Hey there, fellow travelers! Today, we’re in Chichen Itza, outside of Cancun Mexico. It’s one of the seven NEW wonders of the world, which got me thinking about all the different wonders of the world. The “new” wonders of the world were chosen through a campaign launched in 2000 to highlight new wonders, and the winners were announced in 2007. These sites are iconic and worth a visit, so I thought I’d share a post about these Wonders of the World so you can plan a trip to see them. I’ve only been to five of the seven, so we still have some traveling to do!
#1 Chichen Itza – Cancun, Mexico
Chichen Itza is a large pre-Columbian city built by the Mayans around 600 A.D. These Mayan ruins just outside Cancun with a lot of cool history here. You can learn all about the sacrifices that took place here and other interesting historical tidbits about the Mayans. If you are visiting Cancun, it’s very easy to make a day trip to Chichen Itza. Because of the proximity to Cancun, it can be crowded with day trip tourists.
Read: The 12 Don’ts of Cancun
#2 Machu Picchu – Cuzco, Peru
Machu Picchu is the lost city of the Incas in Peru. There are several ways to visit Machu Picchu; you can hike there along the Inca Trail, or you can take a train from Cuzco. Watching the sunrise from Machu Picchu is an incredible experience, I can’t recommend it highly enough. Then you can hike around the ruins and the surrounding jungle, learning about the Incas and why they built this city in the 15th century.
Read: The Don’ts of Peru
#3 The Great Wall of China – Beijing, China
Most people visit the Great Wall from Beijing, but the wall actually goes throughout China, so there are many ways to experience this wall that stretches over 13,000 miles. It is truly awe-inspiring when you see the scale of this wall and realized that it was built by hand in the 17th century. The Great Wall of China quickly became one of my favorite Wonders of the World when we visited China.
#4 Christ the Redeemer – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
The Christ statue that looms over Rio has become a de facto symbol of Brazil because it’s so iconic. This the largest art deco statue in the world and was commissioned in 1921 by the Roman Catholic archdiocese. The statue itself is 125 feet high and stands on the summit of a mountain that is over 2,300 feet tall. When you visit Rio de Janeiro, you should definitely take the trip up the mountain to see this world wonder up close.
#5 The Colosseum – Rome, Italy
Rome’s Colosseum may be the most famous of the new wonders of the world. This amphitheater in Rome is where the gladiators fought as far back as 80 AD. You can still see gladiators today, although they won’t fight you, they will take a photo with you for a small fee. These days, the Colosseum is full of cats and tourists, but back in the day, thousands of Romans would come here to be entertained. A tour of the Colosseum is a quintessential Rome experience.
#6 City of Petra – Jordan
Petra is called the “Rose City” as it’s been carved out of a rock face of rose-colored sandstone. The most famous building is the one called the Treasury, a 45-meter high temple that you might recognize Petra from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. The buildings here date back to around 300 BC and are remarkably well-preserved. Many travelers avoid the Middle East, but Jordan is actually a pretty safe place to visit. We’ll be sure to post lots of videos once we visit!
#7 Taj Mahal – Agra, India
This magnificent mausoleum was commissioned in 1632 by the Mughal Emperor for his third and favorite wife, who died giving birth to her 14th child. The Taj Mahal is a shining example of Islamic architecture in India. The Emperor had actually planned to build a black marble mausoleum for himself, but that never came to fruition, however, the Taj Mahal also contains the tomb of the man who built this wonder.
These are the Seven “New” Wonders of the World. If you are unsure where to travel next, these seven spots make excellent travel destinations. The original Seven Wonders of the Ancient World includes places like the Giza pyramids and the hanging gardens of Babylon. Then there are the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, which includes the Grand Canyon and the Great Barrier Reef. And the Seven Man-Made Wonders of the World includes the Panama Canal and the Empire State Building. Which Wonders have you visited? Tell us about it in the comments!
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