Instant vacation: Best travel photos from around the world
Jdeideh, Lebanon —
Christmas is a big deal in Lebanon, where well over a third of the population is estimated to be Christian. Both secular and religious festive decorations can be found across the country, like these figures reflected in a shop window.
PATRICK BAZ/AFP/Getty Images
Solukhumbu, Nepal —
Nepal's Solukhumbu region is perhaps one of the world's most famous trekking destinations. A two-week hike through the beautiful and challenging terrain leads to Everest base camp.
NAVESH CHITRAKAR/Reuters/Landov
Washington, D.C. —
Photos of the U.S. capital's Washington Monument sometimes fail to capture the scale of the obelisk which opened to the public 127 years ago. This young girl, photographed at the foot of the 169-meter (555 foot), structure, gives some sense its size.
Andrew Harnik/AP
Hong Kong —
Constant construction is a Hong Kong constant. This worker stands above signage advertising a new apartment building.
Kin Cheung/AP
Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands —
Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, is the capital and largest city in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The city was founded in 1681 by Danish settlers.
RON SACHS/DPA/LANDOV
Bristol, England —
Spanning the picturesque Avon Gorge, the Clifton Suspension Bridge joins Bristol and North Somerset, England. It's funded entirely by tolls, which have paid for its upkeep since it first opened in 1864.
Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg/Getty Images
Rome —
The 18th-century Baroque-style Trevi Fountain is lit with colors as part of Rome's canditature for the 2024 Olympic Games.
FILIPPO MONTEFORTE/AFP/Getty Images
Hakone, Japan —
Beaujolais Nouveau Day falls each year on the third Thursday in November. It's when the latest batch of the French, fruity young red wine goes on sale, and celebrations take place around the world. This woman is marking the day by drinking wine in a wine-colored bath at the Hakone Kowaki-en Yunessun spa resort.
THOMAS PETER/Reuters/Landov
Lisbon, Portugal —
For those who want to keep up with their training regime while on a city break in Lisbon, Lisbon City Runners offers several running routes around the city. Winter temperatures are easier going than in the sweltering summer, but be warned -- it's still pretty hilly.
Armando Franca/AP
Sieversdorf, Germany —
Ice crystals grow on the edge of a maple leaf in Sieversdorf, Brandenburg. There are more than 100 officially designated nature parks in Germany, covering over a quarter of the country.
PATRICK PLEUL/EPA/LANDOV
Lhasa, Tibet (Autonomous Region, China) —
Once the seat of Tibetan government and traditional residence of Dalai Lama, the Potala Palace is a 13-story palace with more than 1,000 rooms.
DAMIR SAGOLJ/X90027/Reuters /Landov
Seville, Spain —
In the Andalusian capital of Seville, in southern Spain, the Sicab International Pre Horse Fair is dedicated exclusively to the purebred Spanish horse.
MARCELO DEL POZO/X90017/Reuters /Landov
Dubai, United Arab Emirates —
Where just 15 years ago there was empty, flat land, this stretch of Dubai is now home to the bustling Marina and Jumeirah Lake Towers districts. The impressive skyline is seen here piercing through a blanket of early morning fog.
Kamran Jebreili/AP
Giza, Egypt —
In November, a thermal scanning project found anomalies in Khufu (pictured left), the largest of the three pyramids at Giza. Operation Scan Pyramids says this could indicate the presence of hidden burial chambers.
Nariman El-Mofty/AP
Saint-Prex, Switzerland —
This might not look like a winter day in Switzerland, but unusually warm November weather has seen people flocking to beauty spots such as Lake Geneva (pictured) to make the most of the sunshine.
FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP/Getty Images
Neuenburg, Germany —
Late autumn colors in the vineyards mark the change in season in Neuenburg. The Baden wine trail covers 200 kilometers of wine-making country through the Baden side of Baden-Wurttemberg.
