The best thing to do in every country around the world, according to TripAdvisor
A list of the top rated things to do in every country, according to TripAdvisor, has been released.
The list includes natural, historical, religious and tourist attractions and was collated by VoucherCloud.
Testament to the enduring success of J.K. Rowling’s wizarding franchise, the Harry Potter Studio Tour is ranked as the most popular attraction the UK, beating Buckingham Palace and Stonehenge. The exhibit opened in 2012 and welcomes up to 6,000 visitors per day during peak periods.
Many of the expected contenders are present and correct, including the Taj Mahal in India, Machu Picchu in Peru and Niagara Falls in Canada.
Ahead of the Grand Canyon, Disney World and Alcatraz, Central Park is ranked top for the US. Covering 843 acres, the park was established in 1857 and contains six miles of “drives” or roads. It has its own New York City Police Department precinct and welcomes around 37 million visitors per year.
In Europe, the Basilica of the Sagrada Familia is the top attraction for Spain. Famously unfinished by Gaudi, the magnificent neo-Gothic structure was deemed to be “one of the most hideous buildings in the world” by George Orwell.
Internationally renowned for its collection of Impressionist art, Paris’s Musee d’Orsay art gallery comes top for France. Housed inside an old train station, the space includes art work by Monet.
Religious institutions are well represented in the Middle East, while further east sees the Temple of the Reclining Buddha in Thailand and the Great Wall at Mutianyu in China come out on top.
Across the water, the Sydney Opera House is the leading attraction in Australia.
In Africa, the Karnak Temple, dating from around 2055 BC and the largest religious building ever constructed, comes top for Egypt, while Kenya’s Masai Mara National Reserve and South Africa’s Table Mountain received the best rankings.
Declared a World Heritage site by Unesco in 1984, the Iguazu Falls of Brazil are comprised of 275 separate falls and widely regarded as one of the most spectacular waterfalls in the world.
Natural wonders are the most common attractions to top the charts, followed by areas or icons of historic interest.
Some 24 beaches also make the cut, alongside 19 museums, 19 national parks or nature reserves, 10 castles or fortresses and nine waterfalls.
