Vacations The Best Countries to Travel To  

Originally by Ranker Travel

179.8k votes 12k voters 167.4k views 257 items

List Rules Vote up the top country to visit on a vacation. Countries only!

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llura added Spain Madrid - Spain is the second most visited country in the world and third in the number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, which is 44. They trail only behind Italy and China. They also have a number of world famous festivals, including the running of the bulls, in which millions from around the world come to celebrate.

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Italy Rome - Italy is an entire country of picturesque towns, landmarks, and countrysides worth visiting. It's known for its grand architetureal achievements, its famous art and literature, food, and operas.

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Greece Athens - Greece has the 11th longest coastline in the world, lending itself to some of the most beautiful beaches. Its rich history of the Greek and Ottoman empires has left behind 17 UNESCO World Heritage Sites that tourists travel from all over the world to see, including the Parthenon and the White Tower of Thessaloniki. 

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France Paris - France is home to what many consider the most romantic city in the world, Paris. France a hub of fine dining, fashion, culture, and love. It's been ranked as first in tourist destinations in the world, thanks to its world renowned museums, landmarks, and extravagant castles.

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Switzerland Bern - Because of the Swiss Alps covering much of the country, Switzerland is a popular destination for skiing, hiking, and mountain biking. Folk art is also kept alive by many organizations in Switzerland, displaying their alpine symbolism through music, art, and dance, including yodeling.

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Germany Berlin - Between the ancient castles, the modern cities, and the delicious cuisine, there's little Germany can't offer to tourists. In 2013, it was ranked as the most positively viewed country in the world. Its restaurants are the second-most prestigious in the world, only behind France.

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Scotland Edinburgh - Scotland is best known for its traditional bagpipe music, its ancient castles, and whiskey, which is their largest export. It's also known for sports fanaticism for rugby and football, and it is home to golf. 

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JoséValente added New Zealand Wellington - Because New Zealand was geographically isolate for 80 million years, it was able to harvest unique flora and fauna that are still prevalent on the islands today. There are more penguin species living in New Zealand than any other country today.

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Austria Vienna - Austria is famous for its classical music, as some of the most famous composers were born there, such as Mozart and Beethoven. It also has one of the most multicultural cuisines in Europe, bringing a wide variety and depth to its cuisine. Some of their most famous dishes are strudel, wiener schnitzel, and wheat beer.

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Republic of Ireland Dublin - While Dublin is the visited area in Ireland, the country has three World Heritage Sites to boast, as well as many historical landmarks, including Glendalough and Clonmacnoise, the latter dating back to the 1st century. Its old castles and rich history are still vital to modern-day Ireland, creating a colorful culture and an exciting destination for tourists.

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beernbugs added Norway Oslo - Norway is known for its jazz music, wooden architecture, and it's dramatic coastlines. The Norwegian fjords have been listed by National Geographic as the top tourist attraction in the world. 

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England London - With its endless amount of castles, cathedrals, towers, and cobblestone streets, tourists are never short of finding something exquisite to see in England. It also has 17 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including Stonehenge, Tower of London, Jurassic Coast, and Ironbridge Gorge. 

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Trenton Myers added Canada Ottawa -

China, Avatar movie

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Japan Tokyo - Japan is home to the largest metropolitan area in the entire world, Tokyo. It's thickly laden with culture and history, which can be seen in every facet of Japan from the art, to the architecture, to the food. A perfect time to visit is in the spring when all of the cherry blossoms are in full bloom.

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Trenton Myers added Australia Canberra - Recognized as a megadiverse country, Australia has much to offer in terms of tourism. It has 16 natural World Heritage Sites, including the Great Barrier Reef, Shark Bay, and the Gold Coast.

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amsmaia added Portugal Lisbon

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jona000f added Denmark Copenhagen - Denmark is one of the most social progressive countries in the world. It's also home to the Vikings, where many ruins and remains can be found there today.

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Iceland Reykjavik - Iceland has many active volcanoes and lava flows, as well as several geysers throughout the country. It also has three national parks.

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beernbugs added Czech Republic Prague - Prague, the capital of Czech Republic, is the 6th most visited city in Europe, and is considered to be quite safe to walk around in, even at night. The country is known for its puppetry and marionette museums, as well as the several puppet festivals that happen throughout the year.

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Netherlands Amsterdam - Netherlands is known as being one of the most liberal countries in the world. It's iconic windmills, tulip fields, and hundreds of national parks make for lovely landscapes and breathtaking views.

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Finland Helsinki - Finland's tourism has been growing rapidly in the past few years, largely because of its modernization and globalization. It also has 37 national parks, full of virgin, pristine land and forests.

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BenNicholson added Wales Cardiff

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Hungary Budapest - Hungary sit on top of high quality thermal water, making it home to more than 1500 thermal springs and 450 public baths throughout the country. It also has the largest bath house in Europe, The Széchenyi Thermal Bath.

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Sweden Stockholm - Sweden's largest city, Stockholm, is a canal city, making the city completely picturesque. Despite being one of the most northern countries in Europe, it's climate is relatively temperate and giving way to scenic forests and beautiful national parks.

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Trenton Myers added Argentina Buenos Aires -

Argentina, Chile