JACKY NAEGELEN/Reuters/Landov
Pampore, India —
A Kashmiri farmer picks saffron from flowers in Pampore, in Indian-administered Kashmir. Pampore is famous for its high-quality saffron and Kashmir is one of the few places where the world's most expensive spice is grown.
FAROOQ KHAN/EPA/LANDOV
Hitachinaka, Japan —
The shadows of children playing on a trampoline are illuminated at Hitachi Seaside Park on Japan's November 3 national Culture Day holiday. The park is known for its Nemophila flowers, commonly known as "baby blue eyes."
FRANCK ROBICHON/EPA/LANDOV
Fribourg, Switzerland —
Slacklining is exactly what it sounds like: tightrope walking, but with a looser rope. Germany's Quirin Herterich shows how it's done during the Highline Extreme event at Moleson Peak.
FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP/Getty Images
Normandy, France —
Cows graze near the Mont Saint-Michel Abbey, a medieval monastery on an island just off the northwest coast of Normandy. A rare "supertide" in March completely swamped a new $227 million bridge connecting the island to the mainland.
STEPHANE MAHE/Reuters/Landov
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia —
The Petronas Towers were the tallest buildings in the world from 1998 to 2004, and they still hold the title of tallest twin towers. The postmodern design is by Argentine-American architect Cesar Pelli.
OLIVIA HARRIS/Reuters/Landov
French Polynesia —
Even in this part of the world, where pristine waters are commonplace, the Toau atoll is renowned for its clear, turquoise waters. Located about 250 miles (400 kilometers) from Tahiti in the Tuamotu Archipelago of French Polynesia, the atoll is home to approximately 20 residents.
GREGORY BOISSY/AFP/Getty Images
Istanbul —
On the European side of Istanbul, with the famed Suleymaniye Mosque serving as a backdrop, the Golden Horn Metro Bridge was opened in 2014.
Emrah Gurel/AP
Mandalay, Myanmar —
A Buddhist devotee lights candles in Aung Daw Mu Temple, marking the full moon day of Thadingyut, the lighting festival to celebrate the end of Buddhist Lent.
Hkun Lat/AP
Nakuru, Kenya —
Lake Nakuru National Park is home to giraffes, rhinos, leopards and flamingos, but UNESCO has recently warned that the site is at risk from flooding, deforestation and pollution.
JOE PENNEY/Reuters/Landov
Viechtach, Germany —
Rowboats wait for riders at Hoellensteinsee Lake in Bavaria, which was named one of Lonely Planet's top 10 regions for 2016.
ARMIN WEIGEL/DPA/LANDOV
Oslo, Norway —
The iceberg-shaped Oslo Opera House is at the heart of the dynamic Bjorvika neighborhood. An Edvard Munch museum and a new venue for the city's public library are expected to open in the district by 2019.
RUSSELL BOYCE/Reuters/Landov
Florence, Italy —
Brunelleschi's Dome, part of the Florence Cathedral, is seen through a window of the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo. The religious sculptures on display in this museum include Michelangelo's Florence Pieta, which depicts Christ being taken down from the cross after his crucifixion.
GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP/Getty Images
Shanghai, China —
The Lujiazui skyline is Shanghai's most iconic and recognizable view. The district has been the city's financial center since the early 1990s.
Wang gang/Imaginechina/AP
Bavaria, Germany —
These Bavarian farmers are preparing for the winter season by driving their cattle down from Alpine meadows and bringing them to a narrow valley only accessible by sailing over Lake Konigssee.
MICHAEL DALDER/Reuters/Landov
Tokyo, Japan —
Looking for an umbrella on a rainy day in Tokyo? Specialist store Cool Magic Shu's has more than 5,000 in stock.
THOMAS PETER/Reuters/Landov
Rio de Janeiro —
Made famous by the Brazilian bossa nova classic "The Girl from Ipanema," Rio de Janeiro's Ipanema Beach was once voted World's Sexiest Beach by the Travel Channel.
