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The 20 most beautiful countries, ranked by travel-guide readers
Sep 5, 2017, 5:44 PM
Scotland's wild highlands and hidden-gem beaches earn the No. 1 spot on the Rough Guides list.
Unsplash/Sean Afnan
Rough Guide has released an updated list of the most beautiful countries as voted for by its readers.
The British travel company — known for its guides, e-books, and blog — listed the top 20 destinations on its website on Monday.
The list includes stunning tropical landscapes like Indonesia and Vietnam as well as icy retreats such as Norway and Finland.
Surprisingly, the No. 1 spot was claimed to somewhere a little closer to home: Scotland.
England, Ireland, and Wales also made the list thanks to their "romantic" rural landscapes and historic sites.
Scroll on to see the 20 most beautiful countries, as votes for by Rough Guide readers, alongside stunning photos that justify each country's place on the list.
20. Vietnam
Chế Cu Nha, Vietnam.
Vietnam's wild and impressive landscapes, including the terraced fields of the Sa Pa mountains, earn the Southeast Asian country a place in the Rough Guides readers' top 20.
19. Croatia
Dubrovnik, Croatia.
The terra-cotta skylines of Croatia's tourist traps like Dubrovnik and Split against the deep blues of the Adriatic sea make for great tourist snaps, and they won over Rough Guides readers.
18. Ireland
Among Ireland's dewy hills and rocky coastlines, Rough Guides readers are rarely left disappointed — even if they are left a little wet.
One guide says, "Among the romantic preconceptions visitors bring to Ireland, it is their expectations of the landscape that are most likely to be fulfilled."
17. Norway
Lote, Norway.
Whether it's the glacier peaks, the bustling cities, or the Northern Lights that bring visitors to Norway, few are left disappointed upon departure — Rough Guides readers included.
16. Peru
Rough Guides readers were won over by Peru's eclectic and varied landscapes — with the stripey peaks of Rainbow Mountain, the perilous steps of the ancient Inca Trail, leafy rainforests, snow-capped summits, and many deserts.
What's more, Peru made it onto Business Insider's recent list of "100 trips everyone should take in their lifetime, according to the world's leading travel experts" — showing it really is a must-see getaway, regardless of what you're seeking.
15. Switzerland
Aletsch Glacier in Fieschertal, Switzerland.
Switzerland's mountainous landscape, snowy runs, and hiking trails offer plenty of opportunities for visitors to get out into the wild and actively enjoy its stunning landscapes.
14. Finland
One Rough Guides reader believes that "the skies, the forests, the mysticism, and just about everything else" earn Finland's stunning Nordic landscapes a place on the list.
13. India
Goa, India.
Whether it's the beautiful cultures or lush landscapes, Rough Guides readers have a soft spot for India.
12. Mexico
San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.
One Rough Guides reader says Mexico has it all when it comes to history, breathtaking sites, and deeply engrained, enchanting culture: "Beautiful nature, ancient temples, great food. So much to see and explore."
11. Slovenia
Bled, Slovenia.
The small European country has an endless number of historical and cultural sites that will leave visitors reaching for the camera.
With the mirrored waters of Lake Bled — a glacial lake equipped with hot springs and a tiny, church-topped islet — and the stunning, baroque architecture lining the streets of Slovenia's capital, Ljubljana, the country's natural landscapes partner with its unique national identity to make the country one of the most beautiful places in the world, according to Rough Guides readers.
10. Wales
Llyn Dulyn reservoir in Snowdonia National Park, Wales.
Described on the Visit Wales website as "epic," Wales' trademarks hills and lush valleys are truly the stuff of legend to Rough Guides readers.
In addition, the number of castles, heritage sites, and quaint villages add to rather than interrupt the vast landscape of wild greens and cool stone.
9. US
Lower Antelope Canyon, Arizona, USA.
Each state's varying and characteristic landscape earned the US its spot on the list, according to Rough Guides readers.
Boasting peaks to canyons, metropoles to wastelands, there are few places across the vast nation that aren't worth getting the camera out for — especially national parks and landmarks such as the Grand Canyon and Yosemite, which are "protected for posterity with the world's best national park system," according to one Rough Guide reader.
8. Iceland
Southern region, Iceland.
With its volcanic mountains, black sand beaches, and numerous natural hot springs, Iceland's unique and dramatic landscape helped the country make the Rough Guides list.
7. England
Kynance Cove Beach, Helston, England.
England climbed to seventh place in Rough Guides' reader ranking thanks to its stunning coastlines and historic sites. Visitors can take a bus ride along the Jurassic Coast in Dorset or visit the fossil beaches in Cornwall or the Isle of Wight to find their own piece of preserved, national history.
6. Indonesia
Rice fields in Tegallang, Indonesia.
One reader chose Indonesia for its myriad islands, while another favored the country's mountains and proud heritage.
5. South Africa
Simon's Town, Cape Town in South Africa.
Whether it's the inquisitive wildlife, sprawling vineyards, hidden-gem beaches, or bustling towns and cities, South Africa's varied and breathtaking landscape earn the country a spot on the Rough Guides' list.
4. Italy
Culture, community, history, and natural beauty all meet in this European nation, with one Rough Guides reader picking up on the romance that floats through the air in the small towns and vast cities alike.
Italy's many regions all boast their own variations of food, language, culture, and landscape.
3. New Zealand
Lake Rotoiti, New Zealand.
One Rough Guides reader defines the magic of New Zealand's varied sites by its "rolling green hills, majestic mountains, breathtaking fjords, and amazing diversity of landscape from one island to the next."
2. Canada
Canada's vast wilderness includes the world-renowned, waterfall-haven Niagara Falls and the lake-filled Banff National Park in the Rocky Mountains.
Rough Guides praises the North American country for its "raw beauty and majestic landscapes."
1. Scotland
A waterfall in Fintry, Scotland.
Scotland's ragged hills and heathered highlands won over Rough Guides readers.
Rough Guides says: "Who can deny that these wild beaches, deep lochs and craggy castles are some of the most wonderful and beautiful sights in the world?"
Read the original article on Business Insider UK. Copyright 2017. Follow Business Insider UK on Twitter.
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