There are thousands of stunning wonders scattered around this little ol’ planet of ours, both natural and man-made. Wonders that can lift you up and inspire, astound and humble or even take your very breath away with their majesty and grandeur.
Then there are the ones that make you go…
“Huh, is that it?”
Below then is our list of the top thirteen wonders that we think just aren’t worth it…
Loch Ness (Scotland)
Whether you’re a believer in Nessie or not the fact remains she’s never actually been seen so if you make the trip all you’ll actually be looking at is… a big lake.
It might be a very nice lake but we’re sure you can find pretty ones closer to home!
Stonehenge (England)
An awe-inspiring piece of architectural engineering by Palaeolithic man or a big pile of rocks (which you can’t actually get close to anyway)? You decide…
Carnac (France)
Ok, if Stonehenge was just a big pile of rocks then these definitely are. We mean come on, they couldn’t even be bothered to pile them on top of each other!
The Golden Gate Bridge (San Francisco)
Some of you may be a bit surprised by the inclusion of the Golden Gate Bridge in our list, after all it looks pretty impressive in all its pictures!
It is in real life as well… as long as you don’t walk over it. Then it just looks like a bridge – A really, really long bridge!
Top Tip: Head to Marin Headlands on the north side of the bridge where you’ll have an amazing view of the entire bridge, not just the bit you’re walking on. It looks particularly spectacular at sunrise or sunset.
The Eiffel Tower (Paris)
Along the same theme, the Parisian skyline is dominated by the Eiffel Tower but once you get close enough you lose a lot of its majesty as you find yourself surrounded by huge crowds and long queues.
Top Tip: Instead of climbing the tower we recommend you climb the 284 steps up the Arc de Triomphe – You’ll have a great view of Paris and the best bit is that the view will include the Eiffel Tower!
The Empire State Building (New York)
It’s the same with the Empire State Building – climb to the top and all your ‘I Love NY’ skyline shots will be missing something important!
Top Tip: Climb the Rockefeller centre instead – The view is just as good but will include The Empire State Building
The Mount Eden Crater (New Zealand)
It’s just a big hole in the ground – Next!
Manneken Pis (Brussels)
We’re sure time was it was worth making a trip to see this small bronze sculpture in Brussels but let’s face it; every man and his dog with a pond in their back garden have the exact same sculpture these days! If you really want to see it just head to your local garden supply store, you don’t need to go all the way to Brussels.
North Cape (Norway)
The North Cape is visited by thousands of tourists every year wanting to say they’ve visited the most Northern point in Europe but when you get there all you’ll find is a big sign saying North Cape.
Oh and here’s the best bit; it’s not actually the most Northern point. The neighbouring Knivskjellodden point (don’t worry we can’t pronounce it either) actually extends 1,457 metre’s further north.
Cape of Good Hope (South Africa)
It’s the same with the Cape of Good Hope! Thousands of visitors flock to it every year wanting to stand on the most southerly tip of the African continent but get there and all you’ll find again is a sign. Oh and it’s still not the most southerly point. For that you’d need to go Cape Agulhas, about 150km to the east.
The Little Mermaid Statue (Denmark)
The Little Mermaid is a bronze statue by Edvard Eriksen inspired by Hans Christian Anderson’s tale of the same name. We’re sure it would be a nice landmark on a sun kissed beach somewhere but sitting where she does, looking out over an industrial harbour, does tend to ruin the overall effect slightly.
Checkpoint Charlie (Germany)
This is one of those landmarks where the name is a lot more impressive than the thing itself. It’s the name given by the allies to the crossing point from West to East Germany through the Berlin Wall but with the fall of the wall years ago it’s basically just a box with a soldier standing in front of it now.
Leaning Tower of Pisa (Italy)
OK so we don’t really want to hate on one of Italy’s most famous landmarks. The truth is we actually quite like the Leaning Tower of Pisa!
But if we have to look at just one more tourist trying to take a selfie whilst pretending to hold it up…
You know what we mean, don’t you?
Are there any landmarks you think need adding to our list? Have your say in the comments below.