PAWEL KOPCZYNSKI/Reuters/Landov
Calgary, Alberta —
The 12-meter "Wonderland" sculpture by Spanish artist Jaume Plensa has been a fixture in downtown Calgary since 2013. His other works include "Crown Fountain" in Chicago and "House of Knowledge" in Boras, Sweden.
Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press/AP
Stirling, Scotland —
In a stunt to mark the opening of Scotland's only monkey drive-through, Barbary macaques at Blair Drummond Safari Park demonstrate why drivers should always lock their luggage compartment.
ANDREW MILLIGAN/PA Wire/Landov
Almaty, Kazakhstan —
Kazakhstan's Big Almaty Lake is the main attraction at Alatau-Eliy National Park. The alpine lake sits in the Tien Shan Mountains at an altitude of over 2,500 meters.
SHAMIL ZHUMATOV/Reuters/Landov
Tetbury, England —
Visitors have been queuing up to an hour to get in to see the spectacular fall foliage at Westonbirt Arboretum in southwest England. The dry, settled October weather has spared the leaves from wind and rain.
TOBY MELVILLE/Reuters/Landov
La Palma, Cuba —
Known for its hilly terrain, La Palma is a challenging location for this horse-riding competition in the La Sierra neighborhood.
Ramon Espinosa/AP
Dresden, Germany —
Beginning in the Krkonose Mountains of the Czech Republic, the River Elbe flows over 1,000 kilometers before joining the North Sea at Cuxhaven, Germany. It runs alongside the green pastures of the Dresden Basin, pictured.
ARNO BURGI/DPA/AFP/Getty Images
Dhaka, Bangladesh —
Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the 11th biggest city in the world. It's growing, too. The Far Eastern Economic Review has estimated it'll be home to 25 million people by 2025.
A.M. Ahad/AP
Mandalay, Myanmar —
Myanmar's U Bein Bridge crosses Taungthaman Lake and is believed to be the oldest and longest teakwood bridge in the world, having been completed in 1851.
JORGE SILVA/X90026/Reuters /Landov
London —
A red deer roars in the morning sun in London's Richmond Park. The park has had deer since 1529, and breeding season begins in the early fall.
TOBY MELVILLE/Reuters/Landov
Iceland —
Photographer Enrico Pescantini used a drone to capture this view of Iceland's Seljalandsfoss waterfall. For a different perspective, it's possible to hike behind the waterfall and view the cascades from the inside out.
Enrico Pescantini/REX Shutterstock
Girona, Spain —
The Catalan city of Girona is famed for its medieval architecture. It's been ruled by Visigoths, sacked by Moors, and in the 9th century it was led by the splendidly named Wilfred the Hairy.
Alex Caparros/Getty Images
Portland, Oregon —
Portland's new Tilikum Crossing bridge opened in early September. It's named after the Chinook word for "people."
Alex Milan Tracy/Sipa USA
Kenya —
Wildebeest are shrouded in dust as they run towards the Mara River in Kenya's Masai Mara National Reserve. Every year, wildebeest migrate between the Masai Mara and the Serengeti region of Tanzania.
STUART PRICE/AFP/Getty Images
Munich, Germany —
A balloon-seller dressed in Bavarian folk attire looks for trade on the opening day of Oktoberfest in Munich. The world's largest beer festival draws millions of visitors every year.
Philipp Guelland/Getty Images
Hangzhou, China —
A bridge is lit up for Mid-Autumn Festival. Lanterns and lights are an important part of the annual festival celebrated by the Chinese and Vietnamese, which this year fell in late September.
Xinhua/Sipa USA
Biran, Cuba —
Vintage automobiles are one of Cuba's most iconic sights. This one is crossing a railroad in Biran, the birthplace of Cuban revolutionary Fidel Castro and his brother President Raul Castro.
Sven Creutzmann/Mambo photo/Getty Images
Chongqing, China —
One of several new record-breaking bridges in China, the horseshoe-shaped Yuanduan Bridge in Longgang National Geological Park is the world's longest cantilevered glass-bottomed skywalk.
