*** Follow me on\u00a0Twitter<\/a>,\u00a0Instagram<\/a>\u00a0and Facebook<\/a>\u00a0for a daily moment of travel inspiration ***<\/em><\/p>\n The\u00a0landlocked Himalayan Kingdom Bhutan is\u00a0perched high on the mighty Himalayan range and remains a hidden paradise, accessible to only a fortunate few. The land of the Thunder Dragon\u00a0unites its colourful religion\u00a0with spectacular natural surroundings. The many festivals are rich expressions of Vajrayana Buddhism, when people dress in their finest clothes and jewellery. It is a mystic land of fluttering prayer flags lining high ridges, beautiful monasteries perched precariously on sheer cliffs, and chanting red robed monks, all combining to give the aura of a long forgotten time.<\/p>\n Cambodia’s landscapes are surprisingly diverse, with tropical beaches, remote jungles, rice paddies, and sugar palm plantations.\u00a0But most people come here because it is the gateway to magnificent ancient temple ruins, such as\u00a0iconic Angkor Wat, elegant\u00a0Angkor Thom and the ubiquitous Ta\u00a0Phrom. Vast, beautiful and beguiling, these temple complexes contain a magic that makes them stand out from the crowd. If time is on your hand, consider combining the ancient temples of Angkor Wat with those of\u00a0Borobodur\u00a0in Indonesia and\u00a0Bagan\u00a0in Burma.<\/p>\n Beguiling and glamarous, spectacular yet intimate, the Indian subcontinent crackles with colour, energy and culture. You can explore the capital city Delhi\u00a0with its vast marketplaces, historical mosques, and ancient tombs. You can also\u00a0discover the sacred city of Varanasi and\u00a0Khajuraho, famed for its extraordinary carvings. However, for most visitors, nothing compares to the splendour and romance of Rajasthan, with its many\u00a0Mughal monuments and ancient temples. A sunrise view of the Taj Mahal – the world’s most famous monument to love – is an absolute highlight.<\/p>\n In Belgium, you can hit the streets of\u00a0two of the world\u2019s best preserved medieval cities, Bruges and Ghent, that both spill over with palaces and cathedrals, packed with paintings of the Flemish Primitives Van Eyck and Memling. Or you can visit the harbour\u00a0city of Antwerp, where you\u2019re never far from a Rubens masterpiece in the Belgian artist\u2019s home town. Don’t forget to cross the border into the Netherlands, to\u00a0admire the\u00a0Nightwatch\u00a0by Rembrandt, intimate \u00a0paintings by Vermeer as well as masterpieces of Van Gogh in Amsterdam\u2019s top museums.<\/p>\n Related post:\u00a0top 10 things to see and do in Belgium<\/a>.<\/p>\n Japan\u2019s myriad ancient temples, shrines and traditional geisha districts offer a fascinating glimpse into the country\u2019s rich history and heritage. From the temples in the stunning imperial city of Kyoto to the bustling capital of Tokyo with its dizzying dimensions and flashing neon lights\u00a0, there is no limit to the cracks and crevasses you can explore in the land of the rising sun.<\/p>\n Related post: top 10 things to see and do in Japan<\/a>.<\/p>\n Guatemala’s Tikal is arguably the most impressive Mayan site in the world, although it is still\u00a0only partially excavated from the dark and forbidden jungle. The ruin complex comprises some\u00a03000 ancient buildings, such as tombs, altars, dwellings, palace\u00a0and an incredible 9-storey pyramid. Other famous Mayan landmarks are\u00a0found in Belize and Mexico, with Chichen Itza and Tulum being the most famous ones, where temple ruins stand in a background of pristine jungle, exotic wildlife, tumbling waterfalls and tropical beaches.<\/p>\n Home to Athena, Poseidon, Zeus and Aphrodite, ancient\u00a0Greek\u00a0culture was the\u00a0birthplace\u00a0of Western\u00a0civilisation\u00a0about 4000 years ago.\u00a0<\/b>Today, you can still\u00a0trace the fingerprints of Greek history from the Paleolithic Era to the Roman Period in the hundreds of archaeological sites\u00a0as well as in the\u00a0museum collections\u00a0that are scattered throughout the country. Don’t stay on the mainland, but visit the islands as well, where\u00a0ancient Greek architecture intermingles with delicious\u00a0Mediterranean cuisine and a colourful lifestyle.<\/p>\n From the Aswan temple near Lake Nasser in the south to the\u00a0mediterranean shores in the north, a holiday\u00a0in Egypt will unveil the rich tapestry of its glorious past. Most visitors will start their journey in the bustling capital city\u00a0of Cairo, with the world-famous pyramids of Giza and the\u00a0\u00a0fascinating Museum of Antiquities. But for the greatest cultural experience of all, one needs to travel south to Luxor, also known as the ancient city of Thebes, where you can visit the Valley of the Kings (with the tombs of the Pharaohs) and the majestic\u00a0temples of Ramses and Karnak.<\/p>\n Without doubt, Peru\u2019s greatest attraction is the mist-shrouded Inca citadel of Machu Picchu, which was only discovered in 1911 and is believed to have been used by the Incas as a secret ceremonial city. No matter how many times you have seen a photograph of the iconic Inca ruins, nothing prepares you for sense of awe that this magical place elicits\u00a0in its Andes mountain setting, clinging as it does to rock and jungle. And there\u2019s nothing like the satisfaction of approaching\u00a0Machu Picchu\u00a0on one\u2019s own two feet, which is why the incredibly\u00a0scenic, 5-day Inca Trail should be on every one\u2019s bucket list.<\/em><\/p>\n Related post: top 10 most epic treks in the world<\/a>.<\/p>\n Rich in art and architecture with a heritage stretching back to antiquity, Italy could easily fill up all top 10 spots in this list by its own. A cultural trip to Italy gives you a chance to discover\u00a0the breathtaking monuments of the Roman Empire in Italy\u2019s bustling capital, to be awestruck by the wealth of Renaissance architecture in Venice and Florence, to visit\u00a0the ancient remains of Pompeii near the magnificent Sorrento Peninsula, and to immerse yourself in \u2018la dolce vita\u2019 on the shores of\u00a0sun-baked Sicily.<\/p>\n *** Follow me on\u00a0Twitter<\/a>,\u00a0Instagram<\/a>\u00a0and Facebook<\/a>\u00a0for a daily moment of travel inspiration ***<\/em><\/p>\n
\n10. HIDDEN TREASURES IN BHUTAN<\/b><\/h5>\n
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\n9. ANCIENT TEMPLES IN\u00a0CAMBODIA<\/b><\/h5>\n
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\n8.\u00a0MAHARAJAS\u00a0IN INDIA<\/b><\/h5>\n
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\n7. PAINTINGS IN THE LOW COUNTRIES<\/b><\/h5>\n
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\n6. SHRINES IN JAPAN<\/b><\/h5>\n
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\n5. MAYAS IN CENTRAL AMERICA<\/b><\/h5>\n
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\n4. ANCIENT CIVILISATION IN GREECE<\/b><\/h5>\n
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\n3. PHARAOHS AND TEMPLES IN EGYPT<\/b><\/h5>\n
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\n2. INCA TRAIL TO MACHU PICCHU<\/b><\/h5>\n
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\n1. LA DOLCE VITA IN ITALY<\/b><\/h5>\n
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