One of the side effects of Dracula—the Gothic horror novel by Irish author Bram Stoker — was that it transformed Transylvania, a perfectly real Romanian region, into a mythical realm, a “cursed spot, from this cursed land, where the devil and his children still walk with earthly feet! While purple, pink, and blue-hued lupin flowers may not be native to New Zealand (they hail from North America), they really do seem to bloom most vibrantly on the Oceanian nation’s South Island. A tour on an electric bike easily takes in the city’s most well-known places, from Nyhavn, a former industrial port now lined with restaurants and bars, to Rundetaarn, a 17th-century astronomical observatory housing exhibitions.

It has some of the greatest skiing in the world with popular towns including Chamonix-Mont-Blanc (the highest mountain), Lech, Gstaad and Courchevel.When SOME PLACES MORE THAN OTHERS begins, 11-year-old Amara is begging her parents to let her travel to New York City with her father when he goes there for business. There are so many amazing places around the globe to see, we couldn't possibly include them all in just one list. The experience even extends beyond the visual realm: In 1996, Japan’s Ministry of the Environment included the sounds here—wood creaking, leaves rustling—as one of the top 100 Soundscapes of Japan. The two volcanic peaks—Gros Piton and Petit Piton—are the most iconic landmarks on the island, and visitors can enjoy them in a variety of ways.

Backed by the towering mountain peaks of the President Range, in summer the clear glacial water is ideal for canoeing and attempting a quick swim. Places that get extremely cold tend to be very far north in the Arctic, very far south in the Antarctic or in the middle of large continents, far away from the sea. And he world's biggest non-continental island is so much more than glaciers (although they are spectacular)—think magnificent fjords, colorful villages, fields of sheep, and that ever-alluring midnight sun. Roughly 900 miles off the coast of Lisbon, this Portuguese archipelago can inspire wanderlust with a single photo.

The colors were formed by the layering of sedimentary mineral deposits over millions of years, but it's hard to look at the flowing reds, yellows, and oranges and not feel like you're witnessing magic. The world is full of wonders — even if they’re hard to reach right now —so take this time to plot and plan your next journey and lay the foundation for that much-dreamed-about big trip. It’s a hike on many pro adventurers' list, but for newbies looking for an outdoors excursion floating down the Snake River or mountain-biking through the 310,000-acre landscape are viable options, too. At various points along Étretat's 80-mile stretch, you’ll find natural sculptures that have inspired travelers and artists (most notably Claude Monet) for ages.