Rao Guojun/Xinhua/Sipa USA
Grand Rapids, Michigan —
Michigan's international art competition ArtPrize ended on October 11. Visitor Mike Dalman lifts up his nephew Jacob to look at Amie Adelman's "Linear Motion" piece.
NEIL BLAKE/MLIVE.COM/Landov
Singapore —
Visitors admire handcrafted lantern decorations during Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations. The event is also sometimes known as Lantern Festival in Singapore and Malaysia.
Suhaimi Abdullah/Getty Images
Nagoya, Japan —
A train conductor signals a clear subway platform to a colleague. Nagoya is home to the SCMaglev and Railway Park, a railway museum where train lovers can get a hands-on look at the impressive collection.
Ben Weller/ZUMA Press/Corbis
Lavaur, France —
Pink umbrellas decorate a street to mark October's Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Panoramic via ZUMA Press
New Delhi —
Indian artist Manish Kali, dressed as the Hindu god Krishna, poses during celebrations for the Hindu festival of Ganesh Chaturthi, which fell on September 17.
Chandan Khanna/AFP/Getty Images
Mecca, Saudi Arabia —
Muslim pilgrims pray on Mount Arafat near the holy city of Mecca. Mount Arafat is where Islam's Prophet Mohammed is believed to have delivered his last sermon to tens of thousands of followers about 1,400 years ago.
Mosa'ab Elshamy/AP
Baghdad, Iraq —
Eid al-Adha was celebrated by Muslims worldwide on September 22 and 23. Here, revelers in Baghdad enjoy an amusement park.
Hadi Mizban/AP
Switzerland —
Tourists stand on top of Moleson Mountain in western Switzerland, looking over a sea of mist. The weather phenomenon is known in German as "nebelmeer."
FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP/Getty Images
Indonesia —
Volcanic activity continues at Indonesia's Mount Sinabung, with this eruption being captured on September 28. More than 10,000 people's lives have been disrupted by forced evacuation.
Sutanta Aditya/NurPhoto/Sipa USA
Herzliya, Israel —
Ultra-Orthodox Jews pray on a hill overlooking the Mediterranean Sea as they participate in a Tashlich ceremony. Tashlich, which means "to cast away" in Hebrew, is a practice in which Jews go to a large flowing body of water and symbolically "throw away" their sins by throwing a piece of bread or similar food into the water.
Ariel Schalit/AP
Breda, Netherlands —
Dutch artist Leon Keer has created incredible 3-D illustrations on streets around the world. This piece in Breda was commissioned by the local council to raise awareness about littering.
WENN.com/Newscom
Philadelphia —
The Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul was one of Pope Francis' stops on his recent trip to the United States. It was designed by American architect Napoleon LeBrun and completed in 1864.
Spencer Platt/Getty Images
Miami Beach, Florida —
Why shouldn't dogs have their own beaches? Haulover Beach Park on Miami Beach is a dedicated dog-friendly area for the animals and their human friends.
Wilfredo Lee/AP
Lisbon, Portugal —
A "super moon" rises behind St. George's Castle in Lisbon. A super moon is a full moon that appears larger because it's at perigee, the closest point of its orbit with Earth.
Armando Franca/AP
Mu Cang Chai, Vietnam —
The magnificent rice terraces of Mu Cang Chai in northeast Vietnam have been cultivated by ethnic Hmong farmers for hundreds of years.
Hau Dinh/AP
Crimea —
Sasyk-Sivash Lake is a shallow saltwater lagoon on the Crimean peninsula, famous for its rare pink salt. The lake's distinctive rose shade is caused by the presence of microalgae that thrive in salty conditions.
Alexander Skifsky/Kommersant Photo via Getty Images
Zeschdorf, Germany —
Hohenjesarscher See is a lake in Germany's Brandenburg region. They take the natural world seriously here: The area's home to 11 nature parks and three biosphere reserves.