Top 10 Most Visited Countries in the World
In an age when travel bloggers and international visitors clutter our social media feeds with wonderful tales of their vacations, it’s difficult to know which country is the most visited in the world. What breathtaking scenery do we need to see? What are the top 10 most visited countries in the world? Here is the list.
1. France: 89 Million Visitors
France is full of idyllic villages and romantic cities. Its culture can be seen in both famous landmarks and everyday places. Few people would be brave enough to cover everything in gold, but the country’s castles, villas, and cathedrals are able to pull off ostentatious decor thanks to its long history of royal rule.
As if to match, the village-square markets, café terraces, and daily routines of a coffee and a croissant show a kind of luxury that is more refined. Don’t forget about France’s nature, either. City dwellers love to escape to the beautiful forests of Corsica and the warm waters of the French Riviera.
Attractions: Eiffel Tower, Palace of Versailles, French Riviera, Chamonix, Mont St-Michel, Paris Bridges.
2. Spain: 84 Million Visitors
Take a looping road trip from Barcelona to Madrid, and you’ll get to see Spain’s beautiful landscapes like a photographer’s reel. Gather in Barcelona’s Gothic neighborhoods and look at Gaudi’s experimental art before heading to the mysterious Alhambra in Granada or the flamenco halls of Seville.
In the north, Bilbao and San Sebastian have delicious pinxtos and modern architecture to satisfy your hunger.
Visit the hills of Picos de Europa, the snow-capped Sierra Nevada, and the sandy edges of Menorca to see how nature changes with the seasons. From the coast to the mountains and dry outposts in the middle of the country, you’ll get the sense that Spain lives in the present, even though it has a long history.
Attractions: La Familia Sagrada, Park Guell, The Alhambra, El Retiro, Guggenheim Museum, Real Alcazar, Mallorca’s beaches.
3. United States: 79 Million Visitors
America has always been a popular place to visit because of its large cities and charming small towns. Last year, 82 million people came to the country. America’s endless highways are a siren’s call for people who like to hop from city to city or take road trips.
New York City, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Chicago, and Boston are all cities that are always changing. They have a lot of different cultures and cuisines coming together.
Then there is musical Austin and free-spirited Portland. San Francisco is as lively as its waves, and Miami’s beaches and nightlife make it fun to visit.
There is also the Grand Canyon, with its quiet heat and miles of lush rainforests and country roads. When you turn on the radio, jazz, country, hip-hop, rock, and pop music keep you company as you look at all these different things.
Attractions: New York City, Yellowstone National Park, Arizona National Parks and Monuments, Grand Canyon, New Orleans, Miami beaches.
4. China: 66 Million Visitors
The country is both mysterious and clear. It remembers some things and forgets others. For example, next to fast-growing cities are crumbling villages, the old Great Wall is not polished next to the bright colors of Buddhist temples, some water towns are busy and others are quiet, and a gleaming metropolis is a long way from the desert-brushed edges of the rural sprawl.
When you’ve had your fill of modern malls and museums full of artifacts, take some time to see China’s beautiful scenery. You can choose from the winding rivers of Yangshuo, the concrete jungle of Hong Kong, the haunting deserts of Mongolia, or the flower crown of Qinghai Lake.
Or, you could try to figure out the mysteries of history in Beijing’s Forbidden City or look for the secret speakeasies of Shanghai. Even if you come to China for the scenery, you’ll stay for the food. There are so many different kinds of food in China that you can eat anything and enjoy it.
Attractions: Forbidden City, Great Wall, Shanghai’s French Concession, Xi’an’s Terracotta Warriors, Li River, Le Shan’s Grand Buddha.
5. Italy: 65 Million Visitors
Heritage sites are the norm, not the exception. They include the ruins, archeological sites, churches, and manors that are all left over from Rome and other empires. Italy is home to some of the best fashion minds in the world, and they pay attention to how things look in every aspect of their lives.
On the side of nature, there is a wide range of geological features. Italy is full of blues and greens, from the turquoise coral reefs to the white Alps. Where there is a lot of nature, there are many tasty things to eat. Enjoy the powdery dough of pizzas and pastries, fill up on oysters and ricotta, and finish it all off with a strong wine.
Attractions: Roman Forum, Tuscany’s Vineyards, Ruins of Pompeii, Amalfi Coast, St. Peter’s Basilica, Duomo.
