, a Belmond Train – 96.84

Peru takes the crown, with the Andean Explorer, South America’s first luxury overnight train, running a three-day, two-night route between Arequipa and Cusco that has zero direct competition on the continent – which might explain why it’s clearing 96 points.

Launched in 2017, the train threads through the Peruvian highlands with stops at Lake Titicaca, all while passengers tuck into signature Andean cuisine, get treatments in an onboard spa carriage, and take in scenery that will blow you away. This isn’t a quick transfer – it’s an immersive, multi-day journey for people who want the trip to be the destination.

2. Hiram Bingham, a Belmond Train – 96.46

Peru pulls off the rare feat of taking out the top two spots. Named after the American explorer credited with bringing Machu Picchu to international attention in 1911, the Hiram Bingham is the glossy, dark-wood, live-band, welcome-cocktail version of getting to Machu Picchu. Think traditional dancers on the platform, a five-course dinner on the way there, and a bar carriage full of live music and pisco sours on the way back. It’s shorter and livelier than the Andean Explorer, more group celebration than private hideaway – but it delivers one of the most theatrical arrivals in world travel.

3. Royal Canadian Pacific – 90.93

The Royal Canadian Pacific runs vintage rail carriages out of Calgary through the Canadian Rockies, and unlike everything else here, you can’t just book it off a website – it operates mostly through private charters and limited special departures, with no standing public timetable. That scarcity is basically the point: this is old-money rail travel, heavy on restored heritage carriages and light on crowds.

4. Rocky Mountaineer – 90.80

The people’s champion of luxury rail, the Rocky Mountaineer, runs daytime routes with glass-domed carriages through British Columbia, Alberta, and down into Colorado and Utah, turning the Canadian and American Rockies into a rolling widescreen movie. It’s more accessible than most trains on this list – no overnight cabins, no need for a private charter – which is probably exactly why so many readers have actually ridden it and voted accordingly.

5. Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, a Belmond Train – 90.78

The name that started the whole luxury train fantasy. The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express (VSOE)’s 1920s-vintage Art Deco carriages – navy-and-gold livery, polished wood, white roof – have been the definitive symbol of golden-age rail travel since 1883, running routes between Paris, Venice and other storied European cities. It might land at number five on points, but in terms of pure name recognition, it’s still the train every other train on this list is being measured against.

10 marvels and wonders to see before you turn 100