6. Turkey: 51 Million Visitors
Turkey is hot and smoky, with hot deserts and sun-beaten ruins, and bustling cities that draw you in. It has been ruled by the Romans, the Byzantines, and the Ottomans. Its history stretches from the busy city of Istanbul to the peaceful Mediterranean coast.
On the way, you’ll see magical landscapes like jutting rock formations, sparkling lakes, and olive groves. The Kacker Mountains, Patara Beach, and Lake Egirdir are just a few of the beautiful places you’ll see. Explore these places by canyoning, kayaking, paragliding, hiking, and other adventurous means. They teach you about your body and your culture and make Turkey one of the most visited places in the world.
As if Turkey wasn’t already appealing enough, its food comes from both the land and the sea. Spiced kebabs, vegetables cooked in oil, and sweet baklava are just a few of the many foods you can find in the area.
Attractions: Topkapi Palace, Suleymaniya Mosque, Aya Sofya, Bergama Acropolis, Caves of Heaven and Hell, Nemrut Dagi National Park.
7. Mexico: 45 Million Visitors
Bright and hot People live so much in Mexico that it’s hard to keep up. The people who live there are friendly hosts who are fiercely proud of their country. Because of their pride and willingness to express themselves, the people of Mexico were able to build amazing structures like the pyramids of Teotihuacan, Mayan temples, and colonial towns. They also made some of the best art in the world, with artists like Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera.
Dance and street art have also come to the front because of underground art movements.
Outside of the city, the jungles, volcanoes, deserts, and coast are also very interesting. Divers and hikers can both find exciting things to do in Mexico’s nature. Climb the mountains of Oaxaca or dive deep into the Caribbean to enjoy everything it has to offer.
Attractions: Tulum, Cabo Pulmo, Palenque Ruins, Teotihuacan, Palacio de Bellas Artes, Edzna, Oaxaca City.
8. Thailand: 39.7 Million Visitors
Many of Thailand’s cultural practices are based on the spiritual and celestial, which foretells how sacred spaces and nature will be linked.
As you walk through the beautiful grounds of shining temples and intricate shrines, you’ll trip over the roots of old banyan trees and pass Buddhas with green frames and other flower offerings. Nature is always nearby. The rural center of Thailand has deep caves, huge waterfalls, beautiful rice terraces, and hills that move back and forth.
Aside from the chaotic cities and peaceful farms, people come to Thailand for its busy coast. Over a thousand islands dot its shores, and corals and whale sharks live in its calm waters. Sea cliffs and sand strips invite travelers who like to be outside to stay and play, while Ko Tao, Ko Samui, and Ko Phi-Phi use massages and tropical food to sell themselves as vacation spots.
Attractions: Wat Pho, Grand Palace, Chiang Mai, Erawan National Park, Phuket region.
9. Germany: 39.5 Million Visitors
Germany is known for being the site of a terrible tragedy, but it is also where many of the great thinkers, inventors, and artists of the modern era were born. You can see the country’s cultural footprints in buildings by Frank Gehry and Daniel Libeskind, as well as in tall museums and car factories.
If you look past the Romanesque and Baroque architecture of Berlin, Munich, and Hamburg, you’ll see a winding road that leads into rural Germany. The valleys open up into huge forests and vineyards that stretch all the way to the northern dunes and the cold Alps. Stretch your eyes and tongue to get a taste of Germany’s many different regions.
Attractions: Pergamon Museum, Schloss Neuschwanstein, Zwinger, Kolner Dom.
10. United Kingdom: 36 Million Visitors
The UK is known for its refined elegance, thanks to things like afternoon tea, posh accents, and, of course, the Queen. That’s why it’s in this list of the Top 10 most visited countries in the world. Scotland and Wales are moody, and Northern Ireland is down-to-earth. When we put all of the historical sites with local flavor under the banner of “United Kingdom,” we have a lot of places to land.
The edges of Great Britain are full of history. Neolithic stone circles, crumbling castles and forts, Roman baths, and new-age museums all tell a story.
Scotland is the wildlands. Chains of simple but imposing fortresses and places where battles used to take place connect the high lochs and tumbling isles.
Northern Ireland, on the other hand, is all about clinking pints and cool cities. It takes ideas from both modern Britain and the Scottish highlands.
Attractions: Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, Stonehenge, Edinburgh Castle, Roman Baths, Northumberland.
